It's been (almost) ten years since WrestleMania VIII, which many see now as the last real hurrah of the "Rock-and-Wrestling", "Hulkamania" Era. As I've been thinking of this year's edition of the Granddaddy of Them All, I see quite a few similaritites between 8 and X-8:
Double Main Event, Flair=Jericho (cocky heel who weaseled into title through improbable odds), Savage=Hunter (Face turned former top heel who is making big comeback), Elizabeth=Stephanie (the woman in the middle), Hogan=well, Hogan (over-the-hill former champ), Rock=Sid (younger, more popular guy that Hogan is leeching heat off of).
In both years the title match plays second fiddle to a Hogan match. In both years the show takes place in a dome. The undercard was thin at WM VIII and probably will be at X-8 too. Sure, not everything is right on (this year is actually sold out, I don't see any match being as good as Piper/Hart in the undercard, the tag division actually had a hot team [LOD]), but the similarities are there. Could we be seeing the last hurrah of WWF Attitude as we know it?
Y2J, the Ricky Steamboat of the Attitude Era finally gets the respect he deserves. We're goin' to WrestleMania BABEE!!!
I was only 10 when Wrestlemania 8 took place, but I recently got a tape of it, and if Triple H/Jericho is on par with Savage/Flair, we're in for a really good match. As far as the undercard goes, I think the WWF could put together a really good undercard. Of course they would have to build the matches up over the next 3 weeks for them to mean anything. I think it's a lock that we will see some form of Edge V. Regal and RVD V. Goldust, maybe a 4 way?, but other than that, and the tag title match, they will probably just spend their time building up the nWo, which is kinda a shame.
Interesting parallels, but the dome thing is stretching it. Lots of 'Manias have been in domes....Astrodome, Skydome, Silverdome, Hossier/RCAdome...hm...on second thought, maybe there haven't been that many domes used for 'Mania.
A parallel I'D like to see with VIII is a curtain jerker match that has an up-and-comer take out a veteran. At VIII, it was Shawn Michaels over Tito Santana. What could we have at X-8 that would be comparable? There aren't a lot of "veteran" faces left, so I guess we'd have to switch sides...maybe something like Edge over Mr. Perfect?
Also, we need to have Louie Anderson do guest ring introductions for an eight-man tag for the Ray Combs parallel. (Then Louie would have to kill himself. NOOOOOOOOOO)
Oh, and bring back Reba to sing "America the Beautiful!"
For the annoying, little, cocky heel role I'd pick Christian. He's similar in size and looks at least, and as a favourite of mine I'd like to see him win at Mania. As for the face veteran, there isn't really anyone with the same clout as Santana had, but how about someone like Al Snow? He's got more of a following through Tough Enough lately and is kinda respected by the fans. Failing that I don't know what other options there are unless we start talking about the likes of Hardcore Holly. With HBK-Santana there was actual build up beforehand though, which this late in the game would be hard to achieve to the same level, but that's the price of monthly PPV/storyline cycles I guess. Also the quality of veteran nowadays is not what it was 10 years ago. I don't mean that as a knock on Al Snow or whoever but rather that there isn't really anyone who has been in the WWF for a really long period of time and who has been as successful at a comparable level to Santana.
"Nobody enjoys a good time more than I do, but this business of yours is as legitimate as a three-legged donkey...which of course is illegitimate because as we all know donkeys have four legs."
I think they could have had something akin to Michaels over Tito had Goldust won at No Way Out to set up a rematch at Wrestlemania with RVD going over in a decisive way. That's what I was expecting them to do, at least.
I can't tell if Edge/Regal is done or not. I would think not, so Edge can get the big win at WM, so if they still need something to do with RVD and they don't want to use Goldust again, it shouldn't be that hard to put together Perfect vs. RVD in the next three weeks. I think they could have a solid character clash. If nothing else, have Perfect take offense at the notion that RVD claims to have a perfect frogsplash or something. Is Hennig in good enough shape that he could claim to have(and eventually spectacularly fail to pull off, in a hilarious Hennig way) a "Six Star" Frogsplash?
The last hurrah of the WWF attitude era was last years Wrestlemania. I feel this ppv was the last true great ppv the wwf has put on. The Austin turn was a disaster and no need to even mention the invasion angle that followed. The wrestling boom of the attitude era peaked on this night. Its been going down ever since.
albert44
EDDY GUERRERO IS MY FAVORITE WRESTLER!!! YEAH HE IS!!!!!
What I thought was interesting about this Wrestlemania is that Flair and Hogan are both wrestling on the card (well, Flair isn't officially yet, but I'm sure he will). What makes this interesting to me is that Flair vs. Hogan was the scheduled main event of WM VIII untill certain circumstances changed things up. Now, if they could have delivered us a Hogan vs. Flair matchup at X8 then they would finally be making good on a match promised to us ten years ago! But alas, Hogan vs. Flair at a WM is still not to be. Maybe next year as a double retiremant match.
Is this the first year that Wrestlemania is in a dome two years in a row? I think it is.
Also, what cities have had multiple Wrestlemanias? Off the top of my head I can say Chicago (WM 13 and 2, niehter of which used Roman Numerals), Atlantic City (IV and V) and Tornonto (VI and X8). Are there any others?
"How about the power to kill a yak from a hundred yards...with MIND bullets?!! That's called tele-kenisis, Kyle."
**Also, what cities have had multiple Wrestlemanias? Off the top of my head I can say Chicago (WM 13 and 2, niehter of which used Roman Numerals), Atlantic City (IV and V) and Tornonto (VI and X8). Are there any others?**
New York, of course (I and X) and Anaheim, CA (XII and 2000)
Originally posted by albert44The last hurrah of the WWF attitude era was last years Wrestlemania. I feel this ppv was the last true great ppv the wwf has put on. The Austin turn was a disaster and no need to even mention the invasion angle that followed. The wrestling boom of the attitude era peaked on this night. Its been going down ever since.
On this point, I totally agree. WM X7 was the last great WWF PPV of the Attitude era. The point I was trying to make (and I probably f'd up in getting it across) is that WM VIII was a dome PPV that came "after" the last big PPV for Rock and Wrestling (WM VI). WM X8 is a dome PPV that comes "after" the last big PPV for Attitude (WM X7). WM X8, just like WM VIII comes at a time in the WWF's history where it is sucking the last life out of a good idea. I guess what I meant to say is that WM VIII and WM X8 are the nadir of their respective eras.
Y2J, the Ricky Steamboat of the Attitude Era finally gets the respect he deserves. We're goin' to WrestleMania BABEE!!!
Call me crazy, but I don't remember any buildup whatsoever to the Tito/Michaels match at WM8, besides them eliminating each other at the Royal Rumble. So far as I remember though, that was pretty much forgotten by the time WM rolled round.
I do remember Tito whipping the absolute dogshit out of and pinning Shawn Michaels during a feature match (read as - non televised) during the WWF Challenge Tapings in West Palm Beach in February of 1992, but nothing between them that actually made TV.
Considering that Santana was my favorite wrestler at the time though, Michaels's win at WM certainly pissed me off to no end. At least I got to see Tito beat the bastard live though.
But as much as I liked the guy, his "success level" was like 7 years before, when he was last IC champion. Yeah, he won the tag belts with Martel, but I think Martel had more to do with it than he did, and by the time they lost, they were stale as hell.
No matter how bad things may get, just imagine what would happen if Vince Russo was booking again, and you will feel better.
A parallel I'D like to see with VIII is a curtain jerker match that has an up-and-comer take out a veteran. At VIII, it was Shawn Michaels over Tito Santana. What could we have at X-8 that would be comparable? There aren't a lot of "veteran" faces left, so I guess we'd have to switch sides...maybe something like Edge over Mr. Perfect?
I dig the idea. Since Christian "quit", Lance Storm is all by himself and has been on quite a losing stream. What better time to turn himself around, and defeating Perfect, Bossman, DDP, or whatever older and favored guy they can pull up.
Rocky vs. Hogan should pull the main event slot - but I hope to god the Godfather doesn't run in.
Originally posted by RaptorCall me crazy, but I don't remember any buildup whatsoever to the Tito/Michaels match at WM8, besides them eliminating each other at the Royal Rumble. So far as I remember though, that was pretty much forgotten by the time WM rolled round.
But this was back in the day when there were 4 PPVs a year, and superstars didn't wrestle each other on free TV, only jobbers. There was no RAW or SD with an angle on each show. As I recall didn't Michaels have a spat crossing paths with Santana as he left a match going up the isle (during the "Shawn Michaels is leaving the building" phase)? As a disclaimer, I have trouble remembering last week at the moment, so correct me if I'm wrong. If there was an interview on top of that, then that was build up for an undercard match! I only mean that half sarcastically too ;). Two superstars crossing paths was an event in intself, since it rarely happened on TV.
Simple times back then...
"Nobody enjoys a good time more than I do, but this business of yours is as legitimate as a three-legged donkey...which of course is illegitimate because as we all know donkeys have four legs."
And by the way... very very expensive seats... Around USD $200 for the front row tickets.... Anybody knows how much do you have to pay for a front row ticket at a "In your House show" inside the US? cheers