The No Mas Top 23 Wrestlemania Moments
(The Super Bowl of Wrestling, Wrestlemania 23, is on the horizon, and so over the next couple Fridays The Franchise will count down the Top 23 moments in Wrestlemania history. This week #23 to #19. Feel free to agree or disagree, because the 'Chise don't give a eff. He's got an ego like Mr. Perfect himself. All right, wrestle...)#23: Bad News for the Hitman
Wrestlemania IV
Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, NJ
March 27, 1988
The Match: 20-man over-the-top rope battle royal
The Moment: This was the opening match of WM IV. The final two men left standing were a young Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Bad News Brown. Hart and Brown seemed to have agreed to share the win, that is until Brown double-crossed the Hitman and kicked him in the back of the head and over the ropes. Why the hell did Hart trust him? I mean, look at the guy. While not the greatest moment in Hart’s career it was on this night that he started his babyface turn.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
#22: Tables and Ladders and Chairs, OH MY!
Wrestlemania X7
Astrodome, Houston, TX
April 1, 2001
The Match: Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudleys in a TLC match for the World Tag Team Championship
The Moment: This was a rematch of their classic Summerslam 2000 match. However, as good as that match was this one was even better. I dare you to watch this match and tell me that wrestling is “fake.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
#21: Gridiron vs. Squared Circle
Wrestlemania 2
Nassau Coliseum/Rosemont Horizon/The Sports Arena
April 2, 1986
The Match:WWF vs. NFL stars battle royal
The Moment: Vince McMahon pulled out all the stops to insure Wrestlemania would not be a one-trick-pony. Not only did he hold this event in three different arenas across the country he held the first-ever WWF vs. NFL battle royal. Check out some of the participants: Andre the Giant, Jimbo Covert (Chicago Bears), Pedro Morales, Tony Atlas, Ted Arcidi, Harvey Martin (Dallas Cowboys), Dan Spivey, Hillbilly Jim, King Tonga, Iron Sheik, Ernie Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers), Big John Studd, B. Brian Blair, Jumpin’ Jim Brunzell, Bill Fralic (Atlanta Falcons), Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, Russ Francis (San Francisco 49ers), Bruno Sammartino and William “Refrigerator” Perry (Chicago Bears).
While the incomparable Andre “The Giant” was the last man standing, The Fridge was definitely the star of the match. His performance even got him elected to the WWE Hall of Fame last year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
#20: Challenge Accepted
Wrestlemania IX
Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, NV
April 4, 1993
The Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna (c)
The Moment: Yokozuna defeats Bret Hart to capture the WWE title. Hogan comes out to help the injured Hart. Yokozuna challenges Hogan to an impromptu match. Pandemonium ensues.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
#19: Godzilla makes his debut
Wrestlemania XI
Civic Center, Hartford, CT
April 2, 1995
The Match: Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
The Moment: Many doubted Taylor could hold his own in a WWF match – let alone the main event of Wrestlemania. But LT shocked the world when he went toe-to-toe with the “Beast from the East” defeating him with a, you guessed it, NFL-style shoulder tackle.
10 Comments:
It's hard to be critical because I'm not sure what's still to come.
Wrestlemania IX was a seminal event of my youth. One of the greats, no doubt.
hulk hogan is a vampire who sucks off the blood of hard working wrestlers.
when i was a kid i loved him.
but as an adult i feel it was him who killed wrestling.
him being in wcw was ok.
but behind the scenes he ran it into the ground.
i hope if he does ever wrestle stone cold its a clean victory by the rattlesnake.
when i say "one of the greats" i'm saying it was one of the great moments. the card itself left something to be desired.
The WM IX title change was a major moment in my eyes but definitely not one of the best matches. I think it deserves to be in the top 23 but no higher than where we placed it. My favorite moment of that night was Heenan coming in on the camel backwards.
I agree and disagree about hogan. Yes, he has a bad rep backstage and has failed to put over any young talent (see Kidman, Billy) but at the same time he was the man that made wrestling what it is today so it seems like he gets a pass...
Giant Gonzales is always the highlight.
that body suit he wore was so awesome. There's another crappy undertaker match at mania.
Here's a trivia: what was his name in wcw?
El gigante
Undertaker matches in general suck...like when he had the match with the other undertaker in Summerslam, although the commercials of undertaker sightings were great, especially the Deli-owner who talked about making a corned beef sandwich, seeing the Undertaker, and then almost sliced his hand off...
good call on el gigante. Wonder whatever happened to that behemoth.
he was making wood pelicans on an episode of baywatch and befriended by Hobie.
Post a Comment
<< Home