For the last 30 years, WrestleMania has been the cornerstone event in the WWE, changing the course of history and providing wrestling fans with some of the greatest and most memorable moments in the history of professional wrestling. The WWE's marquee event has led to the term WrestleMania Moment becoming a common phrase.
Best moments from WrestleManias I-V
Over the next few weeks leading up to WrestleMania XXX on April 6 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Sports World News will be taking a look back through past WrestleManias and determining the best moment from each one, starting with WrestleMania I at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1985 and finishing with 2013's installment of WrestleMania XXIX at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
We've already covered all of the events from I-XX, and we'll pick up now looking at the best WrestleMania Moments from 21-XXV (21-25) as we countdown towards WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans a week from this Sunday. There will be some honorable mentions along the way as well.
Best WrestleMania moments from VI-X
WrestleMania 21 Honorable Mentions: Six-man ladder debut is 'Money' and Cena and Batista finally shine:
WrestleMania went Hollywood in 2005 as the WWE took a movie theme into the 21st installment of the biggest show of the year from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The card was stacked and one of the highlights was the debut of the Money in the Bank Ladder Match that saw Edge defeat Chris Jericho, Kane, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Benoit and Christian in a memorable ladder match that ended up launching Edge into a main eventer. The main events were important as well as John Cena won his first WWE Championship by defeating JBL and Batista closed the show by winning his first World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H. WrestleMania 21 went a long way in establishing the stars of the future for the WWE.
WrestleMania 21 Moment: Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels put on a classic:
While there are plenty of great moments to choose from on this card, Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels had the best match on the show. Michaels is known for his great 'Mania matches and Angle could have a great match with anyone, and it was an instant dream match when these two began feuding at the 2005 Royal Rumble. Angle and Michaels pulled out all of the stops in an unbelievable back-and-forth contest that eventually saw Angle stand tall in a five-star classic that has gone down as one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all-time.
Best WrestleMania moments from XI-XV
WrestleMania 22 Honorable Mentions: The crowd turns on Cena, Mysterio wins it all for a fallen friend:
WrestleMania 22 emanated from the Allstate Arena in Illinois and had a few memorable bouts. Rey Mysterio won the World Heavyweight Championship in a solid --albeit short -- triple threat match between himself, Randy Orton and Kurt Angle in honor of Eddie Guerrero, who passed away in November of 2005. Elsewhere, a memorable clash between John Cena and Triple H for the WWE Championship saw Cena stand tall despite the crowd mercilessly booing him and turning their back on him, sparking years of turmoil by fans against the face of the WWE.
WrestleMania 22 Moment: Mick Foley gets his WrestleMania Moment:
Edge and Mick Foley had a memorable hardcore match against each other at this event, finally solidifying Foley in WrestleMania lore while further establishing Edge. The match was a back-and-forth blood bath which stole the show. The premise was built around Foley wanting to get his defining WrestleMania Moment, and it was delivered when Edge speared him through a flaming table to win the match. The contest was classic because it gave Foley his moment while proving that Edge had what it takes to shine on the grandest stage.
Best WrestleMania moments from 2000-XX
WrestleMania 23 Honorable Mention: Vince McMahon gets a haircut:
In the infamous Battle of the Billionaires at Ford Field in Detroit, Vince McMahon got his head shaved by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Donald Trump and Bobby Lashley after Lashley defeated Umaga. Lashley was backed by Trump while McMahon was in Umaga's corner, and whichever billionaire's charge lost the match would have their precious locks shaved off. In the end, McMahon had his head shaved clean while simultaneously confirming that the speculation all these years of McMahon wearing a rug was untrue. Unfortunately, Trump's ridiculous hair stayed intact.
WrestleMania 23 Moment: Darkness reigns supreme:
The Undertaker kept his undefeated streak alive and defeated "The Animal" Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship in a great match between two big men that was relegated to the middle of the show. The Undertaker and Batista put on a better match than most people were expecting, and in the end The Undertaker stood tall with the WHC and held on to his streak.
WrestleMania XXX: First look at the set (Photo), "Stone Cold" says he'll be in New Orleans
WrestleMania XXIV Honorable Mention: The Undertaker and Edge close a memorable show:
Edge closed WrestleMania for the first and only time at the 24th installment at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando while defending his World Heavyweight Championship against The Undertaker, who once again had his streak on the line. The two had a very good back-and-forth match with plenty of false-finishes and pulse-pumping moments throughout. When all was said and done, The Undertaker defeated Edge to keep his streak intact and leave WrestleMania with the WHC for the second consecutive year.
WrestleMania XXIV Moment: Shawn Michaels defeats and retires Ric Flair:
While this moment has been somewhat sullied since Flair went on to wrestle again in various different places, he never wrestled in the WWE again and it is the most remembered storyline coming out of WrestleMania XXIV. With the storyline laid out that if Flair lost again he'd be forced to retire, he narrowly escaped losing in the months leading up to WrestleMania en route to a match with Shawn Michaels which Flair requested in storyline. The match itself was great and featured a lot of memorable moments such as Michaels nearly breaking his sternum on a moonsalt attempt through the announce table, and Flair going up and finally hitting the top rope move he failed to hit throughout his career rather than getting bodyslammed. The ending sequence with Michaels saying "I'm sorry, I love you" to Flair before nailing him with the Sweet Chin Music and ending his career was legendary. The slow walk out for Flair as the crowd applauded him for a storybook career made a great ending to his career, which would have been a great ending if it only proved to be his last match.
Chris Jericho discusses CM Punk leaving WWE, says he likely won't be watching WrestleMania
WrestleMania XXV Honorable Mention: Punk wins MITB, The Dragon can still go:
CM Punk became the first man to ever win back-to-back Money in the Bank ladder matches at WrestleMania by defeating Kane, Mark Henry, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, Kofi Kingston, Christian and Finlay in a memorable ladder match that helped launch him into a main event player after he also won the match at WrestleMania XXIV. Elsewhere on the card, Chris Jericho took on "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat in a match that showcased that Steamboat could still go after a great sequence with Jericho. In the end, "Y2J" got the best of the legends, but he got his comeuppance when Mickey Rourke knocked him out.
WrestleMania XXV Moment: The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels steal the show:
The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels are two of the legendary names that come to mind when WrestleMania is mentioned. The Undertaker, of course, for his WrestleMania undefeated streak, and Michaels for his memorable matches and ability to come up with classic after classic at the biggest show of the year. Michaels owned up to his "Mr. WrestleMania" moniker while 'Taker showed that he still had what it takes to put on a classic. The match was great with false finishes and back-and-forth action, including The Undertaker nearly legitimately breaking his neck on a head-first dive over the top rope. The Undertaker stood tall on this night and the two would try to top themselves again the very next year.
We've covered 25 of the first 29 WrestleManias. Come back to Sportsworldnews.com next week as we will have plenty of content for WrestleMania XXX week.
Next week, we'll close out the series by looking at the best moments from WrestleManias XXVI-XXIX as Michaels and Taker steal the show again, The Rock returns to WrestleMania, The Rock gets another WrestleMania Moment, and CM Punk tries to end The Streak.
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