Alright, now it's time for the really good shit. The all-time great shit. Such good shit.
10. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (vs. Seth Rollins) - WrestleMania 31
Maybe the most unexpectedly great WrestleMania main event took place at the 2015 edition, as the reviled babyface Roman Reigns challenged the unstoppable Mayor of Suplex City (a phrase he coined during this match), Brock Lesnar. Brock had decimated John Cena for the WWE Championship at the previous SummerSlam, allowing almost no offense during their 16-minute squash, and then all but disappeared with the title for most of the next six months. At the 2015 Royal Rumble Brock, Cena and Seth Rollins had a spectacular Triple Threat match, where Brock turned back both challengers in dominant fashion. Enter Reigns, the company's handpicked "it" guy, with whom the fans wanted nothing to do. Reigns won the Rumble match that night to earn his WrestleMania spot, but was booed unmercifully, and this main event had all the markings of a dud; an absentee heel champion vs. an unliked babyface challenger. But the match ended up being an exercise in brutality as these two monsters beat the piss out of each other. Brock took a legit headbutt to the ring post which opened a huge gash on his forehead, while Reigns got suplexed into oblivion and kept getting up. But the most memorable thing about the match was the unique finish, as Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase mid-match, curb stomping Brock, attempting a second stomp that was countered into an F5 attempt that was thwarted by a Reigns spear, and then curb stomping Reigns to win the match and the WWE Title. The Santa Clara crowd exploded at the surprise finish and Rollins stood tall, swinging the strap over his head as Michael Cole dubbed the title change "The Heist of the Century." Thus began Seth Rollins' excellent run as the company's top heel.
9. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XII
The longest match in WrestleMania history, and thus far the only Iron Man match at this event, pitted the company's top two babyfaces against each other in an unprecedented athletic display. Bret Hart was the veteran technician, while Shawn Michaels was the charismatic upstart. Planned as the first part of a trilogy of bouts designed as a torch passing, this match played out as an old-school grappling contest for much of the first half. Shawn stymied the champion with an expected ground game, while Bret grew increasingly frustrated and employed some heelish tactics. The second half picked up, with much more high-risk offense, but neither man could gain a pinfall. In the closing moments Shawn went for a dropkick but Bret countered into a Sharpshooter. Shawn withstood the pain for nearly a full minute as the clock ran down to zero, leaving the match a time limit draw. But WWF President Gorilla Monsoon ordered the match restarted under sudden death rules, much to Bret's chagrin. The angry champion attacked Shawn's weakened legs, but Shawn answered with a pair of superkicks to win the title and start off his main event run. Given its slow pace and frequent lack of crowd heat, this bout hasn't aged as well as one would think, but it does stand as a singular achievement in WWE lore - a mostly pure scientific marathon between two of the company's all-time best.
