Examining The Main Events If WrestleMania Had Always Been Two Nights

-In 2020 during a Worldwide Pandemic, the WWE made the decision to continue with WrestleMania but spread it over two nights.  Since then, every WrestleMania has been two nights, which means many wrestlers have been given the chance to headline The Showcase of The Immortals whether it was night one or night two.  That left me wondering, who would have closed Night One if WrestleMania had been two nights since that very first show?  To me that sounds like something fun to explore and write about.  So, let’s get to it!

-Some ground rules as we know not every WrestleMania has enough matches to cover two nights.  I am just focused on what match would close each night.  We will just assume other matches would have been added and perhaps that is something to have fun with in a year’s time when I want to do another WrestleMania column.  Also, I can only use matches that actually happened at WrestleMania.  No fantasy booking where I change matches.  

WrestleMania

Night One: Career vs. $15,000 Body Slam Challenge: Andre The Giant vs. Big John Studd

Night Two: Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper

-We had 9 matches to choose from here and for this show it’s not that difficult of a decision. We are obviously keeping the original Main Event for Night Two and Andre’s career being on the line is more than enough to close the show for Night One.  

WrestleMania 2

Night One: WWF vs. NFL Battle Royal

Night Two: WWF Championship: Steel Cage: Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy

-Interesting one here as this was basically 3 shows in one night as they did the 3 cities and 3 time zones in one night gimmick.  I thought about using The Tag Title Match for night one, but I like the idea of Andre getting another Main Event to keep pace with Hogan as we know what is coming the next year.  The Boxing which closed the New York portion was also considered, but having a boxing match end with a DQ and slam seemed a weak way to close Night One.

WrestleMania III

Night One: WWF Intercontinental Title: “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

Night Two: WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant

-The biggest and most important Mania ever and this was a rather easy choice.  Hogan/Andre may be the biggest match of all time so it stays where it belongs.  Piper/Adonis was interesting as it was to be Piper’s last match, but I just can’t pick anything other than Macho vs. Dragon! Steamboat//Savage is one of the greatest and most influential matches of all time and needs to headline Night One.  

WrestleMania IV

Night One: WWF Title Tournament: 2nd Round: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant

Night Two: WWF Title Tournament Finals: “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ted Dibiase

-Sixteen matches on this show, so you could get two nights from this card.  Hogan/Andre rematch was long discussed to close Mania IV inside a Steel Cage originally before going to the one night tournament format.  Now, it would take away a bit not having Savage win 4 matches in one night, but what can you do.  Three matches in Night Two would work.  Hogan/Andre doesn’t have a winner, but that could linger through the night as everyone now knows, we are getting someone other than Hulk Hogan as WWF Champion.  

WrestleMania V

Night One: WWF Intercontinental Title: Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude

Night Two: WWF Title: “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan

-14 matches, but man is this card full of filler.  Not thrilled with ending night one on a downer, but there really isn’t much else to go in that spot.  It was a paid crowd anyway full of high rollers, so they won’t care about the downer ending.  Thinking ahead, they could use it in the build to Hogan/Warrior.  Obviously, The Mega Powers Exploding closes Night Two.  

WrestleMania VI

Night One: WWF Tag Team Titles: The Colossal Connection vs. Demolition

Night Two: Title for Title: Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior

-Easy choice to close night two as it’s HOGAN VS WARRIOR!  I like the idea of finally get the Tag Titles in a Main Event spot and it’s a feel-good moment for Demolition, plus the awesome post-match where Andre finally turns on Heenan and goes out his Mania in ring career as a hero closing the show.  The Mixed Tag was also thought about just to get Dusty a Main Event, but Andre leaving a hero as the last image felt right.  

WrestleMania VII

Night One: Career vs. Career: The Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage

Night Two: WWF Title: Sgt. Slaughter vs. Hulk Hogan

-Some are just way too easy to etch in stone what should close each night.  This is one of those occasions as Hogan/Slaughter still gets the Main Event treatment.  Savage gets another Main Event as does the Warrior with their all time classic and the first night closes with the Savage/Liz reunion.  This was just perfect! 

WrestleMania VIII

Night One: WWF Title: Ric Flair vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage

Night Two: Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice

-Another easy one as Flair gets his Mania Main Event and Savage adds another to his growing list as he cements his status as the first Mr. WrestleMania.  Some would argue Savage/Flair should close Night Two, but it was hyped as Hogan’s last match and that has to close Night Two and add in the surprise return of The Ultimate Warrior.  That’s a heck of a way to wrap up a WrestleMania weekend.  

WrestleMania IX

Night One: WWF Tag Titles: Money Inc. vs. The Mega-Maniacs

Night Two: WWF Title: Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna Plus The Hulk Hogan Cash In

-This is an often-hated show because of how it ended and I can’t change that per the rules.  Hogan’s return match to WWF has to close night one even if it’s a DQ finish.  Hogan handing out money and posing at least makes it look like a happy ending to the first night.  Then the usual happens on Night Two and Bret and his fans are bitter to this day. Though the Mania IX documentary seems to show Bret is more irritated at Vince than Hogan, though we know what he thinks of him as well.

WrestleMania X

Night One: WWF Intercontinental Title: Ladder Match: Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels

Night Two: WWF Title: Yokozuna vs. Bret Hart

-There is no way Yoko retaining over Luger by DQ because of Mr. Perfect can close Night One.  Luger already choked in a Main Event at SummerSlam.  So we close with the classic and influential ladder match with Razor holding both titles on the ladder as our final image.  Bret/Owen can still open the show and I would run Lex/Yoko immediately after.  Then Bret gets his redemption to close Night Two.  

WrestleMania XI

Night One: Bam Bam Bigelow vs. LT

Night Two: WWF Title: Diesel vs. Shawn Michaels

-Shawn and Diesel can finally have their Main Event and can play into Shawn trying to get back and win next the next year.  Bigelow still gets to close the show with LT but on Night One to set the table for Night Two.  Pictures of him and LT would be better in the Sunday papers anyway.  

WrestleMania XII

Night One: Roddy Piper/Goldust

Night Two: WWF Title: Iron Man Match: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels

-Only five matches, so outside the Iron Man Match there wasn’t a lot to work with here. So, technically The Backlot Brawl would be early in the show, but what they did once they got to the arena would close after Taker/Diesel. Kind of a tricky one, but Piper going out in his final Mania Match seems to work better than Taker beating an out the door Diesel.  This would be a fascinating one to fill out the rest of the card as the roster was pretty thin and it could get ugly trying to get two nights.

WrestleMania XIII

Night One: Submission Match: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin

Night Two: WWF Title: Sid vs. The Undertaker

-Another no brainer one as nothing else makes sense.  Austin gets to close Night One in defeat but look like the biggest star ever a year before becoming the biggest star in the company for good.  Taker finally gets to Main Event and wins the WWF Title.  

WrestleMania XIV

Night One: Kane vs. The Undertaker

Night Two: WWF Title: Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin

-Let’s give Taker another Main Event as the match with Kane was built really well and had nearly a year of backstory.  The Dumpster Match may have been the only other contender.  The Austin Era still begins as it closes Night Two.  

WrestleMania XV

Night One: Hell in a Cell: The Undertaker vs. Big Boss Man

Night Two: WWF Title: The Rock vs. Steve Austin

-Woof!  Outside of Austin/Rock this card has nothing worthy to headline a show.  I will go with Hell in a Cell just so we don’t get the awkward moment where someone is hung in the ring and they have to cut to the back and just move on like nothing happened.  Open to suggestions for any other way to salvage night one.  Mankind vs. Show to determine Night Two’s ref?  Ugh, just awful! Rock/Austin close night two and maybe they should even close Night One.

WrestleMania 2000

Night One: WWF Tag Titles: Triangle Ladder Match: The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz

Night Two: WWF Title: HHH vs. The Rock vs. Mick Foley vs. The Big Show

-Pretty cut and dry here as the rejuvenated Tag Division gets to close Night One with the epic Triangle Ladder Match that revolutionized ladder matches going forward.  The Four Way for the WWF Title still closes the show which means we still get the first downer ending for Night Two.  

WrestleMania X-Seven

Night One: WWF Tag Titles: TLC II 

Night Two: WWF Title: The Rock vs. Steve Austin

-Run it back for the Tag Titles and have McMahon vs. McMahon right before and the next night Taker/HHH can lead to Rock/Austin.  This is often considered the greatest Mania ever and you can see why as I can split those four matches and you still have some really good stuff underneath to fill out both nights.  

WrestleMania X-8

Night One: WWF Title: Chris Jericho vs. HHH

Night Two: Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock

-Picking the two matches was a no brainer, but who closes which night was the tough part.  HHH/Jericho was not running good as they added Steph and the whole dog thing.  HHH can still close Night and get his babyface moment by winning The WWF Title, but everyone in Toronto was here for Hogan (and I guess Rock) so they close the entire event.  The lasting image being Hogan holding up Rock’s hand is just too perfect. 

WrestleMania XIX

Night One: Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon

Night Two: WWE Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle

-The most stacked single night card in Mania history.  There are so many options to close both nights and you really can’t go wrong.  I still keep Angle/Lesnar in the final spot as it was to be the official launch of the Lesnar Era and gives Kurt that moment for being willing to roll the dice with his neck.  The posters for the show focused on Hogan/McMahon so I will let them close the show as their history goes back to before Mania was a thing and Hogan winning sends the crowd home happy.  Austin probably didn’t want a big fuss being made about it being his last match anyway.  Also, McMahon/Hogan is better than you remember as they use all the smoke and mirrors and just sports entertain the crap out of that match.  

WrestleMania XX

Night One: WWE Title: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle

Night Two: World Title: HHH vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit

-We know why this show is not remembered as fondly, but it still has to close with each the two World Title Matches.  Eddie retaining vs. Kurt closes night one and Benoit sends The Garden into joys of happiness before the hug that is tough to watch now is our final image.  There are other strong options with Taker/Kane in Taker’s deadman return and the fun party match with Rock N Sock vs. Evolution where Flair and Rock are having a blast working against each other.  We are in the 2 World Title Era so these next few shows will be rather easy.  

WrestleMania 21

Night One: WWE Title: JBL vs. John Cena

Night Two: World Title: HHH vs. Batista

-Simple and easy as it’s a changing of the guard with the OVW kids now running RAW and SmackDown.  Each can lay claim to winning their first World Championship in the Main Event of WrestleMania.  Batista vs. HHH was the hotter feud so it gets Night Two honors.

WrestleMania 22

Night One: WWF Title: HHH vs. John Cena

Night Two: World Title: Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio

-Again, 2 World Title matches so let each close one night.  I just like the idea of Rey winning the World Title closing overall vs. Cena retaining in front of an annoyed crowd.  This would also let that Triple Threat have more time as the poor guys were given the bare minimum to work this match.  Orton gets his first taste of the Main Event as well.

WrestleMania 23

Night One: World Title: Batista vs. The Undertaker

Night Two: WWE Title: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels

-Again, two World Titles makes this easy.  The World Title Match closed the last two Manias overall, so we go back to the WWE Title with Cena and Shawn.  Batista and Taker were pissed they weren’t the Main Event and probably would be annoyed closing Night One as well, but that chip on their shoulders is probably what made the match so great.  

WrestleMania 24

Night One: Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair

Night Two: World Title: Edge vs. The Undertaker

-Flair’s last match and all the emotion around it make it an easy choice to close Night One.  You can even end with Leave The Memories Alone.  Taker and Edge is the better choice to close night two over the mess that was the HHH/Orton/Cena Triple Threat.  

WrestleMania XXV

Night One: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

Night Two: WWE Title: HHH vs. Randy Orton

-This was the first WrestleMania I attended.  Now HHH and Randy don’t have to follow Shawn/Taker on the same show, though they have to sleep on the fact that Taker and Show had one of the greatest matches of all time.  Like the previous year, the Triple Threat Match (this time for the World Title) is no buys for me to close either night.  

WrestleMania XXVI

Night One: WWE Title: Batista vs. John Cena

Night Two: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker

-I was at this show as well and it was a pretty stacked card and Batista vs. Cena deserved to close a Mania and this is their chance.  Shawn’s last match has to close Night Two and it’s pretty remarkable they nearly matched what they did the year before with all the pressure on them.  

WrestleMania XXVII

Night One: World Title: Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio

Night Two: WWE Title: The Miz vs. John Cena

-I was there for this show as well and I am not opposed to closing Night One with Taker/HHH, but knowing this was Edge’s last match for a decade, I felt compelled to give him one last Main Event.  Cena/Miz still has to close Night Two just because of The Rock’s involvement and what it sets up the next year.  So the guy sitting behind me complaining he paid for a Mania with Miz in the Main Event has to lump it.

WrestleMania XXVIII

Night One: End of An Era: Hell in A Cell: Undertaker vs. HHH

Night Two: Once in a Lifetime: Rock vs. John Cena

-CM Punk won’t be thrilled, but Taker/HHH Cell Match is amazing with one of the greatest near falls in wrestling history and the image of Shawn/Taker/HHH embracing at the top of the ramp should close Night One.  Duh on Rock/Cena closing Night Two.  

WrestleMania 29

Night One: CM Punk vs. The Undertaker

Night Two: WWE Title: The Rock vs. John Cena

-Here is where we make it up to CM Punk.  Swagger vs. Del Rio World Title is not worthy of a Main Event spot and we already saw HHH/Brock underwhelm at SummerSlam.  This was the final win in The Streak so let it close the show and give Punk his chance as well.  Duh again on Rock/Cena Twice in a Lifetime closing Night Two.  

WrestleMania XXX

Night One: The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar

Night Two: WWE Title: Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan

-If you are going to kill the crowd with The Streak ending might as well close the show and let it linger all night.  This would be Empire Strikes Back and Infinity War Ending where everyone leaves broken.  Hopefully a night to digest will have them ready to go full Yes Mode for Bryan’s coronation the following night.  Another short card as there were only 7 Matches.  

WrestleMania 31

Night One: HHH vs. Sting

Night Two: WWE Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

-HHH winning is a bit of a downer, but the nWo vs. DX stuff is enough to make the crowd happy and nothing else really jumps out to close Night One.  Plus Sting gets a WrestleMania Main Event as a reward for losing. Obviously, Rollins cash in closes the entire weekend as it was one of the greatest ways WWE has ever found to get themselves out of a corner they booked themselves in.  

WrestleMania 32

Night One: WWE Women’s Championship: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks

Night Two: WWE Title: HHH vs. Roman Reigns

-This show was destroyed by injuries to some top talent, so it was kind of rough.  Shane/Taker sold a lot of tickets when announced, but I say go with the women and let them Main Event for the first time.  They made a big deal out of the Women’s Revolution and just go and make the statement here.  It was the best match of the night and will set the tone that this is a new era.  HHH/Roman is closing Night Two as they keep trying with Roman.  Perhaps turn him heel?  

WrestleMania 33

Night One: WWF Tag Titles: Fatal 4 Way Ladder Match  

Night Two: The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns 

-This one is a mess as well, so let’s get wild.  Enzo Amore WrestleMania Main Eventer!  The Hardys returning was the biggest moment of the show so let that close Night One.  WWE felt it was Taker’s last match so they brought on JR to do commentary and let Taker close the show and have his moment after losing.  I guess we can keep that even if the match was awful.  Bray/Randy was too out there and while fun, Goldberg/Lesnar was too short.  Just not much to work with here.  

WrestleMania 34

Night One: WWF Title: AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Night Two: Universal Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

-I would have gone with Charlotte vs. Asuka for Night One, but Asuka losing for the first time in WWE is kind of a bummer.  If you wanted to get creative, you can make everyone think you are closing with Styles/Nakamura and act like the show is wrapping and then have The Gong hit and close with the Cena/Taker match.  Roman/Brock closes Night Two as we continue with the Roman thing.

WrestleMania 35

Night One: WWF Title: Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston

Night Two: Title vs. Title: Ronda Rouse vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair

-Seth can suck it up and open the show with Brock like we got.  Kofi-Mania closing Night One is the right choice and gives the fans a truly feel-good moment.  The Women’s Triple Threat can still close the weekend overall and this time it won’t end on Monday Morning.  

-There’s my thoughts and I felt this was easier than I anticipated.  The early shows were really about the Main Event and outside of 1 maybe 2 matches, everything else was just to get people on the card. The 2 World Title Era made things really easy for a stretch, but there were some tough decisions when we reached Manias in the 30s as they had some weak Title Matches. Now going forward, the real challenge would be trying to fill out both nights with other matches, but that’s for another year when I have way more time.

-Fun with Stats: If you include the announced Main Events for Vegas, Hulk Hogan would still be in the lead at 12 (or 11 if you don’t want to count Night 2 of Mania IX) but tied Taker who also has 12, and then Roman with 10. Shawn and HHH round out the Top 5 with 9. Two nights would really benefit guys like Savage and Andre at 5 each where they were buried behind Hogan unless they worked with him. Cena with 8 would still be strong, but with two nights guys like Edge, and Batista get a few more bites at the apple as well.

-This was fun and I hope anyone who read enjoyed it whether they agreed, disagreed, or felt I wasted my time. Enjoy WrestleMania this weekend! Thanks for reading!