WrestleMania is the biggest PPV event in the wrestling industry, let alone in WWE. It all began in 1985 in Madison Square Garden where WrestleMania was hosted for the first time. Nowadays, it has grown into a festival-type event, where fans come from all over the world to witness the spectacle.
To date, the April Extravaganza has been hosted in several arenas and stadiums, including the iconic Madison Square Garden, AT&T Stadium, and MetLife Stadium. The Showcase of The Immortals draws huge crowds to the venue, sometimes filling up the entire stadium to maximum capacity. With WrestleMania 39 right around the corner, let’s look at the Top 5 Largest WrestleMania attendances.
5. WrestleMania 23 (80,103)
This year’s Showcase of the Immortals took place in Fort Field in Detroit, Michigan. It was a monumental success and drew in a record-setting crowd of about 80,103 fans.
We got to see some spectacular matches, with John Cena main successfully defending his WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker defeating Batista to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and continuing his streak. There was also the famous Mr. McMahon vs Donald Trump in a Hair vs Hair match. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was the referee of the match, so we all know the outcome of that match.
4. WrestleMania 29 (80,676)
This was one of the most memorable WrestleMania. It featured the ending of the famous John Cena vs The Rock rivalry, in a “Once In a Lifetime” match with Cena finally claiming a victory over The Great One. In last year’s event, Cena suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of The Rock, making his victory at this year’s Showcase of the Immortals even more special.
We also got to see other high-profile matches such as Brock Lesnar vs Triple H in a No Holds Barred match. Had The Game lost, he would have been forced to retire. The Undertaker continued his streak at 21-0 after defeating CM Punk.
3. WrestleMania 35 (82,265)
This event took place in MetLife Stadium. It was a huge success as it saw about 82,265 fans gather to witness The Showcase of the Immortals. It featured the first-ever Women’s main event match between Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch in a “Winner Takes All” match. Becky Lynch pinned Flair and became the Women’s Champion of both the red and blue brand.
It also featured some great matches with Seth Rollins vs Brock Lesnar in a Universal Championship match which kicked off the show. It was truly a sight to see.
2. WrestleMania 3 (93,173)
This marked the first time that WrestleMania was held in Michigan. It brought in a huge crowd, with a record-setting number of 93,173 fans. It is often referred to as the pinnacle of WWE’s success, as it brought in almost a million people. It also resulted in a huge profit for the company, resulting in almost $1.6 million in ticket sales.
It featured the historic clash between the two powerhouses, Andre The Giant and Hulk Hogan. This match is fondly remembered due to Hogan famously bodyslamming Andre and winning the bout after a leg drop. It also featured Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat defeating “Macho Man” Randy Savage to capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
1. WrestleMania 32 (101,763)
The event that is universally accepted to be the highest-attended WWE PPV of all time is WrestleMania 32. It brought in over 101,763 people, setting the record for the most attended WrestleMania of all time.
It featured matches like Shane McMahon vs The Undertaker in a Hell In A Cell match, where The Undertaker defeated McMahon after he attempted a failed elbow drop from the top of the cell on The Deadman who was unconscious on an announcer’s table. The show was main evented by Triple H, who defended his WWE Championship against Roman Reigns. Reigns won the title, despite getting booed by the crowd. Other matches include Brock Lesnar defeating Dean Ambrose in a No Holds Barred match, and Charlotte becoming the inaugural WWE Women’s Champion after beating Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch.
WrestleMania 39 is taking place on April 1 & April 2. Will this year’s Showcase Of The Immortals have a record-setting attendance as well? Stay tuned to find out!
Read More: List of all WWE WrestleMania winners(1985-present)
