FanPost

A Look Back On History: The 21 Most Iconic Moments In WWE History

WWE.com

We all have that one moment that stands alone in our mind as the defining moment in WWE history, whether it be our favorite childhood wrestler's shining moment, a moment that had us writhing in excitement, or simply a moment that shocked us into silence. Today, we will be revisiting the most iconic moments to ever grace our screens via WWE.

Honorable Mentions:

Ric Flair's "Final Match"

Chris Jericho's Debut

Dolph Ziggler Cashes In Money In the Bank Against Alberto Del Rio

John Cena's Debut

Shane McMahon's Jump Off The Titantron

21) Smackdown: The Ring Breaks

The Moment: Brock and Big Show lay battered in the middle of a broken ring.

The Backstory: In June of 2003, The Big Show and Brock Lesnar performed a spot that would not only shock the Orlando, Florida crowd, but would also provide us with one of the more lasting images in WWE history. Engaged in a high-profile feud that lasted for the first half of the previous decade, Lesnar and Big Show took to the ring to settle their differences in a match contested for the WWE Heavyweight Championship. Around the seven-and-a-half minute mark, The Big Show uncharacteristically attempted to ascend to the top turnbuckle, only to have his intentions predictably thwarted by a dazed Brock Lesnar.

However, that's where the predictability ends. Lesnar hit The Big Show with an all-time great superplex, which saw the ring nearly implode upon itself. Sold beautifully by both the referee and the announce team of Michael Cole and Tazz, the spot left many wondering whether or not it had been previously planned or accidental. The stunt has since been replicated by The Big Show and Mark Henry, consequently putting that argument to rest, but based solely on the pop and utter shock the first spot resulted in, this has to be considered one of the most memorable moments in WWE history.

20) Raw Is War: DX Invades WCW

The Moment: D-Generation X appearing in an army truck outside of WCW Nitro

The Backstory: During the heart of the Monday Night War between WCW and WWE, D-Generation X was a lead act, helping propel the Attitude Era to previously unknown heights. On April 27th, 1998, DX would take the term "war" a little too literal, staging an "invasion" of Monday Night Nitro, which was being hosted fifteen minutes away from where Monday Night Raw was to take place in Hampton, Virginia. In what was an incredibly brilliant yet undeniably bold move, DX used megaphones and army gear to rally the Nitro attendees to chant acronyms such as "D-X", and "W-W-F", as well as coercing fans into claiming that WCW was the inferior promotion, or as they would phrase it: "sucked."

From an entertainment standpoint, this segment was absolute perfection, encompassing shock value, revolutionary moments, and comedic relief. The members of DX even went as far as trying to infiltrate the facility, attempting to coax their way into both the superstar and patron entrances. Few other segments depict the competitive bad blood displayed during Monday Night Wars quite like this one.

19) Bad Blood '97: "That's Gotta Be Kane!"

The Moment: Vince McMahon's exclamations as a new, unknown superstar makes his way down the aisle.

The Backstory: In October 1997, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels would square off in the inaugural Hell in A Cell match; a match that, to this day, is rated as the third greatest match in WWE History, per Cagematch.net. Prior to the match, however, Undertaker had split from his longtime manager Paul Bearer, who had then aligned himself with rival Mankind. However, soon after the alliance between Bearer and Mankind began to disintegrate, Undertaker's former manager attempted to make amends with his kayfabe child, only to have his repeated attempts spurned. In desperation, Bearer began to threaten to reveal parts of Undertaker's dark past through cryptic hints and recordings, the first such attempt by WWE to humanize The Undertaker's persona. Slowly but surely, The Undertaker's past began to unravel before the eyes of the viewers, who were introduced to the idea that the Undertaker not only had a deceased family from a fatal fire of which he had tragically been responsible for, but that the Undertaker also had a younger brother who Paul Bearer believed to have survived.

Fast forward to Bad Blood: In Your House 1997, where in the closing moments of the Hell In A Cell match between Michaels and 'Taker, The Deadman had seized complete control of the contest, seemingly readying himself to put Michaels away for the finish. Suddenly, the lights went out, only to give way to a creepy red hue, accompanied by a foreign instrumental composition.

Out walked Kane, standing at a billed height of seven feet tall, accompanied by his "father" Paul Bearer. "That's gotta be Kane!" exclaimed McMahon, one of his more infamous broadcast calls. "That's... gotta be Kane!"

Kane then proceeded to rip down the cell door and deliver a Tombstone Piledriver to a flabbergasted Undertaker, costing Undertaker the match and, consequently, setting in motion one of the most memorable, long-term rivalries in WWE History.

18) Wrestlemania X-Seven: Vince McMahon and Stone Cold Form Alliance

The Moment: Vince McMahon and Austin shake hands and celebrate following Wrestlemania X-Seven.

Backstory: Wrestlemania X-Seven, widely regarded as the greatest Wrestlemania of all time, was hosted at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas in front of perhaps the hottest crowd ever to attend a wrestling event. The main event was contested between two of the greatest superstars of all time in The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, battling for the WWE Championship in a No Disqualification bout. The match itself was a tremendous display of resiliency, false finishes, and alternating finishing maneuvers, with each man adopting his competition's finisher on multiple occasions. Nevertheless, after finding himself unable to put the Rock away following a plethora of close calls, Stone Cold Steve Austin resorted to the use of a steel chair, along with the aid of Mr. McMahon, to both end the match and obtain the The Rock's Heavyweight Title.

However, the most iconic moment of the encounter occurred after the pinfall, when Stone Cold Steve Austin approached Mr. McMahon, and instead of delivering the accustomed Stone Cold Stunner to his long time foe, he rather shook McMahon's hand, grabbed his former enemy a beer, and continued on with his celebration, Vince McMahon bumbling awkwardly by his side.

17) Raw Is War: Austin's Beer Truck

The Moment: Stone Cold stands tall atop a beer truck as his enemies flounder around the ring.

The Backstory: Six days before their clash at Wrestlemania XV, Stone Cold entered the arena driving a beer truck to confront the Rock, who cockily stood alongside his allies, the McMahon Family. "The Corporation", as the alliance dubbed themselves, seemed more perturbed than concerned about the presence of an enormous truck of beer breaking through the Raw is War titantron, leading to back and forth barbs between The Great One and the Rattlesnake.

After discrediting each of the Rock's favorite catchphrases, Austin tuned out the Rock for the remainder of the segment, instead retrieving a large fireman's hose from the back of his beer truck and using it to shower The Corporation in beer, leaving a bewildered Rock to stare back in fury as a frenzied Vince McMahon looked on in tears.

The moment was such a success that it was replicated years later by Kurt Angle, though this time the beer was replaced with Angle's preferred beverage, wholesome milk.

16) Wrestlemania XXX: Daniel Bryan

The Moment: Bryan celebrates, title in each hand, to close out Wrestlemania XXX.

The Backstory: Known among the die-hard wrestling fans as one of the greatest professional wrestlers in the world, Daniel Bryan always faced an uphill battle in his pursuit of an opportunity within the WWE. Whether it be his size disadvantage, his perceived lack of charisma, or just his overall look in general, WWE always seemed to hesitate against pushing Daniel Bryan to the top of the card. WWE even went as far as to have Michael Cole verbally bury him through commentary, claiming Bryan was just a "dweeb" who shouldn't be regarded as a true threat, directly resulting in a time period where DB would get showered with a chorus of "Boring!" chants.

Nevertheless, through sheer willpower and a little luck, Daniel Bryan was able to combine his in-ring skill with a simple catchphrase that absolutely caught fire with the fan base. Eventually, WWE was no longer able to ignore the innate popularity possessed by Daniel Bryan and resigned to the idea of giving him a run with the World Heavyweight Championship, the second highest regarded championship at the time. However, Bryan soon found himself on the wrong end of an infamous 18-second Wrestlemania contest against Sheamus, much to the dismay of the WWE Universe.

Bryan was able to regain his main-event status around the summer of 2013, during which time he would go head-to-head with John Cena to close out the annual Summerslam Pay-per-view. Following a running knee, Bryan was able to finally conquer the mountain he never seemed destined to climb, only to be immediately double-crossed by special guest referee Triple H, enduring a Pedigree which allowed then-Mr. Money In the Bank, Randy Orton, to successfully cash-in his briefcase.

What followed was a seemingly endless flurry of screwjobs directed at Daniel Bryan. After one of the worst pay-per-view endings in WWE history which saw Big Show knock out both Orton and Bryan resulting in a no-contest, and another contest ending after interference at the following "Hell in A Cell" event, Bryan was shuffled back down the card in favor of the aging Big Show, being placed in a feud with the Wyatts. Fans immediately rejected the notion of Daniel Bryan potentially being held out of the main event of Wrestlemania 30 and began an open rebellion, booing both Royal Rumble entrant #30, Rey Mysterio, and eventual Rumble winner Batista out of the building when the realization dawned that Daniel Bryan was scheduled to be a midcard act come Wrestlemania.

Then things got weird. For the first time in WWE history, the fans were able to dictate a main event participant at Wrestlemania through vocal rebellion. After earning his berth in the main event match-up with an exciting, clean victory over Triple H, Bryan was set to face both Batista and Randy Orton in the WWE Heavyweight Championship encounter. What followed was perhaps the most iconic image in recent memory as Daniel Bryan held two title belts high in air the amid fireworks in the background and a shower of confetti.

15) Wrestlemania XX: Benoit and Guerrero

The Moment: The unplanned, post-match celebration between Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit.

The Backstory: Pure, unadulterated emotion.

Back in 2004, the WWE featured two top titles that were held with equal prestige, one -- the WWE Heavyweight Championship -- being designated for Raw, while the other -- the World Heavyweight Championship -- being assigned to Smackdown. On the night of Wrestlemania XX, perennial underdog Chris Benoit faced off against WWE Hall of Famers Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a main-event triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Title. Earlier in the night, Benoit's longtime friend, Eddie Guerrero, squared off against future Hall of Famer Kurt Angle in an exhilarating affair that saw Guerrero retain his title against the former Olympic Gold Medalist.

In the main event, Benoit almost seemed like an afterthought, taking a backseat to the extended, historic rivalry shared between Triple H and Shawn Michaels. However, at the end of the night it was Benoit who stood tall with one of his greatest friends, embracing in the middle of the ring, shameless tears streaming from each of their eyes. Two men, who were once described as "vanilla midgets" by Kevin Nash, deemed never to rise above the midcard scene, now stood the tallest on the Grandest Stage Of Them All; poetic justice.

This is one of the few moments that is even more heart-wrenching in hindsight due to the tragic nature surrounding each man's death. I won't delve into a conversation about morals and values, rights and wrongs, but I will say that each man, based solely on his dedication to the business and profession, deserved this moment at the time of its occurrence.

14) Shane McMahon: Owner of WCW

The Moment: Shane McMahon's appearance on WCW Nitro.

The Backstory: 23rd of March, 2001. The day the entire landscape of professional wrestling was altered forever.

On this day, Vince McMahon had purchased his chief rival, thus ending the decade-plus long power struggle between World Championship Wresting and World Wrestling Entertainment. However, one thing Vince did not foresee was the ramifications of sending his son to secure the sale.

You see, after hours upon hours of gloating on Raw, laying claim to immediate and absolute victory over his competitor, Vince was greeted by his son via satellite from Panama City, the location of the final edition of Monday Night Nitro. Shane proclaimed that Vince's ego had "gotten the best of him" and that while the contract did indeed sport the name McMahon, that it was in fact Shane McMahon's name on the contract rather than Vince's. This double-twist proceeded to kick off one of the most promising, yet underwhelming angles in wrestling history.

13) Wrestlemania XII: Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart

The Moment: HBK Shawn Michaels descends from the rafters prior to Wrestlemania XII.

The Backstory: Predicated on Bret Hart's desire to both defend and retain his title against Shawn Michaels, who had suffered his fair share of setbacks, including but not limited to a concussion at the hands of Owen Hart and failing to defeat Diesel for the WWE Championship at the previous Wrestlemania, the two men were set to engage in a 60-minute Iron Man Match to determine the World Heavyweight Championship.

Having earned the title shot by winning the 1996 Royal Rumble as the eighteenth entrant, and retaining that berth with a victory over Owen Hart at the following pay-per-view, Michaels found himself riding a wave of fanfare and momentum into his Wrestlemania clash.

After an intense back-and-forth battle that saw neither man fall victim to pinfall or submission, the match was ordered by Gorilla Monsoon into a sudden-death setting, where the first man to earn a fall would be awarded the championship. Soon after, Shawn Michaels landed his Sweet Chin Music before pinning Bret Hart, earning a 1-0 decision, and consequentially, his first of many WWE championships.

Two memorable moments were sandwiched around the Iron Man Match, including the pre-match entrance by HBK, as well as his post-match, emotional celebration

12) Wrestlemania X8: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan

The Moment: The pre-match staredown between two icons. (skip to 4:35)

The Backstory: To call this match a great match would be doing a disservice to the many wrestling classics performed both before and after its time. Hogan was genuinely nowhere near being on par with the prerequisite ring shape essential to executing a high-quality match, causing the Rock to lower his own personal pace to match Hogan's. However, what this match lacked in technical aspects was more than offset through excellent storytelling and the electrifying presence brought by two men who helped define two separate, yet wildly successful eras, a trait recognized by the fans in attendance and at home and, as such, treated accordingly.

For this match, Hogan elected to adopt the "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan persona made famous during his run with WCW, which was a disappointment to those more familiar with his "American Hero" days. Nevertheless, the contest remains one that will always be embedded within the minds of all wrestling fans alike as, after a competitive affair, Hulk Hogan graciously passed the torch to the Rock.

11) Monday Night Raw: CM Punk Pipebomb

The Moment: CM Punk sitting cross-legged as he addresses the WWE Universe.

The Backstory: Wow.

That was the reaction that millions of viewers and I shared after watching the June 27th, 2011 edition of Monday Night Raw as we witnessed cross-legged Phil Brooks deliver a career-defining promo. During an unprecedented segment that featured CM Punk, who was engaged in a heated rivalry with WWE poster child John Cena at the time, speaking his mind in a worked shoot about topics ranging from backstage politics to his discontent with his lack of promotion, even though in his mind, his ring skills and mic prowess far exceeded some of those above him.

The cherry on top of the whole ordeal? CM Punk's contract was set to legitimately expire after the upcoming Money In The Bank Pay-Per-View, an event that just so happened to include a championship match between him and champion John Cena, which according to Cagematch.net user ratings, is the second greatest match of all time. If you have yet to hear CM Punk's pipebomb, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to the single greatest form of (kinda) kayfabe imaginable. You will not regret it.

Six minutes on the microphone was all it took for Punk to cement his legacy as one of the greatest entertainers of all time, and though his legacy has since been tarnished after walking out of the company and giving his fans the proverbial cold shoulder, his contributions to our entertainment cannot and should not be ignored.

10) Wrestlemania 28: Undertaker v. Triple H

The Moment: Three legends' post-match embrace.

The Backstory: At Wrestlemania 28, we witnessed the two men who have epitomized success in Hell In A Cell matches collide in a contest for the ages. Triple H and The Undertaker, along with special guest referee Shawn Michaels, used their wrestling expertise to tell an enthralling and captivating story of desperation, over boiling emotions, perseverance, disbelief and outright frustration.

False finishes, abandoned friendships, and bruised egos made this match an instant classic. There was even a moment within this match where I most truly believed, even more so than when Brock Lesnar executed his fateful F5 two years later, that this would be the moment Undertaker's streak ended.

However, the most touching and memorable moment from this clash was the embrace between the three participants after its conclusion. In a moment that counteracted the kayfabe tension we had just witnessed, The Undertaker, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels engaged in a three-way hug, which many emotionally dubbed as "The End of an Era", seeing as none of those participating men would ever grace our screen as a full-time wrestler ever again.

9) Wrestlemania VII: Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth

The Moment: Randy Savage carrying Miss Elizabeth on his shoulders, both waving to the crowd.

The Backstory: The Ultimate Warrior and Macho "King" Randy Savage were embroiled in a feud beginning in late 1990 and culminating at Wrestlemania XII. After costing The Ultimate Warrior his Heavyweight Championship to Sgt. Slaughter at the 1991 Royal Rumble, Warrior challenged Savage to a career-ending match, with the stipulation that the loser would be terminated from the company, effective immediately.

For it's time, the match was spectacular, though if you watch it today, you will quickly become disenchanted with the dated in-ring mannerisms and awful theatrics employed by Warrior. However, what this match will be most remembered for was the emotion invoked by the conclusion.

After suffering defeat following consecutive leaping shoulder blocks, Savage lay dejected and alone in the middle of the ring. His valet, Queen "Sensational" Sherri, looked on in disgust from the outside of the ring before viciously assaulting a defenseless Savage with kicks and strikes. Suddenly, Savage's prior valet, Miss Elizabeth, who had been sporadically shown throughout the match amongst the crowd, jumped the barrier and made her way to the ring, grabbing Sherri by the hair and discarding her through the middle ropes. She then proceeded to attempt to help the battered Savage to his feet, only to have her attempts swatted away by a panicked Macho Man.

Tears streaming from her eyes, Elizabeth allowed Savage to regain his bearing in order for him to identify her. Initially, he wrongly identified her as his attacker, questioningly eyeing her before spotting Sherri outside the ring screaming at him with fury and malice. After realizing Elizabeth had saved rather than harmed him, a truly emotional scene unfolded, told perfectly by the participants in the ring. Savage embraced Elizabeth and raised her to his shoulder, smiles abound, much to the delight of the attendees and viewers at home.

8) Wrestlemania X: Shawn Michaels' Splash.

The Moment: Shawn Michaels splash from high upon the ladder onto a prone Razor Ramon

The Backstory: After finding himself in a troubling predicament with the WWE front-office, then-WWE Intercontinental Champion, Shawn Michaels, would be forced to vacate his title under storyline citation for violating the championship "30 Day Policy", meaning that without a proper title defense within a thirty day time frame, he would no longer be recognized as official champion. With a vacant title on its hands, WWE announced a battle royale would take place to determine the two competitors that would face off in a Intercontinental Championship match.

The two last remaining men, Rick Martel and Razor Ramon, would compete at the September 27th, 1993 Monday Night Raw for the vacant championship, where after an impressive Razor's Edge, Razor Ramon was crowned champion.

However, while Razor Ramon was recognized as the official champion, Shawn Michaels returned from his real-life suspension claiming that since he had never truly been defeated for the Intercontinental Championship, he remained the rightful champion. Both men began to carry around seperate, yet indistinguishable title belts, both making their claims as I.C. Champion.

It was decided that the two would settle their dispute at Wrestlemania X, in the second ever WWE ladder match (the first being contested between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels in a forgettable match at Wrestling Challenge.) With two belts hanging high above the ring, and two of the greatest ever in-ring competitors in the primes of their respective careers, the bout was sure to be an innovative classic.

What resulted were spots that had never previously been imaginable, from two men exchanging blows atop a standing ladder to Shawn Michaels performing a diving splash from high above onto a prone Razor Ramon. While the "wow" factor of this match would later be surmounted tenfold by future competitors, this match was truly before its time, delivering both awe-inspiring moments as well as genuine shock. However, though Michaels delivered the most memorable moment of the match, it was Razor Ramon who came out on top after knocking Michaels from the top of the ladder into the ropes, where he fatefully became entrapped.

7) King Of the Ring 1996: Stone Cold Steve Austin Is Born

The Moment: Stone Cold Steve Austin standing before a throne, delivering a career-defining promo.

The Backstory: Let's rewind all the way back to June of 1996.

Stone Cold Steve Austin was a rising mid-card act who was about to debut a refreshing, brash new attitude. Jake "The Snake" Roberts, on the other hand, was a veteran nearing the end of his run, serving as more of a nostalgia act than a legitimate threat. However, regardless of the opposite direction the two superstars were heading in, they were set to meet in the 1996 King of the Ring Finals.

Roberts had recently begun to introduce religious practices into his real-life and WWE gimmick. Stone Cold had recently switched over from his prior finishing move, the pathetic looking "Stun Gun", and had began to implement the pre-kick-to-the-sternum "Stone Cold Stunner." Quite honestly, the match itself was nothing spectacular, with Stone Cold Steve Austin disposing of Jake Roberts in a timely fashion. The ceremonial post-match speech, however, was absolutely gold.

On this night, Austin, who hadn't previously been known as much of a charismatic character, caught lightning in a bottle. From beginning to end, Steve Austin delivered line after line with venomous conviction, shocking both the ringside personnel and the fans in attendance with the authoritative antagonism he displayed. Obviously going off script at some point, Austin fused both real-life barbs at Jake Roberts with kayfabe animosity toward the main-event participants to leave everyone in the arena buzzing over what they had just heard. In the midst of a single promo, both "and that's the bottom line, because Stone Cold said so," and "Austin 3:16" were introduced to the national audience.

On June 26th, 1996, a star was born -- a star that would lead WWE into its most successful era of all time.

6) Wrestlemania XXX: The Beast Beats the Streak

The Moment: The Pinfall That Ended the Streak

The Backstory: "The Beast Incarnate" had recently made a triumphant return to WWE television, quickly disposing of potential foes such as the Big Show and Mark Henry. After demanding an opportunity at the WWE World Heavyweight Title, Lesnar and advocate Paul Heyman were presented with a different, yet equally appealing option: a chance to be the man who conquers the Undertaker's undefeated streak at Wrestlemania XXX.

As enticing as this may sound, everything about the match went awry, beginning with the lackluster build-up to the slow, unexciting affair that ensued. Once The Undertaker suffered a debilitating in-match concussion, the in-ring action was never able to rebound, resulting in a lazy atmosphere that portrayed an air of boredom. Nevertheless, all that will be remembered about this match as time passes is the third F5 suffered at the hands of Brock Lesnar, an F5 that hardly seemed consequential at the time as evidenced by a largely indifferent crowd. However, once referee Chad Patton's hand smacked the canvas signaling a count of three, a universal reaction of shock and disappointment was shared amongst millions of viewers all at once.

The reaction to the result may be one that can never again be replicated. Just watching the video, seeing the reactions of utter shock on the faces of the live crowd is worth the watch itself.

5) Wrestlemania X-Seven: TLC 2

The Moment: Edge Spears a dangling Jeff Hardy from on top of a ladder.

The Backstory: During the greatest period of tag team wrestling the WWE has ever experienced, three equal yet vastly different set of brothers stood atop of the mountain: The Hardy Boyz, The Dudley Boys, and Edge & Christian. Within a month of Wrestlemania X-Seven, the tag team titles were exchanged three times between the three different teams, beginning in the hands of the Hardy Boyz, transitioning to Edge and Christian before finally settling in the hands of D-Von and Bubba Ray Dudley.

During the spring of 2000, each team had adopted a separate foreign object into their persona -- the Hardy's incorporating ladders into their gimmick to accommodate their high-flying nature, the Dudley's associating themselves with a love of driving opponents through tables and Edge and Christian punishing opponents with their trademark Conchairto maneuver. The ongoing rivalry over the Tag Team Championship between these three teams led to the first ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match at SummerSlam 2000, a match that was viewed with such reverence that fans demanded to witness another like it. The viewers would be granted their wish at Wrestlemania X-Seven, where the three teams squared off once again to prove which team stood alone as the best of the elite.

The most iconic moment included in this match occurred around the fourteen-minute mark, when Jeff Hardy attempted and failed to walk atop three unsteady ladders in pursuit of the championship belts. After losing his balance between the second and third ladder, he attempted to quickly re-establish the ladder before climbing back to the top. However, before being able to unfasten the suspended belts, Bubba Ray Dudley was able to eliminate Jeff's footing from underneath him, leaving Jeff danging fifteen feet above the mat with no safe passage down. In the corner of the screen, Edge began to ascend a ladder positioned near the furthest turnbuckle. Too far to challenge for the belts, Edge instead decided to execute a death-defying Spear to his opponent, sending both crashing to the mat in a heap while engraving a classic moment into the minds of the viewers.

In a single match, the eight participating men, including allies Rhyno and Spike Dudley, and lone participatng woman (Lita) encapsulated everything that captivated fans about their continuous rivalry. After a countless amount of incredibly dangerous spots, Edge and Christian ascended the ladder and pulled down the WWE Tag Team Championship belts, forever cementing themselves, along with their opponents, in the hearts of WWE fans everywhere.

4) Wrestlemania XIII: Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart

The Moment: Stone Cold Steve Austin desperately reaching for the ropes, covered in a crimson mask of blood.

The Backstory: While the King of the Ring promo in 1996 may have been Austin's coming out moment, the war between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13 was Austin's coming out match, cementing him as both a future main-event talent as well as a cornerstone for the next generation of superstars. In hindsight, the stipulation of this match made for a substantial mismatch, considering Hart's finishing maneuver was one of the most notorious submission holds in wrestling history, while Austin had no routine submission maneuvers in his everyday repertoire.

Nevertheless, Austin had developed a persona that left fans with a reiterating belief that he would somehow find a way to win, unable to believe that Austin would be made to give up regardless of the circumstances. After a tremendous match that saw Austin implement his trademark offense blended with a unique combination of submission moves and would-be illegal tactics, Austin found himself stranded in Hart's Sharpshooter submission hold. After a determined effort to reach the ropes, which would therefore break the submission, Austin seemed to counter the hold, a moment sold perfectly by J.R's claims that the move had never been reversed. However, Hart would almost immediately re-establish the Sharpshooter, leaving a bloody and battered Austin with no way to escape.

However, though clearly in agony, Austin refused to submit, instead opting to pass out due to the pain. The resiliency and determination shown by Austin set forth a rare occurrence in WWE history: the double-turn, a happening that only transpires when the crowd is so impressed with a heel that the fans crown him the new fan favorite while automatically vilifying the supposed babyface.

3) Survivor Series '97: The Montreal Screwjob

The Moment: Bret Hart's look of amazement and anger as he realizes what had just transpired.

The Backstory: What do you get when you combine three gargantuan egos, real-life animosity, and unwarranted skepticism all in one match? The Montreal Screwjob, that's what.

For those of you who are completely new to the WWE fandom, the Montreal Screwjob was a real-life double crossing orchestrated by Vince McMahon, Triple H and Shawn Michaels against then champion Bret Hart, who while open about his imminent defection to then-chief competitor, WCW, was also adamant about not losing his championship in his home country against an opponent he had genuine distaste for. However, due to the gravity of past defections, which included then-current WWE Women's Championship holder Madusa discarding her championship in a trash can live on WCW Nitro, McMahon had justifiable yet foundationless paranoia that Hart might attempt the same with his company's most prestigious prize.

What unfolded was a scene of confusion, guilt, and loathing all intertwined to create a perfect storm. Vince McMahon sprinted down to the ring as Michaels applied Hart's patented Sharpshooter on the champion, demanding that referee Earl Hebner (who apparently still attempts to gloat about this moment when meeting fans) immediately call for the bell, even though Hart had not shown any intentions of submitting.

Hart proceeded to legitimately lose his cool, spitting on and punching the WWE Chairman before air-writing the letters "W-C-W" for all at home and in attendance to see. In the immediate aftermath of this decision, Vince McMahon conducted an interview where he would reinforce his decision by uttering the line, "Bret screwed Bret." Many acknowledge this moment as the official beginning of the attitude era -- an era paramount to the everlasting success that the WWE has enjoyed.

Meanwhile, animosity remained between Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Vince McMahon for more than a decade, when they were finally able to put their differences aside and celebrate the accomplishments they built with one another.

2) Wrestlemania III: Hogan Slams the Giant

The Moment: Hulk Hogan Body Slams Andre the Giant.

Backstory: At Wrestlemania III, Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan stood toe-to-toe in a match up that has been revisited by WWE countless times over the past 27-plus years. The match itself was a painstakingly slow, prodding contest between two behemoths of men, composed of mostly strikes, body slams (by Andre the Giant), slaps, and bear hugs. Each strike or body slam was then followed by approximately 5-10 seconds of taunting, crowd viewing and/or resting. Obviously, at the time, Andre the Giant was considerably slowing down as an in-ring competitor. However, Hogan's eternal underdog persona prevented him from carrying or even contributing to the offensive load during this match, forcing him to mostly illustrate weakness and pain throughout the bout.

However, this match was never intended to be a technical wrestling clinic, but rather meant to be a spectacle for the ages, one that would maintain the interest of die-hard fans while peaking the curiosity of casual viewers. Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan were able to achieve just that as, around the 13-minute mark, the two men brought to life one of the most unforgettable moments in sports entertainment history when Hogan picked Andre the Giant up off the ground and body slammed him to the mat. Following a subsequent Leg Drop, the match was over, seeing Hulk Hogan with his hand raised high in triumph, crowd going wild behind him.

1) King Of the Ring '98: Mankind Goes to Hell and Back Again

The Moment: Mankind gets thrown from the top of cell through announcer's table.

Backstory: Everyone has seen the infamous Undertaker vs. Mankind encounter from the 1998 edition of King of the Ring. It featured the spot that raised the bar for all future spot monkeys. It also featured the most infamous commentator call in WWE history: "GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY, THAT KILLED HIM....AS GOD AS MY WITNESS, HE IS BROKEN IN HALF." It's a phrase that can be uttered by a casual wrestling fan based on pure memory alone, without any kind of reminder.

During this unprecedented beating, The Undertaker and Mankind both ascended to the top of the cage, which to the viewers at home and in attendance, was an exhilarating sight within itself. However, what happened next was unfathomable. After a couple of routine chair shots and exchanged strikes, Undertaker proceeded to grab Mankind by the collar and heave him OFF THE FREAKING CELL THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE. Match over, Mankind must be dead, right? Wrong. After regaining his bearings, Mankind then climbed BACK TO THE TOP OF THE CELL (despite a dislocated shoulder) and endured additional punishment, getting choke slammed through the cell roof and onto a lingering steel chair. However, at this point everything was being improvised as neither the Undertaker nor Mankind had planned anything additional after the original spot. The cell roof giving way was a surprise occurrence, one that Terry Funk realized may have seriously injured, if not outright killed, his good friend. Funk then proceeded to improvise a quick skirmish with Undertaker to allow personnel to assess the situation, which was deemed very bad.

Nevertheless, to the surprise and dismay of nearly everyone, Foley continued to perform, showing courage and fortitude scarcely matched in wrestling history, going so far as getting choke-slammed onto a bed of thumbtacks.

In my opinion, this match, by far, qualifies as the most iconic and revisited moment in WWE history.

Which moment do YOU think was the most iconic moment in WWE history? Feel like I missed something? Feel free to voice your opinion in the comment section below -- healthy debate is always welcome! And if you enjoyed the discussion, please follow me on twitter @Mattrago98 and check out some of my other posts, such as A Look Back On History: The Most Undervalued Superstars of the Attitude Era!

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.