WrestleMania 30 vs WrestleMania 31

What is the best modern WrestleMania? It is a question that isn’t asked often, but it is one that deserves an answer. Of course, everyone has, and is entitled to, their own opinions. However, many fans will agree that from 2014 onward, only two stand out as being above the rest. WrestleManias 30 and 31 are arguably two of the best WrestleManias of all time, but which of the two is better?

Main Event

The main event plays a big role in how an event is perceived going into the future, and both of these did not disappoint in that aspect. However, it is odd how similar these two main events are to each other.

Two Ruthless Aggression Era superstars go on a hot streak after defeating John Cena in a Championship match then go on to face a Royal Rumble winner who has been rejected by the fans. Meanwhile, a fan favorite has a match early at WrestleMania against a former member of Evolution, only to go on to make the main event a triple threat. He even wins it, becoming champion and holding the belt until he vacates it due to injury.

Despite the similarities, the two main events stand out as two of the best WrestleMania has ever seen. From the expected triumph of the Miracle on Bourbon Street to the unexpected euphoria of the Heist of the Century, it’s tough to pick which match was better in terms of its climax. One could argue that the Bryan story was built more, so the peak may have been worth more to some fans. Also some fans argue that the WrestleMania 31 main event wasn’t as good as it is perceived.

Memorable Moments

While both events had their fair share of moments we will all be talking about for years, this is probably the easiest category to pick a winner in. From Hogan, Austin, and the Rock in the same ring, to Bryan holding up the WWE and World Heavyweight Championship Belts, to the ending for the Streak, WrestleMania 30 takes this one handily. However, Rollins swinging the WWE Championship over his head, the Undertaker/ Wyatt stare down and the NWO vs. DX skit were all fun as well. Daniel Bryan winning the I.C. Championship, while a nice moment, couldn’t compare to his win at the event the year previous. In packages for future WrestleManias the events of WrestleMania 30 are more likely to be shown.

Aftermath

As stated previously, the winners of the main event would go on to vacate their championships due to injury, but Rollins was able to have a lengthy reign with the WWE Championship. John Cena have one of the best U.S. Title runs in recent memory with his U.S. Open Challenge after winning it from Rusev. The aftermath of WrestleMania 30 saw a step torward the woman’s revolution as Paige would become Diva’s Champion  Of course Brock Lesnar’s Would begin to create his unstoppable aurora after defeating the Undertaker, which would even carry on after WrestleMania 31. Both Cesaro’s and Big Show’s win in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal didn’t do much to help either man, a

The Undertaker

To many, there is no WrestleMania without the Undertaker, so yes, he gets his own section. Neither of his matches at WrestleManias 30 and 31 were his best, but they are two of his most integral. Of course WrestleMania 30 saw the exact moment our childhoods were destroyed by three 5-Fs and three seconds of anticipation, waiting for the Undertaker to kick out like he always did. What you think of Brock Lesnar’s run after the fact may lean your opinion one way or the other. For me, The Undertaker losing ruined the rest of the night, as it did for a lot of people. And while I do try to keep my personal preferences out of this comparison, this is one that’s too much of a deep cut. 31 takes this one just because it didn’t make thousands of grown men cry. Besides, it was the better match of the two anyway.

Conclusion

While I prefer WrestleMania 31, it’s hard to deny that WrestleMania 30 is probably the better show. The 2015 edition gets some bonus points for being a welcome surprise, as the hype going into the event was quite low. However, the 30th annual event does possess the larger fanbase from what I’ve seen. It could be debated either way, but it is more probable that WrestleMania 30 will be remembered as the better show going into the future.