22. WRESTLEMANIA
The very first WrestleMania. Vince McMahon called this show the biggest gamble he’d ever been a part of. Who knows where pro wrestling would be today if WWF played it safe in 1985 and WrestleMania never happened.
I won’t go into too many specifics because there’s loads of documentaries and specials on this show, and we’ve heard just about all there is to hear about the first ever “Granddaddy of Them All” by this point.
The main event was a spectacle, people came from all over the world to see it live, and others sat in arenas all over the country to watch it. Was it a good match? No. From a wrestling standpoint, was this a good show? Not really. But it’s the atmosphere and importance of the FIRST ONE – it certainly warrants a higher spot than the last seven shows we’ve talked about.
Plus, Ricky Steamboat’s short match with the late Matt Borne is actually pretty fun. I disagree with those who think it’s a great match – or even a great concept – but Andre and Big John Studd weren’t terrible either. Ultimately this show out-ranks the others because of of its historical value. You can go back to just feel the electricity and hype of the first ever WrestleMania, which is more than can be said about the others.
