This is the first in my multi-part series of rants on the Main Events at Wrestlemania. I'll do one every couple days until we reach the big show. The full list of matches I'm doing is on my previous post. I took all opinions under consideration and looked up some of the historical nature of the promotion of the card.
Now some of you are going to be mad I'm not doing Rock-Hogan. And because of that I'm willing to cut you a deal. I'll do Rock-Hogan but I will replace another scheduled rant...and you can guess which one that is (here's a hint, it features Chris Benoit). I understand that sounds unfair and a little like a cop out, but it's my project...my rules. We all make tough choices in life. This is one of yours. So it depends on how much you want me to watch Rock-Hogan. Otherwise there's plenty of other Rock and Hogan matches to review.
So let's get this ball rolling!
The Original Wrestlemania
From Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31, 1985
Hosted by Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura
Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff vs. Hulk Hogan & Mr. T.
Yes our first Wrestlemania main event was a tag match with no titles on the line. The natural thinking would have been to do a final blowoff Hogan vs. Piper or Hogan vs. Studd match or something, but Vince had already done those matches at MSG and thought outside the box instead. Now we’re at No. 26, so it works for me. I got an original download of this card which means Hogan and T’s “Eye of the Tiger” entrance is kept in full form. It makes a major difference because the pop is amazing. Muhammad Ali and Pat Patterson are the referees. Patterson is on the inside to keep this sucker together and Ali on the outside because…he’s friggin Muhammad Ali. Liberace is going to ring the damn bell and probably make eyes at Patterson.
Hogan and Orndorff start us off. Actually they both tag out. The crowd heat for this match is unparallel. Piper and T share slaps and Piper with a kick to the guy and a take down. They do a little wrestling sequence and T escapes. Crowd is chanting “T” like he’s The Rock. Seriously he could have done this more frequently and made a shitload of money. T with a fireman’s carry drop and its MAYHEM as everyone including Ali, Bob Orton and Superfly Snuka are in the ring. Ali clocks Piper and sends him to the floor. The heels take a walk but eventually think better of it. All four men back in the ring and the faces clean house. Hogan with a corner clothesline and an atomic drop on Hot Rod. Hogan and Piper rake each other’s eyes. Tag to T and a double clotheline. Body slam on Piper and Mr. T hip tosses Orndorff, another slam for Piper. A headbutt on Orndorff. T rams Piper’s head into Hogan’s knee and a tag to Hogan. Big boot sends Piper over the top rope and gives time for Orndorff to cheap shot Hogan and send him to the floor. Piper with a chair shot on Hogan. Back in the ring and Piper goes to his wide array of cheap heel tactics. The heels absolutely assault Hogan in their corner (with Orton joining in on the fun). Double atomic drop and Orndorff adds a knee drop. Ali keeps jumping in and out of the ring. Vertical suplex by Orndorff is really well done. Tag to Piper and a kneelift sends Hogan down for a two count. Another tag to Orndorff, who comes in with a top-rope standing elbow, for another near fall. Backbreaker by Orndorff and he goes to the top again but the flying knee misses. Hot tag to T but the heels quickly take control of him. They can’t really execute any wrestling moves on him, so the whole strategy is just to keep him from tagging Hogan. Piper back in but he can’t stop T from making the tag. Hogan dispatches of both the heels for a second but a back suplex by Orndorff turns the tide again. Orton tries to interfere but Snuka catches him with a headbutt. More mayhem, and in the process Orton comes off the top rope and accidentally nails Orndorff with the cast which allows Hogan to get the three count. Too much fun.
(Mr. T/Hogan def. Piper/Orndorff, pinfall, ***) Post match sees Piper clock Patterson and leave with Orton while Orndorff is laid out. Oddly enough T helps Orndorff to his feet and it led to an eventual turn. I really liked this match, I haven’t seen it in about a dozen years and it was just what it needed to be – a crazy brawl with no rest periods.
Always enjoyed this match a lot, not so much the rest of the card though. There is something REALLY cool about the old MSG atmosphere though — I love how much darker they would light it. I’m sure many people would call it dated or low-rent, but I think it it’s actually a nice contrast to all the showbizzy “sports entertainment” going on around it.
Speaking of the original Eye of the Tiger entrance — where did this footage come from? PPV was virtually non-existant at this point aside from trial runs, and I’ve seen it in rather high quality on YouTube. I just can’t imagine some closed-circuit outlet recording it and trading it over the years without it ending up being a 6th generation tape that is totally unwatchable. Perhaps it was rebroadcast on television at one point?
I loved the classic Garden look with the crowd packed in so tightly. That match felt like a huge event and the people were literally on top of the competitor. Even with 25-30K in the building, it felt like a very close setting.
As for the original show. My guess is someone came across a master copy and transferred it to a DVD. That’s my absolute best guess.
The WrestleMania legacy vhs boxed set released in January ‘98 featured I thru 13 complete with all of the original music, intermission merchandise commercials, and even the cues to go to intermission and returning from.
The set was sold through the WWF Merchandise catalog intended to be ready for the 1997 Christmas season, however anyone who ordered it (I was among them) received a notification that it would ship in January…and it did. It was a rush job, and we’ve all benefited from that.
From Eye of the Tiger to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun to Born in the U.S. and even Another One Bites The Dust…they’re all there.
own it, but the tapes are recorded on the absolute thinnest, cheapest material alive and in EP mode, so after a few views some of the tracking goes south on ya.
That’s why I bought the new DVD set. I just couldn’t trust that those tapes would continue to work.
But I’m glad I own it, one of the joys of running a video store and being able to order direct back then. I bought myself some other stuff like Starcade 93 and Spring Stampede 94 that they had available.
Wow that is pretty cool. What does that box set look like? I remember one of the mass-released WrestleMania box-sets being released back in the day, but I have noticed there is another one that looks different that is sometimes sold on eBay.
The Wrestlemania Legacy VHS Boxset (IIRC) was the one with the stone gray border (I remember buying the WM X tape from the set).
I did a search for Wrestlemania Box Sets and found this one that was just 1 through XIII –
http://www.amazon.com/Wrestmania-Collection-XIII-1985-1997/dp/B0003V8WQA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=video&qid=1265253815&sr=1-3
Ah yes, that’s the one I was thinking of. So it doesn’t have the WWF watermark / logo in the corner of the screen like the subsequent VHS releases that came out the next year or so? That’s one thing that annoyed me about those (besides their similarly inferior EP tape quality).
Hey, I’ve got that set. Maybe i shouyld put it on eBay
Who used Born In The USA? Windham and Rotundo?
I see that the match was re-aired on the MSG network in 2007, perhaps this is where it came from?
Not positive on this, but I believe MSG Network used to re-air the shows much more immediately. I remember WM5 being on MSG a few months or so after it was on PPV. I was 5 years old at the time though, so I could have the details wrong.
I understand your aversion to reviewing a Benoit match; but Rock-Hogan is WAY overrated and simply not that good; while the WMXX Triple Threat is all kinds of bad ass. I’ve watched it recently (I have no problem watching Benoit matches) and it holds up amazingly well.
I don’t know why you’d want to watch Rock-Hogan again. But it’s your deal Princess. I vote for the triple threat though.
Just dodge the Benoit thing if you want to. It’s your decision, and if you don’t want to, that’s your call. Personally, if there is going to be a substitute match, I vote for the other 2 main events from Mania 2. Those would be pretty funny.
Abridged. See below.
Bad decision. Corrupted your own project (clue: its called “Wrestlemania Main Events.”)
yeah, review the Benoit match. Hogan/Rock is overdone. No one calls it a technical masterpiece and then everyone just argues about how “important” it was and the atmosphere and then assigns an arbitrary star ratings. As a semi journalist, suck it up and review Benoit. It might be interesting to see some feelings about it while you write and watch. Much more interesting than Hogan/Rock.
It doesn’t matter to me. But if some people are so insistent on Hogan-Rock, that’s the deal. Like I said, I’ll see where the opinions lie and go that route. If people say to do the triple threat, I’ll do the triple threat. If people say to do Rock-Hogan, I’ll do that one. There is a point to this exercise.
And my husband is a journalist too, even worse he was a former U.S. district appeals court reporter who had to tell the side of stories of murderers, child molesters and other awful human beings. Thankfully he moved to sports.
Do them both…. or pick one… or do neither… it’s just a blog, do what you want, either way I’m sure we’ll read whatever your write :p
I’m with you NWA88. If we get to vote on a substitution though, I say we do a “vote for the worst” type deal, and elect the legendary Wrestlemania 5 clash between former # 1 contender to the Intercontinental title, former Canadian Heavyweight Champion and Canada’s strongest man Dino Bravo vs the former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, one half of the United States Tag Team Champions, and the man with the hands of stone, “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin. America vs Canada. Grit vs Greatness. The Iron Will vs The Iron Build. The match. The myth. The main event that should have been.
TPrincess, I really enjoy your writing, and if there’s going to be a substitution, forget my last suggestion. If the people want it, and the readers want it, I say “Let her rant.” Garvin-Bravo! The brawl to end them all!
Princess, if the Benoit match makes you uncomfortable then don’t do it. You don’t owe any of us anything and none of us have the right to demand you do anything with which you’re uncomfortable.
It’s time people got over the Benoit thing. He was a wrestler an incredible one at that. Benoit did a terrible terrible thing but so did Hitler and people don’t write him out of history. It’s been like 3 years just review him for what he is… a wrestler.. and stop reacting like you know the guy personally.
Stupid people having feelings. If you’re uncomfortable watching a child-murderer wrestle you probably never felt the joy of slowly squeezing the life out of a small animal. Pussies.
Can you blame her for not wanting to watch Benoit? The guy killed his family, and some of you think we should get over that and enjoy his fake wrestling matches? God almighty, get out of the house once in awhile, smell the roses, and realise there are more important things in the world than professional wrestling. If you can watch the child killer, that’s fine. But don’t try and pressure somebody else into watching that piece of s**t.
I don’t really care which match is reviewed, although Hogan/Rock would be alot more entertaining. You talk about it like it’s overdone, but that sounds to me like the smark in you being embarassed that this match is so fondly remembered. It’s entertainment, people. Hogan got a bigger pop taking off his shirt in that match than Benoit got when he won the world title. Boo hoo. Which rant sounds more entertaining to you:
Princess making fun of Hogan’s selling in that match, commenting on the crazy crowd and JR’s “this is split 50/50″ BS, the rich irony of Rock being called the “future of the business”, etc.
Or Princess having to point out all the moves in the triple threat match? Look, there’s Benoit with his 80th german suplex in the match. How exciting!!!
I’d much rather read about a historical match with lots of unintentional comedy, than some supposed five star match where the only drama was watching a guy that is now erased from WWE history making HHH tap out. But maybe that’s just me.
This is the first in my multi-part series of rants on the Main Events at Wrestlemania. I’ll do one every couple days until we reach the big show.
OK, after you reach WM 2000, then what?
Well if I don’t stab myself in the throat after rewatching that train wreck of a match
ehh, wasn’t that bad. Sure it should have just been HHH/Rock instead of a 4 way but compared to stuff like Luger/Yoko and UT/Sid it is ok. It’s kind of a shame the main event fizzled since the booking during that 3 month period was just amazing.
I guess I’m eager to see it again for the reason you just mentioned. Was it really that bad? Was that whole card that bad? It couldn’t have been because they didn’t seem capable of having a bad card for most of 2000.
I might really like the match. I saw it once when it happened and I just remember a lot of blown spots and crap ending. We’ll see.
The 3 way Euro-continental match was good and the 3 way ladder match for the tag-belts was good, but nothing on the card delivered the punch that Garvin-Bravo did at Wrestlemania 5. It’s just an oddly booked show. The talent is all there, but it’s severely misplaced.
While I don’t want to turn a fairly lighthearted project into a heavy debate, the arrogance of some people over the Benoit issue never ceases to amaze me. The man didn’t get caught drunk in public with a Soma or driving around stalking his girlfriend with HGH in his car, he murdered his wife and son in cold blood. And yet people continue act surprised that some of us might not feel comfortable watching his fake wrestling matches (I won’t even get into the Crossface theory) and insist that we all ‘get over it’ and ’stop reacting like [we] know the guy personally’. And folks wonder why wrestling fans have such terrible reputations (NOT about the actual decision to watch Benoit, but rather the tendency to downplay the seriousness of the matter and dismiss the feelings of others). Everyone has the right to make a choice in this matter, and while I can’t necessarily understand their logic I won’t condemn people for trying to seperate the performer from the murderer. I just wish that I and others were extended the same courtesy in our choice to avoid him at all costs.
That “theory” is bunk and has been debunked by the police who investigated it. It was something tossed up on the internet who thought it sounded “neat” to think that Benoit used a wrestling move.
Facts: No one had a bad word to say about the guy until the murders.
Fact: He had numerous friends in the business who say that they never saw it coming.
Fact: People go crazy sometimes. That is not their fault. The brain is a complicated thing.
Fact: People have family members that do bad things including murder. They still visit them and love them, but not the act.
Fact: You have the courtesy to not watch Benoit. We have the courtesy to say we will watch Benoit and to roll our eyes at those who give a us a big show of “outrage” to show how sensitive they are.
Truth: I openly admit that I will never understand people’s behavior with Hogan on his return to the WWF. I was never a hogan hater. I know some old school fans claim he ruined wrestling (along with Vince), etc. ad nauseum. I was never a full fledged hulkamaniac, but sure I rooted for Hogan. It was when he was in the NWO and as I learned about his backstage behavior in WCW that I turned on him. When he turned back face in WCW, it was obvious the crowd was cheering him in a semi-mocking fashion. Most were obviously drunk frat boys continually turning to their seatmate to laugh while cheering and bowing.
The same can not be said of WWF. For some reason people just cheered for the guy. And I’m sure it built on itself as others realized it was the “in thing” to give him big ovations when he came out, but it definately seemed genuine as opposed to WCW. And the whole time I watched absolutely perplexed as to why. He sucked in the ring. His interviews were pedestrian, and we all knew what an absolute asshole he had been in WCW. As a result of that I just never got anything from Rock/Hogan other than a 1 star match that I was thrilled to see Rock go over in.
Fact: You have the courtesy to not watch Benoit. We have the courtesy to say we will watch Benoit and to roll our eyes at those who give a us a big show of “outrage” to show how sensitive they are.
Or they could be, you know, genuinely upset about two people being murdered. Not everything is a work. You assume that anyone who chooses to ignore Benoit is making some sort of grandstanding gesture, while many of us are simply making a personal choice and that’s all. And said choice has nothing to do with trying to impress anyone. Honestly, I wouldn’t even have brought the matter up if not for some of the comments I read here, because I prefer not to speak about him at all.
I guess for me the big issue is how I view mental illness. I think Benoit was genuinely mentally ill and thus I feel sorry for him as well as for the victims. I just can’t find the outrage to hate someone who I think was just messed up in the head. Maybe it has to do with how you view culpability in crime when it comes to mental illness. I know some don’t see it the way I do and want to fry anyone regardless of IQ, age, mental competency, etc. if they are guilty of murder.
I don’t hate him and I’m not stupid, I understand his body was ravaged to nearly the point of no return. First, let it be understood he was abusive to his wife before the sad ending. This wasn’t something that came out of nowhere and without any warning.
But…I don’t know if you’re a parent or are married. My son and my husband are truly the heartbeat to my life. I don’t have to separate the person from the professional because all I see is someone who killed their son. A young boy that was completely defenseless and died a horrible, painful death at the hands of the person that was supposed to love him unconditionally. That is completely unfathomable and heartbreaking to me because there’s nothing in this world that can replace my son.
It might not be a big deal for you. It’s all I can see though. It’s saddening, shocking, disturbing and angering.
I am a parent. i have a wife and daughter. And I never said it wasn’t a big deal, I said that I feel bad for all parties, those killed and those were mentally ill. Mental illness is something we don’t talk nearly enough about in this country. We don’t treat it properly, insurances refuse to cover much of it, you aren’t “macho” if you admit to needing help, etc. It’s a sad state of affairs for mental illness in this country. Your right, it is saddening, shocking, and disturbing. But it is not angering for me. Not at the same source as you and many others. I’m not angry at Chris for killing his family. I’m angry at him for not getting help ahead of time. I know how mental illness can make people act completely different than in the past. So again, my feeling is one of sadness for all involved because of the waste of human life and talent in all three.
On a MUCH lighter note, Hogan/Rock was the only omission besides Trump/McMahon that I strongly disagreed with, and I’ll even concede the point on WMXIII since both HBK/Cena and Taker/Batista were much better matches. But no matter where it was positioned on the card, ‘Icon vs. Icon’ was the main event of Wrestlemania X-8. Overrated? Maybe. Doesn’t change the fact the build (terrible as it was) and marketing were geared towards that match as the selling point, and that should be the criteria.
Dead horse by now, but dude, Bravo-Garvin. Please, support our Princess by asking her to show her support for this showdown.
I think I’ve found a solution to the problem. Maybe I’m being selfish.
I’ll have it when I post Hogan-Bundy.
Until then anyone want to talk about *THIS* match. I can’t believe I enjoyed as much as I did.
Hey Princess, love the reviews, I’m amazed at how special the first main event still feels, I’d agree on ***. there’s really no other rating you could give it!
As for your proposal, I thought I might throw an alternative at ya! Just a thought, I think if your uncomfortable doing the Benoit, then don’t, you shouldn’t have to torture yourself for us, I’ve only just been able to watch and enjoy Benoit again in the last few months.
But can I interest you in this offer? Benoit/HHH/HBK traded in for Eddie/Angle & Rock/Hogan? Think we still need something from WMXX.
In some ways I think the match is a little shortchanged. There weren’t any rest spots, no slow downs past the initial stalling. Mr. T performed admirably although it was obvious late in the match they didn’t want to perform any spots with him. Pat Patterson, as always, is a calming influence in the ring when it comes to situations like these.
And the crowd heat was electric. Probably one of the last times that the WWF had a big house show feel for a PPV. By Wrestlemania 2 and obviously Wrestlemania III, the amped up the production.
I pretty much agree, it was pretty much as good as it ever was going to be, it was never going to,be a technical masterpiece, I’ve got a spot for it. The crowd, the energy, the celebs, everything just fitted. The match was a good, fun brawl and unless something is slipping my mind it’s the best match involving a celeb there ever was. I still get a kick out of it!
The natural thinking would have been to do a final blowoff Hogan vs. Piper or Hogan vs. Studd match or something, but Vince had already done those matches at MSG and thought outside the box instead.
Well, Piper wouldn’t do clean jobs and Studd…well, no. Just no. But yeah, Piper/Hogan with Orton and T in the respective corners would have made much more sense given the buildup, and Orndorff and Snuka could have had their own seperate match.
And where did people ‘legally obtain’ this ‘authorized’ version of the show? YouTube?
The problem with booking Piper and Hogan at WM was they already had “The War To Settle The Score” on MTV the previous month at MSG. Getting Mr. T in the ring as a performer (with post-Rocky build-up) was essential to the star power of the show. They already had Billy Martin, Liberace, and Muhammed Ali at ringside as celebrity showpieces. It’s not like Mr. T was Jay Leno.
Yeah, as far as selling the show getting T into the ring was essential, but I’m just looking at the actual build. The Hogan/Piper title bout at The War To Settle The Score ended with Piper getting DQ’ed and yet Hogan not really getting his revenge. Logic would dictate a rematch at Wrestlemania with T in the corner to neutralize Orton. But as Princess points out, things worked out in the end.
They never really blew that feud off either. I guess Piper just wasn’t going to lose clean (whether because him or bookers I don’t know). But WM was all about celebrities. It was supposed to be a “happening”. Honestly their wasn’t a match above 2 1/2 stars on the card. Either too short or just not that good, but the show is still fun. The crowd heat for the big matches was unreal. The tag title match, the ladies match, Andre/Studd, and of course the main event were all just over huge. Even David Sammartino and Brtutus had good heat, althoug the two performers sucked that out of the crowd as the match went on.
No problem if you don’t want to review the match that is Chris Benoit’s shining moment in his life.. Understandable, obviously. And that is all I’ll say about that.
I honestly haven’t watched this match since the only time I watched the first Wrestlemania about 6 or 7 years ago… But this is a great idea, just watching the main events, and I think I might do that in preparation for WM26. I otherwise probably wouldn’t have watched anything due to being busy, etc. So, thanks for the idea!
Not to be totally antagonistic, but how the fuck do you know what Chris Benoit’s shining moment in life was??? Jesus people!
I would think the birth of his son would trump any shiny piece of tin.
Dude, pretty much anything we say about wrestling is going to be speculative, since for the most part I think we’re all just fans, right? Of course I don’t know what his “shining moment” was. Also, we’re dealing with a guy who strangled his son to death, so any insight into what was going on in this guy’s mind is going to be a moot point, anyway..
Woo, Mr. T!!!
I don’t understand all the deabtes about which matches should or shouldn’t be considered main events. It’s not a matter of opinion. Either the match was billed as a main event or it wasn’t.
Well, with two World titles and endless ’special attraction’ matches, the issue gets murkier. And for some, the main event is always the final featured match on the card, no matter what. So what are McMahon/Hogan, Show/Mayweather, Trump/McMahon, Rock/Hogan and so on: main events or special attractions? And does a World title defense automatically equal a main event?
It’s all just a way to pass the time, anyhow.
True. I know all rules are out the window these days. But with the older ones it was clear-cut. WM 8 was a double main event because it was promoted as such. I believe WM 9 was promoted the same way, in which case the Tag Title match would definitely be a main event.
You’re right though. In the end, what difference does the terminology make? Besides, I’ve never judged a show just on its main event. A lot of my favorite matches weren’t main events.
However, I’ve always disliked the last-match-is-automatically-the-main-event thinking. So Survivor Series 91 was headlined by LOD and the Boss Man against the Disasters and Irwin? No, Hogan/Undertaker was the main event. At most house shows back then, they’d put the main event on before intermission. On SNME and early Raw episodes, they’d often put the “main event” or “feature match” on first. The main event is the main event regardless of where it is on the card.
You know, I don’t know why they didn’t make it a six man tag match and include both Orton and Snuka in the match instead of just cornermen.
Princess, you should do Hogan-Rock. As bad as the match is, at least it doesn’t have any child killers in it.
Um… Rock-Hogan wasn’t a main event match…
Given the sad state of the card and booking, it should have been. It truly was Hogan’s last hurrah outside of him being in TNA as a booker thinking its 1997.
Good rant Princess.
I actually wanted to do something similar with the 25 Wrestlemania’s, but instead of just doing “Main Events” – I want to do “Marque Matches” or “Dream Matches” and right after X-Eight – Vince and company booked a lot of “Dream Matches.” They still try to (at least) book one major Dream Match at this event. Shawn vs. Taker for example.
And there a lot of modern Main Events that just . . . well, I might be putting on my mark-cap here – so pardon the language . . . suck. While Cena vs. Triple H was actually good a few years back, I couldn’t stand Orton vs. Triple H from last year. While they’re these “dream matches” that really stole the show. Brock vs. Goldberg is a classic for all the wrong reasons. Rock vs. Hogan is actually a **** masterpiece of where the story told itself and a half-crippled Hogan actually busted his a$$ with Rock carrying him a little.
The problem is . . . if I do mine. Do I count tag matches, Triple Threats or am I looking just for one on one “dream matches.”
Why not just do whatever matches stood out for you, regardless of what kind of match they were?
I just gave a short list of what I might review. I need to find time to watch all 25 again, and then pick random matches to review.
Okay if I was do a Dream Match of Wrestlemania list.
Wrestlemania: Outside of an epic Main Event with Hogan/T vs. Piper/Orndorff and guest spots from Muhammed Ali, Liberace, Billy Martin, etc.. – you wouldn’t call it a dream match. Yet, even by today’s standards due to its history – its epic.
Wrestlemania II: I always loved the comedy value of Piper vs. T in the boxing match. Loved the booking for the Hogan/Bundy cage match, and the Tag Team Title match is epic. Nothing really stands out like a “dream match” though.
Wrestlemania III: Solid card on its own, BUT with TWO solid DREAM MATCHES. The epic Hogan vs. Andre MAIN and the Steamboat/Savage match that Jesse Ventura, a heel that had just bashed Steamboat and Steele in character, said was the greatest match he’d ever seen. Both matches were dramatic, but one actually brought the workrate – while the other one was a epic David vs. Goliath battle of wits that may have sucked hard if it wasn’t Hogan and Andre in there – but it works.
Wrestlemania IV: The only epic thing here wasn’t even on the PPV. It was on the video release where Ted Dibise does an interview from his “locker room,” which is a hotel suite and Dibise lets loose with the a great catchphrase that never caught on. “You see the Million Dollar Man does not need to spend his time in some dingy, sweaty locker room with a bunch of bubbling baffoons.”
Wrestlemania V: Hogan vs. Savage. I’m a Hogan fan, and Hogan was still at his peak here so its was money to put the title back on the #1 babyface. Savage was cool in 1987, but until later in his career – I just felt he wasn’t right for the title. It never looked right on him, it never felt right and in retrospect it felt like the main star wanting to do a movie – while his “buddy” filled in for him. Epic booking on this match, and Savage takes a hell of a bump for WWF 1989 standards.
Wrestlemania VI: Hogan vs. Warrior. The rest of the card holds up for 1990, but truly this is the match of all dream matches. As with Savage in 1987, Warrior gets the monster push in 1988 – and becomes a bigger star feuding with Rick Rude – and with Hogan ready to do another movie – Vince and the boys decided to take this manaic and put the title on him in one of the best booked matches Hogan’s ever been in.
Wrestlemania VII: Hogan vs. Slaughter is actually good, but the epic match here is still Warrior vs. Savage. It was a perfect end to Savage’s career, although in real life – Savage came back and Liz and Savage ended up divorced, and then she ended up dead in 2002 – while Savage is a crazy old man stiring s*** somewhere – and speaking of crazy – Warrior isn’t respected that much these days either. Still it was an epic battle. Hogan vs. Slaughter is a well booked match, but kind of a good match repeat of Hogan vs. Shiek really . . .
Wrestlemania VIII: Three epic matches here, although Hogan vs. Sid is more like a pathos play than an actual good wrestling encounter. Then again, its Sid . . . so actually having Sid cut promos after choke slams is a good thing. Piper vs. Bret may be the greatest match Roddy Piper ever wrestled, and Flair vs. Savage is good because its Flair vs. Savage.
Wrestlemania IX: Nothing really epic here. I used to like the Hogan/Yokozuna squash, but truly the rematch at KOR is a much better booked match. Hated the ending there, but Hogan was on his way out – so it was the only way it could end. I guess if you want to count Main Events – you say Yoko vs. Bret with the Hogan vs. Yoko ending included and maybe you list the Hogan/Beefcake tag match. Still lackluster . . .
Wrestlemania X: Bret/Yoko and Luger/Yoko get default spots, but the epic matches are Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart and Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon.
Wrestlemana XI: I used to think Bret vs. Backlund was good, but its one of those matches that is better because of whom is involved than actually being a great match or anything. Same with Diesel vs. Shawn, because they did a match ten times better in 1996. Bam Bam vs. LT is actually a good match, but it ruined Bam Bam’s career.
Wrestlemania XII: Taker vs. Diesel, and depending on who you talk to (COUGH) the epic HBK vs. Bret Hart Main Event. Yeah, and I even liked Piper vs. Goldust – backyard lot brawl. Its almost a triva footnote to see Steve Austin, who had just dropped the Ringmaster gimmick and was now “Stone Cold” wrestling to no pop against Savio Vegas at Mania 12. Austin’s major push didn’t happen until he dropped Dibise as a manager, who was on his way to WCW in the fall and Austin got to cut the Austin 3:16 promo at King of the Ring.
Wrestlemania XIII: What a difference a year makes. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin tears the house down, and the Austin that made the attitude era his oyster is born. While Taker vs. Sid isn’t epic, its not a too horrible big man match and Taker actually wins the title. It would be years before Taker really got good though on his own. A funny look at the Rock, wrestling as a babyface against the evil Sultan that went over as good as a fart in church.
Wrestlemania XIV: A lot of epic stuff here. I still love the Luna/Goldust vs. Sable/Mero match. The birth of Stone Cold, and the retirement of Shawn Michaels occurs. Ken Shamrock was on a roll, while Rocky was getting all the Honky Tonk Man heat that in this era turned him into a Main Event masterpiece for about four years after this.
Wrestlemania XV: Was good in 1999, but only Rock vs. Austin really stands out anymore. And it was done better two years later.
Wrestlemania XVI (Wrestlemania 2000): I think Vince almost wanted Hunter to be his “heir apparant,” based on the booking in early 2000. According to some reports, Triple H was to actually take a big fall when Stephanine turned face at the Royal Rumble in his match against the Big Show – but after a week of playing the bitch – since most say that’s Stephanine in real life – she actually wanted to stay on in the role and Hunter was thrown the title back very quickly and Vince went on vacation after Stephanine cut him down. They booked a great feud with Foley on a napkin that just happened to make Triple H into a star, btw. But then they’d ended Foley’s career in Feburary and had no real Main Event for Mania. Rock vs. Triple H with Rock winning the title as a babyface should have been a no brainer – but alas they book Big Show in the mix and then decide to let Foley come back for “one last match” – which in itself would have been a good storyline if Foley had won it – retired – and got some new blood in the mix – but nah – Show and Foley are quickly killed and we get the Rock vs. Triple H match we should have had in the first place – and then Vince turns heel because he really LOVES HIS DAUGHTER and thus Triple H’s megapush was born. Then years later, Steph and Trips really get married, so maybe Vince always loved the guy or something. Because this should have been Rocky’s establishment party as the next great thing, and Vince never really gave that to him until after he was leaving for Hollywood. (Aka beating Hogan and Austin)
Wresltemania X-Seven: Taker vs. Triple H is actually good, and Rock vs. Austin is epic – along with the Shane vs. Vince matchup. Kind of the true end of an era, we haven’t seen since.
Wrestlemania X-Eight: Taker schools Flair, Triple H bores Jericho into losing, and the Skydome loses itself over the god of wrestling returning to the WWF/E – even though its in a jobbing cause against the Rock. Who now gets an epic rub of being the STAR OF THE FUTURE, while Steve Austin battles Scott Hall – a guy who was over and deserved a second chance and push – in spite of the end results – but instead Austin throws a Hulk Hogan like hissy fit and quits the company before being begged back a month later.
Wrestlemania XIX: Dream matches galore here. Shawn Michaels, still semi-retired, decides to lace it up with Chris Jericho. Jericho might never be a big name – in my opinion, but the E did make some effort to semi-push him. It was in a ill-advised way, but he’s still a solid upper midcarder to this day. Hogan vs. Vince is actually not too shabby either, although my dad s*** on the match because he felt there was no way an old man/non-wrestler like McMahon should be able to hang with a god-like legend like Hogan. My dad passed in 2003, and this was the last Mania we watches together – so it took years for me to enjoy this match for what it was. Brock vs. Angle is good, but the shooting star thing kills it a bit, and its Austin’s final match against the Rock – again a guy who most people knew was leaving the business . . . probably for good even then. Dwayne might be doing silly Disney films, but it does look like he has created a good niche for himself though.
Wrestlemania 20: After my dad passed, this was like the “new era” Wrestlemania. You had the crowning of Chris Benoit, who had been a hero for years and I guess was getting what he all thought at the time was a well-deserved rub. Kurt Angle works miracles along with Eddie, showing us we didn’t need Rock, Austin, or some old guy that still feels he should be booked and paid like its 1987, BROTHER. Brock and Goldberg get a fond goodbye from the New York crowd, which might describe some fans opinions of the big stars that think they’re better than the business. And John Cena gets a reaction he hasn’t gotten in years . . . when people really thought he was cool, and not booked as the second coming of Hogan.
Wrestlemania 21: Hogan returns, but its just a cameo. John Cena wins the title, in a real lackluster match and Tistamania runs wild. Hell, having Triple H put over anybody at Mania – even a buddy was good enough for me at the time.
Wrestlemania 22: Micky James vs. Trish Stratus is still epic for all the right/wrong reasons. I just mark out for somebody who was supposed to be this psycho/lesbian heel getting the Hogan-god-like pop of the decade. Did Triple H vs. Cena happen here too? The whole F*** YOU CENA just shocked me as evil heel Triple H – still lingering from the stench of 2003 – gets babyface pops over the hero John Cena. Then again, I didn’t think Cena had been over since Sur Series 04 anyways. Did Shawn take on Vince here, or the following year? The last couple just blend in together, and I need to really rewatch them.
Wrestlemania 23: I have to watch Shawn vs. Cena. Also need to find the rematch that most tell me is 100-times better too.
Wrestlemania 24: Flair gives his best match in maybe 15 years, and yeah old Flair had some good matches with Triple H and Randy Orton actually.
Wrestlemania 25: The only thing that really felt good here was Taker vs. HBK. Something I hate them to really do again. I don’t want HBK to be the one to end the streak.
That’s my short list on epic matches I’d love to review.
The HBK-Cena rematch is on the second HBK DVD set (Heartbreak & Triumph). Good match, very good, but I don’t think it equaled their Wrestlemania one.
Rock/Hogan was promoted as the main attraction of WM X-8, plain and simple. Just b/c HHH/Jericho was the last match and for the title doesn’t make it the main event. The show was focused more around Rock/Hogan so really, that was the main event.
You could compare it to Savage/Steamboat from WMIII being an integral part and in many aspects overshadowing the main event of Hogan/Andre, but again the show was sold mainly around the latter as the main attraction. If Hogan/Andre was in the middle of the show as opposed to the end would it have been less of the main event? I think not.
I thought the reason the WWF didn’t do Piper/Hogan at this WrestleMania or the next one is that Piper refused to lay down for Hogan? Hogan is always bitching and moaning about how he and Piper could have made “real money” if Piper would’ve laid down…think I heard that in the Hulk Still Rules DVD documentary. You know, the one where he claims to have done shoot fights in Japan to keep the WWF title…so maybe Hulk’s not the best source.
I actually agree with Hulk (I don’t particularly believe him) that the real money was Piper chasing Hogan from the end of Wrestlemania I to Wrestlemania 2 Hogan getting the cage match victory over him there (he could just escape the cage, no pinfall required) and have the big blowoff rematch at MSG later that year.
That would have been huge money.
I agree that a real Piper/Hogan blowoff would have done big bucks…I just wonder what the backstory on Piper not jobbing was. And it was the best move Piper ever made since he got paid tons by WCW & Hogan to come back and do the feud again…in slow motion.
Benoit killing his son with the crossface has been confirmed numerous times.
it absolutely has not. Maybe by I’mawrestlingmark.com but that would be it. Seriously, give me a freaking source, like maybe law enforcement?
It was in the wrestling observer newsletter, and in the Maxim article about the Benoit murders and in Irv Musnick’s book about Benoit
Please tell me you’re joking.
I wish I wasn’t, Benoit killed his kid with the crossface. It’s been confirmed by numerous outlets
Meant to say wish I was joking. Oops.
It was confirmed by Dave Meltzer right after the incident happened.