Wrestlemania - Has it lost its aura?

[Valheru]

Well has it? or am I just stuck in the past?

If it has, why do you think it has?

For me Wrestlemania used to not only be the pinnacle (It still is I suppose) but it used to be where major storylines culminated and significant moments in wrestling history occurred. Thinking back to the first 20 wrestlemanias and they are littered with such moments including Hogan/Andre, Savage/Hogan, Hogan/Warrior, HBK/Razor ladder match, Austin/Hart, Austin/HBK, Austin/Rock x 3, TLC and the triple threat at WM20 just to name a few.

On top of those matches, the first 20 shows were littered with other moments/matches and were largely enjoyable shows. Even the duds like WM4, WM9 and WM11 are noteworthy for one reason or another.

After WM20, these moments and matches get a bit thin. WM21 and 22 were good shows TBF but the only noteworthy items that immediately jump to my mind post WM20 are HBK/Taker x 2, Edge/Foley, McMahon/Trump, HHH/Taker x 2, Brock ending the streak and the Daniel Bryan show at WM30.

I could rattle off the main events of the first 20 manias (as well as other matches) without even thinking and the next 5 after that with some thought but thereafter I struggle to even remember what was on the shows.

For me the reason is that it just doesn't seem as special anymore, it is over engineered, way too long and just feels like a longer version of any other show they do albeit in a stadium.

 

[The Vaulting Violinist]

I tend to agree, although it’s reflective of the broader product IMO. They’ve really managed to lose their way, and the brand split just makes it worse as it reduces the number of dream matches they can realistically pull off.

I have to admit to not watching much wrestling from about WM18-30 though, so maybe I’m not the best judge. The WMs since I’ve come back have been pretty ordinary, apart from a few sporadic matches like randy orton a few years back when he did that crazy rko

 

[Big Pete]

I wouldn't say they've lost it, it's just different.

With very few exceptions, Wrestlemania wasn't always the spectacle we've come to know it as. Outside of III, VI and VIII the shows were typically held in regular arenas and the shows would live and die based on one match.

Outside of Wrestlemania XIV and XXI the build-up to every Wrestlemania since the advent of Monday Night Raw has been lackluster.

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

Agree with an above sentiment, it's just different. Wrestlemania is now about the weekend, the HOF, NXT, AXXESS (sp?) etc, not to mention all the indy piggyback shows.

If you're watching at home, it's about getting together, ordering a bunch of pizzas, wings, smashing the brews in etc. That's what my mates and I do here in the Peoples Republic. It's an excuse to catch up void of our better halves haha

 

[Hawkins]

If you're watching at home, it's about getting together, ordering a bunch of pizzas, wings, smashing the brews in etc. That's what my mates and I do here in the Peoples Republic. It's an excuse to catch up void of our better halves haha

In Oz Wrestlemania starts at 8am. Not a good time for pizza and brews unless you want to watch the main event on your laptop in the shitter.

 

[Iafeta]

For me, it’s definitely different but hey, for me it’s probably a shelf life/generational thing. I think in a high portion of cases, there’s a certain age where wrestling is the thing. And then when it evolves it transitions out of your generation and becomes boring.

I look at the likes of Jim Cornette, Rip Rogers and a few others on twitter. They can’t get the current wrestling trend. And I see exactly where they come from. I don’t see selling. I don’t see psychology. At least not to the same degree. Kayfabe to a certain degree was so strong that selling was incredibly important. Yet what Jim and Rip and the likes won’t agree was how stupid stuff from their era also was. Some of the gimmicks were ridiculous rubbish. No way was it believable. And the matches really in a lot of cases were poor. The athletes today are a mile better.

Wrestlemania to me is the same. It’s overproduced. It’s so black and white with their scripting. There’s a formula. I guess because it works in a majority for the demographic they’re after.

TLDR. Are you getting old like me?

 

[mackdadday]

I think four years of Reigns main eventing was the castration of Wrestlemania.

 

[Big Pete]

I will say that the Super-Shows in Saudi Arabia and Melbourne have taken away some of the grandeur from Wrestlemania. Before seeing guys like The Undertaker, Triple H and Shane McMahon perform felt novel because it'd only happen once or twice a year. Now we've seen them so often and they're so broken down that it's like watching Hollywood Hogan, The Warrior and Roddy Piper perform in WCW 1998.

I also agree with mackdaddy that this Shield-Brock Lesnar storyline has dragged on for five years now and nobody wanted it in the first place.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

I'm old.

I know its the grandest stage of them all, and its usually the most exciting PPV (bar Rumble) of the WWE calendar but I too don't get nearly as excited. Last one I truly loved was WM22 - Foley/Edge, Rey winning the title, HBK/Vince

Since then, as mentined we've had HBK/Flair, HBK/Taker X2, Taker/Lesnar, DB title win.....then what? Rock/Cena X2, ....hmmph.

 

[The Vaulting Violinist]

I also think it has a lot to do with how they overhype other events around it. Every PPV is now billed as must watch, once in a lifetime and other bullshit hyperbole that it leaves them no pedestal to put wrestlemania on. The long shows, pre game bullshit and easy access to PPVs all contribute as well to nothing really being special anymore

 

[___]

WWE as a hole has lost it's aura. All WWE care about is more or everything. Longer PPVs, longer live shows, that's all they care about. Have you seen the WWE Network? 95% of stuff on that channel is SHIT. The only good things are the old matches you can watch from the Attitude Era. All this crap now is just junk.

If WM is 6 hours, I will watch it over 2 days (3 hours each).
If WM is over 6 hours, I will not watch it!

 

[Iafeta]

6 hours is utter rubbish. It’s like when Nitro went from 2 to 3 hours. Just became filler. I can’t stand movies that are 3 hours let alone fake athletics that are 6 hours.

 

[Styles clash]

WWE stopped putting effort or planning into storylines, and started wheeling out old timers every year for the headline matches.

 

[ek999]

WWE stopped putting effort or planning into storylines, and started wheeling out old timers every year for the headline matches.

Can't agree with that - only old timers with a match this year is HHH vs Batista.

I think the build this year has been really good. Women's 3-way, Bryan vs Kofi (I assume will be a match), Miz vs Shane, Seth vs Brock and Reigns vs McIntyre have all had a decent length story line leading in. Orton vs Styles should be great too.

 

[The Vaulting Violinist]

McIntyre has no depth to his character. Yawn

Everything on raw outside of the three way dance has been utter dross

 

[Styles clash]

Can't agree with that - only old timers with a match this year is HHH vs Batista.

Triple H
Batista
Shane McMahon
Kurt Angle
Brock Lesnar

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

This has to be probably the least exciting WM cards ....ever.

That's even with Kurts and likely Triple Hs last matches...

The only ones Im looking forward to are Kofi/Daniel if its on, and the womens triple threat.

 

[The Vaulting Violinist]

current card -

• Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair (Raw women’s championship)
• Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins (Universal championship)
• Bryan (c) v Kingston
• Triple H vs. Batista (No Holds Barred)
• Shane McMahon vs. The Miz
• Lashley (c) v Balor
• Reigns v McIntyre
• Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin?? (Chances this could be changed)
• Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Tony Nese (Cruiserweight championship)
• AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton
• Sasha Banks and Bayley vs. Natalya and Beth Phoenix vs. Nia Jax and Tamina (Raw Women's Tag-Team Championships)
• Samoa Joe (c) vs. Rey Mysterio (U.S. championship)
• Asuka (c) vs. TBA (SmackDown women’s championship)
• Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

I'd expect The Revival to be added, maybe against Ricochet/Black. Also, the Smackdown tag titles. Soooooo...being conservative, that is 16 matches. How the f**k do the WWE expect fans to stay interested for that long?

At this stage i won't be watching. Ridiculous card and really only interested in the female 3 way, Buddy and Joe v Mysterio

 

[Valheru]

At least 3 matches will be on the 2 hour pre-show.

Still, the main card will go ~6 hours which is ludicrous.

 

[ek999]

Triple H
Batista
Shane McMahon
Kurt Angle
Brock Lesnar

Triple H and Batista are the only real old timers. Shane McMahon is full time and will continue to be so, Angle is fulltime but retiring and Lesnar is active (and the champ so he has to be on it).

There is less this year than there has been in previous years