We're back again, with the culmination of our coverage of Wrestlemania season 2016: Wrestlemania itself.
General production notes: As I mentioned in my introduction, we had a bit of a technical boo boo and my laptop used its own mic to record the show, not my Blue Yeti. I'm still not quite sure what happened there. So yeah, apologies if the audio goes a bit wishy washy on occasion. I did everything I could in the edit to eliminate any noise between us talking. Thankfully it was still clear enough to make out what we were saying to each other. Even though Mania itself was disappointing, we still had loads of fun with the material it offered us.
Anyway, below are some little footnotes, visual aids and time stamps for coverage of specific matches which I hope you find useful.
Intro
With my love of the intro music of Manias VI to VIII and my addiction to my Vince impression, I thought I'd pastiche the old style of Wrestlemania intros. I had to stand away from the mic to record that, I was loud enough to distort the audio on previous attempts!
PROGRESS Wrestling are an independent promotion here in Britain. They're London based but have been running shows in Manchester every couple of months as of this year. I've been to two of those shows now and both have been full of great wrestling. If you'd like a sample of what they're capable of, their Chapter 13 show is available for free on Youtube here.
Going back to what Kyle mentioned about the fans turning face on Triple H out of respect for coming back from his first quad tear, just check out his return to Raw in Madison Square Garden. One of the most phenomenal ovations I've ever seen. Jim Cornette can talk all he wants about Hunter being "the guy that was there with the guys that drew the money" but the fans were clearly desperate to see him return at this point.
US Title Match
Just to give you an indication of how empty the stadium was when the match started
For the benefit of anyone who doesn't follow football, John Terry is the captain of Chelsea. When they were last in the Champions League Final, he was suspended. However, he still turned up for the presentation of the trophy, in his kit and everything, to claim it as club captain. This turned into a meme where people would photoshop Tezza into other trophy and awards ceremonies to claim the awards himself.
Usos vs Dudleyz
Kelsey Grammer is of course most famous for playing Dr Frasier Krane in Cheers and Frasier.
"Legends who bankrupted Gawker (brother)" - just in case you've been living under a rock... IC Title Match
This is going to go a bit "Oscars" looking at the parade of outfits here. So, we have...
Sin Cara in a banana thing
Ryder in a great overcoat
Sami in his "golfer lad" get up
Miz in his solar panel
First Trimester Question Time
Normally I'd have put the promos we talked about here, but I spliced a couple of them (most of Austin's awesome Whataburger promo and the concluding back and forth between Jericho and Rock on Jericho's debut) into the actual episode to give you a break from the "Skype from 2010" quality of our recording. Kyle also alluded to DX invading WCW (but it got edited out for time) and Shawn superkicking everyone. Going back to the Whataburger promo, January 2002 was one of my favourite times for promos. Austin, Rock and Angle were all brilliant in this time period. Rocky especially, taking the piss out of Coach and cameramen. AJ vs Y2J
I think this is a good shot for illustrating our confusion at Y2J's tights...
"Stick it in Hermie!" - at some point in 2000 Rock thought Kevin Kelly was a hermaphrodite and started calling him Hermie. At one point he made him pick his own nose.
As he promised, Zack found Razor and grabbed a photo.
New Day vs The League
New Day's outfits were incredible (White Ranger and Dragonball Z inspired). I used the "Wild Pokemon Battle" music for the bed as I talked through their entrance.
Women's Title Match
Here's Lita, overwhelmed by the weight of her microphone.
Great side by side comparison of Sasha and Eddie's gear here. I'm sure you'll know by now because commentary brought it up, but Eddie was Sasha's favourite wrestler and she was actually in the Cow Palace to see him win the title at No Way Out 2004.
— Future WWE Diva ♡ (@DamiIrwinStyles) 16 April 2016
"Would you like a schmoke and a pancake Shasha Banks?" - Austin Powers Goldmember reference, naturally. Harping back to my DVD reviews, I'd use him in the verdict because his I always wind up using his "That's a keeper!" line.
Sign Watch
The opening bed was the theme tune to BBC show Crimewatch. "You can't sit with us!" as I mentioned is a line from Mean Girls (one of my favourite movies). Again, for non-sporting people, Bobby Zamora is a striker who plays football for Brighton & Hove Albion. Owen Coyle is a former manager of Bolton Wanderers. He was in the midst of getting Burnley promoted to the Premier League for the first time at the time of Wrestlemania 25. Hell in the Cell
Linda at ringside!
"Shaaaane. Jump off the fucking ceeeeellllllll."
Incidentally, the next episode of Raw after recording, Shane was given control AGAIN, so I've really no idea what they're doing. Andre Memorial
It was August 2009 they had Shaq guest host, it's so strange to think they've been waiting all this time to pay off his interaction with Show.
I can't be the only one who thinks if you take the rosy cheeks of Bo Dallas...
...and add the saucer eyes of Edge...
...then you get Baron Corbin (or Barry Corbz for short - hi WEnxt Podcast)
And yes, The Wyatts genuinely were at the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell.
The fastest match in Mania history before this was actually Chavo Guerrero vs Kane at 24. Bundy's match at Mania 1 had actually been bested several times since it happened (including by Bryan and Sheamus actually). Main Event
"Unless they were saying boo-urns"
The Simpsons Season 6 "A Star Is Burns"
"He was flanked by loads of Ingobernables types" - the skulls and suits combo reminded me of New Japan's Los Ingobernables de Japon faction, headed up by recently crowned IWGP Champion Tetsuya Naito.
As far as Steph's outfit goes, I'll just leave this here...
Next Time
As we mentioned at the end, our next episode will rewind things to 10 years ago, as we check out Wrestlemania 22. Clearly there are a lot of comparisons to be made with the main event of that show and this one, but maybe we'll find they have even more in common with each other.
So we'll be with you again very soon. But in the mean time you can keep in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook. We are now also on Stitcher, where you can find all our latest episodes as they are released, just as you can by subscribing to us on Soundcloud.
March 14th 2004, Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Attendance: 18,000
* The Harlem Boys Choir sing "America The Beautiful" and look great in their uniforms and practically filling the ring. They play clips of the superstars with the troops and finish on the virtual New York skyline that forms the basis of the entrance way.
* The intro starts with Vince looking smug in a dark empty room, then clips of Mania through the years and the superstars talk up the Garden and what tonight will mean. Rock's voice breaks when he says his family will be there. Big Show: "You haven't lived, you haven't BREATHED until you've danced at Wrestlemania." It ends on the evening's catchphrase "where it all begins... again" and Vince with Shane and his baby grandson. Excellent!
* I loved the way the Garden looked here, with the big spotlights giving the place a great atmosphere and making it look much bigger than it is.
Match 1: WWE United States Championship Match - Big Show(C) vs John Cena
Cole calls Cena "Smackdown's fastest rising star". John asks everyone to make some noise which gets a Cena chant. See, smarks liked Cena once upon a time. He raps insults about Show, calling him a "King Kong rip off" and "the hippo float from the Macy's parade". "Everybody knows he can't see me. I'm itchin' to beat him, like a penis with an STD." The US title looks so small on Show.
Show overpowers and weathers Cena's brawling early, but Cena hot shots him on the top as Cole talks up Show's MSG record. Crossbody up top... caught by Show, easily slamming Cena for 2. MSG: "Let's go Cena!" Cena gets clotheslined, slammed, choked with the bottom rope, then hit with a massive suplex for 2. Tazz mentions both men's "pound and ground"(?). Cole: "Big Show is just toying with John Cena here." Cena tries a flurry but Show superkicks him (always cool - so too are Cena's Nintendo themed sweatbands). Final cut legdrop gets 2.
Cena counters a slam with a sleeper but gets squished in the corner. Cobra Clutch by Show ("Oh my God he did a move!") to a smattering of boring chants. Cena finally fights out and avoids being avalanched in the corner twice. The second time Show's head hit the buckle, allowing Cena to hit the FU!!! 1... 2... NO! Cole claims Show's the first person to kick out. Cena threatens to whack Show with his chain, but instead throws it across the ring. While the ref picks it up, he grabs one of his "Word Life" knucks and hits Show with it! FU again! 1... 2... 3!
Winner: John Cena (NEW Champion, first reign)
Verdict: 3.5/10. This would become the Cena formula for years. Show had a couple of nice moves but this was really a very rudimentary way to get Cena over.
* Coach and his tux greet Dr Tom Pritchard, Johnny The Bull and Teddy Long backstage. He meets Bischoff (with Johnny Nitro), who's heard of strange occurrences because The Undertaker is here, and wants Coach to find him. He's not comfortable but concedes Eric's the boss.
* Evolution are in the stair well as Randy recounts the feud with Rock N Sock Connection: kicking Foley down that same stair well, Foley walking away from an IC title match and being spat on, The Rock coming in (Flair's face is a peach when this gets mentioned). Orton says Mick's time has passed... it's just Evolution. Nothing can stop them making history and after it began in June in MSG tonight it all begins... again.
Match 2: Fatal Four Way World Tag Team Championship Match - Rob Van Dam & Booker T(C) vs La Resistance (Renee Dupree & Rob Conway) vs The Dudley Boyz vs Garrison Cade & Mark Jindrak
Sign in the crowd: "Farooq is my daddy". Jesus, Book and RVD have a SHITE remix of "One of a Kind" and Book's WWE Originals song. Rules - two men in at once, you can tag anyone, first pin or submission wins. King OPENLY talks about RVD and Book being a thrown together team.
Van Dam does his shoulder routine and monkey flip on Dupree, then catapults him into Booker's superkick for 2. Book runs wild on La Resistance so they tag Bubba. A tie up goes nowhere so Bubba brawls and gets a neckbreaker for 2. MSG: "We want tables!" Bubba tries a flip flop n fly but Book heel kicks him. Cade and Jindrak distract the ref, so D-Von sneaks in with a reverse hangman DDT. Jindrak tags Bubba and covers Book for 2. Tag to Cade, who punts Booker only for Dupree to tag in for the near fall.
Conway in with a surfboard RESTHOLD. Conway: "USA my ass!" At the second time of asking Book fights out with a spinebuster as the crowd chant RVD. Dupree and RVD tag in. Windmill kicks for all! THERE'S A CAMPO SIGN IN THE CROWD!!! Van Dam goes for the Five Star but D-Von shoves him into the barricade. A big schmoz ends with the Dudleys trying to 3D Book only for Cade to break it up. Conway DDTs D-Von then eats a scissors kick from Booker. Five Star Frog Splash from Van Dam! 1, 2, 3!
Winners: Rob Van Dam & Booker T (still champion)
Verdict: 4/10. Nothing special here, very unremarkable and only Book and RVD were even vaguely showcased here.
* A crew member shows Coach where the "freakish noises" are coming from. He goes there... to find Mean Gene Okerlund with his shirt hanging out! Bobby The Brain Heenan is then out with his shoes off, shirt undone and lipstick all over him. He says they were just playing poker. Coach isn't convinced... then Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah pop out! The guys try acting surprised but the ladies get right back to it. Mae: "Let me show you my puppies." They get pulled back in against their will. Brain: "I don't wanna go back in, I haven't been well." His arm gets stuck in the door trying to close it. King: "I think I see denture burns on Bobby The Brain Heenan."
* The video package for Christian vs Y2J covers their bet over Lita and Trish, Jericho falling for Trish and Christian flipping out and putting the Walls of Jericho on Trish!
Match 5: Christian vs Chris Jericho
King: "I tried to tell [Jericho] from the get go, women and wrestling don't mix." JR: "...Well there could be something to be said for that, but that's another story for another day." Tim White is the ref, his first match since Jericho injured his shoulder in Hell in the Cell and his last before that dreadful suicide gimmick.
Christian shoves Y2J after a clean break, so Jericho socks him, keeping control with a reverse elbow and back suplex and countering a leapfrog with a clothesline. Christian tries shitcanning Jericho, but he hangs on, lures the CLB back and backdrops him to the outside! Double jump crossbody to the outside by Jericho to Y2J chants. Back in, Y2J counters a sunset flip with the Summerslam 92 finish for 2, then immediately goes for the Walls only for Christian to get the ropes. Thumb to the eye and back suplex over the top by Christian! Sign in the crowd: "Paul London = Ratings".
Christian beats his chest proudly, scoring a near fall with a knee to the gut. Another Walls attempt is countered with a thumb to the eye and a spin wheel kick for 2. Both men knock noggins and are down for a six count. Flying forearm by Jericho. "Come on CLB!" Drop toehold to the ropes, a rough rider and enzughiri gets 2. Both trade near falls with victory roll exchanges (Christian using the ropes), then a Jericho Northern Lights Suplex that Christian bridges out of. Bulldog by Y2J. Lionsault... Cap gets his knees up! Unprettier... countered but he hits a wicked tornado reverse DDT instead! 1, 2... no.
Sleeping neckbreaker by Jericho. Christian answers with an inverted backbreaker. He heads up top... superplex attempt... Christian slams Jericho off. Crossbody... Jericho rolls through! 1, 2... NO! Y2J hurt his knee coming off the top, so Christian locks in a Texas Cloverleaf to Y2J chants. He escapes and goes for the Walls again! Christian reaches the ropes and crawls out, but Jericho hangs on and locks in the Walls outside!! He breaks the count and takes Christian up top. White: "Bring him in dammit!" Jericho obliges with a butterfly superplex! He eventually covers for a near fall.
Trish is here! King: "I bet she came out here to make jogging a spectator sport." MASSIVE Impaler DDT by Christian! He covers twice but comes up short both times. Trish is on the apron, and the CLB drags her in. Jericho shitcans him and checks on Trish... who elbows him thinking it's Christian! Who sneaks in quick as a whippet to schoolboy Jericho for 3!!!
Winner: Christian
Trish looks shocked, Jericho disappointed. She checks on him. Christian's back but Trish is pulling Y2J back from him... so she can slap Jericho twice! Unprettier!!! Ah, that infamous heel turn that made Trish instantly look twice as hot. King: "C'mon JR, you know everything, what just happened?" Trish and Christian then make out on the ramp! King: "The two tongue tango!"
Verdict: 8/10. Finally a quality encounter. This feud didn't feel like a Wrestlmania feud, more like something that could happen at any time of the year, but they put in a Mania worthy performance and busted out some different spots to make it feel important (Christian's shoutout to Edge with the impaler being the most welcome). Ace.
* Lilian's with Mick Foley backstage. He hopes his hatred for Evolution doesn't get in the way of his and Rock's plans. Woah woah woah MICK FOLEY!!! FINALLY, THE ROCK (and his goatee) HAS COME BACK TO NEW YORK CITY! Rock admonishes Lilian for looking at the People's package. "The buffet is closed!" This is Mick Foley's night and he's going to point out everyone around who knows it. Hurricane and Rosey. DON MURACO AND JIMMY SNUKA (who both promptly "SHAKA BRAH!" when on camera), and the people know it! He gets a camera to sneak through the fire doors to look at the crowd, then promises to slap the lips off Evolution's faces. IF YA SMELLLLLLALAHA WHAT THE ROCK (AND SOCK) IS COOKIN'!!!
Match 4: Handicap Match - Evolution (Ric Flair, Batista and Intercontinental Champion Randy Orton) vs Rock N Sock Connection (The Rock and Mick Foley)
Lots of WOOOs when Flair's name was announced. There's a tiny sign behind Orton as he poses: "The future Mrs Orton". It's Foley's son Huwey's first birthday!
Rock n Sock bum rush the ring and clean house. Rock and Flair start, Rock strutting after shoulderblocking Naitch down. Flair WOOs in retaliation as the fans chant Rocky. Baaack body drop. Flair retreats outside and thumbs Rock in the eye when he gives chase. Backdrop on the outside! Foley come off he apron with the elbow! BANG BANG! Great spot, drawing Foley chants. Flair tags Orton so Rock tags Foley. Orton lures him out only to get battered, and put in the tree of woe back inside. Foley elbows him and tags Rock, who punches him in the nuts when the ref wasn't looking (just). Ouch. Naitch cheapshots Rock and pays for it, but when Orton whips Rock Batista low bridges the rope to send him out and hot shots him on the barricade.
Flair tags in and chops the fuck out of Rock. "How 'bout that huh?" He struts away only to get clotheslined down (to some boos) and goes up top but naturally gets pressed off. Batista tags in only to get clotheslined! Tag to Foley. Million dollar knee lift. He tries a double arm DDT but gets powered into the corner. He flurries out of it - BANG BANG! - but gets clotheslined down trying the knee. Dave sends Mick outside, but when Orton sneak attacks he gets choked. Naitch makes the save then Orton sends Mick into the steps! Tag to Flair. Foley tries to flurry back but Flair hooks a toehold and tags Randy, who fishhooks Mick. JR: "[Foley] was here the night Jimmy Snuka leaped off the cage onto Hall of Famer Don Muraco." King: "And he was wearing the exact same shirt that night."
Batista in with short arm clotheslines and mounted punches, but Foley hooks the Mandible Claw! His team mates save him, but when he lowers his head on a whip Mick gets a neckbreaker. Tags to Flair and Rock! Clothesline to Naitch. DDT to Orton. He brings Dave in the hard way, shitcans Orton but eats a Spinebuster! Flair is begging to do the People's Elbow, but Rock nips up while he strutted and spit punches Naitch after some strutting of his own. DDT to Batista. Spine on the pine to Flair! The most ridiculous move in sports entertainment... People's Elbow! 1, 2... Flair kicked out! Thumb to the eye. Tag to Orton... who runs into a Rock Bottom! Flair pulls Rock off the cover, then gets the ref's attention while Dave hits a massive clothesline and Batista Bomb on Rock! 1, 2... NO! Rock crawls toward Mick. King: "It's hard to miss Mick Foley." He gets the tag! Foley cleans house. Double arm DDT to Randy. Here's Socko!!! He's stalking Orton for thRKO OUTTA NOWHERE!!! 1, 2, 3!
Winners: Evolution
Verdict: 8/10. The show's starting to hit its stride in ring. I loved the interactions between Rock and Flair, but there was great work all round. It's surreal seeing Orton and Batista get a piece of someone like Rock so early in their careers.
* Highlights of the Hall of Fame ceremony the night before are shown. It's weird seeing it at just some hotel after years of it being in theatres and arenas. Seeing Heenan get emotional missing Gorilla Monsoon was touching. Okerlund then comes out to parade the inductees to the crowd. Wow, the cut of Muraco - luminous sneakers, a flower shirt and baseball cap! Pete Rose is in a powder blue suit that's too big for him, and is the only one to get booed. Greg Valentine looks suspiciously like Dusty Rhodes. Sergeant Slaughter has camo under his suit jacket haha. Jesse Ventura looks genuinely chuffed to be there.
Match 5: Playboy Evening Gown Match - Sable & Torrie Wislon (r/ Smackdown) vs Miss Jackie & Stacy Kiebler (r/ Raw)
God I forgot Miss Jackie was ever a thing. Her theme is crap too. Apparently Tazz won a coin toss to get him and Cole to call this match and King is pouting about it haha. Tazz: "Don't worry I'll get his line in - PUPPIES!" Sable says her and Torrie would like to start the match out of their gowns, because fuck the stipulation. Jack Doan unzips her. Oh, Stacy's taking hers off too, she's in pink and black undies. Cole to Tazz: "I always thought pink and black should have been your colours." Jackie is the only one not to, so Sable mares her into the ring and strips her with Torrie.
Crossbody from the top by Torrie gets 2. Stacy tags in, taking her time getting in to the crowd's delight. Her spots are all leg based naturally - cartwheeling out of an Irish whip, headscissors, a standing foot choke and roundhouse kick. They trade titilating sunset flip counters before Jackie tags in. Tazz: "I want the hot blonde to win!" They roll over the ref while cat fighting before finally Torrie reverses a reverse victory roll for 3 and full moon's Jackie.
Winners: Sable & Torrie Wilson
Verdict: 2/10. It was a different time back then. Move along, nothing to see.
* Eddie Guerrero walks backstage, his WWE Championship looks great on him. He shakes hands with Paul London, Spike Dudley, Orlando Jordan and Billy Gunn on the way to Chris Benoit's locker room. He's pacing intently, Eddie warning he might wear a trench in the floor. Eddie tries a ploy to fire up Benoit saying win or lose he'll be there and Benoit's all "woah, easy on the lose there". It seems to work.
Match 6: Cruiserweight Championship Open
This is like a singles version of Tag Team Turmoil: two men start and elimination is by pin, submission, DQ or count out, except all the participants are at ringside from the start. The champion, Chavo Guerrero, will enter last. I love how Nunzio was announced as weighting "201 and one quarter pounds". Rey Mysterio is in an amazing Flash outfit.
ULTIMO DRAGON and SHANNON MOORE start. Nice Owen Hart armwringer escape by Dragon. They trade pin attempts before Dragon dodges a corkscrew moonsault and hits the Asai DDT for 3. JAMIE NOBLE Pearl Harbours Dragon with a short-arm clothesline for 2. Dragon flips out of a backdrop and hits a flurry of kicks. He lands on his feet when Noble ducks a moonsault and goes for the Asai DDT again but Noble hits a nice neckbreaker counter and ironically gets the tap out with the Dragon Sleeper. FUNAKI immediately tries a crossbody from the top but Noble rolls through for 3!
NUNZIO tries buddying up to his kayfabe cousin but doesn't get far. They trade escapes and Nunzio gets near falls from a victory roll and big second rope dropkick. Noble sends him out and hits a heelo to the outside. They both keep jerking each other off... the apron trying to beat the count, until Noble plants Nunz face first on the floor to survive. BILLY KIDMAN tries to backdrop him back out, and when Noble lands on his feet Nunzio jerks him off. Baseball slide by Kidman, who balances on the top, and holy shit SHOOTING STAR PRESSES BOTH MEN TO THE OUTSIDE! Back in, Kidman tries a powerbomb but gets put in the Dragon Sleeper. He backdrops out and hits an enzughiri, goes up for the Shooting Star, and when Noble goes to cut him off he gets the SUPER BK BOMB for 3!
REY MYSTERIO comes in with a seated senton only to eat a MASSIVE dropkick. Rey dropkicks Billy out, but with the ref distracted Akio hangs his throat on the top rope. BK Bomb. 1, 2... no. Kidman puts Rey up top, but he fights back with a sunset flip driver off the top for 3! TAJIRI is next, ducking a moonsault to lock in the TARANTOOLA. Hand spring elbow... countered with a dropkick! 619! West Coast Pop gets dodged and Akio holds Rey on the apron, but he ducks the mist and it blinds Akio! Victory roll... gets the 3! And AKIO can't compete because of the mist, so CHAVO has to enter now.
While he argues with the ref Tajiri cheapshots Rey, and Chavo covers for 2. Rey comes back with the West Coast Pop but doesn't cover, instead dropkicking Chavo Sr. off the apron. The ref stops him diving out though, so while the ref conveniently gets between the top and middle rope to admonish Sr, Rey leaps over him with a heelo! He tries to sunset flip Chavo from the apron but Chavo sits down and Sr holds his hands for extra leverage for the 3!
Winner: Chavo Guerrero (still champion)
Verdict: 6/10. Whew, that was done at a breakneck pace. It was hard to have a proper story with so many quick eliminations but there were some great spots. Noble, Kidman and Rey got some time but still deserved more.
* JR talks up the next interpromotional match but King can't get over the first one: "That was a slobber knocker wasn't it? I provided the slobber and they provided the..." JR: "I got it." The video for Lesnar vs Goldberg covers their Rumble confrontation and Bill costing Brock the title at No Way Out. Mr. McMahon wasn't convinced anyone could maintain order in a match between them, but after Sheriff Stone Cold needles him about it he eventually booked it with Austin as the ref.
Match 7: Brock Lesnar (r/ Smackdown) vs Goldberg (r/ Raw) Special Guest Referee - Stone Cold Steve Austin
Austin drives his ATV he's had since starting his Sheriff gimmick. Lesnar kidnapped it for a while but Austin retrieved it on Smackdown. Lesnar has a terrible goatee. MSG actually partake in some Goldberg's chants initially. It's funny hearing JR give this match the hard sell knowing what's coming... I think we all know the story. Both Lesnar and Goldberg were leaving after this and the crowd couldn't give a flying fuck about either of them, chanting "You sold out" and "Hey Hey Hey Goodbye" at Brock, who's leaving for the NFL.
Fans chant for Austin as they take an eternity to lock up. This is the only match you'll see where the ref is the most over person in the match. When they FINALLY lock up... it's a stalemate. And again. The crowd sounded somewhat interested in getting behind Goldberg until they saw the state of the match, chanting "This match sucks" as we get basic shoulderblock exchanges. The final one knocks both down. JR: "This crowd getting impatient." Finally a real move, as Goldberg hits a gorilla press into a spear! He goes for the spear proper, only to eat turnbuckle. MSG: "Goldberg sucks."
At the third time of asking Brock hits a suplex for 2, then another and an immediate RESTHOLD. Bill hiplocks out, twice, and both men get knocked down again to what sounds like a Hogan cosplayer getting ejected to Hogan chants. JR: "A very pedestrian, mat-oriented contest." That's an outright burial as far as JR goes! Goldberg fights back with clotheslines and a swinging suplex neckbreaker. Spear! 1, 2... no. Bill gets in Austin's face about it. F-5! 1, 2... no. Now it's Brock who's pissed at Austin. LESNAR tries a spear, but hits the post. Another Goldberg spear. Jackhammer! That gets the 3.
Winner: Goldberg
The camera pans over the fans looking displeased. Lesnar flips them off for starting another "Goodbye" chant, then flips Austin off, so he quite rightly eats a Stunner. Austin asks for beer as Goldberg comes back for some. Steve toasts one corner (YAY) and Bill another (BOO). STUNNER TO GOLDBERG!!! If only that had been 5 years ago...
Verdict: 2/10. The absolute drizzling shits. Jesus it took them 15 minutes to work through 4 minutes of wrestling, all because they were heading out of the door and couldn't be arsed. A pathetic disappointing non-event.
* Randomly we get some pyro outside MSG, we're about two and a half hours in... is this half time? Is this a five hour show?!
* Vince comes out, saying without the fans Mania may never have begun in the first place, so he thanks them for putting up with that stinker making WWE and Mania what it is today.
Match 8: Fatal Four Way WWE Tag Team Championship Match - Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty(C) vs the World's Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas) vs APA ( Farooq & Bradshaw) vs The Bashams (Doug & Danny)
Benjamin slaps Bradshaw to start (what a hero) before getting stiffed. Doug tags in when he tries the Clothesline From Hell though, so Shelton's roll up doesn't matter. Atomic drop and tag to Danny, who hits a spinning back suplex for 2. Shelton tags Charlie and slams Danny over his knee for 2. Jawbreaker by Danny and Scotty tags in, eventually hitting a nip up suplex and moonwalking. Scotty starts skinning the cat when he's thrown over the top but gets caught in WGTT's leapfrog double team for a near fall. Scotty escapes a bearhug with a reverse victory roll but Doug tagged in and kicked him off. Double slingshot suplex by the Bashams who isolate Scotty.
Enzughiri by Scotty, and Kish gets the tepid tag! He beats everyone up, double clotheslining WGTT and DDTs a Basham (while continually slapping him which was weird) for 2. Shelton waistlocks Kish like an idiot and deservedly gets bum tackled out of the ring. Butt bump and stinkface to Haas! Bradshaw in with a boot to Kish, and then he fallaway slams Doug over the top onto WGTT! CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL to Danny. He tries the same on Kish but eats a Samoan Drop, then Kish standing Banzai Drop's Danny for 3.
Scotty worms and the champs dance to FARTY PYRO and minimal reaction to celebrate.
Verdict: 4/10. Looked like it was going to be a step down from Raw's tag title match until that great closing stretch. There was still very little crowd interest though.
* Jesse Ventura comes back out to interview somebody and YAY it's Mr. Personality, Mr. "I eat my pizza with a fuckin' fork" Donald Trump. Jesse compliments his hair. Trump says Vince is a nice guy and he'd back Ventura if he went back into politics, leading Jesse to conclude "We need a wrestler in the White House in 2008." That obviously didn't happen.
* The barber's chair is ready for the Women's title match. If Molly Holly loses she'll get her hair shaved. As Howard Finkel announces this stip JR quips "Howard's already lost his match, obviously."
Match 9: WWE Women's Championship Match - Victoria(C) vs Molly Holly
Victoria nips up out of an arm wringer and rolls Molly up for 2. Molly takes a time out to lure Victoria outside for a clothesline, then gets a near fall with a snap suplex, snapmare and front dropkick combo. King somehow starts talking about Granny panties and JR rightly shits on him for it. King: "Makes me think JR, do you like Granny panties?" Victoria comes back with a jackknife cover, kicks and a powerslam all getting 2. Molly hot shots her onto the bottom rope and goes for the Molly-go-round but gets cut off, so she fights back with a sunset flip powerbomb from the top for 2. She tries Victoria's own finisher, the Widow's Peak, but Victoria backslides out for the sudden 3!!!
Winner: Victoria (still champion)
Molly realised what's happened and tries to high tail it, but it's a ploy to get Victoria in the barber's chair! The clippers cut out when she tries using them though, and in the commotion Victoria sprays hairspray at her and gets her in the chair. It's got chest and wrist straps! What kind of barber's chair is this!? She starts the shaving as the fans chant baldy. Victoria: "You have such beautiful hair Molly."
Verdict: 4/10. Competently wrestled but not many people cared.
* Eddie vs Kurt is profiled next, including Kurt randomly attacking Eddie and taking issue with a former drug addict being champ (rich coming from a former pain killer addict). Eddie wound up in a match with his hands tied behind his back against Smackdown GM Paul Heyman and Kurt took advantage by beating him up with a taped fist.
* They cut to the still ongoing haircut and it's really drastic. Tazz: "She looks European now".
Match 10: WWE Championship Match - Eddie Guerrero(C) vs Kurt Angle
Cole says Eddie would be only the fifth man in history to successfully defend the title at Mania if he wins. It didn't sound like he got that big a pop but at the bell we get a barrage of EDDIE chants.
Nice chain wrestling to start gets some respectful applause. More standing switches then Eddie escapes a headlock with a headscissors to another standoff. MSG: "Let's go Angle/Angle sucks". Kurt gets the first knockdown after more chain wrestling, and Eddie replies with more fluent wrestling and a shoulderblock causing Kurt to take a breather. He comes back and switches out of Eddie's fireman's carry with a front facelock to a smattering of USA chants. He shoots the half a couple of times for near falls before Eddie backdrops out and armdrags him. This is beautiful so far.
Kurt escapes the Three Amigos trying the triple Germans, then tries backdropping Eddie outside, and when he hangs on Kurt slides out and tries to GERMAN EDDIE OFF THE APRON! YOU CRAZY!? Cole: "Eddie Guerrero hanging on for dear life." He elbows out, goading Kurt back in only to dropkick him off the apron. An impatient Eddie heads up top... his splash eats the barricade! Kurt zones in on the midsection with a front backbreaker and bodyscissors. Eddie jawbreakers out but gets hotshotted on the top rope from a head of steam for 2.
Kurt controls with belly to belly suplexes for near falls. Cole: "Kurt Angle is wrestling a picture perfect game plan tonight." He takes Eddie up top but gets headbutted off. Rope run suplex attempt... Eddie shoves him off again. Froggy splash... MISSES! Excellent exchange. Kurt starts hitting Eddie with straight right hands ala the Smackdown attack, but Eddie just asks for more and fights back with a back suplex for 2. Three Amigos... Angle floats out and starts the Germans. Eddie counters with a victory roll for 2 but gets clotheslined. Angle Slam... Eddie armdrags out. Three Amigos! Uno! Dos! But Tres is countered with the anklelock! Eddie kicks him off, then Angle runs into a dropkick.
Another froggy splash attempt... Kurt runs the ropes to suplex Eddie off! 1, 2... no! MSG chant for Eddie but THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Anklelock! Eddie rolls through - 1, 2... NO! German by Angle who tries the Angle Slam again... but Eddie PLANTS him with a DDT. He goes up top. FROGGY SPLASH! 1, 2... NO!!! MSG and Eddie are in disbelief. Kurt's deadweight... but suddenly hooks the anklelock! Eddie's in agony, but rolls through again to send Kurt out to big Eddie chants. He undoes his boot a bit to relieve the pressure. Kurt spots it and Eddie has that "oh shit" look on his face. Kurt reapplies the hold, but Eddie kicks at his boot... it goes flying off his foot while in Kurt's hands!!! Small package with his feet on the ropes! 1, 2... 3!!!
Winner: Eddie Guerrero (still champion)
Verdict: 9/10. Thank Christ, the show was calling out for a match like this. This was just something to behold, beautiful wrestling, a great story, back and forth. Stellar work all round.
* A video covering how "the dead will rise again" is next. Kane buried his brother The Undertaker alive out of disgust for how human he became. So naturally he's been haunted by supernatural vignettes, starting with Taker's gong going off at the Rumble. Kane's attempt at Taker's eye roll is shit. He recovered the coffin Taker was buried in but only found the urn... and then the ring rose up with him still stood in it!
Match 11: Kane (r/ Raw) vs The Undertaker (r/ Smackdown)
In a cool spot, the virtual NYC skyline catches fire after Kane's pyro. That's only the start of the awesome though... Kane keeps mouthing "I buried you alive" as the lights go out and we hear the infamous "Ohhh yeeeeeah!!!" as PAUL BEARER comes out holding the urn, flanked by Druids with flaming torches who make a guard of honour. Bearer: "You're no son of mine!" The GONG chimes to a massive pop, and then an even louder one greets ZOMBIE COWBOY TAKER stepping through the curtain. Kane shits himself. Bearer beckons him onwards as MSG chant for Taker and he brings back the lights. Kane is freaking out. "I BURIED YOU ALIVE!" The atmosphere is so incredible that the fans pop for Taker just taking his hat off, thus they'd make it a proper spot for the rest of his career. MASSIVE Undertaker chants echo throughout.
Kane: "You're NOT REEAL!!!" He reaches for Taker... and eats soupbones! Taker scares the ref out of the ring when he tries to keep order. JR: "Referee running for his life, and who can blame him?" Kane U-turns away from a chokeslam attempt to lure the Deadman outside but gets driven HARD into the apron. Apron legdrop! JR: "That is classic Undertaker offense." Two tables away Michael Cole must be despairing! Back in, Taker hits some massive avalanches. Bearer: "How d'you like that boy? How'd you like the pain?"
Kane counters the Last Ride and mounts Taker after a big boot. "I told you not to come back you sunovabitch." Hey, he's slagging his own Ma there! Taker switches out and beats him up, again scaring the ref only to fall victim to a sidewalk slam and flying clothesline from Kane for 2. When Kane's avalanche misses Taker hits a HUGE boot and legdrop (suck on that Hogan). He goes for Old School... but Kane catches him by the throat coming off the top! "I told you not to come back!" They both fight for chokeslams but it's Kane's that comes off. Bearer: "Damn you Kane!"
Kane laughs maniacally instead of covering. "Look at your Undertaker now!" He raises his hands in victory... and Undertaker sits up! Soupbones. He ducks his head on a whip and gets punted but no sells. Flying clothesline! Chokeslam! The crowd call for a Tombstone and Taker slashes his throat... Tombstone Piledriver! Death pin! 1, 2, 3!
Winner: The Undertaker (12-0 at Wrestlemania)
Verdict: 5/10. The match itself was fairly unremarkable but the spectacle of Undertaker returning to the deadman gimmick was truly something to behold. Throughly watchable.
* The video package for the main event covers HBK and HHH drawing in the Last Man Standing Match at the Rumble, while Benoit won the Rumble entering from number one and challenged HHH the next night. Ridiculously, Shawn winds up signing the match contract instead of Benoit, somehow earning him a shot too.
Main Event: Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship Match - Triple H(C) vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
MSG don't seem too enthused about Shawn, probably for politicking his way into Benoit's shot. Benoit's Tron is scratched into the cityscape - nice. Much like Eddie, it didn't sound like he got a very big pop only for the crowd to chant for him vehemently at the start of the match. Ah yes, after his bicycle shorts phase, here we have the start of HHH's white boots phase.
Benoit and HBK keep fighting over who batters HHH to start. The final time Shawn has to escape a crossface attempt and starts a chop war with Benoit - are you crazy!? Benoit whips Michaels into Hunter, then tries the crossface again out of a bridging exchange but gets rolled up for 2. Great Northern Lights Suplex gets 2 only for Shawn to clothesline him, cueing Triple H's return. He tries to shitcan Shawn, who skins the cat and unintentionally helps Hunter shitcan Benoit. BAACK body drop by HBK is met with "You screwed Bret" chants. H comes back with knees to both men, but when he sends Benoit to the apron Shawn baseball slides them both. Moonsault to both men on the outside!
He drags H back in (great continuity) for a near fall. Facebreaker by HHH but Benoit interrupts the Pedigree attempt. He knees the fuck out of HBK only to fall prey to the Bret buckle bump and get hooked in a Tree of Woe by H. Hunter whips Shawn into Benoit while he's in the Tree! He tries again but Shawn reverses and Benoit gets a foot up. Flying forearm and nip up by Michaels but Chris shitcans him. Triple Germans to Triple H! He goes for the headbutt but HBK crotches him. Hunter ducks a superkick to DDT Shawn and climb up to Benoit. King: "Both men literally pounding each other." *whit-woo*. Superplex gets 2. MSG: "Let's go Benoit!"
Pedigree... countered to the crossface! Shawn breaks it up and Germans Benoit to big heat. Chris quickly reverses with the triple Germans and flying headbutt! 1, 2... no. King: "Oh man, Triple H didn't even realise how close he became to being an ex-champion." Forearm by Shawn sends Benoit out. Nip up. HBK comeback special to Trips! SWEET CHIN MUSIC. 1, 2... Benoit pulls H out of the ring! Shawn chops Chris (again!?) but gets catapulted to the top of the post, prompting him to blade and wind up in the crossface! Shawn's going to tap... but H stops his hand hitting the mat! Ace. Trips tears up the Smackdown table, but Benoit tries to suplex him on the Spanish one! HBK interrupts, glances wordlessly at Hunter... they DOUBLE SUPLEX BENOIT THROUGH THE SMACKDOWN TABLE FROM THE SPANISH ONE!!!
MSG: "Holy shit!" Shawn, bleeding profusely, implores HHH to get back in the ring. JR: "Michaels is saying I don't give a damn, get in the ring, we're going to do it." *whit-woo*. H bumps over the top into a cameraman from a whip to the corner, then his face eats the post and knees hit the steps all at once, prompting a blade job and Michaels to accidentally elbow a camera. Shawn attacks the wound back inside but eats a Pedigree! It takes a while (ala vs Booker last year) but H covers. 1, 2... BENOIT breaks it up! King: "Did the EMTs throw him in the ring!? How did he get up!?"
H tries to Pedigree Benoit but gets locked in the Sharpshooter! He claws his way to the ropes only to get pulled back. Superkick to Benoit!!! 1, 2... NO! Big Benoit chants. HBK tunes up the band, but Benoit ducks to electric chair Shawn to the outside! Hunter goes for the Pedigree again... Benoit get the crossface!!! H is fading reaching the ropes, trying desperately to roll out, but Benoit holds on and Hunter winds up even further from the ropes. TRIPLE H TAPS OUT!
Winner: Chris Benoit (new champion, first reign)
Thunderous ovation for that finish. Eddie comes out and infamously hugs Benoit with tears in his eyes amid streamers and confetti. It's pretty uncomfortable to think both men would be dead within three years...
Verdict: 9/10. Your tolerance of this match in retrospect will depend on how well you can disassociate it from what became of Benoit and put up with the praise in light of what he did. I personally still got absorbed in the high drama, great workrate and interesting dynamics of the match. You had both HBK and Benoit trying to dethrone HHH as well as Hunter and Shawn wishing Benoit wasn't there so they could settle their personal score. Despite a fair bit of "one man dumped out, the other two have a singles match" booking many of the ways the dumped guy reinserted themselves were great and gave the match a brilliant flow. Final Thoughts: This is a close one. Again, your opinion may differ depending on your view of the Benoit tragedy, but even without that history hasn't been kind to this show in my view. It gets heralded as one of the all time classic Wrestlemanias but there is so much middle of the road stuff you have to trawl through (Cena vs Show, both Tag Title matches, the Women's title match) as well as some outright stinkers (the Playboy match and Lsenar vs Goldberg). Buried among all this are two great matches (Christian vs Jericho and the handicap tag), two classics (the two World Title matches) and one more big Wrestlemania moment in the form of the return of undead Undertaker (although you could arguably include two more depending on how much historical value Cena's first title win has and whether you find some morbid entertainment in trainwrecks like Lesnar vs Goldberg).
In the end I cheated and stuck with this set not just because of the high points of the actual show, but for the quality of the extras in the DVD set. A I mentioned in a prior post you also got excellent documentary "The Mania of Wrestlemania" with the show as well as a neat little Top Ten Matches of Wrestlemania countdown hosted by Ric Flair that's a neat nostalgia ride. The show itself gets a marginal recommend (just skip to the good stuff) while the DVD set gets a slightly heartier recommendation.
Just to show how behind I am with my blog - this was meant to be a little extra for Wrestlemania season. This year's show is in the books, and I thought it was really entertaining, so much better than I could have hoped given the dreadful build up. Although there were some issues in how well the "old timers" were booked that we're only really seeing the company pay the price for now.
Anyway, I still thought this documentary was worth covering. It's become quite a curio and revolves around one of my favourite Wrestlemanias, XIX. If you've seen the show you'll probably remember Jerry Lawler wearing out JR mentioning the cameras there filming "Wrestlemania The Movie". Here's the result - a documentary chronicling the behind the scenes prep and the featured matches of the show. Safe to say it was one of the more hectic run ins to the show in history. It only saw release as part of the Wrestlemania XX DVD set (more on that soon) and I don't even know if it's on WWE Network. Let's see what it throws up...
The narrator is WWE Hall of Famer Jesse "The Body" Ventura and he does an awesome job, his instantly recognisable voice adding great gravitas to what he's describing. He starts by trying to capture the allure of the ring - "Once inside these ropes, a moment can last for a lifetime." There's so much cool backstage footage as he talks up the reward for success and price of failure (with footage of the injured Stone Cold and Kurt Angle). "For some it's the culmination of a lifelong dream, and for at least one, the dream will end."
The superstars arrive at the venue, Seattle's Safeco Field, to check it out. Limp Bizkit are warming up too. Triple H calls the guys group of brothers, and hilariously when he mentions "you get that one brother you don't really like that much" the footage cuts to Hulk Hogan! H says it's emotional seeing guys he was in the trenches with "winding down" (Austin, Rock, Shawn, Taker).
Undertaker is profiled next. So cool seeing him break kayfabe. Fred Durst asks him "You ready to rock?" after rehearsals, and we cut to Taker waiting on his bike at the Gorilla position while Limp Bizkit perform his theme. He says everyone raises their game for Mania and he contemplated retiring(!) but still has passion. "Where else can you punch somebody in the head and get away with it?" Incidentally, The Rock was right - Taker does get a "funny feeling" riding his bike to the ring!
Speaking of Rock, his Hollywood ascension is brought up next. Ventura describes him as "torn between his new passion and his first love". Rock likes having no stunt doubles in WWE. However, Vince says he never quite was Stone Cold as we get a sizzle reel of his career. Austin says 110% "it's still real to me dammit!". "I just wanted to be a wrestler, but I wanted to be the top guy."
Steve walked out the prior year, and not just due to poor creative - it was his neck and his marriage to Debra failing. After divorcing he was anxious to return, and we see him hug Angle as JR says he wanted to make things right. "I'm not even supposed to get knocked down... I didn't tell anybody about my problems because I'm Stone Cold Steve Austin, I'm not supposed to get hurt." He admits Mania XIX will be his last match but hasn't told the locker room ("Really, who cares?") and understands he's just a cog in a machine. "I can't be that guy any more". He's worried about not getting hurt or stinking up the joint. Hours later he was urgently taken to hospital. JR: "Stone Cold thought he'd come to Seattle to die."
HBK is next. They mention his back injury in '98 forcing him away and coming back a new person. "Before my work was my life... now my work is my work and my life is my life." We see highlights of his match with Jericho and it was a classic. Shawn says how awesome it is to be back post match. We see him shake hands with Earl Hebner (and not Hogan haha).
Now they cover Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle. Lesnar went to Safeco to "be at one with the arena" and "got the big wind knocked out of me". He's from Webster South Dakota, population of just 1,952! "Sometimes I lay in bed thinking that God put me on this Earth to be a professional wrestler." They run through his amateur accolades and segue to Kurt and his gold medal.
Angle didn't understand WWE at first but after watching Raw one night he realised they were performers as well as athletes. He reckons Brock is jealous of his accomplishments, then brings up his neck injury and postponing surgery to compete at Mania. He's debating whether he's doing the right thing for his daughter, who he's cradling. "It's worth it now, but I do want to be able to play with my daughter when I retire."
Come the morning of Mania, Austin was STILL hospitalised! Stress, energy drinks and coffee nearly caused a heart attack, but he eventually checked out. JR: "I knew he was gonna work the match come hell or high water." They contrast Rock and Austin arriving at the arena: Rock with his family, happy and relaxed, Austin with JR, pensive. Austin bumped into Y2J, congratulating him on his match. Jericho: "Be safe Steve". JR knew it'd be his last match and couldn't tell anyone, although you could tell something was going on from his commentary. We see Rock record his prematch promo and the two bumping into each other at Gorilla - Rock with his headphones on, Steve in his shitty XFL jersey.
Austin reckons Rock knows this is his last match too, and for once he's looking forward to the end of the match rather than the actual match. We see highlights, and the film cameras make Austin's walk to the ring look epic. Rock steals his vest and they steal each other's finishers. JR: "The rattlesnake refuses to die." Rock wins after three Rock Bottoms in a row. Steve looked in agony taking all three. Rock made a point to sit and talk to Austin in ring and shoved Earl Hebner out of the way so he couldn't hear ha! Rock is coy discussing what he said but Steve is more forthcoming - "He said he loved me." He calls Rock a friend in a business where you don't have many friends. Rock concurs. There's great footage of Austin on his own winding down in the locker room post match... then Rock walks in closing the door behind him.
Another study in contrast that day - Angle nervously pondering "what if?", Lesnar seemingly calm. "If there ain't pressure then there ain't worth living or breathin' ". Hunter agrees with Brock - he's already a big thing, not just "The Next Big Thing" but there's no second string Kurt Angle either. Angle wishes he was wrestling someone like Hunter as Lesnar doesn't know his own strength. "I'd rather die in that ring than give it up because I can't do it any more when I know I can." Y2J doesn't know if he can bare to watch. Brock was worried even touching Kurt. Again, the cameras do a great job of capturing the impact of everything the guys do in the ring.
Of course the most infamous spot is Brock's failed Shooting Star Press attempt. It looks bad, and made Brock concussed. Kurt: "I thought he was paralysed... I said 'Brock, talk to me.' He just said 'yeah yeah yeah'... We're in trouble." Everything in Brock's head was echoing. How he managed to do another F-5 to finish the match I'll never know. Angle went to shake his hand and thank him and no-one was home. Brock didn't know what was going on, and we see people desperately try attending to him backstage, trying to put a neck brace on to screams of "Get the fuck off me!" Ric Flair is glad he spent so long neck bridging in the amateurs - "that would have killed a regular guy" - and he wouldn't have tried it at 24 or 54! Lesnar talks through what he saw during the move. When he saw Kurt's singlet he thought he was ok but didn't get enough spin. It was the only thing he'd change about the match and thought Kurt got out safe...
...but it turns out Angle went into shock. He was upset and angry post match, even asking for the camera to be turned off. He got chills and trembles. His then wife Karen was visibly upset. "In my mind looking at him all I was thinking was 'this is not worth it'." Come April 10th, we see him waiting on surgery. The doctor asks him not to work out after he's out of surgery, making Kurt a sad panda. "OK... tomorrow?" There are two discs sticking in his spinal chord and he needs painkillers every day to get through it. They outline the alternative surgery he'll go through in an effort to comeback within months. After clips of the surgery we see the doctor inform Kurt's family it went "Beautiful, no problems". Kurt calls it a miracle and feels relieved (but hungover!).
In closing, Jesse goes over the sacred ground of Mania and how the experience of living the dream is what makes the event special.
Extras
As well as a little feature on Jesse recording his narration for the show, there are two "deleted scenes" highlighting two other matches from the night, sadly without Jesse narrating.
Triple H vs Booker T - Triple H calls performing the ultimate drug and Flair puts over his passion. They cut to a pensive Booker and then go over his rough upbringing - his mother dying, having no running water, being jailed for robbery. Jesus. He's jacked to be at Mania and never imagined he'd make it. "How did I get here?" H says Book has all the tools and while he's not Stone Cold he could be if he becomes consistent and removes doubt from people's minds. We see them square off in the match, Book telling Hunter "Your punk ass in trouble". Book wants to make people go "Did you see what Booker T did tonight?" Cue highlights of H's beautiful Indian Deathlock and Booker busting out the Harlem Hangover. Thankfully they edit the finish so we don't have to relive Triple H taking forever to pin Booker after the Pedigree. Post match Book admits he contemplated retiring(!) but "the job ain't finished".
Hulk Hogan vs Mr. McMahon - Naturally they have to dub over "Voodoo Child" when showing Hogan's entrance. The talking heads are great here. Taker: "I know how I'd like to see it go." Kurt: "It's like a 20 year marriage and a 20 year divorce." GREAT sign in the crowd - "20 years in the faking." Hogan says he didn't do this by himself and Vince needs to acknowledge that he didn't either. Interestingly while Vince says with so much history between them he's not sensitive to one particular thing, Hogan brings up the federal trial over steroid distribution: "All I had to do was tell the truth and Vince McMahon wouldn't go to prison for 17-20 years... he was not who they said he was." After arriving with his son and Jimmy Hart, Hulk gets some acupuncture on his back, so we get an unnecessary shot at his thong-shaped tan line! Hulk: "Guys are in the back, playing on their computers or something... they'll be on this table someday." Both men bring up "testosterone" as far as "accidents"/shooting on each other in ring. Hogan: "If he makes the mistake of even putting his finger on the trigger I'm pulling mine." Highlights of the match are shown - lots of chair shots and YOOUU! pointing. interestingly Roddy Piper's interference is edited out. Post match, when asked "Any regrets?", Vince says he wish he could do the match over again. Shane waves off the cameras as Vince walks with a towel over his head, while Triple H marks out over the "HEEEEERE'S JOHNNY!" spot when Vince got the pipe.
Verdict
Overall I recommend this show. There's so much great footage of backstage, and the higher grade cameras really make the in ring and ringside action look great. There's some interesting insight into guys you don't hear talk much nowadays (Brock, Taker) and the biggest struggles of the event (Angle and Austin working hurt, Austin's secret retirement and hospitalisation, Brock's concussion). The hazing of Hulk Hogan was hilarious, and I actually found the coverage of his match with Vince in the extras one of the most fascinating parts of the presentation. Track this down however you can.
