Welcome to the next part of the list, as we look at two of the biggest and most important incarnations of “The Show of Shows” that defined two different stars and two highly lauded eras of wrestling.
#6: WrestleMania 3
A WrestleMania that many argue was a WrestleMania that made it the event it is today. From the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, WrestleMania 3 was a record setting event that is continuously talked about today. It all began with its attendance record of 93,173, a record that stood for nearly three decades.
WrestleMania 3 started with a highly contested tag team match as The Can-Am Connection (Tom Zenk & Rick Martel) were able to defeat Magnificent Muraco & “Cowboy” Bob Orton. Then, a hard hitting Full Nelson Challenge between Hercules and Billy Jack Haynes ended up in a double count-out.
The next contest saw the team of Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver and The Haiti Kid defeat the team of King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook. Followed by “King” Harley Race defeating Junkyard Dog in a Loser Bows Match. Then, The Dream Team, Brutus Beefcake & Greg Valentine defeated the Rougeau Brothers.
The next match on the card was “Rowdy” Roddy Piper taking on “Adorable” Adrian Adonis. The match was a return for Piper as he returned from acting to the WWF/E. The two went back and forth until Piper was able to lock in the Sleeper for the win.
The next contest saw the Tag Team Champions, The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart) team up with “Dangerous” Danny Davis team up and defeat the team of the British Bulldogs (British Bulldog & Dynamite Kid) and Tito Santana. Then, “The Natural” Butch Reed defeated Koko B. Ware.
Now, the next contest is one of the most talked about WrestleMania matches in history as “Macho Man” Randy Savage defended the Intercontinental Championship against Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. Randy Savage continued to get the advantage over Steamboat even taking him out of action with a neck injury months prior. Randy Savage had been dominating as Intercontinental Champion for over a year. When the two entered the ring at WrestleMania 3, the two told a story that would be told for generations to come.
The two left it all in the ring, with both wanting to leave as the Intercontinental Champion. Savage and Steamboat tried everything in their arsenal but no one was able to be victorious. Savage attempted to hit Steamboat with the ring bell to retain his title, but The Dragon was able to roll up Savage and get the win. Steamboat shocked the world and defeated Savage to win the Intercontinental Championship in one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history.
In the next match, the Honky Tonk Man defeated Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Then, Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik picked up a disqualification victory over the Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell). It was now time for the main event that was talked about all over the world.
The main event of WrestleMania 3 was the most talked about match up to that moment in history as Andre the Giant challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWF/E Championship. Two of the biggest icons in WWF/E history faced off on the biggest stage in history. The two slugged it out, building off the electricity from the crowd in the Silverdome. Andre seemed to outmatch Hogan, until Hogan was able to lift Andre in the slam heard around the world. Then, he hit his iconic Leg Drop on the Giant for the win.
Hogan was able to overcome the odds and defeat Andre the Giant to retain the WWF/E Championship capping off one of the greatest WrestleManias in history and a WrestleMania that many argue helped put the WWF/E on the map.
#5: WrestleMania 14
WrestleMania 14 was an event that played a pivotal role in the birth of the Attitude Era. A new era was indeed born after this event as all set and done. WrestleMania 14 took place at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
WrestleMania 14 kicked off with a 15 team battle royal to determine the new #1 contender for the WWF/E Tag Team Championships. The Legion of Doom surprised the crowd returning with new manager Sunny. The Legion of Doom ran through the competition and won the battle royal with a thunderous ovation from the Boston crowd.
After a high-flying match where Taka Michinoku successfully defended the Light Heavyweight Championship, it was time for a very heated rivalry to be concluded.
Triple H representing D-Generation X defended the European Championship against Owen Hart. D-Generation X since their formation, had been running roughshod over the WWF/E with no sign of stopping. This was true on this night.
Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter attempted to keep the match clean by handcuffing himself to Chyna in an effort to stop her from interfering. However, with the referee’s back turned, she blinded Slaughter with powder which led to Chyna hitting Owen with the low blow and then a Pedigree from Triple H for the pin and the win.
After this came a contested mixed tag team match which saw Sable & Marc Mero def. Luna & Goldust. Then, it was time for The Rock versus Ken Shamrock for the Intercontinental Championship.
The Rock going into WrestleMania was a part of the dominant and controversial group, The Nation of Domination. The Rock won back the Intercontinental Championship after being given it by Stone Cold Steve Austin and was quickly becoming the most hated star of the WWF/E.
Ken Shamrock, on the other hand, came from the world of UFC and brought his aggressive mentality to the WWF/E. The two slugged it out until Ken Shamrock was able to The Rock in the Ankle Lock for the win. However, he would not let go of The Rock’s ankle which led to the referee reversing the decision, meaning The Rock retain the Intercontinental Championship. Shamrock proceded to give belly to belly suplexes to a number of referees.
It was then time for the first ever Dumpster match for the Tag Team Championships as Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) & Terry Funk took on The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg & Billy Gunn). This all out, drag out hardcore match went all over the ring and backstage. The two teams beat each other up with everything they could find.
With Terry Funk taken out of the picture later in the match, it seemed that Cactus Jack’s chances were over. That was until Funk came from out of nowhere with a forklift which was able to shut the dumpster with the outlaws inside. Cactus Jack and Terry Funk became the new Tag Team Champions in a brutal affair.
It was then time to settle a brotherly feud between The Undertaker & Kane. After Paul Bearer turned his back on The Undertaker, Paul stated that The Undertaker’s brother was alive. Then, at Badd Blood, while The Undertaker was battling Shawn Michaels inside Hell in a Cell, Kane made his debut taking out Undertaker. Kane would do it again after The Undertaker lost a casket match at the Royal Rumble. Kane would set the casket on fire attempting to get rid of his brother.
However, Kane was unable to destroy the legend of The Deadman and at WrestleMania, it was time to end it once and for all. The Undertaker and Kane slugged it out knowing each other so well and knowing each other’s move. Kane was able to even kick out of not one, but two Tombstone Piledrivers. However, when Undertaker hit the third, it was over and The Undertaker defeated his brother once and for all.
It was now time for the main event. The main event that would change the landscape of the WWF/E for years to come. Stone Cold Steve Austin was on the rise, winning the 1996 King of the Ring, then winning the Royal Rumble and was ready to challenge Shawn Michaels for the WWF/E Championship.
Shawn Michaels alongside Triple H & Chyna formed D-Generation X and was running roughshod over the WWF/E as one of the most controversial groups in history. DX broke the rules and defied authority which led to Shawn Michaels to win the WWF/E Championship at the previous year’s Survivor Series in one of the most controversial matches in history.
To add more to this feud, the WWF/E added “The Baddest Man on the Planet” Mike Tyson to be the special enforcer. DX made Mike Tyson an honorary member, trying to get the numbers game of Stone Cold.
The match went back and forth, with both men looking to leave the biggest show of the year as Champion. Once the referee was taken out of the picture, it was now Tyson’s time to officiate. Shawn looked to hit the Sweet Chin Music on Stone Cold but Stone Cold countered with the Stunner and Tyson counted the 1,2,3 for the win. Stone Cold was now the WWF/E Champion and the Austin Era had begun.
After the match, Shawn confronted Tyson about the ruling, which led to Tyson laying out Shawn with a massive right hand. This would be the last time Shawn Michaels competed in a ring for nearly 5 years due to a back injury he suffered at the Royal Rumble.
With Austin winning the WWF/E Champion, the Attitude Era was now set to run under the leadership of Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Come back on Thursday as the countdown jumps back to the 2000s, a time where two of the biggest WWE stars ever won their first world titles, and one of the greatest wrestlers of all time retired in spectacular fashion.
David Jacobus
Staff Writer