10 Best WWE WrestleMania Midcard Title Matches

The words "midcard", to wrestling fans, oftens conjure up images of a desolate purgatory in which talented workers aimlessly roam the wastelands while searching desperately for the passage to the elusive "Main Event Club".

In turn, the so called midcard titles carry with them a certain reputation.

WWE’s treatment of these championships in recent years has done little to help the situation. It seems that whenever WrestleMania rolls around, midcard gold is either completely forgotten or treated as segues to some of the more marquee attractions.

Dig a little deeper, and the Intercontinental, United States and even European Championships are responsible for some of the best matches on their respective WrestleMania cards. Without the pressures associated with the main events, the matches benefit from a certain freedom.

The old adage - about it being easier to steal the show when no one is expecting you to - rings true many times on this list. Some of the following matches are simply underrated bouts worth more attention, whereas others have become so iconic that they are now synonymous with WrestleMania as a whole.

With Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho poised to deliver a classic championship match at WrestleMania 33, roll back the years and enjoy what the past has to offer...

Bathed in the Nevada sun of Caesar’s Palace, Shawn Michaels appeared at his second WrestleMania as a singles star, taking on Tatanka in the opening bout of WrestleMania IX. Going in to the match, Tatanka was riding the wave of an impressive undefeated streak - but the real story revolved around those at ringside.

Sensational Sherri had recently left Michaels after the Heartbreak Kid had put her in harm’s way one too many times. Aligning herself briefly with Tatanka, Sherri added an air of unpredictability to the match that was only bolstered by Michaels’s new valet, Luna Vachon. Vachon was an unknown entity in the WWF. The tension around the ring only helped served the action unfolding within it.

For nearly twenty minutes, Michaels and Tatanka delivered a crisp, hard-hitting match that showcased the trajectory Michaels would take in subsequent years. Tatanka more than held his own and the match remains his best during his spells in the company.

In classic 90’s WWF style, the match was soured by an unsatisfying ending. Michaels was disqualified after putting his hands on the referee, thus retaining his Intercontinental Championship. After the match, Vachon viciously attacked Sherri, setting up an intense rivalry between the two.