Wrestlemania 5's: Icons

[Postman Dave]

Simple gimmick for a few weeks, I'm gonna pick a subject and you pick your top five for each. Please don't just list your picks, put some effort and thought behind them.

For this first one, I want you to list your top five iconic superstars from Wrestlemania history. The individuals who you believe are most attached to the Wrestlemania name and legend.

5. Vince McMahon
The man who created Wrestlemania, without him it would never exist. McMahon is also attached to the show physically, as he's wrestled on it three times against his son Shane, Hulk Hogan & Shawn Michaels. He's also had background roles in the main feuds heading into the shows, such as the Battle of the Billionaires where he was shaved bald, or seconding the Rock at both 15 & 2000.

4. Macho Man Randy Savage
The glitz, the glamour, the pomp and pageantry, Wrestlemania & the Macho Man go hand in hand. From the implosion of the Mega Powers at Wrestlemania 5, to the retirement match with the Ultimate Warrior at 6, along with his legendary match with Ricky Steamboat and his WWE Championship win at 4, Savage created a ton of fond Wrestlemania moments and memories.

3. The Undertaker
Two words: The Streak. A legend that has built with every year, the Deadman has turned back some of the biggest superstars in WWE history, from Hall of Famers like Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and Jimmy Snuka, to other greats like Jake Roberts, Diesel & Triple H, 'Taker has beaten them all. Built to the extent that the streak is arguably more revered than winning any title at the show, the Phenom's 20 year history at the biggest show of the year is stunning.

2. Hulk Hogan
Where would Wrestlemania be without the Hulkster? Hogan was the megastar who drew fans to the first few events, none bigger than his legendary showdown with Andre the Giant at 3. McMahon may have been the architect, but Wrestlemania was the house Hulk Hogan built. And his legend didn't stop at the early shows, as he returned after 8 years at 18 to steal the show with the Rock and cement his status as one of the Wrestlemania greats.

1. Shawn Michaels
Who else but the man they call "Mr. Wrestlemania"? So many classic matches from Wrestlemania history have involved this man, from his first run where he and Razor Ramon made the ladder match famous, to his clinic with Bret Hart in the Wrestlemania 12 Iron Man contest. But he didn't just stop there, he returned from a career ending back injury in 2002 and furthered his reputation by having MOTY contenders at the next several Wrestlemania's. His name was so attached to the show that he retired there in 2010, forever sealing his name in Wrestlemania legend.

 

[Fuji Vice]

5. Bret Hart
A top notch performer on every Wrestlemania card from 2 to 13, Bret Hart is also responsible for several classics including his great match with Roddy Piper at WM 8 (a nice way for me to get Piper's name into this), his stellar opener with Owen from WM X and of course the Submission Match with Steve Austin from WM 13.

4. The Undertaker
The streak would almost be enough to rank him higher on this list but for the decided lack of quality in several of his matches. I do realize that they have recently been better, but its hard for me to get the image of the HiAC with Boss Man out of my head. Still, the streak itself is synonymous with Wrestlemania so its hard not to put him on this list.

3. Hulk Hogan
The man who brought the fans into their seats for the first 7 (and arguably the next 2) Wrestlemania's. Hogan was in or around the top of the card on each of these shows, passed the torch to Ultimate Warrior at VI before taking it back at VII from Sgt. Slaughter, participated in perhaps the most famous North American match of all time at WM III vs. Andre and generally just oozed the word "wrestling" from every pore of his body.

2. Shawn Michaels
Amazed I didn't put him at number one? Well don't be, his early forays at 'Mania were mostly dreck and the Iron Man match at 12 is overrated. He did have some great ones with Ramon at X, Jericho at 19 and the Flair/Undertaker/Undertaker trilogy, but I just can't vote for him in first place here because there's one guy I think was just a bit better overall.

1. Randy Savage
The Macho Man was the living embodiment of perfection through the course of the first 10 WM shows. I know others don't like it that much, but his match with Crush at X was s great brawl. Add to that possibly the greatest North American match of all time with Steamboat at WM III, the four matches he fought at IV, dragging Hogan to one of his best matches at V, giving Ultimate Warrior his best match ever at VII and of course the post-match reunion with Elizabeth and his great match with Flair at VIII and you have the one man who truly made the most out of every single one of his WM appearances. When comparing him to Michaels to decide the top spot, I looked at quality over quantity. Macho never had a bad match at 'Mania while Michaels did.

That being said, I can agree with anyone who puts Michaels in the number one spot.

 

[Sabretooth]

5. Triple H

He has competed in 15 wrestlemanias and has always showed that he is the game. From competing against the bizarre goldust to winning the undisputed title to putting over Cena and Batista to becoming the undertakes latest victim. He has never dissiapointed at wrestlemania.

4. Vince McMahon

Simple: without vince there would be no wrestlemania.

3. Hulk Hogan

He put 'mania on the map. He main evented the 8 of the first 9 wrestlemanias and returned for two more 10 years later establishing the rock as the best and destroying mr McMahon. He was wrestlemania and forever will be.

2. Shawn Michaels

He's mr wrestlemania. He stole the show at every wrestlemania as a singles competitor. His ladder match with Scott Hall is iconic. When michaels frog splashed Ramon from the ladder, that's when his career was made. He's never been out performed and never will be.

1. The Undertaker

19-0. That number will never be duplicated. No superstar will come close. The undertaker has competed at nearly a score of wrestlemanias and has won every single time. The streak has almost become more important to wrestlemania than the wwe title. Some people buy mania just to see the streak be defended. He has put on some iconic matches. In a long time from now when wrestlemania is mentioned one name will come to mind. The Undertaker

 

[TroyTheAverage]

Mine will be along the same as others, just maybe in a different order.

5. Bret 'The Hitman' Hart

He was the WWE golden boy for a long time and filled the superstar void when Hogan left and was coming into his own even before Hogan left. I ordered a couple of Wrestlemanias just because of him. He put on great matches with the likes of Stone Cold, Yokozuna, Owen and Shawn Michaels. Truly a man who deserves recognition for what he has done on the grandest stage of them all.

4. Vince McMahon

How could the man who is responsible for Wrestlemania not make anyone's list? Without Vince there would be no Wrestlemania and there would be no lists. Granted he should be number one but really, the lore of WM has passed by even Vince with all the glitz, glamour and great matches from all the superstars who have competed.

3. Hulk Hogan

The man, the legend, the true icon of Wrestlemania. Would Wrestlemania have been as big as it was had it not been for Hogan, the golden boy of the WWE at the time? I don't think it would. He headlined the first 8 Wrestlemanias and competed in some great matches against Andre The Giant, King Kong Bundy, Macho Man and Ultimate Warrior. Even with what Hogan has become in the last 15-20 years, he is still the man who built WM to what it was.

2. Undertaker and The Streak

What can be said about this that people who love wrestling don't already know? It is the one thing going today that is just as important as any of the championships. Although it is annoying (and this is my personal opinion) that Undertaker doesn't do much anymore but come back for the streak, he still puts on a hell of a match. The last 3 have been spectacular and it is still a draw and intriguing.

1. Macho Man Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels

OK, so it isn't at 5, I chose 6. Sue me.
Macho Man and HBK embodied the glitz and glamour that is WM.

Savage vs. Steamboat in WM 3 is possibly my favorite match of all time. He always put on great matches and even made Hogan look good in WM 5 for the title. Anyone who wouldn't have Savage in their top 5 don't know shit about wrestling. The guy was phenomenal and made every opponent look good. He carried the matches and told the story in the ring. Oooooh Yeah.

Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart in the 60 minute Iron Man match is in my top 5 matches of all time. I can watch that match over and over again. He always puts on a spectacular match. His two matches against Undertaker for the streak prove that. Gotta love the guy for what he has done in his career at WM and his matches were always a great draw and entertaining.


So, sorry I didn't get any of my info from Wikipedia, it was all off of memory, so if there is some errors in there, my bad.