WrestleMania has been the home to a wide variety of matches. One can look to the traditional one-on-one contests to see some greats, but it’s in the gimmick matches where WrestleMania has flourished. The gimmick matches are a great way to add variety to the WrestleMania card while drumming up excitement. The visual aspect of the match and the potential for some truly awe-inspiring spots make the gimmick match an essential part of WrestleMania. It breaks up the card nicely and has produced some of the greatest matches at WrestleMania.
There is such a wide array of gimmick matches that have had their chance to shine at WrestleMania. Matches that have helped to establish stars and add to the rich history of the Showcase of the Immortals. These matches have produced iconic moments, legendary stars, and helped create the aura that has surrounded WrestleMania. Below, we will examine the best of these gimmick matches and their WrestleMania legacy.
Razor Ramon v Shawn Michaels (Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship; WrestleMania 10)
The Bad Guy and The Heartbreak Kid were engaged in a bitter feud over WWE’s secondary strap. HBK was stripped of the championship in late 1993, and when he returned, he took issue with the man who won the Intercontinental Championship in his absence. Both claimed they were the real champion, and it was decided that a Ladder Match would determine the man who could say he was the real Intercontinental Champion.
This was the Ladder Match that started it all. It was the first time that WrestleMania had witnessed the Ladder Match gimmick, with HBK and Ramon making sure to leave their mark. Their sense of creativity shown during this match was only matched by its violence. It was a sight that no one had seen before, and it was such a success that it spawned a generation of Ladder Matches. HBK and Ramon walked so the world could run.
Bret Hart v Steve Austin (Submission Match; WrestleMania 13)
The hatred between Bret Hart and Steve Austin was incredible. Austin made it his mission to make his name off the back of Bret Hart, and thus the two engaged in classic battles all over the world. Their feud was a launching point for WWE’s Attitude Era, and it was their 5-star Submission Match that started Steve Austin on his path to greatness.
This gimmick match has become the thing of legend, and with good cause. The technical expertise of both men remained, but with the stipulation that they could increase the intensity. The brawling spilled out into the ringside area, and the contest became a war. The realism with which they performed every move made this match one that will remain on the list of great WrestleMania matches in WWE history.
