SLAM! Wrestling's Mania moments
Compiled By JOHN POWELL -- SLAM! Wrestling
WrestleMania has a rich and colourful history. Every fan has their favorite moments. Moments they will treasure forever. Taking the good with the bad, there are also those WrestleMania happenings that make us cringe and start pounding that Fast Forward button on our VCRs as fast as humanly possible. Looking back over 15 years of the one wrestling event that hogs the media spotlight like no other, a sampling of SLAM! Wrestling writers share their thoughts with you.
Your favorite WM moments
Randy Savage with Elizabeth on his shoulders after WMIV, doing the wave at
Toronto's SkyDome during the Million Dollar Man vs Jake 'The Snake' Roberts
match at WMVI, meeting Bill Apter at WMXV in Philadelphia.
Your least favorite WM moments
That hanging of Big Bossman last year was stupid and irresponsible.
Your Top Five favorite WrestleMania matches
Owen vs Bret. Savage vs Steamboat. Bundy w/ the midgets. Bret vs Michaels Iron
Man. Tyson turning on Michaels, helping Austin.
Your favorite WrestleMania
Nothing will ever compare to WrestleMania III. It was an awesome sight. Yet,
the WrestleMania in Toronto probably means more to me simply because I was
there, and it marked the last legs of my Canadian Wrestling Report newsletter.
We had a great fan get-together, watched a ton of tapes, did bad
impersonations, hung out with Dr. D.
Your favorite WM moments
Without a doubt, Randy Savage winning the WWF World Heavyweight Title for the very first time at WrestleMania 4. A total Savage mark from the time he stepped into a WWF ring, it was the perfect payoff for me as a fan. Some others...Bundy splattering Little Beaver (WM 3), Rick Martel turning his back on Tito Santana (WM 5), the way the crowd popped when Hogan missed his Leg Drop and the Warrior won at WrestleMania 6. For that matter, learning that WrestleMania 6 would be in my hometown and attending the event. Hercules clocking Billy Jack Haynes (Billy Jerk Haynes?) with the steel chain (WM 3). That extreme close-up of Steve Austin's head pumping blood at WrestleMania 13. Shawn Michaels no-selling Mike Tyson's punch (WrestleMania 14). Owen getting the duke over Bret and the Michaels - Ramon ladder match at WrestleMania 10. Demolition (The Demos will get you!!) FINALLY capturing the tag belts (WM 4).
Your least favorite WM moments
Any WWF World Title victory by Hulk Hogan. The Mr. T - Piper boxing match (WM 2). Hogan's crappy slam of Andre (WM 3). Shawn Michaels winning the WWF World Heavyweight Title during the main event of WrestleMania 12. Bam Bam Bigelow being made to job to that no-talent Lawrence Taylor (WM 11). The WrestleMania 7 Blindfold Match - which I consider to be one of the worst bouts of all time. Terry Taylor as the Red Rooster (WM 5). The Orndorff - Muraco double countout (WM 2).
Your Top Five favorite WrestleMania matches
1. Savage versus Steamboat (WM 3). 2. Savage versus Dibiase (WM 4). 3. Shawn Michaels versus Razor Ramon (WM 10). 4. Steve Austin vs Bret Hart (WM 13). 5. The British Bulldogs versus Brutus Beefcake, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (WM 2).
Your favorite WrestleMania
WrestleMania 4. The unpredictability of the tournament really threw me. The idea was brilliant and exciting to watch moreso than other predictable pay-per-views.
Your favorite WM moments
Easy one here. First, I've got to go with WM III, Hogan vs. Andre. That was
the big one, and that's still the big one. That was the culmination of
wrestling at the time. At the same time, you've got to appreciate Mike Tyson
in Stone Cold's win over Shawn Michaels - that really signalled the
beginning of Attitude. Also, Bret Hart's submission win over Austin in an I
Quit match the year before made Austin as a face, and Hart as a heel. Plus,
The Undertaker is now eight-and-oh as a participant at WM - he's never lost.
Your least favorite WM moments
Pretty much anything involving Sid turned me off of Wrestlemania. Before
last year, the Big Bossman was #2 with a 4-0 record at the big show, but he
lost in an incredibly horrible match - Hell in a Cell, to boot! - against
Undertaker. But they don't load Wrestlemania with crap, so there's not a lot
to complain about.
Your Top Five favorite WrestleMania matches
I couldn't name five. There are so many. Here's two:
(1) Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Ricky 'Dragon' Steamboat, WM III
(2) Hart vs. Austin, I Quit, WM XIII
Your favorite WrestleMania
Wrestlemania III - just pure nostalgia.
Your favorite WM moments
Favourite WM moment was Bret Hart's win over
Yokozuna, Yoko was dominating the match, and Hart was the Canadian guy that
had almost no chance at winning. Other good ones were Brutus Beefcake
pinning Mr. Perfect to break Mr. Perfect's perfect record (say that 5 times
fast), Ultimate Warrior pinning Randy Savage with one foot in a retirement
match, and Steve Austin bleeding like crazy at the hands of Bret Hart.
Your least favorite WM moments
Shawn Michaels pinning Hart in the iron
man match (can you tell I'm a Hitman mark?), and Ravishing Rick Rude pinning
the Ultimate Warrior with Bobby Heenan's help (I can't help it, I was 11
years old, and thought he was cool).
Your Top Five favorite WrestleMania matches
Keep in mind that I have
never seen WM3; Warrior/Savage (WM7), Hart/Yokozuna (WM10), Savage/Flair
(WM8), Hart/Piper (WM8), Savage/Hogan (WM5). Basically, WM4 was all around
good, but nothing really stood out as a stellar match. All of these matches
had some serious doubt as to who would win, and as a kid, you really wanted
your favourite to win. All of these matches had the drama that makes a
great match.
Your favorite WrestleMania
Number 4 is my favourite
Wrestlemania, it was the first one I saw, and it captured a true sense of
magic. Everything was great from the opening Battle Royal, to the end of
the tournament. It seemed as though it was a true spectacular compared to
everything else, including the following Wrestlemanias.
Your favorite WM moments
This would have to be WrestleMania III - the Ricky "The Dragon Steamboat vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage match-up. I wasn't quite 13-years old, and probably the biggest Steamboat mark in school; I used to get in fights defending him. Bias aside, it's also one of the best technical match-ups in history, bar none. There were more twists and turns than in a tornado, and Steamboat winning the I-C title was almost a reward to long time fans who had followed him for awhile, even from his NWA days, knowing that if the WWF ever gave him a chance it would pay off. Sadly, he would drop the title to take time off a short three months later. Still, he was my hero at the time. There are others, Demolition winning the titles twice (WM IV & VI), Savage's victories (WM IV & VIII) and Bret Hart's victory over Roddy Piper, but the Steamboat mathc stands out as the best.
Your least favorite WM moments
There are plenty of these as well, as unfortunately, no card is absolutely perfect. The midget match-up at WM III, boring in it's entirety, Hart's screw job by Gorilla Monsoon at WM XII (while a technically superior match, I always hated Shawn Michaels - still do), any match Involving Yoko "Ono" Zuna, and subsequently the Undertaker (except for WM XIII when he won the belt), simple because they always gave him stiffs to fight, and never pushed him for the title. It was damn frustrating to watch those matches, knowing he was capable of better.
Your Top Five favorite WrestleMania matches
1) Steamboat vs. Savage - WM III 2) Hart vs. Piper WM WM VIII 3) Austin vs. Michaels (the HeartbreakÊKid loses in the spotlight) - WM XIV 4)ÊHenning vs. Blazer (Owen Hart) - WM V 5) Hart vs. Hart - WM X
Your favorite WrestleMania
Although not showcased in any of the matches above, Wresltemania VI has to be my favourite, simply because I was there. I paid through the nose for floor seats with a good view, and the show was worth the pay-off. While the matches weren't all technically great, Demolition won the tag-titles, and the Chumpster Hulk Hogan lost to the Ultimate Warrior. Plus, it was a hoot to see Robert Goulet fumbling the words to "Oh Canada," having to read it on the Jumbotron, because he hadn't lived in Canada for several decades.
