Greg DeMarco’s Top 5: WWE WrestleMania Matches That Should Have Main Evented

Few things are more sacred than the WrestleMania main event. Greg DeMarco looks at the 5 matches that WWE should have put in that position, but chose not to.

There are two ways WWE books WrestleMania. There’s the version they want you to see—the biggest stars, the most marketable match, the one that looks best on a poster.

And then there’s what actually matters. The match with the most heat, the most stakes, and the one people are still talking about when the show ends.

Sadly, those two things don’t always line up.

And when they don’t, you get nights where WrestleMania closes with the “right” choice on paper… but not the right choice in reality. And to me, these are (at least) five times WWE got that wrong.

5. WrestleMania 35 – Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship)

WrestleMania 35 made history with Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair closing the show, marking the first women’s main event in WrestleMania history. Earlier in the night, Kofi Kingston challenged Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship in a match fueled by one of the most organic fan-driven stories in years. It was the culmination of a movement that had been building for months, and arguably the emotional peak of the entire event.

I get it…Ronda Rousey had the crossover star power WWE wanted, and her involvement in WrestleMania 34 moved mountains. But that match closing the event was the wrong decision (more on that later in this article). You could have ended this night with Seth Rollins’ win over Brock Lesnar, but that was actually a very well done opener, and it was newsworthy at the time (although that news was largely unverified bullshit). KofiMania was the peak of so much in WWE, including The New Day’s popularity. It was as appropriate of a main event as Daniel Bryan Danielson’s win at WrestleMania 30. Nothing on this event could have surpassed it, and it should have been the main event.

4. WrestleMania 11 – Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel (WWF Championship)

WrestleMania 11 closed with Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, a celebrity-driven main event designed to bring outside attention to the product. Earlier in the show, Shawn Michaels challenged Diesel for the WWF Championship in a match that represented the future of the company. It was a clear signal of where WWE was going—whether the main event reflected it or not.

If you look up WrestleMania 11 on Cagematch, the company logo is the short lived “new generation” version, and that’s what this match was all about. Yes, we were in Hartford, which is an old WWF/WWE territory, but it was still over two hours away from Madison Square Garden, even further from Giants Stadium. LT vs Bam Bam was a great attraction, but so was Big Show s. Floyd Mayweather at WrestleMania 24. And THAT didn’t close the show. Meanwhile, Shawn and Diesel helped define eras, and HBK himself is one of the most influential wrestlers of all time. Clearly, to me, this match should have closed the night at WrestleMania 11.

Honorable Mention – WrestleMania 21 – John Cena vs. JBL (WWE Championship)

WrestleMania 21 closed with Triple H vs. Batista, a match that helped define a new era for WWE. Earlier in the night, John Cena defeated JBL to win his first WWE Championship, marking the arrival of a new face of the company. This was more than just a title change, it was the start of a run that would shape WWE for the next decade and beyond.

3. WrestleMania 18 – The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan

WrestleMania 18 ended with Chris Jericho defending the Undisputed Championship against Triple H, a match that, on paper, checked every box you’d expect from a main event. But earlier in the night, The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan delivered something you can’t manufacture: an organic, once-in-a-generation atmosphere. It wasn’t about a title; it was about two eras colliding, and the crowd told you exactly what mattered most.

Honestly, I laugh whenever anyone tries to recreate what Rock and Hogan had on that night. When two wrestlers stand in the middle of the ring and slowly look to the crowd on either side, it just falls flat to me. It’s likely going to happen at WrestleMania 42, and maybe twice. This was one of those matches that transcends almost everything. But it doesn’t transcend WrestleMania, it helps define it.

2. WrestleMania 8 – Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage (WWF Championship)

The main event of WrestleMania 8 was Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice, a match built around spectacle and star power more than championship stakes. Earlier in the night, Ric Flair defended the WWF Championship against Randy Savage in a match that had everything WrestleMania is supposed to deliver—story, emotion, and the most important title in the company on the line. This wasn’t just another match on the card; it was the real centerpiece of the show.

Some of my problem with the main event is probably the finish, as it ended in a disqualification. In fact, it was the second time a Hulk Hogan WrestleMania main event ended in a DQ. It was a vehicle for the return of The Ultimate Warrior, and we all know how that turned out. Giving Randy Savage his moment was the better call here, especially since his moment at WrestleMania 4 was hardly a solo effort, also thanks to Hulk Hogan.

Honorable Mention – WrestleMania 41 – Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky (Women’s World Championship)

While the full legacy of WrestleMania 41 is still being written, the Women’s World Championship triple threat between Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, and Iyo Sky represents the kind of match that defines the current era. Three of the most complete performers in WWE, all positioned at the top of the division, competing in a match that reflects how far the women’s side of WrestleMania has evolved.

Now I know, there was “no way” The Rock wasn’t going to main event one night of WrestleMania in his big return. And I get it. But if you know anything about psychology, you know that one phone call from Triple H to The Rock, pitching the plan that they frame the women competing in the main event of night 1 was The Rock’s idea, and all is well.

1. WrestleMania 34 – Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair (SmackDown Women’s Championship)

WrestleMania 34 closed with Brock Lesnar defending the Universal Championship against Roman Reigns in a match that felt more like an obligation than a payoff. Meanwhile, Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka carried real stakes, most notably featuring Asuka’s undefeated streak (and historic Royal Rumble victory) against one of WWE’s most protected stars. It wasn’t just a title match; it was a moment built over years, with a clear outcome that would define both competitors moving forward.

The finish of the actual main event fell flat, but this is more than that. It’s also about WrestleMania 35, the first ever women’s WrestleMania main event, where Becky Lynch beat Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair to leave with both women’s championships. That match didn’t deliver, and it was put under immense pressure.

Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka should have main evented without being announced ahead of time. Let it become apparent during the event itself, and get people talking online. No pressure, and the creation of another WrestleMania moment.

THIS is the match that should have closed WrestleMania 34, and served as the first ever women’s main event of WrestleMania.

Now, the wrong woman won, but that’s not what this article is about.

WrestleMania is supposed to be about moments, and most of the time, WWE gets it right. But every now and then, they chase the wrong thing: star power over momentum, spectacle over substance, or the “safe” choice over the right one.

The funny thing is, you don’t need hindsight to see it…most of these felt off in the moment, and that’s why they stand out.

Because when WrestleMania ends, people don’t just remember what closed the show, they remember what mattered.

And if we’re being honest, there are probably more than five.