Well, the minutes are slowly ticking until this Sunday night. Wrestle Mania 24 is going to be an amazing show this weekend. It has a great card, the main stream attention is there, and the build-up has been fine. I am absolutely stocked for the event, but I will be talking about this year’s event much more over the weekend with my ‘Wrestle Mania 24 Predictions Column’. It seems to be the popular decision amongst columnists this week, and I will follow suit later on this week. As for this writing, I am going to talk about my ‘Top Lists’ concerning Wrestle Mania and its past. There have been over 20 years of memories, and I will not waste any more time to jump into the discussion.
Worst Mania Ever- Let’s start with some of the ugly. The worst Wrestle Mania is not even up for debate. It is WM IX. It was held outdoors, which isn’t a bad thing, in Las Vegas. Not only was the entire night made out to be some sort of joke, or a very bad spectacle, but the main event is the (bad) icing on the cake. It was Yokozuna vs. Bret Hart for the title. First, it was a repeat main event of the previous year. That is not a good thing, whether it was wanted, or needed, it was not a good idea. Austin and Rocky have fought three times, but that worked, ala skipping years in between. Regardless, Yoko won the match via interference, and then it happened. Hogan came out, demanded a match for the belt, and won immediately. I am all for surprises, and shocks, but that was too much, too quick. Challenge him for next PPV or something, but this was bad. No wonder Bret never faced off against Hogan. All around bad year for the WWE, and Jim Ross in a toga didn’t help matters.
Best Mania Ever- Most would say X-7 hands down. I am putting X-7 on top of the list, but that event is not alone. It is tied with Wrestle Mania 21 in California. Close calls included WM 22 and WM 20. Wrestle Mania 22 was just a very fun card all around, but it didn’t have any historical importance. Wrestle Mania 20 was all about history, especially now after the last few years. Some want to say WM, the original, or WM X, but it didn’t have that extra ‘oomph’ to put it over the top. WM X-7 was a great night, but the under card was not as strong as most say. Look at some of the matches, and tell me it ruled. WM 21 was an action filled night. HBK vs. Angle, Batista and Cena rising for the belts, and Edge going to the next level winning MITB were all highlights. We had Hogan in HOF, Piper’s Pit with Austin. Orton almost ended Taker’s streak. The low point, of course, came with the Sumo match, but we can forget about that. There could be an argument for every Mania on top, in everyone’s opinion, but these are mine.
Best Mania Moment Ever- It hasn’t happened yet. I believe that Flair this Sunday will just be off the charts. If HBK vs. Flair is an absolute classic, and the crowd eats it all up, Flair loses; his post-match reaction will be extremely special. If I had to pick one that already exists and isn’t on ‘just a thought’ basis, it is another easy pick. Wrestle Mania XX in New York City-the post main event celebration!!! What else would it be? I once read a review of the event, and the writer ended it by saying some thing along the lines of- “If the world of wrestling had ended right then and there, I would have been satisfied and died a happy man”. That was the pinnacle of what this business is all about. Some will now call that moment tainted, but it makes it even more special to what those two men had to go through their entire lives for that one moment. Best. Moment. Ever.
Way #1- I will say it one more time, before this Sunday night. Do not rule out a Ric Flair loss at Mania’ 24. I said it months ago, and I will give you all one final warning. Does that mean he is retiring? Does that mean I am picking him to lose? What does it mean? Check out my next column for answer, coming in a few days.
Way #2- If Candice is hurt, then she is hurt. We all remember that Rey Rey just recently worked through his injury, and he is now hurt more than before. Candice can get a replacement. She is not he focus here. Maria is, so they can get Mickie in there to actually wrestle and take her spot. Ms. Michelle just returned from an injury and even though her Mania match is not a big deal, she needs to heal up. These athletes need to know that their health is indeed the most important thing in their careers, and it could become a disturbing habit of wrestling through a serious injury.
Way #3- RAW is tonight, and it is the well-known ‘final push to Mania show’. I really have no idea what to expect for tonight. I know that the show is in the Carolinas, and this will have to be a special night for Flair. All of the WWE roster will be in the house, so let’s just hope a great show, in turn a great final week of build, until we arrive Sunday night for the granddaddy of them all, Wrestle Mania.
That does it for this Monday edition. I have to get my Mania thoughts in, and this was my best way to do it. I will be back with my Mania picks later this week. I would love to hear all of your picks, so send them in for some of your ideas. I read all email, and feedback is what I write for. Whether you agree with me or not, I would love to hear from you. Some of my picks were hinted at earlier, but it will be a really cool column. I will leave you a little hint on my predictions and one everyone should think about- how many heels are actually going to win this Sunday? Those are Mania memories, and those are Jay’s Ways.
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