WWE is set to celebrate 40 years of WrestleMania this year in Philadelphia. The 40th anniversary of pro wrestling’s grandest spectacle goes down at Lincoln Financial Field on April 6 and 7. Fans can expect the event to live up to its hype under the Triple H regime.
WrestleMania remains synonymous with big matches and moments. The sporting extravaganza has continued to feature some of the biggest stars in the industry. These men and women have given fans moments to remember for years to come.
Superstars like John Cena and and Bret Hart have had their share of history-making moments on the Grandest Stage of Them All. Moreover, these two men are in the top 10 when it comes to most WrestleMania appearances.
But who are the top five? Let’s find out.
Shawn Michaels
There was a point in time when any WrestleMania match featuring Shawn Michaels would turn out to be a show-stealer. Michaels terrific performance at the sporting extravaganza rightfully earned him the moniker of “Mr. WrestleMania.” The Showstopper never failed to deliver at WWE’s biggest PLE in his 17 appearances.
Yes, Shawn Michaels has 17 WrestleMania appearances to his name. Making his grand stage debut at WrestleMania VIII against Tito Santana in 1992, the Heartbreak Kid would cement himself as arguably the single greatest performer in Mania history with trailblazing performances and fantastic story-telling.
Kane has worked 17 WrestleMania shows
Tying Shawn Michaels’ tally of 17 WrestleMania appearances is none other than the “Big Red Machine” Kane himself. The former Bruiser Mastino was repackaged as Kane during the early years of Attitude Era. He’d make his televised debut at In Your House: Badd Blood, arriving just in time to cost his big brother the Hell in a Cell match against Shawn Michaels.
Kane’s WrestleMania debut would come against his own flesh and blood on March 29, 1998. The Big Red Monster would survive countless piledrivers before finally falling to Taker’s patented move. Kane would remain a consistent fixture at WWE’s biggest show of the year before quietly retiring to focus full time on his political career.
Randy Orton
Randy Orton needs no introduction. His excellent resume speaks for itself. The Viper is continuing to perform at the highest level after more than 20 years in this business. Orton has headlined countless WWE Premium Live Events such as SummerSlam and WrestleMania.
He main evented both the 25th and 30th anniversary editions of the Show of the Immortals. The Legend Killer has worked 18 WrestleMania events in the past, and will be walking into the sporting extravaganza for the 19th time this year.
The only question is, will his WrestleMania direction involve a title program?
Triple H
From winning 16 world titles to now overseeing the product, Paul “Triple H” Levesque has really come a long way in this industry. Hunter has been involved in some of the biggest WWE events and matches. He was the champion walking into the first-ever Elimination Chamber match.
Moreover, he has been a part of some of the greatest matches in the history of WrestleMania. It is worth noting that Triple H has competed at 23 WrestleMania events making him a certified legend at the Grandest Stage of Them All.
The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak is legendary
Kurt Angle once said: “Taker is WrestleMania.” Mark Calaway, for years, was among the biggest attractions at WWE’s Biggest Event of the Year. Making his WrestleMania debut in 1991 against “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, Taker would embark on a legendary streak at the sports entertainment spectacle that saw him remain undefeated for years.
In his 27 WrestleMania appearances, which is a record in itself, Taker lost on the big stage twice – first to Brock Lesnar in 2014 and then against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33. To this day, many fans and veterans of the industry think the streak should’ve never been broken.
What do you think?
Also read: John Cena’s 5 Best WrestleMania Matches
