Pick Your Poison 21 - Best WrestleMania Opening Match

Omackeral

As we're on the Road to WrestleMania I thought it would be apt (great word) to get a Mania themed Pick Your Poison going. Everyone remembers the main events and some of the standout classics throughout the show such as Savage vs Steamboat and TLC but the Granddaddy of Them All has had it's fair share of great kickstarters too. Here, we're going to see what y'all consider the finest.

WrestleMania IV
Bad News Brown def. 19 participants in a Battle Royal

While perhaps not as famous as it's WM2 counterpart featuring Big John Studd and William 'Refrigerator' Perry, it did feature some favourites like The Junkyard Dog and The Hart Foundation. In fact, the ending was probably Bret Hart's first real WrestleMania moment, as he destroyed Bad News Brown's winners trophy in Atlantic City, NJ.

---


WrestleMania X
Owen Hart def. Bret Hart

Clocking in at 20:21, this match is sure to be high on people's lists. While the match most remebered from WM X is the HBK vs Razor ladder match, this one ranks very highly with purists. It was #4 on the list of IGN's Top 20 Matches in Wrestlemania History; writer Jon Robinson described it as "the best opening match in pay-per-view history." Chris Jericho stated: "For me, the best match on WrestleMania X was always Bret vs. Owen, and it kicked off the show and it was hard to follow...the story was amazing, it was kind of Owen's coronation – it was a great moment". I agree with Y2J here. Bret's eventual winning the title coupled with the ladder match can make us forget that it was Owen that won this bout too.

---


WrestleMania XV
Hardcore Holly def. Billy Gunn and Al Snow in a Triple Threat Match

A bit out of left field but a fun addition and a real moment in time encapsulated. This was, in my opinion, when the Hardcore Championship was at its best. Wild, unpredictable and with guys who suited it. The Philly crowd ate it up and especially came alive when Al Snow, with Head, produced a hockey stick that had 20,000 people chanting ''Let's Go Flyers!'' in reference to their hometown NHL team. It was the first ever Hardcore Title match at WrestleMania so perhaps it was fitting that Hardcore Holly walked out the champ.


---

WrestleMania X-Seven
Chris Jericho def William Regal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI6VOAUgTFg

Widely acclaimed as the best WrestleMania of all time, this event kicked off with a bout that boasted a mesh of styles. It was for the Intercontinental Championship and featured two very well rounded performers who complimented each other. Featuring submissions, throws and strikes, this match set the tone for what was to be an epic event.


---

WrestleMania XIX
Matt Hardy def Rey Mysterio

In a bout for the Cruiserweight Championship, Matt Hardy Version 1.0 seconded by Shannon Moore, went over Rey Mysterio in Rey's first ever WrestleMania showcase. The Biggest Little Man debuted his gimmick of cosplaying superheroes but unfortunately he was no match for Mattitude. A fast paced and exciting bout, this one kicked off another stellar show.

---

WrestleMania XX
John Cena def. Big Show

Making his WrestleMania debut in style, the Doctor of Thuganomics put everyone on noticed as he stole away Big Show's US Championship in front of a rabid Madison Square Garden. He would go on to headline the next decade of Mania's but this is where it all began for him. A hot crowd, a great match and a new star. History in the making.

---

WrestleMania 21
Rey Mysterio def Eddie Guerrero

Sadly, this was the late great Eddie Guerrero's last dance at the big one as he faced off against long time friend and rival Rey Mysterio. A great story telling match with the cockier and larger Eddie trying and failing to put away his co-tag team champion. Rey won after a hurricanrana. This was the catalyst for Guerrero's amazing heel turn and some of his best career work.

---

WrestleMania 23
Mr. Kennedy def. Edge, King Booker, CM Punk, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Finlay and Randy Orton in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFmmHfFnaeg

The first 10 man MITB match sported some real star power and had the crowd hooked from the word go. Some insane spots in this included Mr Kennedy hitting Hornswoggle with the Green Bay Plunge off a ladder and Jeff Hardy crashing through and breaking a ladder on the outside. All 8 men earned their stripes that night while 5 of them would go on to become World Champions.

---



WrestleMania XXX
Daniel Bryan def Triple H

I don't think I even need to go into detail here. The near culmination of an 18 month storyline and life long ambition kicked off the 30th edition of WM as fans favourite Daniel Bryan took on the tyrant HHH in a barn burner. Rated highly by everyone at the time, it's easy to forget just how good this match was given that Bryan went on to win the WWE World Heavyweight Title that same night.

Omackeral

Right boys and girls (Hi Liz ) this one took me a while to put together so tell us who y'all voted for. Before I made the list, I figured it was gonna be Bret vs Owen I would vote for here, along with everyone else. But two things stopped me from doing that. Firstly, while story telling is great and the build to the match and end result are savage too, I never saw the match live at the time so the initial gravitas was lost on me upon viewing later. The other criteria I was gonna say was that if you offered me the chance to watch any of the matches on the list right now, it would be the Money in the Bank match from WrestleMania 23. Just an insane car crash with unreal star power. At this stage we knew what MITB could deliver and we expected...and it didn't disappoint for me.

Honorable mention : While not on the list, (didn't think it would be that popular) I vastly enjoyed the Belfast Brawl between Finlay and JBL at WM 24.

D-FENS

Bad News double crossing Bret and Bret then breaking the trophy is one of my fondest early WWF memories, but I also loved the start of WM14 for some reason

mrkiscool2

Has to be Bret vs Owen. One of the all-time great matches!

Concannon7

Bret vs Owen without a shadow of a doubt.

It's my favourite match of all time.

gerrybbadd

I was thinking Bret and Owen as well, but the opener of Mania 30, although the finish may have been obvious, was also a huge payoff to a really long story - a rare occurrence in modern day WWE.

I'm gonna have to take some time to think this through!

Itssoeasy

Bret and Owen without a doubt. without a doubt.

Griever931

The first thing that comes to mind when I saw the title is Bret vs. Owen.

gerrybbadd

I ended up going for Bret vs Owen. Such an iconic match, a true all time classic. And the surprise victory for Owen really makes the match (especially when Bret goes on to win the title later in the night)

Looper007

Went for Bryan/HHH, best HHH match in years and that crowd reaction.

Love Hart/Hart but the crowd reaction for me to give the nod to Bryan/HHH.

gimmick

Not surprisingly there are only 2 real contenders here. Both magnificent matches, but Bryan V HHH was better imo. It was a 5* all the way and the crowd were seriously into it.