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| source// wwe.com |
WrestleMania is often thought of as the birthplace of the grand and the spectacular. Countless magical moments have been conjured at various ‘Manias throughout history, from stunning matches to instances of pure, unbridled emotion. However, the grandaddy of them all certainly isn’t without its weird side.
This year, one of the biggest matches is set to be Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker – one of the most curious match-ups in the history of the event – but not an oddity without precedent.
What would WrestleMania be without its strange quirks, bizarre stipulations, and – yes – even its glaring mistakes?
The entries in this list can be roughly separated into two categories, those which are self-consciously weird, given the nature of their contestants and their position on the card, and those with no such excuse. Those in the latter category are probably the worst offenders of all, as many such matches should have resulted in memorable ‘Mania moments for all theright reasons.
The quality which unites all these entires is, of course, their downright weirdness. Here are the ten most ridiculous matches in WrestleMania history.
Who knows when the next will crop up?
10. Goldberg Vs. Brock Lesnar – WrestleMania XX
We begin with a match that wasn’t bizarre for what happened in the ring, but what didn’thappen. This should have been a clash of titans, and a true landmark in the careers of both men.
Instead, with the fans well aware that both heavyweights were about to leave WWE, it quickly descended into farce. The pair suffered a barrage of abuse from the Madison Square Garden crowd, and not even the presence of Steve Austin (in a guest referee role) could sweeten the atmosphere.
The pair engaged in an incredibly long staredown – over two minutes in length – before plodding through a decidedly lacklustre match. Goldberg picked up the win after an excruciating series of lockups and slow, plodding power moves, before Austin finally gave the fans something to cheer for – delivering post-match Stunners to both men.
It is still remembered as one of the biggest let-downs in ‘Mania history.
9. Roddy Piper Vs. Bad News Brown – WrestleMania VI
This was another example of a lacklustre WrestleMania showdown, ending in a disappointing double-countout after six minutes or so. However, the real reason Roddy Piper vs. Bad News Brown is regarded as one of the most bizarre matches in ‘Mania history is to do with Hot Rod’s appearance.
Inexplicably, the Hall of Famer decided to wrestle the match (and cut a typically raucous pre-match promo) half-covered in black paint. It was largely met with bafflement from the 1990 crowd – although the outrage such a stunt would spark today doesn’t bear thinking about, particularly from a PR point of view. In a 2012 interview, Piper revealed:
‘So, I had the match. I came back and the stuff they had painted me with, Vince had made special. So, when I broke a sweat, it wouldn’t come off’.
Apparently the paint took about a month (and several intense sauna sessions) to come off. Weird, weird, weird…
8. Big Show Vs. Akebono – WrestleMania XXI
You can expect a certain degree of wackiness at WrestleMania – particularly when non-wrestling figures are involved – but the 21st instalment of the event took the cake.
After an all-time classic between Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle, the ropes were removed, a circle was drawn on the canvas, and legendary sumo wrestler Akebono entered the arena. His opponent was the Big Show, and the pair squared off in one of the most baffling WrestleMania matches of all time.
Simply put, the slow, respectful build-up of a sumo match didn’t mesh well with a WrestleMania crowd at all. Even Tazz and Michael Cole discussing “the beauty of this; the balance, the speed” didn’t really resonate, and the bout lacked the usual antagonism associated with celebrity appearances at ‘Mania.
Big Show was a face at the time, and showed Akebono respect after losing – bringing a disappointing segment to a disappointing end.
7. Undertaker Vs. Big Boss Man – WrestleMania XV
Undertaker vs. Big Boss Man is rightly remembered as one of the weakest instalments of the Phenom’s incredible undefeated streak. It’s a very poor match, especially when coupled with the exciting potential of the Hell In A Cell stipulation – but it’s weirdest qualities come from the post-match shenanigans.
Undertaker and his Ministry attacked Boss Man after the match, before stringing him from the ceiling of the cell and hanging him. It remains one of the most graphic, visually shocking moments in WWE history.
Still, the most terrifying thought is that it’s not even the highest-ranking Streak match on this list. We’ll get to a far more bizarre encounter in a short while.
6. Jake Roberts Vs. Rick Martel – WrestleMania VII
Blindfold matches are, by their very nature, ridiculous – but rarely do they take place on the grandest stage of all. WrestleMania VII saw Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts face off against Rick ‘The Model’ Martel under such a stipulation, and the pair put on one of the most farcical matches in ‘Mania history.
Opinion on this match seems to vary between those who see it as harmless, comedic fun, and those who think it’s an infuriating waste of time. The bout stretches on for over eight minutes, much of which is taken up by Roberts and Martel clumsily fumbling around for one another.
Whichever way you view the match, its status as one of the strangest WrestleMania contests ever can’t be disputed.
5. Undertaker Vs. Giant Gonzalez – WrestleMania IX
Here it is – the worst match of Undertaker’s undefeated WrestleMania streak – and potentially the worst of his entire career. The infamous WrestleMania IX played host to the Phenom’s showdown with Giant Gonzalez, a 7’7″ monster who inexplicably wore a naked muscle-suit – complete with attached hair.
This match is, in hindsight, one of the weirdest things ever to happen to Taker. It’s fascinating to see a man synonymous with epic ‘Mania battles win via DQ, after being knocked out by a chloroform-soaked rag.
It remains the only bout of Undertaker’s streak not to end via pinfall or submission (save for his casket match against Mark Henry).
Also – and this really should go without saying – it was an absolute stinker of a match.
4. Butterbean Vs. Bart Gunn – WrestleMania XV
Fans of WWF in 1998 will surely remember the infamous Brawl for All, a shootfighting tournament featuring actual members of the locker room including Bradshaw, Marc Mero, The Godfather, and poor, poor Bart Gunn.
Allegedly, the tournament was designed to get ‘Dr Death’ Steve Williams over as a legitimate tough guy, only for Bart to steal the show with a series of surprising victories.
His reward for winning the tourney? A WrestleMania XV bout with actual professional boxer, Butterbean. Needless to say, Gunn found himself hopelessly out of his depth, and ended up on the receiving end of a vicious knockout punch early in the first round.
3. Daniel Bryan Vs. Sheamus – WrestleMania XXVIII
Say the phrase ’18 seconds’ to a Daniel Bryan fan, and you’ll probably see an involuntary wince – maybe a clenching of the fists. It was the exact amount of time Sheamus took to defeat Bryan in the opening match of WrestleMania XXVIII…for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Although a heel at the time, Bryan was approaching the monstrous popularity he’s now known for. He found himself somewhere between indie internet darling and bonafide mainstream star, and was shifting towards the latter with each excellent performance (of which there were many).
Then, in what appeared to be a blatant example of deliberate de-pushing, WWE had Bryan lose his title to Sheamus in mere seconds. To rub salt in the wound, the Celtic Warrior attempted to steal Daniel’s signature “yes!” chant on the following edition of Raw, only for the crowd to rebel in a major way.
This bizarre mach – and the subsequent fan mutiny – is now remembered as the launchpad for Bryan’s true rise to superstardom. We might not be able to look at the bout as anything other than a booking travesty, but at least it finally showed WWE how popular a worker they had on their hands.
2. Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Lawrence Taylor – WrestleMania XI
Celebrity and athlete involvement is nothing new to WrestleMania. The worlds have been intertwined ever since the very first event, which saw Cyndi Lauper and Mr. T both heavily involved. It’s certainly not unusual to see a mainstream figure appear in a ‘Mania match.
But to see an NFL megastar main event the show? In a singles match? That still seems unheard of, even today. In fairness to Lawrence Taylor (yes, the two time SuperBowl Champion and NFL Hall of Famer), he turned in a performance often considered one of the best ever by a non-wrestler.
Still, the fact that a WrestleMania was main evented by a pro footballer and a midcarder can’t be overlooked. Given its position on the card, it’s maybe the strangest match-up in ‘Mania history.
Imagine Ryback vs. Ray Lewis and you might be somewhere in the ballpark.
1. Yokozuna Vs. Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania IX
Hulk Hogan’s infamous triumph over Yokozuna isn’t just one of the worst booking decisions in WrestleMania history – it’s also one of the most glaring examples of unjust backstage politics in wrestling history. The original main event saw WWF Champion Bret Hart take on the ‘Japanese’ heel, in what should have been a symbolic victory of brains over brawn, as the industry ushered in a new, more contemporary generation of stars.
Instead, Hogan flexed his political muscles and demanded to walk out of the event with the belt. What unfolded was one of the most slapdash, unconvincing endings to a WWE PPV you’re ever likely to see – and there have been quite a few.
Bret lost to Yokozuna (with the help of the devious Mr. Fuji), and immediately – illogically – challenged the Hulkster to a match. Hogan took up the challenge after being given Bret’s blessing – a horribly ironic scene, given the backstage politics at play – and defeated the heel in twenty two seconds.
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