Ranking the WrestleManias - The Bottom 10

[hb2k]

So, for the next three weeks, we're going to be doing a series of podcasts debating the rankings for all 30 WrestleManias in order, from worst to first in blocks of ten, and would like to get some feedback to read on the shows.

I've written an article on what I feel are the bottom 10 (if you're interested you can read it here: http://steelchair.co.uk/ranking-the-wrestlemanias-the-bottom-10), and want to hear what agreements or disagreements people have with it, what they would rank higher or lower, and why.

For those who don't want to read the whole article, the bottom 10 are:

#30 - WrestleMania 9 (1993)
#29 - WrestleMania 11 (1995)
#28 - WrestleMania 4 (1988)
#27 - WrestleMania 2 (1986)
#26 - WrestleMania 1 (1985)
#25 - WrestleMania 15 (1999)
#24 - WrestleMania 6 (1990)
#23 - WrestleMania 5 (1989)
#22 - WrestleMania 29 (2013)
#21 - WrestleMania 27 (2011)

We'll be debating the order on the shows and reading your responses and crediting you accordingly, so what do you think?

EDIT - For those who may be looking at this for the first time, the show debating this list and taking the feedback below is now online at this link: http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/play/aixp2f/SCGRadio31-RankingtheWrestleManias-TheBottom10.mp3

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

No love for WM4?

[NormanSmiley]

4,5,6 should not be on this list. 10 needs to be on it

[hb2k]

I think 4 gets a free ride based on nostalgia and being being fans of the time period, similar to 15 in a sense. But 4 just goes soooooo long and there very little to enjoy, made worse by an awful crowd.

[Bad News Gertner]

4 was atrocious. Too long, dead crowd and the majority of the matches were like 5 minutes.

I'd swap 5 with 8.

[The Condor]

WM 11
WM 27
WM 12
WM 9
WM 10
WM 15
WM 16
WM 29
WM 2
WM 1

[Big Vic]

Why does everyone hate wrestlemania 15?

[Big Vic]

On a different day, I could rank this way lower, and the only thing that saves it from an F Grade is the main event – Austin and Rock, both red-hot, the top two stars in the industry, in their first main event match, in front of a rowdy crowd, hitting a homerun.
Kudos to them for saving this show from landing in the bottom grade. I know people are fond of this time, but if you ever needed proof that Vince Russo couldn’t pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel, it’s this overbooked sack of shit. Shane/X-Pac is a good match, but its easily marred by Kane/HHH, Tori/Sable, Show/Mankind, and mediocre IC and Hardcore title matches which made no fucking sense, because they switched, for some reason, the Outlaws from their respective matches right before Mania, which ruined the weeks and months of build-up for both. And let’s not forget the worst Hell In A Cell match of all time with Undertaker/Bossman. Elsewhere, Butterbean obliterated Bart Gunn in seconds in a Brawl 4 All match, killing his career, and a makeshift team of Test and D’Lo Brown lost to Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett in a WWF Tag Title match that nobody could possibly care about.
Big Show turned face, Chyna turned face then heel in the same night which turned heel Kane babyface by proxy (keeping track so far?), and HHH turned heel on X-Pac.
Thank God for Austin and Rock.
I guess this is why... To be honest I only remember Austin/Rock, Shane/Xpac; I would still put it over WrestleMania 23.

[loopydate]

I just rewatched 15 the other day and have to agree. Swerveamania was in full force that night. Very good main event, the rest was instantly forgettable.

[NormanSmiley]

wasn't wm 2000 way worse than 15?

[slik]

why are WM 5,6 and 29 on this list?

[NormanSmiley]

I think a lot of kids rank the older ones so low because they don't understand how it used to be

[hb2k]

why are WM 5,6 and 29 on this list?

Read the article if you wish to know the reasoning. And again, if you disagree I'm all ears...

[Simple Fan]

I really hated WM 30 it would be my least favorite.

[DAMN iNATOR]

WM 11
WM 27
WM 12
WM 9
WM 10
WM 15
WM 16
WM 29
WM 2
WM 1

Crazy Edgar really living up to his name by putting the first WM on his list.

[XL]

Think I might be the only person alive with fond memories of WMIX. I think it was the first Mania I saw close to it happening. Everything before then was SilverVision VHS. Royal Rumble 93 and Mania 9 were the first shows I got to see within a few days of them happening, thanks to a neighbour.

Watching it now, it's clearly very poor, but I still have a soft spot for it.

[Jazzy Foot]

Surprised at the hate for WM 29 which I thought wasn't that bad.

WM 16 ranks as one of my personal worst WMs as does 27 and 28 and also 19.

[NormanSmiley]

19, are you fucking high??

[hb2k]

I think a lot of kids rank the older ones so low because they don't understand how it used to be

WrestleMania 4 took place the same day as the first Clash, which was awesome and critically acclaimed. It's not the understanding I don't think. 4 gets fondly remembered because of the time it was in, a much more innocent and less critical way of watching wrestling and it was just fun. But 4 is just so tough to watch, goes four hours, feels like eight.

Agree completely on 19 though, that's easily top 10...

[hb2k]

Love the responses here, and am happy to say I was able to read the great deal of them on the show, which is now up to listen to at the following link:

http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/play/aixp2f/SCGRadio31-RankingtheWrestleManias-TheBottom10.mp3

This ended up being a really fun podcast, breaking down the different elements of all the shows in the Bottom 10 and debating the order of the list itself. Check it out and let me know what you think!

[DAMN iNATOR]

19, are you fucking high??

LOL, WTF...you must be the one who's high if you thought it was any good...I mean Triple H v. Booker T for the WHC?! SERIOUSLY?!

[DAMN iNATOR]

Only match @ WM XIX I enjoyed was Rock v. Austin III.

[Maluco]

Think I might be the only person alive with fond memories of WMIX. I think it was the first Mania I saw close to it happening. Everything before then was SilverVision VHS. Royal Rumble 93 and Mania 9 were the first shows I got to see within a few days of them happening, thanks to a neighbour.

Watching it now, it's clearly very poor, but I still have a soft spot for it.


Your are not the only one, reading this is almost word for work what happened to me. Can't remember if it was live of the next day, but it just seemed like such a spectacle, being outdoors and all. Definitely contributed to me becoming a fan!

[Corndad]

Only match @ WM XIX I enjoyed was Rock v. Austin III.

Angle/Brock?
Jericho/HBK?
Vince/Hogan?

None of those? Really?

[loopydate]

Another quality podcast, guys. I'm excited to hear the next two installments.

[NormanSmiley]

Only match @ WM XIX I enjoyed was Rock v. Austin III.



if angle / lesnar isn't the thing that gets you, then seriously , in all sincerity, go kill yourself. you have no fucking business in a wrestling forum

[XL]

if <s>angle / lesnar</s> HBK/Y2J isn't the thing that gets you, then seriously , in all sincerity, go kill yourself. you have no fucking business in a wrestling forum