Throughout the history of WWE WrestleMania, we often celebrated the winners who triumphed, the champions who won it all, and the victors who stood tall in the end. While the spotlight usually shines on the winners, rarely do we express our gratitude to wrestlers who, even though they walked away on the losing end, still gave fans one hell of a moment to remember.
While it is true that careers are immortalized in victory, who said that they cannot be in losses as well? From show-stealing performances to emotional heartbreakers, here are six losing efforts in WrestleMania history that left us in awe. These are the greatest losing performances ever seen at the Showcase of the Immortals.
Bret Hart – WrestleMania X
It had been nearly a full year since Bret “Hitman” Hart was on the WWE’s mountaintop (then WWF), but in 1994, he was ready to reclaim his throne. He began by winning the Royal Rumble match with co-winner Lex Luger, earning the right to face WWE Champion Yokozuna at WrestleMania X.
However, since Luger had to face Yokozuna earlier on the show, Bret was booked to face his little brother, Owen Hart, in order to make the competition fair. Both Hart brothers had beef with one another dating back to late last year, especially after Owen had betrayed Bret at the Royal Rumble 1994.
In the opener of WrestleMania X, the pride of the Hart Family dazzled the Madison Square Garden crowd with a fabulous technical masterpiece. Surprisingly, it was Owen who shocked the world with a clean victory over The Hitman. But despite losing this battle, Bret ended the night winning the war, as he defeated Yokozuna for the WWE Title later that night.
Ric Flair – WrestleMania XXIV
Ric Flair was nearly the age of 60 years old when he took it to the Grandest Stage of Them All to defend his four-decade-long career against Shawn Michaels. In a retirement match at WrestleMania 24, Flair brought everything he had to pull out one last miracle to keep his career alive.
Flair’s career might be coming to that end, but he’d be damned if he is letting it end in vain! Instead, the 16-time World Champion went on to deliver a spectacular, emotionally charged performance, even by his age at the time.
When talking about this match, everyone will always remember the “I’m sorry, I love you” moment before the final Sweet Chin Music that brought Flair’s in-ring run to an end. The Nature Boy’s loss was inevitable, but the emotional weight and Flair’s graceful exit made this one of the best performances in WrestleMania history, even if it ended in a loss.
Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania XXV
It is only fair that we include WWE’s No. 1 greatest match in WrestleMania history on this list. At WrestleMania 25, Shawn Michaels delivered a storytelling and drama masterclass against The Undertaker. The Streak was alive and well at 16-0, but Shawn came the closest to breaking it before it was destroyed five years later by Brock Lesnar.
Michaels embodied his “Mr. WrestleMania” moniker, pushing the Deadman to the brink of defeat and forcing everyone to believe, if even for a moment, that the Streak could potentially end. Michaels’ performance, marked by perfect pacing, flawless selling, and high-risk spots, elevated the match to an instant classic.
There were no winners or losers here — only legends of these two icons echoed louder than ever. Many wrestling gurus called this bout the best of both men’s careers, and that praise is rightfully earned.
Cody Rhodes – WrestleMania 39
Cody Rhodes returned to WWE in 2022 with a mission: to “finish the story”. It took him a full year to finally get the chance to do it. At WrestleMania 39, he came incredibly close, losing to Roman Reigns in the main event for the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
That loss ended controversially, despite the fans firmly behind him and every storyline thread pointing to his way. Despite this, Rhodes put on a gutsy, fearless underdog showing that surely proved he belonged in the brightest light on WWE’s biggest stage.
Even though Reigns retained the title, Rhodes’ support only grew larger, making his eventual conquest next year all the more sweeter. It wasn’t his time yet, but looking back, it may have been the right decision all along.
Randy Savage – WrestleMania XVII
At WrestleMania 7, two of WWE’s most popular phenoms put their careers on the line against one another. It was a matchup between a former champion, Ultimate Warrior, who was still loved by fans, and Randy Savage, who now went by “Macho King” after betraying the WWE Universe by turning to the dark side.
Both men gave it their all in a match highlighted by grit, passion, and desperation. With his career on the line, Savage hit Warrior with five consecutive flying elbow drops — his finishing maneuver — yet, he still couldn’t seal the win. Ultimately, the Warrior walked away with the final victory, marking the end of Savage’s career (for now…).
However, what made Savage’s loss iconic wasn’t his in-ring performance, but it was the aftermath. His manager, “Sensational” Sherri Martel, betrayed him, beating him up after the bell, only for Miss Elizabeth, his former manager, to make the save and fend off Sherri. Savage’s reunion with Elizabeth gave birth to one of the most emotional scenes in WrestleMania history.
Steve Austin – WrestleMania 13
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin revolutionized the wrestling world when he battled Bret “Hitman” Hart at WrestleMania 13 in one of the finest bouts this sport has ever seen. It was a bloody, violent submission contest for the ages that featured MMA legend Ken Shamrock as the special guest referee.
With blood pouring down on his face and locked in the Sharpshooter, Austin refused to quit against Bret, choosing to pass out rather than submit. By doing this, Austin earned the respect of everyone in the arena, turning him into a legitimate superstar.
It was a rare case where the loser of the PPV’s major affair won more than the winner. Bret walked out of the contest as a villain instead of his actions, while Austin became the fan-favorite anti-hero with the audience fully in his corner. This “double turn” would go on to kickstart the Attitude Era, ushering in the most successful period the WWE has ever seen.
This five-star classic has recently been announced as a Hall of Fame inductee, being featured in the inaugural “Immortal Moment” category. Not only the greatest losing performance in WrestleMania history, but in the entirety of wrestling, period.
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