Sometimes even when everything seems to be going well, there's often one blip on what would have been perfection. Not even WrestleMania is immune to this.
Recently, I did a post detailing the best matches from bad WrestleManias. It seems only fair that I should switch it around to give the top 10 worst matches from good WrestleManias.
10, Undertaker vs Bray Wyatt (WrestleMania 31)
Although WrestleMania 31 could be seen as one of the best WrestleManias of the last decade, this match did let it down slightly. A mix of Taker and Bray working at a slow pace (due to Wyatt suffering an ankle injury) and the Undertaker's infamous WrestleMania streak being ended last year by Brock Lesnar resulted in an underwhelming 15 minute match.
9, Tazz and the APA vs The GodFather, Val Venis and Bull Buchanan (WrestleMania X-Seven)
WrestleMania X-Seven is widely considered not only the best WrestleMania of all-time, but the best PPV of all-time. However, this tag match went under four minutes and was clearly set up to kill time and warm the crowd into the latter matches of the card.
8, Red Rooster vs Bobby Hennan (WrestleMania V)
Rooster Irish-whipped Hennan, but had it reversed. Hennan missed a charge in the corner and Rooster pinned him. 31 seconds in total. Moving on.
7, Chris Jericho vs Triple H (For the Undisputed WWF Championship) (WrestleMania X8)
Now this is more of a mistake in terms of card replacement rather than an actual bad match. In Toronto at WrestleMania X8, Chris Jericho and Triple H had a very muted main event battle for Y2J's Undisputed Championship after the crowd was exhausted from a genuine dream match between The Rock and Hulk Hogan.
The build-up to the main event didn't have a hype package, was focused more around Triple H vs Stephanie McMahon (Jericho's manager at the time) and ultimately was slow and underwhelming, as often happens in a Triple H WrestleMania main event, and robbed The Rock and Hogan of a deserved main event slot.
6, Torrie Wilson and Sable vs Stacey Keibler and Miss Jackie (PlayBoy Evening Gown Match) (WrestleMania XX)
Looking at WWE's past treatment of Women's wrestling, it's amazing to see how far the company has come in legitimatising the athletic ability of Women rather than solely focusing on their physical appearances. However it's still slightly cringey to look back at this absolute mess from WrestleMania XX. I'm not even going to say go and watch it because it's a joke of a WrestleMania match.
5, Earthquake vs Adam Bomb (WrestleMania X)
35 seconds. Earthquake performed one move on Adam Bomb (the Powerbomb). Moving on (again!).
4, Akebono vs Big Show (Sumo Match) (WrestleMania 21)
The Big Show has had to do some real crappy things during his time in WWE but the fact that he had to compete in a sumo match (yes a SUMO match) on the biggest night in the history of Professional Wrestling has got to be one of the worst. The former WCW man had this 'match' for 62 seconds and ended with him being thrown out of the ring.
3, Butterbean vs Bart Gunn (Brawl For All Match) (WrestleMania XV)
The Brawl for All tournament of 1998 was a very, very dumb idea that saw Wrestlers fight for real (I know, what a ludicrous idea) and it resulted in a 35 second 'shoot', i.e. real, match were Bart Gunn was legit knocked out, as well as an appearance by the San Diego Chicken.
2, Kane vs Chavo Guerrero (ECW Championship) (WrestleMania XXIV)
From 2006 to 2010, WWE really did devalue the return of the ECW Championship, a belt that had been held by hardcore leaders such as Tommy Dreamer, Shane Douglas, The Sandman and Sabu.
An example of this devalue and neglect was at WrestleMania XXIV when Kane, who had earlier in the night won a battle royal to become Number 1 contender for the ECW title, beat one of the most underrated Wrestlers of all-time, Chavo Guerrero Jr, in 11 seconds. 11 SECONDS.
This was done by Kane coming behind Chavo and hitting him with a chokeslam. The reason this match ranks so highly is that Chavo deserved to wrestle a decent match as he was in the mists of a good heel champion run (something which many thought he wouldn't get in WWE). But no, they had to give it to Kane in 'dominating' fashion.
1, Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania XX)
The hype for Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX at Madison Square Garden, New York, was spectacular. When Goldberg debuted the day after WrestleMania XIX, fans knew that a clash between the WCW legend and WWE's newest star was inevitable.
It was set up for WrestleMania XX, with Lesnar effectively costing Goldberg his chance of winning the Royal Rumble and Goldberg costing Lesnar the WWE Championship against Eddie Guerrero at No Way Out.
Oh but then... but then.
It was leaked that both men would be leaving the company after WrestleMania, with Goldberg not renewing his contract (due to backstage politics killing his World Heavyweight title run) and Lesnar wanting to move to the NFL. The crowd rejected the match, chanting "You Sold Out!."
Whether through sheer laziness or pure nervousness, the duo didn't lock up for moments and generally worked a sloppy match.
Goldberg beat Lesnar but no-one cared and the only pop from the crowd was when special referee Stone Cold Steve Austin stunned both men before they both parted ways with Vince and co.
Goldberg spears Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX.
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