The History of Wrestlemania, Part 7

Hello everyone!! Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the ride. This is it. The final chapters in my Wrestlemania saga. I hope you have enjoyed reading about it. I think I might need a week off to recover from all this! hehehe. To put a ribbon the whole thing, I'll have a "Wrestlemania 22" report on Monday. And thats it. No more wrestling for awhile!! So lets get to it shall we?

 

Skydome- Toronto, ON

March 17,2002

Wrestlemania X8 (18..again, gotta love those marketing people!!) returned to Skydome in Toronto which was the site of one of the biggest matches of all time. Who knew that in its return trip, it would feature a match that would not only rival it in hype, but surpass it in scale.

For the first time ever, it would be "ICON vs ICON" as Hulk Hogan made his return to the WWF to take on The Rock. Each man represented a different era of wrestling. Whereas Hogan was the golden boy of the WWF in its early years, The Rock was carrying the WWF banner in the new millennium. It was a match nobody thought they would see, but at Wrestlemania X8, history would once again be made.

When it came time for the match the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. And when Hogan's music hit the crowd went CRAZY!!! Even though Hogan was coming in as the "heel" (bad guy) the fans showed their respect for the man that made most of them fans. The Rock came out to his thunderous ovation. In a truly iconic moment, both men stared each other down as chants of "HOGAN!! HOGAN!! HOGAN!!" and "ROCKY!! ROCKY!!" echoed in the arena.

The bell sounded and both men went at each other. Hogan was in control in the early goingas he was obviously the stronger of the two physically. But soon the tables had turned and the Rock was in control which prompted boos from the crowd as they had now turned on the Rock and were solidly behind Hogan. The Rock tried to put Hogan away with the Rock Bottom and covered him but Hogan kicked out and began his "superman" like comeback. After a couple of punches he nailed The Rock with a big boot and followed it with a leg drop.

The Rock however kicked out at 2 1/2 and Hogan couldnt believe it. He tried the same sequence again but this time missed the legdrop. The Rock picked up Hogan and nailed him with TWO Rock Bottoms followed by the Peoples Elbow and the cover for the 3 count.

The crowd cheered in a sign of respect and appreciation for both men. Afterwards, Hogan shook The Rock's hand and both men walked out together as the true ICONS of the sport.

Safeco Field- Seattle, WA

March 30, 2003

Wrestemania was nearing almost two decades of excellence. "Wrestlemania XIX" (Yeah, they did away with the X# gimmick) would take place in Safeco Field, the home of the Seattle Mariners. It would be a unique Wrestlemania in that Hulk Hogan,The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin would all be on the card, but not the main event. This would also be the first Wrestlemania to use the new "WWE" name. Because of a lawsuit by the other W.W.F. (World Wildlife Fund) the WWF was forced to change their name to "World Wrestling Entertainment".

The Rock and Austin would go at it one more time. But this time it was all about pride as The Rock wanted to avenge his earlier Wrestlemania losses. The match was nowhere near as intense or "special" as the others before it. Still they managed to entertain the crowd and put on a decent match.

The Rock would dominate most of the match and after hitting Austin with a few Rock Bottom's, he was able to finally defeat Austin at Wrestlemania

Hulk Hogan would be involved in a different kind of match this time around. He would face the man that put him on the map, Vince McMahon!! The two had a falling out of sorts as McMahon claimed that Hogan would be nothing without him. Hogan responded by saying that without him the WWF would have never made it. The two men decided that Wrestlemania would be the place to settle their differences.

The match was a non stop brawl as both men fought all over the ring and around it. McMahon pulled out all the stops to beat Hogan. Even busting the Hulkster open. But it was no use as Hogan would come back and beat down Mr. McMahon

Despite some outside interference by the returning "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Hogan defeated McMahon and left him a bloody mess.

Even in defeat, McMahon was still defiant.

What would Wrestlemania bring us in its next installment?

 

Madison Square Garden,New York, NY

March 14, 2004

Wrestlemania reached its 20th anniversary and once again returned to the place that started it all. "Wrestlemania XX" would feature a new crop of superstars ready to take Wrestlemania into its third decade. None of this was more evident than in the main events.

WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero would defend his title against Kurt Angle in one main event, while WWE World Heavyweight Champion HHH would take on Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels in a Triple Threat Match. With two major titles on the line, it promised to be a big night.

First up, Eddie would defend against Kurt Angle. For months, Angle was mocking Eddie Guerrero and called him "unworthy" of carrying the gold. Eddie accepted Angle's Wrestlemania challenge to prove that he was indeed championship material.

Eddie and Angle put on a wrestling clinic and at one point even had Angle in his own Ankle Lock!

Angle was able to regain momentum and almost had Eddie tapping out as well. Guerrero escaped the lock and started untying his boot to "relieve" swelling. But in reality he had a plan. When Angle put him in the lock again, Guerrero pushed his boot off sending Angle flying. An angry Angle charged back at Guerrero only to be caught in a roll up and pinned for the 1-2-3!!!

Angle was stunned/furious and Eddie laughed all the way to the back.

It was now time for the second title bout and it didnt disappoint!

Benoit, Michaels and Triple H absolutely destroyed each other in the final match of WrestleMania XX. Michaels was a bloody mess, as Triple H looked ready to lock in the Pedigree on Benoit. Benoit somehow reversed it into the Crippler Crossface, and with Michaels out on the floor Triple H fought as muchas he could but finally tapped out due to the excruciating pain. Benoit was the new champion!!

Afterwards Chris Benoit was joined by his friend WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero in the middle of the ring as confetti flew all over Madison Square Garden and both men celebrated being at the top of the mountain.

Staples Center- Los Angeles, CA

April 3, 2005

Wrestlemania returned to Los Angeles for its 21st edition. Gone were the Roman numerals from the logo. Instead "Wrestlemania 21" would use traditional numbers for its numbering. This was also the first Wrestlemania your's truly attended in person. ;-)

Once again two titles would be on the line. WWE Champion JBL would face John Cena, while World Heavyweight Champion Triple H (yes, him again) would face Batista.

After more than nine months and nearly 300 days as WWE Champion, the historic reign of JBL finally ended at the hands of John Cena at Wrestlemania. JBL, who had overcome every obstacle and every put in his way since July, couldn’t defeat the athletic, hungry and determined Cena on this night.

Cena mounted a flurry of offense late in the match, connecting with an FU and recording the three-count he waited for his whole life.Cena had a sluggish start to the match as JBL dominated the action, hitting a crushing spinebuster, a short-arm clothlesline and a superplex from the top rope.

JBL even tossed a reeling Cena out of the ring. But Cena would recover nicely, ultimately winning his first WWE championship and defeating JBL, who had earlier guaranteed victory

 

In the second match Triple H pulled out all the stops – using a low blow and a foreign object to set up his patented finisher.

But it would not be enough on this night.

Batista remarkably powered out of the Pedigree, then reversed it into a jaw-dropping modified slam. It was something Triple H never expected, and it took the wind right out of him.

Batista then hit his punishing sit-down powerbomb in the center of the ring. A bloodied Triple H couldn’t kick out and Batista was the new champion!!

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For over 20 years, Wrestlemania has been entertaining people all around the world. Be it the young or the young at heart, Wrestlemania remains as popular today as it did that fateful Sunday in 1985. The wrestlers may change. The name of the company may change. But one thing will always remain the same. Wrestlemania will always be the place where history is made and legends are born.

DQ

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The History of Wrestlemania, Part 6

 

Welcome back to the drill!! Ready for the stretch run? I'll be updating twice today to meet my deadline so to speak. So get ready for Wrestlemania's 15-21!!! There some graphic pics in this one also. Just so we're clear ok? On with the show!

First Union Center-Philadelphia, PA

March 28, 1999

The last Wrestlemania of the millennium would feature the biggest match since Hogan vs Warrior at Wrestlemania VI. Two of the company's biggest names would be going at it in the main event.

WWF champ The Rock, who for months had carved out a cocky persona that the fans loved to hate would face "Stone Cold" Steve Austin who was hell bent on getting his WWF title back.

The WWF was in full "Attitude" mode by the time "Wrestlemania XV" rolled around. Gone was the old WWF block logo to be replaced with the WWF "scratch" logo. This new "WWF Attitude" would put them back in the mainstream. Suddenly, being a wrestling fan was cool again.

By this time, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon had become a full time performer on his shows. Playing the evil "Mr McMahon" character, he felt that Austin was not good enough to be the champion and he wanted someone who was more to his liking. That person being The Rock. It promised to be another Wrestlemania classic.

Mr McMahon was determined to keep the WWF title off of Austin. So much so, that he appointed himself guest referee for the match. This didnt sit well with WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels (Yes, THAT Shawn Michaels. He had been forced to retire after Wrestlemania XIV) who ordered McMahon back and brought in a new impartial referee.

The match was chaotic as both men fought hard. The Rock was determined to walk out as champion and Austin would do everything in his power to not allow that to happen.

The Rock would hit Austin with his "Rock Bottom" finishing move, but to no avail as Austin kept coming.

 

Finally after several attempts to take the other out and despite some outside interference from McMahon, Austin was able to defeat The Rock and celebrated his victory with some beer. As you can see Mr. McMahon was not too happy. ;-)

Austin's second reign had begun!

Arrowhead Pond-Anaheim, CA

April 02,2000

Wrestlemania XVI (Or Wrestlemania 2000 as it would be called later) would bring Wrestlemania back to Anahiem for a second round. It would feature the first "Fatal Four Way" main event. It included WWF Champion Triple H defending against The Rock, The Big Show and Mick Foley. This would be the first main event in the "Austin Era" that "Stone Cold" would not be a part of. This match featured a McMahon in each corner as each member of Vince McMahon's family would accompany a fighter to the ring.

WWF Chairman Mr. McMahon had chosen The Rock as the man he wanted to become WWF Champion. In order for the People's Champion to accomplish this, however, he would have to take it away from a man supported by another McMahon – Triple H.

Mr. McMahon's daughter Stephanie, who was married to Triple H, said she was going to support him no matter what her father, or anyone else in her family, had to say.

Upon hearing that, Shane McMahon, Stephanie's brother, decided that it was time for WWF to move in a new direction. And the man who would be his champion was The Big Show.

The matriarch of the McMahon family and WWF CEO, Linda, saw the fighting taking place between her family members, and decided it was time for her to take control. To do that, she convinced Mick Foley to come out of retirement so he could live his dream and fight in the main event at WrestleMania.

The stage was set for perhaps the most electrifying WrestleMania of all time. All four men went at each other like they had nothing to lose

It seemed that The Rock had the match won, but then Vince McMahon showed his true colors by turning on The Rock and costing him the victory

Triple H retained the WWF Championship becoming the first man to do so since Diesel did it at Wrestlemania XI, but Vince, Shane and Stephanie were all knocked out by The Rock after the match.

The first Wrestlemania of the new millennium was in the books!

Astrodome-Houston, TX

April 01, 2001

It took two years, but at "Wrestlemania X-7" (17..gotta love those marketing people) WWF Champ The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin would face off once more. This match was bigger than their first Wrestlemania match as both men went in as top fan favorites.

The buildup for the match rivaled only that of the "Hogan/Warrior" match in that the fans were split in their loyalties wherever they went. While one half of the fans chanted "AUSTIN!! AUSTIN!! AUSTIN!!" the other half would be chanting "ROCKY! ROCKY!! ROCKY!!!" It promised to be a huge main event.

67,925 people jammed the Astrodome in Houston to witness this confrontation. And they didn’t go home disappointed!

It seemed that both men picked up where they left off. Austin didn’t even allow The Rock to go through his pre match poses as Austin attacked him before the bell even rang. The match was a "No DQ" match so anything went as both men took turns wailing away on each other.

At one point in the match both men were bloodied.

The Rock seemed to have things under control and was getting ready to deliver his "People's Elbow" on Austin and put him away.

Suddenly, Mr. McMahon came down to the ring and made his presence known. At first no one knew what to expect, but then he interfered on behalf of Austin and the crowd was stunned. McMahon handed Austin a steel chair and he began to wail away on the champion. Finally after leaving The Rock a bloody and beaten mess, Austin pinned the Rock and captured the title again.

 

The real shocker was afterwards when Austin and McMahon stared each other down in the ring and then shook hands. It seemed that Austin had finally joined Mr. McMahon and the WWF would never be the same again.

 

To be CONCLUDED!!!

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The History of Wrestlemania, Part 5

2nd update today! No monologue, lets just get back to the story!! ;-) (Just a warning, this one contains a graphic picture)

 

Anahiem Pond-Anahiem, CA

March 31, 1996

Wrestlemania made its return to Southern California for its 12th edition. "Wrestlemania XII" would feature another great Wrestlemania match.

WWF Champ Bret "The Hitman" Hart would defend against Shawn Michaels. For Michael's, this would be his second straight trip to the main event at Wrestlemania.

This would not be an ordinary championship match however. Both men would be competing in 60 minute "Iron Man" match. The person with the most falls after 60 minutes would be declared the winner.

The stakes were high in this one and you could feel that something was special was going to happen when the main event arrived. Shawn Michaels made an exciting entrance as he zipped into the arena on a wire.

 

After a brief rundown of the rules the match would get started and go on until one man won

 

Both men started with high impact moves and did their best to get the upper hand on the other

At one point the time keeper for the match was knocked out! At the 59 minute mark Hart caught Michaels in his shaprshooter and locked him in. Michaels however would NOT tap out and held on as time expired.

The match ended with neither man getting a pin fall. Bret Hart thought the match was over and decided to walk away with his belt. However, the match was restarted under "sudden death" rules. The first man to score a decision would be the winner. Hart assaulted Michaels as the bell rang and just as he was moving in for the kill, Michaels hit him with a superkick out of nowhere.

Hart staggered to his feet only to be hit again and this time Michaels covered him and scored the victory.

It was an emotional night as Shawn Michaels dream of becoming WWF champion had finally come to fruition.

It was a long and grueling match and the fans seemed to be drained just as much as the competitors themselves, but it will go down in history as one of the greatest matches of all time

Rosemont Horizon-Chicago, IL

March 23, 1997

Just as Wrestlemania XII returned to Southern California, "Wrestlemania 13" would return to Chicago, site of the 2nd Wrestlemania. Around this time, the WWF was begining to change. They were leaving their 80's campy roots and moving towards a more edgier product. This one featured, perhaps the most infamous match in Wrestlemania history and the one that pretty much put the new WWF on the map.

Bret Hart would take on "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in a "I Quit" match. Austin's popularity was begining to sky rocket as he portrayed a beer drinking, trash talking, foul mouthed SOB redneck from Texas. He was an anti-hero and the fans loved him. Hart had been the WWF's top "good guy" for years, but his wholesome image was about to be shoved aside for the more risque "Stone Cold".

The winner of this match would have to make the other person say "I Quit!". Both men prided themselves on never quiting, so this was going to be a fight to the end.

The match got underway and both men preceded to tear the house down. Because there were no rules, they fought in the aisles, on the outside of the ring, in the crowd, up in the rafters.

It was chaos and the fans loved every moment of it.

During the melee Hart busted Stone Cold open and he began to bleed profusely from his head. But he would NOT give up. He continued his assault on Hart and there was no let up from his side either.

Finally, Hart caught Stone Cold in the sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Austin did all he could to fight out of it, but could not do it. He screamed in agony as blood continued to pour out of his cut.

He tried to break out of the hold one more time, using all his strength and succeeded in knocking Hart off his feet, but he would not release the hold. Hart re applied it and really locked it in. Austin was finished. He continued to fight it but it was no use. As the blood continued to pour from his head, Austin passed out. When he would not respond to the referee's words, the match was declared over and Bret Hart the winner. Austin choose to pass out in a pool of his own blood rather than tap out.

The match was an instant classic and solidified "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as a bad ass. Fans would cheer Stone Cold wherever  he went and he soon became the company's number 1 guy.

Lost in all the Austin/Hart saga was the fact that the Undertaker would capture the WWF title in the main event.

The Era of the Deadman had begun and the WWF was about to change for good.

 

Fleet Center-Boston, MA

March 29, 1998

The WWF was now officially in the "attitude" era. No more good guy vs bad guy matches. Everybody was on equal footing now. The "good guys" didnt always win and it was cool to be bad. ;-)But before the attitude era could get underway, the old guard had to be removed.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin would take on Shawn Michaels in the main event for Michael's WWF title.

To maintain safety in the main event WWE Championship match between Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV, Mr. McMahon had found a special enforcer – "Iron" Mike Tyson, the self-proclaimed baddest man on the planet.

 

Despite the fact that it appeared as though Tyson had joined Michaels,in the weeks prior to event, Iron Mike was still allowed to play his part in the match.

 

In the end, however, Tyson proved to be completely impartial. In fact, when the appointed official was unable to continue due to injury, Mike even counted the three count, ending the match and giving Stone Cold his first WWE Championship.

As Stone Cold celebrated his huge WrestleMania victory, it was clear to all in attendance that the "Attitude" era of World Wrestling Entertainment had officially been ushered in

The History of Wrestlemania, part 4

Welcome back to the Drill. I might just pull this off after all. ;-) Lets get back to "Wrestlemania action"!

 

Caesars Palace-Las Vegas, NV

April 04,1993

 

Wrestlemania hit "Sin City" for its ninth edition. Held at the legendary Caesar's Palace arena, this would be the first Wrestlemania held completely outdoors. This event was billed as "The Worlds Largest Toga Party" and was entirely Roman themed.

One big surprise for this event was the return of Hulk Hogan. He had "retired" after Wrestlemania VIII but chose to come back to the ring for another run.

Wrestlemania IX featured a unique "big man" match as The Undertaker took on the 7 foot tall Giant Gonzalez.

It was a unique match in the sense that the Undertaker had never faced such a large opponent. It was his biggest challenge to date, but the Undertaker triumphed in the end.

Wrestlemania IX featured a double main event as WWF Champ Bret "The Hitman" Hart took on the almost 500 pound Yokozuna in one event. In the other half of the main event, Hulk Hogan would team up with his friend Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake to take on the WWF Tag Team Champions Money, Inc.

While the crowd was hot for Hogan's return to the ring, the match itself was not that great.

After what seemed like an eternity, the team of Hogan andBeefcake were disqualified after they were caught by the referee using an illegal object.

It was not quite the great return Hogan had wanted, but the night was not over yet.

 

Hopefully the second main event would get the crowd back into the event. The odds of Bret Hart successfully defending the WWE Championship against Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX were long, as he was giving up hundreds of pounds to his challenger Yokozuna. The Hit Man, however, proved in the main event that he was long on courage, taking it straight to the 500-plus pound monster.

Hart had Yokozuna locked in the his finishing move, the Sharpshooter and seemed to have pulled off the victory – until Yokozuna’s manager Mr. Fuji threw salt in Hart's eyes. Yokozuna dropped his huge leg on a blinded Hart to win the match and the WWE Championship, but that was only half the story!!

Hulk Hogan came out to tend to a fallen Bret Hart and to protest the shady way he had lost the belt. Fuji issued a challenge to Hogan on the spot for Yokozuna's newly-won championship. With Hart's blessing, Hogan accepted, and thanks to Fuji inadvertently throwing salt in his man's eyes, Hogan defeated Yokozuna in under a minute to win his fifth WWE Championship

So instead of a new era, it seemed that Hogan was destined to rule Wrestlemania for a bit longer. But things didnt work out that way. Hogan would drop the title to Yokozuna a few months later and then finally leave the WWF for good. The New Era would now finally begin.

 

Madison Square Garden-New York, NY

March 20, 1994

Wrestlemania reached its 10th anniversary and to celebrate, it returned to the place where it had all began. Madison Square Garden would host Wrestlemania X just as it had a decade earlier.

Wrestlemania X would be the first Wrestlemania that did not feature Hulk Hogan on the card. It was time for the "new blood" to take over and they didnt disappoint.

The celebrity presence returned to Wrestlemania as Little Richard opened Wrestlemania X with a soulful rendition of "America the Beautiful."

The crowd showed its appreciation by giving Richard a thunderous ovation when he finished. It was a great way to start what would become one of the best Wrestlemania's to date.

 

One of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history took place at Wrestlemania X when Shawn Michaels took on Razor Ramon in the first ever Ladder Match. This match was for the Undisputed Intercontinental Championship.

The match took its toll on both men and featured some truly spectacular moments.

After a long and grueling match, Razor Ramon was able to capture the title when Shawn Michaels became entangled in the ring ropes.

Wrestlemania X featured TWO WWF title matches. Because their were two number 1 contenders for the title, it was decided that WWF champion Yokozuna would defend the title against bothBret "The Hitman" Hart and Lex Luger. A coin toss would determine would get first crack at the champ and the winner of that match would face the the other contender in the final match of the night. Luger won the coin toss and he met Yokozuna first.

Luger seemed to have the match won, but then special referee Mr. Perfect, disqualified Luger for "roughing him up". Yokozuna would walk away champion, but he still had to face Bret Hart later.

For this match, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper was the guest referee. Much like their Wrestlemania IX match, Bret Hart went right ater Yokozuna. It was back and forth for alot of the match, but just as Yokozuna was going to put away "The Hitman" with his "banzai drop" off the rope, the champion lost his balance and fell to the mat. Hart quickly covered him and scored the victory.

Hart avenged his loss from the previous years Wrestlemania and afterwards the entire locker room came out to celebrate with him.

The first Post-Hogan Wrestlemania was in the books and if this Wrestlemania was any indicator, then the future was indeed bright.

Civic Center-Hartford, CT

April 02, 1995

Wrestlemania began its second decade by going to to the homestate of the WWF. Connecticut would host "Wrestlemania XI" and would be the first and so far only time that Wrestlemania would take place near WWF headquarters. And just like in "Wrestlemania 2" NFL stars would be involved in the main event.

NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor would be challenged by WWF big man "Bam Bam" Bigelow. The two men had a confrontation at the "Royal Rumble" earlier that year and Bigelow wanted Taylor in the ring one on one. After weeks of taunting him, Taylor finally accepted the challenge.

Also at Wrestlemania XI, WWF champ Diesel would take on challenger Shawn Michaels. The former best friends would go at it in a classic title match.

The celebrities were back out in force as Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Nick Turturo and several stars of the NFL were on hand. Jenny McCarthy would accompany Shawn Michaels to the ring for his title bout while Pamela Anderson would accompany the WWF Champ Diesel to the ring.

 

The match got underway and Michaels, competing in his first Wrestlemania main event, would put on a wrestling clinc. He battered the champion with quick attacks and high risk maneuvers.

Diesel soon took control of the match however and after about 15 minutes of high impact action, Diesel would retain the title, becoming the first champion to do so, since Hulk Hogan did it at Wrestlemania 2.

It was time then for the main event as R&B group "Salt-N-Peppa" sang their hit song "What A Man" as Lawrence Taylor made his way to the ring. No one knew what to expect as Taylor stepped into the ring against the veteran Bigelow.

Talyor, who was accompanied to the ring by his "All-Pro Team" comprised of NFL greats, astounded the world by gaining the pinfall victory after executing two football tackles and a flying fist.

An embarrassed and stunned Bam Bam Bigelow never fully recovered from the devastating defeat. Taylor and his fellow NFL stars celebrated as the show went off the air.

Around this time the WWF launched its "New Generation" campaign. They were trying to get away from the old time WWF and into the new era. The next Wrestlemania would prove this formula to be successful.

To be Continued....

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