Top 10 WWE Events That Defined Wrestling History

Stills from WrestleMania 19 and 40

10- In Your House: Canadian Stampede (July 6, 1997)

This 2-hour event is celebrated for its perfect atmosphere, taking place in Calgary, the Hart family's hometown. The card featured a stirring match between Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Mankind, and an exhilarating bout between The Great Sasuke and Taka Michinoku. The main event was a 10-Man Tag Team Match featuring the Hart Foundation against "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's team, and it was a rattling affair for 25+ minutes. The crowd's unprecedented, intense support for the Hart family cemented the show's legendary status.

9- Backlash 2000 (April 30, 2000)

Regarded as one of the best post-WrestleMania events, Backlash 2000 was the peak of the "McMahon-Helmsley Regime" storyline. The main event for the WWF Championship saw Triple H defend against The Rock, with Shane McMahon as the corrupt guest referee. The match is famous for the surprise return and instrumental interference of Stone Cold Steve Austin, who helped Rock overcome the Regime and capture the title in an incredibly hot, action-packed brawl that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

8- SummerSlam 2013 (August 18, 2013)

An event defined by two world-class matches and a historic main event moment. Daniel Bryan defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship after a fantastic match, only for the victory to be immediately undercut when special guest referee Triple H pedigree'd Bryan, allowing Randy Orton to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. Earlier in the night, Brock Lesnar and CM Punk delivered an intense, emotionally charged No Disqualification classic, dubbed "The Best vs. The Beast."

7- Survivor Series 2002 (November 17, 2002)

This landmark event introduced the Elimination Chamber match, one of WWE's most enduring and dangerous structures. The inaugural Chamber match saw Shawn Michaels defeat Triple H, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, and Chris Jericho to win the World Heavyweight Championship, marking his first world title win in four years. The show also saw a shocking turn as Paul Heyman betrayed Brock Lesnar, allowing Big Show to defeat Lesnar for the WWE Championship.

6- SummerSlam 2002 (August 25, 2002)

A stacked card that signaled a changing of the guard, highlighted by the main event where Brock Lesnar defeated The Rock to become the youngest Undisputed WWE Champion in history. The emotional co-main event saw Shawn Michaels return to the ring after a four-year retirement, defeating Triple H in a brutal unsanctioned street fight. Other standout matches included a fast-paced opener between Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio, and Rob Van Dam defeating Chris Benoit for the Intercontinental Championship.

5- ECW One Night Stand 2005 (June 12, 2005)

This event was a one-night reunion that revived the spirit of the original Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), taking place at the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom. It featured the return of many ECW Originals, showcasing their signature hardcore style and garnering an intensely passionate crowd reaction. Key matches included Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka, Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero, and the main event of the Dudley Boyz vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman. The show ended with an intense post-match brawl and the ceremonial "chinning" of Eric Bischoff.

4- Money in the Bank 2011 (July 17, 2011)

This show is defined by its iconic main event: CM Punk challenging John Cena for the WWE Championship, with his contract set to expire. Fueled by Punk's infamous "Pipebomb" promo, the match took place in his hometown of Chicago with a famously electric crowd. Punk secured a clean victory and "walked out" of WWE with the title in a legendary storyline moment. The event also featured two high-risk Money in the Bank Ladder Matches, with Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan winning their respective contracts.

3- WrestleMania XL (April 6 & 7, 2024)

This two-night spectacle was the culmination of the "Head of the Table" storyline. Night one's main event saw The Rock and Roman Reigns defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a high-stakes tag team match. Night two was highlighted by Cody Rhodes finally finishing his story, defeating Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, ending his 1,316-day reign. The event also saw Sami Zayn end Gunther's record-breaking 666-day Intercontinental title run.

2- WrestleMania 19 (March 30, 2003)

WrestleMania XIX featured an incredibly high-quality card. The main event saw Brock Lesnar capture the WWE Championship from Kurt Angle (despite Lesnar famously botching a Shooting Star Press). It also hosted the third and final WrestleMania encounter between The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, which became Austin's last full-time match. Fan-favorite bouts included a stellar technical contest between Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho, and the brutal Street Fight between Hulk Hogan and Mr. McMahon.

1- WrestleMania X7 (April 1, 2001)

Often cited as the greatest WrestleMania, X7 took place during the peak of the Attitude Era. The main event saw a polarizing but dramatic heel turn as Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated The Rock for the WWF Championship with the help of Vince McMahon. The undercard was stacked with classics like the brutal TLC II match for the Tag Team Championship, The Undertaker vs. Triple H, and Shane McMahon vs. Vince McMahon in a Street Fight. It was a spectacular culmination of an incredible era.