WrestleMania is where WWE legends are made.
It’s wrestling’s biggest annual event, usually featuring the industry’s most recognizable names, and there’s always a chance you’ll see something truly jaw-dropping as WWE superstars pull out all the stops.
Some years prove less predictable than others, of course. And surprises come in various forms — massive matches, eye-popping maneuvers, stunning returns, etc. But the potential for something transcendent is what makes WrestleMania so special. After all, it’s “The Show of Shows,” for a reason.
All told, here are the five most shocking moments in WrestleMania history, a list that’s sure to elicit great debate among WWE fanatics and casual observers alike.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin passes out in Bret Hart’s sharpshooter (WrestleMania 13, 1997)
Austin was blossoming into a megastar, with a rocket being strapped to his back after he won the 1996 “King of the Ring” tournament and cut one of the most iconic promos in WWE history. He feuded with Hart later that year and into 1997, with their rivalry reaching a boiling point at WrestleMania 13, where the two squared off in a submission match that ended with Austin lying face down in his own blood.
The Texas Rattlesnake never gave up, with special guest referee Ken Shamrock instead calling for the bell only after Austin passed out. The image of Austin’s face bleeding profusely was jarring. And the result of the match was a rare double turn, with Austin becoming the good guy while the crowd booed Hart.
Edge spears Jeff Hardy off ladder (WrestleMania X-Seven, 2001)
WrestleMania 2000 featured an epic tag-team championship ladder match pitting Edge and Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz. The teams ran it back the following year — this time adding tables and chairs — and someway, somehow, they managed to raise the bar, with the match’s defining moment being Edge’s spear on Jeff Hardy as the latter dangled above the ring with the belts in his grasp.
Seth Rollins cashes in “Money in the Bank” briefcase (WrestleMania 31, 2015)
The main event of WrestleMania 31 initially saw Brock Lesnar defend the WWE world heavyweight championship against Roman Reigns. It looked like Reigns’ time to shine, but Rollins had other ideas, cashing in his “Money in the Bank” briefcase to produce one of the craziest endings in ‘Mania history.
It was an opportunistic move by Rollins that turned the showdown into a triple-threat match. And Rollins capitalized on his already battered opponents, ultimately delivering a curb stomp to Reigns — after Reigns speared Lesnar — to pick up the victory and win the title.
Hulk Hogan body slams Andre the Giant (WrestleMania III, 1987)
You can’t tell the history of WrestleMania without mentioning Hogan’s legendary slam at the Pontiac Silverdome, where a reported 90,000-plus fans were left in awe at the sight of Andre — weighing north of 500 pounds — being picked up and thrown down to the mat.
Brock Lesnar ends Undertaker’s undefeated streak (WrestleMania XXX, 2014)
The Undertaker had won 21 consecutive WrestleMania matches until the Beast conquered the Deadman at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans to become the “1” in “21-1.” The crowd simply couldn’t believe what happened, a reality that was highlighted by the deafening silence that ensued after Lesnar delivered a final F-5 and pinned the Undertaker as Paul Heyman watched in amazement.
