The Best Match From Every WrestleMania

WrestleMania XI – Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel

There is no way around it. WrestleMania XI sucked big time. This match was not terribly effective at the end of the day, but it was a good match nonetheless.

Shawn Michaels went into this match as the heel but came out of it as the star of the match. His performance overshadowed Diesel’s and added a great deal of stock into his push going forward. Michaels intentionally sabotaged the finish of the match when he took the Jackknife Powerbomb particularly poorly. The match was quite good but we would see many better Shawn Michaels matches in the years to come.

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WrestleMania XII – Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart

The longest match in WrestleMania history. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart competed in the only Iron Man match in ‘Mania history over the WWF Championship, clocking in at just over 61 minutes.

The Iron Man match is technically sound, although not all that exciting. Michaels and Hart engaged in a very good hour-long match and surprised fans when they finished the match at a 0-0 stalemate. However, the rules decreed that there must be a winner and therefore the match was restarted.

After an additional minute and 25 seconds, Michaels was able to pick up the victory and his first WWF Championship. It was a real WrestleMania moment and by far the best match on the show.

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WrestleMania 13 – Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin

We talked about home runs earlier. Well, here is another one. Perhaps the very best WrestleMania match ever, Bret Hart and Steve Austin produced art in the ring on this night.

This was the defining moment in the rise of ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. The surly heel had consistently done his best to get under the skin of the audience before this night. However, things were set to change. As Austin continued his stellar character work, it became cooler to cheer him than boo him.

At WrestleMania 13, he and Bret Hart executed a double turn during their excellent Submission match. The visual of Austin passing out in the Sharpshooter, covered in blood is an all-time great moment at the end of an all-time great match.

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WrestleMania XIV – Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels

This one is difficult. The main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin should have been an all-time classic match but due to Michaels’ injury, the match was limited to just being good.

Austin has said that the match he had with Michaels was essentially the same match he was having with Triple H at the house shows leading up to the event. When you watch the match it is easy to picture it. There are no grand WrestleMania spots or huge moments.

The only significant moment comes at the finish when Mike Tyson counts the pin to give Austin his first WWF Championship. That being said, the match is very solid and stands atop a pretty average show.

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WrestleMania XV – Steve Austin vs. The Rock

The WWF in the Attitude Era has been defined with their lousy undercards and great main events. There is no show more exemplary of this than WrestleMania XV.

This show is really bad. Throughout the show, there were bad matches capped off with stupid booking decisions. That ended with the main event. Steve Austin and The Rock are two of the biggest stars in the history of the wrestling business and this was their first match together at a WrestleMania.

It did not disappoint as the two biggest stars of the Attitude Era delivered a big-time main event match. Austin won the match and the WWF Championship for the third time, sending the Phillie crowd home happy.

• Steve Austin
• WrestleMania
• shawn michaels
• undertaker

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