The 25 Greatest Pro Wrestling Moments of the Last 25 Years

On the heels of the 250th birthday of the United States of America, here is a list of the most
unforgettable moments of the last twenty-five years. Over five promotions across three
different countries will be featured. From debuts to matches and more, it’s time to go down the
memory lane in pro wrestling. There are also honorable mentions.

2026 Mask vs Mask: El Grande Americano Original vs El Grande Americano

Chad Gable was motivated by Dominik Mysterio to learn the secrets of Lucha Libre and became
a luchador. He got sidelined with an injury, and Ludvig Kaiser was the replacement. Kaiser
became the face of AAA in Mexico, and the two Americanos had a Mask vs. Mask match in
which the loser unmasked. The match had the crowd, run-ins, and mayhem. When Gable lost,
he made a speech to the Lucha crowd that he’d return soon. The Undertaker deserves all the
credit as the head of creative.

HM: Darby Allin becomes AEW World Champ, TNA/AMC’s broadcast deal, Sami Zayn wins the
WWE Championship in Saudi Arabia

2025 Heel Turn of the Century

WWE definitely had the shock factor with this one. Triple H informed the other superstars in
the match that there would be a post-match segment, but left them in the dark. John Cena won
the EC match, earning the right to face Cody Rhodes at WM 41. The Rock came out to ask Cody
for his soul, but Rhodes told him to take a hike. Cena gave the WWE Champ a handshake and
hug. Then his demeanor changed, and Dwayne gave John the signal. Suddenly, Cena low-
blowed Rhodes and beat the heck out of the American Nightmare. Michael Cole pleaded for
John to stop. However, WWE pivoted him back to face over time as fans refused to boo him
during his farewell tour.    

HM: R-Truth returns at MITB after being released, RIP Hulk Hogan, AJ Lee returns

2024: Mariah May Storms on Toni’s Parade

Mariah debuted in AEW as a superfan of Toni Storm’s and became her sidekick. May won the
Owen Hart Foundation’s Women’s Tournament, and it seemed like the two were destined for
greater things. Except, she turned on Storm after her win and triggered a very personal feud.
The crowd reaction to the turn was off the charts, and May became one of the biggest heels in
AEW. She cemented herself in AEW and is now with WWE, having debuted in England recently
as Blake Monroe.

HM: Cody Rhodes finishes his story at WM 40, Sting retires as AEW tag champ, Chelsea Green
becomes the inaugural Women’s US champion

2023: The Second City Saint Returns to WWE In Chicago

Watching this live on Peacock, it was special. CM Punk walked on in 2014, and the fans chanted
his name for the next decade. However, no one thought he’d step foot in a WWE ring. Punk did
wrestle in AEW before his WWE return, but this was different. At the end of Survivor Series:
WarGames, it seemed the PLE was over. Instead, static hit the speakers, and the Chicago fans
lost their minds. Phil Brooks returned to WWE in his hometown and closed out the show. Punk
revealed he had a conversation with Triple H on Thanksgiving, where they put water under the
bridge. They finalized the contract hours before the PLE began. He main evented Night 1 and
Night 2 a year later, achieving the dream he also wished for.  

HM: Sami Zayn betrays Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble, AEW’s ALL IN: London attendance
record, Bray Wyatt passes away

2022: This is Saraya’s House Now!

Paige retired from WWE due to a neck injury, and it felt like her career was over. When she
debuted in AEW under her real name Soraya, the fans were ecstatic. The women couldn’t
believe their eyes. It was her house now. She has since returned to WWE and is a tag champ.

HM: Vince McMahon steps down, Stone Cold main events WM 38 w/Kevin Owens, AEW Media
Scrum w/ CM Punk

2021: History-Making Performance

For the first time, two black superstars headlined WrestleMania. Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks
fought for the Raw Women’s Championship in an emotional match. Both held back tears, but
proceeded to tear the house down. A highlight of the match was a hair whip by Belair that was
heard from outside the stadium, who walked away the victor.

HM: John Cena returned at MITB to confront Reigns, Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson debuted
at AEW All Out, Becky Lynch returned at SummerSlam

2020 The Thunderdome Era

The world shut down with the arrival of COVID-19, and sports came to a halt. WWE was
permitted to keep the lights on by the government of Florida, which called their business
essential. Eventually, the company would have fans pay to be on television, and thus, the
Thunderdome Era was born. In AEW, Matt Hardy debuted in front of a crowd, but Khan later
had superstars and staff in the audience. All companies gave fans an escape from reality.

HM: Edge returns at Rumble, Roman Reigns becomes the Tribal Chief, Firefly Funhouse Match

2019: All Elite Wrestling Launches

For the first time in 18 years, an alternative pro wrestling company was born. Funded by Tony
Khan, AEW was the first true competition to WWE. What began as a tweet by Dave Meltzer,
who challenged the ELITE to sell out 10k tickets for All-In, turned into a success. Their first PPV
featured the debut of Jon Moxley. AEW collided with NXT on Wednesdays, prompting NXT to
move to Tuesdays. There has been a bidding war for talent across the board since 2019.  

HM: Kofi Mania, First Time Women's Main Event WM, NXT Survivor Series Invasion

2018: The Women’s Revolution Arrives as does “The Man”

When Ronda Rousey debuted at the Royal Rumble, WWE capitalized on the mainstream
coverage they were getting. They had the first-ever all-women’s PPV called Evolution. A few
weeks after that, Becky Lynch was hit in the face by Nia Jax, and ‘The Man’ persona was born.
After decades of women fighting their way to the top, they found their footing, and seven years
later, WWE would present Evolution 2.

HM: Kenny Omega vs Kazuchicka Okada 2 out of 3 falls w/ no time limit at Dominion 6.9 is 7-
stars (Highest Rated Match by Dave Meltzer), Roman’s goes public about his Leukemia
Diagnosis on Raw

2017: DIY No More

During the black and gold era of NXT, DIY (Do it Yourself) was THE heart and soul of the brand.
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa were inseparable. That all changed at the end of NXT:
Chicago, when Ciampa ambushed his tag team partner. This led to one of the best rivalries in
NXT history. Their matches were a mixed bag, as the two switched roles when Gargano and
Candice LaRae (his wife) turned heel down the line. However, Ciampa’s heel turn is right up
there with Shawn Michaels and Seth Rollins for tag team betrayals.

HM: Hardy's WM 33 return, Jinder Mahal is WWE Champion, Festival of Friendship

2016 Goldberg squashes Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series

Who would’ve thought Goldberg, GOLDBERG, would be the one to take down Brock Lesnar?
The one that conquered the Undertaker’s streak at WM? At SS, the bell rang, and Bill hit Lesnar
with a spear and a jackhammer before pinning him for the win. Fans were stunned and couldn’t
believe what they witnessed. Goldberg told Chris Van Vliet that the squash was Brock’s idea. At
WM 33, these two would fight for the Universal Championship, where Brock would win.

HM: Shane McMahon returns to WWE, AJ Styles debuts in WWE, Matt Hardy is BROKEN

2015 The Heist of the Century

Widely regarded as the greatest cash-in of all time, Seth Rollins holding the WWE title to close
out WrestleMania 31 was a sight to behold. In the main event, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar
were having their best match together when they lay in the ring. Rollins' music hits, and he runs
down the ramp to stomp Reigns and take the title. He thanked Roman as he pinned him, and
WWE gave its audience a true WrestleMania moment.  

HM: NXT Arrives, Ultimate Warrior’s Last Speech, Divas Revolution

2014: IT’S STIINNG

WCW’s lone soldier passed on many opportunities to be with WWE. During a highly anticipated
match between Team Cena and Team Authority at Survivor Series, Sting made his debut. The
arena went into pandemonium. Sting hit Triple H with a Scorpion Death Drop and assisted in
Cena’s victory. He had his WM moment against Hunter and feuded with Seth Rollins for the title
before retiring with a neck injury. He’d go to AEW six years later and team with Darby Allin.

HM: Brock conquers the streak at WM 30, Seth Rollins betrays the SHIELD, Paige Wins Divas
Title in Debut

2013 The Rise of the Yes Movement

When Bryan won the title at SummerSlam in 2013, Triple H turned on him, leading to Randy
Orton cashing in to become the WWE Champion. The Authority was born and made sure Bryan
would never be champion. In the months to follow, Bryan’s popularity was undeniable. The
‘YES’ chant was everywhere, and the underdog had his crowning moment at WM 30.

HM: CM Punk’s historic 434-day reign ends, Dolph Ziggler’s Cash-In, Mark Henry fake retires

2012 The Hounds of Justice Mark Their Territory

One of the greatest factions in WWE history debuted at Survivor Series. Roman Reigns, Seth
Rollins, and Dean Ambrose attacked Ryback in the main event of TLC. Originally meant to be CM
Punk’s bodyguards, the SHIELD took on a life of its own. The three held the title in WWE and
were/are leading their own factions today.
HM: Brock Lesnar returns and takes John Cena to suplex city, TNA turns 10 years old

2011 The Summer of Punk

What began as the “Pipe bomb” led to one of WWE’s biggest fumbles of the 2010’s. CM Punk
got into a personal feud with both Kevin Nash and Triple H. While Nash was originally supposed
to face Punk at Night of Champions, Hunter took matters into his own hands and buried Punk.
Despite all of this, CM Punk and Triple H have a great relationship today. Phil Brooks is
considered one of the best on the mic in WWE history.

HM: Only 40-man Royal Rumble, Jeff Hardy’s Infamous TNA incident, the Rock returns

2010 HBK’s career is over (sort of)

Shawn Michaels put his career on the line at WM 26 and lost to the Undertaker. It was a great
match, and HBK would ride off into the sunset. He would love everyone to forget the disastrous
match in Saudi Arabia featuring DX and the Brothers of Destruction.

HM: Nexus debuts, Bret Hart buries the hatchet with HBK over the Montreal Screwjob

2009: The Greatest WrestleMania match of all-time at WM 25

At WM 25, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker tore the house down. When Taker found out
their match was fifth on the card, the two had a chip on their shoulder. Michael Hayes, a
producer, told Mark on Six Feet Under that the match went over time. Vince McMahon told
those backstage to let HBK and ‘Taker keep going when an official was panicking due to time
constraints. Lastly, this had one of the greatest Tombstone Piledrive kickouts in WWE history.

HM: DX reunites, AJ Styles wins first TNA World Heavyweight title

2008 Super-Cena is Born

When you ask WWE fans what the biggest surprise was in Royal Rumble history, almost all of
them will tell you that it’s John Cena at Madison Square Garden. Cena suffered a torn pectoral
muscle in October, so fans erupted when he entered the arena at #30. Triple H’s face was
priceless, and Cena told Chris Van Vliet that all participants in the match might have thought
someone else was winning.

HM: Ric Flair retires from WWE, WWE turns PG

2007 Samoa Joe drops the OG Pipe bomb in TNA

Before CM Punk’s pipe bomb, there was Samoa Joe. Scott Hall was supposed to team with
Kevin Nash and Joe to face the Angle Alliance, but didn’t show up. Joe cut a promo that rubbed
Nash the wrong way and surprised commentators, too. He revealed on the Kurt Angle show
that backstage officials handed him a mic and told him to speak his mind. An unforgettable
promo in TNA history.

HM: HBK vs Cena non-title match on Raw in London, Battle of the Billionaires at WM 23

2006 John Cena Learns the Extreme Way

John Cena experienced the most hostile crowd of his career at ECW: One Night Stand 2006. Rob
Van Dam won the MITB and challenged Cena for the WWE title in front of HIS crowd. ECW fans
were taking no prisoners, flicking off the WWE champ when he entered, throwing his t-shirt

back three times, and chanting "F You Cena’/You Can’t Wrestle”. There was a sign that said, ‘If
Cena Wins, We Riot.’ RVD won the WWE title with the help of Edge and Paul Heyman.  

HM: Edge’s first cash-in at New Year's Revolution; Sting is TNA World Heavyweight Champion

2005 The Greatest Triple Threat Ever?

Christopher Daniels, AJ Styles, and Samoa Joe showed the world what TNA could offer at TNA
Unbreakable in Orlando, Florida. These three fought for the coveted X-Division title, which was
the first time the belt main evented at a PPV. Styles' technical prowess, combined with Joe’s
crazy agility and Daniel’s psychology, made for a recipe for success. AJ Styles won, and it was
phenomenal.

HM: Paul Heyman’s promo at Hammerstein Ballroom, Eddie v Rey for custody of Dominik,
Samoa Joe vs Kenta Kobashi known as the greatest match in ROH history

2004: A Celebration for the Ages: Eddie Guerrero wins the title

Arguably the most charismatic superstar in WWE history, Eddie beat Brock Lesnar at No Way
Out after cheating (he lies, cheats, and steals after all) to become the WWE Champion. He also
had an assist from Goldberg. On the following SmackDown, the crowd serenaded Guerrero in
one of the most emotional celebrations in pro wrestling history. Unfortunately, Latino Heat
passed away later that year due to acute heart failure at 38. He was found on the hotel floor by
Chavo Guerrero, his nephew, in Minneapolis. As a result, the plan pivoted to Rey Mysterio
winning the Royal Rumble in his honor and winning the WH title at WM.

HM: Randy Orton becomes youngest World Champ in WWE history, JBL’s 280-day title reign

2003 THAT Shooting Star Press

Brock Lesnar won the title in the main event of WM, but almost lost his life in the process. With
Kurt Angle on the ground, Lesnar attempted a shooting star press but fell short and landed on
his neck. The Beast Incarnate finished the match and refused any medical help backstage.
Thankfully, he was okay, but it was one scary WrestleMania moment.

HM: The Rise of Evolution, Goldberg debuts in WWE

2002 ICON vs ICON

The wildest part of this whole equation was that The Rock vs Hulk Hogan didn’t main event WM
18. Instead, it was Chris Jericho and Triple H for the WWE title, and Y2J claims that Rock v
Hogan is the greatest WM match of all time. Going into the match, the Rock was a face and
Hogan the heel. As the two soaked in the moment, they weren’t expecting the crowd to cheer

Hulk. While not a technical masterpiece, this is proof that performers can adjust on the fly if the
setting allows for it. Hogan won the match.

HM: OVW Class of 2002 debuts, Stone Cold walks out, WWF becomes WWE

2001I Bought My Competition

In the late 90s, WCW went to ‘War’ with WWE on Mondays. They beat WWE for 83 weeks
straight, but egos and creativity cost them in the end. Vince McMahon put the nail in the coffin
and acquired WCW. The Monday Night Wars were officially over, and the WWF had won. For
the next eighteen years, Mr. McMahon dominated the pro wrestling landscape. He took ECW
from Paul Heyman, while TNA never came close to remotely challenging WWE.

HM: Stone Cold’s heel turn at ‘Mania, Post-9/11 SmackDown, WCW Invasion Angle

2000 The Tag Teams Set the World Ablaze at ‘Mania and SummerSlam

At the turn of the millennium, three teams transformed the tag division forever. The Hardys,
Edge and Christian, and the Dudleys were respected rivals. A highlight of their matches was a
spear from Edge off the ladder to Jeff Hardy. Unfortunately, none of the talents above are with
the company anymore.

HM: David Arquette wins WCW World Championship, ‘Taker becomes the American Badass
Next April, WWE is taking WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia as its mission toward global
domination continues. It’s been a wild 25 years in professional wrestling, and it doesn’t look like
it’s going anywhere anytime soon.