5 WWE Superstars who main evented WrestleMania in 3 or more decades – The Phenom, three-time Royal Rumble winner, and more

All WWE Superstars aspire to headline WrestleMania. However, only a select few all-time legends have achieved this honor in three different decades.

Despite occasionally questionable booking decisions, WWE’s roster has consistently been filled with top talent since the inaugural WrestleMania. As a result, only the most highly rated performers have been selected to headline The Show of Shows more than once.

Despite facing intense competition, there is no shortage of WWE Superstars who have headlined The Super Bowl of Sports Entertainment multiple times. However, achieving the feat of closing the show in three or more different decades is a rare accomplishment that only a select few household names have accomplished.

There are five WWE Superstars who have been the main event at WrestleMania for at least three decades:

#5. The People’s Champion: Dwayne “The Rock”Johnson (4)

The Brahma Bull is scheduled to be the main event on the first night of WWE WrestleMania XL next week. He will be partnering with Roman Reigns to face off against the team of Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes.

The Great One is well-acquainted with being the main attraction at The Grandest Stage of Them All. The Hollywood superstar has been the headliner at a WrestleMania event in each of the past four decades.

The Rock’s inaugural ‘Mania main event occurred in 1999, when he went head to head with Stone Cold Steve Austin in the first match of their legendary WrestleMania trilogy. He continued to headline the next two installments of The Show of Shows before turning his attention to the world of Hollywood.

Since fully dedicating himself to Hollywood in the mid-2000s, the star of The Fast & Furious franchise made a comeback to WWE in 2011 and was the main attraction at WrestleMania for two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013. Therefore, the upcoming tag-team match against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will signify the fourth decade of The Final Boss headlining at ‘Mania.

#4. The Phenom’s Dominance (4)

The Rock will be joining The Undertaker next weekend as the second wrestler to headline The Showcase of the Immortals for three or more decades.

The Phenom accomplished the highly sought after accomplishment four years ago. In his last wrestling match, which concluded Night One of WrestleMania 36, the former world champion emerged victorious over AJ Styles. Although the match was presented in a cinematic format instead of the usual traditional one, it was still an official bout that impacted the win-loss records of both wrestlers.

During the 2010s, the legendary wrestler was the main event at WrestleMania on two occasions. The first was in 2010 when he faced off against Shawn Michaels, and the second was seven years later when he went up against Roman Reigns.

Looking back to the early 2000s, The Undertaker claimed victory over Edge in the main event of WrestleMania 24, earning the title of World Heavyweight Champion. This marked his first time headlining The Show of Shows since 1997, when he dethroned Sycho Sid.

#3. Shawn Michaels: The Heartbreak Kid Returns (3)

The link to the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr28hKnUOoM.

As previously stated, the initial WrestleMania of the 2010s showcased a legendary Streak vs. Career match between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. HBK’s retirement from the ring could not have been more spectacular.

It was not a shock to anyone that HBK’s final WrestleMania appearance was not his first time headlining The Grand Spectacle. This was a privilege that he had enjoyed numerous times throughout his remarkable tenure in the WWE.

During the years 2000 to 2009, the winner of two Royal Rumble matches was the main event at WrestleMania on two occasions. On both occasions, he was able to achieve this highly sought-after position without winning the Rumble match in that particular year.

Despite this, the 90s were a different story. In order to secure his first WrestleMania main event, The Showstopper had to outlast 29 other men in the 1996 Royal Rumble match. This victory solidified his position as a top superstar and led him to enter WrestleMania XIV as the reigning WWF Champion.

#2. The Texas Rattlesnake: Stone Cold Steve Austin (3)

The URL for the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpZKYxCTOc4.

The list of WWE legends would not be complete without acknowledging The Texas Rattlesnake. Therefore, it comes as no shock that he has been the main event in several WrestleManias throughout his career.

Stone Cold Steve Austin headlined The Show of Shows for the first time at WrestleMania XIV in 1998. He emerged victorious over Shawn Michaels to claim the WWF Championship. The following year, at WrestleMania XV, he reclaimed the title by defeating The Rock. Two years later, he achieved the same feat once again.

Despite making occasional appearances on WWE TV, Austin announced to fans in 2003 that his wrestling career had come to an end due to a severe neck injury that had been catching up to him. He was forced to hang up his wrestling boots permanently.

Despite being retired, “Never Say Never”is not just a phrase in the WWE. During the final segment of WrestleMania 38 (2022) Night One, the three-time Royal Rumble winner came out of retirement to shut down Kevin Owens. This was a highly anticipated moment that took 19 years to happen, and Austin impressively proved to the fans that he was still in top form.

#1. Most WWE World Heavyweight Championship Reigns: Brock Lesnar (3)

It is almost customary for professional wrestlers to have a nickname. Yet, only a select few truly live up to their moniker, and one such individual is The ”Next Big Thing” Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar’s debut on the main roster in 2002 resulted in a significant push. Almost a year later, he had his WrestleMania debut in the main event against Kurt Angle.

In his second appearance with the Stamford-based promotion, The Beast Incarnate was once again the main attraction at WrestleMania 31 and 34, where he faced off against Roman Reigns. In both instances, he held onto his title as World Champion.

Despite previously entering the 2020 edition of The Show of Shows as the reigning champion, it was the first time since 2012 that Lesnar did not face Roman Reigns as his opponent. Instead, he lost the title to Drew McIntyre.

In 2022, Brock Lesnar returned to WrestleMania as the WWE Champion and defended his title in a highly-anticipated ‘Winner Takes All’ match against none other than the Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. The crowd eagerly awaited the outcome as the two powerhouse wrestlers faced off in the ring.