10 WrestleMania Openers Better Than The Main Event

Daniel Bryan outshone his own main event at 'Mania XXX...

Triple H Crossface Daniel Bryan
WWE.com

The main event of any pro wrestling pay-per-view should be the absolute apex of that show. That's a given, but when it comes to WrestleMania that sense is heightened even further. There's no doubt about it: the main event of 'Mania is the single most important bout on the WWE calendar.

The match has lived up to that billing, on occasion anyway. For example, can anyone name a match which sums up 1990 better than 'The Ultimate Challenge' pitting Hulk Hogan against The Ultimate Warrior? Is there a bout that could top Steve Austin vs. The Rock from WrestleMania X-Seven in the drama and excitement stakes? 

Those matches were undoubtedly highlights in 'Mania history, and they shan't be forgotten any time soon. Whilst the openers on those particular supercards may have been fine, they could never hope to outshine the main event. 

That's not necessarily been the case on other WrestleMania cards, however. 

There have been opening matches at 'Mania that were arguably better than the match going on last. Maybe this was because those curtain jerkers were amazing, or perhaps the headline scrap just flat-out didn't cut the mustard.

Whatever the case, the 10 different matches presented and examined in this  article display times when the WWF/WWE didn't exactly get things just right with their main event on the grand stage.

10. The Shield Vs. Big Show, Randy Orton & Sheamus ('Mania 29)

Triple H Crossface Daniel Bryan
WWE.com

The main problem with WrestleMania 29's main event was that it was a complete rehash from the previous year. At 'Mania 28, The Rock and John Cena had a decent bout, although it was one which could never live up to the 12 month build or pre-match hype.

Despite saying the match was 'Once In A Lifetime', WWE decided to promote it again for 'Mania 29. This time, the WWE Title would be on the line, but fans didn't necessarily want another Rock vs. Cena bout. This only helped other matches on the show, including the 6-man tag-team affair which began proceedings.

The Shield had crash landed on the main roster just a few months before, and they were hot property come 'Mania time. On the show, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins met The Big Show, Randy Orton and Sheamus. 

Whilst the match did turn out to be relatively routine, it at least felt more fresh than the rehashed main event. The result was also correct, as The Shield were handed a momentum-boosting victory.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood.