Since its inception in 1985, WrestleMania has been the cornerstone event of the WWE and has provided some of the greatest memories and matches in the history of sports entertainment.
Countdown to WrestleMania 31: 3 Best Moments from WrestleMania XV (15)
Over the next month, Sports World News will delve into each of the first 30 installments of the marquee event in a continuing countdown to WrestleMania 31 on March 29 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
In 2001, the WWE was at its peak and by the time WrestleMania X-7 rolled around, it had successfully won the Monday Night Wars as its rival WCW went out of business. This opened the gates to one of the most stacked cards in the history of the company.
Countdown to WrestleMania 31: 3 Best Moments from WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania X-7 emanated live from the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, TX, in front of 67,925 fans on April 1, 2001, and had one of the best cards top to bottom in WWE history.
Here are our three best moments from WWE WrestleMania X-7:
3) Best Card Ever?: This wouldn't be qualified as a moment particularly, but it's hard to pick just three standout things from this show.
The WWE returned to a huge stadium for WrestleMania for the first time in years and the big venue was complimented by a strong lineup as there was truly something for every kind of fan at WrestleMania X-7and the matches and booking were mostly phenomenal.
The card had many great title bouts Chris Jericho defeated William Regal to retain the Intercontinental Championship, Kane topped Big Show and Raven in a Triple Threat Match that spilled all around the arena to become the Hardcore Champion and Eddie Guerrero overcame Test to win the European Championship.
Elsewhere, Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle had an awesome contest against each other, Shane McMahon and Vince McMahon had a very compelling Street Fight that culminated a storyline involving Linda McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Trish Stratus and The Undertaker had an all-out brawl with Triple H.
For nostalgic fans, there was even the Gimmick Battle Royal, which saw many old characters make a comeback and even featured the return of Mean Gene Okerlund and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan on commentary.
This was a rare night where not only were the Superstars up to the task of delivering quality matches, but the booking and writing were also spot on.
2) Tables, Ladders and Chairs, Oh My: Edge & Christian, The Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz revitalized the tag team division in 2000 and went on to have an epic Triangle Ladder Match at WrestleMania 2000 and then the first ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match at SummerSlam that August.
When WrestleMania X-7 rolled around in 2001, these six men were still going at it over the WWE Tag Team Championships, and the second TLC match between the two was booked for the biggest show of the year.
The TLC stipulation brought in elements from each team as the Dudley Boyz had an affinity for tables, Edge & Christian used steel chairs for their infamous Conchairto finisher and the Hardys were no strangers to ladders and were certainly not afraid of heights.
The added intrigue to the match was that each team had some outside help throughout the bout as Spike Dudley tried to help the Dudley Boyz, Rhyno assisted Edge & Christian and Lita came to the aid of the Hardyz, adding an extra wrinkle to the bout.
The match itself was -- as usual with these teams -- a hellacious battle that saw all six men (and three run-ins) risk their bodies to the delight of a red-hot crowd.
Memorable spots in the match include Jeff Hardy hitting a Swanton Bomb on Spike Dudley and Rhyno off of a giant ladder through a table, Buh Buh Ray Dudley and Matt Hardy being pushed off of a ladder in the middle of the ring and flying over the top rope before crashing through four stacked tables on the outside and Edge jumping off of a ladder and spearing Jeff Hardy, who was holding onto the belts and dangling in midair.
In the end, Edge and Christian continued their dominance in these stipulation matches, winning the Tag Team Championships and ending the reign of the Dudley Boyz.
1) Austin-Rock II: One of the greatest rivalries in the history of professional wrestling was between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock as the two men went to war three times at WrestleMania, with their second meeting happening at WrestleMania X-7.
Both men were the hottest thing going in wrestling at the time and they were both babyfaces heading into their big clash, with the "Texas Rattlesnake" challenging "The People's Champion" for his belt in Austin's home state.
The match was announced as a No DQ encounter moments before it began, and The Rock and Austin used this newfound stipulation to beat the holy hell out of each other in the Astrodome.
The battle saw each man get busted open as a crimson mask donned both of their faces before the smoke cleared on the bout.
It was an up-and-down encounter for both men and had plenty of drama with near-fall after near-fall as each man kicked out of each other's signature moves and even stole a few holds from one another's repertoires.
In the end, as usual in these days, Mr. McMahon got involved and handed "Stone Cold" Steve Austin a steel chair which he promptly used to nearly dismember The Rock.
The Rock showed the heart of a champion, kicking out at first, but after Austin hit him repeatedly with the weapon, he finally was able to pin him and capture the WWE Championship, marking the fifth title change of the night and Austin's fifth reign as champion.
The storyline here was that Austin was so desperate to win the belt back and so obsessed with being No. 1 in the company that he sold his soul to his chief rival in Vince McMahon and turned heel in his own home state to get the belt.
The ending of the match and heel turn are looked back on as mistakes and a rare blemish on this show, but the main event still delivered nonetheless.
Looking Ahead: With WCW out of the way, the WWE would embark on a new era heading into 2002, but familiar faces were set to return as Hulk Hogan and the nWo came home and the WWE brought WrestleMania back to Canada for the first time in 12 years.
Rank-O-Mania: As we go through each year, we will rank each WrestleMania as it comes along. WrestleMania X-7 is one of those rare events where everything comes into place nicely and clicks. There was a great flow to the card, the wrestlers were game and the booking was (mostly) fantastic as there was something for everyone throughout the night.. WrestleMania X-7 is not only, in our opinion, the greatest WrestleMania of all time from top-to-bottom, but it is one of the best shows the WWE has ever done.
1) WrestleMania X-7
2) WrestleMania X
3) WrestleMania VI
4) WrestleMania III
5) WrestleMania XIV
6) WrestleMania VIII
7) WrestleMania VII
8) WrestleMania V
9) WrestleMania XV
10) WrestleMania 2000
11) WrestleMania XII
12) WrestleMania IV
13) WrestleMania 13
14) WrestleMania I
15) WrestleMania XI
16) WrestleMania IX
17) WrestleMania 2
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