Welcome to the latest edition of our WrestleMania Rewind series, written by yours truly, exclusively for everyone here at SLTD Wrestling. The aim of WrestleMania Rewind is to review every WrestleMania in roughly 2,000 words. Click here to read the series so far.
You find me in a terrific mood today because I’m reviewing my favourite PPV of all-time! It’s WrestleMania 17 from the Houston Astrodome, which took place on April 1st, 2001. JR and Paul Heyman took care of commentary. Another tick in my book! Let’s get to it!
Match 1: WWF Intercontinental Championship – Chris Jericho (c) vs William Regal
Jericho uses his quickness early and gets a 2-count from a reverse elbow off the top rope. Regal targets Jericho’s left shoulder. Great psychology. Regal gets a 2-count off an arm-wringer. Jericho misses a Lionsault. Regal gets a 2-count from a roll-up and an overhead throw. Regal exposes the turnbuckle and throws Jericho into it.
Regal lands a tremendous double-underhook suplex from the top rope for 2, and counters the Walls of Jericho into the Regal Stretch. Jericho sends Regal into the exposed turnbuckle. He connects with a suplex and the Lionsault to retain the title.
Opinion: A fantastic opener to the show. Any time you get to see Jericho and Regal doing their thing is brilliant, and the crowd were hot for it.
Match 2: Right to Censor vs APA & Tazz
Faarooq and Bull start, and Faarooq gets a 2-count from a powerslam. The heels isolate Tazz and the Goodfather gets a 2-count from a back suplex. Hot tag to Bradshaw. He lands a Fallaway Slam on Venis, as well as a back suplex from the top rope. Bradshaw picks up the win courtesy of a Clothesline from Hell.
Opinion: A squash match with the babyfaces going over. Again, a lot of crowd heat for this match. Mainly filler, but fun for what it was.
Match 3: Triple-Threat Match for the WWF Hardcore Championship – Raven (c) vs Kane vs Big Show
Kane launches Raven into Big Show outside, then lands a flying clothesline from the top rope on Show. They fight through the crowd and backstage, where Kane throws Raven through a window! Kane and Show then fight through a wall! They fight back to the stage where Show picks up Raven, and Kane boots them off the stage, following up with a legdrop to win the title.
Opinion: A fairly brutal, physical triple-threat. The spot with the window was sick. Kane threw Raven at some speed. It looked great visually, but made me cringe a bit. It kept the momentum going.
Match 4: WWF European Championship Match – Eddie Guerrero vs Test (c)
Test uses his power early and dominates, getting a couple of 2-counts. Eddie gets the advantage when Test is tied up in the ropes and works Test’s legs. He puts the big man in a sleeper. Test gets back in it and earns a 2-count from a tilt-a-whirl into a powerbomb.
Eddie low-blows Test with the ref’s back turned. Saturn nails Test with a driver of some kind. Test comes back and lands a Pumphandle Powerslam for 2. Test has it won with a big boot, but Malenko pulls the ref out. Eddie nails Test with the title belt to pick up the win.
Opinion: A lot of shenanigans aided Eddie’s win, but that’s to be expected when the challenger is a heel. Good stuff from all concerned.
Match 5: Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Great mat-based chain wrestling to start, with neither man getting the advantage. Angle sends Benoit outside, crashing into the steps, and gets a 2-count from a suplex. Angle has the advantage now and lands a couple of overhead belly-to-belly throws for another nearfall. Benoit’s back in it and gets a succession of nearfalls from various suplexes.
They exchange counters of submission moves. There’s a ref bump. Angle taps to the Crossface, but there’s no ref. Angle lands the Angle Slam for a 2-count, but misses a moonsault. Benoit gets a nearfall from a top rope headbutt. Angle low-blows Benoit with the ref’s back turned and rolls through a Crossface into a pin, holding the tights to win.
Opinion: You can’t deny or argue with, the quality of the matches the Canadian guy had, but knowing what he did in 2007 makes it very uncomfortable to watch.
Match 6: WWF Women’s Championship – Ivory (c) vs Chyna
Ivory’s offense has little-to-no effect. Chyna wins easily with a powerbomb and a press slam.
Opinion: A squash to put Stephanie…I mean Chyna over. Nothing to write home about.
Match 7: Street Fight – Shane McMahon vs Vince McMahon
You’ll be surprised to learn that this wasn’t a masterpiece folks! Foley’s the special guest ref for this one. Unsurprisingly, Shane leads the match and pummels Vince for most of the first 10 minutes. He blasts Vince with a monitor and goes to elbow him through the Spanish Announce Table, but Vince avoids contact and Shane crashes through it.
Trish wheels a comatose Linda McMahon out (remember, she’d had a “nervous breakdown” people) before slapping Vince and chasing Stephanie backstage. Vince blasts Foley in the back twice with a chair and puts Linda into the ring. Vince rattles Shane with trash cans. Linda sits up and kicks Vince in the balls! Shane hits the Coast to Coast with a trash can to beat his dad.
Opinion: The less said about it, the better. It ended the Vince/Trish/Linda story that had gone on and gave Shane momentum heading into the Invasion angle.
Match 8: TLC Match for the WWF Tag-Team Championships – Edge & Christian vs The Hardys vs The Dudleys (c)
E&C get sent out early. The Hardys hit double Poetry in Motion on the Dudleys. Edge clotheslines Matt off a ladder, before Jeff lands Poetry in Motion to knock Edge off one. The Dudleys follow up on Edge with the Wazzzzup! JR floored me with the line “that’ll adversely affect your sexual drive”. The Dudleys set some tables up, and Bubba powerbombs Jeff through Edge on a table. They set up four tables outside. There’s three ladders in the middle of the ring, and all six men crash and burn.
Spike Dudley comes out and bulldogs Christian through a table. Rhyno comes out and GORES Matt through a table. Lita comes out and hurricanranas Rhyno. The Dudleys hit the Dudleyville Device on Rhyno, then 3-D Lita. E&C take Bubba out, and Jeff sets up a giant ladder at ringside. He Swantons Rhyno and Spike through a table.
Jeff climbs a ladder and hangs from the belts, allowing Edge to spear him TWENTY FEET IN THE AIR to the floor! Bubba and Matt climb the giant ladder. Rhyno pushes them off, sending them crashing into the four tables outside! E&C grab the belts, with an assist from Rhyno, to win.
Opinion: Awesome, awesome stuff. In this match, you’ll get some of the best spots you’re ever likely to see. Arguably the best gimmick match of all-time.
Match 9: Gimmick Battle Royal
This doesn’t last long. It comes down to the Iron Sheik, Hillbilly Jim, Sgt Slaughter and Brother Love. Hillbilly Jim eliminates both Sarge and Brother Love before the Sheik eliminates him to win.
Opinion: Simple. Good to see the old timers wheeled out and, as ever, Iron Sheik number 1. Iran number 1. America? Pht!
Match 10: Undertaker vs HHH
They brawl outside early and HHH goes through a table. Taker’s all over HHH until HHH armdrags Taker off the top rope when he’s going for Old School. HHH follows up with a neckbreaker for a 2-count. He gets a succession of nearfalls off a swinging neckbreaker. HHH goes for his sledgehammer, but the ref takes it from him. Taker slingshots HHH into the referee and gets a 2-count from a chokeslam. Taker assaults the ref and goes back to whipping HHH.
They brawl at ringside and through the crowd. Taker has the best of it until HHH blasts him with a chair. Taker chokeslams HHH off a sound rig and follows up with an elbow drop. They brawl back to the ring. Taker goes to use the sledgehammer. HHH boots him square in the balls, only for Taker to reply with a big boot. Taker lands a Tombstone, but there’s no ref.
Taker goes for the Last Ride. HHH grabs his sledgehammer and blasts him with it to get a 2-count. HHH mounts Taker in the corner with punches, allowing Taker to hit the Last Ride and win.
Opinion: A personal match that was as physical as any that you’ll see. However, it wasn’t one of Taker’s best. It was OK, but not a stand-out.
Match 11: NoDQ Match for the WWF Championship: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock (c)
Austin has the best of the early going and whips the crowd into a frenzy. He’s relentless and dominates. Nothing fancy, just right hands. Rock flies out of the corner with a couple of clotheslines and sends Austin into the exposed turnbuckle, before blasting him with the ringbell for a 2-count.
Rock’s in control now. Austin gets back into it outside and slingshots Rock into the ringpost, before nailing him with a monitor. They exchange Sharpshooters and Austin gets the Million Dollar Dream in. Rock kicks up out of it to get a 2-count, and gets another from a Stunner! Vince comes out. Austin gets a 2-count from a spinebuster. Rock lands a spinebuster of his own and hits the People’s Elbow.
Vince breaks up the pin. Rock chases him around the ring, only to get Rock Bottomed from Austin for 2! There’s a ref bump and Austin low-blows Rock. Vince comes in with a chair and blasts Rock for a 2. Rock lands a Rock Bottom. Austin gets a 2-count from a Stunner and lands a THUNDEROUS chair shot on Rock. But the champ kicks out! Austin wears Rock out with the chair to get the win and cement his heel turn.
Opinion: An excellent, EXCELLENT match between these two. The best match they had. It told an amazing story – that Austin would do ANYTHING to become WWF Champion. I can’t praise it enough.
Summary: This is, quite simply, the best PPV ever. Half of the matches on the card were 7/10 or better, and those that didn’t quite make it to that level still played their part well. I challenge anyone to find a better constructed, produced and built PPV than this. Every match had something riding on it and, most importantly, the crowd were hot for almost everything. I love this PPV and it goes to show you how good the WWF/E can be, when they put their mind to it.
Hopefully, you enjoyed that quick look back at WrestleMania X-Seven. Leave your comments/feedback via the usual channels, and join me again tomorrow to revisit WrestleMania X-8!
SLTD Wrestling's resident Scottish Nightmare. Some of my content may not be suitable for younger readers or those who are easily offended!
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