Top and Bottom; Wrestlemania in retrospect

**Jordan** · 03-28-2020, 07:45 PM

Rank the top 3 and bottom 3 Wrestlemania's. When I go back now and watch certain shows I am often surprised how my opinion changes from the live show at the time. Some things have aged better than others as well. If you want to rank in a different way go ahead...

Top 3 Wrestlemania's...

1. Wrestlemania 17

This is not a perfect show but it is overall and by far the best Wrestlemania. In my opinion the only thing making it imperfect is the weak choice turn of Austin at the end of the show. But even with that, it's still an amazing show and that turn doesn't affect the show so much as it did for leaving a shitty aftermath. But still, Rock/Austin II is increadible, TLC 2, McMahon/McMahon, Angle/Benoit, Triple H/Taker... there are more great matches on this card than any Wrestlemania. Plus the excitement of the first stadium show in nearly a decade is great. Plus it was at the most exciting point in WWE's existence.

2. Wrestlemania 19

Again a card that isn't perfect because things don't always pan out perfectly. But can you really grade this show low just for a botched spot in the main event? Angle/Lesnar, Rock/Austin, HHH/Booker T, Hogan/McMahon and Jericho/Michaels. I think this card sinks slightly below 17 but is very close.

3. Wrestlemania 8

Once hailed as the greatest Mania by the internet wrestling fans and seemingly long forgotten. Rewatch this show if you doubt my ranking. A great opening match with Shawn Michaels and Tito Santana, a dramatic Jake the Snake vs Undertaker, a really fun 8-man tag with a lot of charismatic superstars from childhood, red hot Piper/Hart, one of the greatest WWF Championship matches ever with Flair vs Savage and then there is the main event. Overall one of the most fun shows WWF did in the 90's with several really strong matches. Plus this was a return to the stadium and it was certainly welcome. Though looking back you can see it wasn't a jam packed house but still a great environment.

Bottom 3 Wrestlemania's...

1. Wrestlemania 11
Ironically I've probably seen this one the most. When I was a kid I this was the first Coliseum tape my parents ever gifted to me so I watched it 100 times. I enjoyed it then but it is a shit show with no redeemable qualities what so ever beyond the nostalgia I have for it being my first tape. Sure Diesel/HBK is a really good match but they ended up having a much better one the next year. And it also features the worst Undertaker match in Mania history, seriously at least the Gonzales match is memorable, and the worst Bret Hart match ever on a WWF PPV. The Razor/Jarrett match is fine but has a bullshit end. This PPV sucks.

2. Wrestlemania 2
What were they thinking? I really don't know who this show entertained. I remember being so confused by it when I finally got my hands on the tape. I don't know if there was a Coliseum release of this show or the first one but in the late 90's WWF Home Video released this show and it was incredibly disappointing. I've maybe rewatched it 5 times or so. It's kind of fun, but the lack of match quality makes it labor to watch.

3. Wrestlemania 15
What, were you expecting 9? Well fuck you, I can rewatch 9 every year of my life to see the fun Roman setup and first outdoor show in years. I really enjoy 9 even though there are no great matches on it. 15 is truly a one match show and I've never really thought it was close to Austin and Rock's best. It seemed some WWE revisionist at times have spun that this is an all time classic but it's not. It's just the end to one of the worst WWF PPV's of 1999. There are tons of bullshit finishes and horrible booking. One match shit show.

03-28-2020, 07:45 PM	#1
Jordan It's a blood match! Posts: 27,382	Top and Bottom; Wrestlemania in retrospect Rank the top 3 and bottom 3 Wrestlemania's. When I go back now and watch certain shows I am often surprised how my opinion changes from the live show at the time. Some things have aged better than others as well. If you want to rank in a different way go ahead... Top 3 Wrestlemania's... 1. Wrestlemania 17 This is not a perfect show but it is overall and by far the best Wrestlemania. In my opinion the only thing making it imperfect is the weak choice turn of Austin at the end of the show. But even with that, it's still an amazing show and that turn doesn't affect the show so much as it did for leaving a shitty aftermath. But still, Rock/Austin II is increadible, TLC 2, McMahon/McMahon, Angle/Benoit, Triple H/Taker... there are more great matches on this card than any Wrestlemania. Plus the excitement of the first stadium show in nearly a decade is great. Plus it was at the most exciting point in WWE's existence. 2. Wrestlemania 19 Again a card that isn't perfect because things don't always pan out perfectly. But can you really grade this show low just for a botched spot in the main event? Angle/Lesnar, Rock/Austin, HHH/Booker T, Hogan/McMahon and Jericho/Michaels. I think this card sinks slightly below 17 but is very close. 3. Wrestlemania 8 Once hailed as the greatest Mania by the internet wrestling fans and seemingly long forgotten. Rewatch this show if you doubt my ranking. A great opening match with Shawn Michaels and Tito Santana, a dramatic Jake the Snake vs Undertaker, a really fun 8-man tag with a lot of charismatic superstars from childhood, red hot Piper/Hart, one of the greatest WWF Championship matches ever with Flair vs Savage and then there is the main event. Overall one of the most fun shows WWF did in the 90's with several really strong matches. Plus this was a return to the stadium and it was certainly welcome. Though looking back you can see it wasn't a jam packed house but still a great environment. Bottom 3 Wrestlemania's... 1. Wrestlemania 11 Ironically I've probably seen this one the most. When I was a kid I this was the first Coliseum tape my parents ever gifted to me so I watched it 100 times. I enjoyed it then but it is a shit show with no redeemable qualities what so ever beyond the nostalgia I have for it being my first tape. Sure Diesel/HBK is a really good match but they ended up having a much better one the next year. And it also features the worst Undertaker match in Mania history, seriously at least the Gonzales match is memorable, and the worst Bret Hart match ever on a WWF PPV. The Razor/Jarrett match is fine but has a bullshit end. This PPV sucks. 2. Wrestlemania 2 What were they thinking? I really don't know who this show entertained. I remember being so confused by it when I finally got my hands on the tape. I don't know if there was a Coliseum release of this show or the first one but in the late 90's WWF Home Video released this show and it was incredibly disappointing. I've maybe rewatched it 5 times or so. It's kind of fun, but the lack of match quality makes it labor to watch. 3. Wrestlemania 15 What, were you expecting 9? Well fuck you, I can rewatch 9 every year of my life to see the fun Roman setup and first outdoor show in years. I really enjoy 9 even though there are no great matches on it. 15 is truly a one match show and I've never really thought it was close to Austin and Rock's best. It seemed some WWE revisionist at times have spun that this is an all time classic but it's not. It's just the end to one of the worst WWF PPV's of 1999. There are tons of bullshit finishes and horrible booking. One match shit show.