So, I thought I’d do something a little different. Instead of merely counting down 25 great WrestleMania matches as the title of this column suggests (do you know how hard that is to condense down?), I’m going to have a look at what were, for my money, 25 bloody marvellous bouts from the history of wrestling’s biggest event that were untarnished by a gimmick stipulation.

Yep, that means no ladders, or chairs… and no Hell in a Cell’s (sorry Bossman). Instead, just matches that revolved around athletes getting in there, and rolling around like animals…though I may break a couple of my own rules here and there.

Additionally, they’re all singles matches, and except for one instance, all one-on-one.

And please, don’t be bitter about the running order too much…

25. Randy Orton vs. The Undertaker (WrestleMania 21)
This had no reason to be good. The feud was utter gibberish, with Orton turning heel mid-way through his lame-duck baby face run. And Taker hadn’t been entirely exciting since returning as the Deadman, the Mania previously. But despite the obvious (Taker winning – almost always an issue at the show), they pulled a fast-one on us and produced a sound wrestling match that would provide the foundation for their later feud. And check out the fab contributions from Randall’s dad…

24. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 18)
So to immediately contradict myself, I present a match where there was no rolling around! In fact, this one featured very little of anything, other than playing to the crowd. But my, shoot me when that becomes a crime, because the crowd interaction here is utterly tremendous. Rock and Hogan are two of the best of all time when it comes to playing to the fans, and they do that brilliantly in this Dream Match – even when the crowd in Toronto turns on Rock and chooses their roles for them. It’s pure storytelling with larger-than-life characters at its best. My favourite moment is definitely the guy in the crowd, right in the centre, who is motionless the entire time, but when Hogan Hulks up… he marks out of his pants, leaping around like a deranged, coked-up chimp. Awesome.

23. Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James (WrestleMania 22)
The last hurrah for a decent Women’s bout at the annual Supershow? Maybe, because since, Playboy antics have taken precedence over quality grappling. This year’s Battle Royal at least looks fun (unlike last year’s dismal Playbunny effort), but it would have to go some ways to top this exquisite offering. Mickie James’ rampant lust for muff aside, which turned us all into slobbering fan-boys, this was a cracking fight. James was enjoying the best female character development seen in the WWE in years, and it shows in this hard-fought epic that engaged the heated crowd from start to finish.

22. Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero (WrestleMania 21)
Lucha-Mania! Well, not quite…but it’s not horribly far off. Some considered this to be a minor disappointment (including Guerrero himself), but I consider those folks nuts. This is a perfect opener…PERFECT, for the biggest show of the year. Two big stars, something of an issue (tag partners who with tension, and competitive urge between them), fast-paced, exciting, without overshadowing anything that follows. Lovely.

21. Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 6)
A definite indication of how a great match does not necessarily need to include two great, or even good performers. Both guys were limited, though bursting with charisma- and that characteristic is what enabled them to have such an exciting, spectacle of an encounter. Warrior/Hogan is the girl who you knew while at school but couldn’t have – a big breasted, hot, dumb blonde. Suddenly, out of nowhere, you had her, and sure, she was retarded, but she was also bloody awesome. Erm… yes.

20. Kurt Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero (WrestleMania 20)
This is one epic in which it’s best to IGNORE the back-story, and just enjoy the absolutely astonishing work of two professionals at the top of their game. The two had engaged in a heated grudge for months prior, which logically, should have resulted in a violent culminating bout. Instead, these two solved it like real men, and yep… exchanged holds. Oh yea! Christ, if Randy Orton versus Triple H commences with a collar-and-elbow, I may hurl an appendage at the screen.

Nevertheless, while the setting is inappropriate for this match, the work itself was unquestionably great. A poignant moment in Eddie’s career, which can almost be looked back upon as a reward for all his hard work and struggles – a chance to simply wrestle one his finest peers. Great, great mat wrestling, and a textbook example of how to work the WWE’s idea of a twenty-minute slow burner.

19. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (WrestleMania 17)
As much as any other clash on this list, this is simply a stunning technical bout. It’s like reading a textbook, except fun. Holds, reversals, submissions, big Japanese spots…everything you could want from a match. These two went on to have longer, more complex tussles on the following two shows, but this one was a mid-card gem.

18. Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin (WrestleMania 14)
Back in 1998, Shawn Michaels still had hair. In fact, here he sports a truly remarkable plait and it’s something that truly inspired me for many years. But more notable than that, is the fact that throughout this bout, he’s clearly in incredible pain – dealing with the back injury that benched him for four years. This downside is ironically, perhaps the strongest reason why this bout stands the test of time, and is still fascinating. Where do you draw the line? Where does the selling stop and the real pain begin? Wherever it may be, this is good, emotional match, and the one that launched the era of Austin.

17. Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 19)
This is the sort of entertainment, that if you show it to your girlfriend (assuming you have one of course…don’t kidnap a random), and she doesn’t enjoy it, you should dump her, because she’ll NEVER appreciate pro wrestling. They do comedy, they do brawling, they do holds, multiple finishers, false and they do some RIDICULOUS false finishes, and it’s an absolute joy.

Trading in on the long and storied history between them, they pull off the enormous pressure of the situation through the sheer weight of their star power. Gut wrenching climax too. Awesome.

16. Batista vs. The Undertaker (WrestleMania 23)
Boy, did I have to gnaw, tear, guzzle, swallow, and choke on many a word following this outstanding effort. Anytime you ever see something as uniquely rare as a decent Dave Batista match, there’s usually a good excuse. “HBK carried him,” “HHH took every short-cut in the book,” “It was a Hell in a Cell,” “I was asleep,” “Sylvain Grenier is always watchable.”

But not here.

Here, in a straight-up, one on one encounter with The Undertaker, Dave had the greatest match of his career. And it was under what was no doubt a tremendous amount of pressure. It’s not always possible to have good clashes with Taker either. His gimmick is a little restricting, he often carries any number of injuries, and he’s frickin’ big! Plus, everyone looked at Michaels/Cena as the best prospect on the card, and felt this one would be the stinker. We were all wrong!

15. Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 5)
I have a hazy recollection of this from my youth… and I’m pretty sure I HATED it, because the big orange goon once more lifted the title. But now, with hindsight, and with a little more sense than my childhood incarnation, I love it. This is maybe the most athletically pleasing appearance in Hogan’s Mania alumni, as he truly seemed up for the occasion, as Savage bumped like a mad-man for him (though not in the mocking, HBK manner) and they took one of the finest storylines in WWE history and wrapped it up in a nice, shiny, tasty bow.

14. Edge vs. The Undertaker (WrestleMania 24)
Last year I was so excited to see this go on last, if only because it meant that Edge finally got what he deserved – a WrestleMania Main Event. What concerned me was that they would lose the fans, as it was blatantly obvious that Edge was never, never winning this. Instead, they did the opposite, and delivered a barn burning epic, that as it evolved, roped the fans in increasingly, to the point where by the end, they were on the …..edge………. (Goal!) of their seats.

It incorporated a whole bunch of storyline aspects, a variety of styles, with a nod to the finishes of other Taker matches, and it combined them beautifully. And refreshingly, it occurred almost entirely inside the confines of the four ring-posts.

13. Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 24)
While The Deadman and home-wrecker stole the show in Orlando in the pure-wrestling stakes, Old Yeller and HBK took the title home of best ring psychologists. The quality of encounter that these two achieved was a colossal feat. Colossal I say. This is what I had to say about it at the time…

These two were incredible pros. Going into this, I honestly knew deep down that they would deliver a good match, but whether it would be good enough to equate to the expected emotion, and not be considered a let-down, was a different matter altogether. There was the risk that while expecting a HBK/Angle quality match was ridiculous, a Hogan/Rock type moment wouldn’t be satisfying either. It had to be somewhere in between in order to fittingly end Flair’s career. It did. The match, in pure quality/work-rate/whatever you choose to call that, surpassed what was expected. The emotion was there, and at times the fans (who at times I thought were weak, but it is probably the huge arena that diluted the impact of their noise) were clearly in awe, responding to Flair with a mythical reverence.

The story of the match was really incredible, and punctuated with some amazing touches (some of Flair’s tricks, the first drawing of blood by HBK, HBK’s hesitation, the draining chop-fests, the fact that neither man could hide their feelings, the impending sense of closure as Flair looked at HBK before falling to a final Superkick). Flair attempted absolutely everything in his arsenal to get the job done, but knew that he was fighting a losing battle- his nobility came from fighting on regardless, and HBK’s from having the heart to put Flair down in a an appropriate way.

The entire match was just ingeniously put-together. They actually managed to encompass Flair’s weaknesses, and incorporate them into a story aspect, which served to add to the level of emotion. They also fed off HBK’s obvious respect and emotion brilliantly. A fascinating, uplifting bout, and a tremendous achievement for both guys.

12. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (WrestleMania 3)
Many will contest that I should place this at number one. Many will spew forth indignant venom and tell me I’m nuts, that I’ve lost it and my columns are more reprehensible than TNA. “Where are the Adrian Adonis matches,” you cry! To you I reply: “Does one Superplex equal three Germans?”

Good question, JR, good question…

11. Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper (WrestleMania 8 )
Blinkin’ marvellous. What else can be said about this scintillating struggle for supremacy? Although the storyline I loved as a kid was fictional, and when I found out, I was crushed (What! Piper wasn’t a childhood friend, running around Hart-House while Bret was in diapers?), it still worked in the context of this bout. The sad thing about Piper, is that he’s often remembered purely for his skits, angles, and promos. But these were all trademarks that underlined why his in-ring efforts were so good – they were heated, crowd-pleasing spectacles. Ironic then that these elements are played down here, in a match that is perhaps the last great bout of Piper’s career, in favour of telling a great passing of the torch story. I think as a Nine-year old, this was the first time, that I was really able to appreciate what that meant.

10. Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania 7)
Maybe my favourite example of a WrestleMania match stuffed to the gills with an intangible emotional significance. If I tried to explain to non-wrestling loving friends, why I loved this so much, I’d be beaten, spat on, and mocked for years to come.

Warrior was always more Billy Graham than Joe Malenko, hence his reputation for producing more dogs than Vince Russo. However, every once in a while, his otherworldly Gods imbued him with some sort of miraculous power to work, and this is the best example. And the end! Tissues at the ready…

9. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart (WrestleMania 12)
A classic that endures a fair bit of trashing these days. The pendulum has swung, and having been overrated for so long (everyone used to assume it was the greatest match of all time until they watched it), it’s now criminally underrated (a lot of people, peers of mine included, label it “boring”). Just because it isn’t the definition of “perfect”, does not mean it ain’t good folks. Far from dull, I found, and still find, that this tussle is completely and utterly absorbing from beginning to end. Slow-paced? For sure, but never for a moment not fascinating.

These two never lapsed into being unconvincing or lazy. For me, the beauty of their respective turns in this, is that they seemed both unsure of what was to come, as it was the first Iron Man match. They prepared to battle for an hour, so they were cautious, being clever. This is an aspect within the psychology of the “Iron Man” format that I feel is sadly ignored. In the second one, (Hunter vs. Rock), Hunter attempted the same strategy, hoping to play it relatively safely, and pace himself until he could outwrestle his more eager opponent. When that failed, he swiftly resorted to cheating.

In Brock versus Angle on Smackdown, Lesnar took the advantage at the start, sacrificing a fall in order to attempt to set Angle back so far, that the mountain he would have to climb would be insurmountable. As the fore-runner to all of these, that’s where I find this match was so special. It established the necessary status quo for the stipulation, from which the others either adhere to or deviate from. The last ten minutes of this were so good, largely because there were no prior falls, and thus it was completely believable as it went on, that if one fall were attained, it would probably be enough.

Additionally, this is a match type that you won’t again see at WrestleMania, and that alone helps to emphasise that even having these two, who were capable of this, is an achievement in itself. And yeah, I know it’s a gimmick- but the gimmick supposedly, is that, it provides a longer time frame in which to wrestle, and shouldn’t include extra-curricular apparatus. That’s why It’s on this list.

8. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 19)
Brock Lesnar’s Shooting Star Press. Rarely in life have I ever been so terrified. The dream I had once about being on Supermarket Sweep, or bumping into Timmy Mallet on a Saturday afternoon and wondering where his mallet was. Even interviewing Nigel McGuinness and observing how smooth his thighs were…

None of these nightmarish scenarios compared with the sight of 300-pound Brock Lesnar crashing down face first into the canvas following a botch that resembled an unwanted crab being thrown from one’s swimming trunks. Splat. I was convinced he was dead. And this was after nearly half an hour of pooping oneself for fear for Kurt Angle’s ability to walk.

The drama of this match was completely and utterly real when I watched it live, thanks to said Botch, in addition to Angle’s health, but now it’s easy to appreciate what a demanding, fascinating athletic contest these two turned out.

Large portions of the bout played up to the amateur backgrounds of both workers, and they clearly relished maximising the potential of this ingredient. Undeniably superb, and the sort of Main Event Bret Hart would be having were he in his peak today. Though I don’t think he’d be up for trying that Bungee Jump trick that Brock favoured.

7. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 21)
Slowly, dramatically, and expectedly told, this is slow-burner that sucks you in, before exploding in a titanic wave of excitement. Just like a Double-dip. It’s a swell match, that gets some stick from those anal new-wave Kurt-haters, and those who slag-off post 1998 Shawn Michaels- even though he’s done just as much, if not more, that’s been amongst his best work, in that period. A classy, classy bout, for anyone who enjoyed the Intercontinental offerings of the early nineties, combined with Japanese influenced trading of big finishers, building to that super-exciting pay-off.

6. Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 17)
This match is almost a perfect example of fusing the big “sporting match”(i.e. Lesnar/Angle), with sports entertainment (Rock/Hogan). The two offered a superior mixture of what each had brought to the main event scene in the company over the previous three years and had the Texas crowd whipped into an insatiable delirium. I had no interest in this bout going in, but coming out, I was blown away. Like Number 5, this match closely treads the line of “gimmick” match, but it’s not right to label it as such. It’s a match that’s based entirely on the philosophies of traditional grappling and storytelling. Its mechanics are determined by themes such as hatred, obsession, determination, and jealousy, not chair-shots, or blood. Austin’s turn is magnificent. Austin/Rock was the modern update of good versus good, with a twist at the end.

5. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (WrestleMania 13)
So this is an “I Quit” match. Does that mean it does not belong here? Like the Rock’s tussle with Stone Cold four years later, it would be extremely harsh to leave it out. Considering the stipulation is completely secondary to the back-bone, and the heart of the match, I feel its inclusion is justified. This is an awesome wrestling match. Forget the weapons and brawling – that doesn’t detract from the good old-fashioned grappling, but adds to the intensity behind it.

4. Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania 8 )
WrestleMania 8 was a strangely topsy-turvy event, with this title match occurring mid-way through the show, resulting in the remaining portion being absolutely worthless. Additionally, the supercard confused fans had to ponder why we didn’t get a historic Hogan versus Flair encounter.

Instead, they went with Savage. But this wasn’t necessarily a problem, as Savage was a much superior performer, and had the potential to have a truly classic tussle with The Nature Boy. This lived up to the billing. Taking in a sordid storyline involving some fabricated photos of Flair together with the hot Miss Elizabeth, the heat was off the charts, and both competitors were able to equal expectations. From the moment Savage came to the squared circle in his fetching gold outfit, this was, well, gold, as he and Flair went back and forth. I remember really feeling the hatred Savage had for the champion, and the hurt he had caused Elizabeth. The swine! And on this occasion, when Randy raised the gold, there was no shiny-headed glory-hogger stealing the limelight (Jeebus I hated the finish to his WrestleMania IV title victory).

3. Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 19)
It’s not for nothing that Jericho has referred to this as his favourite match from WWE. It’s an awesome encounter that is his real WrestleMania moment, as opposed to the upcoming stinker he’s going to be involved in.

Five years ago, when this appeared on the horizon, I may have shat my pants. Back in the days when it was still acceptable to actually defecate in one’s undergarments (no – not the eighties, the days of being a young ‘un), Shawn Michaels was perhaps my favourite superstar. Maybe it was the eye-watering mullet. Maybe it was the spew-inducing heart-shaped glasses. Maybe it the way in which he pulled his tights up just a little too far, so they covered his belly button. Whatever it was, something clicked with HBK. Flash-forward to 2003, and Jericho. I had an enormous love for the “king of the World”, because Chris Jericho was astonishing at his peak. If nothing else, he had a wonderful, flowing, gargantuan beard.

This was a dream match for me, and I’m sure for a whole generation. The result was absolutely spine-tingling, following several months of absolutely breathtakingly good storytelling. The set-up at that year’s Royal Rumble was superb, and Jericho’s alliance with Christian really add some flavour to the story, even rewarding Test with one of his best PPV efforts (at No Way Out).

I don’t recall them getting this feud wrong at any point, it was that good. On the night, both men were equal to the task, with Michaels incomparably rejuvenated, and Jericho emerged elevated. As usual though with poor Chris, it was the follow up feud that set him back…the story of his career for so long…

2. Triple H vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 20)
There was a slight temptation to remove this encounter from my list, or at least shove it down the pack somewhat. Not because one of the featured stars has become a real-life bogeyman, but because the No Disqualification stipulation threatens to take it away from this context.

However, in reality it’s a minor aspect of a thrilling collision that offered a high pedigree of authentic athleticism, in addition to some belting storytelling. Sure, there was some blood.. Well lots (Hunter and Michaels, what do you expect?), and a big table bump- but they’re not the driving points behind the bout. These moments are used to underline the hatred between HBK and HHH, while the main thrust is Benoit’s focus and drive to fight through the personal grudges.

The booking of the climatic moments in this was absolutely superb, both offering an exhilarating conclusion for the casual observer, while simultaneously providing a neat play on the expectations of smart fans. There have been few occasions where I’ve enjoyed wrestling more, than when Hunter locked into position for the Pedigree on Benoit, and the fans explode with fury, only to have their hunger for a Canadian victory fulfilled moments later.

If you can get past the fact that Benoit is the star of this thrilling battle, there’s still much to admire here, in a bout that, at the time, was the peak of the WWE’s sometimes basic triple threat scraps. This took things to a new level.

1. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (WrestleMania 10)
Sometimes you just can’t beat two brothers going out there and you know, wrestling. That’s what these two did in the opening match at WrestleMania 10, in MSG., in front of a respectful crowd who knew real wrestling when they saw it. And that’s why I’ve put this at Number One. Because Bret versus Owen featured no short cuts, little melodrama, and exclusively quality grappling at its scientific best.

The two exchanged various holds and manoeuvres, expressing a deep knowledge of wrestling beyond most of the remainder of the roster combined. Looking back at this match today, there’s stuff in here that is still amazing even now, as the two roamed freely, encompassing their Japanese experience, their Canadian backgrounds, with a little Mexican high-flying, and Bret’s almost British technicalities. This is a fine example of what you can do when you take two men who are over, who have great character, and unparalleled in-ring ability, and mash it up with a genuinely special angle. Owen was jealous of his brother. Bret was forced to teach him a lesson. Simple stuff. And that’s pretty much all you can say about this match. Rarely in his career was there a moment that Bret was prouder than this, his little brother’s finest hour. The WWE could do well to look back at this great programme from 1994, and use it for a little inspiration to their gut-wrenchingly rubbish Hardy vs. Hardy storyline.

Thanks for taking the time to check this out. I welcome any and all feedback and I can be contacted at www.myspace.com/michaelwrestlingetc or simply by emailing me at Michael@ifight365.com. I look forward to hearing from you, and will be back soon!