| 1 | [[quoteright:921:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/standard_wrestlemania_logo_from_2019_to_present.png]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:921: ''[[Film/TheGreatestShowman ...impossible comes through, intoxicating you, this is the greatest show.]]'']] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | -> ''"Time. No beginning, no end. An infinite procession that humbles our mortality. But there are moments in life that transcend our fate, memories crafted by gods among men that defy time to forget them. These are the moments that echo through the ages, always heard, never to grow old. Born of will, christened with blood, they are testament to the strong, the mighty, the eminent, deities who defy their own mortality to forge an indelible imprint in the annals of time. Like the mythic gods of ancient Greece, they may thrill us, inspire us, at times makes us angry, but they will never let us forget them. Tonight, is their night, their battle, their moment of ultimate sacrifice. For this is their theater, their altar, their chance for divinity. Welcome to [=WrestleMania=], the showcase of the immortals."'' |
| 5 | -->-- '''[[Wrestling/FreddieBlassie "Classy" Freddie Blassie]]''', opening to ''[=WrestleMania=] XV'' |
| 6 | |
| 7 | The Showcase of The Immortals. The Grandest Stage of Them All. The biggest ProfessionalWrestling show in the world. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | It is, as Mr. [=McMahon=] would say, "The Greatest Sports Entertainment Spectacular of All Time". |
| 10 | |
| 11 | ''[=WrestleMania=]'' is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually between mid-March to early April. It was first produced in 1985, when Wrestling/VinceMcMahon had an idea to hold a flagship pay-per-view show for his [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} World Wrestling Federation]] to counter the ''Starrcade'' event held by rival [[Wrestling/{{WCW}} Jim Crockett Promotions]]. This show - the very first ''[=WrestleMania=]'' - was heavily cross-promoted through Creator/{{MTV}} and other popular television outlets; the WWF's mainstream success from this point on hinged on the first ''[=WrestleMania=]'' being a success. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | It turned out to be a huge success; from then on out, the WWF (now World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE) has held ''[=WrestleMania=]'' as an annual event, using the show to end major feuds and begin new ones. It is considered WWE's flagship event, and is the biggest show WWE (or any other wrestling promotion) puts on every year. In recent years, ''[=WrestleMania=]'' has become the annual Mecca of the wrestling world: since the event draws in fans from all over the world, many of the larger independent promotions hold shows in ''[=WrestleMania's=]'' host city in the days leading up to the show[[note]](Though never on the actual day of, most likely out of respect and/or fear of legal reprisal.)[[/note]] in an attempt to expose fans to ''their'' product. WWE is not very appreciative of this, however, and has made moves in recent years to keep other wrestling shows out of the cities where ''[=WrestleMania=]'' takes place; it's rumored that part of the reason Phoenix, Arizona won the bid to host ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVI'' was because they agreed to prevent other wrestling promotions from holding shows in publicly-owned venues (both Wrestling/RingOfHonor and Wrestling/DragonGate USA managed to book shows in the area for the weekend of ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVI'', however). |
| 14 | |
| 15 | %%[[folder:List of [=WrestleMania=] Events]] |
| 16 | %%* ''[=WrestleMania=]'' (I): Took place on 03/31/1985, at Madison Square Garden. Main event saw Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff, featuring none other than Muhammad Ali as special guest referee. Was heavy on the "Rock and Wrestling Connection"; aside from Ali, Cyndi Lauper accompanied women's champ Wendi Richter, and Liberace and Billy Martin also appeared. |
| 17 | %%* ''[=WrestleMania=] 2'': Took place on 04/07/1986, at three venues in New York, Illinois and Los Angeles. Each event had its own card so this had three main events, more than any other WWF/E PPV event. Mr. T out-boxed Roddy Piper; the British Bulldogs defeated the Dream Team of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine; Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy to retain the World Championship. |
| 18 | %%* ''[=WrestleMania=] III'': Took place on 03/29/1987, at the Pontiac Silverdome. The pinnacle of the 80's wrestling boom, WWE's official attendance figures set a record that it took the Pope to break. The main event was the famous match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, but perhaps an even better-received bout was Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat for the Intercontinental Championship, which is still fondly remembered to this day. |
| 19 | %%* ''[=WrestleMania=] IV'': Took place on 03/27/1988, at the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall. The card was dominated by short matches in a 14-man tournament for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship, which was eventually won by Randy Savage. One of the more forgettable Manias. |
| 20 | %%* ''[=WrestleMania=] V'': Took place on 04/02/1989, at the same venue as WM IV. The main event saw Hulk Hogan regain the title after defeating Randy Savage. |
| 21 | %%[[/folder]] |
| 22 | ---- |
| 23 | !! The Tropecase of the Immortals: |
| 24 | * AbortedArc: Early on in [=WrestleMania=] XX, Raw General Manager Wrestling/EricBischoff assigned Jonathan Coachman to get an interview with the returning Wrestling/{{Undertaker}} in order to upstage Smackdown by getting an interview with one of their stars. After one segment in which Coach inadvertently walked in on Howard Finkel and Bobby Heenan making out with Mae Young and the Fabulous Moolah in the Madison Square Garden boiler room while searching for the Undertaker, this plot was dropped for the rest of the night, not even getting a BrickJoke payoff after Undertaker actually made his return and defeated Wrestling/{{Kane}}. |
| 25 | * AccidentalAthlete: More of a kayfabe example, but at WM 34, Wrestling/BraunStrowman was to face Wrestling/TheBar for the ''Raw'' Tag Team Championship... but he didn't have a partner. He went into the audience and picked out a 10-year-old boy named Nicholas[[note]]later revealed to be the son of WWE referee John Cone[[/note]] as his partner. Nicholas was tagged in early in the match, and had the presence of mind to immediately tag Strowman back in, who rampaged through both opponents to win the titles. (They would give up the titles on the following night's ''Raw'' because [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Nicholas still had to go to school]].) |
| 26 | * AnnualTitle: ''[=WrestleMania=] 2000'' (aka [=WrestleMania=] 16). |
| 27 | * ArtEvolution: Compare ''[=WrestleMania=]'' I's lack of a stage to the small stages and mini rings of II through VIII, the outdoor setup of IX to the understated stages of X through XIV to the giant logo of XV, the double trons of 2000, the TropeCodifier of stages in X-Seven and X8 that introduced the LED Walls, the unconventional stages of XIX (baseball stadium), XX (combining old and new aspects in the 18,000+ Madison Square Garden), 21 (movie theatre-themed) and 22 (cityscape) to the return to 70-80,000+ football stadiums with 23 with sets with growing SerialEscalation leading up to ''[=WrestleMania=]'' XXX's colossal setup. WWE documented the evolution through 31 [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVWVxgmrj1s here]]. |
| 28 | * ArtifactTitle: WWE shies away from even calling itself 'wrestling' these days, and the 'mania' part harkens back to Wrestling/{{Hulk|Hogan}}amania. The name has been kept thanks to the GrandfatherClause. |
| 29 | * TheBadGuyWins: It's not uncommon for heels to win on the Grandest Stage of Them All, in hopes of averting ForegoneConclusion. Specific examples include: |
| 30 | ** IX: Subverted by Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}}. He defeated Wrestling/BretHart for the WWF Championship, only to quickly lose to Wrestling/HulkHogan in an impromptu title match immediately after. |
| 31 | ** X: Wrestling/OwenHart defeated his brother Wrestling/{{Bret| Hart}} in the opening match, though Bret redeemed himself in the main event by defeating Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} for the WWF Championship. |
| 32 | ** 13: PlayedWith when Wrestling/BretHart defeated Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin. They were respectively a {{Face}} and a {{Heel}} going into the match, but the bout ended with the now iconic FaceHeelDoubleTurn. |
| 33 | ** 2000: Wrestling/TripleH defeated [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]], Wrestling/MickFoley, and Wrestling/BigShow to retain the WWF Championship with the help of a [[FaceHeelTurn newly-turned]] Wrestling/VinceMcMahon. This was the first time that a heel won a [=WrestleMania=] main event. |
| 34 | ** X-Seven: Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin defeated [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] for the WWF Title after [[FaceHeelTurn revealing that he made an alliance with Vince [=McMahon=]]]. |
| 35 | ** X-8: Wrestling/TheUndertaker defeated Wrestling/RicFlair after Taker spent the past month or so tormenting Flair and his family. |
| 36 | ** XIX: Wrestling/TripleH defeated Wrestling/BookerT to retain the World Heavyweight Title, thus winning the feud which centered around Triple H making disparaging remarks about Booker T weeks prior to the event. Wrestling/MattHardy also defeated Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}} to retain the Cruiserweight Championship, while [[Wrestling/TheWorldsGreatestTagTeam Team Angle]] retained the WWE TagTeam Championship. |
| 37 | ** XX: Wrestling/{{Christian}} defeated Wrestling/ChrisJericho with the help of [[FaceHeelTurn a newly turned]] Wrestling/TrishStratus, Wrestling/{{Chavo Guerrero|Jr}} retained the Cruiserweight Championship, and Wrestling/{{Evolution}} (Wrestling/RandyOrton, Wrestling/RicFlair, and Wrestling/{{Batista}}) defeated [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson the Rock]] [[Wrestling/MickFoley N' Sock]] Connection after Orton spent nearly the previous year bullying Foley. Wrestling/ChrisBenoit was a face when he won in the main event, but his final actions has retroactively cast him as a heel to many. |
| 38 | ** 21: Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} won the first ever Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank, cementing himself as one of the best heels in his generation. Wrestling/KurtAngle also defeated Wrestling/ShawnMichaels in a feud where Angle started for being a SoreLoser in that year's Wrestling/RoyalRumble. |
| 39 | ** 22: Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} defeated Wrestling/MickFoley in a Hardcore match, Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield defeated Wrestling/ChrisBenoit for the United States Championship, and Wrestling/MickieJames defeated Wrestling/TrishStratus to win her first ever Women's Championship after spending the last six months {{stalk|erWithACrush}}ing the latter. |
| 40 | ** 23: [[invoked]] [[XPacHeat De facto]] {{Heel}} Wrestling/JohnCena defeated the beloved icon Wrestling/ShawnMichaels to retain the WWE Championship, [[Wrestling/KenAnderson Mr. Kennedy]] won Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank, Wrestling/{{Melina}} retained the Women’s title, and Wrestling/TheGreatKhali defeated Wrestling/{{Kane}}. A possible retroactive example, however, is the "Battle of the Billionaires" where UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump faced off against Wrestling/VinceMcMahon with their hairs on the line. Wrestling/BobbyLashley defeated Wrestling/{{Umaga}} to give Trump the victory, and while it was a face win at the time, Trump’s highly controversial presidency has caused him, and by extension Lashley, to be seen as heels by many. |
| 41 | ** XXIV: Wrestling/RandyOrton defeated both Wrestling/JohnCena and Wrestling/TripleH to retain the WWE Championship. Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield beat Finlay after several weeks of tormenting his son Wrestling/{{Hornswoggle}}. Wrestling/BethPhoenix and Wrestling/{{Melina}} won a tag team match. Floyd Mayweather knocked out Wrestling/BigShow in a boxing match that the latter was supposed to be the heel for. |
| 42 | ** XXV: Wrestling/MattHardy defeated his brother Wrestling/{{Jeff|Hardy}} after causing him misfortune for the past year. Wrestling/ChrisJericho also defeated ([[BrokenPedestal then]], in Snuka's case) beloved [[RingOldies legends]] Wrestling/RickySteamboat, Wrestling/JimmySnuka, and Wrestling/RoddyPiper. Wrestling/SantinoMarella won a Miss [=WrestleMania=] battle royal against several other divas disguised as his twin sister Santina; However, "Santina" would be booked as a face even as Santino would remain heel. Wrestling/CMPunk won the Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank ladder match as a face but turned heel upon his cash-in. |
| 43 | ** XXVI: Wrestling/ChrisJericho defeated the returning Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, Wrestling/JackSwagger won the Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank Ladder Match, [[Wrestling/BigShow Show]][[Wrestling/TheMiz Miz]] defeated Wrestling/JohnMorrison and [[Wrestling/RonKillings R-Truth]] to retain the WWE World Tag Team Championship, and the heel team of Wrestling/LayCool, Wrestling/VickieGuerrero, Wrestling/AliciaFox, and Wrestling/{{Maryse}} won the 10-Diva tag match[[note]]Though the victory where Vickie used her [[Wrestling/EddieGuerrero late husband]]'s FinishingMove is appreciated by fans[[/note]]. |
| 44 | ** XXVII: Wrestling/TheMiz retained the WWE Championship after [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] restarted the match and [[FinishingMove Rock Bottom'd]] Wrestling/JohnCena. Wrestling/CodyRhodes also defeated Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}}, though it was ironically seen as one of the night's highlights[[note]]The event was greatly criticized for the burial of their new and up and coming talents, with Rhodes' victory being the sole exception[[/note]]. Wrestling/MichaelCole also defeated Wrestling/JerryLawler in a match that the latter originally won, but was latter overturned. |
| 45 | ** XXVIII: Wrestling/{{Kane}} defeated Wrestling/RandyOrton, and Wrestling/JohnLaurinaitis led his seven-man team to victory over Wrestling/TeddyLong’s. An unofficial example, however, could be Wrestling/{{Sheamus}}’s eighteen-second squash of [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] for the World Heavyweight title, which angered the latter’s fans and caused his popularity to skyrocket; however, neither man would turn in the aftermath of the match. |
| 46 | ** 29: Wrestling/TheShield, Wrestling/MarkHenry, and Wrestling/{{Fandango}} all won their matches (although the Shield were mostly cheered against their opponents, all of whom were largely disliked veterans) |
| 47 | ** XXX: Wrestling/BrockLesnar defeated Wrestling/TheUndertaker [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable to end the latter's legendary undefeated streak]]. Also of note was [[Wrestling/ClaudioCastagnoli Cesaro]] winning the inaugural Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and Wrestling/AJLee prevailing in a multi-woman Divas title defense. |
| 48 | ** 31: Wrestling/SethRollins cashed in his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank briefcase and defeated Wrestling/BrockLesnar and Wrestling/RomanReigns to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Unlike the previous examples, this doesn't really count as a DownerEnding--because the fans were a) ''extremely'' negative towards Reigns and b) a little weary of Lesnar's absentee championship run, the usually hated heel Rollins was mostly cheered. A more straightforward example would be Wrestling/TripleH defeating Wrestling/{{Sting}} in the latter’s only [=WrestleMania=] match. |
| 49 | ** 32: The event was notorious for over half of its card being won by {{Heel}}s, often cleanly (see Too Bleak, Stopped Caring on the YMMV page for complete details). However, one heel, Wrestling/TripleH, was a de facto {{Face}} in his match because the actual Face he was up against was the extremely hated Wrestling/RomanReigns. |
| 50 | ** 33: [[invoked]] [[XPacHeat De facto]] {{Heel}} Wrestling/RomanReigns defeated the beloved Wrestling/TheUndertaker, [[TenMinuteRetirement seemingly]] retiring him. Wrestling/BrockLesnar defeated Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} to win the Universal Championship, ending their feud that began the previous November and finally avenging his series of loses and humiliations which appropriately began in [=WrestleMania=] XX. Subverted by Wrestling/AJStyles, who [[HeelFaceTurn turned Face]] a few days later following his victory over ReasonableAuthorityFigure Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon by acknowledging the latter as a WorthyOpponent. A more straightforward example would be Wrestling/KevinOwens defeating Wrestling/ChrisJericho for the U.S. title. |
| 51 | ** 34: Wrestling/BrockLesnar pretty much dominated Wrestling/RomanReigns; despite taking four Spears and a number of Superman Punches, Lesnar would fire back even harder, hitting a bevy of suplexes, cutting open Reigns ''deep'' with bare-knuckle punches and elbow strikes to the forehead, and hitting a half-dozen F-5s, including one through the announce table. Of course, with [[XPacHeat Reigns]] as the opponent, it’s hard to portray Lesnar as the heel here. |
| 52 | ** 35: Wrestling/SamoaJoe defeated Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}} in one minute and retained the United States Championship. Wrestling/BaronCorbin defeated Wrestling/KurtAngle in what was Angle's last match. [[Wrestling/BillieKay The]] [[Wrestling/PeytonRoyce IIconics]] defeated Wrestling/SashaBanks and Wrestling/{{Bayley}}, Wrestling/BethPhoenix and Wrestling/{{Natalya|Neidhart}} and Wrestling/NiaJax and Wrestling/{{Tamina|Snuka}} in a Fatal-4-Way Tag Team match and won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon defeated Wrestling/TheMiz in a Falls Count Anywhere match. |
| 53 | ** 36: Wrestling/SamiZayn defeated [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] to retain the Intercontinental Championship. Wrestling/JohnMorrison defeated [[Wrestling/TheUsos Jimmy Uso]] and Wrestling/KofiKingston to retain the [=SmackDown=] Tag Team Championship. Wrestling/CharlotteFlair defeated Wrestling/RheaRipley to win the NXT Women's Championship. Wrestling/{{Bayley}} defeated Wrestling/LaceyEvans, Wrestling/{{Naomi|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/SashaBanks and Wrestling/{{Tamina|Snuka}} to retain the [=SmackDown=] Women's Championship. [[Wrestling/BrayWyatt The Fiend]] defeated Wrestling/JohnCena in a bizarre "Firefly Fun House" match. |
| 54 | ** 37: Wrestling/RomanReigns defeated Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] to retain the Universal Championship. Wrestling/BobbyLashley defeated Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre to retain the WWE Championship. Wrestling/AJStyles and Omos defeated Wrestling/TheNewDay to win the Raw Tag Team Championship. Wrestling/RandyOrton defeated [[Wrestling/BrayWyatt The Fiend]]. Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} defeated Wrestling/MattRiddle to win the United States Championship. Apollo Crews defeated Wrestling/{{Big E|Langston}} to win the Intercontinental Championship. |
| 55 | ** 38: Wrestling/RomanReigns defeated Wrestling/BrockLesnar to unify both WWE and Universal titles. Wrestling/CharlotteFlair defeated Wrestling/RondaRousey to retain the [=SmackDown=] Women's championship. Wrestling/TheMiz and Creator/LoganPaul defeated Wrestling/{{Rey|MysterioJr}} and Wrestling/DominikMysterio. Wrestling/TheUsos defeated Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura and Rick Boogs to retain the [=SmackDown=] Tag Team Championship. Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} and Ridge Holland defeated Wrestling/TheNewDay. Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} defeated Wrestling/AJStyles. |
| 56 | ** 39: Wrestling/RomanReigns defeated Wrestling/CodyRhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE-Universal Championship. [[Characters/WWENew Austin Theory]] defeated Wrestling/JohnCena to retain the United States Championship. Wrestling/RheaRipley defeated Wrestling/CharlotteFlair for the [=Smackdown=] Woman's Championship (though considering Charlotte's reputation, Rhea's the one people cheering for). [[Wrestling/{{Walter}} Gunther]] defeated Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} and Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre to retain the Intercontinental Championship. |
| 57 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XL'': Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre defeated Wrestling/SethRollins to win the World Heavyweight Championship, only for the more straightforward heel (as Drew is admittedly [[LoveToHate beloved by the fans]]) Damien Priest to cash in his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank contract to win said championship. Priest's [[Wrestling/TheJudgmentDay teammate]] Wrestling/RheaRipley defeated Wrestling/BeckyLynch to retain the WWE World Woman's Championship the night prior. Creator/LoganPaul defeated Wrestling/KevinOwens and Wrestling/RandyOrton to retain the United States Championship. [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] and Wrestling/RomanReigns also defeated Wrestling/CodyRhodes and Seth Rollins in the main event of Night 1 but Cody defeating Roman the next night softens it a little. |
| 58 | * BigOMG: This was Wrestling/PaulHeyman's reaction when Wrestling/BrockLesnar broke Wrestling/TheUndertaker's streak. The reaction was genuine, as he was in the dark about the plan for Brock's victory. |
| 59 | * BittersweetEnding: For Seth Rollins in ''XL''. He loses his title to Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre during Night 2 after trying to help Cody win the grueling main event last night against Roman and The Rock but failing to succeed at that, leaving him battered for his own match. However, he still has the last laugh, for he manages to provoke Roman in going for him in a key spot of his match against Cody Rhodes, meaning the American Nightmare had enough time to recover and counter the Spear to win the match and the title. At the end of the day, he once more was the bane of Roman's life. On top of this, he gets a moral victory in that Drew immediately loses his title via cash in. |
| 60 | * TheBusCameBack: If there's a star who's injured at the time, they'll sometimes make a one-off appearance at [=WrestleMania=] for the night. |
| 61 | * CallBack: |
| 62 | ** At ''[=WrestleMania=] XX'', Wrestling/TheUndertaker switches back to his deadman gimmick after spending the last three years as a BadassBiker. Taker would then reuse said Biker gimmick (keeping the deadman's supernatural powers this time) during his match with Wrestling/AJStyles sixteen years later at ''[=WrestleMania=] 36''. |
| 63 | ** At ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', [[Wrestling/ClaudioCastagnoli Cesaro]] won the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal by scoop-slamming Wrestling/BigShow over the top rope - much like Hulk Hogan scoop-slamming André to hit him with the [[FinishingMove Atomic Leg Drop]] back at ''[=WrestleMania III=]''. Bonus points, Big Show was billed as André's son when he first debuted. |
| 64 | ** At ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', Wrestling/TripleH made his entrance on a throne, dressed as a king, with several women flanking him. One of those women, Wrestling/CharlotteFlair, made the same entrance at ''[=WrestleMania=] 34'', herself on the throne. Hunter had previously used the entrance method at 22, minus the women. |
| 65 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 36'': Aside from Wrestling/TheUndertaker example above, the Firefly Funhouse match between Wrestling/BrayWyatt and Wrestling/JohnCena made references to the latter's WWE career as well as the Wrestling/MondayNightWars. |
| 66 | ** At the climax of Cody vs Roman at XL, Solo Sikoa is the second interference from the part of the Bloodline, and he does so by performing a Samoan Spike when Cody was about to apply the third Cross Rhodes on Roman - the same maneuver that knocked him out during last year's Mania. |
| 67 | * CatFight: |
| 68 | ** 2000 featured a 'match' between Wrestling/TerriRunnels and [[Wrestling/StacyCarter The Kat]] billed as a sanctioned Cat Fight. |
| 69 | ** And XIX featured the Miller Lite Cat Fight girls on the show having one of these with Wrestling/StacyKeibler and Wrestling/TorrieWilson. |
| 70 | * TheCenterpieceSpectacular: Wrestling/ShawnMichaels's entrance at ''[=WrestleMania=] XII'', where Shawn came to the ring on a zip line in an iconic WM moment, which came before a main event 60-minute Iron Man Match against Wrestling/BretHart, went into overtime when the time limit expired without a single fall being scored; Michaels eventually scored the winning pinfall to dethrone Bret as the WWF Champion. Logan Paul would make a variant of this entrance as he moved for his bout against Seth Rollins during ''[=WrestleMania=] 39''. |
| 71 | * CentralTheme: The road to ''XL'' has a recurring theme about "obsession" and how it can lead to one's downfall or glory. |
| 72 | ** Drew [=McIntyre=] and Seth Rollins call each other out for their obsessions during the buildup -- Drew with his distaste CM Punk and Seth with his mission in dismantling the Bloodline from their iron grip on the roster -- that led to them both losing the championship. Drew would've been more alert to Damian Priest cashing in if he didn't waste precious minutes mocking CM Punk. Meanwhile, Rollins' obsession with stopping the Bloodline, while it resulted in him losing the title he had been defending for almost an entire year, ended with him being a key factor in Cody Rhodes pinning Roman Reigns. |
| 73 | ** Speaking of Roman, Roman's obsession with trying to move past the "There's always a Plan B" moment 10 years prior ended up being his downfall. When Rollins, dressed in his Shield attire, arrives to save Cody, Reigns, steel chair in hand, has two choices: he either uses the chair on Cody or gets one last chance of vengeance against Rollins. He chooses the latter, and this ends with his undoing. His obsession with being acknowledged also has numerous wrestlers from his past charging in and dismantling the Bloodline. On a lighter note, Roman's tunnel vision on Cody made him unable to stop himself from spearing The Rock on Day 1 when Rollins pulls Cody out of the way. |
| 74 | ** Jimmy Uso is still obsessed with being better than Jey. Even after Jey wins their bout and wishes to bury the hatchet with his brother, Jimmy refuses to move forward. This culminates in Jey returning the favor during Cody vs Reigns at Night 2 and Jimmy's desires to fight his brother makes him rush out of the ring and onto the ramp, where they both get wiped out, costing Reigns one Bloodline member. |
| 75 | ** Damian Priest is so obsessed with retaining the RAW Tag Team belts that he wasn't paying attention to Referee Jessica Carr trying to warn him that the ladder he's using will break if he does another stunt. Miz and Truth, however, are aware of this with Miz climbing the ladder to get his attention -- just as the ladder buckles -- and R-Truth taking the time to slip in a new ladder, goading Priest to climb it before Truth pushes him off and out of the ring. In another match involving a member of Judgement Day, Santos Escobar and Domink Mysterio are obsessed with beating Rey Mysterio up for different reasons, Santos for what he believes Rey is overshadowing him and Dominik hating his dad in general by being a SpoiledBrat, but they are blindsided when Rey and Andrade gain extra help on their side. Take note that the only victories Wrestling/TheJudgmentDay had in the event were when they went beyond their personal obsessions and focused on finishing their jobs - Rhea defeated Becky clean and Priest later redeems himself by capitalizing on Drew's bitter obsession with Punk to make his cash-in and leave Mania as the World Heavyweight Champion. |
| 76 | ** Damage CTRL's desperate need to prove they are the strongest woman group in WWE makes them powerful enemies - in special, Asuka's quick ascension to power alienates Bayley, the former leader of the stable, to the point that she makes a HeelFaceTurn and goes against IYO, managing to triumph in the end, whereas the other women of the group get beaten swiftly by Naomi, Bianca Belair, and Jade Cargill. |
| 77 | ** The showdown between The Final Testament and Bobby Lashley plus the Street Profits is motivated by the obsession of both groups to get rid of each other - Kross's group as a statement of power and Lashley's to get vengeance because the Testament just keeps screwing their chances to gather more power in the card. |
| 78 | ** AJ Styles is annoyed with LA Knight being a cocky hotshot and wants him silenced, which is further aggravated by how they kept getting in each other's way during their Fatal Four match against Roman and Randy in the Wrestling/RoyalRumble. The annoyance goes to the point that in the build-up to the feud, AJ traveled to Australia to screw Knight in the Elimination Chamber. |
| 79 | ** [=iShowSpeed=] couldn't help but taunt Randy Orton throughout his match against Logan Paul and Kevin Owens and eats an RKO for his troubles. Logan Paul averts this, despite his cockiness: While he kept being a smug asshole, do note that in his match at [=WrestleMania=] and the build-up he did take care to put himself in theoretically superior positions to Owens and Orton, and he utilizes the fact that the two were fighting each other to get title by pinning Kevin after he takes an RKO. |
| 80 | ** The Rock crows that he's the Final Boss -- the big obstacle in Cody's path to being champion and also a literal boss -- and obsesses over the power and dread he gives to everyone, even beating Cena with a Rock Bottom after Cena decides to taunt him instead of just going for the punch. He quickly gets blindsided by The Undertaker, the ''true'' boss of [=WrestleMania=]. Undertaker defies this by simply going after the Rock then vanishing since he's already gotten his revenge on the Bloodline (and Paul Heyman by extension). Meanwhile, Solo's obsession with being the enforcer of the Bloodline and constantly kicking Cody around to support Roman when he should stay out of the way has him taken out by John Cena. |
| 81 | ** And you could argue Cody is the UrExample for ''positive'' obsession: His main goal since his return two years prior was to conquer the title his father never obtained and never really lost focus of this goal, although he had to deal with [[Wrestling/SethRollins occasional]] [[Wrestling/BrockLesnar obstacles]] along the way. However, he didn't let this obsession dominate his life, and never stepped out of bounds against Roman or anyone from the Bloodline even when they did it constantly and his heroic acts made him respected by many in the roster - including former bitter rival Rollins and former Bloodline member Jey Uso, who both end up being the keys in ending the Bloodline's reign of terror. |
| 82 | ** In parallel with the obsession theme, there's also an interpretation about "keeping your eye on the prize." The A-Town Down Under team (Grayson Waller and Austin Theory) wasn't as great as the other five teams of more experienced tag wrestlers, but their focus and opportunism allowed them to nab the Smackdown Tag Team Titles under everyone's noses. [[Wrestling/{{WALTER}} GUNTHER]] ends up losing his record-breaking Intercontinental Championship streak to Wrestling/SamiZayn because he ends up playing around too much with him, which allows for Sami to mount a comeback and seal the deal after applying a Brainbuster into double Helluva Kick combo. Likewise, while Seth loses his World Heavyweight Championship match against Drew because of his focus on ending Roman's tenure as a champion resulting in him being heavily damaged by the time they fight at Night 2, he manages to reach the latter achievement by playing a key part in the Bloodline's downfall. And Drew, by mocking CM Punk after winning the championship, [[TheDogBitesBack finally gets punished for it]], which allows Damian Priest to ambush him and cash-in the Money in the Bank contract to steal the title right under his nose. |
| 83 | * ChekhovsGunman: Sometimes overlapping with EarlyBirdCameo below (but not always): |
| 84 | ** VI: The driver of Wrestling/HonkyTonkMan's Cadillac turns out to be future Wrestling/{{WCW}} Legend and WWE Hall of Famer Wrestling/DiamondDallasPage. Future multi-time World Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} was also in attendance, as VI took place in Toronto, near Edge's hometown. |
| 85 | ** 22: One of Wrestling/JohnCena's entourage in his gangster car entrance is future five-time WWE World Champion Wrestling/CMPunk, who would go on to mention this in the run up to the 2011 ''Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank'' event. 22 (and the 2011 ''Money In The Bank'') took place in Punk's hometown of Chicago, which had been the base of operations for notorious gangster UsefulNotes/AlCapone. |
| 86 | ** XXX: Wrestling/TripleH's wrestling entourage are future multi-time Women's Champions Wrestling/CharlotteFlair, Wrestling/SashaBanks, and Wrestling/AlexaBliss. |
| 87 | * CostumePorn: ''[=WrestleMania=]'' gear tends to be more elaborate or eye-popping in favour of the event. Extra flamboyant accessories will often be donned for entrances. |
| 88 | * CurbStompBattle: |
| 89 | ** Part 12 has The Ultimate Warrior squashing Hunter Hearst Helmsley by no-selling The Pedigree. |
| 90 | ** [=WM34=] gives us Wrestling/TheUndertaker defeating Wrestling/JohnCena in under 3 minutes. |
| 91 | * DangerousTerrain: The Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) matches, which started with a Triangle Ladder match at ''[=WrestleMania=] 2000'' between Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} & Wrestling/{{Christian}} (winners), the [[Wrestling/MattHardy Hardy]] [[Wrestling/JeffHardy Boyz]], and the [[Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys Dudley Boyz]]. ''[=WrestleMania=] X-Seven'' had "TLC II" with the same teams; each team got a little help from a third party (Wrestling/{{Lita}}, Wrestling/SpikeDudley, and Wrestling/{{Rhyno}}, respectively), and there were several memorable moments, including the insane ''mid-air Spear'' that Edge delivered to a dangling-from-the-belts Jeff Hardy. |
| 92 | * DawnOfAnEra: |
| 93 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] X'' is the post Wrestling/{{Hulk|Hogan}}amania [=WrestleMania=] that features the rise of wrestlers like Wrestling/BretHart, Wrestling/ShawnMichaels, and Wrestling/ScottHall. |
| 94 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 13'' was the first event where wrestlers born in The70s (Wrestling/DwayneJohnson and Headbanger Mosh) competed at the show. It was also the event that saw the beginning of Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin's rise as a main event wrestler (which leads to the following entry). |
| 95 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=]'' XIV and XV saw the true rise of the Austin Era (and the Wrestling/AttitudeEra in general), as Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin won the WWF Championship at both shows (first against Shawn Michaels with some help from Mike Tyson, and then against The Rock). |
| 96 | ---> '''Wrestling/JimRoss''' ''[at [=WrestleMania=] XIV]:'' The Austin era has begun! |
| 97 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XX'' was the first event where wrestlers born in The80s (Wrestling/RandyOrton, Rene Dupree, Wrestling/JackieGayda, and Garrison Cade) competed at the show. |
| 98 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 21'' saw the creation of the Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank Ladder Match, whose winner (in this case, Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}}) is guaranteed a world title match before the next year's ''[=WrestleMania=]''. Every year since, people look forward to the match to see just who's going to get a world title push. It's also the ''[=WrestleMania=]'' where both Wrestling/JohnCena and Wrestling/{{Batista}} won their first World Championships (WWE and World Heavyweight respectively). |
| 99 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'' saw [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]]'s ascension to the top of the card after two brief title runs, and [[EndOfAnAge the end of]] [[Wrestling/TheUndertaker The Streak.]] |
| 100 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 31'' had both a wrestler younger than 'Mania itself (Wrestling/SethRollins) headline the show, and the first wrestler born in The90s (Wrestling/{{Paige}}) competing at it. |
| 101 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 35'' was the first ever with a women's match as the main event, with Wrestling/BeckyLynch winning a three-way match against Raw Women's Champion Wrestling/RondaRousey and [=SmackDown=] Women's Champion Wrestling/CharlotteFlair, claiming ''both'' titles. Wrestling/KofiKingston also became the first ever African born wrestler to win the WWE Championship. |
| 102 | ** [=WrestleMania=] XL was the first ''[=WrestleMania=]'' under the TKO banner, the first without Wrestling/VinceMcMahon and first fully booked by Paul "Wrestling/TripleH" Levesque. |
| 103 | * DecoyProtagonist: The Wrestling/RoyalRumble winner got the main event match at ''[=WrestleMania=]'', but starting from 2006, it's become common for them to sometimes be put as a co-main event. |
| 104 | * DefeatingTheUndefeatable: |
| 105 | ** [=WrestleMania=] X centered around the idea if anyone can beat Yokozuna for the Championship. He gets two separate challengers, and it is Bret Hart who defeats him. |
| 106 | ** One of the major stories of [=WrestleMania=] 21 is whether or not Kurt Angle can, if not beat, then at least outperform "Mr. Wrestlemania" Shawn Michaels. |
| 107 | ** "The Streak" of Wrestling/TheUndertaker was explicitly stated time and time again as having been a greater accomplishment than winning a world title ''and'' a guaranteed one-way ticket to the Wrestling/WWEHallOfFame, and that if someone ever managed it, they'd be able to brag about it for the rest of their career. And then, at ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', Wrestling/BrockLesnar shockingly did end The Streak. |
| 108 | ** A lesser example came at [=WM34=], when Wrestling/CharlotteFlair defeated [[Wrestling/KanakoUrai Asuka]] after the latter had gone unbeaten through her entire WWE tenure, including her year-plus run in NXT. |
| 109 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XL'' saw the end of three long title reigns in the 21st century; Wrestling/CodyRhodes ended Wrestling/RomanReigns' 1316-day Undisputed WWE Championship reign[[note]]and that is actually from his Universal Championship reign; Reigns' WWE Championship reign is also long at 735 days[[/note]], Wrestling/SamiZayn ended [[Wrestling/{{WALTER}} GUNTHER]]'s reign as the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in history at [[NumberOfTheBeast 666]] days, and Wrestling/{{Bayley}} ended [[Wrestling/IoShirai IYO SKY]]'s 246 days reign as WWE Women's Champion which was the third longest in the title's history. |
| 110 | * DemotedToExtra: ''[=WrestleMania=] 29'' was an example of several WWE wrestlers being left off the card in order to give more time for the three main events (Wrestling/JohnCena vs. [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]], Wrestling/TripleH vs. Wrestling/BrockLesnar, and Wrestling/CMPunk vs. Wrestling/TheUndertaker). This also marked the first time in 16 years that there wasn't any sort of women's match, as the one that was supposed to take place was moved over to ''Raw''. |
| 111 | * DeusExMachina: |
| 112 | ** Hulk Hogan infamously winning the Championship in an impromptu match at IX. |
| 113 | ** In XL, Cody Rhodes was saved from The Rock's attack by The Undertaker, of all people. |
| 114 | * EarlyBirdCameo: ''[=WrestleMania=]'' will sometimes use wrestlers from developmental as extras in some of the more elaborate entrances: |
| 115 | ** Wrestling/DiamondDallasPage was the Wrestling/HonkyTonkMan's Cadillac driver in VI. |
| 116 | ** Wrestling/CMPunk appeared as [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l7esVyWfUBQ/maxresdefault.jpg one of the gangsters]] in Wrestling/JohnCena's entrance at 22. This was acknowledged by him years later in a feud. |
| 117 | ** Wrestling/SashaBanks, Wrestling/AlexaBliss and Wrestling/{{Charlotte|Flair}} were the [[http://s3.postimg.org/9lozkxwyr/003.jpg trio of women]] in Wrestling/TripleH's entrance at XXX. |
| 118 | * EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: |
| 119 | ** When discussing bad [=WrestleManias=], ''2'' is given a mulligan despite some issues with the card, due to the still-experimental nature of the event at the time, as well as the gimmicky and one-time-only simulcast from ''three'' different venues, with closed circuit TV being used for folks at one location to watch the other two-thirds of the show. |
| 120 | ** The first ''[=WrestleMania=]'' has closing credits. |
| 121 | * EarnYourHappyEnding: Generally the case for ''[=WrestleMania=]'' main events, usually involving a face wrestler finally achieving his dream in front of a grand stage: |
| 122 | ** Wrestling/BretHart winning the WWF Championship at ''[=WrestleMania=] X'' after not only having lost it to Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} the previous 'Mania[[note]]Only for Yokozuna to immediately lose it afterwards to Wrestling/HulkHogan for a month before regaining it at King of the Ring[[/note]], but also losing his match against his brother Wrestling/{{Owen|Hart}} earlier in the night. |
| 123 | ** Wrestling/ShawnMichaels at ''[=WrestleMania=] XII'', winning the WWF Championship after a long (and by "long" we mean over an hour long) match. |
| 124 | ** Wrestling/TheUndertaker wins the WWF Championship at ''[=WrestleMania=] 13''. While this was his second reign, this was his first in over five years and his first legitimate with a considerable length[[note]]His first reign only lasted a week. This was also his longest run in all his seven World Title reigns[[/note]]. |
| 125 | ** Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin winning the WWF Championship at both ''[=WrestleMania=] XIV'' and ''XV'', with the latter even having Austin literally standing over Wrestling/VinceMcMahon. |
| 126 | ** Wrestling/TrishStratus wins her fourth Women's Championship at ''[=WrestleMania=] XIX'', tying her record with that of Wrestling/TheFabulousMoolah. Especially notable because she had been antagonized by [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]] and [[Wrestling/CarleneMoore Jazz]] for months. The Rock also finally defeats Stone Cold at this event. |
| 127 | ** Wrestling/ChrisBenoit at ''[=WrestleMania=] XX'' definitely qualifies. However, [[PaterFamilicide real-life events]] tainted this. Wrestling/JohnCena also won his first ever championship (United States) in the opening match. |
| 128 | ** Wrestling/JohnCena and Wrestling/{{Batista}} both winning world titles (the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship, respectively) at ''[=WrestleMania=] 21''. |
| 129 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 22'': Even though Mick Foley lost to Edge, he did finally get his own Mania moment after he was speared into a flaming table. Also, Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}}, in honor of his dear friend Wrestling/EddieGuerrero, surviving a triple threat match against Wrestling/RandyOrton and defending Champion Wrestling/KurtAngle[[note]]Rey won the Wrestling/RoyalRumble Match and was going to compete, but lost the chance to Orton at ''Wrestling/{{No Way Out|WWE}}'' until Wrestling/TeddyLong reinstated Rey back in[[/note]] and against all odds became "The Ultimate Underdog" to achieve the World Heavyweight Championship. |
| 130 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 22 and 23'': John Cena defeats Triple H and Shawn Michaels, respectively, and earns his spot as a made man in the eyes of the WWE establishment. |
| 131 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 28'': Wrestling/BigShow finally breaks his non-TagTeam victory drought at this event since his debut by winning the Intercontinental Championship, making him a Wrestling/GrandSlamChampion in the process (and the first to achieve this feat at this event at that). |
| 132 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'': [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] after slugging through all of 2013 and up to the beginning of 2014 against Wrestling/TheAuthority, Wrestling/RandyOrton and Wrestling/{{Batista}}, had to fight Wrestling/TripleH in a 25+ minute slobberknocker just to even get a chance to fight Orton and Batista and then had to survive everything thrown at him: the Authority, being taken through a table, sledgehammers, to the point that he had to be taken out on a stretcher--yet he ''still'' made Batista tap to the Yes! Lock and won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. |
| 133 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 31'': [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] again, this time by winning the Intercontinental Championship and becoming a Wrestling/GrandSlamChampion. |
| 134 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 33'': Wrestling/{{Naomi|Wrestler}} regains the [=SmackDown=] Women's Championship she was forced to relinquish due to injury, in front of her hometown crowd. |
| 135 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 34'': Wrestling/SethRollins wins the Intercontinental Championship, making him a Wrestling/GrandSlamChampion. This win also made Wrestling/TheShield the first PowerStable in wrestling history to have all its members achieve this feat. |
| 136 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 35'': Wrestling/KofiKingston, after eleven years of blood, sweat and tears, finally wins the WWE Championship, becoming a Wrestling/GrandSlamChampion. |
| 137 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 36'': Wrestling/BraunStrowman finally wins the Universal Championship, his first World Title. Same goes for Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre, who after getting fired, rehired and then crawling his way through the ranks, finally winning the WWE Championship and becoming a Wrestling/TripleCrownChampion in the process. |
| 138 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 38'': Wrestling/BiancaBelair has finally got her payback on Wrestling/BeckyLynch since ''Wrestling/SummerSlam'', by winning the Raw Women's Championship. Wrestling/SashaBanks finally scores her first [=WrestleMania=] victory since her 2015 (main roster) debut by winning the WWE Women's Tag team Championship with Wrestling/{{Naomi|Wrestler}}, herself winning her first gold in almost five years. |
| 139 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XL'': Wrestling/CodyRhodes finally defeated Wrestling/RomanReigns to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, ending the latter's three and a half year reign. Wrestling/{{Bayley}} defeated her EvilFormerFriend [[Wrestling/IoShirai IYO SKY]] to win the WWE Women's Championship, also a title Bayley only won once in her career over seven years prior. Drew [=McIntyre=] finally won a top Championship in front of a live crowd, short-lived though it was. Sami Zayn gets a huge triumph as a solo act in [=WrestleMania=] by [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable beating GUNTHER clean]] for the Intercontinental Title. R-Truth also gets his first Mania win. |
| 140 | * EndOfAnAge: |
| 141 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] X'': The first Mania post-Hulkamania and the beginning of [[Wrestling/WWENewGenerationEra the New Generation]]. |
| 142 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] X-Seven'': The end of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars and the Wrestling/AttitudeEra. |
| 143 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] X8'' was the last Mania under the WWF banner. |
| 144 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XIX'' saw Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin, ''the'' face of the Wrestling/AttitudeEra and WWE, work his final match (lingering injuries from the botched piledriver in '97 is partly to blame). |
| 145 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XXIV'' saw Wrestling/RicFlair work his final WWE match. |
| 146 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVI'' saw Wrestling/ShawnMichaels (who defeated Flair at XXIV) work his final match. He would return in a one-off match in 2018, but this is his official retirement as a wrestler. |
| 147 | ** The Wrestling/HellInACell match at ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVIII'' between Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/TheUndertaker (with Wrestling/ShawnMichaels as the guest referee) was billed as "The End of an Era", building on the fact that they are the last, largest wrestlers from the Wrestling/AttitudeEra still [[RingOldies actively competing]], and acknowledging the possibility that they may both retire soon; 'Taker due to [[DentedIron injuries and old age]] and Hunter due to his backstage responsibilities. |
| 148 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 29'': In retrospect, this was the last Mania to feature Wrestling/JohnCena in a World Title match or/and in the Main Event, which he's been in since ''[=WrestleMania=] 21''. The event was also the final time WWE's version of the Wrestling/BigGoldBelt was defended, as well as the final Mania victory for Wrestling/TheUndertaker with his streak intact. |
| 149 | ** At ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', Wrestling/TheUndertaker's Streak was finally broken, and it was referred to by the announce team as "truly the end of an era." |
| 150 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 32'' marked the end to the Diva Era, with the Diva moniker being retired, the Divas' Championship swapping out for a new Women's Championship and an actual match at the PPV as opposed to a celebrity segment, a lumberjill match, a multi-woman tag match or even worse, the infamous Miss [=WrestleMania=] battle royal which was won by [[Wrestling/SantinoMarella a man]]. |
| 151 | ** At ''[=WrestleMania=] 33'', Wrestling/TheUndertaker, after his second Mania loss to Wrestling/RomanReigns, apparently retires. This turned out to be a TenMinuteRetirement, as he came back to squash Wrestling/JohnCena at [=WM34=]. |
| 152 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 35'' saw Wrestling/KurtAngle and Wrestling/{{Batista}} work their final matches. It was also the first [=WrestleMania=] since 2000 with no involvement from Wrestling/TheUndertaker. |
| 153 | ** At ''[=WrestleMania=] 36'', Wrestling/TheUndertaker defeated Wrestling/AJStyles in a Boneyard match, which was later revealed to be Undertaker's final match. |
| 154 | ** At ''[=WrestleMania=] 38'', Wrestling/TripleH officialized his already-announced retirement by giving one final speech and leaving his boots in the ring, ending his career on account of severe heart problems. |
| 155 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] 39'', after the announcement of the sale to Endeavor the next day, turned out to be the last WWE event under [=McMahon=] ownership. |
| 156 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XL'' ends up as this, being the first [=WrestleMania=] fully managed by Triple H, the first in which Vince [=McMahon=] had no hand in producing (though [[Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon Stephanie]] appears to introduce the second night) and the one to change the champions, as the only ones to still retain their respective titles by the end of it were Rhea Ripley as Woman's Heavyweight Champion and Logan Paul surviving the triple threat with Randy Orton and Kevin Owens barely. |
| 157 | * FaceHeelTurn: Since ''[=WrestleMania=]'' is considered the final episode of that yearly chapter, one can expect some changes in previously heroic characters: |
| 158 | ** V: Rick Martel, who had recently returned after a several-month-long absence [[note]]in real life, to tend to his ailing wife; in kayfabe, he had been injured during a match with tag team champions Demolition[[/note]] and reunited with old tag-team partner and longtime friend Tito Santana (they called themselves Strike Force) for a match against Wrestling/ArnAnderson and Tully Blanchard (aka the Brain Busters). The reunion didn't last, as after a mistimed move by Santana sent Martel sprawling to the mat, Martel threw up his arms in frustration and walked out on Santana, turning a competitive match into a CurbStompBattle with Santana on the losing end. After the match, Martel explained that he was tired of having Santana ride his wave of success ("I'm sick and tired. Sick and tired of him. I was doing great as a singles wrestler, but Mr. Tito wants to ride my coattails some more"). |
| 159 | ** 13: Wrestling/BretHart. Technically a [[FaceHeelDoubleTurn double-turn.]] [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Austin]] as a heel that time was given more cheers and Hart decided to attack him after the match, solidifying himself as a heel. Backstage, Hart didn't feel comfortable about the idea due to his established babyface character but did it for the love of the business. |
| 160 | ** XV: Wrestling/TripleH, leader of Wrestling/{{D|GenerationX}}X, turning on his own group to join Wrestling/TheCorporation. Fans believe that this was the biggest impact on his career as it solidified himself out of Wrestling/ShawnMichaels' shadow. |
| 161 | ** 2000: Wrestling/VinceMcMahon turning on [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] to give Wrestling/TripleH a defending victory for the WWF title. Shane also turned on his man, Big Show; only Linda (aligned with Mick Foley) stayed against Triple H. |
| 162 | ** X-Seven: Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin selling his soul to the devil Wrestling/VinceMcMahon to win the WWF title. Despite being considered one of the best matches, fans never expected this to happen. Austin's heel turn didn't go so well and ended after ''Wrestling/SurvivorSeries''. This also was the closing the Wrestling/AttitudeEra that Austin was a part of for years. |
| 163 | ** XX: Wrestling/TrishStratus turning to Wrestling/{{Christian}} instead of Wrestling/ChrisJericho. |
| 164 | ** 34: Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura giving Wrestling/AJStyles a [[GroinAttack low blow]] after losing to him in the WWE Title match, and then proceeding to attack him. |
| 165 | * {{Fanservice}}: When WWE had ties to ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'', it was tradition for the ''Playboy'' covergirl to get a match at ''[=WrestleMania=]''. These matches usually took on this form. |
| 166 | * FinalBattle: |
| 167 | ** [=WrestleMania=] XIX had Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin and [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] battle for the third and final time at the event and it was their final match to end their epic rivalry. (It was also Austin's last match until he fought Wrestling/KevinOwens at [=WrestleMania=] 38.) |
| 168 | ** The HIAC match between Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/TripleH served as their "End of an Era" match at [=WrestleMania=] 28 and their third and final [=WrestleMania=] match against each other.[[note]]It wasn't until Super Showdown 2018 where the two fought again for the "last time ever".[[/note]] |
| 169 | * FinaleProductionUpgrade: ''Mania'' is THE biggest event of the calendar year in all of ProfessionalWrestling, let alone the WWE, so the company ramps up the production almost a year in advance. Giant, packed stadiums, the company showcasing the best they have to offer in addition to celebrity guests and all the fanfare... The event is not called "The Showcase of the Immortals" for nothing. |
| 170 | * FiveSecondForeshadowing: After Wrestling/BrockLesnar put Wrestling/TheUndertaker down with a third F5 in ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', if one paid attention, they could see Lesnar getting overwhelmed with emotion before using the cover pin to make sure Taker stayed down; they could also hear Lesnar manage to utter an emotional "Thank you, Taker" during the pin moments before the count of three, indicating that not only did Lesnar know he would end the Streak, but he had to do so under Wrestling/VinceMcMahon's decision and with Taker's blessing almost four years earlier. |
| 171 | * {{Foreshadowing}}: |
| 172 | ** At [=WrestleMania=] X-Seven, before his match against Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon, Mr. [=McMahon=] foreshadowed Austin's heel turn during his match against The Rock for the WWF Championship: |
| 173 | -->'''Mr. [=McMahon=]''': [[IWillShowYouX You want shocking? Tonight, you'll get... shocking.]] I guarantee it. |
| 174 | ** At [=WrestleMania=] XXX, right before the match with Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/BrockLesnar, there were fewer fans holding up signs that said "21-1". In the first few minutes of the match, the announcers said it would be a sad day if Taker lost to Lesnar. And when Brock got injured a few times, Wrestling/PaulHeyman kept encouraging him with, "[[YouPutTheXInXY You're the 1 in 21-1!]]", although Heyman didn't know that [[JerkassHasAPoint he would soon be proven right]] due to Wrestling/VinceMcMahon's decision. |
| 175 | * GagHaircut: |
| 176 | ** Wrestling/MollyHolly put her hair on the line against [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]]'s Women's Championship. When she lost, her head was shaved completely bald. |
| 177 | ** The Battle of the Billionaires at 23 pitted Wrestling/{{Umaga}} against Wrestling/BobbyLashley as proxies for Wrestling/{{Vince|McMahon}} and UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump. Umaga lost and Vince had to have his head shaved. |
| 178 | * GroinAttack: |
| 179 | ** Wrestling/ChrisJericho kicks Wrestling/ShawnMichaels in the groin after losing to him in their match at 19. |
| 180 | ** Wrestling/MickieJames's infamous implied-crotch-lick to Wrestling/TrishStratus at 22. |
| 181 | ** In 34, Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura gives one to Wrestling/AJStyles after losing to him in the WWE Championship match, certifying his FaceHeelTurn. |
| 182 | ** In 35, Wrestling/SethRollins did this to Wrestling/BrockLesnar followed by with three [[FinishingMove Curb-Stomps]] to win the Universal Championship. |
| 183 | ** In 39, Austin Theory nailed Wrestling/JohnCena below the belt to win the United States Championship. |
| 184 | * HeelFaceTurn: Much like the FaceHeelTurn, [=WrestleMania=] has brought the best out in one-time fearsome, nefarious characters: |
| 185 | ** The first [=WrestleMania=] provided the impetus for "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff to turn good, after ally Wrestling/BobOrtonJr accidentally hit Orndorff in the head and caused him and Wrestling/RoddyPiper to lose their main-event match to Wrestling/HulkHogan and Creator/MrT. |
| 186 | ** III: Wrestling/BrutusBeefcake, who had been part of a successful tag team with [[Wrestling/GregValentine Greg "the Hammer" Valentine]] (as the Dream Team), having been former Tag Team champions before hitting a slump by late 1986. With Beefcake becoming increasingly popular with fans despite being a heel, a storyline was devised where, on camera the two began spatting and newcomer Dino Bravo was starting to show more chemistry with Valentine. The straw that really broke the camel's back was during a televised match where a miscommunication led to [[Wrestling/AdrianAdonis "Adorable" Adrian Adonis]] cutting Beefcake's hair by mistake. While Beefcake helped Valentine defeat The Rougeau Brothers at the pay-per-view, the team argued and Beefcake was left in the ring while Valentine and Bravo left with manager Jimmy Valiant. Beefcake was portrayed as sympathetic and solidified his status as a good guy when, later in the show, he returned to ringside for Adonis' match against Wrestling/RoddyPiper, allowing Piper to score the win by preventing Wrestling/JimmyHart from interfering; afterward, Beefcake gleefully cut Adonis' hair, per a pre-match stipulation. Beefcake earned the nickname "The Barber" and quickly became hugely popular with fans. |
| 187 | ** VI: Wrestling/AndreTheGiant, in his last major pay-per-view match of his career, after he and tag team partner Haku had lost the Tag Team Championship back to Demolition (after Haku's superkick accidentally nailed Andre instead of Smash). Wrestling/BobbyHeenan was so upset at Andre that he (foolishly) slapped the big guy in the face ... and "the Brain" paid dearly (and so did Haku, who tried a sneak attack that Andre immediately stopped). |
| 188 | ** VII: Wrestling/RandySavage, after losing his "retirement" match with the Wrestling/UltimateWarrior, had a very emotional reunion with Wrestling/MissElizabeth; Liz stopped Savage's manager, [[Wrestling/SherriMartel the Sensational Sherri]], from kicking and beating on him post-match. After that, he went from "Macho King" back to "Macho Man". |
| 189 | ** 13: Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin, as part of the [[FaceHeelDoubleTurn double-turn]] with Wrestling/BretHart (see FaceHeelTurn above). |
| 190 | ** X8: After [[Wrestling/HulkHogan "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan]] loses to [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] in a match dubbed "Icon vs. Icon", they would shake their hands in sign of respect. The Rock would come back into the ring to save Hogan from Wrestling/KevinNash and Wrestling/ScottHall. This would be a standing ovation for Hogan after three years.[[note]]Before his match, he asked Nash and Hall to not interfere in his match with The Rock and wants to win this match clean. And during the match, the crowd cheered for him, despite being a heel.[[/note]] |
| 191 | ** XIX: Wrestling/KurtAngle acknowledges Wrestling/BrockLesnar as a WorthyOpponent and hugs him afterwards. He was out for three months but was a face when he returned. |
| 192 | ** 34: MIA since the Ultimate Deletion, Wrestling/BrayWyatt returns to help Wrestling/MattHardy win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. |
| 193 | * HeroicResolve: The big match at ''[=WrestleMania=] 13'' was the Submission Match between Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin and Wrestling/BretHart. Busted open, bleeding like crazy, and locked in Hart's signature Sharpshooter submission hold, Austin ''[[{{Determinator}} refused to tap out]]''; instead, he passed out from the pain in a puddle of his own blood rather than submit to Hart. If ''Wrestling/KingOfTheRing 1996'' was Austin's breakout moment, this was the moment that catapulted him into superstardom. |
| 194 | * HistoryRepeats: ''[=WrestleMania=]'' featured a lot of rematches. Sometimes thrice. |
| 195 | ** Wrestling/TheUndertaker had the most rematches. So far, he fought and defeated Wrestling/TripleH three times, while Wrestling/{{Kane}} and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels both lost to him twice. Shawn's losses were in consecutive Manias. Next to Taker with most rematches is Wrestling/RomanReigns, who fought against Wrestling/BrockLesnar three times and Wrestling/CodyRhodes twice. |
| 196 | ** The very first ''[=WrestleMania=]'' trilogy is of course, [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] vs. Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin (while the former only won at their third encounter, it was the latter's last match in nineteen years). The second was Wrestling/TheUndertaker vs. Wrestling/TripleH (see above). Third was Wrestling/BrockLesnar vs. Wrestling/RomanReigns. |
| 197 | ** Both Wrestling/TrishStratus and [[Wrestling/CarleneMoore Jazz]] fought each other for the Women's Championship in a triple-threat match twice at this event (first with Wrestling/{{Lita}} at ''X8'', then with [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]] the following year). The same can be said about Wrestling/BeckyLynch and Wrestling/CharlotteFlair (first with Wrestling/SashaBanks at ''32'', then with Wrestling/RondaRousey three years later) |
| 198 | ** Other wrestlers who fought in this event twice are; Wrestling/HulkHogan and Wrestling/AndreTheGiant (''III'' and ''IV''), Wrestling/BretHart and Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} (''IX'' and ''X''), [[MeleeATrois the three-way rivalry]] of Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} and Wrestling/{{Christian}}, the [[Wrestling/JeffHardy Hardy]] [[Wrestling/MattHardy Boyz]], and Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys (''2000'' and ''X-Seven'', with all three teams having a wingman for the latter), Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} and Wrestling/BrockLesnar (''XX'' and ''33''), Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/{{Batista}} (''21'' and ''35''), Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] (''XXVII'' and ''XXVIII''), [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] and Wrestling/JohnCena (''XXVIII'' and ''29''), Wrestling/JohnCena and Wrestling/BrayWyatt (''XXX'' and ''36''), Wrestling/RandyOrton and Wrestling/BrayWyatt (33 and 37; the latter in which Wyatt was "The Fiend"), and Wrestling/CharlotteFlair and Wrestling/RheaRipley (''36'' and ''39''). |
| 199 | ** Some wrestlers who actually fought at this event twice but were also in a multi-opponent match involving someone else. Namely; Wrestling/MickFoley and Wrestling/BigShow (competed one-on-one at ''XV'' before squaring off in a four-way with both Wrestling/TripleH and [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] the following year), Wrestling/ChrisBenoit and Wrestling/KurtAngle (fought in a three-way with Wrestling/ChrisJericho at ''2000'', a double-falls match for two titles Kurt held entering, before competing one-on-one in the following year), Wrestling/JohnCena and the Big Show (competed one-on-one at ''XX'' before squaring off in a three-way with Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} at ''XXV''), John Cena and Triple H (competed in a one-on-one match at ''22'' before competing in a three-way with Wrestling/RandyOrton at ''XXIV''), Triple H and Randy Orton (competed in a three-way with John Cena at ''[=WrestleMania=] XXIV'' before competing one-on-one the following year), John Cena and Wrestling/TheMiz (competed one-on-one at ''XXVII'' before squaring off in a Mixed TagTeam match at ''33'' that involved Nikki Bella and Maryse), Wrestling/CharlotteFlair and Wrestling/SashaBanks (competed in a triple-threat at ''32'' with Becky Lynch (who would wrestle another triple-threat with Charlotte three years later) before squaring off in a fatal-four way the following year with Bayley and Nia Jax), Wrestling/BrockLesnar and Wrestling/RomanReigns (competed in an impromptu three-way at ''31'' after Wrestling/SethRollins cashed in his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank contract before competing one-on-one without any distractions years later in both ''34'' and ''38''), and Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins (competed in an impromptu three-way at ''31'' after Rollins cashed in his MITB contract before competing in a proper singles match four years later). |
| 200 | ** Champions have walked out of this event with two championship belts five times: Wrestling/UltimateWarrior (Intercontinental and WWF in ''VI''), Wrestling/TripleH (Undisputed in ''X8''), The Colons (Unified TagTeam in ''XXV''), [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] (WWE World Heavyweight in ''XXX''), and Wrestling/BeckyLynch (Raw and [=SmackDown=] Women's in ''35''). Becky and Warrior were the only ones whose two-belt victories were for two separate titles; the other three were for individual titles being represented by two belts at the time. |
| 201 | ** Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin served as Special Guest Referee at this event thrice (''XX'', ''23'', and ''XXVII'') while Wrestling/MickFoley served twice (''XV'' and ''X-Seven''). |
| 202 | ** At [=WrestleMania=] XXIX, Wrestling/TripleH defeated Wrestling/BrockLesnar in a No Holds Barred Match at [=MetLife=] Stadium in which Triple H's career was on the line with a friend of Hunter's Lesnar had previously injured (Wrestling/ShawnMichaels) in Triple H's corner. At [=WrestleMania=] XXXV at the same stadium, Triple H defeated Wrestling/{{Batista}} in a No Holds Barred Match in which his career was once again on the line with a friend of Hunter's Batista had previously injured (Wrestling/RicFlair) in Triple H's corner. |
| 203 | ** At [=WrestleMania=] X, the Main Event was a rematch of the previous year's 'Mania Main Event between Wrestling/BretHart and Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}}[[note]]Or rather, ''scheduled'' Main Event, as Wrestling/HulkHogan would show up after the match to defeat Yokozuna in a quick impromptu title match afterwards[[/note]], where Hart, who lost the previous year's match to Yokozuna, ends up winning the rematch. Thirty years later, the Main Event of [=WrestleMania=] XL is a rematch of the previous year's Main Event between Wrestling/CodyRhodes and Wrestling/RomanReigns, where Rhodes, who lost the previous year's match to Reigns, ends up winning the rematch. Coincidentally, Reigns and Yokozuna [[Wrestling/SamoanDynasty happen to be cousins]]. |
| 204 | * HoaxHogan: In [=WrestleMania=] 36, The Firefly Fun House match between Wrestling/BrayWyatt and Wrestling/JohnCena had a section when both were part of TheEighties ''Saturday Night Main Event'' show with Wyatt in his Gym outfit mimicking and quoting Hulk Hogan in his Hulkster persona. Later in another section, they recreated WCW/nWo Monday Nitro where Wyatt became Wrestling/EricBischoff and now Cena appeared as Hogan in his Hollywood persona (including his "belt guitar" intro). |
| 205 | * ImportantHaircut: Wrestling/TheUndertaker cut off his hair in the build-up for 28, as he was preparing to fight Wrestling/TripleH in Hell In A Cell. He didn't unveil the hair until he was in the Cell. |
| 206 | * InvincibleHero: Wrestling/TheUndertaker's track record at ''[=WrestleMania=]'' is likely never to be topped: he was not defeated in the first 21 matches he wrestled at the event. (In an odd reversal, Undertaker and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels' match at ''[=WrestleMania=] XXV'', which was perhaps 2009's Match of the Year, was 'Taker's first one-on-one victory over Michaels.) Of course, after ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', Undertaker's record read 21–''1'', thanks to one Brock Lesnar. As of ''[=WrestleMania=] 36'', Taker's record stands at 25–2 (thanks to one Roman Reigns at 33). |
| 207 | * ItsAlwaysMardiGrasInNewOrleans: |
| 208 | ** 30 was set in New Orleans, and most of the TV spots were Mardi Gras-themed. However during the event itself, this wasn't [[DownplayedTrope really played up]]--Bray Wyatt had a Mardi Gras-themed entrance and Layla wore a carnival mask, but nothing else really. |
| 209 | ** 34, on the other hand, played this straight, with the ''entire stage'' modeled after a [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/WrestleMania_34.jpg/1280px-WrestleMania_34.jpg carnival mask]]. |
| 210 | * ItsTheBestWhateverEver: Every ''[=WrestleMania=]'' is billed as the best, most historic ''[=WrestleMania=]'' ''ever''. Until next year, of course. |
| 211 | * JustOneLittleMistake: Wrestling/BrockLesnar botching a Shooting Star Press at ''[=WrestleMania=] XIX'' against Wrestling/KurtAngle. The move is a diving backflip splash off the top rope and widely considered one of the hardest top rope moves to perform due to the rotation being the opposite of the momentum of the jump. Lesnar hadn't performed this dangerous maneuver since his time in WWE's feeder league OVW and put Angle way out of position, with Angle being closer to the opposite corner than the one Lesnar was jumping from. Lesnar under rotated landing just short of angle ''on his head'', by pure luck not managing to paralyze or even kill himself, suffering only a concussion then Angle (who had actually broken ''his'' neck previously and still wrestled fairly well) managed to get him through to an improvised finish. A common view in the wrestling community is the botch cost the match a position as one of the greatest matches of all time, although the botch has still entered wrestling folklore forever. |
| 212 | * LaserGuidedKarma: A running theme of ''Wrestlemania XL'' is the heels getting a richly-deserved comeuppance for being petty {{Jerkass}}es: |
| 213 | ** Wrestling/{{Gunther}} had Wrestling/SamiZayn dead to rights but decided to showboat and hit him with several unnecessary high-flying moves to humiliate him in front of his wife, giving Sami an opening to make a HeroicSecondWind, win the match, and end Gunther's record-breaking Intercontinental Championship reign. |
| 214 | ** Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre couldn't resist rubbing his World Heavyweight Championship win over Wrestling/SethRollins in the face of guest commentator Wrestling/CMPunk, who [=McIntyre=] had previously injured. He finally provoked Punk enough for Punk to beat him with his arm brace, allowing Damian Priest to cash in his Money in the Bank contract and end Drew's title reign after a little over five minutes. To rub it further, a few minutes before he [[TemptingFate tempted fate]] by making a tweet saying that he was "bored" in the middle of the fight against Seth. |
| 215 | ** Wrestling/RomanReigns ''finally'' got his just desserts for all the crap he pulled as the head of the Bloodline as all of his past enemies, Wrestling/JeyUso, Wrestling/JohnCena, Wrestling/SethRollins and Wrestling/TheUndertaker, showed up to help Wrestling/CodyRhodes even the odds and end his 1316 day WWE Universal Chamionship reign. To make it even sweeter, Roman still could have won the match had he hit Cody with a steel chair instead of the already injured Seth, but he was blinded by his desire for [[RevengeBeforeReason revenge]] for Seth betraying the Shield ''10 years earlier'', allowing Cody a chance to recover and get the win. Not only that, but all the other interferences in Cody's favor were of men that Roman challenged in the past: Jey, John Cena, the Undertaker and, last but not least, Seth. |
| 216 | ** Damien Priest and the rest of Wrestling/TheJudgmentDay harassed The New Day, #DIY, and ''especially'' R-Truth (and Miz) throughout the Road to Wrestlemania. All three teams help to defeat the team in some way, with Truth being the one to throw Priest out of the ring through an Attitude Adjustment and grab the Raw Tag Team Belts. |
| 217 | ** After being betrayed by Damage CTRL, Bayley gets revenge on IYO Sky, the one who would begin the fracturing of the group. |
| 218 | ** Wrestling/ReyMysterio's son Dominik (once again) and former LWO member Santos Escobar got what they deserved after weeks of tormenting the masked Hall of Fame luchador, with the help of [[Wrestling/AndradeCienAlmas Andrade]], the members of the LWO including [[Wrestling/CarlitoColon Carlito]], and the unexpected assistance of [[UsefulNotes/NFLOffensivePlayers Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson]] of the Philadelphia Eagles. |
| 219 | * MeleeATrois: While title matches are usually contested in one-on-one matches, some were contested in triple threat, fatal-four way, or even multiple opponent matches: |
| 220 | ** 2000: This year's Mania has the distinction of not having any traditional single matches on its card. The main event featured Wrestling/TripleH vs [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] vs Wrestling/BigShow vs Wrestling/MickFoley for the WWF Championship (HHH retained). Wrestling/KurtAngle vs Wrestling/ChrisBenoit vs Wrestling/ChrisJericho all fought for both the Intercontinental and European Championships (both called by Angle entering) in a two falls triple-threat match (Benoit won the IC title, while [=Y2J=] won the European, neither of which were by pinning Angle). The TagTeam titles were contested in the now iconic Triangle Ladder Match featuring the teams of Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} and Wrestling/{{Christian}} vs the [[Wrestling/MattHardy Hardy]] [[Wrestling/JeffHardy Boyz]] vs Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys (E & C won). |
| 221 | ** 2001: Wrestling/{{Raven}} vs Wrestling/BigShow vs Wrestling/{{Kane}} for the Hardcore Championship (Kane won), plus the Triangle ladder rematch from last year (E & C won again, in a TLC this time, with help from Rhyno and despite outside help from Spike and Lita). |
| 222 | ** 2002: The Women's Championship was contested in a triple-threat match between [[Wrestling/CarleneMoore Jazz]], Wrestling/{{Lita}}, and Wrestling/TrishStratus (Jazz retained). Meanwhile, the TagTeam titles were contested in a four-way elimination match between Billy and Chuck vs [[Wrestling/RonSimmons AP]][[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield A]] vs the [[Wrestling/MattHardy Hardy]] [[Wrestling/JeffHardy Boyz]] vs Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys (Billy and Chuck retained). |
| 223 | ** 2003: The Women's Championship was once again contested in a triple-threat match, this time between [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]], [[Wrestling/CarleneMoore Jazz]], and Wrestling/TrishStratus (Trish won). Same goes for the [=SmackDown=] TagTeam titles, which consisted of [[Wrestling/TheWorldsGreatestTagTeam Team Angle]] vs Wrestling/ChrisBenoit and Wrestling/{{Rhyno}} vs [[Wrestling/EddieGuerrero Los]] [[Wrestling/ChavoGuerreroJr Guerreros]] (Team Angle retained). |
| 224 | ** 2004: Wrestling/ChrisBenoit vs Wrestling/TripleH vs Wrestling/ShawnMichaels for the World Heavyweight Championship (Benoit won). The TagTeam Titles of both Raw and [=SmachDown=] were also both defended in fatal-four ways (both Tag Champs retained). |
| 225 | ** 2006: Wrestling/KurtAngle vs Wrestling/RandyOrton vs Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}} for the World Heavyweight Championship (Rey won). |
| 226 | ** 2008: Wrestling/RandyOrton vs Wrestling/TripleH vs Wrestling/JohnCena for the WWE Championship (Orton retained). |
| 227 | ** 2009: Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} vs Wrestling/BigShow vs Wrestling/JohnCena for the World Heavyweight Championship (Cena won). |
| 228 | ** 2014: Wrestling/{{Batista}} (the Royal Rumble winner) vs Wrestling/RandyOrton (the defending champion) vs [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] (who won his way into the match earlier in the night) for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Bryan won), while Wrestling/AJLee defended the Divas Championship against ''every other woman on the roster'' [[note]]That's thirteen opponents, specifically: Wrestling/NatalyaNeidhart, the Wrestling/BellaTwins, Wrestling/TheFunkadactyls, Wrestling/{{Layla}}, [[Wrestling/TenilleDashwood Emma]], Wrestling/EvaMarie, Wrestling/{{Aksana}}, Wrestling/SummerRae, Wrestling/AliciaFox, Wrestling/RosaMendes, and Wrestling/TaminaSnuka[[/note]] (AJ retained). |
| 229 | ** 2015: Wrestling/BrockLesnar vs Wrestling/RomanReigns vs Wrestling/SethRollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Seth won).[[note]]This was actually a traditional singles match between Lesnar and Reigns until Rollins cashed in his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank contract midway through[[/note]] |
| 230 | ** 2016: Wrestling/CharlotteFlair defeated Wrestling/SashaBanks and Wrestling/BeckyLynch to win the new Women's Championship (later rechristened as the Raw Women's Championship). |
| 231 | ** 2017: The Raw TagTeam Championship was contested in a fatal-four way ladder match involving Wrestling/TheBar, [[Wrestling/BulletClub Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson]], Wrestling/EnzoAndCass, and the returning [[Wrestling/MattHardy Hardy]] [[Wrestling/JeffHardy Boyz]] (the Hardys won). Wrestling/{{Bayley}} also defended the Raw's championship against Wrestling/CharlotteFlair, Wrestling/SashaBanks and Wrestling/NiaJax (Bayley retained), while Wrestling/AlexaBliss defended the [=SmackDown's=] championship against Wrestling/{{Naomi|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/NatalyaNeidhart, Wrestling/BeckyLynch, Wrestling/{{Carmella}} and Wrestling/MickieJames (Naomi won). |
| 232 | ** 2018: Wrestling/TheMiz defended his Intercontinental Championship against [[Wrestling/FergalDevitt Finn Balor]] and Wrestling/SethRollins (Rollins won). Wrestling/TheUsos defended their [=SmackDown=] TagTeam Championship against the [[Wrestling/LukeHarper Bludgeon]] [[Wrestling/ErickRowan Brothers]] and Wrestling/TheNewDay (the Bludgeon Bros won), while Wrestling/RandyOrton defended his United States Championship against Wrestling/BobbyRoode, Wrestling/JinderMahal, and Wrestling/{{Rusev|AndLana}} (Mahal won). |
| 233 | ** 2019: The main event saw Wrestling/RondaRousey, Wrestling/CharlotteFlair, and Wrestling/BeckyLynch in a three-way match, with Lynch winning to take the Raw women's belt from Rousey ''and'' the [=SmackDown=] women's belt from Charlotte. Both the [=SmackDown=] (Wrestling/TheUsos retained against Wrestling/AleisterBlack and [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]], Wrestling/{{Rusev|AndLana}} and Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura, and Wrestling/TheBar) and Women's ([[Wrestling/BillieKay The]] [[Wrestling/PeytonRoyce IIconics]] won the titles from champions Wrestling/SashaBanks and Wrestling/{{Bayley}} in a match that also involved the teams of Wrestling/NiaJax and Wrestling/{{Tamina|Snuka}} as well as Wrestling/{{Natalya|Neidhart}} and Wrestling/BethPhoenix) TagTeam Championships were defended in a Fatal-4 Way matches. |
| 234 | ** 2020: Wrestling/JohnMorrison defended the [=SmackDown=] tag titles against [[Wrestling/TheUsos Jimmy Uso]] and Wrestling/TheNewDay's Wrestling/KofiKingston (Morrison retained). Wrestling/{{Bayley}} defended the [=SmackDown=] women's title against Wrestling/LaceyEvans, Wrestling/{{Naomi|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/SashaBanks, and Wrestling/{{Tamina|Snuka}} (Bayley retained). |
| 235 | ** 2021: Night 2 featured Universal Champion Wrestling/RomanReigns, Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] for the Universal Championship with Reigns retaining his title. |
| 236 | ** 2022: Night 2 featured both tag team title matches, such as a triple threat with [[Wrestling/RandyOrton RK]]-[[Wrestling/MattRiddle Bro]], Street Profits, and Alpha Academy for the Raw titles (RK-Bro retained), and a fatal 4-way between [[Wrestling/TheaTrinidad Queen Zelina]] and Wrestling/{{Carmella}}, Wrestling/SashaBanks and Wrestling/{{Naomi|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/RheaRipley and Wrestling/LivMorgan, and Wrestling/{{Natalya|Neidhart}} and Wrestling/ShaynaBaszler for the women's tag titles (Sasha and Naomi won). |
| 237 | ** 2023: Night 1 has The Street Profits, the team of Wrestling/BraunStrowman and [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]], Alpha Academy and the Viking Raiders, which the Street Profits won, while Night 2 has four individual women team with Wrestling/RondaRousey and Wrestling/ShaynaBaszler the victor, along with [[Wrestling/{{Walter}} Gunther]], Wrestling/{{Sheamus}}, and Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre for the Intercontinental Championship with Gunther retaining his title. |
| 238 | ** 2024: A six-pack Ladder match challenge for the Tag Team titles featuring triple-threat match with the teams of Wrestling/TheJudgmentDay's [[Wrestling/FergalDevitt Finn Balor]] and Damien Priest, [[Wrestling/TheMiz Awesome]] [[Wrestling/RonKillings Truth]], Wrestling/TheNewDay's Wrestling/KofiKingston and Wrestling/XavierWoods, New Czech Republic, A-Town Under, and [[Wrestling/TommasoCiampa #D]][[Wrestling/JohnnyGargano IY]] with Awesome Truth and A-Town Under respectively winning the Raw and [=SmackDown=] Tag Team titles, and Creator/LoganPaul, Wrestling/KevinOwens, and Wrestling/RandyOrton for the US Title with Paul retaining. |
| 239 | ** Also, since XXX, there's the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which grants the winner a trophy in the likeness of Wrestling/AndreTheGiant. While it's not a part of the event anymore, it still is held in the pre-Mania Smackdown. |
| 240 | * NumberedSequels: Historically, most editions have used Roman numerals as part of their branding, although there have been exceptions, including ''13'', ''2000'' (16), the unusual ''X-Seven'' and ''X8'', ''21'' through ''23'', ''29'', and every one since 31 (29 and every edition since 31 don't even have numbers in their logos anymore) |
| 241 | ** Played straight once again for 2024's milestone 40th show, with the logo reclaiming the old Roman numeral convention as ''[=WrestleMania XL=]''. |
| 242 | * OddballInTheSeries: Thanks to [[RealLifeWritesThePlot COVID-]][[UsefulNotes/Covid19Pandemic 19]], ''[=WrestleMania=] 36'' will always be most remembered for being the show that went down in an awkwardly-silent Performance Center in front of an audience of ''zero''. |
| 243 | * OnceASeason: Wrestling/TheUndertaker takes on a legend or main event superstar and wins, an honor perhaps greater that being World Champion multiple times. Until 2014, he had ''never'' lost at the event, defeating the likes of Wrestling/JimmySnuka, Wrestling/JakeRoberts, Wrestling/GiantGonzalez, Wrestling/KingKongBundy, [[Wrestling/KevinNash Diesel]], [[Wrestling/SidEudy Sycho Sid]], Wrestling/{{Kane}}, Wrestling/BigBossMan, Wrestling/TripleH, Wrestling/RicFlair, Wrestling/BigShow and [[Wrestling/MattBloom A-Train]], Kane again, Wrestling/RandyOrton, Wrestling/MarkHenry, Wrestling/{{Batista}}, Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/ShawnMichaels (twice), Triple H again (twice), and Wrestling/CMPunk. And then ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'' [[Wrestling/BrockLesnar came]]... Fortunately he rebounded at the next [[Wrestling/BrayWyatt two]] [[Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon events]], but wasn't so lucky come [[Wrestling/RomanReigns 2017]]. He then surprisingly [[HesBack came back]] in 2018 to squash Wrestling/JohnCena. Returned two years later to send Wrestling/AJStyles to his grave. |
| 244 | * PassingTheTorch: |
| 245 | ** The Wrestling/UltimateWarrior defeating Wrestling/HulkHogan at ''[=WrestleMania=] VI'' to win the WWF Championship, seen as a "passing the torch" moment (even if it didn't fully work out). |
| 246 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'' was full of this: [[Wrestling/ClaudioCastagnoli Cesaro]] winning the André the Giant Battle Royal, Wrestling/BrockLesnar ending Wrestling/TheUndertaker's streak, and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] winning the main event. Unfortunately, Bray Wyatt didn't quite get Cena's torch. |
| 247 | ** Wrestling/BrayWyatt invoked this during the buildup to his match with Wrestling/TheUndertaker at ''[=WrestleMania=] 31'', saying that due to his loss last year, the latter can no longer be WWE's personification of fear. [[spoiler:Taker [[AvertedTrope definitely proved him wrong]].]] |
| 248 | * RealLifeWritesThePlot: ''[=WrestleMania=] 36'' was split into two nights to lessen the people in the venue due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. ''[=WrestleMania=] 37'' was also split into two nights, but with fans in attendance at a limited capacity. Since then, every ''[=WrestleMania=]'' became a two-night event. |
| 249 | * RedBaron: This event is christened as "The Grandest Stage of them All"; "The Show of Shows"; "The Showcase of the Immortals"; "The Biggest Show of the Year"; "The Greatest Spectacle of Sports Entertainment"; "The Granddaddy of them All". |
| 250 | * RetiredBadass: |
| 251 | ** Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin, the guest referee of Wrestling/BrockLesnar vs. Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} at ''[=WrestleMania=] XX''. What should have been a dream matchup was ruined by Lesnar's surprise decision to quit WWE to try out for the NFL, and [=Goldberg=] seemed to think the whole match was a joke. The only cheering was for Austin, who delivered a Stunner to both Lesnar and [=Goldberg=] after the match. |
| 252 | ** Similarly, at ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVII'' Austin was guest ref for Wrestling/JerryLawler vs Wrestling/MichaelCole. Cole spent close to 10 minutes beating on Lawler. To say that the crowd did not enjoy this would be an understatement. The end of the match then had the ''Raw'' general manager retroactively disqualify Lawler because Guest Referee Austin got involved in the match. Wrestling/BookerT and Josh Mathews also [[WhatTheHellHero got Stunners without doing anything]] - likely just an excuse to get [[Wrestling/JimRoss J.R.]] and King back together on commentary for the rest of the show. |
| 253 | * RivalsTeamUp: ''[=WrestleMania=] 2000'' is the only ''[=WrestleMania=]'' to [[GimmickMatches never have a true one-on-one singles match]] on its card. The main event featured four wrestlers, with a member of the [[WrestlingFamily McMahon family]] in each corner of a WWF Championship match: the champion, Wrestling/TripleH, had Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon in his corner; [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] had Wrestling/VinceMcMahon backing him; Wrestling/BigShow was backed by Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon; and surprise entrant Wrestling/MickFoley, who had been "retired" the month prior in a Hell in a Cell Match by Wrestling/TripleH, had the backing of Linda [=McMahon=]. In the end, Vince turned on The Rock and allowed Triple H to win, letting Triple H retain the WWF Championship against staggering odds, and made history as the first heel to win at a ''[=WrestleMania=]'' main event. |
| 254 | * SceneryPorn: Most of the stages from 1999 onwards invoked this. Beforehand, the Roman theme of ''[=WrestleMania=] IX'' is probably the most well-remembered part of the event. |
| 255 | * SeasonFinale: ''[=WrestleMania=]'' serves as one for most storyline feuds in WWE every year. While some rivalries continue after the event (which for many years was the theme for ''Wrestling/{{Backlash}}''), most rivalries in general end here and from then on, the company starts new ones. In the video games, the Career modes usually climax at a ''[=WrestleMania=]''. |
| 256 | * SerialEscalation: At ''[=WrestleMania XL=]'', the interfering parties in the main event got progressively more imposing. First, we have Jimmy Uso appearing to help Roman, only for his brother Jey to appear and Spear him into a table in the side of the stage of the entrance. Then Solo appears and [[CallBack gives the Samoan Spike on Cody like in the end of the fight against Roman in ''39'']], which then leads to a surprise return from Wrestling/JohnCena evening the odds for Wrestling/CodyRhodes as he handles Sikoa. Then, in a flashback to just over a decade prior, [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] marched to the ring and neutralized Cena with a single Rock Bottom. At that point, all the lights in the arena died and [[ForDoomTheBellTolls a familiar gong]] echoed across the stadium. [[OffscreenTeleportation When the lights returned]], the specter of ''[=WrestleMania=]'' itself, perhaps the only entity capable of [[OhCrap striking fear]] in the heart of The Final Boss, loomed over The Rock, and he was felled almost instantly by an [[Wrestling/TheUndertaker Undertaker]] chokeslam. |
| 257 | * SequelHook: ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVII''/''XXVIII'' seemed to like this trope a lot: |
| 258 | ** The ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVII'' main event between Wrestling/TheMiz and Wrestling/JohnCena was a slow, boring match that led to a double countout. [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] came out and ordered the match to continue, but it ended again about 5 seconds later with The Rock hitting the Rock Bottom on Cena and Miz retaining. The Rock then gave Miz the People's Elbow so the night ended with a semi-retired wrestler standing over The Miz, WWE Champion, and Cena, WWE's currently most popular wrestler. It was nothing more than a SequelHook for the main event for ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVIII'', Rock vs. Cena. |
| 259 | ** Wrestling/TheUndertaker refused to let his PyrrhicVictory over Wrestling/TripleH at ''XXVII'' be his lasting memory, thus demanding a rematch at ''XXVIII''. |
| 260 | ** The overarching theme of Wrestling/CodyRhodes' journey in between [=WrestleMania=]'s ''39'' and ''XL'': he lost to Roman right in the final moments of his bout with Roman, which leads to him waiting for an entire year for a new chance at winning the title in the grandest stage of them all. It even becomes the tagline for WWE 2K24, "Finish the Story." |
| 261 | ** World Heavyweight Championship contenders Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] also had a match at XXVII that was demoted to DVDBonusContent and led to a no-contest. |
| 262 | * SheCleansUpNicely: The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is the night before, and the inductees appear on stage all dressed to the nines (which notably has the female ones appear a few inches taller by wearing high heels). |
| 263 | * ShaggyDogStory: Wrestling/{{Sable}}'s feud with [[Wrestling/TerriPoch Tori]] leading into XV was based around Sable thinking she was better than her LoonyFan. Just when it looked like Tori was about to defeat Sable and become Women's Champion, Nicole Bass debuted and helped Sable win. The feud ended there. |
| 264 | * TheShowMustGoOn: ''[=WrestleMania=] 36'' was initially scheduled to take place in the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The logo for the event was even similar to the logo of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the local NFL team. But the 2019-2020 coronavirus outbreak canceled those plans, moving instead to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. It was the first WWE pay-per-view without a live audience. |
| 265 | * SpotlightStealingSquad: |
| 266 | ** ''[=WrestleMania=] XXV'' had an example that affected two matches: the event should have seen the Colón Brothers defeating Wrestling/JohnMorrison and Wrestling/TheMiz to become the first Unified Tag Team Champions. However, their victory was relegated to taking place before the actual card, to make room for a song performance by Music/KidRock (worse, the concert was taken out of the DVD release of the event). The following Divas' battle royal had several older past Divas returning such as [[Wrestling/TammyLynnSytch Sunny]], Wrestling/MollyHolly, Wrestling/TorrieWilson and [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]], but the Divas had no entrances for that match and came out dancing to Kid Rock, so no introductions for the past Divas. |
| 267 | ** The Wrestling/RoyalRumble winner should get a title shot at ''[=WrestleMania=]'''s main event, but Wrestling/JohnCena has stolen this spot every year since 2006, except in 2009[[note]]Rumble winner Wrestling/RandyOrton vs. champion Wrestling/TripleH, although Cena was still in the other title match[[/note]] and ironically, 2008[[note]]Cena himself won the Rumble that year but didn't headline ''WM 24'', an honor that went to Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} and Wrestling/TheUndertaker[[/note]]. The same thing happened in 2017 and 2018, but with Wrestling/RomanReigns instead of Cena taking the Main Event spot from the actual Winner (or in 2018's case, ''Winners''). |
| 268 | ** Occasionally a non-title match will headline and/or close out the show. The most notable in recent years is the rematch between Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and Wrestling/TheUndertaker at ''XXVI'' (which would be Shawn's retirement match), Wrestling/JohnCena facing [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] for the first time at ''XXVIII'', and [[Wrestling/KevinOwens The KO Show]] with Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin turning into a no-holds barred match at night 1 of ''38''. |
| 269 | * SquashMatch: |
| 270 | ** 1: This one started very early, as in ''the second match in WM history''. Wrestling/KingKongBundy defeated S.D. Jones in what was billed as nine seconds[[note]]Actually fourteen.[[/note]] |
| 271 | ** X-Seven: Wrestling/{{Chyna}} defeated Wrestling/{{Ivory}} for the Women's Championship in a mere two minutes. |
| 272 | ** 24: Wrestling/{{Kane}} squashed Wrestling/{{Chavo Guerrero|Jr}} for the ECW Championship in eleven seconds. |
| 273 | ** 28: Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} (infamously) defeated [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] for the World Heavyweight Championship in eighteen seconds. |
| 274 | ** 32: [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] defeated Wrestling/ErickRowan in six seconds. Wrestling/JohnCena then returned to help Rock avoid a subsequent beat-down by Rowan and Wrestling/{{the Wyatt|Family}}s. |
| 275 | ** 34: Wrestling/JohnCena [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor got what he'd been after for weeks]] when Wrestling/TheUndertaker came out and squashed him in less than 3 minutes. |
| 276 | ** 35: Wrestling/SamoaJoe defeated Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}} in one minute. |
| 277 | ** 39: Both nights saw co-host Wrestling/TheMiz squashed quickly and easily. On Saturday, Pat [=McAfee=] answered his challenge and pinned him down in less than four minutes. On Sunday, his co-host Music/SnoopDogg pitted against Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon, only for Shane to hurt himself out of kayfabe - at which point Snoop Dogg took over and beat The Miz himself in even less time than [=McAfee=] did. |
| 278 | ** XL: {{Justified|Trope}} with Damien Priest beating Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship in about eight seconds. Priest cashed in his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank contract on [=McIntyre=] after the latter's skirmish with Wrestling/CMPunk immediately after just winning said championship in a competitive match. |
| 279 | * StoppedNumberingSequels: [=WrestleMania=] 29 did not have the event number in the name. Mania XXX (30) had, but after that, the WWE stopped putting the event number in the name. Now calling it simply '[=WrestleMania=]' every year. The move ended up working well for WWE in 2021 as the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic forced them to change the venue of 37 from Los Angeles to Tampa (where they originally intended to hold 36). The old "[=WrestleMania=] Hollywood" logo for 37 was then repurposed for 39 when they announced that LA would be the host of that year. |
| 280 | * StunnedSilence: The audience of ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', when Wrestling/BrockLesnar broke Wrestling/TheUndertaker's streak clean. |
| 281 | * SuddenDownerEnding: |
| 282 | ** IX: Hulk Hogan defeats Yokuzuna in an impromptu match for the WWF Championship. Hulk Hogan was the Face, but still this twist makes no sense. |
| 283 | ** XIV: Shawn Michaels is betrayed for no reason by his new friend Mike Tyson. |
| 284 | ** X-Seven: Stone Cold joins forces with [=Mr. McMahon=]. |
| 285 | ** XXVII: John Cena loses his Championship match no thanks to the host, The Rock. |
| 286 | ** 31: Seth Rollins cashes in Money in the Bank to win the WWE Championship. |
| 287 | * TokenEvilTeammate: The Team ''Series/TotalDivas'' vs Team BAD & Blonde tag match at 32 had the former team as the faces. Wrestling/EvaMarie was part of that team and was the lone heel, as is tradition with her. |
| 288 | * UnexplainedRecovery: ''[=WrestleMania=] XV'' featured Wrestling/TheUndertaker defeating The Wrestling/BigBossMan in a plodding, boring, forgettable Hell in a Cell match. After the match, Undertaker had The Brood ([[Wrestling/DavidHeath Gangrel]][=/=]Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}}[=/=]Wrestling/{{Christian}}, then members of the Undertaker's Wrestling/MinistryOfDarkness) slip a noose down through the roof of the Cell so he could "hang" Boss Man. Big Boss Man suddenly showed up on ''Raw'' the next night as if nothing happened, and the whole thing was [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment never mentioned again]]. Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness [[CostumePorn attire]] and entrance was probably the best part of the whole thing. |
| 289 | * TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: With ''Mania'' being WWE's SeasonFinale, the FinalBattle for various feuds often times culminate in this event. |
| 290 | * WackyMarriageProposal: Wrestling/JohnCena did this to [[Wrestling/BellaTwins Nikki Bella]] following their victory against Wrestling/TheMiz and Wrestling/{{Maryse}}. |
| 291 | * WhamEpisode: ''Mania'' has certainly had its moments. |
| 292 | ** WM VI - Wrestling/UltimateWarrior defeats Wrestling/HulkHogan for both the WWF Intercontinental & World Heavyweight Championships, thereby ending, conclusively, Hogan's run at Mania where no one decisively beat him in a contest. It also marked a turning point for the WWF, as those who began following Hogan, starting at the point where he beat The Iron Shiek, were transitioning away from being fans of the company to embark in their own journeys in life, which triggered the very slow decline of the WWF's overall popularity. |
| 293 | ** WM IX - Wrestling/HulkHogan comes out and defeats Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} in an impromptu match. |
| 294 | ** WM 13 - {{Face}} Wrestling/BretHart and {{Heel}} Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin make a FaceHeelDoubleTurn after the former starts brutally beating the latter. It marked the beginning of Austin's rise as a main event wrestler and the beginning of the last chapter of Hart's WWF career. |
| 295 | ** WM XIV: Wrestling/ShawnMichaels drops the WWF Championship and goes on a long hiatus to recover from a lingering back injury. |
| 296 | ** WM XV - Wrestling/TripleH turns against [[Wrestling/DGenerationX DX]] and joins Wrestling/TheCorporation signaling his main event push. |
| 297 | ** WM X-Seven - Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin joins forces with [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Mr. McMahon]]. |
| 298 | ** WM XX - Wrestling/EddieGuerrero and Wrestling/ChrisBenoit win their respective main event matches. It becomes harsh to remember it considering latter circumstances, though. |
| 299 | ** WM 24 - Wrestling/RicFlair, retires (in WWE at least). |
| 300 | ** WM XXVI - Wrestling/TheUndertaker defeated Wrestling/ShawnMichaels in a Career vs. Streak match, sending the latter to retirement (at least for eight years). |
| 301 | ** WM XXX - Wrestling/BrockLesnar ending Wrestling/TheUndertaker's [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable undefeated streak]]. |
| 302 | ** WM 31 - Wrestling/SethRollins cashes in his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank briefcase during the main event and wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. |
| 303 | ** WM 33 - The [[Wrestling/MattHardy Hardy]] [[Wrestling/JeffHardy Boyz]] return to WWE and win the Raw Tag Team Championships. In the Main Event, Wrestling/RomanReigns seemingly retired Wrestling/TheUndertaker. |
| 304 | ** WM 34 - Wrestling/CharlotteFlair successfully retains her [=SmackDown=] Women's Championship against [[Wrestling/KanakoUrai Asuka]], [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable ending the latter's undefeated WWE streak]]. |
| 305 | ** WM 35 - Wrestling/BaronCorbin defeated Wrestling/KurtAngle in Angle's last match. |
| 306 | ** WM 36 - A Wham Episode ''before it even began''; WWE hosted this [=WrestleMania=] without a live audience at their Performance Center in Orlando due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. |
| 307 | ** WM 38 - Wrestling/CodyRhodes returns to WWE and defeats [[Wrestling/SethRollins Seth "Freakin'" Rollins]]. |
| 308 | ** WM 40- Cody [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Finished. The. ''Story'']] by ''finally'' beating Roman Reigns. On a lesser note, there's also Sami Zayn having a DarkHorseVictory and defeating Gunther, ending the longest Intercontinental Championship reign in history. |
| 309 | * WhamLine: Wrestling/SethRollins heads into ''[=WrestleMania=] 38'' squaring off against a mystery opponent. Weeks of heavy speculations are confirmed when the opponent's entrance hits with a prelude saying "[[Wrestling/CodyRhodes Wrestling has more than one royal family]]". |
| 310 | * WhamShot: At ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'', the graphics displaying Wrestling/TheUndertaker's ''[=WrestleMania=]'' record of [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/21-1_at_WM30.jpg/980px-21-1_at_WM30.jpg "21-1".]] |
| 311 | * WhereItAllBegan: The tagline for ''[=WrestleMania=] XX'' and its return to Madison Square Garden was "Where It All Begins Again." |
| 312 | * WorkedShoot: |
| 313 | ** The boxing match between Butterbean and Bart Gunn was real, and thus an aversion, but easily the least entertaining and the most pointless match of ''[=WrestleMania=] XV''. For a little context: earlier in the year, WWE staged the [[Wrestling/WWEBrawlForAll Brawl for All]] tournament, a set of legit shootfighting matches long thought to have been a way to reintroduce seriously legit tough guy "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. Bart Gunn didn't get the memo and knocked Williams out in the quarterfinals, eventually winning the tournament. Several WWE performers have gone on to state that the match against Butterbean (a five-time World Toughman champion and the reigning IBA Superheavyweight boxing champion) was a punishment, as it transformed almost instantly from ''Un''worked Shoot to ''Very Bad Shoot'' when Bart Gunn was knocked out two minutes in. That theory is bolstered by the fact that WWE released him not long after (and if some accounts are to be believed, ''right after Gunn returned to backstage''). Luckily for him, Williams had a huge following as a legit tough guy in Japan, so Gunn was able to have a long run there. All in all, Wrestling/RoddyPiper and Creator/MrT worked a better boxing match at ''[=WrestleMania=] II'', and that's saying something - that one was worked, however ([[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ektc_wrestlemania-2-mr-t-vs-roddy-piper_sport video]]). |
| 314 | ** The match between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker at ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'' had elements of this - referee Chad Patton wasn't told the finish and was instead ordered to treat every pinfall as if it was the match finish and to count to three unless there was a kick-out. When he counted the three count that ended the Streak, Patton was so shocked that he forgot to call for the bell. It very well might have been that, at ringside at least, only Lesnar and Undertaker knew the finish; once Patton made the three-count, the announcers were stunned into silence, and even Paul Heyman, Lesnar's manager, had his jaw on the floor. |
| 315 | * WritersCannotDoMath: |
| 316 | ** When Undertaker was set to face Triple H at ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVII'', they pretended that Triple H and 'Taker had never wrestled before. 'Taker said that he had "beaten 19 men" at ''[=WrestleMania=]'', when he had faced Wrestling/{{Kane}} and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels twice. He had said "18 men have come..." on the promo the previous year, which was accurate up until the second time he faced Michaels, with his two matches against Kane being balanced by the fact that one of his matches was a two-on-one handicap. |
| 317 | ** When promoting a ''[=WrestleMania=]'' milestone, WWE forgets that the number of the ''[=WrestleMania=]'' doesn't actually indicate how many years it's been since the first one. ''[=WrestleMania=] XXV'' wasn't actually the 25th anniversary of the first ''[=WrestleMania=]'', it was the ''24th'' anniversary. If you wanted to mark the 25-year anniversary of the first ''[=WrestleMania=]'', you had to wait until ''[=WrestleMania=] XXVI''. |
| 318 | * XMakesAnythingCool: The thinking behind naming the 17th and 18th installments ''[=WrestleMania=] X-Seven'' and ''[=WrestleMania=] X-8''. |
| 319 | * YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: The summation of the RAW commentary team's reaction to the RAW Tag Team Title Match at ''[=WrestleMania=] 34'', wherein the challenger Wrestling/BraunStrowman announced that his mystery partner would be a member of the WWE Universe (i.e. a fan from the crowd). Said reaction increased when Braun chose a ''ten-year old kid'' (named Nicholas) as his partner, again when Braun actually ''tagged him in'', culminating in the ultimate reactions of disbelief when they ''won'' the match. |
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