10 Legendary WWE Matches That Redefined Wrestling

The evolution of professional wrestling over the decades has been great; at the helm of this revolution has also been WWE. This paper takes a look at ten legendary matches from WWE, which have set new standards in the industry by changing the way that wrestling is done today with innovation, storytelling, and athleticism that mesmerized audiences worldwide.

1. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant – WrestleMania III, 1987

Significance and Build-Up
The most classic moment in professional wrestling history was the WrestleMania III match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. It was built so epic, with Andre turning into a heel, awarding Hulk Hogan with a WWE Championship rematch. At the core of the bout, we find the storyline of Andre turning on Hogan to set up a classic David vs. Goliath scenario.

Key Moments
Body Slam Heard Around the World: The most memorable moment when Hogan body-slammed Andre, a 520-pound man whom so many thought could never be body-slammed by any wrestling foe, let alone one so small in comparison to him, was that of Hogan himself.

Hogan’s Win: This was the time that Hogan finally kept the championship by pinning Andre following his famous leg drop, settling now the fact—you can’t think of a better face of the game than Hogan.

Impact
This extravaganza drew an awe-inspiring crowd of 93,173 fans to the Pontiac Silverdome, setting an all-time indoor attendance record. It solidified WrestleMania as the prime event in professional wrestling and a showcase for larger-than-life characters embroiled in epic storytelling.

2. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania XII (1996)

Significance and Build-Up
Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were going to engage in a technical wrestling masterpiece in the Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII. He had pieced together several vignettes to describe his training—how he had gone from rag to absolute beast.

Key moments
One-Hour Marathon: The match continued uninterrupted for 60 minutes, each wrestler displaying the other’s endurance and prowess.

Sudden Death Overtime: The score tied, 0-0, the sudden death overtime came and in it finally, Michaels pinned Hart with Sweet Chin Music to win the WWE Championship.

Impact
That match itself set a new standard in the ring and for technical storytelling, proving the place of technical wrestling at the top of the card. It was also the moment that set off the “Boyhood Dream” storyline for Michaels, cementing his legacy.

3. The Undertaker vs. Mankind – King of the Ring (1998)

Significance and Build-Up
This was one of the most sadistic and talked-about matches in WWE history between The Undertaker and Mankind (Mick Foley) at King of the Ring in 1998. The build-up was characterized by Foley’s reckless persona and willingness to take extreme punishment.

Key Moments
Mankind’s Fall from the Cell: Barely even started, the most memorable moment of this match occurred at the beginning as The Undertaker threw Mankind off the top of the cell, causing him to fall right through the announce table below.

Chokeslammed: Later On, Mankind was chokeslammed through the cell roof, dropping right into the ring, a moment that shocked and defied beliefs for the audience and commentators alike.

Impact
At the time, the match soon came to redefine hardcore wrestling’s very boundaries and what the adverse physical consequences of such matches should imply. In fact, it quickly established both Mankind and The Undertaker as legends in their own right, and to this day, the match has remained a benchmark for all future extreme matches.

4. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock – WrestleMania X-Seven (2001)

Significance and Build-Up
The WrestleMania X-Seven main event between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock is often cited as one of the best matches ever. Here, with what had been building up for so long, two of the biggest Attitude Era stars were clashing over the WWE Championship.

Key Moments
Heavy Brawling: The fight was a very tough brawl that went all the way out to the crowd and back into and around the ring, showing off the toughness of both men.

Heel Turn: The biggest shocker at the event happened during a match where Mr. McMahon helped Austin win and in the process helped turn Austin into a heel by joining his longtime nemesis.

Impact
This match was representative of the Attitude Era, with hot action mixed with storytelling elements. And again, Austin’s career took a turn for new storylines and rivalries.

5. Triple H vs Cactus Jack, Royal Rumble, 2000

Significance and Build-Up
Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (Mick Foley), 2000 Royal Rumble. Top contender for the best match in history, featuring a close and brilliantly told contest; set into motion by a big entrance that, over a period of weeks, turned former comedic character Mick Foley into the considerably more sadistic Cactus Jack.

Key Moments
Brutal Weapon Usage: Steel chairs, barbed wire, thumbtacks; this match featured a lot of weapons, really hyping up the intensity of their feud.
Drop onto Thumbtacks Pedigree: This was the finish to the match, with Triple H dropping Cactus Jack with a Pedigree onto a pile of thumbtacks to secure the win and hold on to the WWE Championship.

Impact
This match cemented Triple H’s status as a main event player and proved how much Foley was willing to suffer for the sake of the story. It was a new paradigm for hardcore matches in WWE.

6. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian – WrestleMania X-Seven (2001)

Significance and Build-Up
The TLC match between The Hardy Boyz, The Dudley Boyz, and Edge & Christian at WrestleMania X-Seven is one of the cornerstones of WWE’s tag team division. It was setup with an escalation in violence and innovation in stunts leading into this high-stakes encounter.

Key Moments
High-Flying Stunts: From Jeff Hardy’s Swanton Bomb off a ladder to Edge’s spear from ladder to dangling Hardy, the match was chocked full of more breathtaking spots than can be possibly named.

Edge & Christian Win: In what proved to be one of the most wild and fun matches in WWE history, Edge & Christian came out on top, retaining their Tag Team Championship.

Impact
This match changed the face of tag team wrestling with regard to the athletic and creative display by the performers. It cemented a place in history for all three teams and raised the bar on any future TLC matches.

7. CM Punk vs. John Cena – Money in the Bank (2011)

Significance and Build-Up
The WWE Championship match from Money in the Bank 2011 featuring CM Punk and John Cena was one of those matches recognized for the real-life tensions and an interesting storyline. Among those is the well-infamous promo “pipe bomb” by Punk.

Key moments
Electric Crowd: The fight took place in the city of Punk, Chicago. Thus, the crowd was all in favor of Punk and was electric.
Punk’s Win and Exit: Punk defeated Cena and, in what was an astonishing and almost unbelievable moment, ran through the crowd with the belt, leaving the WWE and the crowd to speculate where the line between kayfabe and reality might actually be.

Impact
This reinvigorated the WWE programming by proving that there was still magic to be had from a really good story, got Punk over to superstardom, and proved the two things that have always made professional wrestling work: strong crowd interaction and elements of reality.

8. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania XXV (2009)

Significance and Build-Up
The match of The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXV is considered one of the best matches in the history of WrestleMania. The promos run in electrifying succession, working on their dichotomous personas, with Michaels depicting himself as the only person who could stop The Undertaker’s undefeated streak.

Key Moments
Near-Falls Galore: The match inside the ring was full of near-falls that really kept the audience at the edge of their seats, hence showing a will and resilience that both competitors had.

Successful Night of the Undertaker: After a number of breath-taking exchanges, The Undertaker finally came out with the victory via the Tombstone Piledriver to further extend his WrestleMania streak. Impact

This match epitomizes storytelling and in-ring psychology, setting a different standard for any main events at WrestleMania. On a higher note, it retains both the able-bodiedness and the legacy of both superstars involved, hence proving that they are indeed legends.

9. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle – WrestleMania XIX (2003)

Significance and Build-Up
The match will focus on the WWE Championship, which was taking place between Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle. The backdrop was consisting of these both great athletes who had a history of amateurish wrestling and hence very competitive.

Key Moments
Athletic Showcase: Both match highlights covered the full bounds of technical wrestling and power moves—more so, the athletic ability of the superstars.

Shooting Star Press: One of the moments Lesnar is widely talked about is the fact that he did attempt a Shooting Star Press, which he botched. Yet, despite this botched maneuver, he still managed to finish the match and win the WWE Championship.

Impact
This was a match that really promoted athleticism with storyline elements, showing just what WWE was capable of giving. It cemented Lesnar’s position by putting him at the top of the stars and showed the toll on the body that a professional wrestler goes through.

10. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania X8 (2002)

Importance and Build-Up
The all-time dream match across generations at WrestleMania X8: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan in the “Icon vs. Icon” showpiece. The record of the build-up focused on the two icons of their respective eras. The promotion lighted anticipation touched by ecstasy combined with nostalgia via paper trails.

Key moments
Electric atmosphere: the crowd out of Toronto in its many halves, either rooting for one of the Superstars, set it on fire, electric and unpredictable. The Rock won the match at the end, but in being of equal importance was the post-match handshake and faceturn for Hogan which meant so much in the way of respect and the passing of the torch to this new icon.

Impact
This was the match that cut across different eras of wrestling and carried the timeless appeal of both superstars. It underlined the importance of the reaction received and the character dynamics between two people in the making of moments.

Conclusion
These ten WWE legendary matches have all contributed to rewriting the saga of professional wrestling. From technical wrestling and extreme athleticism to great storylines and making moments that one wouldn’t forget in a lifetime, these bouts left their mark on the industry. They represent the progress of what is WWE and why Professional Wrestling will always attract eyeballs—charming audiences and raising the bars for generations to come.