It’s Wrestlemania season and what better way to prepare than look back at the past events and some of the greatest matches ever! Today I give you my top 5 Wrestlemania matches, enjoy
Steve Austin Vs Shawn Michaels – Wrestlemania 14, 1998
The match itself was a war between two of the greatest competitors in WWE history. Michaels went all out to keep his title, resorting to tactics like hitting Austin with a ring bell. He just wasn’t able to keep Austin down, the Rattlesnake showed the determination of a champion. During the match, Tyson played up his role of being of ringside enforcer by being very impartial. HBK had his trusted allies by his side but midway through the contest the referee ordered both Triple H & Chyna to leave ringside. As all 4 superstars battled around the entrance ramp Michaels hit Austin with a cymbal from the band stage. A crucial moment in the match came when Michaels tried to apply a sleeper hold and Austin countered by backing him into the turnbuckle. He broke the hold, but they also took out the referee at the same time, Michaels threw his Sweet Chin Music but Austin caught his foot, spun him around, kicked him in the abdomen and hit the Stunner. HBK was down, but so was the referee. Austin clambered atop Shawn as Tyson jumped into the ring and registered a quick three count before raising the hand of Austin. The new champion celebrated by tossing the enforcer an Austin 3:16 t-shirt. When Shawn Michaels stood up, he confronted Tyson about his turn but was met with a right hook that instantly floored him, Tyson then draped him with Austin’s t-shirt.
Steve Austin Vs Brett Hart – Wrestlemania 13, 1997
Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin met in a No Disqualification Submission match at WrestleMania 13, it also featured former UFC fighter Ken Shamrock as the special guest referee. This match was a moment in time, it could also be a seen as a moment that the WWF started to evolve. After a gruelling battle which lasted more than 30 mins, the two men began fighting in the crowd, where both men hit each other with several foreign objects. They moved up the steps high into the crowd, Shamrock was in hot pursuit but he allowed them to fight. The combatants returned to ringside where Austin used steel steps to attack Hart. Bret busted Austin’s head open with the timekeeper’s bell which quickly began to bleed. Hart dragged Austin into the centre of the ring and locked him into the Sharpshooter, Austin refused to submit and screamed while he tried to lift himself free of the hold. The fans cheered Austin as he fought against the hold, but Hart immediately tightened his grip. Austin laid face down in the ring in a pool of his own blood and passed out from the pain and loss of blood. Shamrock awarded the match to Hart, who continued to attack Austin which lead to a double-turn as the fans turned on Hart and began cheering for Austin. Shamrock suplexed Hart off of Austin. Hart left the ring to a chorus of boos, his once fan friendly image was ripped to shreds.
Steve Austin Vs The Rock – Wrestlemania 17, 2001
The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin met for their second of 3 Wrestlemania bouts in 2001, during the match the two took the fight outside of the ring and into the crowd. When the wrestlers returned to the ring, blood was shed from both after the ring bell was introduced into the proceedings. Rock used Austin’s own finishing manoeuvre on him by executing a Stunner. Rock kicked out of the Stunner after a two count, which he received after attacking Vince McMahon in the ring, Vince then handed Austin a steel chair to hit Rock with at Austin’s request. This revealed that Austin had sided with Vince McMahon, a man he once considered his nemesis, with this Austin turned heel. He tried to end the match with the Stone Cold Stunner again, but after Rock kicked, a furious Austin decided he’d had enough. The challenger then pummelled the champion with sixteen consecutive chair shots, enabling Austin to pin Rock and become the new WWF Champion. The show ended with the chairman and the new champion shaking hands.
Eddie Guerrero Vs Kurt Angle – Wrestlemania 20, 2004
In this match we saw the late Eddie Guerrero in his only title match at WrestleMania against Kurt Angle. The match was centred on both men manoeuvring around on the mat the two exchanging beautiful wrestling holds, counters, and submission manoeuvres. It was a real treat for pure wrestling fans, who saw the two athletes try to outwrestle each other. Guerrero used a DDT and Frog Splash on Angle that would result in a pin attempt; Angle then secured Guerrero with an ankle lock hold. Guerrero escaped the hold by rolling through it and throwing Angle out of the ring, as Angle was outside, Guerrero loosened his ring boot to relieve the pain. As Angle returned to the ring, he tried to apply the hold again leading Guerrero to famously escape Kurt Angle’s ankle lock by pushing Angle off with his other foot. Guerrero broke free from Angle’s hold and leaving the challenger holding the champion’s boot. With Angle confused, Guerrero executed a roll-up leading to a successful pin fall, winning the match and retaining the WWE Championship.
Mick Foley Vs Edge – Wrestlemania 22, 2006
This match had it all, blood, chairs, baseball bats wrapped with barbed wire, traffic signs and thumbtacks. Both superstars risked their lives when Edge speared Foley through a flaming table. The match itself delivered on all accounts. It was sheer brutality and exceeded all expectations. Edge knew exactly what he needed to do when facing off against a hard-core legend like Mick Foley. Early on Edge hit a spear but was unable to capitalize when Foley revealed he had barb wire strapped to his body hidden under his shirt. From there the brutality continued, the hardcore match kept building to new levels of insanity. Foley prepared a table outside the ring lighting it on fire, Lita struck him with a baseball bat to aid Edge, and we all knew what was coming. Mick was hanging on to the ropes outside the ring, Edge ran through the ropes to spear Foley onto the burning table. Both men were visibly in pain but it was Edge who picked up the pin fall. An insane match and a lot of fun, add in Joey Styles’ screaming “OH MY GOD” and we have ourselves a memorable WrestleMania match.
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