WrestleMania has been an iconic event for the WWE over the last 30 years, changing the course of wrestling history as the cornerstone pay-per-view for the company. Throughout the years, the show has provided some of the greatest moments, matches and title changes in the history of the WWE. The event has led to the term "WrestleMania Moment" becoming a common thread between wrestling fans.
Greatest 'Mania moments from I-V
Over the next few weeks leading up to WrestleMania XXX on April 6 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Sports World News will be taking a look back through past WrestleManias and determining the best moment from each one, starting with WrestleMania I at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1985 and finishing with 2013's installment of WrestleMania XXIX at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Over the last two weeks we've explored the best moments from I-V as well as the greatest moments from VI-X.
Greatest 'Mania moments from VI-X
This week, we delve into the greatest WrestleMania moments from XI in 1995 through XV in 1999 as we round out the 20th century. Some of the events are good enough to feature two moments and will receive an honorable mention.
WrestleMania XI Moment: Shawn Michaels and Diesel steal the show:
1995 was a troublesome year for the WWE as WCW continued to poach its top talents away and ridiculous gimmicks were still phasing their way out. WrestleMania XI from Connecticut that year was mostly an average to forgettable show, however the WWE Championship match pitting real-life friends turned storyline enemies Shawn Michaels and Diesel against each other was a solid and very entertaining match. A gripe with the match is the main event was football player Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow, however before that contest took place Michaels and Diesel basically saved the show with their match for the title.
Top 9 worst WrestleMania events WrestleMania XII Moment: The boyhood dream comes true and Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart become Iron Men: Batista not in WWE's long-term plans after WrestleMania XXX? WrestleMania 13 Moment: Stone Cold and Bret Hart pull the double switch in a submission match: The WWE wants "Stone Cold" Steve Austin to appear at WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans WrestleMania XIV Moment: The 'Stone Cold' Era Begins: Top 5 victims of The Undertaker's 21-0 undefeated WrestleMania streak [GIFs] WrestleMania XV honorable mention: Triple H's heel turn: CM Punk's absence huring girlfriend A.J. Lee's status with the company? WrestleMania XV Moment: Austin and The Rock show they're the future of the WWE: With 15 WrestleManias in the book, the WWE was doing great and The 'Attitude' Era was humming along. Over the next five years, the company would once again go through a lot of changes with a McMahon in every corner, one of the greatest WrestleManias of all-time, an international WrestleMania, a star-studded 'Mania featuring Austin's last match and the historic 20th installment of the biggest event of the year. Join us next Friday when we look at the Greatest WrestleMania Moments from 'Manias 2000-XX. What's YOUR favorite WrestleMania moment? Tell us on Twitter: @SportsWN, @MikeSmollins
The WWE was starting to turn things around in 1996 thanks in large part to Shawn Michaels, Bret "Hitman" Hart and The Undertaker, but they were still losing guys to WCW. This 'Mania, emanating from California, was a good show mostly due to Hart and Michaels showing just how good they are in the ring by wrestling each other or over an hour in the first ever Iron Man match. While critics are divided on this match with some saying it was too long, it was still a classic. Michaels won his first WWE Championship in overtime as Hart took a six-month hiatus from the company in a moment where "The boyhood dream" came true for HBK.
Something unexpected and rare happened in Chicago at WrestleMania 13 during a submission match between Bret "The Hitman" Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The two grapplers took the no DQ rules in a submission match to heart and engaged in a blood-soaked brawl. "Stone Cold" came into the show as the heel and Hart as the babyface, but they switched roles mid-match and Austin left with the admiration of the crowd while Hart was booed out of the building. The switch occurred when Hart wouldn't release his Sharpshooter after Austin passed out due to blood loss and lost the match by knockout as the crowd turned on Hart for his actions. The moment where Hart rears back the Sharpshooter and a bloodied Austin writhes in pain as blood drips to the mat is an iconic WrestleMania moment. As a whole, WrestleMania 13 is bland, however the Hart vs. Austin match saved the show.
This WrestleMania is mostly remembered for Shawn Michaels passing the torch to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as a new face of the WWE emerged while one legendary icon took a hiatus due to injury. Michaels had a legitimate back ailment and trooped his way through the match that night in Boston despite the fact that he was in a lot of pain. Austin was as over as anyone that has ever entered the company at this point and the crowd couldn't wait to see him try to win his first WWE Heavyweight Championship at the biggest show of the year. After a solid match with Mike Tyson as the special guest referee, Austin stunned Michaels and won the championship to launch one of the greatest eras in pro wrestling history as the 'Attitude' Era came in full swing. Austin went on to be the biggest superstar in wrestling over the next few years while Michaels didn't actively compete again until August of 2002.
While the Vince Russo booking era is looked on in disdain by many as storylines took control over actual wrestling, at the time the shocking twists and turns made the WWE must-see television and helped it in the ratings war with WCW. That was never more evident than at WrestleMania XV in Philadelphia when Chyna re-joined Triple H and D-Generation X by helping him defeat Kane and coming back over to the babyface side. It all turned out to be a ruse as Triple H would then turn on X-Pac two matches later during his European Championship match with Shane McMahon, joining the Corporation along with Chyna in a jaw-dropping moment.
Steve Austin had been setting the world on fire since winning the World Championship a year earlier at WrestleMania, however after a controversial finish in the title picture led to a tournament with The Rock turning heel and winning the title at Survivor Series 1998, a great storyline was instantly born. This set the stage for the first of three Austin vs. Rock matches at WrestleMania. The 1999 installment might be the best match between the two at the event and the storyline of Vince McMahon doing everything he can to keep the belt off of Austin was brilliant. In the end, Stone Cold foiled McMahon's plans and won the championship back to the delight of the crowd.
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