33 WWE WrestleMania Opening Matches Ranked From Worst To Best

3. 7-Way Intercontinental Title Ladder Match - WrestleMania 31

Triple H Daniel Bryan WrestleMania XXX
WWE.com

Almost unwatchable just one month ago, the triumphant return of Daniel Bryan retrospectively elevates this, fittingly, to near all-time 'Mania opener G.O.A.T status.

His sickening closing headbutt duel with Dolph Ziggler underlined the tone of a match that, unlike the 'Mania 25 equivalent, felt more like a gruesome high-stakes war than a collection of contrived spots. Everybody grafted - you can't not in a match like this - but in addition to Bryan's bravura performance, this represented a breakthrough for both Luke Harper and Dean Ambrose, whose violent exchanges created an absorbing subplot and a launching pad for a fun midcard feud in the future.

More cohesive than most iterations of a chaotic match, this was a tour de force.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!