Best match from every WWE WrestleMania event in history

WrestleMania 21

Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle

WrestleMania 21 was a pretty memorable event with John Cena and Batista breaking through to win their first world titles and the first Money in the Bank Ladder Match on the card as well but the best match of the night goes to the showdown between Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels and that shouldn’t surprise anyone. I mean, it’s Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels. And both Marty Jannetty and Sensational Sherri were involved in the buildup so that was awesome enough in itself. But seriously, this is one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all time.

Shawn started things off with a slap and Angle countered with some mat wrestling before a headlock from Shawn slowed the pace for a couple of minutes. They traded some maneuvers over the next few minutes before the action moved to the outside where Kurt hit Shawn with an awesome Angle Slam into the ring post to put the focus on the back. Back inside, Angle continued to work it over with a nice sequence of Shawn going into the buckles for his usual back bump that Angle followed to great belly to belly suplexes. He tried for another off the ropes after a few minutes but Shawn threw him off and tried the elbow but missed. The Olympic gold medalist went for another Angle Slam but HBK countered it into an arm drag which looked pretty great. Angle then took a backdrop to the outside and we’re back on the floor.

Michaels hit a crossbody and then went a little heelish with a low blow before kicking Angle onto the announce table and hitting a moonsault onto it but the table didn’t break and that always looks so painful. They both stayed down for nine before getting back in, at which point they’re both bleeding from the mouth. Shawn hits the forearm and kip up spot and hits a few other moves before going for Sweet Chin Music, which Angle catches and turns into the ankle lock. HBK tried to roll through it but Angle held onto it but Michaels eventually reached the ropes to break the hold.

Shawn turned both the Angle Slam and the ankle lock into rollup pin attempts but Angle kicked out of both. Michaels went for another kick but Angle countered that into an Angle Slam and only gets a two count. He then sets up Shawn for his moonsault off the top, which he missed despite it being really pretty and now it’s Michaels who heads back up but Kurt runs up the ropes to hit a big slam but it wasn’t enough for the three. Wonderful spot there. Angle isn’t happy and starts yelling at Shawn but gets hit with Sweet Chin Music as both men are down again. Shawn crawled over but could only get two, possibly the best two count I’ve ever seen.

Angle eventually slapped on the ankle lock yet again and while Shawn tried to fight out of it, he just couldn’t and Kurt dropped down into the heel hook and that was too much for HBK to take and he tapped out after a 27-minute classic.