WrestleMania 28 – My Top Ten WrestleMania Matches – 2 Nights Away

As I’ve already stated in an earlier post, I’ve been watching my WWE DVD’s to get geared up for WrestleMania 28. I tried to find my absolute favorite matches at WrestleMania that i could then re-watch before Sunday. And I decided to share them with you. It also gives me a chance to explain what exactly makes a good match if wrestling is fake. You’ll find it’s a lot like watching a good movie.

10. The Undertaker vs. Triple H – No Holds Barred – WrestleMania XXVII

This stellar match that took place at WrestleMania just last year was a prime example of wrestlers using their strengths and finding chemistry in their differing skills. Triple H and ‘Taker was a match that just came about simply because it had too. As two of WWE’s most tenured wrestlers, it was only a matter of time before they met on the grandest stage of them all. The match was fantastic, and had me seriously wondering if the streak would come to an end. The match was brilliant because it perfectly utilized both superstars’ unique styles. Triple H was every bit as brutal as he has come to be known, even under PG rules. The match also features what I seriously consider to be the greatest endings to any match ever, and I still feel would have been a fitting conclusion to Undertaker’s career. It was brutal, entertaining, and an unquestionable show-stealer. Winner: The Undertaker

9. Mick Foley vs. Edge – Hardcore Match – WrestleMania 22

Why is it that I consider Mick Foley as one of my absolute favorite wrestlers? It’s not because he’s an incredible physical specimen, or that he’s an incredible technical wrestler. No, Mick foley is one of the best of all time because no other wrestler has worked harder than Mick to make their opponent look good. And that is one of the most vital components of a good wrestling match and of a good wrestler. If it wasn’t for Mick, guys like Randy Orton or Triple H would not be the stars they are today. They both got their big break after beating Mick Foley in thrilling encounters. And the same is true for Edge. The classic hardcore match at WM22 was arguable the dawn of the “Rated-R Era”, and the best part of Edge’s career. When sitting down to watch a hardcore match featuring Mick Foley, you can only expect one thing: utter violence. After all, he’s not called the “Hardcore Legend” for nothing. And this match had all kinds of violence: hundreds of thumbtacs embedded in Edge’s back, a barbed wire covered baseball bat, and an incredible spear through a flaming table. The Wrestlemania moment for both Mick Foley and Edge. A classic hardcore experience. Winner: Edge

8. The Dudley Boys vs. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boys – Triangle Ladder Match (WWF Tag Team Championship) – WrestleMania 2000

I don’t think the ladder match has ever been the same after these guys were through with it. The match featured three tag-teams that are still considered the best ever, and the tag-team division hasn’t been this good since. The champions the Dudley Boys were hardcore maniacs that had just come over to the WWE from ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) who I don’t believe have ever stepped into an arena without fans chanting “Tables! Tables! Tables!” After all, The Dudleys got a reputation for putting just about anything with a pulse through a table. The Hardy Boys were brothers from North Carolina that at first glance looked like a ploy to capitalize on a 90’s boyband craze. But then they got in the ring and jumped from places that most men wouldn’t climb up to- they’re still regarded as some of WWE’s best high flyers. And Edge and Christian? Well let’s put it this way: As far as I know, and I encourage anyone to correct me if they know different, Edge and Christian are the only tag-team that debuted as a tag-team but had both members go on to win World Titles. They had incredible individual talent, and as a team, they entertained outside of the ring and kicked ass in the ring. WrestleMania 2000 was the debut for all six competitors, and they had the best match of the night. Tables were broken by human bodies (a lot of tables), and ladders as tall as small buildings were climbed and jumped off of. And when the smoke had cleared, two bonafide stars were born. Winner: Edge and Christian

7. Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock – WrestleMania X8

Icon vs Icon. Could there be a simpler tagline to one of the biggest matches in wrestling history? Hulk Hogan had not competed in a WrestleMania in 9 long years. During his absence he spent a long time in WCW trying to put his former boss Vince McMahon out of business. Meanwhile The Rock, along with men like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H were ushering in a new era of wrestling that would eventually topple WCW. When Vince McMahon finally bought over WCW, he asked the Hulkster to make his comeback. Hogan vs. Rock seemed inevitable. It was a dream match come true. Boxing fans may never get to see Ali vs. Tyson, but wrestling fans got to see Hogan vs. Rock, and that’s exactly what the match was like. It was larger than life, and as 68,000+ fans at the Toronto Skydome got to witness, it was a once in a lifetime experience. Hogan went into the match as a heel, but the deafening roar of support he received from the crowd let him know that he was still a megastar. The Rock was the face, and sure enough he got booed by the sudden Hulkamaniacs at the Skydome. The outcome of the match was one that was truly poetic. A graceful passing of the torch and the cementing of a legacy. Winner: The Rock.

6. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon – (WWF Intercontinental Championship) – WrestleMania X

I’ve mentioned before that my earliest memory was watching wrestling. I did some research and found out that the match I remember watching was this one, in 1994, making me 3 and a ½ years old. So call it nostalgia if you wish, but how could I not love this match. It was WrestleMania’s first ever ladder match, a concept that was almost totally unheard of in wrestling. The goal of the match is for the wrestler to climb the ladder and claim the title hanging above the ring, in order to be crowned the winner. For a match that had never been seen before, it’s shocking to see the groundbreaking moves that Shawn Michaels pulled during this match. He still holds the title for being an innovator of the ladder match, and after seeing this, it’s easy to see why. He hits Razor with a diverse arsenal of unique moves. The match winds up being incredibly dramatic- the first in a long series of WrestleMania matches where Michaels creates a thrilling in-ring story that leaves his audience on the edge of their seat. Winner: Razor Ramon

5. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 21

It was around the time of this match in 2005 that Shawn Michaels came to be known as “Mr. Wrestlemania”, and who could debate that. If there is ever another man than the Undertaker that is a defining figure of WrestleMania, it’s Shawn Michaels. Pro Wrestling Illustrated is an insider magazine that hands out annual awards, one of which is the “match of the year” award which Shawn has won a record 11 times. 9 of those matches have been at WrestleMania. It’s another quality that makes for a good wrestling match, and a good wrestler. You have to go out wanting a good match, and that’s all. Wrestling’s fake. It’s not about winning titles; it’s about putting on a show. And no one put on a show quite like Shawn Michaels. This encounter with Kurt Angle stands out in his legendary career as one of his absolute finest. Kurt Angle was arguably the best pure athlete wrestling has ever seen. After all, he happened to win an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 for wrestling (real wrestling). His incredible conditioning is like nothing the business had ever seen. He had the ability to keep going like an indestructible wrestling machine, and his performance in the ring was entertaining to boot. WrestleMania 21 was a fierce contest between two of my absolute favorites, and I had no idea what to expect when I watched it. Two incredible competitors worked together to create a thrilling experience, from Shawn’s surprisingly strong mat-wrestling to the torturous concluding Ankle Lock. Winner: Kurt Angle

4. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret “The Hitman” Hart – “I Quit” Match – WrestleMania 13

The match that made Stone Cold Steve Austin. If there was ever a match that completely defined everything that Austin stood for, it’s this one. Bret Hart had just come back from an injury, and found the WWE to be in a different state than when he left it. It was the early signs of the “Attitude Era”, and Hart suddenly seemed a tad out of place. However his in-ring skill was as excellent as ever.  His opponent was in many ways the polar opposite of him. If Bret maintained moral beliefs, Stone Cold flaunted the rules every chance he got. If Bret displayed traditional in-ring technical skills, Stone Cold used plain brawling to beat his opponents senseless. The match was destined to be pure dramatic emotion, and it delivered in an extremely violent manner. An “I Quit” match has simple rules: no disqualification, no pinfalls, no countouts, the only way to win is to beat your opponent until he says the words I Quit. Stone Cold Steve Austin is known as the “toughest S.O.B. in the WWE”. He earned that moniker after this match. Because, as this match showed us, Stone Cold will not quit. The iconic image of a bloodied Austin locked in Hart’s signature move the sharpshooter is flashing in my head even as I write this. The disturbing amount of blood that flowed down his face, into his teeth, as Austin screamed in agony, all the while fighting the two words that would have cost him the match. After a solid 2 minutes under the sharpshooter, Austin eventually passed out from the pain, in a sickening pool of his own blood. He lost the match without ever having said the words “I quit”. And a legend was born. Winner: Bret “The Hitman” Hart

3. “The Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat – (WWF Intercontinental Championship) – WrestleMania III

When people talk about WrestleMania III, they talk of Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, and they rightly should, as it was an incredible encounter. But true wrestling fans know the best match of the night was contested between Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat. See, wrestling has its share of hipsters too. Sure we enjoy the big blockbuster match like Hogan/Andre just like we would The Expendables. However, we know pretty clearly that Steamboat/Savage was the better match, just like Black Swan. Ricky Steamboat was a young man from Hawaii boasting martial arts and high flying talent. His skill remains some of the most graceful stuff you will ever see in a wrestling ring. And Randy Savage? Well… snap into a Slim Jim Oooooooh Yeaaaah! Dig it! He’s one of wrestling’s biggest icon from the Eighties, and a lot of people have fonder memories of him than they do of Hulk Hogan. However the Macho Man is not simply a guy with a riveting voice and a charming personality. He happened to possess an arsenal of awesome wrestling moves that have inspired wrestlers for generations. Savage and Steamboat had an incredible match and it still holds up as one of the finest matches of all time. Winner: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.

2. Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs. Shawn Michaels – 60 Minute Ironman Match (WWF Heavyweight Championship) – WrestleMania XII 

To go 60 minutes in a wrestling match is no joke, and there is an extremely short list of competitors who can even attempt to compete in one. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart lead that list. And at the end of this match it seems like they could go for a whole other 60 minutes. I could write a mini-novel on the storied rivalry that Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels had, but it really isn’t necessary. Through some miraculous display of in-ring skills, this match does a better job of telling a story than I ever could. It’s paced perfectly- slowing down when necessary and speeding up to a breakneck pace when necessary. Over 60 minutes. I still get chills thinking of it. The rules of the Ironman match was that whoever attained the most points at the end of a 60 minute time-limit would be declared the winner. Points are attained through pinfall, submission or disqualification. At the end of the 60 minutes for this match, the score read 0-0. Bret Hart, the champion, believed the match was over and started to leave. However, it was quickly ordered to continue under sudden death rules. How terribly dramatic. It continued, and finally concluded after Shawn Michaels hit 2 of his patented superkicks on the Hitman and got the pinfall. Vince McMahon’s voice rings “the Boyhood Dream has come true!” and I am left with my fondest WrestleMania memory, and my favorite WrestleMania match… until 13 years later. Winner: Shawn Michaels

1. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – No Holds Barred – WrestleMania XXVI

And

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – 25^th Anniversary of WrestleMania

I’m known to be quite a cheat when it comes to picking an absolute favorite for anything. It’s normally always a draw. And it’s no different with wrestling matches. These matches are simply masterpieces, and are comparable to the Godfather parts 1 and 2. It’s a duology that is inseparable. The first match is a clash of titans, but also sets up a concluding arc for both men’s careers, leading to the bittersweet sequel. Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker are my number one and two favorite wrestlers. Of all time. So there is a clear and obvious reason for me to be passionate about these matches. And they also happen to take place at WrestleMania, with the legendary streak on the line. How could ‘Taker ever lose? But sure enough, when WrestleMania 25 rolled around, I was shook. I started to wonder if Shawn was going to be the one. Then I watched the match, and my wonderings became a certainty. Surely it would be Shawn. And then ‘Taker emerged victorious. And then WrestleMania 26 rolled around, and a dire stipulation came into play. If Shawn lost, his career would be over. And I had a new certainty going into that match. Of course ‘Taker would be the one to end Shawn’s career. And really I wouldn’t have it any other way. See in wrestling, when it comes time for a wrestler to hang up his boots, he wants to ensure he goes out on a high note, after a final match that will stand the test of time. So it would be perfect for my absolute favorite wrestler to have his career ended by my second favorite wrestler. So of course ‘Taker would win. Then I watched the match, and my certainty was shook all over again. And I asked myself, “Man, how do they do it?” Shawn lost on both occasions, and WM 26 was one of the saddest things I’ve seen in a movie theater. But it was perfect. Both the matches were sheer perfection. And I don’t know if they will ever be topped. Winner: The Undertaker and The Undertaker

WrestleMania is often called the “showcase of the immortals”, and these matches explain why that moniker is true. It’s the chance of a lifetime for a wrestler to put on a show unlike any other, and live on in the minds of fans forever. Good luck boys.

Wrestlemania 28 – What is Wrestlemania? – 6 nights away

Hello and welcome to the first in a series of blog entries that no one will read. I am a huge pro-wrestling fan, particularly the WWE. And in just six nights is the biggest wrestling event of the year, WRESTLEMANIA. Weird things happen to me during this period of the year. I seem to be in a daze when people or talk to me, or I use statements like ‘that’s the bottom line’, ‘I got two words for ya’ or ‘OOOOOOOHHHHH YEAAAAAAH!’ in everyday conversation. During this time of the year, I live, breathe and sweat wrestling. I’ve been watching my wrestling DVD’s, reading my wrestling mags and having heated online discussions. I know, geekiest stuff I have ever admitted to. But with all the hoopla surrounding ‘Mania, and how much it’s on my mind, I figured I might as well blog about it. So I decided I would drop one blog entry a night leading up to the show of shows, and conclude in my review of the event. So here’s entry #1: What is Wrestlemania?

Wrestlemania is wrestling’s equivalent of the Superbowl, the Oscars, or the Stanley Cup. It’s an annual event that represents an end to the fiscal year of pro-wrestling. Storylines are wrapped up, rivalries put to rest, and all hell breaks loose on Wrestlemania.

Wrestlemania began in 1985 when Vince McMahon Sr. had the dream of holding a wrestling extravaganza and charging people to watch it. It was the birth of Pay Per View, and Vince Sr. is still regarded as one of the fathers of PPV in general.  That Wrestlemania was held at the mecca of sports arenas, Madison Square Garden in New York City. And from the onset, it was clear that it was not going to be any average show. Guest celebrities were involved, from Cyndi Lauper and Liberace, to Billy Martin and Muhammad Ali. The main event featured the tag team of Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper and ‘Mr. Wonderful’ Paul Orndorff. The event was an insane success, and Wrestlemania was born.

28 years later, and some of wrestling’s finest moments have been at Wrestlemania. Wrestlemania X holds the distinction of being my earliest memory. Ever. The event has frequently set attendance records for every arena it’s been in, and Wrestlemania 3 held the indoor attendance record of 93,000+ for more than 20 years. Celebrities like Lawrence Taylor, Donald Trump, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Motorhead and Mike Tyson have been involved in the event in some way. It’s the pinnacle of sports-entertainment. It’s the granddaddy of all shows.

I have to address the most obvious question: Isn’t wrestling fake? Yer damn right it is. But boy is it real sometimes. ‘Wrestlers’ have to be athletic, and they have to be able to act. It’s pageantry, pomp and circumstance. It’s a circus act: it’s theatre at its base. And to me, it’s the greatest show on Earth.

So yeah, I can be criticized for being a geek, but I have to take a moment to explain why I respect this business so much. Because I seriously believe that wrestlers are the hardest working performers in the world – More than any sport or entertainment industry. There is no off-season in the WWE. They don’t win the Stanley Cup then take 4 months off. They have to go right back to work. Most of them wrestle for upwards of 300 days a year. But simple athleticism is not enough. They have to be able to entertain. You can be the most athletic person on the roster, but if you don’t have the ability to entertain the audience both on the microphone and in the ring, you won’t have a job very long. Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura described the life of a wrestler as a life of pain. And he wasn’t kidding around. No other competitor in the world will dedicate his blood sweat and tears to their job at the level that pro wrestlers do. So how can I not respect them? How can I not be a fan.

This year’s Wrestlemania is the 28th entry and it takes place at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida on April 1st, 2012. There are eight wrestling matches on the card, and at least four of them promise to be class acts. It’s only six nights away, and it’s all I can think of.

I’ve been a wrestling fan my entire life. My earliest memory was watching wrestling. And this time of year is like Christmas to me. I am more excited for Wrestlemania than I am for any movie that has ever come out in the history of film. I like wrestling more than I like any TV show, movie or band. This is the epitome of entertainment for me. So prepare yourself for a week of gushy fanboy blog entries. It’s Wrestlemania, baby!