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Pretty much every wrestler would like to be in the main event of WrestleMania at some point over the course of their careers. Regardless of whether viewers are a fan of the product or not, there is no denying that there is no pro wrestling show as big as WrestleMania, in terms of scale and mainstream exposure.
Over the last 36 editions of WrestleMania, a number of stars have been in the main event. While some have been fantastic, others have been a disappointment. Over the years, WWE has booked certain stars to work multiple main-event matches at the Show of Shows. But not all have such a great record of winning at the top of the card.
Updated on March 27th, 2022 by Tevon King: Every wrestler that steps through the doors in WWE aspire to be on WrestleMania. Seeing your picture on a billboard or truck is a great feeling for wrestlers to see. Of course, not every wrestler manages to main event WrestleMania in their careers. Iconic legends like Ric Flair, Booker T, CM Punk, and Eddie Guerrero competed in World Championship matches at WrestleMania but never main evented the event which is absurd. Nevertheless, some wrestlers have been fortunate to headline multiple main event WrestleManias. WrestleMania has been a two-night extravaganza since WrestleMania 36 because of COVID-19, and it has proven to be a success. Wrestlers' chances of headlining WrestleMania will enhance since WrestleMania will take place over two nights. Some marquee names who have competed in multiple WrestleMania main events have underwhelming win-loss records which are surprising.
17 * Sycho Sid: 2 Appearances (0 Wins - 2 Losses)
Unquestionably, Sycho Sid's pair of main event appearances at WrestleMania is the worst in the company's history. Sid competed in his first WrestleMania main event at WrestleMania 8, and he faced off with Hulk Hogan. Sid was known as Sid Justice, and the match was dreadful. To make matters worse, Papa Shango missed his cue in the climax of the match, and Sid kicked out of Hogan's immortal leg drop.
Sid lost the match by disqualification, and five years later, he had a chance at redemption. Sid going under the Sycho Sid name walked into WrestleMania 13 as the reigning WWE Champion, and he defended the gold against The Undertaker, who was appearing in the main event of WrestleMania for the first time in his career. It was a slow and methodical affair, and Sid dropped the WWE Title to The Undertaker, all thanks to interference from Bret Hart.
16 * Edge: 2 Appearances (0 Wins - 2 Losses)
The fact that Edge has main evented WrestleMania twice is nothing short of extraordinary. The Rated-R Superstar defended the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 24 in his debut WrestleMania main event. He was up against The Undertaker, who had a 15-0 WrestleMania unbeaten streak on the line, so something had to give.
Edge gave Undertaker a good run for his money, but he dropped the World Heavyweight Championship to the Phenom. Three years later, Edge retired from professional wrestling as he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Somehow, he managed to return to action, nine years away from the squared circle in 2020. Edge won his second Royal Rumble match in 2021, and he main evented WrestleMania 37. He challenged Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship in a triple threat match that also featured Daniel Bryan. Nevertheless, Edge sustained more heartbreak in his second WrestleMania main event with the Tribal Chief retaining his championship.
15 Randy Orton: 2 Appearances (0 Wins - 2 Losses)
Randy Orton is one of WWE's biggest stars and is undoubtedly the promotion's greatest heel when he is motivated. Over the years, Orton has repeatedly proven that he is an elite performer, leading to him working two main-event matches at WrestleMania.
The first, at WrestleMania 25, saw him fail to beat Triple H for the WWE Championship. His second outing was a triple threat against Batista and Daniel Bryan for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which he lost to the Leader of the Yes Movement. There are other stars like Yokozuna and Randy Savage who have also made two main-event appearances, but Orton takes this spot because as an active star, he has the potential to work more matches in the main event of WrestleMania.
14 * Yokozuna: 2 Appearances (1 Win - 1 Loss)
1993 was the first year, where the winner of the Royal Rumble match was awarded a World Championship match at WrestleMania. Yokozuna was the beneficiary, and he challenged Bret Hart for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 9. It was an underwhelming WWE Title match, but Yokozuna broke Undertaker's record as the youngest WWE Champion after overcoming the Hitman.
Unfortunately, Yokozuna's crowning moment was spoiled by Hulk Hogan, who beat him in an impromptu match within seconds to regain the WWE Title. A year later, Yokozuna and Bret Hart engaged in another rematch over the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 10. Yokozuna entered as WWE Champion, but lightning did not strike twice with the Excellence of Execution exacting his revenge to become a two-time WWE Champion.
13 * Daniel Bryan: 2 Appearances (1 Win - 1 Loss)
Both of Daniel Bryan's WrestleMania main event appearances were in triple threat matches and almost identical circumstances. At WrestleMania 30, the Leader of the Yes Movement, defeated Triple H in an enthralling opener to gatecrash Randy Orton and Batista's WWE Championship match. It was the right call as Bryan emerged victorious as the new WWE Champion.
Seven years later, Roman Reigns and Edge were penciled in to collide over the Tribal Chief's Universal Championship at WrestleMania 37. However, Bryan was added to the equation, and it was his second outing in a WrestleMania main event. Bryan had another fantastic performance, but he came up short with Reigns continuing his historic run as Universal Champion.
12 * Randy Savage: 2 Appearances (1 Win - 1 loss)
"Macho Man" Randy Savage deserved to have more than two WrestleMania main events to his name. However, the problem was that he was vying for the top spot with Hulk Hogan. Nevertheless, Macho Man's two greatest matches at WrestleMania were not in the main event, but he did impress in his two Mania main event outings.
Savage defeated Ted DiBiase in the tournament final to become the new WWE Champion at WrestleMania 4. The Mega Powers imploded, and Savage turned heel. A year later, Savage returned to Trump Plaza as the defending WWE Champion. He faced off with Hogan at WrestleMania 5, and the Hulkster was once again the man on top by ending Savage's year-long WWE Championship reign in a competitive WWE Championship match.
11 * Batista: 2 Appearances (1 Win - 1 Loss)
WrestleMania 21 was a pivotal night in Batista and John Cena's wrestling careers. They became the faces of WWE with both men winning their respective World Championship matches. Nevertheless, Batista dethroned his former Evolution mentor Triple H in his maiden WrestleMania main event for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Batista won five more World Championships in his WWE career before he departed in 2010. However, Batista returned to WWE at the start of January 2014. He won his second Royal Rumble match and advanced to another WrestleMania main event. Waiting in the wings was his former evolution stablemate Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan in a triple threat match for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 30. They hit a home run in an enticing WWE Title match. Ultimately, Batista was forced to tap out to Bryan's Yes Lock with Bryan taking home the WWE Championship.
10 * Bret Hart: 3 Appearances (1 Win - 2 Losses)
Bret Hart is one of the greatest technical wrestlers of all time. The Hitman has had some great moments at WrestleMania, and he's had his fair share of disappointing losses on The Grandest Stage of Them All. It wasn't until WrestleMania 9, that Hart finally had his first taste of a WrestleMania main event. Hart dropped the WWE Championship to Yokozuna in a disappointing fashion.
12 months later, Hart returned to the main event of WrestleMania as the co-winner of the 1994 Royal Rumble match. He ended Yokozuna's WWE Championship reign at WrestleMania 10. Two years later, Hart competed in his third and final WrestleMania main event. Once again, he walked in as WWE Champion, and he defended the WWE Title against Shawn Michaels in the iconic 60-minute Iron Man match at WrestleMania 12. It was another tough loss for Hart to take with Michaels capturing the WWE Championship.
9
'Stone Cold Steve Austin: 3 Appearances (3 Wins - 0 Losses)
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin was in the main event of three WrestleManias in four years. In his first appearance at WrestleMania 14, he beat Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship. In the next edition of the event, he won the WWE Championship once more, beating The Rock in a No Disqualification match.
At WrestleMania 17, he beat The Rock for the gold again, in another No Disqualification match. The Texas Rattlesnake has a 100% win record in the main-event, picking up the win in each of his three appearances. As the face of the Attitude Era, he would have had more, had he not retired prematurely due to injury.
8 Brock Lesnar: 4 Appearances (2 Wins - 2 Losses)
Brock Lesnar has been positioned as a top-tier talent for the entirety of his run with WWE. In his first run with the promotion, Lesnar was immediately pushed as a main-event talent, leading to a phenomenal match against Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 19 for the WWE Championship, which he won.
Since returning to WWE in 2012, Lesnar has been in the main event of WrestleMania on two occasions; WrestleMania 31 & 34. He lost at 'Mania 31 after Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to pin Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. At WrestleMania 34, he beat Reigns to retain the Universal Championship, in a match that was heavily criticized by fans.
* Brock Lesnar's fourth appearance in a WrestleMania main event came on night two of WrestleMania 36. The Beast Incarnate put the WWE Championship on the line against Drew McIntyre. Unfortunately, COVID-19 struck, and the match took place in the Performance Center with no fans in attendance. Nevertheless, Lesnar dropped the WWE Title to McIntyre in a short but good match. Lesnar is most likely going to be competing in his fifth WrestleMania main event with Roman Reigns on WrestleMania Sunday at WrestleMania 38 with Lesnar's WWE Championship and Reigns' Universal Title up for grabs in a winner takes all match.
7 The Undertaker: 4 Appearances (3 Wins - 1 Loss)
The Undertaker is the greatest WrestleMania performer of all time. For years, The Streak was one of the event's greatest attractions, often leading to some fantastic matches. Even though he was a regular presence at the PPV for almost three decades, 'Taker was in the main event on only four occasions.
His first saw him beat Sycho Sid for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 13, while he beat Edge for the World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 24. 'Taker beat Shawn Michaels in the main event of WrestleMania 26 to bring an end to the Heartbreak Kid's career, before losing to Roman Reigns in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 33. That handed him his first WrestleMania main-event loss and his second overall at the event.
* The Undertaker's wrestling career came to a halt, 30 years to the day at Survivor Series 2020. However, before Undertaker rode into the sunset, he had one last match with AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 in a Boneyard match. There was no way that the Phenom could compete in the Performance Center. Nonetheless, Undertaker and Styles hit a home run in a brilliant cinematic match. Of course, it would have been nice for Undertaker to have bowed out in front of a jam-packed crowd, but it was not meant to be.
6 Shawn Michaels: 5 Appearances (1 Win - 4 Losses)
Shawn Michaels is known as Mr. WrestleMania, but boasts a terrible win-loss record at the event, with just 1 win in his 5 appearances. That win came against Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 12.
After that, he lost to Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14, then to Chris Benoit in a triple-threat six years later, and to John Cena at WrestleMania 23. His last WrestleMania appearance saw him lose to The Undertaker, bringing an end to his in-ring career. Michaels may not have the greatest win-loss record, but he consistently delivered on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
5 The Rock: 5 Appearances (1 Win - 4 Losses)
The Rock's WrestleMania main-event record is identical to Shawn Michaels', with 1 win and 4 losses over 5 matches. His solitary win came in the main event of WrestleMania 28 when he beat John Cena in a dream match for the ages.
He lost the rematch at WrestleMania 29 though. Combined with his two losses to Steve Austin years earlier, and a failure to win the WWE Championship in a fatal four-way at WrestleMania 16, The Rock's WrestleMania main-event record is far from the most impressive, especially considering his overall legacy as a performer.
4 John Cena: 5 Appearances (3 Wins - 2 Losses)
John Cena spent about a decade as the face of WWE, leading to him working five main-event matches at WrestleMania. His two losses came in successive years, when he first lost to The Miz with a little help from The Rock at WrestleMania 27, before losing to The Brahma Bull himself the next year.
At WrestleMania 22 and 23, he successfully defended the WWE Championship against Triple H and Shawn Michaels, while he beat The Rock for the gold at WrestleMania 29, in a "Once In A Lifetime" match that happened twice in two years.
3 Roman Reigns: 5 Appearances (3 Wins - 2 Losses)
Vince McMahon's desire to quickly establish Roman Reigns as the new face of WWE meant that he was in the main event of four consecutive WrestleManias. His first outing, at WrestleMania 31, saw him lose out to Seth Rollins, who pinned him for Brock Lesnar's WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
The next year, Reigns beat Triple H for the gold in another coronation that fans hated, while he defeated The Undertaker in singles competition in the main event of WrestleMania 33. At WrestleMania 34, Reigns was soundly beaten by Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. Reigns will undoubtedly have more WrestleMania main-event matches, but for now, his record stands at two wins and two losses.
* Turning heel in late 2020 was the best thing to happen to Roman Reigns. The Tribal Chief marched into the second night of WrestleMania 37 as the reigning Universal Champion, and he defended his title against Edge and Daniel Bryan. Reigns competed in his fifth WrestleMania appearance, and it was a successful one, where he retained his Universal Championship by stacking Edge and Bryan on top of each other. Moreover, Reigns will be competing in his sixth WrestleMania main event in 2022, and going toe-to-toe with Brock Lesnar in a world title vs world title winner takes all match.
2 Triple H: 7 Appearances (3 Wins - 4 Losses)
Triple H is one of the most decorated Superstars of all time, so it isn't surprising to learn that he has worked seven main-event matches at WrestleMania over the course of his career. He was in the main event of three successive 'Manias (20, 21, and 22), losing all three matches. His fourth loss was handed to him by Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 32.
Despite the big losses, he still holds huge wins over guys like Chris Jericho and Randy Orton, in addition to successfully defending his WWE Championship in a Fatal Four-Way at WrestleMania 16, which also marked his first main-event appearance at the event.
1 Hulk Hogan: 8 Appearances (7 Wins - 1 Loss)
Hulk Hogan was the centerpiece of WWE's first nine WrestleManias, working the main event of all, except WrestleMania 4. His only loss came at the hands of The Ultimate Warrior in an epic Winner-Takes-All match for the Intercontinental and WWE Championship.
His wins came over Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper, when he teamed with Mr. T, King Kong Bundy, Andre The Giant, Randy Savage, Sgt. Slaughter and Sid Justice. Hogan wasn't booked in the main event of WrestleMania 9, but worked an impromptu match against the new WWE Champion Yokozuna, beating him in under 30 seconds.