WWE WrestleMania
WWE WrestleMania is a major event of the wrestling market leader WWE , which has been held annually in late March or early April since 1985. “WrestleMania” is widely regarded as the most important wrestling event of the year. At that time, the WWE (still under the name World Wrestling Federation ) only acted as the organizer and sponsor of the titles to be won, which is why all wrestlers came to the ring with a manager. This gimmick has since been discarded because the actorscompeteas WWE Superstars , i.e. permanent athletes of the company. It is accepted that the WWE is no longer just a wrestling association, but an independent entertainment company.
WrestleMania is broadcast as a pay-per-view (PPV). In Germany, WrestleMania was broadcast on free TV in the 1990s. Until recently, major events were only seen on the WWE Network . Since November 2016, PPV events have also been available on Sky again.
history
World title match for the Royal Rumble winner
Since 1993, the winner of the eponymous PPVs Royal Rumble Match broadcast in January has received a match for a world title at WrestleMania. If it was only the WWE Championship until 2002 , since the Rostersplit in the same year the Royal Rumble winner has been able to choose which title (WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship or ECW Championship ) he competes for at WrestleMania. The first wrestler to receive this honor was yokozuna , who also first became WWE Champion at WrestleMania IX when he defeated Bret Hart . A total of 13 Royal Rumble winners were successful at WrestleMania (Yokozuna, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, two Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H , Brock Lesnar , Chris Benoit , Batista , Rey Mysterio , Undertaker, Sheamus and John Cena). Only seven were able to defend their titles (Yokozuna, Diesel , Triple H twice, Randy Orton , Chris Jericho and Edge ). Originally, the title match was supposed to take place in the main event, but that hasn't always been the case in recent years. In 1997 and 1999 there were no such matches due to the storyline. WrestleMania X, on the other hand, held two title matches: Yokozuna met Lex Luger and Bret Hart, both of whom had won the Royal Rumble in 1994, in singlematches.
Storylines
More often at WrestleMania storylines are completed in connection with the owner of the league Vincent K. McMahon . This began with the feud between Mr. McMahon and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin , which accompanied the so-called Attitude era and brought the WWE the quota victory against the then competitor WCW. At WrestleMania 19 there was a feud with Hulk Hogan , which was about who of the two invented the Hulkamania, at WrestleMania 22 there was a feud with Shawn Michaels . WrestleMania 23 featured the “Billionaires Battle” with guest referee Steve Austin, with Mr. McMahon in the corner of Umaga and Donald Trump on the side of Bobby Lashley . Since Lashley won, Mr. McMahon had Donald Trump shave his hair off. In the run-up to Wrestlemania 24, a storyline about an illegitimate child was started by Mr. McMahon. Originally Mr. Kennedy was supposed to turn out to be this, but since he was suspended for violating the WWE wellness program, it was changed so that Hornswoggle turned out to be a son. However, after some time, JBL claimed that Finlay was in truth Hornswoggle's father. He known himself as the father of Hornswoggle and the storyline ended in a match at Wrestlemania between JBL and Finlay. Towards Wrestlemania 25, the entire McMahon family got involved in a storyline with Randy Orton . To get WWE Champion Triple H to risk his title against Orton at Wrestlemania 25, Orton attacked every member of the family including Stephanie McMahon , who is married to Triple H. This led to Triple H putting his title on the line and successfully defending it against Orton at Wrestlemania 25. The McMahon storyline for WrestleMania XXVI is based on the famous Montreal Screwjob (1997) with Bret "The Hitman" Hart . This wanted to leave the WWE and switch to the competition, but was in possession of the then WWF title. Contrary to a previous arrangement with Vince McMahon, Hart lost the title in a match against Shawn Michaels. As a result, he never wanted to appear in the WWE again. Twelve years later, however, the revenge came: Bret Hart won a no-holds-bared match with Special Referee and Lumberjacks (his family) on a sharpshooter against McMahon.
Money-in-the-bank ladder match
From WrestleMania 21 to WrestleMania XXVI, this match took place, which, according to the storyline , was invented by Chris Jericho . Ten wrestlers (at World Cup 26, previously six and eight) who had previously qualified in qualifying matches competed for a suitcase in a so-called ladder match . The winner receives the contract in the suitcase, which, according to Storylines , entitles them to claim a title match for one of the highest titles in the WWE at any time during the next twelve months, at the latest at the next WrestleMania. The name "Money in the Bank" comes from the fact that the match can always be demanded, for example after the reigning champion has just played a tough match and has been attacked hard, i.e. has a chance for the title that seems so certain in itself, how the money is safe in the bank. So far, everyone except John Cena , Damien Sandow and Baron Corbin has the right to a title match at any time to win the title. The holder of the case is primarily a reserve for the WWE if a reigning champion is so badly injured before the planned time of use of the case that another title defense is no longer possible due to the upcoming break. So received z. B. Edge as the owner of the suitcase (which he officially won from the actual owner, Mr. Kennedy, who had to pause due to injury) a title match against the Undertaker by using the suitcase after Mark Henry had attacked the Undertaker hard. In fact, the Undertaker had to pause for a long time because of a biceps tendon rupture .
Since WrestleMania XXVII, this match is no longer played at WrestleMania, as they have built up their own PPV around this match: WWE Money in the Bank . So Edge , Rob Van Dam , Mr. Kennedy , CM Punk and Jack Swagger are the only wrestlers who could win this type of match at WrestleMania. Since the introduction of the PPV Money in the Bank , both roster of the WWE ( SmackDown and RAW ) have their own Money in the Bank Ladder Match , since the end of the roster split in 2011, the two matches are no longer based on the roster, but based on the title aligned separately, with wrestlers from all Rosters allowed to participate. Since then, the winner is no longer announced as “SmackDown / RAW Money In The Bank Winner”, but as “World Heavyweight Championship / WWE Championship Money In The Bank Contract Winner” to clarify the concept. Since the two World Titles (WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship) were merged into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship , only one Money In The Bank match has been organized around the contract.
Hall of Fame
The evening before WrestleMania, the new members will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame . The new members will be presented in detail in the so-called Road To WrestleMania (from Royal Rumble to WrestleMania) and then at WrestleMania.
List of events
| # | event | date | place | arena | spectator | Main fight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WrestleMania | March 31, 1985 | New York City , New York | Madison Square Garden | 22,000 | Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff with guest referee Muhammad Ali |
| 2 | WrestleMania 2 | April 7, 1986 | Los Angeles , California | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 14,500 | Hulk Hogan (c) vs. King Kong Bundy in a steel cage match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| Rosemont , Illinois | Rosemont Horizon | 9,000 | ||||
| Hempstead , New York | Nassau Coliseum | 16,585 | ||||
| 3 | WrestleMania III | March 29, 1987 | Pontiac , Michigan | Pontiac Silverdome | 93.173 | Hulk Hogan (c) vs. André the Giant for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| 4th | WrestleMania IV | March 27, 1988 | Atlantic City , New Jersey | Trump Plaza | 18,165 | Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| 5 | WrestleMania V | April 2, 1989 | Atlantic City , New Jersey | Trump Plaza | 18,946 | Randy Savage (c) vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| 6th | WrestleMania VI | April 1, 1990 | Toronto , Ontario , Canada | SkyDome | 67,678 | Hulk Hogan (c) vs. The Ultimate Warrior (c) for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship and the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship |
| 7th | WrestleMania VII | March 24, 1991 | Los Angeles , California | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 15,000 | Sgt.Slaughter (c) vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| 8th | WrestleMania VIII | April 5, 1992 | Indianapolis , Indiana | Hoosier Dome | 62.167 | Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice |
| 9 | WrestleMania IX | April 4, 1993 | Las Vegas , Nevada | Caesars Palace | 15,045 | Yokozuna (c) vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| 10 | WrestleMania X | March 20, 1994 | New York City , New York | Madison Square Garden | 18,065 | Yokozuna (c) vs. Bret Hart for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship with guest referee Roddy Piper |
| 11 | WrestleMania XI | April 2, 1995 | Hartford , Connecticut | Hartford Civic Center | 15,000 | Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Lawrence Taylor with guest referee Pat Patterson |
| 12 | WrestleMania XII | March 31, 1996 | Anaheim , California | Arrowhead Pond | 18,852 | Bret Hart (c) vs. Shawn Michaels in a 60-minute Iron Man match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| 13 | WrestleMania 13 | March 23, 1997 | Rosemont , Illinois | Rosemont Horizon | 18,197 | Sycho Sid (c) vs. The Undertaker in a No-DQ match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| 14th | WrestleMania XIV | March 29, 1998 | Boston , Massachusetts | FleetCenter | 19,028 | Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Steve Austin for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship with guest enforcer Mike Tyson |
| 15th | WrestleMania XV | March 28, 1999 | Philadelphia , Pennsylvania | First Union Center | 18,274 | The Rock (c) vs. Steve Austin in a No-DQ match for the WWF Championship with guest referee Mankind |
| 16 | WrestleMania 2000 | April 2, 2000 | Anaheim , California | Arrowhead Pond | 18,742 | Triple H (c) vs. The Rock vs. Big Show vs. Mick Foley in a Fatal Four Way Elimination Match for the WWF Championship |
| 17th | WrestleMania X-Seven | April 1, 2001 | Houston , Texas | Reliant Astrodome | 67,925 | The Rock (c) vs. Steve Austin in a No-DQ match for the WWF Championship |
| 18th | WrestleMania X8 | March 17, 2002 | Toronto , Ontario , Canada | SkyDome | 68,237 | Chris Jericho (c) vs. Triple H for the Undisputed WWF Championship |
| 19th | WrestleMania XIX | March 30, 2003 | Seattle , Washington | T-Mobile Park | 54.097 | Kurt Angle (c) vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship |
| 20th | WrestleMania XX | March 14, 2004 | New York City , New York | Madison Square Garden | 20,000 | Triple H vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels in a triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship |
| 21st | WrestleMania 21 | April 3, 2005 | Los Angeles , California | Staples Center | 20.193 | Triple H (c) vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship |
| 22nd | WrestleMania 22 | April 2, 2006 | Rosemont , Illinois | Allstate Arena | 17,155 | John Cena (c) vs. Triple H for the WWE Championship |
| 23 | WrestleMania 23 | April 1, 2007 | Detroit , Michigan | Ford Field | 80.103 | John Cena (c) vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship |
| 24 | WrestleMania XXIV | March 30, 2008 | Orlando , Florida | Florida Citrus Bowl | 74,635 | Edge (c) vs. The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship |
| 25th | WrestleMania 25 | April 5, 2009 | Houston , Texas | Reliant Astrodome | 72,744 | Triple H (c) vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship |
| 26th | WrestleMania XXVI | March 28, 2010 | Glendale , Arizona | University of Phoenix Stadium | 72,219 | The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels in a No-DQ streak vs. Career Match |
| 27 | Wrestlemania XXVII | April 3, 2011 | Atlanta , Georgia | Georgia Dome | 71,617 | The Miz (c) vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship |
| 28 | WrestleMania XXVIII | April 1, 2012 | Miami , Florida | Sun Life Stadium | 78,363 | John Cena vs. The Rock |
| 29 | WrestleMania XXIX | April 7, 2013 | East Rutherford , New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | 80,676 | The Rock (c) vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship |
| 30th | WrestleMania XXX | April 6, 2014 | New Orleans , Louisiana | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | 75.167 | Randy Orton (c) vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan in a triple threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| 31 | WrestleMania Dec. | March 29, 2015 | Santa Clara , California | Levi's Stadium | 76,976 | Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins in a triple threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| 32 | WrestleMania 32 | 3rd April 2016 | Arlington , Texas | AT&T Stadium | 101,763 | Triple H (c) vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| 33 | WrestleMania 33 | 2nd April 2017 | Orlando , Florida | Camping World Stadium | 75,245 | The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns in a no-holds barred match |
| 34 | WrestleMania 34 | April 8, 2018 | New Orleans , Louisiana | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | 78.133 | Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship |
| 35 | WrestleMania 35 | April 7, 2019 | East Rutherford , New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | 82,265 | Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Becky Lynch in a triple threat match for the WWE Raw Women's Championship and the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship |
| 36 | WrestleMania 36 | April 4, 2020 April 5, 2020 |
Orlando , Florida | WWE Performance Center | 0 1 | Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship |
| 37 | WrestleMania 37 | March 28, 2021 | Inglewood , California | SoFi Stadium | TBA | TBA |
Trivia and Statistics
- The name "WrestleMania" comes from Howard Finkel, who suggested it to Vince McMahon .
- Howard Finkel was seen in every WrestleMania up to WrestleMania 32 with an "On-Air-Camera-Role". At WrestleMania 33, SmackDown's ring announcer Greg Hamilton took on his role.
- The show program always includes prominent guests such as Cyndi Lauper , Mr. T , Aretha Franklin , Donald Trump (host / host in Atlantic City 1988), Vanna White , Run DMC , Pete Rose, John Legend , TLC , Reba McEntire , Motörhead , Limp Bizkit , Little Richard , Mike Tyson , Muhammad Ali , Pamela Anderson , Jenny McCarthy , Alice Cooper , Saliva , Liberace , POD , Drowning Pool , Floyd Mayweather , Snoop Dogg , Kid Rock , Nicole Scherzinger , Mickey Rourke , Flo Rida , Keri Hilson and Shaquille O'Neal
- WrestleMania II was the only WrestleMania that was played in multiple cities. It took place in three halls in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
- WrestleMania 32 has held the record for the WWE event with the most on-site spectators since 2016. There were a total of 101,763 spectators at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
- WrestleMania VII was originally intended to take place at the LA Memorial Coliseum in front of 100,000 spectators, but due to poor ticket sales, WWE moved to the much smaller Memorial Sports Arena.
- WrestleMania VIII was the first WrestleMania to be broadcast live on German television by Tele 5 .
- The shortest match so far was played at WrestleMania 32 between The Rock and Erick Rowan and lasted 6 seconds.
- The Iron Man match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels at World Cup XII is the longest WrestleMania match to date with 61 minutes.
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- With Lawrence Taylor , Mr. T , Floyd Mayweather , Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi , Maria Menounos and Shaquille O'Neal , six stars without a wrestling background have actively participated in a regular match at WrestleMania. At WrestleMania II, several American football players stood in a battle royal . The sumo wrestler Akebono and the boxer Butterbean each contested a fight according to the rules of their respective sport.
- Yokozuna , Triple H , The Miz and Seth Rollins are the only ones to date who have won a main event at WrestleMania as Heels. Otherwise, traditionally a crowd favorite won the last match of the evening.
- The Undertaker was allowed to win 23 times and thus most often at WrestleMania. The winning streak ( undefeated streak ) ended in 2014 at Wrestlemania XXX in a match against Brock Lesnar after 21 wins in a row. Before that, it was one of the main topics of every WrestleMania for a few years and part of the storylines around every WrestleMania appearance of the Undertaker.
- Most of the defeats at WrestleMania had to accept Tito Santana , who was only allowed to win two wins in nine appearances (WM I-IX), whereby the victory at WM IX only came about in a dark match that was not shown on television.
- WrestleMania 36 was the first event of its kind to be held without an audience as a result of the coronavirus pandemic . In addition, the event was broadcast for the first time over two days and held at the in-house WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida , instead of the original plan at Raymon James Stadium in Tampa, Florida .
Individual evidence
Web links
- WWE WrestleMania Official Website