In the build-up to WrestleMania 32, the Flickering Myth writers look back at previous installments of the ‘Showcase of the Immortals’.
The Card:
Lex Luger & The British Bulldogs vs. The Blu Brothers w/Zebekiah
IC Title Match: Jeff Jarrett w/The Roadie vs. Razor Ramon w/1-2-3 Kid (Win by DQ)
The Undertaker w/Paul Bearer vs. King Kong Bundy w/Ted Dibiase
WWF Tag Title Match: Yokozuna & Owen Hart w/Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji vs. The Smoking Guns
Bob Backlund vs. Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart (I Quit Match)
WWF Title Match: Diesel w/Pamela Anderson vs. Shawn Michaels w/Sid & Jenny McCarthy
Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Lawrence Taylor
Lows:
For the second time on the annals of WrestleMania history, the WWF Title Match is wrongfully relegated from the main event. At ‘Mania VIII, promotions premier title was bumped down the card to make way for Hulk Hogan and Sid… this time around it was for a mid-carder and a former NFL player.
Once again, a WrestleMania event suffers due to Vince McMahon’s obsession with ‘Celebrity Integration’. Aside from diminishing the stature of the title (something that should be avoided like the plague by professional wrestling companies), this booking meant that much of the crowds excitement had been drained by the time the main event rolled around.
In fairness to the competitors involved, Bigelow was a great worker (especially given his size) and Taylor put on one of the better celebrity performances you’re likely to see in a ‘Mania ring. That being said, the match was a dud and unsurprisingly the crowd weren’t into it.
Highs:
The card’s most entertaining match was the one that should have been the rightful main event; Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel (Kevin Nash) for the WWF Title.
The in-ring action was excellent, with both men excelling. To this day, you’d be hard pressed to find a better in-ring performance from Nash, while Michaels was well on his way to earning his ‘Mr WrestleMania’ moniker.
Their efforts really served to draw the crowed into the match, culminating in a huge reaction when Nash kicked out at 2 from a Sweet Chin Music. Interestingly enough, Nash has since gone on the record as saying that the original plan was for him to assertively kick out at 1, but they changed that plan ‘on the fly’ so as not to bury HBK’s signature manoeuvre.
It’s also worth mentioning the supporting cast of this bout; Sid did a great job of adding to the drama on the outside, while the celebrities added a certain amount of pageantry.
Overview:
This was the first WrestleMania in which The Undertaker’s undefeated streak was acknowledged by an on-air commentator… and that’s about the most interesting thing I can say about this show.
WrestleMania XI wasn’t necessarily terrible (not compared to IX, anyway), it’s just incredibly dull. In fact, it doesn’t really feel like a ‘Mania show at all, but rather a run-of-the-mill PPV. Both the company and the roster were in pretty dire straits in 1995, and that is especially evident when looking at this edition of WWE’s flagship event.
It might not be the worst WrestleMania, but it’s certainly the least memorable.
Jackson Ball – Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn
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