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The Cynical View
Building the Mania :Part One
By Michael Campbell
Welcomes back to the Cynical View. Thanks to those who corresponded following my last column, t’was great to hear from ya all. Now, I thought it unwise to look forward to Wrestlemania, as I feel I’ve already said my bit…for now. That’s probably gonna be a separate column altogether. Rather I’d like to begin my series of Wrestlemania previews with a simple look back at some of the moments that made the inner mark spurt forth from myself.
24 Wrestlemania Mark Out Moments
24.The Legion of Doom return opening the show.
Wrestlemania 14 was one big deal. Following a run of super cards that didn’t set the box-office alight, on the brink of turning a financial corner, having already, largely turned some creative ones, this was an event of mega-importance. They had to get it right. And while the finished product is far from the finest Mania, it was hugely successful. And what better way to kick off that success than with the hot entrance of the “New†LOD, accompanied by company hottie, Sunny? Sure, their run absolutely sucked, but for these brief moments, it ruled.
23.Edge spears Mick Foley through a flaming table.
I always felt that the WWE was slightly overprotective when it came to Wrestlemania’s family friendly image. Parents think it’s all fake anyways, right? So why worry about a little blood? They certainly didn’t here. It’s the biggest show of the year, the starting/stopping point for the big storylines, yet rarely do the big Wrestlemania moments encompass truly hardcore action. Well they did it here. After a scintillating, brutal encounter, just when you thought they couldn’t possibly escalate the matter further… Edge risked his luscious locks by driving Foley through a flaming table with a terrifying spear off the apron.
At least three hundred per-cent more exciting than the crappy Armageddon ride at Disneyland Paris.
22.The Legends Battle Royal at WM 17
Old men waddling about in ridiculous costumes that looked inane the first time round ? Check. The worlds most prolific talking head, Steve Lombardi? Check. Jim Cornette? Check. A winner who only won because he physically couldn’t be thrown over the top rope? Check. What more needs to be said? It had been a long time since they’d done anything fun like this, and it helped add a little extra to a superb show.
21.. Owen Hart versus Bret Hart
This will probably warrant further discussion in…oh, I dunno, a top matches of Wrestlemania column? Needless to say, viewing two of the finest grapplers in the world having the opportunity to showcase their immense skills on such a platform as WM X, in Madison Square Garden, was an incredibly special moment.
20.. Chris Jericho hits Shawn Michaels with Sweet Chin Music
There’s probably a few such moments throughout this encounter which would qualify. It was a dream match for me, having grown up on HBK, then witnessed the growth of Chris Jericho himself. These two had a darn fine build up, but thanks to some other “starsâ€Â, were reduced to a secondary position on the card . So they went out and stole the show. And nothing encapsulated this fantastic match, better than the moment were cocky heel Y2J stuck HBK down with his own, legendary finishing move.
19.The Undertaker and Batista steal the show
I won’t lie, I thought this match was going to suck worse than Chyna’s home porn. Seriously, it looked to be atrocious on paper. And what was more distressing, was that after many years of service, Undertaker was quite blatantly going to get the big moment he deserved (Shhh…..WM 13 doesn’t count, it sucked!), but once again, In a rubbish match-up. Well, somewhere along the lines, Batista and Taker became aware of this suspicion everyone had, and decided to have the best Wrestlemania title match in several years. And they did, making the moment when Taker lifted that belt above his head, that much more special.
18. Vince McMahon leg-drops Hulk Hogan off a ladder
Okay, so their battle was a washout at the box-office, despite being an entertaining-as-hell-effort, but who didn’t soil themselves when one pensioner leapt off the (near)top of a ladder, and leg-dropped another, through a table? That moment should haunt Hogan every time he does one of those abysmal Leg collapses of Doom that he’s fond of.
17. Triple H and Chyna turn on DX and join the Corporation
OMG! Wrestlemania 15 makes the list. So there were bigger moments occurred on the show, leaving Hunter’s turn as something of an aftterthought. But this was still a radically awesome moment, heightened by the serve that occurred earlier on the very same show. Old’ Hunter had been toiling around in a grim feud with Kane, since his man, had turned on him several months before. Yep, Chyna had joined the Corporation of Vince McMahon! Gasp. As we arrived at Mania, it did look likely that we’d get some sort of reunion between the dudes, I mean, couple, as HHH took on Kane. Which of course we did to the delight of the crowd, even though it made little sense. But later on, as the Corporation ran amok during X-Pac (hunter’s DX buddy, remember?) versus Shane McMahon, Hunter and Chyna came to ringside, to seemingly aid their crotch-chopping mate. Only they didn’t. It turns out that as we suspected all along, Chyna was the dominant one in the relationship, and had Hunter joined her in the Vinnie Mac Club!
16.The first ladder match on PPV takes place.
Again, the match (between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon) itself is fodder for another column, but the fact that it occurred, was as successful as it was, and blew the minds of so many viewers, is reason enough to warrant it’s inclusion here, Did I mention it was an awesome match?
15. Bret Hart pins Roddy Piper
Nobody beats Roddy Piper! Piper had some sort of ridiculous record in the WWE, thanks to a whole host of shows he’d appeared on that featured whacky finishes, or coconuts, or boxing. And, he’d enjoyed a resurgence in popularity that saw him claim the Intercontinental title not long prior to this. Enter Bret Hart. The guy who had been unlucky to lose it in the first place (to The Mountie). The combination of the promotion’s best wrestler, with one of their best characters, combined with a believable storyline about the two being buddies, conspired to make Bret’s pinfall over Piper feel absolutely monumental .That the crowd were behind him as well, speaks volumes about changing tastes.
14. Al Snow drives a Golf Cart into some boxes
Was Al Snow involved in the Hardcore title match, during which he tried to steal the belt whilst on a golf-cart? Of course not. This was simply a fantastically hilarious moment, in what was one of the best running jokes the WWE has ever done on PPV, Maven’s defence of the Hardcore title. If you’ve overlooked this moment, go back and pay close attention to the expression on Al’s face. This is the defining Wrestlemania moment of Al Snow’s career.
He even brought a referee with him in the cart.
13.Randy Savage wins the Title/Randy Savage wins the Title again
So I found it impossible to decide which I liked more. See, whilst Savage was one of my absolute favourites, there was a problem with each of his title victories. At Wrestlemania IV, Savage became the first person to walk away from Mania with the World title other than Hulk Hogan (yay!). It was glorious. Savage was one of my favourites. His encounters were always faster-paced, more exciting, and less predictable than the Huckster’s. Plus he cut amazingly incoherent promos, and had the most beautiful lady on television by his side. What was not to like? However, his victory was tarnished by Hogan’s interference, which was executed in a way that saw Hogan’s help become the focus, not Savage’s title win. Worse still, the WWE camera crew, in the lengthy celebration scenes, had their attention firmly directed at Hogan, cutting Savage out of the frame as much as possible. But still.. It was fantastic to see “the Madness†with the strap.
WM VIII saw Ric Flair toppled in a superb bout, with no Hogan to be seen. However, the WWE unwisely didn’t see this as the main event (it was billed as a double-main), and placed it mid-card, with the rubbish Hogan/Sid on top. It was a shallow title victory, but on the night, it electrified. Just listen to that sweet crowd pop.
12.Shawn Michaels achieves his boyhood dream
This probably would have been way higher on the list, if not for the knowledge that Michaels was an insufferable little toad back then, which makes it hard to now think fondly of such moments. However, removing the real-life scenario, ignore the booking of old-man Bret Hart for this one, and you’re left with the perfect story of a kid who defied the odds, beat the veteran at his own game, and achieved his life-long goal, with his slightly creepy mentor by his side. Fine story, beautifully told, and a fitting end to what’s now a harshly criticised match.
11.Steve Austin Stunners Donald Trump
It was tough to call which was the better moment. The Stunner on Trump, or the clothesline Trump delivered to McMahon. Hell, if you didn’t watch wrestling at this time last year, that probably makes precious little sense. That’s why it’s so awesome. Who could ever have imagined Trump allowing some redneck to stunner him mid-ring, whilst his strange, fur-coat resembling coiffure dipped and dived like WCW’s ratings? And my, didn’t it flop about
10. Mike Tyson knocks out Shawn Michaels/Austin wins the belt
Again, more inseparable moments that combined to make an overall, satisfying match, that spearheaded the beginning of a new era in this case. Austin winning the belt was largely predictable, although admittedly, those following behind the scenes at the time had every right to doubt that, thanks to Michaels’ ridiculous behaviour. But it was still an exhilarating moment, seeing the Rattlesnake raise his arms in victory. However, the really nice moment here, was when Michaels confronted Tyson, shocked that instead of him interfering on his behalf, had made the fair three count, was met by a hard right hand, that knocked him clean out. Awesome, era-defining stuff right there.
9.Undertaker returns as the Dead Man.
Funny how fickle fans are. For several years, all we heard the moans. “Tha Biker’s s***eâ€Â, he should go back to tha dead man, fer f***’s sake!â€Â. Now, all I hear is “F*** sake, where’s his bike?â€Â. The dead-man gimmick is the epitome of Taker, and reverting away from that again would be utterly insane. INSANE. In fact, it was so crazy in the first place, I’m surprised they ever went with it. Sure, Taker did a fine job in the role, but really, he could have updated his gimmick whilst still being, ya know- dead. Anyways, turning him back again now would be like HHH suddenly speaking like a French Aristocrat again.
By the end of 2003, Taker’s run as the “American Baddass†(I.e. he was old and drove a motorcycle), had run it’s course. It was stale, and fans were clamouring to see some crucifixions and lighting, and the like, once more. So Vince McMahon and Kane conspire to bury him alive, setting the stage for his momentous, erm, rebirth. All silliness aside, the anticipation for his appearance at WM XX was momentous, and the result did not disappoint. While the ensuing bout with Kane was nothing special, those few moments leading up to Taker’s appearance, and walk down the ramp, where outstanding. The man looked convincingly like an (Un)dead cowboy (a look that was largely scuppered for some time). A great moment for both long term, and younger fans alike.
8.Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth reunite
Well , ignore the fact that this took place after his err, “retirement†match with the Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VII, and just take the moment for what it was. A reunion between two of the most beloved characters in the WWE, through the late 80’d and early nineties. The fight between Savage and Warrior itself was fantastic, largely for the emotion it generated, but what it really did was set up this great moment, an episode that had fans in attendance genuinely in tears. They just don’t make em like that anymore folks. And just think what their reunion led to… the wedding….that cobra bite… the Jake Roberts feud.
7. Hulk Hogan “puts over†the Warrior
To what extent Hogan truly put the warrior over, is still debateable. Yes, revisionist history has spun this notion that the Warrior was a flop at the box-office (he wasn’t especially- the WWE in general was in decline), and while that is harsh, I admit he had SEVERE shortcomings. But his run certainly wasn’t helped by Hogan’s dubious support. At their show-down, Hogan elected to kick-out momentarily after the three count, and sat-straight up, squarely placing the focus not on Warrior being able to beat him, but he being just a fraction too late to kickout. As they finished the event, the camera largely (just like two years before with Savage), was firmly fixed on Hogan’s angst-ridden, but honourable expression. He was still the man. If you doubt this, check out Hogan’s book, in which he freely admits he purposely sabotaged Warriors’ moment. Well still. It’s high on this list because as a young child- I didn’t care, it was my man, The Warrior, who had the cool tassles, and talked about hi-jacking planes, versus the slightly perverse looking bald dude who took too many vitamins. Hogan didn’t lose often, so this was absolutely monumental.
6. Steve Austin turns heel.
Some people hated this turn, and still do. And I can completely understand why. Austin was always a natural babyface, and at this stage of his career, had firmly cemented his character as one of the finest in Pro-Wrestling history. However, I feel that this turn immeasurably helped his career, offering him a resurgence that carried him to one of the greatest runs in his career. There is no doubt that 2001 saw Austin layer his Stone Cold gimmick with new depths, first as badass, then as a comically insane heel, and finally as a refreshed babyface. The moment at WM 17 that saw him join forces with Mr McMahon made sense, despite the odds, and was the genesis for some fantastic television. And in a way, it was the antithesis of the moment that started all this for Austin, the Bret Hart turn. He had finally stepped into those shoes himself. The moment is highlighted by the fact that his character was a little lost up until this point in the year, the fans finding greater empathy with newfound hero the Rock. But this glorious moment would change all that.
5. Ultimate Warrior Returns to save Hulk Hogan
Ahh yes, the irony. Ultimate Warrior’s finest mark-out moment comes in the form of a rescue attempt on old nemesis, drag-race loving Terry Bollea. And it was a grand moment, that almost (not quite), saved a poor Wrestlemania main event, that saw Hulk Hogan’s match with Sid end in disqualification (yes, this was acceptable supposedly, in a Mania main event back in 92), as he was double-teamed by his opponent and Papa Shango. It was a calamity. Awful match (we could have had Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan for crap’s sake!), botched ending, and then Warrior. Yes, he was out of breath by the time he made his ridiculous sprint to the ring. But so were those of us cheering him on (not everyone mind you, some people did indeed think he was dead and this was an impostor), and what better metaphor for the last gasping breaths of the days of cartoon-80’s style grappling than this? A bunch of gassed main eventers collapsing about the ring, while Piper, Bret, Michaels and Savage were stealing the show elsewhere.
4. Bret Hart wins the Heavyweight title at MSG.
Say what you want about Yokozuna, but the guy, back in his day, made a heck of an effort. Sadly, that didn’t mean much after being booked to work two main event style matches on one PPV. Thus, Bret’s second title win occurred following a fairly dire bout, with an appalling ending. Yoko fell off the second rope, and Bret pinned him. Are you kidding me? That’s just dire. However, that the MSG crowd went with, cheering like crazy for the new champion, in what was a genuine celebration, said a great deal. Here was a guy who had been the workhorse of the company throughout 92, and 93, was one of the few guys who made the promotion watchable. He’d worked his way slowly to the top, finally reaching the summit, and was accepted with open arms, by an ever growing fan base. But at WM 9, that was taken away by the power-crazed Hogan, and the gutless lack of ambition on Vince’s part. Vince tried everything other than putting the belt on Bret, and finally, here, he had no other choice. It took until this moment to repair the damage, and Bret was rewarded by a jubilant New York crowd cheering him. People often diss Bret’s star-power or charisma, but he truly connected with fans, and that’s why they stuck with him, where others failed.
3. Steve Austin refuses to tap out to the sharpshooter
In a career littered with fine moments, this has to be the peak of them. Although the WWE, and many of their performers choose to stretch history a little (many claim Bret walked in a total face, and Austin a total heel, and literally swapped places in the space of a half hour. They didn’t. The wheels were well in motion in the weeks leading up to this. Not to dispute the double-turn, if did happen, but it wasn’t the unforeseen miracle some make out). But what remains, is that before this match, Austin was on the cusp. He was delivering main event quality matches. He was commanding the main event reactions required. He had the look, the gimmick, and the presence. The one thing he lacked, was that intangible credibility, that little extra piece of the puzzle that would permanently alter the public perception of him. That happened, when in the heat of battle, an incredible, blistering fight, he was placed in the Sharpshooter. Creating perhaps the most iconic Wrestlemania image in history, Austin’s face was drenched in blood, but he heroically refused to tap, refused to give in. All credit to Hart, he sacrificed his own nobility, the integrity of his own character, in order to allow Austin to have both, and take a step into the stratosphere. He did a fantastic job.
2. Hulk Hogan and The Rock face off.
Who would have thought it? I hate Hulk Hogan. Hate the man. But his confrontation with The Rock at WM X8 was electrifying unlike any other. Love both/either guys or hate them, it’s undeniable that they both have endured like few others, and are beloved by their own respective fans. It was somewhat unforeseen though that Hogan would pinch the majority of The Rock’s support however, but that only made the match that much more dazzling. Was the body of work good? Well not really, unless you enjoy watching a pensioner embarrassingly fall about the place. But it was masked entirely by the event, by the hype, by the feeling. These guys may have had a huge handicap, but what they used in it’s place, was the red-hot Toronto crowd, who surged together to help create the drama. It’s possibly one of the best examples I’ve ever seen of how a crowd can help make a match, and it’s a testament to their crowd working skills that the Rock and Hogan were able to ride that to the finish. It’s the initial moments of the match that make number two on this list, the moment when the people in Toronto told us television viewers that yup, we were witnessing something special.
1. Chris Benoit wins the World title at WM XX and celebrates with Eddie Guererro
Boo. Wrestlemania 20. It’s not a popular topic of conversation anymore. But if the tragic events of last year had not occurred, everyone would still treasure this great moment. Well, I still do. I’m not willing to erase so many great memories, and what I feel was a fine career, and a man the fans loved, because of a series of terrible events revolving around his unwell being. I’ll stick to remembering things the way they were. In all my years of watching wrestling, I don’t think there’s ever been one moment that’s encapsulated the passion, and love for the business that my friends and I share than this one. At WM XX we literally popped up from our chairs with joy when Benoit lifted the belt. I recall SCREAMING “TAP†at the screen, at Triple H. The WWE you see, doesn’t like listening to us. Vince has his own ideas, his own likes, and sense of creativity. He’s possibly his own biggest mark. He can’t understand why you would admire something he doesn’t, and vice versa. How could you not dig The LEX EXPRESS fools! Thus, when someone like Benoit, or indeed, Eddie Guerrero comes along, he resists it. Fans were behind these two for years before their main event runs, but McMahon resisted, whilst indulging his own fetishes, and sticking them on our screens. SO at the end of WM XX, to have these two, celebrating together, with their title belts each held aloft, was an amazing, possibly never to be repeated moment. That’s why it was, and is, so special. It was the deserving, organic growth of two performers into a moment that transcended kayfabe, and the worked nature of the business, and became real. Today, that’s probably what makes it all the more sad. But if you ask me what my most optimistic, happiest moment in my time watching wrestling is, it was this moment. Back on this night, all was good in the world.
I’ll be back with more count-downs and preview in the coming weeks, as we build up to the big show! If ya have any ideas for these columns, or anything ye wish to see included, look to my generic whoring in the bottom paragraph. Adios.
Thank for reading this gibbering rant. It probably made less sense than usual. I hope it was at least as entertaining as a DX knob joke, and more thought-provoking than Monty Sopp’s tights. If you have any comments/questions/queries/or anything to say, get in touch at bazilalfonso@hotmail.com, whether you agree/disagree/hate me, or whatever if may be, I welcome all correspondence. I have also finally got on My Space! So slabber to me at www.myspace.com/michaelwrestlingetc
