Wrestle Mania Facts
WrestleMania 23 80,103 people were in Detroit Michigan's Ford Field on April 1, 2007.
WrestleMania 6 DDP drove down the Honky Tonk Man in his convertable
WrestleMania 2000 was the only WrestleMania to not have a normal males single match
WrestleMania 1 is the only WrestleMania to not have a WWF Championship match
Appearances
Most WrestleMania Matches:
20 – The Undertaker
Most WrestleMania Appearances:
20 – The Undertaker
Most Consecutive WrestleMania Appearances:
12 – Bret Hart
Heel & Face Turns
Wrestlers to Make a Face Turn at WrestleMania:
Brutus Beefcake (WM 3)
Andre the Giant (WM 6)
Randy Savage (WM 7)
Steve Austin (WM 13)
The Big Show (WM 15)
Kane (WM 15)
Trish Stratus (WM 17)
Wrestlers to Make a Heel Turn at WrestleMania:
Rick Martel (WM 5)
Curt Hennig (WM 10)
Bret Hart (WM 13)
Triple H (WM 15)
Steve Austin (WM 17)
Trish Stratus (WM 20)
Title Facts
Only Wrestler to Win and Lose the Same Title at the Same WrestleMania (excluding the multiple Hardcore Title matches at WM 18):
Yokozuna (WM9)
Only Wrestler to Lose 2 Belts at the same WrestleMania:
Kurt Angle (WM 16)
Most World Title Victories (WWF, WWE & World Heavyweight Championship)
3 - John Cena (WM 21,25,26)
3 - The Undertaker (WM 13,23,24)
3 - Steve Austin (WM 14,15,17)
3 - Hulk Hogan (WM 5,7,9)
Only man to win a World Title, a secondary title, and a tag team title at WrestleMania:
No one has done this yet
Only wrestlers to win a singles and tag team championship at WrestleMania:
Yokozuna (WWF Championship 9; World Tag Team Championship 11)
Christian (World Tag Team Championship 16/17; Hardcore 18)
Only female to win a men's championship at WrestleMania:
Mighty Molly (Hardcore Championship 18)
Only Tag Teams to Walk out as Champions at Consecutive WrestleMania Events:
Demolition (WM 4,5,6)
Money Inc. (WM 8,9)
Edge & Christian (WM 16,17)
Win/Loss Records
Most WrestleMania Wins:
20 - The Undertaker
Most Consecutive WrestleMania Wins:
20 – The Undertaker
Most Wins at 1 WrestleMania:
4 – Randy Savage (WM 4)
Most WrestleMania Losses:
9 – Triple H
Most Consecutive WrestleMania Losses:
7 – Tito Santana
Most Losses at 1 WrestleMania:
2 – Kurt Angle (WM 16)
Wrestlers That Have Won All of Their Matches at WrestleMania (min. 3 matches):
Animal 3-0
Ax 3-0
Hawk 3-0
Miz 3-0
Rob Van Dam 4-0
Sable 3-0
Undertaker 20-0
Wrestlers to Never Win at WrestleMania (min. 3 matches):
B Brian Blair 0-3
Bart Gunn 0-3
Bubba Ray Dudley 0-4
Crush 0-4
D-Lo Brown 0-3
D-Von Dudley 0-4
Eve 0-3
Finlay 0-4
Goldust 0-5
Jeff Hardy 0-5
Jim Brunzell 0-3
Jimmy Snuka 0-3
Kama Mustafa (The Godfather/Goodfather) 0-3
Koko B Ware 0-3
MVP 0-4
Raymond Rougeau 0-3
Savio Vega 0-3
Vince McMahon 0-4
Wrestlers Placement on the Card
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Final Matches at WrestleMania:
8 - Hulk Hogan
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Consecutive Final Matches at WrestleMania:
5 – Hulk Hogan (WM 5 – 9)
Wrestlers to be in the Final Match at Their First WrestleMania:
Hulk Hogan (WM1)
Mr. T (WM 1)
Roddy Piper (WM 1)
Paul Orndorff(WM1)
Ted DiBiase (WM 4)
Sgt. Slaughter (WM 7)
Sid (WM 8)
Yokozuna (WM 9)
Lawrence Taylor (WM 11)
Brock Lesnar (WM 19)
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Opening Matches:
3 – Shawn Michaels, Big Show, & Finlay
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Consecutive Opening Matches:
3 - Shawn Michaels (WM 7 - 9) & Finlay (WM 23 - 25)
Only Wrestler to be in the Opening & Final Match at the Same WrestleMania:
Bret Hart (WM10)
Only Wrestler to go From the Final Match to the Opening Match the Next Year:
Paul Orndorff (WM 1 & 2)
Wrestlers to go From the First Match to the Last Match the Next Year:
Chris Jericho (WM 17 & 18)
Edge (WM 23 & 24)
The Miz (WM 26 & 27)
Wrestlers to be in Both an Opening & a Final Match at WrestleMania:
Big Show
Bret Hart
Chris Jericho
Edge
John Cena
Paul Orndorff
Randy Orton
Shawn Michaels
The Miz
Yokozuna
Kurt and Angle and Brock Lesnars match at Wrestlemania 19 was the first WrestleMania match where wrestlers used their real names
Longest Match:
WM 12: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (over 1 hour)
Shortest Match:
WM 24: Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero
Shortest Final Match:
WM 9: Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna
Match with Most Competitors:
WM 14: Tag Team Battle Royal (30 competitors)
Matches featuring Junior Division Wrestlers against the regular roster:
WM 3: Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid, & Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook
WM 10: Doink & Dink vs. Luna Vachon & Bam Bam Bigelow
Mixed Tag Team Matches:
WM 6: Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire vs. Randy Savage & Sherri Martel
WM 10: Doink & Dink vs. Luna Vachon & Bam Bam Bigelow
WM 14: Marc Mero & Sable vs. Goldust & Luna
WM 16: Too Cool & Chyna vs. Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko
WM 27: Snooki, Trish Stratus, & John Morrison vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, & Dolph Ziggler
WrestleMania Rematches:
WM 3,4: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
WM 9,10: Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna
WM 15,17,19: The Rock vs. Steve Austin
WM 14,20: The Undertaker vs. Kane
WM 16: Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho (twice the same night)
WM 16,17: Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz
WM 25,26: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 17,27,28: The Undertaker vs. Triple H
Hair vs Hair Matches:
WM 3: Adrian Adonis vs. Roddy Piper
WM 20: Victoria vs. Molly Holly
WM 23: Battle of the Billionaires: Umaga vs. Lashley
Ladder Matches:
WM 10: Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 16: The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
WM 17: The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
WM 21: Edge vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Christian
WM 22: Rob Van Dam vs. Matt Hardy vs. Lashley vs. Finlay vs. Ric Flair vs. Shelton Benjamin
WM 23: Ken Kennedy vs. Edge vs. CM Punk vs. King Booker vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Randy Orton
WM 24: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin
WM 25: CM Punk vs. Mark Henry vs. Finlay vs. MVP vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Christian vs. Kofi Kingston
WM 26: Christian vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger vs. MVP vs. Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kofi Kingston
Matches Featuring Celebrities Wrestling:
WM 1: Mr. T & Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
WM 2: Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper in a boxing match
WM 2: 20 man battle royal with several NFL players
WM 11: Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
WM 15: Butterbean vs. Bart Gunn
WM 21: Akebono vs. The Big Show
WM 24: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Big Show
WM 27: Snooki, Trish Stratus, & John Morrison vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, & Dolph Ziggler
WM 28: Maria Menounos & Kelly Kelly beat Beth Phoenix & Eve
Handicap Matches:
WM 5: Demolition vs. The Powers of Pain and Mr. Fuji
WM 19: Undertaker vs. Big Show & A-Train
WM 22: The Boogey Man vs. Booker T & Sharmell
WM 25: Chris Jericho vs. Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, & Ricky Steamboat
Heel vs. Heel Matches:
WM 15: The Undertaker vs The Big Bossman
Face vs. Face Matches:
WM 6: Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior
WM 8: Roddy Piper vs Bret Hart
WM 12: Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
WM 13: Undertaker vs Sid
WM 17: The Rock vs Steve Austin
WM 23: Shawn Michaels vs John Cena
WM 23: The Undertaker vs Batista
WM 24: Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 25: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 26: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 27: Undertaker vs. Triple H
WM 28: Undertaker vs. Triple H
WM 28: The Rock vs. John Cena
Matches That Ended by Submission:
WM 1: Tito Santana beat The Executioner
WM 3: Roddy Piper beat Adrian Adonis
WM 6: Rick Martel beat Koko B Ware
WM 11: Bret Hart beat Bob Backlund
WM 13: Bret Hart beat Steve Austin
WM 20: Chris Benoit beat Triple H & Shawn Michaels
WM 21: Kurt Angle beat Shawn Michaels
WM 22: John Cena beat Triple H
WM 23: John Cena beat Shawn Michaels
WM 24: Undertaker beat Edge
WM 25: Chris Jericho beat Jimmy Snuka
WM 26: Bret Hart beat Vince McMahon
WM 26: John Cena beat Batista
WM 27: The Undertaker beat Triple H
WM 28: CM Punk beat Chris Jericho
Matches Where Both the Combatants Are No Longer With Us:
WM 1: Andre the Giant vs. Big John Studd
WM 2: Uncle Elmer vs. Adrian Adonis
WM 5: Curt Hennig vs. The Blue Blazer
WM 6: Earthquake vs. Hercules
WM 7: Dino Bravo vs. Kerry Von Erich
WM 7: The Big Bossman vs. Curt Hennig
WM 10: Randy Savage vs. Crush
WM 17: Eddie Guerrero vs. Test
I Am Going to Wrestlemania
Since 1993, the winner of the Royal Rumble has received a championship match at WrestleMania.
Most Fans
WrestleMania III took place in the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan. It still holds the record for highest attendance—93,173.
Attitude
WrestleMania XIV started the Attitude Era when Stone Cold and Mike Tyson swerved D-X.
Main Eventer
Hulk Hogan has a record, eight main-event appearances. His five main events in a row, WrestleMania V to WrestleMania IX, are also a record.
Mr. WrestleMania?
The Undertaker has the most WrestleMania matches with 16. HBK is second with 12, and Hogan is third with 10.
Tag Titles
The Tag Team Title has been up for grabs 20 times.
There was no Tag Team Title Match in WrestleMania III, XXI, XXIII, or XXIV.
The Tag Team Title changed hands 11 of 20 times.
Heels and faces have both won the Tag Team Title Match 10 times.
WrestleMania XXI had no tag team matches.
When heels come in with the belt, they lose the title 60 percent of the time.
When faces come in with the belt, they win 50 percent of the time.
Owen Hart won a record three Tag Team Title matches at WrestleMania.
Edge and Christian and Demolition have the record for most tag team wins (as a team) at WrestleMania with two.
Intercontinental Title
The Intercontinental Title has been defended in 17 of 24 WrestleManias.
The title has changed six times.
Faces have won the match 12 of 17 times.
Match has ended in disqualification four times (WrestleMania IV, VII, XI, XIII).
This match has ended in a count out twice (WM I & IX).
When heels come in as champ, they win 40 percent of the time.
When faces come in as the champ, they win about 64 percent of the time.
Wrestlemania VI was a face vs. face (Hogan vs. Warrior). The Warrior won the match.
WrestleMania X was a IC vs. IC match (Razor vs. HBK) with Razor winning.
Razor Ramon (WrestleMania X and XI) and The Rock (WrestleMania XIII and XIV) have the most IC wins with two.
WWE World Title
The World Title has been defended 23 times.
The title has changed 15 times.
Faces have won the match 22 of 23 times.
Match has ended in disqualification one time (WrestleMania X).
Heels, when they are champ, have lost all 13 of their matches.
The face, as champ, has won seven out of eight times.
Only time a face champion did not win was Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna. And Hogan came back to beat Yokozuna. So, we had a face champion that year, too.
WrestleMania I was the only Mania where the belt was not defended.
Savage won a vacant title in WrestleMania IV.
A face vs. face World Title Match has happened twice—WrestleMania VI (Warrior defeated Hogan) and WrestleMania XXIII (Cena defeated HBK).
Hulk Hogan has the most World Title victories with five (Wrestlemania II, III, V, VII, and IX).
He is followed by Austin (WrestleMania XIV, XV, and XVII) and Cena (WrestleMania XXI, XXII, and XXIII) with three each.
To find out more, listen in to Hit the Ropes Radio. This week's special guests: Booker T, former WWE Tough Enough Winner Daniel Puder, and possibly Matt Cappotelli.
Break Down of Wrestle Manias 1-21
Wrestle Mania1
WrestleMania took place on March 31, 1985, in Madison Square Garden. Millions more watched the event on closed circuit TV. The main event featured Hulk Hogan and Mr. T beat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Celebrities involved in that match included Muhammad Ali, Billy Martin, Liberace, and The Rockettes. Howard Finkel came up with the name when he mentioned Beatlemania.
The End of the Territorial Era:
Prior to 1984, a wrestling promoter and his organization would run their events within a specific geographic territory. However due to cable TV and an aggressive young promoter named Vince McMahon, the business model had changed. Vince was determined to have his version of sports entertainment become a national company. He broke the rules among promoters and expanded beyond his northeast territory.
The Competition:
There were two major companies that were a threat to the WWF. They were the AWA and Jim Crockett Promotions NWA. To battle Vince, they joined forces for live events in Vince's traditional northeast markets. In addition, the Texas based World Class territory had the largest attended event in wrestling history the prior year and their programming was shown internationally.
The Cost of Expansion:
By 1985, Vince had successfully knocked several companies out of business. However, this expansion was expensive and not all the rasslin fans enjoyed Vince's sports entertainment. Vince had to expand the audience for professional wrestling and did so by incorporating celebrities and being open with the press. He called this the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection. He also needed to create a Super Bowl type of event and that is the birth of WrestleMania.
The Events that led to WrestleMania:
It all started with Lou Albano appearing in Cyndi Lauper's Girl's Just Want to Have Fun Video. Their feud led to a successful MTV live telecast. A few months later, MTV broadcast the War to Settle the Score. At that event, Mr. T save Cyndi Lauper from being beaten up by Roddy Piper. In 1985, Mr. T was the biggest star in the country and Cyndi Lauper and Madonna were the two biggest female singers.
Press – The Good and the Very Ugly:
Two incidents on the road to WrestleMania marred the great publicity the company was getting. On one occasion, Dr. D David Schultz assaulted 20/20 reporter John Stossel. On another occasion, Hulk Hogan injured Richard Belzer when he applied a wrestling hold too hard. The highlight of the press coverage was the night before the big event when Hulk Hogan and Mr. T hosted Saturday Night Live.
Highlights of the Event:
The main event saw Hulk Hogan and Mr. T beat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Another memorable match was the body slam match between Big John Studd and Andre the Giant. If Andre couldn't slam Studd, he would have to retire. When he slammed Studd, he won a duffel bag full of money that he threw to the crowd.
The Aftermath:
Due to the success of this event, within a few months the WWF had released an album, produced wrestling figures, broadcast a Saturday morning cartoon show, and a TV show for NBC, and Hulk Hogan appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Within a few years, all of Vince's competitors would go out of business.
Random Event Facts:
- This is the only WrestleMania where the WWE Championship was not on the line.
- The Executioner was “Playboy” Buddy Rose
- Matt Borne would go on to be known as Doink the Clown
- Pat Patterson, who refereed the main event, is the only Intercontinental Champion not to wrestle at a WrestleMania event.
The Results of the Event:
- Tito Santana defeated The Executioner
- David Sammartino & Brutus Beefcake fought to a double-DQ
- Rick Steamboat pinned Matt Borne
- King Kong Bundy pinned SD Jones
- I-C Title: Junkyard Dog beat champion Greg Valentine by count out
- Tag Team Title: Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff won titles from Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo
- Body Slam Challenge: Andre the Giant beat Big John Studd
- Women's Title: Wendi Richter won title from Lelani Kai
- Hulk Hogan & Mr.T defeated Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
WrestleMania 2
With the success of WrestleMania, the WWF was intent on making the event bigger. They did this by holding the event in three places (NY, Chicago, & LA). Whereas WrestleMania had a handful of celebrities, WrestleMania 2 had close to two dozen. This event was held on Monday April 7, 1986. This is the only time the event has not been on a Sunday.
The Events Leading to the Main Events:
The February edition of Saturday Night's Main Event set up this show. Mr. T had a boxing match with Roddy Piper's bodyguard. Bob Orton. After the match, Piper whipped Mr. T with his belt. Later in the show, Hulk Hogan was injured by King Kong Bundy when he was sneak attacked after his match. Hulk was forced to leave the arena in an ambulance and suffered broken ribs.
Nassau Coliseum:
This portion of the show featured The Mr. T boxing match. The biggest problem of the event reared it's ugly head immediately as the announce teams were horrible. Actress Susan St. James did the commentary with Vince McMahon in this portion of the event and she had no knowledge of wrestling. It has to be noted that she is the wife of NBC Sports head Dick Ebersol. The New York matches were pretty bad also and the fans started to cheer for Roddy Piper.
Rosemont Horizon:
The main event in Chicago was a battle royal featuring wrestlers vs NFL players. William “The Refrigerator” Perry was in his hometown for this match at the height of his popularity. The best match was The British Bulldogs vs Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake. The Bulldogs were a revolutionary tag team but due to injuries did not last that long. The Dynamite Kid's style of wrestling lives on in Chris Benoit.
LA Sports Arena:
The main event saw Hulk Hogan defeat King Kong Bundy in a steel cage match. This match saw the debut of the blue bar style of the steel cage. This style of cage made it a lot easier for the wrestlers to climb the cage. That style of cage was used for the next 15 years.
The Aftermath:
The WWF never held another event at multiple locations. This was also the only time that WrestleMania was not held on a Sunday. The use of celebrities was also pared down because the wrestlers were now legitimate stars in their own right. This was also the final WrestleMania where closed circuit TV was the main revenue of the event.
The Competition:
By 1986, Jim Crockett was the only viable competition to the WWF. World Class Championship wrestling had dropped out of the NWA and a series of drug related injuries and deaths would destroy the company. The AWA held a huge show at The Metrodome but it was considered a flop and they compounded their problems with some questionable booking decisions and an embarrassing world title situation.
The Matches:
Nassau Coliseum; Uniondale, NY
- Don Muraco fought Paul Orndorff to a double-count out
- I-C Title: Champion Randy Savage pinned George "The Animal" Steele
- Jake Roberts pinned George Welles
- Mr. T beat Roddy Piper by DQ in a boxing match
Rosemont Horizon; Chicago, IL
- Women's Title: Champ Fabulous Moolah pinned Velvet McIntyre
- Cpl. Kirchner pinned Nikolai Volkoff
- Andre the Giant won a battle royal featuring several NFL players by last eliminating Bret Hart
- Tag Team Title: The British Bulldogs won the titles from Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake
L.A. Sports Arena; Los Angeles, CA
- Ricky Steamboat pinned Hercules Hernandez
- Adrian Adonis pinned Uncle Elmer
- Dory & Terry Funk defeated Junkyard Dog & Tito Santana
- WWF Title Match in a steel cage: Champ Hulk Hogan beat King Kong Bundy
Wrestle Mania 3
WrestleMania III was held on March 29, 1989, at the Pontiac Silverdome. The attendance of 93,173 is a North American indoor attendance record. This event represented the pinnacle of popularity for the sport in the 1980's.
The Attendance Question:
The attendance figure is highly disputed because someone allegedly reported that "someone on the inside" said the real number was around 75,000. My opinion is that the numbers do add up. The 62,000 attendance for WM 8 has never been disputed. The Silverdome fits over 20,000 more for football then the RCA dome. In addition, the floor configuration at this event was much more crowded than the floor at WM 8 which featured many large gaps in the seating arrangements. These two observations make me believe the 93,000 number. Bleacher Report has taken a different path to prove the 93,000 number which also makes sense.
The Biggest Main Event Ever:
Whereas the previous events needed celebrities, there was no doubt that the main draw for this show was Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant. The match was billed as the first meeting between these men. It was described as the irresistible force vs. the immovable object.
The Events Leading to this Match:
Hulk and Andre were best friends. Andre was suspended but for some mysterious reason his enemy Bobby Heenan had the suspension lifted. Over the course of several episodes of Piper's Pit, it became known that Bobby Heenan was Andre's new manager and he wanted to fight Hulk for the title at WrestleMania III. A larger version of the belt was created for Andre in case he won the match.
The Match :
Hulk Hogan almost lost the match several seconds in when he couldn't body slam Andre. Ten minutes later, Hulk was able to slam Andre and hit the leg drop for the historic win. It was the end of Andre's undefeated streak.
Other Highlights:
The match of the night was Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage. In addition to the match being for the I-C title, Steamboat was out for revenge because Savage injured his throat a few months earlier. Another major event saw the first retirement match of Roddy Piper's career. He went on to film the movie They Live.
The Aftermath:
This event was one of the watershed moments for the new Pay Per View industry. The WWF seeked to keep this revenue stream for themselves and created the Survivor Series and The Royal Rumble to thwart Jim Crockett's attempts have a successful PPV. Jim Crockett would return the favor when WrestleMania IV rolled around.
Random Event Facts:
- This would be the final time that Hulk successfully defended the title at WrestleMania.
- Hogan and Andre had fought previously and Andre wasn't undefeated.
- A few months later, the legitimacy of the sport was revealed when mortal enemies The Iron Sheik and Jim Duggan were arrested for drug possession when they were riding in the same car.
Match Results:
- Rick Martel & Tom Zenk beat Don Muraco & Bob Orton
- Hercules Hernandez & Billy Jack Haynes fought to a double-count out
- Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, & Little Beaver beat King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo , & Lord Littlebrook by DQ
- "King" Harley Race pinned Junkyard Dog and by stipulation forced JYD to bow to him
- Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake beat Jacques & Raymond Rougeau
- In a hair vs hair match: The retiring Roddy Piper beat Adrian Adonis
- Danny Davis & Tag Champs The Hart Foundation beat The British Bulldogs & Tito Santana
- Butch Reed pinned Koko B. Ware
- I-C Title: Ricky Steamboat won the title from Randy Savage
- The Honky Tonk Man pinned Jake Roberts
- The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff beat The Killer Bees by DQ
- WWF Title: Champion Hulk Hogan pinned Andre the Giant
Wrestle Mania 4
WrestleMania IV took place on March 27, 1988, at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. The main event was a tournament for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship. That day wrestling fans attention was divided because of a free event Jim Crockett ran against the Pay Per View.
The Clash of the Champions:
The WWF created The Survivor Series and The Royal Rumble to disrupt Jim Crockett's first two PPV shows. As revenge, he scheduled the first Clash of Champions to air live on TBS against WrestleMania IV. That show was famous for the Sting vs Ric Flair 45 minute draw. That match turned Sting into a superstar.
The Megapowers:
In the fall of 87, Randy Savage was feuding with The Honky Tonk Man over the I-C title. During a match on SNME, The Honky Tonk Man, with the help of the Hart Foundation, threw Miss Elizabeth to the ground. She ran to the back to get help. She came back with Hulk Hogan. After the match, Hulk and Randy shaked hands and became friends.
The Million Dollar Man:
”The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase entered the WWF in the summer of 87 telling people he could buy whatever he wanted because every man has his price. He attempted to purchase the WWF Championship from Hulk Hogan but found out that he could not buy Hulk Hogan. He then bought the next best thing, the contract of Andre the Giant.
The Return of Wrestling to Prime Time TV:
Andre and Hulk had their rematch live on NBC in the most watched match in wrestling history. Ted DiBiase bought off the referee (actually the twin of the referee) and Andre won the match. Andre then relinquished the title and gave it to Ted DiBiase. President Jack Tunny declared the title vacant since the title could not be sold.
The Tournament:
Hulk and Andre had first round byes and were guaranteed to meet up in the second round. That match ended in a double DQ. Randy and Ted fought in the finals. Ted had Andre and his servant Virgil in his corner. Savage had Elizabeth go to the back to get Hulk. The match ended when Hulk hit DiBiase with a chair and Randy then hit the elbow off the top rope to become champion.
The Aftermath:
Jim Crockett was forced to sell his company to Ted Turner a few months later. However in his feud with Vince McMahon he won the battle on 3/27/88. More people saw Sting vs Ric Flair than saw “The Macho Man” win the WWF Championship. In addition, anyone that saw both shows would have to agree that the Clash was the superior program on that night.
Random Facts:
- Due to a timing snafu, the WWF Magazine came out a few days before the show and stated on the cover that Savage had won the tournament.
- Bret Hart had a face turn. He would be a good guy for the next 8 years.
- This is the first WrestleMania not to finish with a Hulk Hogan match.
- Donald Trump sat ring side for this event. He would be at ringside for 3 other events.
Match Results:
Clash of Champions
TV Title (Amateur Rules): Champ Mike Rotunda beat Jimmy Garvin
US Tag Team Titles: Champs The Midnight Express beat The Fantastics by DQ
Barbed Wire Match: The Road Warriors & Dusty Rhodes beat The Powers of Pain & Ivan Koloff
NWA Tag Team Championship: Lex Luger & Barry Windham defeated Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard to win the titles
NWA World Championship: Champ Ric Flair vs Sting battled to a time limit draw
WrestleMania IV
Tournament Round 1:
Ted DiBiase pinned Jim Duggan
- Don Muraco beat Dino Bravo via DQ
- Greg Valentine pinned Ricky Steamboat
- Randy Savage pinned Butch Reed
- One Man Gang beat Bam Bam Bigelow via count out
- Rick Rude and Jake Roberts battled to a draw, eliminating both men
Quarterfinals
- Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant fought to a double-DQ, eliminating both men
- Ted DiBiase pinned Don Muraco
- Randy Savage pinned Greg Valentine
Semifinal
- Randy Savage pinned One Man Gang
Final
- Randy Savage pinned Ted DiBiase to become new WWF Champion
Non-tournament Matches
- Bad News Brown won a battle royal by last eliminating Bret Hart
- The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hercules Hernandez
- I-C Title: Brutus Beefcake beat The Honky Tonk Man via DQ, HTM keeps the title
- The Islanders & Bobby Heenan beat The British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware
- Tag Team Title: Demolition beat Rick Martel & Tito Santana to win the tag team titles
Wrestle Mania 5
WrestleMania V took place on April 2, 1989. For the only time in event history, the event was held in the same arena for back to back years. The main event featured Randy Savage defend the WWF title against Hulk Hogan. As the previous year, the NWA ran a Clash of Champions special live on TBS against WrestleMania. The big difference was that Ted Turner was the owner of the company.
Ted Turner:
Ted Turner bought Jim Crockett's wrestling promotion in the summer of 88. The company kept the NWA name until 1991 when they became known as World Championship Wrestling. With the exception of this event, WCW wasn't a thorn in the side of the WWF until 1995. This installment of the Clash featured Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat in a best of 3 falls match. While this was the match of the night, WrestleMania was the better event.
The Megapowers Explode:
Throughout the year, Randy was getting more and more paranoid about his friend Hulk Hogan. On a live edition of The Main Event, the team came apart during a match against the Big Bossman and Akeem. Hulk left his partner to attend to the injured Elizabeth. After the match, Randy accused Hulk of lusting after Elizabeth and his title. He then attacked Hogan in the locker room.
The Main Event:
Randy's elbow was heavily taped for this match due to an injury he was going to have surgery on. Elizabeth was in a neutral corner for the match before th ref made her go to the back for her own safety. The match ended like most Hulk Hogan matches. After he Hulked up, he hit the big leg drop to get the win and the title.
Other Highlights:
In a huge surprise, Rick Rude beat The Ultimate Warrior for the Intercontinental Championship. Roddy Piper returned to the ring and conducted a Piper's Pit with special guest Brother Love and Morton Downy Jr. The segment ended with Piper dousing Downey with a fire extinguisher because he wouldn't stop blowing cigarette smoke in Piper's face.
The Aftermath:
The movie No Holds Barred was released that summer. Hulk's movie nemesis Zeus (Tiny Lister) would become Savage's ally in this battle which also saw Hall of Famer Sherri Martel take the place of Elizabeth as Savage's corner person. While Savage and Hogan continued their feud, The Ultimate Warrior was quickly becoming a crowd favorite.
Match Results:
- Hercules pinned King Haku
- Akeem & Big Bossman pinned The Rockers
- Ted DiBiase & Brutus Beefcake battled to a double-count out
- The Bushwhackers pinned The Rougeau Brothers
- Curt Hennig pinned The Blue Blazer
- Tag Team Title: Champions Demolition pinned The Powers of Pain & Mr. Fuji
- Dino Bravo pinned Ron Garvin
- The Brainbusters beat Tito Santana & Rick Martel
- Jake Roberts beat Andre the Giant via DQ - Big John Studd was referee
- The Hart Foundation beat Greg Valentine & The Honky Tonk Man
- Piper's Pit: Roddy Piper had guests Brother Love & Morton Downey Jr. The segment ended when Piper doused Downey with a fire extinguisher
- I-C Title: Rick Rude pinned The Ultimate Warrior to win the title
- Jim Duggan & Bad News Brown fought to a double-DQ
- Terry Taylor pinned Bobby Heenan
- WWF Title: Hulk Hogan regained the title by defeating Randy Savage
Wrestle Mania 6
On April 1, 1990, WrestleMania VI was held at the Skydome in Toronto, Canada. Billed as the Ultimate Challenge, the main event featured the very rare good guy vs. good guy match up in Hulk Hogan vs the Ultimate Warrior.
Toronto Wrestling History:
In 1986, the WWF held an event at the CNE Stadium that became the largest attended wrestling event (eventually eclipsed by WM III). Dubbed The Big Event, the main event was Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff. Several years later, the Skydome was built and it just made sense to hold this event there.
NBC's The Big Event:
While the two previous NBC specials directly influenced the card, the big story that night was a Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage rematch. Mike Tyson was originally supposed to referee that match but lost his title several days earlier to Buster Douglas. Buster refereed that match but Mike would return to the WWF eight years later.
The Ultimate Challenge:
The main event featured World Champion Hulk Hogan battle Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior. Both men were beloved by the fans. While a situation involving The Earthquake brought some tension between the men, both men were gentlemen and neither man attacked the other before the match. The only contact between the men was during the Royal Rumble when both men knocked each other out.
The Match:
Both men put on one of the greatest matches of their careers. When it appeared Hulk was about to hit his winning leg drop, the Warrior moved and hit his splash for the win. After the match, both men shook hands and it appeared that Hulk had passed the torch to the Ultimate Warrior.
Other Highlights:
Demolition regained the tag team titles from Andre the Giant and Haku. After the match, Andre beat up Bobby Heenan and was once again adored by the fans. While he would make an appearance at WrestleMania VII, this was his final WrestleMania match. Andre died a few years later and became the first person inducted into WWE Hall of Fame.
The Aftermath:
The Intercontinental title was vacated and Mr. Perfect won a tournament to win the belt. Even though Hulk was no longer champ, he was still the biggest star in the company and would co-main event the next two PPV events with the Warrior.
Random Facts:
- Edge was in the crowd for this event.
- Diamond Dallas Page drove the pink Cadillac used by the Honky Tonk Man.
- Steve Allen was a guest celebrity at the show. A few years later, he was one of the most outspoken critics against the WWF when they had their battle with the Parents Television Council.
Match Results:
- Rick Martel beat Koko B. Ware
- Tag Team Title: Demolition regained the title from Andre the Giant & Haku
- Earthquake pinned Hercules
- Brutus Beefcake beat Curt Hennig
- Roddy Piper fought Bad News Brown to a double-count out
- The Hart Foundation beat The Bolsheviks
- The Barbarian pinned Tito Santana
- Mixed Tag Team Match: Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire beat "The Macho King" Randy Savage & "Queen" Sherri
- The Orient Express beat The Rockers via count out
- Jim Duggan pinned Dino Bravo
- Ted DiBiase regained his "Million Dollar Belt" from Jake Roberts by count out
- Big Bossman pinned Akeem. Before the match he was attacked by Ted DiBiase who was hiding at ringside after his match.
- Rick Rude pinned Jimmy Snuka
- WWF Title & I-C Title: The Ultimate Warrior beat Hulk Hogan to win the WWF championship
Wrestle Mania 7
WrestleMania VII took place on March 24, 1991 at the L.A. Sports Arena. The event was originally scheduled to take place at the L.A. Coliseum but was moved due to security issues. The controversial main event pitted Hulk Hogan battling Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter. At the time, the U.S. was at war with Iraq.
The Events Leading to the Main Events:
After several months of insulting the troops of Operation Desert Shield, Sgt. Slaughter was granted a title match against the Ultimate Warrior at the Royal Rumble. A few days before the event, the war started and Sgt. Slaughter won the world title with the help of Randy Savage. It was only natural that 'The Real American” Hulk Hogan would battle Sgt. Slaughter.
The Main Event:
The match between Slaughter and Hogan was a brutal match. At one point in the match, Slaughter draped the Iraqi flag over Hogan. However, Hulk Hogan and America would prevail as Hulk hit the leg drop to regain the title. The show ended with a very bloody Hulk Hogan waving the flag of the U.S.A.
The Other Big Match:
Interest was just as high for the retirement match between Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior. As great as the match was, it is the surprise ending that this WrestleMania is most known for. After losing the match, Savage was attacked by Queen Sherri. Miss Elizabeth ran into the ring and saved her former man. The two embraced and the crowd was literally in tears.
The Aftermath:
Randy became a TV commentator and married Elizabeth at SummerSlam. He returned to the ring in late November and feuded with Jake Roberts. The Ultimate Warrior left the WWF after SummerSlam. Sgt. Slaughter became an American hero again a few months later. Hulk would go on to meet his gravest challenge in the form of the Undertaker.
The Competition :
At this point in time, it appeared that WCW was doing everything they possibly could to go out of business. A few months after this show, Ric Flair appeared on WWF TV with the WCW World title. Additionally, their young superstar Sid Vicious also signed with the WWF. Both men would go on to be in the main events at WrestleMania VIII.
Random Facts:
- Celebrities sitting ring side included Donald Trump, Henry Winkler, Macaulay Caulkin, Chuck Norris, and Lou “The Other Hulk” Ferrigno.
- This is the first of 3 consecutive opening matches for Shawn Michaels.
- Both Demolition and the Hart Foundation were broken up by the WWF after this event.
Match Results:
- The Rockers beat The Barbarian & Haku
- Kerry Von Erich beat Dino Bravo
- Davey Boy Smith pinned The Warlord
- Tag Team Title: The Nasty Boys won the titles from The Hart Foundation
- Blindfold Match: Jake Roberts pinned Rick Martel
- The Undertaker pinned Jimmy Snuka
- Retirement Match: The Ultimate Warrior pinned Randy Savage. After the match, Randy Savage reunited with Miss Elizabeth.
- Koji Kitao & Genichiro Tenryu beat Demolition
- I-C Title: Big Bossman beat Champion Curt Hennig by DQ. Curt Hennig keeps the title.
- Earthquake pinned Greg Valentine
- The Legion of Doom beat Power & Glory
- Virgil beat Ted DiBiase by count out
- The Mountie beat Tito Santana
- WWF Title: Hulk Hogan won the championship for the third time by beating Sgt. Slaughter
Wrestle Mania 8
WrestleMania VIII took place on April 5, 1992, at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, IN. This WrestleMania featured a double main event and what was billed as possibly Hulk Hogan's retirement match. The event is most famous for a surprise return at the end of the show.
The World Title Situation:
WCW World Champ Ric Flair entered the WWF with the title in the fall of 91. He caused so much interference in The Undertaker vs Hulk Hogan title matches that Jack Tunney declared the title vacant. Ric Flair won the Royal Rumble to become the World Champion. Everyone was expecting the main event to be the dream match of Hogan vs Flair but for some reason, the WWF went in a different direction.
She Was Mine Before She Was Yours:
Ric Flair defended the WWF title against Randy Savage. To build up the match, Flair had published photos in WWF magazine to make it appear that Flair and Elizabeth had been an item before she was with Savage. Randy won the match and it was later revealed that the photos Flair published were fakes.
Farewell to the Hulk and the Return of a Former WrestleMania Opponent:
Hulk's battle against Sid Justice was billed as Hulk's possible farewell match. Their issues started at during the Royal Rumble and escalated at a SNME event where Sid abandoned Hulk during a tag team match. This match ended when Sid kicked out of the leg drop and his friend Papa Shango came into the ring to beat up Hulk. Out of nowhere, The Ultimate Warrior appeared to rescue Hulk.
A New Era?:
The best match of the night was an I-C title match between friends Roddy Piper and Bret Hart. Bret went on to win this match and in the process became the first man to ever pin Roddy Piper in a nationally televised match in the WWF. The two men left the ring arm in arm. Bret would go on to become the World Champion by the end of the year and be in the main event of next year's show.
The Aftermath:
The Ultimate Warrior was put under a voodoo spell by Papa Shango and left the company soon afterwards. Flair would regain the title but would leave the WWF in January. Hulk left the WWF for the year and would return in time for WM 9. Sid also left the WWF shortly after this match.
Dark Clouds on the Horizon:
Two events would hurt the image of the WWF. During the summer, there was a huge sex scandal against the company where certain members of the company were accused of sexually harassing wrestlers and ring boys. In 1991, George Zahorian was on trial for steroid distribution and it came out that many of his clients were WWF wrestlers.
Random Facts:
- Roddy Piper was pinned for the first time on WWF TV at this event.
- Jake Roberts held up his match so he could sign a release from the WWF.
- This was the first time that the WWF Championship match was not last on the card.
- Tito Santana lost in his seventh straight WrestleMania appearance.
Match Results:
- Shawn Michaels pinned Tito Santana
- Undertaker beat Jake Roberts
- I-C Title: Bret Hart pinned Roddy Piper to win the title
- Tag Team Title: The Natural Disasters beat the champions Ted DiBiase & IRS by count out. Ted DiBiase & IRS retain the titles.
- WWF Title: Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair to win the title
- Virgil, Big Bossman, Jim Duggan & Sgt. Slaughter beat The Nasty Boys, Repo Man, & The Mountie
- Owen Hart beat Skinner
- In his "possible retirement" match, Hulk Hogan beat Sid Justice by DQ. After the match, The Ultimate Warrior returned to save Hogan.
Wrestle Mania 9
WrestleMania IX was held on April 4, 1993 and took place at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is the only WrestleMania to be held outdoors. It is also generally considered to be the worst of the WrestleMania events. The event was dubbed "The World's Largest Toga Party" and featured Jim Ross wear a toga in his WWE announicing debut.
The Back Story:
The WWF was reeling from both the loss of Hulk Hogan and a public relations nightmare involving steroids and underage sex. The man leading this new era of the WWF was Bret Hart, a wrestler that did not look like the prototypical steroid freak that previous champions looked like. Bret was scheduled to defend his belt against Yokozuna, a 500 plus pound former Sumo wrestler.
The Return of Brutus Beefcake and Hulk Hogan:
One of the highlights of the show was the return of Hulk Hogan. His friend Brutus Beefcake was attacked by Money Inc. Hulk came out of retirement to help his friend who had suffered a serious injury to his face years earlier in a parasailing accident. Brutus had to wrestle with a mask on his face. However, the man with the injury to the face that put the match in jeopardy was Hulk Hogan.
An Eye Injury:
Fans watching the show immediately were able to notice two things about Hulk. The fist was that he appeared noticeably smaller and the second was a hideous black eye. The story given to fans was that Money Inc. hired goons to attack Hogan. The official reason given has been that Hulk suffered a jet ski accident. WWF officials were not certain the day of the show if Hulk could make it, but he fought. Most fans would say he fought one match too many that night.
What Just Happened?:
The Bret Hart era came to an end when Mr. Fuji threw salt in his eyes which allowed Yokozuna to win the title. From the back, Hulk Hogan came out to protest the decision and wound up with a title match. Seconds later, Hulk Hogan was the new world champion. For one night at least, Hulkamania ran wild.
What Were They Thinking?:
This has been called the worst WrestleMania for a reason. In addition to there being no great matches, some of the gimmicks that the wrestlers were given were beyond horrible. The most hideous part of the show was The Undertaker vs Giant Gonzalez match. The Giant wore a body suit with muscles painted on it, fur over his privates and a painted butt crack. If that outfit sounds bad, I guarantee you that the match was even worse.
The Aftermath:
Hulk would defend the title only once and lost it at the King of the Ring to Yokozuna. Lex Luger was given the chance to be the next Hulk Hogan and was put on the Lex Express bus tour to gain support in his SummerSlam battle against Yokozuna. The sex scandal was put behind the company, but a steroid trial for Vince McMahon was on the horizon and threatened to destroy the company.
Random Facts:
- Yokozuna's title reign was the shortest for anyone that defended the title.
- Yokozuna is the only man to fight twice at two straight WrestleMania events.
- The Undertaker match is the only time he did not win a WrestleMania match by pin fall.
- This is the last time that Hulk Hogan has appeared in the final match at WrestleMania.
Match Results:
- I-C Title: Tatanka beat Champion Shawn Michaels by DQ. Michaels keeps the title - The Steiner Brothers beat The Headshrinkers
- Doink pinned Crush
- Razor Ramon pinned Bob Backlund
- Tag Team Title: Champs IRS & Ted DiBiase beat Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake by DQ.
- Lex Luger pinned Curt Hennig
- The Undertaker beat Giant Gonzalez by DQ
- WWF Title: Yokozuna pinned Bret Hart to win the title
- WWF Title: Hulk Hogan pinned Yokozuna to win the title
Wrestle Mania 10
WrestleMania X took place on March 20, 1994, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event featured two incredible matches and the beginning of the new generation era of the WWF. Hulk Hogan was not on the show and the main event featured two WWF title matches.
The Main Event Situation:
The Royal Rumble was declared a tie between Lex Luger and Bret Hart. Both men were to receive title matches at WrestleMania. A coin flip determined that Lex would fight Yokozuna first and Bret would have to fight his brother Owen so all men would have the same number of matches.
Bret vs Owen:
This sibling rivalry was due to Owen being jealous of all the success his brother had. At the Royal Rumble, Owen attacked his injured brother after they lost a tag team title match. The match between the brothers was incredible and was easily the greatest opening match in WrestleMania history. After 20 minutes, Owen surprised the world and beat his brother Bret.
The World Title Situation:
In the first title match, Yokozuna beat Lex Luger by DQ due to the corruption of special referee Mr. Perfect. In the final match of the evening, Bret Hart beat Yokozuna when Yoko slipped off the ropes when he attempted the Bonzai splash. The show ended with the locker room clearing out and the stars holding Bret on their shoulders. Meanwhile, Owen came to ringside and just glared at his brother.
The Most Revolutionary Match in WrestleMania History:
Shawn Michaels was stripped of the Intercontinental Title several months earlier and Razor Ramon won a battle royal to become the new champ. Both men held a physical belt and both men claimed to be the real champ. The two belts were place high above the ring and could only be reached by ladder. This was the first ladder match in WWF PPV history and was such a success that they are relatively common place today. Razor Ramon won this match.
Aftermath:
Bret would go on to face his brother Owen in a tremendous series of matches. Shawn's bodyguard Diesel would become one of the most popular stars in the company and would go on to win the WWF Championship at MSG a few months later. The transitional champion was the surprising Bob Backlund, who beat Bret thanks to Owen at the Survivor Series but lost the belt to Diesel a few days later.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel:
That summer, Vince would win his steroid trial against the federal government. Vince would not be able to rest on his laurels though as a new man took over WCW. His name was Eric Bischoff and his plan was to use Ted Turner's money to take over wrestling. His first big move was the signing of Hulk Hogan that summer.
Random Facts:
- This was the first WrestleMania without Hulk Hogan
- This was the final WrestleMania for Randy Savage
- Howard Finkel wore a hair piece from the Hair Club for Men.
Match Results:
- Owen Hart pinned Bret Hart
- Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon beat Doink & Dink
- Falls count anywhere: Randy Savage beat Crush when Crush couldn't return to the ring in time
- Women's Title: Champion Alundra Blayze beat Lelani Kai
- Tag Team Title: Men on a Mission beat the Champion Quebecers by count out. The Quebecers keep the title.
- WWF Title Match 1: Yokozuna beat Lex Luger by DQ when Luger touched guest referee Curt Hennig
- Earthquake beat Adam Bomb
- I-C Title Ladder Match: Razor Ramon beat Shawn Michaels
- WWF Title Match 2: Bret Hart won the title by beating Yokozuna. Roddy Piper was guest referee.
Wrestle Mania 11
WrestleMania XI tool place on April 2, 1995, at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, CT. The main event featured recently retired New York Giant great Lawrence Taylor battle Bam Bam Bigelow. The match brought the WWF some major mainstream publicity at a time when the wrestling business greatly needed some good publicity.
The Set Up:
At the Royal Rumble, Bam Bam Bigelow shoved LT. Bigelow felt that LT, who was sitting at ringside, was making fun of him for losing a match. This event led to this match. As part of the promotion, a public workout was held at Times Square where the angle was furthered. LT brought in several football players to watch his back because Bam Bam Bigelow had the entire Million Dollar Corporation in his corner.
The Match:
Despite never wrestling before, LT was surprisingly competent in the ring and the match one of the best of the night (which is why many consider this one of the worst WrestleMania events). LT’s ring entrance was performed by Salt-n-Pepa. They sang Whatta Man but changed the lyrics for LT. On of the wrestlers in LT’s corner, Steve McMichael would go on to be a star for the rival WCW promotion.
The World Title Match :
Shawn Michaels earned the right to fight his former bodyguard Diesel by winning The Royal Rumble. Shawn’s new bodyguard was Sid. Diesel won the match due in part to some mistakes made by Sid. In a backdrop to this match, Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson both left the ring with Diesel. The next night, Sid turned on Shawn and the friendship between Diesel and Shawn was renewed.
The Start of the Monday Night War:
That fall, WCW launched Monday Nitro. The show ran against Monday Night Raw. The show was broadcast live, as opposed to RAW being taped, and WCW would give away the results of the WWF program. Vince McMahon decided to fight the threat of WCW in a bizarre fashion that would culminate at the following WrestleMania.
Random Facts:
- The LT and WWF Title matches were broadcast on a Fox TV special a few weeks after WrestleMania.
- The Undertaker’s urn was stolen and was melted into a gold chain by Kama Mustafa (The Godfather).
- The loudest ovation of the night was when it was announced before the event that the U Conn women’s basketball team won the NCAA championship.
Match Results:
- Lex Luger & Davey Boy Smith beat Eli & Jacob Blu
- I-C Title: Razor Ramon beat champ Jeff Jarrett by DQ. Jarrett keeps the title.
- The Undertaker beat King Kong Bundy
- Tag Team Title: Owen Hart & Yokozuna win the titles from The Smokin' Guns
- I Quit Match: Bret Hart forces Bob Backlund to submit. Roddy Piper was guest referee.
- WWF Title: Champion Diesel pinned Shawn Michaels
- Lawrence Taylor pinned Bam Bam Bigelow
Wrestle Mania 12
WrestleMania XII took place on 3/31/96 and was held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA. The main event featured a 60 minute Iron Man match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. The other highlight of this show was a great match between The Undertaker and Diesel.
The Huckster vs The Nacho Man:
As part of the pre-show, this “match” took place with Billionaire Ted as the referee. This was the culmination of the bizarre Billionaire Ted sketches, which were the WWF’s way of fighting WCW. They also took up placing ads in newspapers begging fans to contact the FTC to make sure that the sale of Turner’s assets to Time Warner not be allowed because it would be unfair to the WWF.
The Main Event Setup:
Shawn earned this title match against Bret Hart by winning the Royal Rumble. The match was promoted with Rocky style training vignettes. The disparity between videos for the men was laughable. Shawn was shown training with his original trainer Jose Lothario and doing amazing feats to accomplish his boyhood dream. Bret was getting beaten up by his father and was shown running in what appeared to be awkward slow motion. What was not noticeable to fans was that he was running on ice.
The Match:
Shawn had a spectacular entrance by coming down a zip line. The champ just walked to the ring. The rules of the match were that the man to win the most falls in an hour would win the match. At the 60 minute mark, Shawn was trapped in the sharpshooter with the match was tied 0-0. President Gorilla Monsoon called for overtime which Shawn won in overtime. If Bret thought the ending of this match was unfair, he’d really learn what unfair was at their rematch year and a half later.
The Aftermath:
Bret was left the WWF for several months after this match and almost signed a contract with WCW. While he didn’t, both Kevin Nash and Scott Hall did. With Hulk Hogan, they formed the NWO. The WWF countered by creating many wrestlers that had day jobs and made up for the losses of Hall and Nash by creating Fake Diesel and Fake Razor Ramon. WCW would go on to win the Monday Night Wars for the next year and a half.
Random Facts:
- Footage of the OJ Simpson car chase was used in the Roddy Piper-Goldust car chase.
- This was The Ultimate Warrior’s return match to the WWF.
- Sable was Triple H’s valet for this match
- Marc Mero made his WWF debut in an interview in the back and in the process came to the defense of Sable.
Match Results:
- Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, & Big Van Vader beat Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, & Jake Roberts
- Hollywood Back Lot Brawl: Roddy Piper beat Goldust in a match that started in a back lot and ended up in the ring after a highway car chase.
- Steve Austin beat Savio Vega
- The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley
- The Undertaker pinned Diesel
- 60 minute Iron Man Match for WWF Title: Shawn Michaels beat Champion Bret Hart 1 falls to 0 in overtime to become the new WWF Champion
Wrestle Mania 13
WrestleMania 13 was held on March 23, 1997, the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, Il. This event is most famous for the incredible Steve Austin vs Bret Hart battle which saw a double turn and the emergence of Steve Austin as the number 1 star in wrestling. The main event featured WWF Champion Sid defend his title against The Undertaker.
Heavyweight Title Turmoil:
In February, World Champion Shawn Michaels vacated the title in his infamous “lost my smile” speech. In a four way match, Bret Hart won the vacant title but lost it the next night to Sid due to the interference of Steve Austin. After that match, Bret went on a tirade that caused USA to institute a five second delay for RAW.
The Events Leading Up to Bret vs Austin :
Bret returned to the WWF in November when he was challenged by Austin. Bret won the Survivor Series battle but Austin wasn’t done with Bret yet. At the Royal Rumble, Bret thought he won but was eliminated by Austin who was previously eliminated but none of the refs saw it. A few weeks later, Austin cost Bret the world title. The WrestleMania battle between the two men was a submission match which was refereed by UFC star, Ken Shamrock.
The Best WrestleMania Match Ever?:
This match was a brutally violent and featured Austin receive a major gusher on his head. When Bret had Austin trapped in his sharpshooter, Austin refused to quit. He eventually went unconscious due to the blood loss. Bret was unhappy that he didn’t get to hear Austin quit and tried to continue the battle. Austin, refused to be helped to the back by any officials. The match started off with Bret being cheered and Austin being booed, but their roles were reversed by the end of the match.
The World Title Match:
The Undertaker and Sid were both considered good guys at this point. Prior to the match, Bret came out and insulted both men and the special commentator Shawn Michaels, who had danced to the ring despite suffering from a career ending injury a little over a month earlier. The Undertaker won this battle to win his second world title.
The Aftermath:
Steve Austin went on to be the number one star in the company but suffered a severe neck injury a few months later that put his career in jeopardy. The real life animosity between Bret and Shawn would lead to “The Montreal Screwjob” that November. A few months after this show, Vince Russo was put in charge of writing and the company embarked on their Attitude era which would turn the tide of “The Monday Night War” with WCW.
Random Facts:
- This was the first WrestleMania in over a decade not to use Roman Numerals.
- In Sid’s only two WrestleMania matches, he closed the show.
- This was Bret Hart’s final WrestleMania appearance. At this point, he had wrestled in the more WrestleMania’s than anyone else.
- The Rock made his WrestleMania debut with the forgettable Rocky Maiva character.
Match Results:
- Four Team Elimination Match: The Headbangers beat The Blackjacks, The Godwinns, & Doug Furnas & Phil Lafon
- I-C Title: Champion Rocky Maivia beat The Sultan
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley beat Goldust
- Tag Team Titles: Champions Owen Hart & The British Bulldog fought Mankind & Vader to a double-count out
- Submission Match: Bret Hart beat Steve Austin when special ref Ken Shamrock stopped the match
- Chicago Street Fight: The Road Warriors & Ahmed Johnson beat The Nation of Domination
- WWF Title: Undertaker beat Sid to become WWF Champion
Wrestle Mania 14
WrestleMania XIV was held on March 29, 1998, at the Fleet Center in Boston, MA. The main event featured special enforcer Mike Tyson outside the ring for the Shawn Michaels vs Steve Austin battle. This was Mike Tyson’s first PPV event since biting Evander Holyfield’s ears a few months earlier.
Bret and Shawn:
Several months earlier, Shawn won the world title in the infamous Montreal Screwjob. Shawn’s time at the top didn’t last long due to a back injury he suffered at The Royal Rumble when he landed improperly on The Undertaker’s coffin. After suffering the back injury in January, he didn’t wrestle until this match and this would be Shawn’s last match for over four years.
Mike Tyson:
A few months earlier, Mike bit pieces of Evander Holyfield’s ear. The segments featuring Mike on RAW helped turn the tide of the battle against WCW. In these segments, Mike made it appear that he was going to align with Shawn Michaels. A few days prior to the event, at a big outdoor event in Boston to promote the event, Mike Tyson humiliated Austin.
The Match:
Shawn Michaels fought a courageous match. His back pain was very noticeable during the match but he fought through it. The match ended with Steve Austin winning the match. Afterwards, Mike Tyson took off his D-X (Shawn Michael’s group) shirt to reveal a Steve Austin shirt. When Shawn confronted Tyson about this, he knocked out Shawn with a right to the face.
A Strange Sibling Rivalry:
For almost a year, Paul Bearer had been threatening The Undertaker with a secret. It turned out that Kane and The Undertaker were half brothers (Paul Bearer was Kane’s dad) and The Undertaker had accidentally killed his parents by starting a fire. Kane was severely burned and had to wear a mask and was unable to talk. It appeared that the brother’s had made peace with each other until Kane burned The Undertaker alive in the same coffin that derailed Shawn Michael’s career.
Kane vs The Undertaker:
This match is most known for what happened prior to it. Pete Rose, as ring announcer, started insulting the Boston sports fans. Kane came to the ring and gave Pete the tombstone. For the next two WrestleMania’s, these two had similar encounters. The match between brothers was won by The Undertaker. These two would go on to become friends and enemies seemingly a dozen of times and this feud has been on and off again for almost a decade.
The Aftermath:
With the notoriety the Tyson appearance gave them and the new tone of the product, the WWF would take the lead in The Monday Night Wars. With Shawn Michaels gone, Austin’s nemesis became Vince McMahon, the other man involved in the Montreal Screwjob. Shawn’s D-X group would go onto great things with new leader Triple H. With the Rocky Maiva gimmick a distant memory, The Rock was soon to become a main eventer.
Random Facts:
- This is the first WrestleMania to feature the scratch logo which must be blurred out due to the settlement with the World Wildlife Fund.
- This is the only WrestleMania that is not available on DVD without the blurred out logo.
- Shawn Michaels would make his next WrestleMania wrestling appearance at WrestleMania XIX. He would return to the ring at SummerSlam 2002.
Match Results:
- Tag Team Battle Royal: LOD 200 won last eliminating The New Midnight Express
- Light heavyweight title: Champ Taka Michinoku beat Aguila
- European Title: Champ Triple H beat Owen Hart. Chyna & Sgt. Slaughter were handcuffed together out side the ring.
- Marc Mero & Sable beat Goldust & Luna
- I-C Title: Champ The Rock beat Ken Shamrock by reverse decision when Ken Shamrock refused to break the ankle lock after the match
- Dumpster Match for Tag Team Title: Cactus Jack & Terry Funk beat champs Billy Gunn & Jesse James. The title was later held up because they weren't thrown in the proper dumpster.
- The Undertaker beat Kane
- WWF Title: Steve Austin beat Shawn Michaels to win the title. Mike Tyson was special enforcer outside the ring.
Wrestle Mania 15
WrestleMania XV took place on March 28, 1999, and took place in the First Union Center in Philadelphia, PA. The main event featured WWF Champion The Rock defend the title against Steve Austin. This would be the first of three WrestleMania battles between these two men. The referee for this match was decided by a bout between Mankind and Paul Wight (The Big Show).
Austin vs McMahon:
From the time Austin won the title last year, Vince McMahon schemed of ways to get the title off of Austin. He succeeded and in a tournament for the vacant title at The Survivor Series McMahon helped The Rock win the belt. Vince McMahon won the Royal Rumble to become number 1 contender but wound up losing a steel cage match to Austin at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre which earned Austin this title shot.
Paul Wight vs Mankind:
Paul made his WWF debut by interfering in the Austin vs McMahon match at St. Valentine’s Day massacre. He accidentally cost Vince the match. Mankind was a former ally of Vince McMahon’s but was screwed by him at the prior Survivor Series. He and The Rock had just had a brutal series of matches. The winner of this bout would determine the ref in the title match. Mankind won by DQ but was too hurt to referee the battle.
Stone Cold vs The Rock:
Prior to the match, Vince McMahon declared himself the referee for this match. President Shawn Michaels nixed this idea. This match featured several referees that were continually getting injured. The match ended with Austin hitting the Stone Cold Stunner to get the win and regain the world title.
Other Highlights:
The Brawl for All Match between professional boxer Butterbean and Billy Gunn was a legitimate fight that saw Gunn get knocked unconscious in less than a minute. His WWF career never recovered from this. One of the guest judges for this battle was Gorilla Monsoon. Gorilla was very sick at this point and this was one of his final appearances before passing away.
The Aftermath:
McMahon found a new way to get at Austin and that was with the new Corporate Ministry. McMahon lulled Austin into helping save his daughter only turning out to be the one to put her in danger in the first place. Stephanie would get revenge on her dad a few months later by marrying Triple H and turning on her father. They would rule the WWF during the McMahon-Helmsley era.
The Battle vs WCW Takes a Fatal Turn:
By this time, the WWF was clearly winning the war. In an attempt to spoof Sting’s entrance (entering the ring from the rafters), they had Owen Hart, dressed as The Blue Blazer, perform a similar ring entrance. On 5/23/99, at the Over the Edge PPV, things went tragically wrong and Owen died when he plummeted from the rafters into the ring. In a very controversial decision, Vince McMahon decided to continue the event.
WCW vs WWF:
In the fall of 1999, Eric Bischoff was fired from WCW and was replaced by WWF writer Vince Russo. Part of the reason for Russo leaving was that the WWF had just started the UPN show SmackDown. At around the same time, Steve Austin had to leave the ring for almost a year due to the effects of the neck injury he suffered at the hands of Owen Hart a few years earlier.
Random Facts:
- This was the first WrestleMania put on DVD.
- This is the first WrestleMania where the scratch logo was officially recognized as the new logo of the WWF.
- The Brawl for All Match is the only legitimate fight in WrestleMania history.
- Steve Austin became the only man to win the WWF title in consecutive years at WrestleMania.
Match Results:
- Triple Threat Match for Hardcore Title: Bob Holly beat Champ Billy Gunn & Al Snow to win the title
- Tag Team Title: Champs Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett beat D-Lo Brown & Test
- Brawl for All: Butterbean knocked out Bart Gunn
- Mankind beat Big Show by DQ
- Four corner elimination match for I-C title: Champ Jesse James beat Val Venis, Goldust & Ken Shamrock
- Kane beat Triple H by DQ
- Women's Title: Champ Sable beat Tori
- European Title: Champ Shane McMahon beat X-Pac
- Hell in a Cell: Undertaker beat The Big Bossman
- WWF Title: Steve Austin beat the Rock to win the WWF title
Wrestle Mania 2000 (16)
WrestleMania 2000 was held on April 2, 2000, at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA. The main event featured a four way match for the WWF Title between Champion Triple H, The Rock, Mick Foley, and The Big Show. As part of the promotion of this event, The Rock hosted Saturday Night Live and his opponents and Vince McMahon were also on the show. This was the first time a wrestler hosted the show since Hulk Hogan did so before the first WrestleMania.
A McMahon in Every Corner:
As much as this was a battle between the wrestlers, each member of the McMahon family was in the corner of a wrestler. Vince was with The Rock, Shane was with The Big Show, Linda was with Mick, and Stephanie was in the corner of her “husband” Triple H.
The Main Event:
The Rock pinned The Big Show followed by Triple H eliminating Mick Foley. In a surprising moment, Vince turned against The Rock and hit him with a chair which allowed Triple H to retain the title. This marked the first time in WrestleMania history that the heel walked out of the ring with the championship.
No Regular Matches:
This WrestleMania is noted for having no regular 1 on 1 matches. The only 1 on 1 match was a gimmick match between The Kat and Terri with the point of the match being to throw your opponent out of the ring.
An Incredible Tag Team Match:
One of the highlights of the show was a ladder match between The Dudley Boyz, The Hardy Boyz, and Edge & Christian. This match was such a success it was repeated the next year with even more stipulations.
Losing Two Titles Without Being Pinned:
Kurt Angle went into the event with two titles. He fought Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho in a match where the two men wound up pinning each other on two occasions. Due to the stipulations of the match, Kurt lost both the European and I-C Titles in spite of the fact that he wasn’t pinned to lose either title.
The War is Almost Over:
At this point, WCW was near death. They had fired Vince Russo, then a few months later rehired him along with Eric Bischoff. The company then relaunched but by that time people stopped caring. They made some bizarre booking decision which was highlighted by David Arquette winning the world title as part of the promotion of the horrible Ready to Rumble.
Random Facts:
- This was the first time that the event was named after the year instead of the event number.
- This was the first time that a heel won the final match at WrestleMania.
- The three competitors in the I-C/European Title Match all went on to fight Shawn Michaels in consecutive WrestleMania events (Jericho 19, Benoit 20, Angle 21)
- Prior to the PPV, there was an all day special on the PPV channel featuring highlights of the prior 15 events.
Match Results:
- Big Bossman & Bull Buchanan beat The Godfather & D-Lo Brown
- Hardcore battle royal for title: Hardcore Holly won the title
- T&A beat Al Snow & Steve Blackman
- Ladder Match for Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian beat champs The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz to become Tag Team Champions
- Terri beat The Kat
- Too Cool & Chyna beat Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko
- I-C Title: Chris Benoit beat champ Kurt Angle & Chris Jericho to win the title
- European Title: Chris Jericho beat champ Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit to win the title
- Kane & Rikishi beat X-Pac & Road Dogg
- Fatal Fourway for WWF Title: Champion Triple H beat The Rock, Mick Foley & The Big Show
Wrestle Mania 17
WrestleMania X-Seven took place on April 1, 2001 at the Astrodome in Houston, TX. This show was at the height of the WWF’s popularity at the turn of the century and is generally considered one of the best PPV events in the history of the company. This show, which marked the return of WrestleMania to a stadium, was highlighted by a WWF Title Match between The Rock and Steve Austin.
The Rock vs Austin:
For the second time in three years, Austin vs The Rock headlined WrestleMania. Like last time, The Rock went in as champ but this time both men were good guys. This was a classic battle that was decided in the most surprising way. Vince McMahon helped his arch-nemesis Steve Austin beat The Rock. The next night The Rock was suspended as a way to write him off the show so he could promote The Mummy 2.
The War is Over:
On the RAW before this show, the most amazing site took place. The WWE had purchased the WCW and a feed of the final Nitro was shown on RAW and vice versa. As part of an angle, Shane McMahon snuck in and bought WCW from AOL-Time Warner that night as a way to increase the heat for the battle against his dad at WrestleMania.
Shane vs Vince:
For the first time in WrestleMania history, a father battled his son. They fought over the treatment of Linda McMahon. Vince was humiliating her and had her in a very medicated state while he was fooling around with Trish Stratus. During this match, Linda faked her medicated state and kicked her husband in the grapefruits which allowed her son to get the victory.
A Bunch of Great Matches:
This card had several great matches on it. The Triple h vs Undertaker battle might be the best Undertaker match in his WrestleMania career. The TLC battle for the tag team titles had an incredible spot that featured Edge deliver his spear off one of the ladders onto Jeff Hardy who was hanging from the belts on the cable. The Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle match was a scientific classic and The Gimmick Battle Royal brought back a lot of memories.
The Aftermath:
Steve Austin and Triple H became tag team partners and ran roughshod over the WWF until Triple H injured his quad. The short lived XFL started up a few weeks later. A few months later the WCW Invasion angle happened and it turned out to be a huge disappointment to most fans. Business then went down due to a combination of bad storylines and the economic condition of the country due to the burst of the stock market bubble and the terrible events of 9/11.
Random Facts:
- The Rock vs Austin rematch is the only time that two WrestleMania events ended with the same match.
- Austin’s title win tied him with Hulk Hogan as being the only men to win the title 3 times at WrestleMania.
- Steve Austin never entered the ring as WWF Champion at any WrestleMania.
- The Rock has never left the ring as WWF Champion at any WrestleMania.
- Edge and Christian became the first tag team to win the titles in back to back WrestleMania events.
Match Results:
- I-C Title: Champ Chris Jericho beat William Regal
- The APA & Tazz beat The Right to Censor
- Hardcore Title: Kane beat champ Raven & Big Show to win the title
- European Title: Eddie Guerrero beat Test to win the title
- Kurt Angle beat Chris Benoit
- Women's Title: Chyna beat Ivory to win the title
- Street Fight: Shane McMahon beat Vince McMahon
- TLC match for Tag Team Title: Edge & Christian beat champs The Dudley Boyz & The Hardy Boyz to win the title
- Gimmick Battle Royal: The Iron Sheik by last eliminating Hillbilly Jim
- The Undertaker beat Triple H
- WWF Title: Steve Austin beat the Rock to win the WWF title
Wrestle Mania 18
WrestleMania X8 took place on March 17, 2002, at the Skydome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The main event featured a dream match up as Hulk Hogan took on The Rock. The other featured matches of the night were NWO member Scott Hall taking on Steve Austin and Undiputed Champion Chris Jericho defending the title against Triple H.
The NWO enters the WWF:
After the disappointing WCW Invasion angle, the real WCW superstars started to enter the WWF. At February’s No Way Out PPV, the most successful group in WCW history entered the WWF. The New World Order consisted of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash. They immediately set their sights on the two biggest WWF stars, The Rock and Steve Austin. To get The Rock’s attention, after beating him up, they ran the cab of an 18 wheeler into his ambulance.
Icon vs Icon:
An amazing thing happened during this match. The fans turned against The Rock and started to cheer for Hulk Hogan. The WWF fans never hated Hogan before (or at least since the birth of Hulkamania 20 years earlier) and weren’t about to start now. The Rock beat Hogan much to the dismay of the crowd and both men shook hands afterwards. Steve Austin beat Scott Hall in a very forgettable match.
The Undisputed World Championship:
Chris Jericho won a tournament in December by beating The Rock and Steve Austin in one night to unify the WWF and WCW World Championships. Triple H returned from his quad injury in January and won the Royal Rumble to earn this title match. He would later lose and regain this title match from Kurt Angle. Amazingly, this match was not about Jericho and Triple H, it was built up as a feud between Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.
The End of McMahon-Helmsley:
On TV, Stephanie and Hunter’s marriage was in shambles. Stephanie made him think that she was pregnant to get them back together but her plan backfired. As part of her sinister plan, she tried to get custody of Hunter’s dog Lucy. After walking the dog, Chris Jericho accidentally ran her over. Triple H got revenge for Lucy by beating Chris Jericho for the title.
The Aftermath:
The NWO was soon disbanded due to Hulk turning good, Kevin Nash injuring his quad, and Scott Hall’s personal problems. That summer, The Rock, Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan had all left the company for differing reasons. The only bright spot was the emergence of a rookie named Brock Lesnar, who went on to become the champion a few months after his debut.
Brand Split and Get the F Out:
A few weeks after WrestleMania, the WWF split the company into two separate brands, RAW and SmackDown! In May, the WWF was forced to change their name due to a lawsuit filed by the World Wildlife Fund. The company was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment. The slogan “Get the F Out” was used to remind fans of the name change.
Random Facts:
- Hulk Hogan was pinned in both of his Skydome WrestleMania appearances.
- Dallas Page made his only two WrestleMania appearances at events held in the Skydome (at WM 6 he drove a pink Cadillac)
- The Hardcore Title changed hands 5 times at the show. This was the only time when the title had the 24/7 rule used at WrestleMania.
Match Results:
- I-C Title: Rob Van Dam beat William Regal to win the title
- European Title: Champion Dallas Page beat Christian
- Hardcore Title: Champion Maven fought Goldust. Due to the 24/7 rule the title went from Maven to Spike Dudley to The Hurricane, Molly, Christian and back to Maven by the end of the night
- Kurt Angle beat Kane
- The Undertaker beat Ric Flair
- Edge beat Booker T
- Steve Austin beat Scott Hall
- Tag Team Title Elimination Match: Champions Billy & Chuck beat The Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, & APA
- The Rock beat Hulk Hogan
- Women's Title: Champ Jazz beat Trish Stratus & Lita
- WWF Title: Triple H beat Chris Jericho to win the title
Wrestle Mania 19
WrestleMania XIX took place on March 30, 2003 at Safeco Field in Seattle, WA. The main event was Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar but the main draw for the show was for a battle 20 years in the making, Vince McMahon vs Hulk Hogan. This is the only time that a WrestleMania event was held in the Northwest part of the country.
20 Years in the Making:
Hulk Hogan returned to the WWF and immediately found himself in a feud with Vince McMahon. The match was billed as being 20 years in the making and both men were debating over who was most responsible for the growth of the WWF in the 80’s. Was it Hulk’s brawn or Vince’s brain? Even though it was billed as being 20 years in the making, no fan in the 1980’s was holding their breath to see Hulk Hogan battle the guy in the ugly sports coat doing the announcing.
The Match:
The match was a violent affair which saw Vince McMahon sport a major gusher from his forehead. In a surprise, Roddy Piper came out to interfere and hit his longtime rival Hulk Hogan. It has to be noted that Piper was very out of shape at this point. In what should not be considered a shocker, Hulk won this match with the leg drop.
Two World Title Matches:
By this point, the WWE had two titles of equal value. The World Heavyweight title match featured Triple H beat Booker T. There were some serious racial overtones going into this match. In addition, part of the storyline exploited Booker T’s criminal past. Triple H won this match against the former-5 time WCW World Champion.
Did He Break his Neck?:
The WWE title match featured Brock Lesnar try to regain the title from Kurt Angle. This was a great match with a very scary ending. Lesnar attempted a shooting star press and missed. He landed very badly and busted his head open on the canvas. Lesnar went on to win the match, but needed medical attention as soon as he got to the back.
The Rock vs Austin part 3:
Steve Austin and The Rock had their final WrestleMania match at this event. The Rock was the bad guy for this match and he finally got over the hump and pinned Steve Austin. This was Austin’s final match due to the physical problems stemming from his neck injury. The night before the match, Austin had to be hospitalized due to an ephedra related issue.
The Aftermath:
The very next night, Goldberg made his WWE debut and started a feud with The Rock. Kurt Angle had to miss several months due to neck surgery. Hulk Hogan and The Rock both left the company soon afterwards. As the next WrestleMania drew near, long time mid card stars Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero were getting the pushes they deserved.
Random Facts:
- A documentary was shown on UPN a few months later detailing the behind the scenes of many of these matches. That documentary is available on the WrestleMania XX DVD.
- This is the first WrestleMania with two equal World Championships and the first with the name WWE.
- This was the last of 3 consecutive stadium events, the longest such streak in WrestleMania history.
- Goldberg made his WWE debut the following night.
Match Results:
- Cruiserweight Title: Champ Matt Hardy beat Rey Mysterio
- The Undertaker beat The Big Show & A-Train
- Women's Title: Trish Stratus beat champ Victoria & Jazz to win the title
- WWE Tag Team Title: Champions Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas beat The Guerreros, and Chris Benoit & Rhyno
- Shawn Michaels beat Chris Jericho
- World Heavyweight Title: Champ Triple H beat Booker T
- Hulk Hogan beat Vince McMahon
- The Rock beat Steve Austin
- WWE Title: Brock Lesnar beat champion Kurt Angle to win the title
Wrestle Mania 20
WrestleMania XX took place on March 14, 2004, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This is the third time that the event was held at MSG. The very memorable ending featured long time friends Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero celebrate in the ring as the two top men in the sport. In addition, the family of Chris Benoit joined in the celebration. Sadly, that great moment is now more known as being a part of the news footage continually shown during the Benoit family murder media circus.
WWE Title:
At WrestleMania XX, Eddie Guerrero defended the WWE Championship against Kurt Angle. Eddie won the WWE championship a month earlier from Brock Lesnar and this was his first PPV defense of the belt. Eddie lived up to his "lie, cheat, and steal" motto to keep the belt. By untying his shoelaces, he caused a big enough distraction to keep the belt from a stunned Kurt Angle.
World Heavyweight Championship:
Triple H defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit. Chris won the Royal Rumble to earn this title shot. Shawn got involved in the match by signing Benoit's contract after he sneak attacked him. In a major upset, Benoit made Triple H tap out to the crippler cross face.
A Dream Match Turns Into a Nightmare:
Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar was supposed to be a dream match. Prior to the match, fans knew that Goldberg’s 1 year contract was set to expire and he wasn’t coming back. The shock was that news came out that Lesnar was going to leave the WWE for the Minnesota Vikings. The fans were vicious to both men in the ring and the mood wasn’t helped by a boring match. Steve Austin was the special ref and was cheered after he gave the stunner to both men.
The Return of the Rock-n-Sock Connection:
One of the matches featured the reunion of a storied tag team from the past. Mick Foley was having problems with Evolution and called on his good friend The Rock to help him. Even though they lost, the match is significant for two reasons. This was Foley’s first match since losing at WrestleMania 2000. As of 2007, this also turned out to be the Rock’s final match.
The Aftermath:
Neither Benoit or Guerrero had memorable title reigns. Eddie lost the title a few months later to JBL while Chris Benoit’s matches seemed to be in the backdrop of Triple H’s feuds with Shawn Michaels and Eugene. Benoit lost the title a few months later to Randy Orton who promptly lost it to Triple H.
Random Facts:
- Torrie Wilson and Sable had just appeared on the cover of Playboy together. This is the first of the yearly WrestleMania Playboy-related fights.
- MSG became the first venue to host WrestleMania for a third time.
- This marked the first time that Shawn Michaels has been in the final match since fighting through his career halting injury at WrestleMania XIV.
Match Results:
- U.S. Title: John Cena beat The Big Show to win the title
- World Tag Team Title: Champions Rob Van Dam & Booker T beat Mark Jindrak & Garrison Cade, The Dudley Boys, and Rene Dupree & Rob Conway
- Christian beat Chris Jericho
- Handicap Match: Ric Flair, Randy Orton & Batista beat The Rock & Mick Foley. This was Foley's first match in 4 years.
- Playboy Evening Gown Match: Playboy cover girls Sable & Torrie Wilson beat Stacy Keibler & Jackie Gayda
- Cruiserweight Title: Champ Chavo Guerrero beat Nunzio, Shannon Moore, Funaki, Ultimo Dragon, Rey Mysterio Jr., Tajiri, Akio, Billy Kidman & Jamie Knoble
- Goldberg beat Brock Lesnar. Steve Austin was the referee.
- WWE Tag Team Title: Champs Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty beat The APA, The Bashams, and The World's Greatest Tag Team
- Women's Title: Champ Victoria beat Molly Holly. As a result, Molly lost her hair.
- WWE Title: Champ Eddie Guerrero beat Kurt Angle
- The Undertaker beat Kane
- World Heavyweight Title: Chris Benoit beat champ Triple H & Shawn Michaels to win the title
Wrestle Mania 21
WrestleMania 21 took place on April 3, 2005, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The main events featured a changing of the guard as both Batista and John Cena walked out of the event as the new champions. The event also featured the non wrestling returns to the ring of Steve Austin, Roddy Piper, and Hulk Hogan. The prior night, both Piper and Hogan’s Hall of Fame speeches were televised on Spike TV.
The Animal Unleashed:
After being Triple H’s lackey for the past few years, Batista finally broke away from his Evolution teammate. Batista won this match and very quickly into his title reign he was drafted to SmackDown! He suffered a torn lat muscle but fought through it to save the company which was reeling from Eddie Guerrero’s death. He then suffered a torn triceps and was forced to relinquish the title.
You Can’t See Me:
John Cena also won his first WWE title at this show. He beat JBL in a match that was not very memorable. Cena was drafted to RAW and became embroiled in a feud with RAW GM Eric Bischoff. A few months after winning the title, he released a raqp album.
One More Match:
The night before WrestleMania at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the fans loudly begged Hulk Hogan for one more match. The next night, he saved Eugene from an attack from Hassan and Daivari. He went on to feud with these men in tag team matches and a few months later fought Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam as a way to promote his new reality TV show, Hogan Knows Best.
Match of the Year:
Shawn Michaels fought Kurt Angle in a dream match that went on to win the PWI Match of the Year. This was the first match ever between these two wrestling legends and it lived up to the hype. Other highlights of the night saw The Undertaker extend his undefeated streak against Randy Orton and tag team champions battle as Eddie Guerrero (in his final WrestleMania match) fought Rey Mysterio.
Money in the Bank:
The first Money in the Bank match was held at this event. A contract for a title shot was in a briefcase 15 feet above the ring. The man that could grab the briefcase would get the title shot. The match was highlighted by some incredible spots involving Shelton Benjamin. Edge won this match and used the title shot at New Year’s Revolution to beat John Cena, who had just competed in an Elimination Chamber match.
Random Facts:
- Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio’s match is the first time that the tag team champions have battled at WrestleMania.
- This is the first time that The Rock has not wrestled since WrestleMania 13.
- This was the first Piper’s Pit at WrestleMania since WrestleMania V.
- The Big Show vs Akebono sumo match was the first and hopefully last Sumo match at WrestleMania.
- This was Eddie Guerrero’s final WrestleMania appearance
Match Results:
- Rey Mysterio beat Eddie Guerrero
- Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Edge beat Chris Benoit, Kane, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Jericho & Christian to get a title shot whenever he wants.
- Eugene is attacked by Hassan in the ring. He is saved by the returning Hulk Hogan.
- The Undertaker beat Randy Orton
- Women's Title: Champion Trish Stratus beat Christy Hemme
- Kurt Angle beat Shawn Michaels
- Pipers Pit with Steve Austin
- Sumo Match: Sumo wrestler Akebono beat The Big Show
- WWE Title: John Cena beat JBL to win the title
- World Heavyweight Title: Batista beat Triple H to win the title
WrestleMania 6 DDP drove down the Honky Tonk Man in his convertable
WrestleMania 2000 was the only WrestleMania to not have a normal males single match
WrestleMania 1 is the only WrestleMania to not have a WWF Championship match
Appearances
Most WrestleMania Matches:
20 – The Undertaker
Most WrestleMania Appearances:
20 – The Undertaker
Most Consecutive WrestleMania Appearances:
12 – Bret Hart
Heel & Face Turns
Wrestlers to Make a Face Turn at WrestleMania:
Brutus Beefcake (WM 3)
Andre the Giant (WM 6)
Randy Savage (WM 7)
Steve Austin (WM 13)
The Big Show (WM 15)
Kane (WM 15)
Trish Stratus (WM 17)
Wrestlers to Make a Heel Turn at WrestleMania:
Rick Martel (WM 5)
Curt Hennig (WM 10)
Bret Hart (WM 13)
Triple H (WM 15)
Steve Austin (WM 17)
Trish Stratus (WM 20)
Title Facts
Only Wrestler to Win and Lose the Same Title at the Same WrestleMania (excluding the multiple Hardcore Title matches at WM 18):
Yokozuna (WM9)
Only Wrestler to Lose 2 Belts at the same WrestleMania:
Kurt Angle (WM 16)
Most World Title Victories (WWF, WWE & World Heavyweight Championship)
3 - John Cena (WM 21,25,26)
3 - The Undertaker (WM 13,23,24)
3 - Steve Austin (WM 14,15,17)
3 - Hulk Hogan (WM 5,7,9)
Only man to win a World Title, a secondary title, and a tag team title at WrestleMania:
No one has done this yet
Only wrestlers to win a singles and tag team championship at WrestleMania:
Yokozuna (WWF Championship 9; World Tag Team Championship 11)
Christian (World Tag Team Championship 16/17; Hardcore 18)
Only female to win a men's championship at WrestleMania:
Mighty Molly (Hardcore Championship 18)
Only Tag Teams to Walk out as Champions at Consecutive WrestleMania Events:
Demolition (WM 4,5,6)
Money Inc. (WM 8,9)
Edge & Christian (WM 16,17)
Win/Loss Records
Most WrestleMania Wins:
20 - The Undertaker
Most Consecutive WrestleMania Wins:
20 – The Undertaker
Most Wins at 1 WrestleMania:
4 – Randy Savage (WM 4)
Most WrestleMania Losses:
9 – Triple H
Most Consecutive WrestleMania Losses:
7 – Tito Santana
Most Losses at 1 WrestleMania:
2 – Kurt Angle (WM 16)
Wrestlers That Have Won All of Their Matches at WrestleMania (min. 3 matches):
Animal 3-0
Ax 3-0
Hawk 3-0
Miz 3-0
Rob Van Dam 4-0
Sable 3-0
Undertaker 20-0
Wrestlers to Never Win at WrestleMania (min. 3 matches):
B Brian Blair 0-3
Bart Gunn 0-3
Bubba Ray Dudley 0-4
Crush 0-4
D-Lo Brown 0-3
D-Von Dudley 0-4
Eve 0-3
Finlay 0-4
Goldust 0-5
Jeff Hardy 0-5
Jim Brunzell 0-3
Jimmy Snuka 0-3
Kama Mustafa (The Godfather/Goodfather) 0-3
Koko B Ware 0-3
MVP 0-4
Raymond Rougeau 0-3
Savio Vega 0-3
Vince McMahon 0-4
Wrestlers Placement on the Card
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Final Matches at WrestleMania:
8 - Hulk Hogan
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Consecutive Final Matches at WrestleMania:
5 – Hulk Hogan (WM 5 – 9)
Wrestlers to be in the Final Match at Their First WrestleMania:
Hulk Hogan (WM1)
Mr. T (WM 1)
Roddy Piper (WM 1)
Paul Orndorff(WM1)
Ted DiBiase (WM 4)
Sgt. Slaughter (WM 7)
Sid (WM 8)
Yokozuna (WM 9)
Lawrence Taylor (WM 11)
Brock Lesnar (WM 19)
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Opening Matches:
3 – Shawn Michaels, Big Show, & Finlay
Wrestler to Appear in the Most Consecutive Opening Matches:
3 - Shawn Michaels (WM 7 - 9) & Finlay (WM 23 - 25)
Only Wrestler to be in the Opening & Final Match at the Same WrestleMania:
Bret Hart (WM10)
Only Wrestler to go From the Final Match to the Opening Match the Next Year:
Paul Orndorff (WM 1 & 2)
Wrestlers to go From the First Match to the Last Match the Next Year:
Chris Jericho (WM 17 & 18)
Edge (WM 23 & 24)
The Miz (WM 26 & 27)
Wrestlers to be in Both an Opening & a Final Match at WrestleMania:
Big Show
Bret Hart
Chris Jericho
Edge
John Cena
Paul Orndorff
Randy Orton
Shawn Michaels
The Miz
Yokozuna
Kurt and Angle and Brock Lesnars match at Wrestlemania 19 was the first WrestleMania match where wrestlers used their real names
Longest Match:
WM 12: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (over 1 hour)
Shortest Match:
WM 24: Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero
Shortest Final Match:
WM 9: Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna
Match with Most Competitors:
WM 14: Tag Team Battle Royal (30 competitors)
Matches featuring Junior Division Wrestlers against the regular roster:
WM 3: Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid, & Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook
WM 10: Doink & Dink vs. Luna Vachon & Bam Bam Bigelow
Mixed Tag Team Matches:
WM 6: Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire vs. Randy Savage & Sherri Martel
WM 10: Doink & Dink vs. Luna Vachon & Bam Bam Bigelow
WM 14: Marc Mero & Sable vs. Goldust & Luna
WM 16: Too Cool & Chyna vs. Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko
WM 27: Snooki, Trish Stratus, & John Morrison vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, & Dolph Ziggler
WrestleMania Rematches:
WM 3,4: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
WM 9,10: Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna
WM 15,17,19: The Rock vs. Steve Austin
WM 14,20: The Undertaker vs. Kane
WM 16: Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho (twice the same night)
WM 16,17: Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz
WM 25,26: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 17,27,28: The Undertaker vs. Triple H
Hair vs Hair Matches:
WM 3: Adrian Adonis vs. Roddy Piper
WM 20: Victoria vs. Molly Holly
WM 23: Battle of the Billionaires: Umaga vs. Lashley
Ladder Matches:
WM 10: Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 16: The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
WM 17: The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
WM 21: Edge vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Christian
WM 22: Rob Van Dam vs. Matt Hardy vs. Lashley vs. Finlay vs. Ric Flair vs. Shelton Benjamin
WM 23: Ken Kennedy vs. Edge vs. CM Punk vs. King Booker vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Randy Orton
WM 24: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin
WM 25: CM Punk vs. Mark Henry vs. Finlay vs. MVP vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Christian vs. Kofi Kingston
WM 26: Christian vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger vs. MVP vs. Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kofi Kingston
Matches Featuring Celebrities Wrestling:
WM 1: Mr. T & Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
WM 2: Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper in a boxing match
WM 2: 20 man battle royal with several NFL players
WM 11: Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
WM 15: Butterbean vs. Bart Gunn
WM 21: Akebono vs. The Big Show
WM 24: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Big Show
WM 27: Snooki, Trish Stratus, & John Morrison vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, & Dolph Ziggler
WM 28: Maria Menounos & Kelly Kelly beat Beth Phoenix & Eve
Handicap Matches:
WM 5: Demolition vs. The Powers of Pain and Mr. Fuji
WM 19: Undertaker vs. Big Show & A-Train
WM 22: The Boogey Man vs. Booker T & Sharmell
WM 25: Chris Jericho vs. Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, & Ricky Steamboat
Heel vs. Heel Matches:
WM 15: The Undertaker vs The Big Bossman
Face vs. Face Matches:
WM 6: Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior
WM 8: Roddy Piper vs Bret Hart
WM 12: Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
WM 13: Undertaker vs Sid
WM 17: The Rock vs Steve Austin
WM 23: Shawn Michaels vs John Cena
WM 23: The Undertaker vs Batista
WM 24: Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 25: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 26: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WM 27: Undertaker vs. Triple H
WM 28: Undertaker vs. Triple H
WM 28: The Rock vs. John Cena
Matches That Ended by Submission:
WM 1: Tito Santana beat The Executioner
WM 3: Roddy Piper beat Adrian Adonis
WM 6: Rick Martel beat Koko B Ware
WM 11: Bret Hart beat Bob Backlund
WM 13: Bret Hart beat Steve Austin
WM 20: Chris Benoit beat Triple H & Shawn Michaels
WM 21: Kurt Angle beat Shawn Michaels
WM 22: John Cena beat Triple H
WM 23: John Cena beat Shawn Michaels
WM 24: Undertaker beat Edge
WM 25: Chris Jericho beat Jimmy Snuka
WM 26: Bret Hart beat Vince McMahon
WM 26: John Cena beat Batista
WM 27: The Undertaker beat Triple H
WM 28: CM Punk beat Chris Jericho
Matches Where Both the Combatants Are No Longer With Us:
WM 1: Andre the Giant vs. Big John Studd
WM 2: Uncle Elmer vs. Adrian Adonis
WM 5: Curt Hennig vs. The Blue Blazer
WM 6: Earthquake vs. Hercules
WM 7: Dino Bravo vs. Kerry Von Erich
WM 7: The Big Bossman vs. Curt Hennig
WM 10: Randy Savage vs. Crush
WM 17: Eddie Guerrero vs. Test
I Am Going to Wrestlemania
Since 1993, the winner of the Royal Rumble has received a championship match at WrestleMania.
Most Fans
WrestleMania III took place in the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan. It still holds the record for highest attendance—93,173.
Attitude
WrestleMania XIV started the Attitude Era when Stone Cold and Mike Tyson swerved D-X.
Main Eventer
Hulk Hogan has a record, eight main-event appearances. His five main events in a row, WrestleMania V to WrestleMania IX, are also a record.
Mr. WrestleMania?
The Undertaker has the most WrestleMania matches with 16. HBK is second with 12, and Hogan is third with 10.
Tag Titles
The Tag Team Title has been up for grabs 20 times.
There was no Tag Team Title Match in WrestleMania III, XXI, XXIII, or XXIV.
The Tag Team Title changed hands 11 of 20 times.
Heels and faces have both won the Tag Team Title Match 10 times.
WrestleMania XXI had no tag team matches.
When heels come in with the belt, they lose the title 60 percent of the time.
When faces come in with the belt, they win 50 percent of the time.
Owen Hart won a record three Tag Team Title matches at WrestleMania.
Edge and Christian and Demolition have the record for most tag team wins (as a team) at WrestleMania with two.
Intercontinental Title
The Intercontinental Title has been defended in 17 of 24 WrestleManias.
The title has changed six times.
Faces have won the match 12 of 17 times.
Match has ended in disqualification four times (WrestleMania IV, VII, XI, XIII).
This match has ended in a count out twice (WM I & IX).
When heels come in as champ, they win 40 percent of the time.
When faces come in as the champ, they win about 64 percent of the time.
Wrestlemania VI was a face vs. face (Hogan vs. Warrior). The Warrior won the match.
WrestleMania X was a IC vs. IC match (Razor vs. HBK) with Razor winning.
Razor Ramon (WrestleMania X and XI) and The Rock (WrestleMania XIII and XIV) have the most IC wins with two.
WWE World Title
The World Title has been defended 23 times.
The title has changed 15 times.
Faces have won the match 22 of 23 times.
Match has ended in disqualification one time (WrestleMania X).
Heels, when they are champ, have lost all 13 of their matches.
The face, as champ, has won seven out of eight times.
Only time a face champion did not win was Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna. And Hogan came back to beat Yokozuna. So, we had a face champion that year, too.
WrestleMania I was the only Mania where the belt was not defended.
Savage won a vacant title in WrestleMania IV.
A face vs. face World Title Match has happened twice—WrestleMania VI (Warrior defeated Hogan) and WrestleMania XXIII (Cena defeated HBK).
Hulk Hogan has the most World Title victories with five (Wrestlemania II, III, V, VII, and IX).
He is followed by Austin (WrestleMania XIV, XV, and XVII) and Cena (WrestleMania XXI, XXII, and XXIII) with three each.
To find out more, listen in to Hit the Ropes Radio. This week's special guests: Booker T, former WWE Tough Enough Winner Daniel Puder, and possibly Matt Cappotelli.
Break Down of Wrestle Manias 1-21
Wrestle Mania1
WrestleMania took place on March 31, 1985, in Madison Square Garden. Millions more watched the event on closed circuit TV. The main event featured Hulk Hogan and Mr. T beat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Celebrities involved in that match included Muhammad Ali, Billy Martin, Liberace, and The Rockettes. Howard Finkel came up with the name when he mentioned Beatlemania.
The End of the Territorial Era:
Prior to 1984, a wrestling promoter and his organization would run their events within a specific geographic territory. However due to cable TV and an aggressive young promoter named Vince McMahon, the business model had changed. Vince was determined to have his version of sports entertainment become a national company. He broke the rules among promoters and expanded beyond his northeast territory.
The Competition:
There were two major companies that were a threat to the WWF. They were the AWA and Jim Crockett Promotions NWA. To battle Vince, they joined forces for live events in Vince's traditional northeast markets. In addition, the Texas based World Class territory had the largest attended event in wrestling history the prior year and their programming was shown internationally.
The Cost of Expansion:
By 1985, Vince had successfully knocked several companies out of business. However, this expansion was expensive and not all the rasslin fans enjoyed Vince's sports entertainment. Vince had to expand the audience for professional wrestling and did so by incorporating celebrities and being open with the press. He called this the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection. He also needed to create a Super Bowl type of event and that is the birth of WrestleMania.
The Events that led to WrestleMania:
It all started with Lou Albano appearing in Cyndi Lauper's Girl's Just Want to Have Fun Video. Their feud led to a successful MTV live telecast. A few months later, MTV broadcast the War to Settle the Score. At that event, Mr. T save Cyndi Lauper from being beaten up by Roddy Piper. In 1985, Mr. T was the biggest star in the country and Cyndi Lauper and Madonna were the two biggest female singers.
Press – The Good and the Very Ugly:
Two incidents on the road to WrestleMania marred the great publicity the company was getting. On one occasion, Dr. D David Schultz assaulted 20/20 reporter John Stossel. On another occasion, Hulk Hogan injured Richard Belzer when he applied a wrestling hold too hard. The highlight of the press coverage was the night before the big event when Hulk Hogan and Mr. T hosted Saturday Night Live.
Highlights of the Event:
The main event saw Hulk Hogan and Mr. T beat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Another memorable match was the body slam match between Big John Studd and Andre the Giant. If Andre couldn't slam Studd, he would have to retire. When he slammed Studd, he won a duffel bag full of money that he threw to the crowd.
The Aftermath:
Due to the success of this event, within a few months the WWF had released an album, produced wrestling figures, broadcast a Saturday morning cartoon show, and a TV show for NBC, and Hulk Hogan appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Within a few years, all of Vince's competitors would go out of business.
Random Event Facts:
- This is the only WrestleMania where the WWE Championship was not on the line.
- The Executioner was “Playboy” Buddy Rose
- Matt Borne would go on to be known as Doink the Clown
- Pat Patterson, who refereed the main event, is the only Intercontinental Champion not to wrestle at a WrestleMania event.
The Results of the Event:
- Tito Santana defeated The Executioner
- David Sammartino & Brutus Beefcake fought to a double-DQ
- Rick Steamboat pinned Matt Borne
- King Kong Bundy pinned SD Jones
- I-C Title: Junkyard Dog beat champion Greg Valentine by count out
- Tag Team Title: Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff won titles from Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo
- Body Slam Challenge: Andre the Giant beat Big John Studd
- Women's Title: Wendi Richter won title from Lelani Kai
- Hulk Hogan & Mr.T defeated Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
WrestleMania 2
With the success of WrestleMania, the WWF was intent on making the event bigger. They did this by holding the event in three places (NY, Chicago, & LA). Whereas WrestleMania had a handful of celebrities, WrestleMania 2 had close to two dozen. This event was held on Monday April 7, 1986. This is the only time the event has not been on a Sunday.
The Events Leading to the Main Events:
The February edition of Saturday Night's Main Event set up this show. Mr. T had a boxing match with Roddy Piper's bodyguard. Bob Orton. After the match, Piper whipped Mr. T with his belt. Later in the show, Hulk Hogan was injured by King Kong Bundy when he was sneak attacked after his match. Hulk was forced to leave the arena in an ambulance and suffered broken ribs.
Nassau Coliseum:
This portion of the show featured The Mr. T boxing match. The biggest problem of the event reared it's ugly head immediately as the announce teams were horrible. Actress Susan St. James did the commentary with Vince McMahon in this portion of the event and she had no knowledge of wrestling. It has to be noted that she is the wife of NBC Sports head Dick Ebersol. The New York matches were pretty bad also and the fans started to cheer for Roddy Piper.
Rosemont Horizon:
The main event in Chicago was a battle royal featuring wrestlers vs NFL players. William “The Refrigerator” Perry was in his hometown for this match at the height of his popularity. The best match was The British Bulldogs vs Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake. The Bulldogs were a revolutionary tag team but due to injuries did not last that long. The Dynamite Kid's style of wrestling lives on in Chris Benoit.
LA Sports Arena:
The main event saw Hulk Hogan defeat King Kong Bundy in a steel cage match. This match saw the debut of the blue bar style of the steel cage. This style of cage made it a lot easier for the wrestlers to climb the cage. That style of cage was used for the next 15 years.
The Aftermath:
The WWF never held another event at multiple locations. This was also the only time that WrestleMania was not held on a Sunday. The use of celebrities was also pared down because the wrestlers were now legitimate stars in their own right. This was also the final WrestleMania where closed circuit TV was the main revenue of the event.
The Competition:
By 1986, Jim Crockett was the only viable competition to the WWF. World Class Championship wrestling had dropped out of the NWA and a series of drug related injuries and deaths would destroy the company. The AWA held a huge show at The Metrodome but it was considered a flop and they compounded their problems with some questionable booking decisions and an embarrassing world title situation.
The Matches:
Nassau Coliseum; Uniondale, NY
- Don Muraco fought Paul Orndorff to a double-count out
- I-C Title: Champion Randy Savage pinned George "The Animal" Steele
- Jake Roberts pinned George Welles
- Mr. T beat Roddy Piper by DQ in a boxing match
Rosemont Horizon; Chicago, IL
- Women's Title: Champ Fabulous Moolah pinned Velvet McIntyre
- Cpl. Kirchner pinned Nikolai Volkoff
- Andre the Giant won a battle royal featuring several NFL players by last eliminating Bret Hart
- Tag Team Title: The British Bulldogs won the titles from Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake
L.A. Sports Arena; Los Angeles, CA
- Ricky Steamboat pinned Hercules Hernandez
- Adrian Adonis pinned Uncle Elmer
- Dory & Terry Funk defeated Junkyard Dog & Tito Santana
- WWF Title Match in a steel cage: Champ Hulk Hogan beat King Kong Bundy
Wrestle Mania 3
WrestleMania III was held on March 29, 1989, at the Pontiac Silverdome. The attendance of 93,173 is a North American indoor attendance record. This event represented the pinnacle of popularity for the sport in the 1980's.
The Attendance Question:
The attendance figure is highly disputed because someone allegedly reported that "someone on the inside" said the real number was around 75,000. My opinion is that the numbers do add up. The 62,000 attendance for WM 8 has never been disputed. The Silverdome fits over 20,000 more for football then the RCA dome. In addition, the floor configuration at this event was much more crowded than the floor at WM 8 which featured many large gaps in the seating arrangements. These two observations make me believe the 93,000 number. Bleacher Report has taken a different path to prove the 93,000 number which also makes sense.
The Biggest Main Event Ever:
Whereas the previous events needed celebrities, there was no doubt that the main draw for this show was Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant. The match was billed as the first meeting between these men. It was described as the irresistible force vs. the immovable object.
The Events Leading to this Match:
Hulk and Andre were best friends. Andre was suspended but for some mysterious reason his enemy Bobby Heenan had the suspension lifted. Over the course of several episodes of Piper's Pit, it became known that Bobby Heenan was Andre's new manager and he wanted to fight Hulk for the title at WrestleMania III. A larger version of the belt was created for Andre in case he won the match.
The Match :
Hulk Hogan almost lost the match several seconds in when he couldn't body slam Andre. Ten minutes later, Hulk was able to slam Andre and hit the leg drop for the historic win. It was the end of Andre's undefeated streak.
Other Highlights:
The match of the night was Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage. In addition to the match being for the I-C title, Steamboat was out for revenge because Savage injured his throat a few months earlier. Another major event saw the first retirement match of Roddy Piper's career. He went on to film the movie They Live.
The Aftermath:
This event was one of the watershed moments for the new Pay Per View industry. The WWF seeked to keep this revenue stream for themselves and created the Survivor Series and The Royal Rumble to thwart Jim Crockett's attempts have a successful PPV. Jim Crockett would return the favor when WrestleMania IV rolled around.
Random Event Facts:
- This would be the final time that Hulk successfully defended the title at WrestleMania.
- Hogan and Andre had fought previously and Andre wasn't undefeated.
- A few months later, the legitimacy of the sport was revealed when mortal enemies The Iron Sheik and Jim Duggan were arrested for drug possession when they were riding in the same car.
Match Results:
- Rick Martel & Tom Zenk beat Don Muraco & Bob Orton
- Hercules Hernandez & Billy Jack Haynes fought to a double-count out
- Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, & Little Beaver beat King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo , & Lord Littlebrook by DQ
- "King" Harley Race pinned Junkyard Dog and by stipulation forced JYD to bow to him
- Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake beat Jacques & Raymond Rougeau
- In a hair vs hair match: The retiring Roddy Piper beat Adrian Adonis
- Danny Davis & Tag Champs The Hart Foundation beat The British Bulldogs & Tito Santana
- Butch Reed pinned Koko B. Ware
- I-C Title: Ricky Steamboat won the title from Randy Savage
- The Honky Tonk Man pinned Jake Roberts
- The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff beat The Killer Bees by DQ
- WWF Title: Champion Hulk Hogan pinned Andre the Giant
Wrestle Mania 4
WrestleMania IV took place on March 27, 1988, at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. The main event was a tournament for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship. That day wrestling fans attention was divided because of a free event Jim Crockett ran against the Pay Per View.
The Clash of the Champions:
The WWF created The Survivor Series and The Royal Rumble to disrupt Jim Crockett's first two PPV shows. As revenge, he scheduled the first Clash of Champions to air live on TBS against WrestleMania IV. That show was famous for the Sting vs Ric Flair 45 minute draw. That match turned Sting into a superstar.
The Megapowers:
In the fall of 87, Randy Savage was feuding with The Honky Tonk Man over the I-C title. During a match on SNME, The Honky Tonk Man, with the help of the Hart Foundation, threw Miss Elizabeth to the ground. She ran to the back to get help. She came back with Hulk Hogan. After the match, Hulk and Randy shaked hands and became friends.
The Million Dollar Man:
”The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase entered the WWF in the summer of 87 telling people he could buy whatever he wanted because every man has his price. He attempted to purchase the WWF Championship from Hulk Hogan but found out that he could not buy Hulk Hogan. He then bought the next best thing, the contract of Andre the Giant.
The Return of Wrestling to Prime Time TV:
Andre and Hulk had their rematch live on NBC in the most watched match in wrestling history. Ted DiBiase bought off the referee (actually the twin of the referee) and Andre won the match. Andre then relinquished the title and gave it to Ted DiBiase. President Jack Tunny declared the title vacant since the title could not be sold.
The Tournament:
Hulk and Andre had first round byes and were guaranteed to meet up in the second round. That match ended in a double DQ. Randy and Ted fought in the finals. Ted had Andre and his servant Virgil in his corner. Savage had Elizabeth go to the back to get Hulk. The match ended when Hulk hit DiBiase with a chair and Randy then hit the elbow off the top rope to become champion.
The Aftermath:
Jim Crockett was forced to sell his company to Ted Turner a few months later. However in his feud with Vince McMahon he won the battle on 3/27/88. More people saw Sting vs Ric Flair than saw “The Macho Man” win the WWF Championship. In addition, anyone that saw both shows would have to agree that the Clash was the superior program on that night.
Random Facts:
- Due to a timing snafu, the WWF Magazine came out a few days before the show and stated on the cover that Savage had won the tournament.
- Bret Hart had a face turn. He would be a good guy for the next 8 years.
- This is the first WrestleMania not to finish with a Hulk Hogan match.
- Donald Trump sat ring side for this event. He would be at ringside for 3 other events.
Match Results:
Clash of Champions
TV Title (Amateur Rules): Champ Mike Rotunda beat Jimmy Garvin
US Tag Team Titles: Champs The Midnight Express beat The Fantastics by DQ
Barbed Wire Match: The Road Warriors & Dusty Rhodes beat The Powers of Pain & Ivan Koloff
NWA Tag Team Championship: Lex Luger & Barry Windham defeated Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard to win the titles
NWA World Championship: Champ Ric Flair vs Sting battled to a time limit draw
WrestleMania IV
Tournament Round 1:
Ted DiBiase pinned Jim Duggan
- Don Muraco beat Dino Bravo via DQ
- Greg Valentine pinned Ricky Steamboat
- Randy Savage pinned Butch Reed
- One Man Gang beat Bam Bam Bigelow via count out
- Rick Rude and Jake Roberts battled to a draw, eliminating both men
Quarterfinals
- Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant fought to a double-DQ, eliminating both men
- Ted DiBiase pinned Don Muraco
- Randy Savage pinned Greg Valentine
Semifinal
- Randy Savage pinned One Man Gang
Final
- Randy Savage pinned Ted DiBiase to become new WWF Champion
Non-tournament Matches
- Bad News Brown won a battle royal by last eliminating Bret Hart
- The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hercules Hernandez
- I-C Title: Brutus Beefcake beat The Honky Tonk Man via DQ, HTM keeps the title
- The Islanders & Bobby Heenan beat The British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware
- Tag Team Title: Demolition beat Rick Martel & Tito Santana to win the tag team titles
Wrestle Mania 5
WrestleMania V took place on April 2, 1989. For the only time in event history, the event was held in the same arena for back to back years. The main event featured Randy Savage defend the WWF title against Hulk Hogan. As the previous year, the NWA ran a Clash of Champions special live on TBS against WrestleMania. The big difference was that Ted Turner was the owner of the company.
Ted Turner:
Ted Turner bought Jim Crockett's wrestling promotion in the summer of 88. The company kept the NWA name until 1991 when they became known as World Championship Wrestling. With the exception of this event, WCW wasn't a thorn in the side of the WWF until 1995. This installment of the Clash featured Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat in a best of 3 falls match. While this was the match of the night, WrestleMania was the better event.
The Megapowers Explode:
Throughout the year, Randy was getting more and more paranoid about his friend Hulk Hogan. On a live edition of The Main Event, the team came apart during a match against the Big Bossman and Akeem. Hulk left his partner to attend to the injured Elizabeth. After the match, Randy accused Hulk of lusting after Elizabeth and his title. He then attacked Hogan in the locker room.
The Main Event:
Randy's elbow was heavily taped for this match due to an injury he was going to have surgery on. Elizabeth was in a neutral corner for the match before th ref made her go to the back for her own safety. The match ended like most Hulk Hogan matches. After he Hulked up, he hit the big leg drop to get the win and the title.
Other Highlights:
In a huge surprise, Rick Rude beat The Ultimate Warrior for the Intercontinental Championship. Roddy Piper returned to the ring and conducted a Piper's Pit with special guest Brother Love and Morton Downy Jr. The segment ended with Piper dousing Downey with a fire extinguisher because he wouldn't stop blowing cigarette smoke in Piper's face.
The Aftermath:
The movie No Holds Barred was released that summer. Hulk's movie nemesis Zeus (Tiny Lister) would become Savage's ally in this battle which also saw Hall of Famer Sherri Martel take the place of Elizabeth as Savage's corner person. While Savage and Hogan continued their feud, The Ultimate Warrior was quickly becoming a crowd favorite.
Match Results:
- Hercules pinned King Haku
- Akeem & Big Bossman pinned The Rockers
- Ted DiBiase & Brutus Beefcake battled to a double-count out
- The Bushwhackers pinned The Rougeau Brothers
- Curt Hennig pinned The Blue Blazer
- Tag Team Title: Champions Demolition pinned The Powers of Pain & Mr. Fuji
- Dino Bravo pinned Ron Garvin
- The Brainbusters beat Tito Santana & Rick Martel
- Jake Roberts beat Andre the Giant via DQ - Big John Studd was referee
- The Hart Foundation beat Greg Valentine & The Honky Tonk Man
- Piper's Pit: Roddy Piper had guests Brother Love & Morton Downey Jr. The segment ended when Piper doused Downey with a fire extinguisher
- I-C Title: Rick Rude pinned The Ultimate Warrior to win the title
- Jim Duggan & Bad News Brown fought to a double-DQ
- Terry Taylor pinned Bobby Heenan
- WWF Title: Hulk Hogan regained the title by defeating Randy Savage
Wrestle Mania 6
On April 1, 1990, WrestleMania VI was held at the Skydome in Toronto, Canada. Billed as the Ultimate Challenge, the main event featured the very rare good guy vs. good guy match up in Hulk Hogan vs the Ultimate Warrior.
Toronto Wrestling History:
In 1986, the WWF held an event at the CNE Stadium that became the largest attended wrestling event (eventually eclipsed by WM III). Dubbed The Big Event, the main event was Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff. Several years later, the Skydome was built and it just made sense to hold this event there.
NBC's The Big Event:
While the two previous NBC specials directly influenced the card, the big story that night was a Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage rematch. Mike Tyson was originally supposed to referee that match but lost his title several days earlier to Buster Douglas. Buster refereed that match but Mike would return to the WWF eight years later.
The Ultimate Challenge:
The main event featured World Champion Hulk Hogan battle Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior. Both men were beloved by the fans. While a situation involving The Earthquake brought some tension between the men, both men were gentlemen and neither man attacked the other before the match. The only contact between the men was during the Royal Rumble when both men knocked each other out.
The Match:
Both men put on one of the greatest matches of their careers. When it appeared Hulk was about to hit his winning leg drop, the Warrior moved and hit his splash for the win. After the match, both men shook hands and it appeared that Hulk had passed the torch to the Ultimate Warrior.
Other Highlights:
Demolition regained the tag team titles from Andre the Giant and Haku. After the match, Andre beat up Bobby Heenan and was once again adored by the fans. While he would make an appearance at WrestleMania VII, this was his final WrestleMania match. Andre died a few years later and became the first person inducted into WWE Hall of Fame.
The Aftermath:
The Intercontinental title was vacated and Mr. Perfect won a tournament to win the belt. Even though Hulk was no longer champ, he was still the biggest star in the company and would co-main event the next two PPV events with the Warrior.
Random Facts:
- Edge was in the crowd for this event.
- Diamond Dallas Page drove the pink Cadillac used by the Honky Tonk Man.
- Steve Allen was a guest celebrity at the show. A few years later, he was one of the most outspoken critics against the WWF when they had their battle with the Parents Television Council.
Match Results:
- Rick Martel beat Koko B. Ware
- Tag Team Title: Demolition regained the title from Andre the Giant & Haku
- Earthquake pinned Hercules
- Brutus Beefcake beat Curt Hennig
- Roddy Piper fought Bad News Brown to a double-count out
- The Hart Foundation beat The Bolsheviks
- The Barbarian pinned Tito Santana
- Mixed Tag Team Match: Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire beat "The Macho King" Randy Savage & "Queen" Sherri
- The Orient Express beat The Rockers via count out
- Jim Duggan pinned Dino Bravo
- Ted DiBiase regained his "Million Dollar Belt" from Jake Roberts by count out
- Big Bossman pinned Akeem. Before the match he was attacked by Ted DiBiase who was hiding at ringside after his match.
- Rick Rude pinned Jimmy Snuka
- WWF Title & I-C Title: The Ultimate Warrior beat Hulk Hogan to win the WWF championship
Wrestle Mania 7
WrestleMania VII took place on March 24, 1991 at the L.A. Sports Arena. The event was originally scheduled to take place at the L.A. Coliseum but was moved due to security issues. The controversial main event pitted Hulk Hogan battling Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter. At the time, the U.S. was at war with Iraq.
The Events Leading to the Main Events:
After several months of insulting the troops of Operation Desert Shield, Sgt. Slaughter was granted a title match against the Ultimate Warrior at the Royal Rumble. A few days before the event, the war started and Sgt. Slaughter won the world title with the help of Randy Savage. It was only natural that 'The Real American” Hulk Hogan would battle Sgt. Slaughter.
The Main Event:
The match between Slaughter and Hogan was a brutal match. At one point in the match, Slaughter draped the Iraqi flag over Hogan. However, Hulk Hogan and America would prevail as Hulk hit the leg drop to regain the title. The show ended with a very bloody Hulk Hogan waving the flag of the U.S.A.
The Other Big Match:
Interest was just as high for the retirement match between Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior. As great as the match was, it is the surprise ending that this WrestleMania is most known for. After losing the match, Savage was attacked by Queen Sherri. Miss Elizabeth ran into the ring and saved her former man. The two embraced and the crowd was literally in tears.
The Aftermath:
Randy became a TV commentator and married Elizabeth at SummerSlam. He returned to the ring in late November and feuded with Jake Roberts. The Ultimate Warrior left the WWF after SummerSlam. Sgt. Slaughter became an American hero again a few months later. Hulk would go on to meet his gravest challenge in the form of the Undertaker.
The Competition :
At this point in time, it appeared that WCW was doing everything they possibly could to go out of business. A few months after this show, Ric Flair appeared on WWF TV with the WCW World title. Additionally, their young superstar Sid Vicious also signed with the WWF. Both men would go on to be in the main events at WrestleMania VIII.
Random Facts:
- Celebrities sitting ring side included Donald Trump, Henry Winkler, Macaulay Caulkin, Chuck Norris, and Lou “The Other Hulk” Ferrigno.
- This is the first of 3 consecutive opening matches for Shawn Michaels.
- Both Demolition and the Hart Foundation were broken up by the WWF after this event.
Match Results:
- The Rockers beat The Barbarian & Haku
- Kerry Von Erich beat Dino Bravo
- Davey Boy Smith pinned The Warlord
- Tag Team Title: The Nasty Boys won the titles from The Hart Foundation
- Blindfold Match: Jake Roberts pinned Rick Martel
- The Undertaker pinned Jimmy Snuka
- Retirement Match: The Ultimate Warrior pinned Randy Savage. After the match, Randy Savage reunited with Miss Elizabeth.
- Koji Kitao & Genichiro Tenryu beat Demolition
- I-C Title: Big Bossman beat Champion Curt Hennig by DQ. Curt Hennig keeps the title.
- Earthquake pinned Greg Valentine
- The Legion of Doom beat Power & Glory
- Virgil beat Ted DiBiase by count out
- The Mountie beat Tito Santana
- WWF Title: Hulk Hogan won the championship for the third time by beating Sgt. Slaughter
Wrestle Mania 8
WrestleMania VIII took place on April 5, 1992, at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, IN. This WrestleMania featured a double main event and what was billed as possibly Hulk Hogan's retirement match. The event is most famous for a surprise return at the end of the show.
The World Title Situation:
WCW World Champ Ric Flair entered the WWF with the title in the fall of 91. He caused so much interference in The Undertaker vs Hulk Hogan title matches that Jack Tunney declared the title vacant. Ric Flair won the Royal Rumble to become the World Champion. Everyone was expecting the main event to be the dream match of Hogan vs Flair but for some reason, the WWF went in a different direction.
She Was Mine Before She Was Yours:
Ric Flair defended the WWF title against Randy Savage. To build up the match, Flair had published photos in WWF magazine to make it appear that Flair and Elizabeth had been an item before she was with Savage. Randy won the match and it was later revealed that the photos Flair published were fakes.
Farewell to the Hulk and the Return of a Former WrestleMania Opponent:
Hulk's battle against Sid Justice was billed as Hulk's possible farewell match. Their issues started at during the Royal Rumble and escalated at a SNME event where Sid abandoned Hulk during a tag team match. This match ended when Sid kicked out of the leg drop and his friend Papa Shango came into the ring to beat up Hulk. Out of nowhere, The Ultimate Warrior appeared to rescue Hulk.
A New Era?:
The best match of the night was an I-C title match between friends Roddy Piper and Bret Hart. Bret went on to win this match and in the process became the first man to ever pin Roddy Piper in a nationally televised match in the WWF. The two men left the ring arm in arm. Bret would go on to become the World Champion by the end of the year and be in the main event of next year's show.
The Aftermath:
The Ultimate Warrior was put under a voodoo spell by Papa Shango and left the company soon afterwards. Flair would regain the title but would leave the WWF in January. Hulk left the WWF for the year and would return in time for WM 9. Sid also left the WWF shortly after this match.
Dark Clouds on the Horizon:
Two events would hurt the image of the WWF. During the summer, there was a huge sex scandal against the company where certain members of the company were accused of sexually harassing wrestlers and ring boys. In 1991, George Zahorian was on trial for steroid distribution and it came out that many of his clients were WWF wrestlers.
Random Facts:
- Roddy Piper was pinned for the first time on WWF TV at this event.
- Jake Roberts held up his match so he could sign a release from the WWF.
- This was the first time that the WWF Championship match was not last on the card.
- Tito Santana lost in his seventh straight WrestleMania appearance.
Match Results:
- Shawn Michaels pinned Tito Santana
- Undertaker beat Jake Roberts
- I-C Title: Bret Hart pinned Roddy Piper to win the title
- Tag Team Title: The Natural Disasters beat the champions Ted DiBiase & IRS by count out. Ted DiBiase & IRS retain the titles.
- WWF Title: Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair to win the title
- Virgil, Big Bossman, Jim Duggan & Sgt. Slaughter beat The Nasty Boys, Repo Man, & The Mountie
- Owen Hart beat Skinner
- In his "possible retirement" match, Hulk Hogan beat Sid Justice by DQ. After the match, The Ultimate Warrior returned to save Hogan.
Wrestle Mania 9
WrestleMania IX was held on April 4, 1993 and took place at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is the only WrestleMania to be held outdoors. It is also generally considered to be the worst of the WrestleMania events. The event was dubbed "The World's Largest Toga Party" and featured Jim Ross wear a toga in his WWE announicing debut.
The Back Story:
The WWF was reeling from both the loss of Hulk Hogan and a public relations nightmare involving steroids and underage sex. The man leading this new era of the WWF was Bret Hart, a wrestler that did not look like the prototypical steroid freak that previous champions looked like. Bret was scheduled to defend his belt against Yokozuna, a 500 plus pound former Sumo wrestler.
The Return of Brutus Beefcake and Hulk Hogan:
One of the highlights of the show was the return of Hulk Hogan. His friend Brutus Beefcake was attacked by Money Inc. Hulk came out of retirement to help his friend who had suffered a serious injury to his face years earlier in a parasailing accident. Brutus had to wrestle with a mask on his face. However, the man with the injury to the face that put the match in jeopardy was Hulk Hogan.
An Eye Injury:
Fans watching the show immediately were able to notice two things about Hulk. The fist was that he appeared noticeably smaller and the second was a hideous black eye. The story given to fans was that Money Inc. hired goons to attack Hogan. The official reason given has been that Hulk suffered a jet ski accident. WWF officials were not certain the day of the show if Hulk could make it, but he fought. Most fans would say he fought one match too many that night.
What Just Happened?:
The Bret Hart era came to an end when Mr. Fuji threw salt in his eyes which allowed Yokozuna to win the title. From the back, Hulk Hogan came out to protest the decision and wound up with a title match. Seconds later, Hulk Hogan was the new world champion. For one night at least, Hulkamania ran wild.
What Were They Thinking?:
This has been called the worst WrestleMania for a reason. In addition to there being no great matches, some of the gimmicks that the wrestlers were given were beyond horrible. The most hideous part of the show was The Undertaker vs Giant Gonzalez match. The Giant wore a body suit with muscles painted on it, fur over his privates and a painted butt crack. If that outfit sounds bad, I guarantee you that the match was even worse.
The Aftermath:
Hulk would defend the title only once and lost it at the King of the Ring to Yokozuna. Lex Luger was given the chance to be the next Hulk Hogan and was put on the Lex Express bus tour to gain support in his SummerSlam battle against Yokozuna. The sex scandal was put behind the company, but a steroid trial for Vince McMahon was on the horizon and threatened to destroy the company.
Random Facts:
- Yokozuna's title reign was the shortest for anyone that defended the title.
- Yokozuna is the only man to fight twice at two straight WrestleMania events.
- The Undertaker match is the only time he did not win a WrestleMania match by pin fall.
- This is the last time that Hulk Hogan has appeared in the final match at WrestleMania.
Match Results:
- I-C Title: Tatanka beat Champion Shawn Michaels by DQ. Michaels keeps the title - The Steiner Brothers beat The Headshrinkers
- Doink pinned Crush
- Razor Ramon pinned Bob Backlund
- Tag Team Title: Champs IRS & Ted DiBiase beat Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake by DQ.
- Lex Luger pinned Curt Hennig
- The Undertaker beat Giant Gonzalez by DQ
- WWF Title: Yokozuna pinned Bret Hart to win the title
- WWF Title: Hulk Hogan pinned Yokozuna to win the title
Wrestle Mania 10
WrestleMania X took place on March 20, 1994, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event featured two incredible matches and the beginning of the new generation era of the WWF. Hulk Hogan was not on the show and the main event featured two WWF title matches.
The Main Event Situation:
The Royal Rumble was declared a tie between Lex Luger and Bret Hart. Both men were to receive title matches at WrestleMania. A coin flip determined that Lex would fight Yokozuna first and Bret would have to fight his brother Owen so all men would have the same number of matches.
Bret vs Owen:
This sibling rivalry was due to Owen being jealous of all the success his brother had. At the Royal Rumble, Owen attacked his injured brother after they lost a tag team title match. The match between the brothers was incredible and was easily the greatest opening match in WrestleMania history. After 20 minutes, Owen surprised the world and beat his brother Bret.
The World Title Situation:
In the first title match, Yokozuna beat Lex Luger by DQ due to the corruption of special referee Mr. Perfect. In the final match of the evening, Bret Hart beat Yokozuna when Yoko slipped off the ropes when he attempted the Bonzai splash. The show ended with the locker room clearing out and the stars holding Bret on their shoulders. Meanwhile, Owen came to ringside and just glared at his brother.
The Most Revolutionary Match in WrestleMania History:
Shawn Michaels was stripped of the Intercontinental Title several months earlier and Razor Ramon won a battle royal to become the new champ. Both men held a physical belt and both men claimed to be the real champ. The two belts were place high above the ring and could only be reached by ladder. This was the first ladder match in WWF PPV history and was such a success that they are relatively common place today. Razor Ramon won this match.
Aftermath:
Bret would go on to face his brother Owen in a tremendous series of matches. Shawn's bodyguard Diesel would become one of the most popular stars in the company and would go on to win the WWF Championship at MSG a few months later. The transitional champion was the surprising Bob Backlund, who beat Bret thanks to Owen at the Survivor Series but lost the belt to Diesel a few days later.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel:
That summer, Vince would win his steroid trial against the federal government. Vince would not be able to rest on his laurels though as a new man took over WCW. His name was Eric Bischoff and his plan was to use Ted Turner's money to take over wrestling. His first big move was the signing of Hulk Hogan that summer.
Random Facts:
- This was the first WrestleMania without Hulk Hogan
- This was the final WrestleMania for Randy Savage
- Howard Finkel wore a hair piece from the Hair Club for Men.
Match Results:
- Owen Hart pinned Bret Hart
- Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon beat Doink & Dink
- Falls count anywhere: Randy Savage beat Crush when Crush couldn't return to the ring in time
- Women's Title: Champion Alundra Blayze beat Lelani Kai
- Tag Team Title: Men on a Mission beat the Champion Quebecers by count out. The Quebecers keep the title.
- WWF Title Match 1: Yokozuna beat Lex Luger by DQ when Luger touched guest referee Curt Hennig
- Earthquake beat Adam Bomb
- I-C Title Ladder Match: Razor Ramon beat Shawn Michaels
- WWF Title Match 2: Bret Hart won the title by beating Yokozuna. Roddy Piper was guest referee.
Wrestle Mania 11
WrestleMania XI tool place on April 2, 1995, at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, CT. The main event featured recently retired New York Giant great Lawrence Taylor battle Bam Bam Bigelow. The match brought the WWF some major mainstream publicity at a time when the wrestling business greatly needed some good publicity.
The Set Up:
At the Royal Rumble, Bam Bam Bigelow shoved LT. Bigelow felt that LT, who was sitting at ringside, was making fun of him for losing a match. This event led to this match. As part of the promotion, a public workout was held at Times Square where the angle was furthered. LT brought in several football players to watch his back because Bam Bam Bigelow had the entire Million Dollar Corporation in his corner.
The Match:
Despite never wrestling before, LT was surprisingly competent in the ring and the match one of the best of the night (which is why many consider this one of the worst WrestleMania events). LT’s ring entrance was performed by Salt-n-Pepa. They sang Whatta Man but changed the lyrics for LT. On of the wrestlers in LT’s corner, Steve McMichael would go on to be a star for the rival WCW promotion.
The World Title Match :
Shawn Michaels earned the right to fight his former bodyguard Diesel by winning The Royal Rumble. Shawn’s new bodyguard was Sid. Diesel won the match due in part to some mistakes made by Sid. In a backdrop to this match, Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson both left the ring with Diesel. The next night, Sid turned on Shawn and the friendship between Diesel and Shawn was renewed.
The Start of the Monday Night War:
That fall, WCW launched Monday Nitro. The show ran against Monday Night Raw. The show was broadcast live, as opposed to RAW being taped, and WCW would give away the results of the WWF program. Vince McMahon decided to fight the threat of WCW in a bizarre fashion that would culminate at the following WrestleMania.
Random Facts:
- The LT and WWF Title matches were broadcast on a Fox TV special a few weeks after WrestleMania.
- The Undertaker’s urn was stolen and was melted into a gold chain by Kama Mustafa (The Godfather).
- The loudest ovation of the night was when it was announced before the event that the U Conn women’s basketball team won the NCAA championship.
Match Results:
- Lex Luger & Davey Boy Smith beat Eli & Jacob Blu
- I-C Title: Razor Ramon beat champ Jeff Jarrett by DQ. Jarrett keeps the title.
- The Undertaker beat King Kong Bundy
- Tag Team Title: Owen Hart & Yokozuna win the titles from The Smokin' Guns
- I Quit Match: Bret Hart forces Bob Backlund to submit. Roddy Piper was guest referee.
- WWF Title: Champion Diesel pinned Shawn Michaels
- Lawrence Taylor pinned Bam Bam Bigelow
Wrestle Mania 12
WrestleMania XII took place on 3/31/96 and was held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA. The main event featured a 60 minute Iron Man match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. The other highlight of this show was a great match between The Undertaker and Diesel.
The Huckster vs The Nacho Man:
As part of the pre-show, this “match” took place with Billionaire Ted as the referee. This was the culmination of the bizarre Billionaire Ted sketches, which were the WWF’s way of fighting WCW. They also took up placing ads in newspapers begging fans to contact the FTC to make sure that the sale of Turner’s assets to Time Warner not be allowed because it would be unfair to the WWF.
The Main Event Setup:
Shawn earned this title match against Bret Hart by winning the Royal Rumble. The match was promoted with Rocky style training vignettes. The disparity between videos for the men was laughable. Shawn was shown training with his original trainer Jose Lothario and doing amazing feats to accomplish his boyhood dream. Bret was getting beaten up by his father and was shown running in what appeared to be awkward slow motion. What was not noticeable to fans was that he was running on ice.
The Match:
Shawn had a spectacular entrance by coming down a zip line. The champ just walked to the ring. The rules of the match were that the man to win the most falls in an hour would win the match. At the 60 minute mark, Shawn was trapped in the sharpshooter with the match was tied 0-0. President Gorilla Monsoon called for overtime which Shawn won in overtime. If Bret thought the ending of this match was unfair, he’d really learn what unfair was at their rematch year and a half later.
The Aftermath:
Bret was left the WWF for several months after this match and almost signed a contract with WCW. While he didn’t, both Kevin Nash and Scott Hall did. With Hulk Hogan, they formed the NWO. The WWF countered by creating many wrestlers that had day jobs and made up for the losses of Hall and Nash by creating Fake Diesel and Fake Razor Ramon. WCW would go on to win the Monday Night Wars for the next year and a half.
Random Facts:
- Footage of the OJ Simpson car chase was used in the Roddy Piper-Goldust car chase.
- This was The Ultimate Warrior’s return match to the WWF.
- Sable was Triple H’s valet for this match
- Marc Mero made his WWF debut in an interview in the back and in the process came to the defense of Sable.
Match Results:
- Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, & Big Van Vader beat Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, & Jake Roberts
- Hollywood Back Lot Brawl: Roddy Piper beat Goldust in a match that started in a back lot and ended up in the ring after a highway car chase.
- Steve Austin beat Savio Vega
- The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley
- The Undertaker pinned Diesel
- 60 minute Iron Man Match for WWF Title: Shawn Michaels beat Champion Bret Hart 1 falls to 0 in overtime to become the new WWF Champion
Wrestle Mania 13
WrestleMania 13 was held on March 23, 1997, the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, Il. This event is most famous for the incredible Steve Austin vs Bret Hart battle which saw a double turn and the emergence of Steve Austin as the number 1 star in wrestling. The main event featured WWF Champion Sid defend his title against The Undertaker.
Heavyweight Title Turmoil:
In February, World Champion Shawn Michaels vacated the title in his infamous “lost my smile” speech. In a four way match, Bret Hart won the vacant title but lost it the next night to Sid due to the interference of Steve Austin. After that match, Bret went on a tirade that caused USA to institute a five second delay for RAW.
The Events Leading Up to Bret vs Austin :
Bret returned to the WWF in November when he was challenged by Austin. Bret won the Survivor Series battle but Austin wasn’t done with Bret yet. At the Royal Rumble, Bret thought he won but was eliminated by Austin who was previously eliminated but none of the refs saw it. A few weeks later, Austin cost Bret the world title. The WrestleMania battle between the two men was a submission match which was refereed by UFC star, Ken Shamrock.
The Best WrestleMania Match Ever?:
This match was a brutally violent and featured Austin receive a major gusher on his head. When Bret had Austin trapped in his sharpshooter, Austin refused to quit. He eventually went unconscious due to the blood loss. Bret was unhappy that he didn’t get to hear Austin quit and tried to continue the battle. Austin, refused to be helped to the back by any officials. The match started off with Bret being cheered and Austin being booed, but their roles were reversed by the end of the match.
The World Title Match:
The Undertaker and Sid were both considered good guys at this point. Prior to the match, Bret came out and insulted both men and the special commentator Shawn Michaels, who had danced to the ring despite suffering from a career ending injury a little over a month earlier. The Undertaker won this battle to win his second world title.
The Aftermath:
Steve Austin went on to be the number one star in the company but suffered a severe neck injury a few months later that put his career in jeopardy. The real life animosity between Bret and Shawn would lead to “The Montreal Screwjob” that November. A few months after this show, Vince Russo was put in charge of writing and the company embarked on their Attitude era which would turn the tide of “The Monday Night War” with WCW.
Random Facts:
- This was the first WrestleMania in over a decade not to use Roman Numerals.
- In Sid’s only two WrestleMania matches, he closed the show.
- This was Bret Hart’s final WrestleMania appearance. At this point, he had wrestled in the more WrestleMania’s than anyone else.
- The Rock made his WrestleMania debut with the forgettable Rocky Maiva character.
Match Results:
- Four Team Elimination Match: The Headbangers beat The Blackjacks, The Godwinns, & Doug Furnas & Phil Lafon
- I-C Title: Champion Rocky Maivia beat The Sultan
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley beat Goldust
- Tag Team Titles: Champions Owen Hart & The British Bulldog fought Mankind & Vader to a double-count out
- Submission Match: Bret Hart beat Steve Austin when special ref Ken Shamrock stopped the match
- Chicago Street Fight: The Road Warriors & Ahmed Johnson beat The Nation of Domination
- WWF Title: Undertaker beat Sid to become WWF Champion
Wrestle Mania 14
WrestleMania XIV was held on March 29, 1998, at the Fleet Center in Boston, MA. The main event featured special enforcer Mike Tyson outside the ring for the Shawn Michaels vs Steve Austin battle. This was Mike Tyson’s first PPV event since biting Evander Holyfield’s ears a few months earlier.
Bret and Shawn:
Several months earlier, Shawn won the world title in the infamous Montreal Screwjob. Shawn’s time at the top didn’t last long due to a back injury he suffered at The Royal Rumble when he landed improperly on The Undertaker’s coffin. After suffering the back injury in January, he didn’t wrestle until this match and this would be Shawn’s last match for over four years.
Mike Tyson:
A few months earlier, Mike bit pieces of Evander Holyfield’s ear. The segments featuring Mike on RAW helped turn the tide of the battle against WCW. In these segments, Mike made it appear that he was going to align with Shawn Michaels. A few days prior to the event, at a big outdoor event in Boston to promote the event, Mike Tyson humiliated Austin.
The Match:
Shawn Michaels fought a courageous match. His back pain was very noticeable during the match but he fought through it. The match ended with Steve Austin winning the match. Afterwards, Mike Tyson took off his D-X (Shawn Michael’s group) shirt to reveal a Steve Austin shirt. When Shawn confronted Tyson about this, he knocked out Shawn with a right to the face.
A Strange Sibling Rivalry:
For almost a year, Paul Bearer had been threatening The Undertaker with a secret. It turned out that Kane and The Undertaker were half brothers (Paul Bearer was Kane’s dad) and The Undertaker had accidentally killed his parents by starting a fire. Kane was severely burned and had to wear a mask and was unable to talk. It appeared that the brother’s had made peace with each other until Kane burned The Undertaker alive in the same coffin that derailed Shawn Michael’s career.
Kane vs The Undertaker:
This match is most known for what happened prior to it. Pete Rose, as ring announcer, started insulting the Boston sports fans. Kane came to the ring and gave Pete the tombstone. For the next two WrestleMania’s, these two had similar encounters. The match between brothers was won by The Undertaker. These two would go on to become friends and enemies seemingly a dozen of times and this feud has been on and off again for almost a decade.
The Aftermath:
With the notoriety the Tyson appearance gave them and the new tone of the product, the WWF would take the lead in The Monday Night Wars. With Shawn Michaels gone, Austin’s nemesis became Vince McMahon, the other man involved in the Montreal Screwjob. Shawn’s D-X group would go onto great things with new leader Triple H. With the Rocky Maiva gimmick a distant memory, The Rock was soon to become a main eventer.
Random Facts:
- This is the first WrestleMania to feature the scratch logo which must be blurred out due to the settlement with the World Wildlife Fund.
- This is the only WrestleMania that is not available on DVD without the blurred out logo.
- Shawn Michaels would make his next WrestleMania wrestling appearance at WrestleMania XIX. He would return to the ring at SummerSlam 2002.
Match Results:
- Tag Team Battle Royal: LOD 200 won last eliminating The New Midnight Express
- Light heavyweight title: Champ Taka Michinoku beat Aguila
- European Title: Champ Triple H beat Owen Hart. Chyna & Sgt. Slaughter were handcuffed together out side the ring.
- Marc Mero & Sable beat Goldust & Luna
- I-C Title: Champ The Rock beat Ken Shamrock by reverse decision when Ken Shamrock refused to break the ankle lock after the match
- Dumpster Match for Tag Team Title: Cactus Jack & Terry Funk beat champs Billy Gunn & Jesse James. The title was later held up because they weren't thrown in the proper dumpster.
- The Undertaker beat Kane
- WWF Title: Steve Austin beat Shawn Michaels to win the title. Mike Tyson was special enforcer outside the ring.
Wrestle Mania 15
WrestleMania XV took place on March 28, 1999, and took place in the First Union Center in Philadelphia, PA. The main event featured WWF Champion The Rock defend the title against Steve Austin. This would be the first of three WrestleMania battles between these two men. The referee for this match was decided by a bout between Mankind and Paul Wight (The Big Show).
Austin vs McMahon:
From the time Austin won the title last year, Vince McMahon schemed of ways to get the title off of Austin. He succeeded and in a tournament for the vacant title at The Survivor Series McMahon helped The Rock win the belt. Vince McMahon won the Royal Rumble to become number 1 contender but wound up losing a steel cage match to Austin at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre which earned Austin this title shot.
Paul Wight vs Mankind:
Paul made his WWF debut by interfering in the Austin vs McMahon match at St. Valentine’s Day massacre. He accidentally cost Vince the match. Mankind was a former ally of Vince McMahon’s but was screwed by him at the prior Survivor Series. He and The Rock had just had a brutal series of matches. The winner of this bout would determine the ref in the title match. Mankind won by DQ but was too hurt to referee the battle.
Stone Cold vs The Rock:
Prior to the match, Vince McMahon declared himself the referee for this match. President Shawn Michaels nixed this idea. This match featured several referees that were continually getting injured. The match ended with Austin hitting the Stone Cold Stunner to get the win and regain the world title.
Other Highlights:
The Brawl for All Match between professional boxer Butterbean and Billy Gunn was a legitimate fight that saw Gunn get knocked unconscious in less than a minute. His WWF career never recovered from this. One of the guest judges for this battle was Gorilla Monsoon. Gorilla was very sick at this point and this was one of his final appearances before passing away.
The Aftermath:
McMahon found a new way to get at Austin and that was with the new Corporate Ministry. McMahon lulled Austin into helping save his daughter only turning out to be the one to put her in danger in the first place. Stephanie would get revenge on her dad a few months later by marrying Triple H and turning on her father. They would rule the WWF during the McMahon-Helmsley era.
The Battle vs WCW Takes a Fatal Turn:
By this time, the WWF was clearly winning the war. In an attempt to spoof Sting’s entrance (entering the ring from the rafters), they had Owen Hart, dressed as The Blue Blazer, perform a similar ring entrance. On 5/23/99, at the Over the Edge PPV, things went tragically wrong and Owen died when he plummeted from the rafters into the ring. In a very controversial decision, Vince McMahon decided to continue the event.
WCW vs WWF:
In the fall of 1999, Eric Bischoff was fired from WCW and was replaced by WWF writer Vince Russo. Part of the reason for Russo leaving was that the WWF had just started the UPN show SmackDown. At around the same time, Steve Austin had to leave the ring for almost a year due to the effects of the neck injury he suffered at the hands of Owen Hart a few years earlier.
Random Facts:
- This was the first WrestleMania put on DVD.
- This is the first WrestleMania where the scratch logo was officially recognized as the new logo of the WWF.
- The Brawl for All Match is the only legitimate fight in WrestleMania history.
- Steve Austin became the only man to win the WWF title in consecutive years at WrestleMania.
Match Results:
- Triple Threat Match for Hardcore Title: Bob Holly beat Champ Billy Gunn & Al Snow to win the title
- Tag Team Title: Champs Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett beat D-Lo Brown & Test
- Brawl for All: Butterbean knocked out Bart Gunn
- Mankind beat Big Show by DQ
- Four corner elimination match for I-C title: Champ Jesse James beat Val Venis, Goldust & Ken Shamrock
- Kane beat Triple H by DQ
- Women's Title: Champ Sable beat Tori
- European Title: Champ Shane McMahon beat X-Pac
- Hell in a Cell: Undertaker beat The Big Bossman
- WWF Title: Steve Austin beat the Rock to win the WWF title
Wrestle Mania 2000 (16)
WrestleMania 2000 was held on April 2, 2000, at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA. The main event featured a four way match for the WWF Title between Champion Triple H, The Rock, Mick Foley, and The Big Show. As part of the promotion of this event, The Rock hosted Saturday Night Live and his opponents and Vince McMahon were also on the show. This was the first time a wrestler hosted the show since Hulk Hogan did so before the first WrestleMania.
A McMahon in Every Corner:
As much as this was a battle between the wrestlers, each member of the McMahon family was in the corner of a wrestler. Vince was with The Rock, Shane was with The Big Show, Linda was with Mick, and Stephanie was in the corner of her “husband” Triple H.
The Main Event:
The Rock pinned The Big Show followed by Triple H eliminating Mick Foley. In a surprising moment, Vince turned against The Rock and hit him with a chair which allowed Triple H to retain the title. This marked the first time in WrestleMania history that the heel walked out of the ring with the championship.
No Regular Matches:
This WrestleMania is noted for having no regular 1 on 1 matches. The only 1 on 1 match was a gimmick match between The Kat and Terri with the point of the match being to throw your opponent out of the ring.
An Incredible Tag Team Match:
One of the highlights of the show was a ladder match between The Dudley Boyz, The Hardy Boyz, and Edge & Christian. This match was such a success it was repeated the next year with even more stipulations.
Losing Two Titles Without Being Pinned:
Kurt Angle went into the event with two titles. He fought Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho in a match where the two men wound up pinning each other on two occasions. Due to the stipulations of the match, Kurt lost both the European and I-C Titles in spite of the fact that he wasn’t pinned to lose either title.
The War is Almost Over:
At this point, WCW was near death. They had fired Vince Russo, then a few months later rehired him along with Eric Bischoff. The company then relaunched but by that time people stopped caring. They made some bizarre booking decision which was highlighted by David Arquette winning the world title as part of the promotion of the horrible Ready to Rumble.
Random Facts:
- This was the first time that the event was named after the year instead of the event number.
- This was the first time that a heel won the final match at WrestleMania.
- The three competitors in the I-C/European Title Match all went on to fight Shawn Michaels in consecutive WrestleMania events (Jericho 19, Benoit 20, Angle 21)
- Prior to the PPV, there was an all day special on the PPV channel featuring highlights of the prior 15 events.
Match Results:
- Big Bossman & Bull Buchanan beat The Godfather & D-Lo Brown
- Hardcore battle royal for title: Hardcore Holly won the title
- T&A beat Al Snow & Steve Blackman
- Ladder Match for Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian beat champs The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz to become Tag Team Champions
- Terri beat The Kat
- Too Cool & Chyna beat Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko
- I-C Title: Chris Benoit beat champ Kurt Angle & Chris Jericho to win the title
- European Title: Chris Jericho beat champ Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit to win the title
- Kane & Rikishi beat X-Pac & Road Dogg
- Fatal Fourway for WWF Title: Champion Triple H beat The Rock, Mick Foley & The Big Show
Wrestle Mania 17
WrestleMania X-Seven took place on April 1, 2001 at the Astrodome in Houston, TX. This show was at the height of the WWF’s popularity at the turn of the century and is generally considered one of the best PPV events in the history of the company. This show, which marked the return of WrestleMania to a stadium, was highlighted by a WWF Title Match between The Rock and Steve Austin.
The Rock vs Austin:
For the second time in three years, Austin vs The Rock headlined WrestleMania. Like last time, The Rock went in as champ but this time both men were good guys. This was a classic battle that was decided in the most surprising way. Vince McMahon helped his arch-nemesis Steve Austin beat The Rock. The next night The Rock was suspended as a way to write him off the show so he could promote The Mummy 2.
The War is Over:
On the RAW before this show, the most amazing site took place. The WWE had purchased the WCW and a feed of the final Nitro was shown on RAW and vice versa. As part of an angle, Shane McMahon snuck in and bought WCW from AOL-Time Warner that night as a way to increase the heat for the battle against his dad at WrestleMania.
Shane vs Vince:
For the first time in WrestleMania history, a father battled his son. They fought over the treatment of Linda McMahon. Vince was humiliating her and had her in a very medicated state while he was fooling around with Trish Stratus. During this match, Linda faked her medicated state and kicked her husband in the grapefruits which allowed her son to get the victory.
A Bunch of Great Matches:
This card had several great matches on it. The Triple h vs Undertaker battle might be the best Undertaker match in his WrestleMania career. The TLC battle for the tag team titles had an incredible spot that featured Edge deliver his spear off one of the ladders onto Jeff Hardy who was hanging from the belts on the cable. The Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle match was a scientific classic and The Gimmick Battle Royal brought back a lot of memories.
The Aftermath:
Steve Austin and Triple H became tag team partners and ran roughshod over the WWF until Triple H injured his quad. The short lived XFL started up a few weeks later. A few months later the WCW Invasion angle happened and it turned out to be a huge disappointment to most fans. Business then went down due to a combination of bad storylines and the economic condition of the country due to the burst of the stock market bubble and the terrible events of 9/11.
Random Facts:
- The Rock vs Austin rematch is the only time that two WrestleMania events ended with the same match.
- Austin’s title win tied him with Hulk Hogan as being the only men to win the title 3 times at WrestleMania.
- Steve Austin never entered the ring as WWF Champion at any WrestleMania.
- The Rock has never left the ring as WWF Champion at any WrestleMania.
- Edge and Christian became the first tag team to win the titles in back to back WrestleMania events.
Match Results:
- I-C Title: Champ Chris Jericho beat William Regal
- The APA & Tazz beat The Right to Censor
- Hardcore Title: Kane beat champ Raven & Big Show to win the title
- European Title: Eddie Guerrero beat Test to win the title
- Kurt Angle beat Chris Benoit
- Women's Title: Chyna beat Ivory to win the title
- Street Fight: Shane McMahon beat Vince McMahon
- TLC match for Tag Team Title: Edge & Christian beat champs The Dudley Boyz & The Hardy Boyz to win the title
- Gimmick Battle Royal: The Iron Sheik by last eliminating Hillbilly Jim
- The Undertaker beat Triple H
- WWF Title: Steve Austin beat the Rock to win the WWF title
Wrestle Mania 18
WrestleMania X8 took place on March 17, 2002, at the Skydome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The main event featured a dream match up as Hulk Hogan took on The Rock. The other featured matches of the night were NWO member Scott Hall taking on Steve Austin and Undiputed Champion Chris Jericho defending the title against Triple H.
The NWO enters the WWF:
After the disappointing WCW Invasion angle, the real WCW superstars started to enter the WWF. At February’s No Way Out PPV, the most successful group in WCW history entered the WWF. The New World Order consisted of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash. They immediately set their sights on the two biggest WWF stars, The Rock and Steve Austin. To get The Rock’s attention, after beating him up, they ran the cab of an 18 wheeler into his ambulance.
Icon vs Icon:
An amazing thing happened during this match. The fans turned against The Rock and started to cheer for Hulk Hogan. The WWF fans never hated Hogan before (or at least since the birth of Hulkamania 20 years earlier) and weren’t about to start now. The Rock beat Hogan much to the dismay of the crowd and both men shook hands afterwards. Steve Austin beat Scott Hall in a very forgettable match.
The Undisputed World Championship:
Chris Jericho won a tournament in December by beating The Rock and Steve Austin in one night to unify the WWF and WCW World Championships. Triple H returned from his quad injury in January and won the Royal Rumble to earn this title match. He would later lose and regain this title match from Kurt Angle. Amazingly, this match was not about Jericho and Triple H, it was built up as a feud between Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.
The End of McMahon-Helmsley:
On TV, Stephanie and Hunter’s marriage was in shambles. Stephanie made him think that she was pregnant to get them back together but her plan backfired. As part of her sinister plan, she tried to get custody of Hunter’s dog Lucy. After walking the dog, Chris Jericho accidentally ran her over. Triple H got revenge for Lucy by beating Chris Jericho for the title.
The Aftermath:
The NWO was soon disbanded due to Hulk turning good, Kevin Nash injuring his quad, and Scott Hall’s personal problems. That summer, The Rock, Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan had all left the company for differing reasons. The only bright spot was the emergence of a rookie named Brock Lesnar, who went on to become the champion a few months after his debut.
Brand Split and Get the F Out:
A few weeks after WrestleMania, the WWF split the company into two separate brands, RAW and SmackDown! In May, the WWF was forced to change their name due to a lawsuit filed by the World Wildlife Fund. The company was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment. The slogan “Get the F Out” was used to remind fans of the name change.
Random Facts:
- Hulk Hogan was pinned in both of his Skydome WrestleMania appearances.
- Dallas Page made his only two WrestleMania appearances at events held in the Skydome (at WM 6 he drove a pink Cadillac)
- The Hardcore Title changed hands 5 times at the show. This was the only time when the title had the 24/7 rule used at WrestleMania.
Match Results:
- I-C Title: Rob Van Dam beat William Regal to win the title
- European Title: Champion Dallas Page beat Christian
- Hardcore Title: Champion Maven fought Goldust. Due to the 24/7 rule the title went from Maven to Spike Dudley to The Hurricane, Molly, Christian and back to Maven by the end of the night
- Kurt Angle beat Kane
- The Undertaker beat Ric Flair
- Edge beat Booker T
- Steve Austin beat Scott Hall
- Tag Team Title Elimination Match: Champions Billy & Chuck beat The Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, & APA
- The Rock beat Hulk Hogan
- Women's Title: Champ Jazz beat Trish Stratus & Lita
- WWF Title: Triple H beat Chris Jericho to win the title
Wrestle Mania 19
WrestleMania XIX took place on March 30, 2003 at Safeco Field in Seattle, WA. The main event was Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar but the main draw for the show was for a battle 20 years in the making, Vince McMahon vs Hulk Hogan. This is the only time that a WrestleMania event was held in the Northwest part of the country.
20 Years in the Making:
Hulk Hogan returned to the WWF and immediately found himself in a feud with Vince McMahon. The match was billed as being 20 years in the making and both men were debating over who was most responsible for the growth of the WWF in the 80’s. Was it Hulk’s brawn or Vince’s brain? Even though it was billed as being 20 years in the making, no fan in the 1980’s was holding their breath to see Hulk Hogan battle the guy in the ugly sports coat doing the announcing.
The Match:
The match was a violent affair which saw Vince McMahon sport a major gusher from his forehead. In a surprise, Roddy Piper came out to interfere and hit his longtime rival Hulk Hogan. It has to be noted that Piper was very out of shape at this point. In what should not be considered a shocker, Hulk won this match with the leg drop.
Two World Title Matches:
By this point, the WWE had two titles of equal value. The World Heavyweight title match featured Triple H beat Booker T. There were some serious racial overtones going into this match. In addition, part of the storyline exploited Booker T’s criminal past. Triple H won this match against the former-5 time WCW World Champion.
Did He Break his Neck?:
The WWE title match featured Brock Lesnar try to regain the title from Kurt Angle. This was a great match with a very scary ending. Lesnar attempted a shooting star press and missed. He landed very badly and busted his head open on the canvas. Lesnar went on to win the match, but needed medical attention as soon as he got to the back.
The Rock vs Austin part 3:
Steve Austin and The Rock had their final WrestleMania match at this event. The Rock was the bad guy for this match and he finally got over the hump and pinned Steve Austin. This was Austin’s final match due to the physical problems stemming from his neck injury. The night before the match, Austin had to be hospitalized due to an ephedra related issue.
The Aftermath:
The very next night, Goldberg made his WWE debut and started a feud with The Rock. Kurt Angle had to miss several months due to neck surgery. Hulk Hogan and The Rock both left the company soon afterwards. As the next WrestleMania drew near, long time mid card stars Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero were getting the pushes they deserved.
Random Facts:
- A documentary was shown on UPN a few months later detailing the behind the scenes of many of these matches. That documentary is available on the WrestleMania XX DVD.
- This is the first WrestleMania with two equal World Championships and the first with the name WWE.
- This was the last of 3 consecutive stadium events, the longest such streak in WrestleMania history.
- Goldberg made his WWE debut the following night.
Match Results:
- Cruiserweight Title: Champ Matt Hardy beat Rey Mysterio
- The Undertaker beat The Big Show & A-Train
- Women's Title: Trish Stratus beat champ Victoria & Jazz to win the title
- WWE Tag Team Title: Champions Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas beat The Guerreros, and Chris Benoit & Rhyno
- Shawn Michaels beat Chris Jericho
- World Heavyweight Title: Champ Triple H beat Booker T
- Hulk Hogan beat Vince McMahon
- The Rock beat Steve Austin
- WWE Title: Brock Lesnar beat champion Kurt Angle to win the title
Wrestle Mania 20
WrestleMania XX took place on March 14, 2004, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This is the third time that the event was held at MSG. The very memorable ending featured long time friends Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero celebrate in the ring as the two top men in the sport. In addition, the family of Chris Benoit joined in the celebration. Sadly, that great moment is now more known as being a part of the news footage continually shown during the Benoit family murder media circus.
WWE Title:
At WrestleMania XX, Eddie Guerrero defended the WWE Championship against Kurt Angle. Eddie won the WWE championship a month earlier from Brock Lesnar and this was his first PPV defense of the belt. Eddie lived up to his "lie, cheat, and steal" motto to keep the belt. By untying his shoelaces, he caused a big enough distraction to keep the belt from a stunned Kurt Angle.
World Heavyweight Championship:
Triple H defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit. Chris won the Royal Rumble to earn this title shot. Shawn got involved in the match by signing Benoit's contract after he sneak attacked him. In a major upset, Benoit made Triple H tap out to the crippler cross face.
A Dream Match Turns Into a Nightmare:
Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar was supposed to be a dream match. Prior to the match, fans knew that Goldberg’s 1 year contract was set to expire and he wasn’t coming back. The shock was that news came out that Lesnar was going to leave the WWE for the Minnesota Vikings. The fans were vicious to both men in the ring and the mood wasn’t helped by a boring match. Steve Austin was the special ref and was cheered after he gave the stunner to both men.
The Return of the Rock-n-Sock Connection:
One of the matches featured the reunion of a storied tag team from the past. Mick Foley was having problems with Evolution and called on his good friend The Rock to help him. Even though they lost, the match is significant for two reasons. This was Foley’s first match since losing at WrestleMania 2000. As of 2007, this also turned out to be the Rock’s final match.
The Aftermath:
Neither Benoit or Guerrero had memorable title reigns. Eddie lost the title a few months later to JBL while Chris Benoit’s matches seemed to be in the backdrop of Triple H’s feuds with Shawn Michaels and Eugene. Benoit lost the title a few months later to Randy Orton who promptly lost it to Triple H.
Random Facts:
- Torrie Wilson and Sable had just appeared on the cover of Playboy together. This is the first of the yearly WrestleMania Playboy-related fights.
- MSG became the first venue to host WrestleMania for a third time.
- This marked the first time that Shawn Michaels has been in the final match since fighting through his career halting injury at WrestleMania XIV.
Match Results:
- U.S. Title: John Cena beat The Big Show to win the title
- World Tag Team Title: Champions Rob Van Dam & Booker T beat Mark Jindrak & Garrison Cade, The Dudley Boys, and Rene Dupree & Rob Conway
- Christian beat Chris Jericho
- Handicap Match: Ric Flair, Randy Orton & Batista beat The Rock & Mick Foley. This was Foley's first match in 4 years.
- Playboy Evening Gown Match: Playboy cover girls Sable & Torrie Wilson beat Stacy Keibler & Jackie Gayda
- Cruiserweight Title: Champ Chavo Guerrero beat Nunzio, Shannon Moore, Funaki, Ultimo Dragon, Rey Mysterio Jr., Tajiri, Akio, Billy Kidman & Jamie Knoble
- Goldberg beat Brock Lesnar. Steve Austin was the referee.
- WWE Tag Team Title: Champs Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty beat The APA, The Bashams, and The World's Greatest Tag Team
- Women's Title: Champ Victoria beat Molly Holly. As a result, Molly lost her hair.
- WWE Title: Champ Eddie Guerrero beat Kurt Angle
- The Undertaker beat Kane
- World Heavyweight Title: Chris Benoit beat champ Triple H & Shawn Michaels to win the title
Wrestle Mania 21
WrestleMania 21 took place on April 3, 2005, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The main events featured a changing of the guard as both Batista and John Cena walked out of the event as the new champions. The event also featured the non wrestling returns to the ring of Steve Austin, Roddy Piper, and Hulk Hogan. The prior night, both Piper and Hogan’s Hall of Fame speeches were televised on Spike TV.
The Animal Unleashed:
After being Triple H’s lackey for the past few years, Batista finally broke away from his Evolution teammate. Batista won this match and very quickly into his title reign he was drafted to SmackDown! He suffered a torn lat muscle but fought through it to save the company which was reeling from Eddie Guerrero’s death. He then suffered a torn triceps and was forced to relinquish the title.
You Can’t See Me:
John Cena also won his first WWE title at this show. He beat JBL in a match that was not very memorable. Cena was drafted to RAW and became embroiled in a feud with RAW GM Eric Bischoff. A few months after winning the title, he released a raqp album.
One More Match:
The night before WrestleMania at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the fans loudly begged Hulk Hogan for one more match. The next night, he saved Eugene from an attack from Hassan and Daivari. He went on to feud with these men in tag team matches and a few months later fought Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam as a way to promote his new reality TV show, Hogan Knows Best.
Match of the Year:
Shawn Michaels fought Kurt Angle in a dream match that went on to win the PWI Match of the Year. This was the first match ever between these two wrestling legends and it lived up to the hype. Other highlights of the night saw The Undertaker extend his undefeated streak against Randy Orton and tag team champions battle as Eddie Guerrero (in his final WrestleMania match) fought Rey Mysterio.
Money in the Bank:
The first Money in the Bank match was held at this event. A contract for a title shot was in a briefcase 15 feet above the ring. The man that could grab the briefcase would get the title shot. The match was highlighted by some incredible spots involving Shelton Benjamin. Edge won this match and used the title shot at New Year’s Revolution to beat John Cena, who had just competed in an Elimination Chamber match.
Random Facts:
- Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio’s match is the first time that the tag team champions have battled at WrestleMania.
- This is the first time that The Rock has not wrestled since WrestleMania 13.
- This was the first Piper’s Pit at WrestleMania since WrestleMania V.
- The Big Show vs Akebono sumo match was the first and hopefully last Sumo match at WrestleMania.
- This was Eddie Guerrero’s final WrestleMania appearance
Match Results:
- Rey Mysterio beat Eddie Guerrero
- Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Edge beat Chris Benoit, Kane, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Jericho & Christian to get a title shot whenever he wants.
- Eugene is attacked by Hassan in the ring. He is saved by the returning Hulk Hogan.
- The Undertaker beat Randy Orton
- Women's Title: Champion Trish Stratus beat Christy Hemme
- Kurt Angle beat Shawn Michaels
- Pipers Pit with Steve Austin
- Sumo Match: Sumo wrestler Akebono beat The Big Show
- WWE Title: John Cena beat JBL to win the title
- World Heavyweight Title: Batista beat Triple H to win the title