Wrestlemania 34 is just days away, as the Showcase of the Immortals returns to New Orleans, Louisiana for the Super Bowl of sports entertainment.
Fans are eagerly awaiting top bouts including Ronda Rousey's in-ring debut as she teams with Olympic gold medallist Kurt Angle to take on Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. While Ronda's set to make WWE her home for the foreseeable future, she's also carrying on a long tradition of famous faces appearing on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
Honestly, this countdown is near-impossible without sparking a LOT of debate – yes, arguments could be made for The Rock, Ray Charles, Arnie, Flo Rida, Alice Cooper, Nicole Scherzinger and so many more. But here are our favourites, ranked into a nice, tidy top 11. Here we go…
11. John Legend
John Legend is making waves after playing the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar over the weekend in New York City, so it'd be rude not to give the crooner a mention here.
Some big names – more recently, the likes of Fifth Harmony – have stepped out on the huge Wrestlemania stage to belt out 'America The Beautiful' and kick off the show in patriotic fashion, and Legend added his name to that list with a soulful rendition in Orlando a decade ago. It's one that still holds up 10 years on.
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10. Kim Kardashian
Okay, WWE fanatics may take some issue with this one – but hear us out. Kim Kardashian is a pretty big deal, guys. Like, she's really famous. We all know how much WWE loves to make a dent in worldwide trends, so the Queen of Social Media hosting Wrestlemania seems like a no-brainer.
She actually appeared at Wrestlemania 24 – just like John – the year after her infamous sex tape leaked. So, there was definitely a lot of buzz around her appearance, although it might be even more impressive if they get her to agree to a comeback. Let's just make it a bit more memorable next time, yeah?
9. Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg storms onto our countdown as a genuine bona fide legend – and fan – who made a number of very different appearances over the years. At Wrestlemania 24, he was the MC for the misguided Bunnymania match – it's as terrible as it sounds – and three years later he appeared in a backstage skit.
However, a couple of years ago he made maybe his best 'Mania appearances to date on the weekend he went into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame, rapping as his cousin Sasha Banks made her way to the ring. Lovely moment – all together now, awwww!
8. Mickey Rourke
In 2009, Mickey Rourke was busy promoting his movie The Wrestler, and part of that saw the Hollywood star get involved in a bit of a storyline with Chris Jericho, who found himself in a handicap match with legends Jimmy Snuka, Ricky Steamboat and Roddy Piper (and Ric Flair in their corner).
The angle at Wrestlemania saw good old Mickey jump the barrier after Jericho's big win and lay him out with a big left hook – much to the delight of fans around the world.
7. Aretha Franklin
Pick your jaw off the floor – no, Aretha Franklin obviously didn't wrestle at the big show (not to be confused with the Big Show). But she did sing 'America The Beautiful' at Wrestlemania 3, and such an iconic performance can't be ignored.
What makes it even more significant – and earns Aretha a spot on the list – is that she reprised her role 20 years later, and absolutely nailed it. Belting!
6. Muhammad Ali
The late, great Muhammad Ali could top this list on another day – there's definitely a case to be made for the legendary boxing champ.
At the very first Wrestlemania in 1985, Ali was a special guest referee for the main event, which saw Mr T (we'll get there) and Hulk Hogan beating Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper in a tag team match. It's an incredible collection of huge stars, WWE icons and sporting heroes – will we ever see the likes of it again?
5. Mike Tyson
Another WWE Hall of Famer, Mike Tyson definitely helped make the Attitude Era so memorable, and his run-ins with Stone Cold Steve Austin and D-Generation X still hold up as some of the coolest things we've ever seen.
At Wrestlemania 14, the Baddest Man On The Planet proved to be just that as he appeared as an enforcer between Austin and Shawn Michaels, turning on his friend in one of the most shocking moments we've seen in WWE. Absolutely glorious stuff!
4. Cyndi Lauper
Girls just wanna have fun – and also spark the Rock 'n' Wrestling connection that defined Wrestlemania. Bravo, Cyndi Lauper, who appeared at the very first event at Madison Square Garden, accompanying Wendi Richter to the ring.
It's pretty poor that Cyndi still isn't in the Hall of Fame yet, given how much she helped WWE in the '80s. She even had Captain Lou Albano play her dad in the video for 'Girls…'. Throw in her Wrestlemania appearance, and she must be guaranteed induction eventually.
3. Floyd Mayweather
Certainly in recent memory, it's hard to find anyone who's stepped up at Wrestlemania in the way Floyd Mayweather did back in 2009. Way before Conor McGregor entered the boxing ring to try something new, Pretty Boy himself stepped into the squared circle against the entourage.
Fans didn't want to cheer him against the Big Show, but he showed his skills as a promoter and antagonist to run with it, and put on possibly the best celebrity match in Wrestlemania history. Money, indeed.
2. Donald Trump
If nothing else, this could be the only time an actual President of the United States will be remembered for making the Hall of Fame in professional wrestling. Donald Trump is pretty well etched into the history of Wrestlemania – his Trump Plaza hosted Wrestlemania 4 and 5, while 'Mania 7 and 20 both saw him interviewed in the crowd.
Easily the biggest reason for his spot on the list, though, came three years later, when he was represented by Bobby Lashley, who bested Umaga (representing WWE owner Vince McMahon) in a 'Battle of the Billionaires', with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the referee. As if that weren't enough, he shaved Vince bald and it took a beer-soaked Stunner from Stone Cold Steve Austin to bring proceedings to a close.
1. Mr T
WWE Hall of Famer, star of The A-Team and Rocky III, Mr T set the bar for celebrities at Wrestlemania when he appeared at the inaugural event way back when, and teamed with Hulk Hogan to defeat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.
Not just there for an easy payday, the bona fide superstar – who made other appearances for WWE and rival company WCW during his career – also fought Piper at Wrestlemania 2 in a boxing match, which he won via DQ.
For helping the show become the extravaganza it remains in its 34th iteration, Mr T has to go down as the best celebrity guest in Wrestlemania history.
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