It all began on March 31st 1985 in Madison Square Garden, New York and very quickly became “The Superbowl” of Sports Entertainment, the “Grand Daddy” of the WWE calendar. It’s the event that every WWE Superstar strives towards each and every year to prove that they are “the very best” in the business.

Madison Square Garden was “sold out” for the first ever Wrestlemania and 1 million people across America watched the event unfold on closed circuit televisions at arenas and concert halls.

The main event was a Tag Team match with the team of Hulk Hogan and Mr T (the eventual winners) facing off against the team of Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr Wonderful - Paul Orndorff.

Wrestlemania 2 (II) was held at three separate venues across America and Wrestlemania 3 (III) broke all attendance records with a whopping 93,173 fans in attendance. It was an event that was opened by Aretha Franklin and saw Hulk Hogan lift Andre the Giant to the mat, leg drop then pin him to win the championship. It also featured the classic Intercontinental Match between
“Macho Man” Randy Savage and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, still considered to be one of the greatest matches in the history of Wrestlemania.

When the event was eventually released on video it broke the record for the number of video copies sold.

At Wrestlemania 4 (IV) they held the first ever Fan Festival today‘s “Fan Axxess” and Wrestlemania 5 (V) saw the debuts of Shawn Michaels and Big Boss Man and the surprise return of “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka.

The first Wrestlemania to be held outside of America was Wrestlemania 6 (VI), DDP made his first appearance, not in a match, but driving a pink Cadillac to the ring and Wrestlemania 7 (VII) marked the final appearance of Andre the Giant.

Number 7 was the “Mania” debut of The Undertaker, he beat “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and has been beating the best in the business at the PPV ever since. Last year saw him become the first Wrestler to win 10 Wrestlemania Matches. Since his debut 12 years ago he has not lost at a Wrestlemania (in all that time he has only missed two years).

Wrestlemania 8 (VIII) was build as the final performance of Hulk Hogan even though he didn’t eventually go until the following year. He arrived at a press conference for the event in a bus decorated with “Hulks Image” and the word “Hulkamania”. Hogan stepped off the bus followed by sixty little kids all wearing Hulk memorabilia waving American Flags.

Bret “Hit Man” Hart became the first ever Superstar to complete for three different Championships at three consecutive Wrestlemanias at number 9 (IX). It was also Hulk Hogan’s last Wrestlemania. (Until last year that is).

The 10th Wrestlemania (X) returned to where it all began at Madison Square Garden, the match that stole the show was the Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship between Shawn Michaels (eventual winner) and Razor Ramon (Scott Hall).

Shawn Michaels “battled” for the Championship at number 12 (XII) in a 60 minute Iron Man match against Bret “Hit Man” Hart.
After one hour the score was 0-0 so they went into a sudden death period, the first to get a pin fall or submission would be the winner. Two “Sweetchin Music” Superkicks later and “HBK” was the new Champion.
Wrestlemania 12 also saw the debuts of two of today’s top Superstars, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H.


The Rock, or Rocky Maivia as he was then known, made his debut at number 13, his own father Rocky Johnson ran outside interference for him in his match (the only time he ever has) and Mick Foley as “Mankind” made his First Wrestlemania appearance.

It also signalled the start of a new era in the WWE - the “Attitude” era.

In Shawn Michaels final match at Wrestlemania 14 (XIV) he lost the Championship to Stone Cold Steve Austin. Mike Tyson was the special guest “Enforcer” referee and it saw the beginnings of what was to become a very “intense” rivalry between the “Texas Rattlesnake” and his boss Vince McMahon.

Wrestlemania 15 (XV) showcased a main event between two of the top Superstars in the business, The Rock and Stone Cold. Austin emerged victorious on that exchange and walked off with the Championship. Big Show made his “Mania” debut and Triple H joined Vince McMahon’s “Corporation”.

Fans watching Wrestlemania 16 (XVI) on “Pay Per View” were treated to highlights from all 15 previous Wrestlemanias all day long which included commentary from many of those involved. This event featured only “One” singles match, the rest of the card was made up of “Group” matches meaning a lot more of the Superstars appeared at the event in the ring.
The Hardcore Battle Royal saw the title change hands 10 times.
Three of the most successful Tag Teams in the history of the business made their “Mania” debuts. Edge and Christian, The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz competed for the Tag Team Titles in a Triangle Ladder Match. Edge and Christian walked away the Champions.
Kurt Angle became the first Wrestler to defend two titles in one match at a Wrestlemania. He lost both titles, the Intercontinental to Chris Benoit (who became the first Superstar to win the belt at a Wrestlemania in 8 years) and the European title to Chris Jericho. Kurt Angle was never pinned.

Wrestlemania 17 (X-7) set a new indoor attendance record at the Houston Astrodome with 67,925 fans filling the arena. It saw Austin become the first ever Superstar to win the WWE Championship at three different “Manias” and ended with him “joining forces” with his once enemy Vince McMahon.
The event also featured the “In Ring” “Mania” debut of Mr McMahon in a Street Fight against his own son Shane (the winner).
Edge and Christian became the first team to win the Tag Team Titles at two consecutive “Manias”
On that night five titles changed hands, the only Superstar to retain his Intercontinental Belt was Chris Jericho.

2002 and the “awesome” fans of the WWE again set an indoor attendance record, this time at the Skydome in Toronto, 68,237 fans “blew“ the roof off. Wrestlemania 18 (X-8) showcased the much anticipated “Icon vs Icon” match between The Rock and Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Hulkamania was “reborn” in Toronto on that night. It also ended the four month reign of the first ever Undisputed Champion, “The King of the World” Chris Jericho. He lost the belt to Triple H.

2003 saw Wrestlemania XIX (19) in Safeco Field, Seattle with a record breaking 54,097 fans in attendance watching more incredible memories being made on the biggest stage of them all.

Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon after 20 years of "hatred" faced off in a brutal "Street Fight" with Hulk Hogan emerging the victor.

The Rock "finally" beat Stone Cold Steve Austin in a truly memorable third outing for these two icons.

The Undertaker made it 11-0 and continues his unbeaten legacy at "The Grand Daddy" of them all.

Shawn Michaels, "The Showstopper", after an absence of 5 years from Wrestlemania stepped back into the "squared circle" against "The King of The World" Chris Jericho, two incredible athletes and what a match they put on. Truly awesome (many saying the match of the night) and a match more than worthy to take its rightful place in the history book of Wrestlemania.

Wresltemania 20 on March 14th 2004 returned to where it all began in 1985 to Madison Square Garden in New York and what a nigh it was.

John Cena finally toppled the giant and walked out of the garden the new US Champion after beating Big Show.

Chris Jericho and Christian had one hell of a battle but in the end it was Y2J who lost not only the match but the love of his life Trish who made her feelings very clear and slapped the taste right out of Jericho's mouth.

Eddie Guerrero survived a very intense challenge from Kurt Angle to retain the WWE Heavyweight title.

The Deadman - Undertaker made a spectacular return at Wrestlemania much to the surprise of his brother Kane who thought he had buried him alive. With Paul Bearer by his side once more Undertaker made it 12-0 at Wrestlemania and retained his undeaten record at "the Grand Daddy of them all".

Brock Lesnar wrestled what was to be his final match for the WWE against Goldberg with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the Special Guest Referee and

Chris Benoit achieved his life long dream and became World Heavyweight Champion after making Triple H tap out to the crossface in a Triple Threat match against Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

The Staples Center in LA was announced as the venue for Wrestlemania 21 in 2005.