WrestleMania Profile: The Rock

WrestleMania is the showcase of the immortals.

Contests like Hogan/Andre or Michaels/Undertaker can evoke images of two legends duking it out. Other contests can transform mere mortals into figures of legendary status, like ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13. Sometimes, Wrestlemania can culminate in the result of one’s progress over the course of a year.

In this case, Dwayne Johnson’s WrestleMania career reflects his progress from one year to the next.

While this man would be destined for greatness, his beginnings at Wrestlemania weren’t glamorous by any means.

At Wrestlemania 13, Rocky Maivia defended his Intercontinental Championship against The Sultan (aka Rikishi). It was not a catch-as-catch-can affair, and when your Dad (in this case Rocky Johnson helped out his son post-match) is the most memorable thing to come out of the fray, then there is something wrong.

Between Wrestlemanias 13 and XIV though. young master Maivia reset himself.

When he debuted as a blue chipper, Rocky was about as well-liked as the douche in high school whose major secret was just unleashed to the world. There were heels in the company (Owen Hart, Mankind, etc.) who got sizeable pops when they defeated the youngster. Something had to give, and therefore, the dark side was a calling.

Teaming up with the Nation of Domination, it was not too long before Maivia became the center of attention, drawing away cameras from leader Farooq (soon-to-be Hall of Famer Ron Simmons).

Once he ‘won’ the Intercontinental Championship on RAW due to forfeit, Rock’s first major program with the belt came at the hands of Ken Shamrock.

After a conniving turn-of-events at the Royal Rumble, Shamrock was given another chance at Wrestlemania for the belt. Once again, Shamrock had legitimately defeated Rock, but personal ‘zone’ issues once again derailed his chance at a title reign. Rock was bloodied and beaten up, but the IC belt would once again be around his waist.

The period between Wrestlemania XIV to XV proved that a man could legitimately launch into another zip code.

Another losing the IC belt and ditching the Nation, The Rock became a babyface once again. Unlike the last time however, the fans were firmly in the corner of the “People’s Champion”.

That face turn would be shortly lived as Rock bucked the trend at Survivor Series 1998, winning his first WWE Championship thanks to a structured screwjob of Mankind at the hands of Vince & Shane McMahon.

While Mankind would be Rock’s primary focus until February of 1999, Wrestlemania was looming near, and a rattlesnake was hissing in the foreground.

Steve Austin would clash with The Rock at Wrestlemania XV for the WWE Championship. While this match wouldn’t exactly be exemplary of their careers, it did prove that WWE at this point was cooking and gas, and the fans wanted more.

After ditching The Corporation, The Rock turned babyface once again, and the fans were more than willing to give in.

Through the duration of 1999, Rock was warming up for a big 2000.

While Steve Austin was down from spinal fusion surgery, The Rock instantly became the #1 good guy in the company.

It also didn’t hurt that Rock had a good selection of bad guys to play off from, especially one Triple H.

In a way, Rock and Hunter grew up in the WWE together. Rock’s first singles title came at the hands of HHH in 1997.

1998 saw them feud as leaders of their respective factions.

 

1999 saw them feud in small bits as their paths collided again.

 

All of those angles, as good as they might have been, were pale in comparison to what was to come.

Now the top two guys in the company, Rock and Hunter were always at odds. It also doesn’t hurt that the top prize, the WWE Champion, was constantly at stake.

Wrestlemania 2000’s main event did involve Triple H & The Rock, but they were not alone. Add in Big Show and Mick Foley. Also add in all four members of the McMahon family, with each member representing a different competitor, and the only guaranteed result was chaos. Also should I add this was an elimination rules match as well?

Big Show (w/ Shane McMahon) was ousted first, while Mick Foley (w/ Linda McMahon and about 20 extra pounds) would join him a few minutes later, but not before giving Triple H some barbed wire shots.

Rock and Triple H were the final two, and the title was now finally squared onto these two. It seemed that Rock, with Vince McMahon in his corner, would seemingly defeat The Game, who had his wife (then of the storyline variety) Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley in his corner.

However, plans would turn awry. Vince turned on Rock, and Triple H would nefariously retain the title, becoming the first heel ever on the grandest stage to do so (Hulk Hogan and Diesel did it before Triple H, but both were good guys).

The two would battle for more or less the rest of the year as Rock would enjoy two title runs, while also facing off against MANY different up-and-comers.

As 2000 concluded, one of Rock’s best opponents came back as Steve Austin was as recovered from neck surgery as he could be.

Wrestlemania X-Seven was a paramount time in WWE history. Business was booming, competition was run out/purchased, and the overall product may have been the strongest ever.

It should be no surprise that Rock/Austin II would be the organic choice to headline the show. Between Austin winning the Rumble and Rock winning back the title at No Way Out from Kurt Angle, the stage was set.

For 30 minutes, it was a contest reminiscient of two gladiators inside the Roman Coliseum. “It’s a contest that both men must win, but neither man can afford to lose,” was the call that Paul Heyman provided a commentary. It was definitely reflected in the in-ring work. 

For the second straight year though, Vince McMahon cost Rock his dream, and in the process, it gave Steve Austin a heel turn and the WWE Championship to boot.

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From the time Wrestlemania X-Seven ended to about Wrestlemania XX, Dwayne Johnson would alternate between making movies and whooping candy ass.

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Wrestlemania X-8 needs no introduction.

With that one action/reaction, perhaps the most anticipated Wrestlemania match in history was born.

In Toronto, 60,000 screaming WWE fans went nuts. While Hogan was portrayed as the heel, the crowd made it very well known that they were behind the leader of the new World order. Rock was booed mightily no matter what he did. Rock may have won the match, but the fans were starting to get sick of him. This led to a heel turn for the ages.

Now bald and somewhat bitter, Rock would be even more entertaining via run-ins with newer superstars (like Hurricane) and those Rock Concerts, like the one in Sacramento the week before Wrestlemania XIX.

The main purpose here though was to whoop Austin’s ass and finally beat him. Rock lost twice to Austin, but as Rock says, “…all they remember is act 3.”

It took three Rock Bottoms to do it, but in poetic fashion, Rock beat Austin clean as a sheet. It would be the last competitive match Austin ever had, and depending on who you talk to, maybe the best match of the trilogy. I for one am not of that opinion.

As Wrestlemania XX was about to come to pass, Mick Foley had an on-going problem with a group named Evolution. Although Triple H wasn’t a focal concern because of his title, the other three members (Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista) were incessantly beating him senseless seemingly every week. Foley, in a foreshadowing statement, told Evolution he’d show up, but that didn’t mean he was coming alone. Cue the reuniting Rock n’ Sock Connection!

The duo looked ready and fit to battle. Despite their physical readiness, they were no match for the triumverate from Evolution. Foley ate an RKO from Randy Orton, which would only accelerate their program. The only thing acclerating in Rock’s career by this point was his Hollywood status.

It’s hard to imagine that after that particular event, Dwayne would not be involved in a physical manner at another ‘Mania until 27!

In-between the events lied a special happening. Dwayne, able to jet into Miami for a night, inducted his grandfather (“High Chief” Peter Maivia) and his father (Rocky Johnson) into the hallowed Hall of Fame at Wrestlemania XXIV weekend in 2008. Rock was briefly welcomed back into the arms of his fans, while still paying respect to two ground-breaking superstars that just so happened to be his own flesh and blood.

As 2011 started, promos for a certain ‘Wrestlemania Guest Host’ started popping up.

The RAW before the Elimination Chamber PPV, the lights went out, and boom went the dynamite! THE ROCK HAS RETURNED!

Not only did Rock do the ‘Guest Host’ bit, but was also heavily vested into the WWE Championship match. Rock’s center of attention, John Cena, went up against standard-bearer The Miz. That match was an absolute mess, and it resulted in Rock drilling Cena with the Rock Bottom. Miz retained the belt via the distraction.

Although it was only the night after WrestleMania 27, Cena vowed to face Rock at 28, and Rock agreed. After laying a SMACKDOWN on The Corre (yeah, remember them?), Rock and Cena shook hands on a truce, with a main event waiting in the wings a full year out.

Miami, Florida was the prime setting for hometown boy Rock. His first major match in eight years, Rock looked as huge as ever. In 30 minutes, he managed to beat John Cena in his prime. Sure Rock looked gassed and had to be carried through it all, but the fact he has managed to beat a big-name at WrestleMania once again solidified the man.

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CONTESTS

Wrestlemania 13: Rocky Maivia def. The Sultan (w/ Iron Sheik) via pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship. During a post-match beat-down, Maivia’s father Rocky Johnson came in to save his son. (9:45) *

Wrestlemania XIV: The Rock def. Ken Shamrock via Disqualification to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Shamrock originally won the belt via submission, but could not snap out of his ‘Zone’. After pummeling many officials, the referee had no choice but to reverse his decision. (4:49 from bell-to-bell) *1/2

Wrestlemania XV: Steve Austin defeated The Rock via pinfall in a No Disqualification match to win the WWE Championship after Mankind made the count. (16:52) ***1/2

Wrestlemania 2000: Triple H defeated The Rock, Mick Foley, & The Big Show to retain the WWE Championship in a Fatal-Four-Way Elimination Match. Big Show was first to go, then Mick Foley second. The Rock was lastly eliminated when Vince McMahon, who was in Rock’s corner, turned on him. (36:28) ***

Wrestlemania X-Seven: Steve Austin defeated The Rock via pinfall in a No Disqualification match to win the WWE Championship after Vince McMahon interfered on Austin's behalf. (33:06) ****3/4. This was the start of Austin's ill-fated heel turn.

Wrestlemania X-8: The Rock defeated ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan via pinfall. After the match, Rock and Hogan fended off Scott Hall and Kevin Nash as this would start Hogan’s face turn. (16:23) **** (*** for the match and ***** for the atmosphere)

Wrestlemania XIX: The Rock defeated Steve Austin via pinfall after delivering a THIRD Rock Bottom. (17:53) ***3/4. This was Austin's last competitive match.

Wrestlemania XX: Evolution (Randy Orton, Ric Flair & Batista) defeated The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection (The Rock & Mick Foley) in a Handicap Match when Randy Orton pinned Mick Foley. Rock and Sock got a rousing ovation post-match. (17:03) ***1/4

Wrestlemania XXIV: inducted his grandfather (“High Chief” Peter Maivia) and his father (Rocky Johnson) into the Hall of Fame.

Wrestlemania 27: He was the official ‘Guest Host’. Also gave a Rock Bottom to John Cena, which allowed The Miz to retain the WWE Championship. The night after on RAW, Rock and Cena shaked hands on a Wrestlemania 28 main event.

WrestleMania 28: The Rock defeated John Cena via pinfall after delivering yet another Rock Bottom. Rock’s first major match in eight years, and it showed. (30:34) **1/2

Overall Record: 5-4 (4 pinfall victories, 1 DQ win. 4 pinfall losses)

Overall Combined Length In-Ring: 3:02:53 (3 hours, 2 minutes, and 53 seconds). That’s an average of 22:30 a contest.

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WrestleMania Profile: Bret Hart

When it comes to Wrestlemania, there are men whose careers count on bringing on epic performances of a lifetime.

At the same time, there are men whose careers are legendary to the point that whatever they do on the grandest stage is just icing on the cake.

This would perfectly describe Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.

A native of Calgary, Alberta, Bret’s career is a who’s who of accomplishments, in which some of them just so happen to occur at WrestleMania.

From battle royals to submission-based quarrels, Bret has seemingly done just about everything there is at Wrestlemania. Let’s take a look back at some of his more major accomplishments.

His inaugural Wrestlemania contest was one in earnest, as Bret was one of the last men eliminated in the battle royal at Wrestlemania 2. Keep in mind this was during the Hart Foundation’s infancy, and the one hurling Bret (and Jim Neidhart for that matter) over the top was Andre the Giant.

Although a six-man tag at Wrestlemania III (Hart Foundation w/ Danny Davis vs. The British Bulldogs & Tito Santana) did have a good amount of heat to it, it would be a few years before the Hart Foundation had a meaningful match on the big show.

On a one-off singles appearance, Bret took part in a battle royal at Wrestlemania IV that would change the course of his history. After being eliminated by Bad News Brown, Bret jumped Brown from behind and destroyed his trophy. This would turn Bret Hart face, and Hitman would stay good for close to a decade.

Instead of the crooked viles of heel work in most of their prior matches, the Hart Foundation at Wrestlemania VII were fun-loving good guys pandering to the zeal of the crowd. It didn’t help them much against the Nasty Boys however, as Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags used their cheating to win the tag team championships.

On one hand, this was an end of an era as the Hart Foundation amicably split up shortly afterwards.

On the other hand, this was the start of a new era, as Bret would launch his singles career.

Wrestlemania VIII saw Bret Hart face off against Roddy Piper for the Intercontinental Championship. This match was so impressive that in an earlier entry, this was the 1992 pick for the best matches of the 1990s. Bret, in a move that even stifles contemporaries today, was able to nicely conceal a blade job three-quarters of the way through the bout. The finish was one of the neatest reversals in the history of Wrestlemania: Piper locked Bret in the his patented sleeper, and then Bret kicked off the turnbuckles, and hooked Piper into a pinning predicament thus becoming a two-time IC belt-holder.

Wrestlemania IX and X are inter-twined, as a story seemingly started and ended between those two events. Yokozuna faced Hart for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania IX. Yoko, who had Mr. Fuji as a pick in his corner, won the title after the manager Fuji threw salt in the Hitman’s eyes. Hulk Hogan seemingly came out to ‘avenge’ Hart, and won the title in a impromptu match. Yokozuna would win the title again at King of the Ring, the same event where Hart won the KOTR tournament.

Now between KOTR and Wrestlemania X, another major component would enter into the mix. Bret’s little brother Owen would tag with him and the rest of the Hart brothers at the Survivor Series. Owen was the only one eliminated, and it sparked some jealousy from the little nugget. After patching things up on paper, the feud re-ignited big time as Owen turned on Bret after Bret was ‘injured’ during a tag title match at the Royal Rumble. Jealously turned into righteousness, and Owen received the bout he wanted with Bret for Wrestlemania X.

More on that in a second.

Bret’s business wasn’t done at the Rumble, as he would take part in the Rumble match itself. He and Lex Luger simultaneously eliminated one another, and therefore each received a title bout for Wrestlemania X. A coin-toss on RAW further signified the two-match format for the big day.

In the opening contest of Wrestlemania X, Owen defeated Bret, the first of what would be many matches between the two. It was a great contest, easily the best opener in ‘Mania history. The other shocker about this match was that Owen pinned Bret clean as a sheet. With Bret as mega-huge at the time as he is, you’d almost think that a ‘cheap’ win would be the only way to go. In the long run, Owen benefitted big off the clean win.

In the main event of the show, Bret defeated Yokozuna (who had defeated Lex via DQ earlier) via pinfall after Yokozuna messed up (planned) a Bonzai Drop. Just like the Yoko/Luger match earlier with Mr. Perfect, this match had a special referee. Roddy Piper, whom Bret Hart had faced for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania VIII, made the call for this important match.

Speaking of Roddy, this wouldn’t be his last foray into representing Bret Hart at WrestleMania. Wrestlemania XI saw a match that was every bit as bad as Survivor Series 1994 was great. Bret Hart. Bob Backlund. Submissions only (well, it was really ‘I Quit’). Bret won, but in the long run it’s considered a match best served in the trash can.

Although XI wouldn’t mean much in the overall career of Bret Hart, XII sure would.

Bret would walk into WrestleMania XII as the WWE Champion. His opponent was Shawn Michaels, winner of the Royal Rumble for the second consecutive year. While most of the attention was on the Heartbreak Kid, Hart wasn’t exactly silent on the sidelines either. In the background, he was ready to prove he was the Iron Man about to paint a 60 minute masterpiece. Before the match, it was decided the match would go 0-0 in regulation with a forced overtime period. This would make a note of how tough either man was to beat. In what is the longest match in Wrestlemania history, Shawn defeated Bret in the second minute of overtime to clinch his first-ever WWE Championship. This would mark a sabbatical for Bret, whose stretch of in-ring time without a break was quickly approaching a decade.

While he was away, a new rival burst onto the scene.

Steve Austin entered WWE via a hot stint in ECW. While Austin’s early WWE days were nothing to write home about, one promo changed everything. After that King of the Ring promo, a newfound confidence arose in Austin. Confidence that allowed the rattlesnake to call out Bret Hart for a future challenge.

As summarized from Austin’s profile, the two would have on-going feud stemming from the fall of 1996. By the time Wrestlemania 13 rolled around, this duel had reached its apex.

It was yet another Submissions Match. Unlike the Backlund disaster of a couple of years before, this one was primed on being a masterpiece. Instead of swapping holds, these two were trading punches. Both men gave each other everything they had. Hart even bladed Austin, which in turn would give the WWE Universe some of the most iconic imagery in WrestleMania history. Austin’s resilience gave the fans ammunition to root Steve on while making Bret look like a transitional villain. Austin valiantly tried to get out of Bret’s Sharpshooter, but passed out in a pool of his own blood trying to get out. This match not only turned out to be a classic, but it is also regarded by many as the best double-turn in professional wrestling history.

Later on in 1997, the Montreal Screwjob reared its ugly head and people feared Bret would NEVER return to the WWE.

Upon a phone call and a handshake, Bret went to Stamford, Connecticut to meet with Vince McMahon and make his DVD. In this blogger’s opinion, it’s the best WWE DVD ever put out.

In turn, this led into his 2006 Hall of Fame induction. Who inducted ‘The Hitman’? None other than Austin himself. It was very fitting because not only did their legendary match happen in the Rosemont Horizon, but also it was a wild turning point for both men in their respective careers. Austin and Hart were also friends outside the ring and that made the request easier to accept.

At the dawn of 2010, Bret Hart returned to WWE and RAW to make amends with Shawn Michaels. After he did, Bret was thrust into a feud with Vince McMahon. This culminated into a No Holds Barred match at WM XXVI, a match that will go down as one of the slowest-paced matches in history. Hart persuaded his family members to turn on Vince, and it led to making Vince tap in Bret’s Sharpshooter.

Overall, Bret’s Wrestlemania history is like icing on the proverbial cake. He may not have singularly put WrestleMania on the map. Hell, he’s not considered a ‘Showstopper’, or ‘Headliner’, or ‘Main Event’, or even ‘Immortal’. Not only was he the excellence in execution, but Bret’s matches were amongst the best there ever would be.

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CONTESTS

Wrestlemania II: Andre the Giant won a 20-Man Battle Royal Featuring WWE Superstars and NFL Players, lastly eliminating Bret Hart. (9:53) NR

Wrestlemania III: The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart, w/ Jimmy Hart) & ‘Dangerous Danny Davis defeated The British Bulldogs (Tom Billington and Davey Boy Smith) & Tito Santana in a Six-Man Tag Match by pinfall. (8:52) **1/2

Wrestlemania IV: Bad News Brown won a 20-Man Battle Royal by defeating Bret Hart last. (10:40). NR. After Brown’s victory, Bret proceeded to destroy the trophy, and therefore he turned face.

Wrestlemania V: The Hart Foundation defeated The Honky Tonk Man & Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart by pinfall. (7:37) **

Wrestlemania VI: The Hart Foundation defeated The Bolsheviks (Boris Zhukov and Nikolai Volkoff) by pinfall. (0:19) NR

Wrestlemania VII: The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Saggs) w/ Jimmy Hart defeated The Hart Foundation by pinfall to capture the WWE Tag Team Championships. (12:10) **3/4

Wrestlemania VIII: Bret Hart defeated Roddy Piper by a reversal out of a sleeper into a pinfall to capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship. (13:51) ****1/4

Wrestlemania IX: Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Bret Hart by pinfall to capture the WWE Championship. (8:55) **1/2. After the match, Hulk Hogan came out to ‘avenge’ Hart, and in a impromptu match, defeated Yokozuna to become WWE Champion.

Wrestlemania X: Owen Hart defeated Bret Hart by pinfall. (20:21) *****

- Bret Hart defeated Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) by pinfall to win the WWE Championship with Roddy Piper as special referee. (10:38) **1/2

Wrestlemania XI: Bret Hart defeated Bob Backlund in a “I Quit” Match after Roddy Piper determined that the sound Backlund made into the microphone was a submission. (9:34) *

Wrestlemania XII: Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron man match (1-0) to win the WWE Championship. This occurred in overtime. (1:01:56) ****1/2

Wrestlemania 13: Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin in a Submission Match after special guest referee Ken Shamrock deemed Steve Austin unable to compete due to blood loss. (22:05) ***** Launched Steve Austin into the stratosphere, and both men flipped roles post-match.

Wrestlemania 22: Bret Hart was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Steve Austin.

Wrestlemania XXVI: Bret Hart defeated Vince McMahon by submission in a No Holds Barred Match with Bruce Hart as special referee. (11:09) *

Overall Record: 8-6 (5 pinfall victories, 2 submission victories, and one referee stoppage win. 2 battle royal losses, 4 pinfall losses.)

Overall Combined Length In-Ring: 3:27:56 (3 hours, 27 minutes, and 56 seconds. That’s about 13:12 a contest.)

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The Theory of Bad Booking: Raw, Wrestlemania, WARRIYAH!

There’s been a lot of stuff done on this blog.

Stuff like countdowns, profiles, and even a match review every now and then. 

However, what I’m about to do I haven’t done yet.

You’ve seen it in many publications, where a scribe takes random thoughts and puts down random quibbles about it.

This will be an example of that. Here we go!

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How many of you think Jericho/Punk was a work?

I certainly think so.

If you didn’t know already, Punk kicked Jericho out of the Elimination Chamber during the past PPV of the same name. Jericho not only took out a camera man but also himself from the contest.

Jericho, then got ‘cleared’ to compete, and proceeded and to win a battle royal the night after to win a Wrestlemania title match.

From this author’s point of view, this isn’t a complaint.

If anything, it just shows that WWE really knows how to blur the line between kayfabe and shoot… when they want to...

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So how about that, Sheamus and Daniel Bryan go from kicked off Wrestlemania 27 to co-headlining Wrestlemania 28.

It wasn’t too long ago that there were rumors that WWE was willing to nearly give up on these guys.

I don’t care who wins, but I do know this: outside of The Miz, this is probably the biggest promotion from one Wrestlemania to another probably in history.

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So apparently Brodus Clay’s funk train has been temporarily derailed.

On some news sites, it seems the big guy doesn’t have the full backing of one Vincent K. McMahon. McMahon has been noted as saying that the man is reckless in the ring.

This miffs me for a bit.

Brodus, after being ‘promoted’ from FCW, was on NXT with Alberto Del Rio as his mentor. After that, Clay accompanied ADR to matches and such.

Fast-forward to Extreme Rules where he was seemingly written out after an unexpectedly gory blood-letting during a ladder match.

During this time he could have went back to FCW for polishing, but apparently this has not been the case.

He had filmed a movie, and even did SEVERAL squashes on Superstars as his own generic monster hoss self.

For the longest time (no, not the Billy Joel song), Clay was hyped up to return, but Johnny Ace was always putting it off until ‘next week’.

When he did return, he less resembled Snitsky and more resembled Ernest ‘the Cat’ Miller.

Entertaining audiences around the country, he has seemingly been put on the back burner yet again.

This all goes back towards lack of FCW training.

If it turns out he was reckless at that point, then why not refine his craft? It’s not like he was shortly endeavored thus had no reason to care. The man has an upside of being a unique player in a WWE Universe full of clones.

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THIS JUST IN: Drew McIntyre, in the middle of a ridiculous losing streak, is straddled with a new gimmick of kissing guys. This was overseas in Honduras.

If Cody Rhodes was still ‘Dashing’, we’d have a brand new over-as-rover tag team!

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Wait, people are treating The Rock like a celebrity now?

This isn’t a new practice.

At the first Wrestlemania, there was Liberace, Muhammad Ali, amongst others.

Since then people like Salt n’ Pepa, Mike Tyson, Pete Rose (x3), Donald Trump, and more have appeared in segments where it’s arguable that wrestlers could have, um, wrestled.

So why is The Rock a unique case in complaints then?

Well, he did leave the WWE for Hollywood full-time in 2004, and besides the off-the-cuff appearance, didn’t have a truly competitive match until Survivor Series 2011.

The point is is that Wrestlemania is the highest-paying/most prestigious event on the calendar. The ‘boys’ in the back make that their “aspire to be here” date, where even the Battle Royal dark match could be the highest pay-day of the year.

So again, why so much heat on The Rock?

He’s not full time and still makes an impression? Too bad.

Yet he’ll help the event crack a million buys, and there’ll still be complaining. Geez…

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Kayfabe is officially dead: http://www.wweshop.com/category/Men/TShirts-Kayfabe

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So the General Managers of Raw and Smackdown are currently hurled into a feud? At least with there this is going, this won’t be bad as the last time this happened:

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Speaking of The Rock, his new DVD/Blu-ray is a welcome addition to ANY wrestling library. The documentary is top-notch, and all the supplements are a nice touch too.

Don’t forget to get the 2008 DVD too, and The Rock’s career chronicles are pretty much set.

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This will most likely be a future blog article, but I have to mention Triple H and Undertaker III for Wrestlemania 28 is official… INSIDE HELL IN THE CELL!

Fry, you know what to do!

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Off topic compared to the rest of the article, but it seems like the Ultimate Warrior will be coming out of hibernation.

Coming to Northeast Wrestling, Warrior will be appearing at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center (in Poughkeepsie, New York) in conjunction with Wrestlefest 16, the promotion’s biggest event.

As a person who has front-row tickets, I view this as a blessing that a huge legend is coming.

However, I also fear the worst.

The DVD notwithstanding, it seems that Warrior’s reputation isn’t the greatest, and the promos thought up in this man’s head are something made up not in this world.

Only time will tell what Warrior will say on March 23rd, but I’m going to remain positive that something cohesive could be churned out.

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On a last note, I’d like to quip that I’ve been doing some Wrestlemania Profiles. I’ll be hopefully doing five in total, while two are complete.

The first two done have been Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. Look for others to be done on the way to Wrestlemania Sunday.

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Wrestlemania Profile: Stone Cold Steve Austin

Wrestlemania means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

While some people may have invented the ‘feel’ or the ‘work ethic’ of the big day, some people were literally launched into the stratosphere by a game-day performance.

Take case in point, Steve Austin.

By the time Wrestlemania 13 hit, ‘Stone Cold’ was already on his way to the top.

After entering the WWE from ECW, a heel Steve Austin became a bland ‘Ringmaster’, mouthed by manager Ted DiBiase.

During these early WWE days, Austin became embroiled in a feud with Savio Vega. This led to a surprisingly underrated classic, which saw Austin win with a ‘Million Dollar Dream’.

Combining the defecting Ted DiBiase to a classic speech at the King of the Ring, little did Austin know that he would make the company more than a million dollars in the upcoming year. More about that here.

As 13 dawned, Austin’s nemesis in life was one ‘Hitman’ Bret Hart. The two had a feud stemming from when Austin called out ‘Hitman’ during the Mind Games pay-per-view back from that previous September.

Survivor Series didn’t end the rage, and neither did the Royal Rumble.

So on to Wrestlemania, and a ‘Submission’ match!

While much has been written on the subject, long story short it’s a beautiful match. Not only was the contest a classic, but the imagery and the post-match angles were ones for the ages too!

Blood streaming down his face, Austin’s literal image of not giving up under pressure made him somewhat a sympathetic figure, completely contrasting his ‘stone cold’ personality.

After that encounter, Austin and Hart switched roles, and Austin would go on to have three Wrestlemania title matches.

1998 saw Austin battle Shawn, who as noted in the previous profile, was burning the candle at both ends. Austin won the WWE Championship, and thus officially became ‘The Man’.

1999 saw Austin battle The Rock, who had himself carry great momentum from not-so-great beginnings. Add in Vince McMahon’s invariably-hostile ego, and we got combustible elements in the city of brotherly love. Austin overcame evil yet again, and became a 3-time WWE Champion.

Austin was absent at 2000 as he recovered from spinal fusion surgery, stemming from the botched piledriver from Summerslam 1997.

2001 saw Austin battle The Rock yet again for the title, but instead of a typical good/bad dichotomy, it was just man vs. man. Or at least until the end when Vince McMahon interfered on Austin’s behalf. It was a shocking all-time moment that led to a heel turn that will be as fondly remembered as a popcorn fart.

2002 had Austin, well, in the undercard, and none too happy about it. Austin winning was an afterthought, as serious Creative issues would force Austin’s hand to eventually ditch the company. Temporarily.

Wrestlemania XIX would be Austin’s last competitive match. The main focus of the story was revolving around newly-turned-heel Hollywood Rock, who vowed to whip the bald-headed candy ass of Austin at the grandest stage. Rock lived up to it, as he pinned Austin after delivering three poetic Rock Bottoms.

Although Austin would retire from wrestling, his involvement at Wrestlemania was far from over.

In 2004 and 2007, he special guest refereed matches. One of them featured two men who leaved the WWE immediately afterwards (Brock Lesnar/Goldberg), and the other revolved around billionaire hair (Umaga/Bobby Lashley).

2005 saw him be a guest on Piper’s Pit, which was wildly entertaining. 

Finally in 2009, Austin celebrated his Hall of Fame induction with a ‘Salute to Texas’. 

Never has ATV’s on the big stage feel like such a big deal.

Overall, Austin owes a lot of his career to a bloody still image from 13. While he had been going to the top anyway, that night in 
 Chicago sealed his fate in the best way possible. From brewskis to Stunners, Austin’s Wrestlemania work shall be described as one big, “OH HELL YEAHHHH!”
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CONTESTS
Wrestlemania XII: Steve Austin w/ Ted DiBiase defeated Savio Vega via Submission (10:00) **3/4
Wrestlemania 13: Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin in a Submission Match after special guest referee Ken Shamrock deemed Steve Austin unable to compete due to blood loss. (22:05) ***** Launched Steve Austin into the stratosphere, and both men flipped roles post-match.
Wrestlemania XIV: Steve Austin defeated Shawn Michaels via pinfall to win the WWE Championship after Mike Tyson's fast-count (20:02) ***3/4. Austin officially became 'the man' after winning the belt.
Wrestlemania XV: Steve Austin defeated The Rock via pinfall in a No Disqualification match to win the WWE Championship after Mankind made the count. (16:52) ***1/2
Wrestlemania X-Seven: Steve Austin defeated The Rock via pinfall in a No Disqualification match to win the WWE Championship after Vince McMahon interfered on Austin's behalf. (33:06) ****3/4. This was the start of Austin's ill-fated heel turn.
Wrestlemania X-8: Steve Austin defeated Scott Hall (w/ Kevin Nash) via pinfall. (9:51) **
Wrestlemania XIX: The Rock defeated Steve Austin via pinfall after delivering a THIRD Rock Bottom. (17:53) ***3/4. This was Austin's last competitive match.
Wrestlemania XX: Special guest refereed Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg
Wrestlemania 21: Was a guest on Piper’s Pit.
Wrestlemania 23: Special guest referred “The Battle of the Billionaires”, Bobby Lashley (w/ Donald Trump) vs. Umaga (w/ Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon)
The 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania (aka Wrestlemania 25): Was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and did ‘A Salute to Texas’ during the show.
Overall Record: 5-2 (4 pinfall victories, 1 submission victory, 1 loss due to ref stoppage, 1 pinfall loss)
Overall Combined Length In-Ring: 2:09:49. That is an average of 18:25 a match.

WrestleMania Profile: Shawn Michaels

Vince McMahon created the concept.

Howard Finkel created the name.

Hulk Hogan, with others (like Randy Savage & Andre the Giant), created the event’s big-time feel/exposure that left fans clamoring for more.

Shawn Michaels created the work ethic everyone aspires to achieve.

His record is nowhere near ‘Perfect’, and he has lost more title matches at this event than perhaps anyone else in history.

When it comes to being “Mr. Wrestlemania” however, Shawn Michaels is a mythic figure. His performances on the big show are indelible, and it is no question that every man who has competed against Shawn has left the show better off than they were.

In his early years, Shawn was one half of a popular team entitled ‘The Rockers’. With Marty Jannetty, their opponent list was unique. Whether it was big men, foreign men, or hosses, the duo got the best possible match.

Shawn’s course would take a huge left turn as he threw soon-to-be ex-partner Jannetty through a ‘Barbershop’ window in early 1992. This would mark the start of Michaels’ singles run.

It would take a few years for Shawn to get that show-stealing performance. When he did though, the road to immortality began.

At Wrestlemania X in 1994, he and Razor Ramon competed in the first Ladder Match in Wrestlemania history. The story was quite innovative, where Shawn was legitimately suspended after a failed test, but never returned the belt! Ramon won the title in a battle royal, but it was Shawn who shocked the world with having his belt on a return promo segment. What resulted was a successful blend of wrestling and ladder bumps. Shawn even made that death-defying splash from the top of the ladder, and this happened in the days where ladders had no place in wrestling!

After failing to procure the championship at XI, Shawn went into XII with gold on his mind. However, he had to prove to the ‘Hitman’ he was the ‘Iron Man’. 60 grueling minutes and overtime. Shawn proved to Bret Hart and the world he was here. With 10+ years of going through everything there is in the wrestling business, Shawn was finally on top!

The ride wouldn’t last deep into 1997.

Missing 13 due to an injury (that could be real or fake), Shawn was truly at his physical worst for XIV for 1998. A wrecked back, mainly due to a bad casket bump at the Royal Rumble, and badly addicted to painkillers, Shawn managed to create a classic with Steve Austin. It would be five years before Shawn wrestled on the big stage again.

Michaels grimaced in pain with every bump he took and every punch he threw.

Shawn’s in-ring Wrestlemania resurrection in 2003 occurred squaring off against Chris Jericho. Jericho’s career is a storied one itself, but the Lionheart noted his favorite match is the one with Michaels from Wrestlemania XIX.

This would start a pattern.

From 2003-2010, Shawn would methodically add to his legend, facing off against different men with different abilities. Big men like Undertaker would be on his plate, but also dear friends like Ric Flair, which Shawn had the unfortunate privilege of superkicking into retirement.

Oh, you thought you were going to see the HBK version? Sorry pal!

Whether it was a title match or not, Shawn gave every match his absolute all.

That’s one of the reasons why his retirement after Wrestlemania 26 was so emotional.

The buildup to the SECOND WM match with Undertaker, if you count the antics leading up to the 25 bout, lasted about three years. From the Rumble at San Antonio in 2007 to the University of Phoenix for Wrestlemania 26, Shawn was nagging at Undertaker, trying to derail the all-mighty streak, with Shawn noting in addition his career was nothing unless he ended it.

Shawn may have been done wrestling, but his Wrestlemania involvement would be far from over.

For Wrestlemania 27 in 2011, Shawn was the headline inductee into the Hall of Fame. Graced into the Hall by lifelong friend Triple H, Michaels’ main statement was that he had no regrets with his career. Judging by just this little body of work, there’s no wonder why he thinks the way he does.

Shawn was then called upon to do the one thing he wished he hadn’t: referee Triple H/Undertaker inside Hell in the Cell. Shawn told Hunter he knew who would in, and in the end, it was Undertaker. There were no alliances at all, as Shawn took as much punishment as he dished out. Shawn even kicked Undertaker into a Pedigree, but the dead man STILL KICKED OUT! Shawn would eventually count Triple H, but not before reffing 30 minutes of one of the most dramatic WrestleMania matches in history!

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CONTESTS:

Wrestlemania V: The Twin Towers (The Big Bossman & Akeem) defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty). (8:02) ***

Wrestlemania VI: The Orient Express defeated The Rockers by COUNT OUT. (7:38) **1/2

Wrestlemania VII: The Rockers defeated Barbarian & Haku w/Bobby Heenan. (10:41) **3/4

Wrestlemania VIII: Shawn Michaels w/ Sensational Sherri defeated "El Matador" Tito Santana. Originally should have been vs. Marty Jannetty, but the latter had to leave due to personal problems. Shawn would induct Tito into the Hall of Fame in 2004. (10:38) **

Wrestlemania IX: Tatanka defeated Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels by COUNT OUT. Because championships can’t change hands on a count-out, Shawn kept the belt. (18:13) **

Wrestlemania X: Razor Ramon (aka Scott Hall) defeated Shawn Michaels to retain the Intercontinental Championship in the first ever Ladder Match in Wrestlemania history. (18:47) ****1/4

Wrestlemania XI: Diesel (aka Kevin Nash) defeated Shawn Michaels to retain the WWE Championship. Diesel was accompanied to ringside by Pamela Anderson while Shawn had Jenny McCarthy. (20:35) ***1/2

Wrestlemania XII: Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron man match (1-0) to win the WWE Championship. This occurred in overtime. (1:01:56) ****1/2

Wrestlemania 13: Shawn Michaels joined commentary for the Undertaker vs. Sid main event. He ‘lost his smile’ the month before, and thus he vacated the belt prior to ‘Mania. Also, the original match should have been a rematch of Wrestlemania XII with an Iron Man rematch.

Wrestlemania XIV: Steve Austin defeated Shawn Michaels to win the WWE Championship. Shawn would take a long sabbatical from in-ring competition due to injuries, although he would show up on WWE programming every now and then. (20:02) ***3/4

Wrestlemania XV: Shawn Michaels, as WWE Commissioner, told Vince McMahon he was not eligible to referee the main event. Shawn’s appearance garnered a huge pop.

Wrestlemania XIX: Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Jericho. Michaels’ first Wrestlemania match in five years. (22:33) ****1/2

WrestleMania XX: Chris Benoit defeated Triple H & Shawn Michaels to capture the World Heavyweight Championship. Shawn was not involved in the fall.  (24:50) ****1/2

Wrestlemania 21: Kurt Angle defeated Shawn Michaels via submission. Noted by many to be the best Wrestlemania match of both men’s careers. (27:56) *****

Wrestlemania 22: Shawn Michaels defeated Vince McMahon w/Shane McMahon in a No Holds Barred Match. (18:28) ***1/4

Wrestlemania 23: John Cena defeated Shawn Michaels by Submission to retain the WWE Championship. (28:22) ***3/4

Wrestlemania XXIV: Shawn Michaels defeated Ric Flair. Per pre-match stipulation (actually more like a long-running angle), Ric was forced to retire from WWE. (20:23) **** (3 for the match, 5 for the story, average of 4)

The 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania (aka Wrestlemania 25): The Undertaker defeated Shawn Michaels. (30:56) ****3/4

Wrestlemania XXVI: The Undertaker defeated Shawn Michaels in a No Disqualification, No Count-Out Match. Per pre-match stipulation, Shawn was forced to retire from the WWE. (24:04) ****1/2

WrestleMania XXVII: Shawn Michaels was inducted into the Hall of Fame as the headlining inductee.

WrestleMania XXVIII: Shawn Michaels was the special guest referee in the “End of an Era Hell in the Cell” Match between Triple H and The Undertaker. After many close-calls and punishment, Shawn counted Triple H’s shoulders down 1-2-3. ‘Taker, HBK, and Triple H stood atop of the stage proud of their accomplishment.

Overall Record: 6-11

Overall Combined Length In-Ring: 6:25:04 (6 hours, 25 minutes, 4 seconds. I haven’t done math on anyone else, but THIS HAS TO BE A RECORD!)

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