The Ultimate Wrestlemania Countdown- Introduction

Wrestlemania 26 is rapidly approaching. So many lists over the years have looked at the best matches. They like to use numbers like “10” or “20” “50”. One writer has dared to take it to the next level. One Pro Wrestling Ponderings editor has decided to rewatch every Wrestlemania and provide a breakdown of every match that has ever taken place in the illustrious history of this event. From some of the iconic moments you can’t forget to the infamous moments you probably don’t want to remember, I will be spending some serious article space discussing all 252 matches that have taken place from Wrestlemanias 1-24. I will not be using traditional means to evaluate each match. See, star ratings don’t necessarily tell the story. I’ve created a 25 point system to quantify every main event, mid-card showstealer, mid-card stinker, curtain jerker, gimmick battle royal, pillow fight, and boxing match. I’m doing this since of course there have been 25 Wrestlemanias up to this point. Without further adieu, let’s go over the formula.
Match Quality= 10 points
This is your run of the mill star ratings put into points form. This part of the formula looks at the match itself. Is the psychology consistent? Were there any major screw-ups? For the main events, did they have that truly epic feel? Did the match flow logically from point to point? These are all crucial questions that will decide this portion of the formula. You can expect Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage and Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart to be some of the best examples of match quality. The most important thing to me is that match quality is really only a small part of what makes a match something special.
Historical Significance= 5 points
Particularly for Wrestlemania, I think this is crucial. This part of the formula asks some crucial questions. How well is it remembered? How did the match affect future Wrestlemanias? How did the match change the face of the wrestling business? What did this match mean for a particular wrestler or era in the sport? In particular for a match like Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, I think the history involved is more important than how the match turned out. And for some of the ladder matches, they might be fun to watch, but may not have any real meaning to them.
Entertainment Value= 10 points
This is the part of the formula that has the most wiggle room. A match like Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg might be a terrible match, but the fact that the crowd was so into it and chanting up a storm certainly makes it a far more entertaining match then it had any right to be. On the other hand, TAKA Michinoku vs. Agulia might be fun to watch, but the crowd sitting on their hands takes something away from it. Announcing is also a part of entertainment. It’s always the little things, like when Jesse Ventura provided the tale of the tape before the Wrestlemania III main event or Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon’s spectacular work during the Randy Savage/Ric Flair match at Wrestlemania 8.
Feel free to agree or disagree with my rankings but if nothing else, I will talk about every match and why it is ranked where its’ ranked. The farther up the ladder I go, the more I will try and illustrate why a certain match was so noteworthy. Before I end my introduction to this series of columns, there is just one more question I feel I have to address.
Chris Benoit
If I’m to evaluate all 252 Wrestlemania matches, all seven Chris Benoit matches must be thrown into the mix. I do not consider myself a moral judge of any sort. And I want to make it clear that my evaluating his matches is not me defending what he did, but simply talking about him as a wrestler. I think it would be very disrespectful to the opponents he worked with to simply not talk about him. So Chris Benoit’s matches will be ranked as all the others are. If people don’t want to watch his matches anymore, I have no problem with that. But pretending he didn’t exist is extremely asinine. So yes, I will talk about him. And believe me, I can think of at least two matches that will be ranked quite high on this list. I think talking about his matches is really the only fair to do this.
Ring of Honor and Dragon Gate
While Wrestlemania is the signature event of the pro wrestling world, it has become an all-encompassing weekend in recent years as companies such as Ring of Honor have piggy-backed to put on shows that in a lot of cases featured better wrestling than the major league WWE. In addition to this list, I’ll also be putting up full reviews of every Ring of Honor show that they’ve run over Mania weekend, including At Our Best, an event that took place in the shadow of New York city the night before Wrestlemania 20. I will also be reviewing the first ever Ring of Honor show I attended live. Because Dragon Gate was such a focal point in three of the five years, it’s only appropriate that their involvement be covered since they’ll be running shows on their own March 26th and March 27th. Those reviews will begin next Wednesday.
Conclusion
I certainly hope you enjoy this thorough and exhaustive list. Hopefully, there are some surprises and discoveries along the way. But the most important thing to remember is this is one man’s list. I’ll see you all next Thursday for the start of the most comprehensive Wrestlemania list ever.