Crocker

The following matches are considered by many to be amongst the greatest one on one Wrestlemania matches of all time, but in your opinion was the greatest of these matches?

What order would you put them in, with your favourite at number 1 and least favourite at number 5? Also please give reasons for the order you put them in

Ricky Steamboat vs Randy savage - Wrestlemania III
Owen Hart vs Bret Hart - Wrestlemania X
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin - Wrestlemania 13
Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania 21
Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker - Wrestlemania XXV

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horrorfan_1986

Ricky Steamboat vs Randy savage - Wrestlemania III
Owen Hart vs Bret Hart - Wrestlemania X
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin - Wrestlemania 13
Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania 21
Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker - Wrestlemanai XXIV

5. Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle - Wrestlemania 21
I wouldn't consider this a top 10 match. Much like Bret Hart vs Michaels at Wrestlemania 12, you have your haters and your lovers for this. This is easily one of the most controversial matches at Wrestlemania for that reason. I'm obviously on the side that it's massively overrated.

4. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker - Wrestlemania 25
Since the match happened, I've been very opinionated that the match isn't as good as people made it out to be. It's a good match and easily better than the Angle one, but much like the Angle one, I felt they were going too hard to make an epic match instead of letting it just happen. It was too forced for my liking.

3. Bret Hart vs Owen Hart - Wrestlemania 10
Easily the best opening match in Wrestlemania history. The match made Owen's career and he was able to rely on the success of that match for the rest of his life. It's also one of the better matches of the New Generation era. I'm not as big of a fan as the match as others though. I preferred the cage match.

2. Bret Hart vs Steve Austin - Wrestlemania 13
First, I don't think it's the 5 star match some believes it to be. It is a really good match though and it's a shame the audio is out of sync on Bret's DVD. It does get a thousand historical points for the double turn and the iconic image of Austin bleeding while in the sharpshooter though. I really think I should watch another copy of the match though. The out of sync issues is what really dragged the match down for me seeing as I hadn't watched the match since 1997. MOTYC for sure though.

1. Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat - Wrestlemania 3
I feel every match should strive to be like this. It told a story, had incredible action, entertained the fans and did all that in as little time as was needed. So often, wrestlers will go to the ring trying to make an epic match so they make it long despite the fact they could have told the same story in a lot less time. Savage was one of the best heels at the time while Steamboat was the very best face in our lifetimes. Every time I watch this, I fall more in love with it. This is the only match out of these five that I'd consider 5 stars.
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Might I ask why you didn't include Shawn Michaels vs Triple H vs Chris Benoit from Wrestlemania 20? I would easily rank that higher than spots 5-2.

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King Steventon

Bret Hart vs Steve Austin - Wrestlemania 13 - Have a hard time thinking of any WWE match better than this. The storytelling, the hate, blah blah blah it's all been written about countless times. The main thing this has going for it above most is that there is pretty much zero flaws in it.

Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker - Wrestlemania XXIV - Unlike the above this has flaws but makes up for it in a number of ways. The storytelling was far more interesting than any of the other 3 and it far more drama at the end. Hell, it's the best "big money match" in years. Bonus marks for Taker almost Hayabusa'ing himself.

Owen Hart vs Bret Hart - Wrestlemania X - So I hear that Owen Hart kid had some talent. Not only was the story great but it was also worked really smartly as an opener and didn't have to resort to massive highspots or finisher kickouts to get a strong reaction.

Ricky Steamboat vs Randy savage - Wrestlemania III - Overated in the context of being the "best" of anything, but still a strong match that helped move the WWF away from goofy cartoonishness and towards a more... desirable direction. The finish still irks me but they cram a lot of great shit into 15 minutes or whatever it was.

Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania 21 - The only match of the 5 I actively dislike.


EDIT - PS this was a cool thread idea btw.

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horrorfan_1986

What don't you like about the Steamboat/Savage finish?

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King Steventon

You had a ref bump leading to the HEEL being screwed out of a finish attempt, then face interference.

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horrorfan_1986

But that was what made it great. Savage had been screwing people over for more than a year. Crooked refs, using weapons and finding ways to keep the "Better man" from winning. Steel himself had been screwed over by Savage at just the previous Wrestlemania. Ensuring that Savage couldn't use the ring bell played right into what started the entire feud between Savage and Steamboat in the first place (Savage injuring Steamboat with it). For the first time since he came to the WWE, Savage was the one screwed. It was poetic justice.

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King Steventon

I wasn't aware that much of the backstory, that makes me think more highly of it then.

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StoneCold91

5) Wrestlemania 21: Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels- Agree with Jim and Steve, really overrated match. It seems like it tries to hard to be epic and doesnt really unfold naturally or effortlessly into a classic. The ending was annoying, and goes on and on with both men running through their signature spots just for the WOW effect, with very little psychology behind any of them. Michaels's selling of the ankle lock was laughably bad and overacted.

4) Wrestlemania 25: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels- Really good match and much better than the above. I liked it more in the beginning though, with sound psychology of Michaels's targetting Taker's legs and trying to find ways of outsmarting him. The ending much like Angle/Michaels goes on and on, with running through signature spots again. Dont agree with the Greatest match of all time praise it gets but its very good.

3) Wrestlemania 3: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat- Excellent match, deserving of the praise it gets. You could see Steamboat's desperation in wanting to win, I liked how picked Savage up and choked him and then decides to take a different route of playing the babyface who follows the rules instead of resorting to his hatred for Savage. He wants to take the belt from Savage and thats enough for revenge. Say what you want about Savage 'planning' his matches, they feel so effortless and like they are calling it as if its a real wrestling contest. One of the best and first workrate matches in the WWE that was done on the big stage.

2) Wrestlemania 10: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart- Best opener of all time, no contest. Brilliant storytelling with Owen coming prepared into the match, and Bret using his veteran instincts over Owen yet somehow hesitating to take his brother out. You can clearly see Owen's quest for wanting to win so bad, and Bret's holding back in not wanting to fight but by the end he decides to teach his brother a lesson. Probably one of the most shocking wins in Wrestlemania history. I dont think anyone expected Owen to win.

1) Wrestlemania 13: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin- The greatest match in the company history. One of the most historic matches, that marked the dawning of the attitude era, and Austin's time had come. Bret realising that his time as a babyface was ending decides to take out his frustration on Austin, and he brilliantly shows how he becomes everything he hated. Brilliant and the greatest Wrestlemania match of all time

King Steventon

I think Taker and Michaels did a really good job actually of breaking up the second half of the match so it wasn't just finisher, kick-out, finisher, kick-out, over and over. The punch exchange near the end was epic.

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StoneCold91

I havent seen it since the time Wrestlemania was on, so I should really rewatch it. But I did think it was really good overall, I liked the big match feel it had