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.
Today, you’re going to join me as I revisit WrestleMania 18 – arguably the last time that WrestleMania felt like a big deal. WM18 came to us from Bizarro-World itself, Canada – the Skydome in Toronto to be precise – on March 17th 2002 in front over just over 67,000 rabid fans. It was also the last WrestleMania to be promoted under the WWF moniker. After being MIA for the previous year’s event, Jerry Lawler was back assisting JR on commentary. Let’s get into it!
Match 1: WWF Intercontinental Championship Match – Rob Van Dam vs William Regal (c)
RVD lands a series of early kicks, but misses the 5-Star Frog Splash. Regal gets a 2-count off a kneelift. RVD replies with a couple of his own from a crossbody and a backslide. Regal gets back into it and gets another two nearfalls from a suplex and a modified neckbreaker. Regal goes on to work RVD’s neck and controls the match. He gets another 2 from a double-underhook powerbomb. RVD makes his comeback and picks up the win with a kick and the 5-Star Frog Splash to become the new champ.
Opinion: A really good opener that the crowd was hot for. Regal’s such a tremendous worker and a great heel. He’s smarmy, arrogant and just excellent. RVD was, as usual, over and just managed to pick up the belt. Great stuff.
Match 2: WWF European Championship Match – Christian vs DDP (c)
DDP lands a gutwrench gut-buster and clotheslines Christian outside. Christian gets control with a low-blow and sends DDP crashing into the barrier at ringside. DDP goes to crotch Christian into the ringpost, but Christian counters and sends DDP into it. Christian cinches in an abdominal stretch and gets a 2-count off a backbreaker.
DDP slams Christian off the top rope and gets a 2-count off a powerbomb. Christian counters the Diamond Cutter with a reverse DDT for 2. He can’t counter another one though, and DDP retains with the Diamond Cutter.
Opinion: Again, a really decent little match. Obviously, as the veteran, DDP controlled the match, but Christian got a decent amount of offense in. The story was about Christian trying to control his temper. Evidently, he couldn’t as DDP picked up the win.
Match 3: WWF Hardcore Championship Match – Maven (c) vs Goldust
Goldust’s all over Maven early. Maven gets a couple of quick 2’s off a dropkick into a trashcan and an inside cradle. Goldie replies with a 2 of his own from a neckbreaker, and sends Maven crashing into a trashcan in the corner for another nearfall. Both men are down after dual shots with a trashcan lid. Spike Dudley magically appears and picks up the win before taking off through the crowd.
Opinion: Maven huh. Remember him?!?! The 24/7 rule was in effect, which Spike Dudley took complete advantage of. I should point out that there were other segments during the show where various other people, including The Hurricane, Molly Holly and Christian all won the Hardcore Championship, but they weren’t actual matches so I won’t cover them. This was fine though.
Match 4: Kurt Angle vs Kane
Angle blasts Kane with the ringbell before the match starts to get the advantage. Kane gets back into it with a series of power moves. Angle lands an overhead belly-to-belly throw and a couple of clotheslines to regain control. He cuts off Kane’s comeback with a back suplex for 2. He gets another 2 thanks to 3 German Suplexes. He comes off the top rope into a clothesline from Kane.
Kane gets a 2 of his own from a tilt-a-whirl powerslam and plants Angle with a chokeslam, but Angle gets his hand on the ropes to break the pin. Kane kicks out of the Angle Slam at 2, and escapes the Ankle Lock with an enziguri. Angle throws Kane off the second rope and rolls through another chokeslam to pick up the win with the aid of the ropes.
Opinion: A terrific match. It got over 10 minutes, which allowed them to tell a story. These two guys had great chemistry and it really highlighted just how good Kane can be – given the right opponent.
Match 5: NoDQ Match – Undertaker vs Ric Flair
It’s not long before they’re brawling outside. Flair’s all over Taker with right hands. Taker catches Flair as he goes for a splash, and rams him into the ringpost and the steps before booting Flair off the apron. Taker wears Flair out with right hands and busts him open. Taker gets a 2-count from a suplex. Taker’s in TOTAL control and gets another 2 from a side suplex.
Flair finally manages to mount some offense, using a lead pipe. Taker goes for a chokeslam, but Flair low-blows him and locks in the figure-four. Taker sits up and chokeslams him for 2. Arn Anderson appears and spinebusters Taker, but he kicks out at 2. Taker puts Arn in a submission move, so Flair attacks him with a chair until Taker lands a big boot. Flair avoids the Last Ride, but succumbs to the Tombstone.
Opinion: Bearing in mind that this was Flair’s first big-time match in the WWF for almost a decade, this was terrific stuff. JR was outstanding on commentary here. Awesome stuff. A really enjoyable match.
Match 6: Edge vs Booker T
Edge gets an early 2-count from a facebuster. Booker replies with a nearfall from a missile dropkick and a HUGE spinebuster. Edge crotches Booker on the top rope and lands one ugly-looking hurricanrana. He quickens the pace with an Edge-O-Matic and a spinning heel kick from the top rope. Booker avoids the Spear and hits his scissors kick for 2. Edge fights out of the Book-End and hits the Spear for 2, before landing the Edgecution for the 3.
Opinion: This was OK, but really clunky in places. It didn’t flow all that well. But at least they were in an actual storyline. The storyline might have been to do with a Japanese shampoo commercial, but still…
Match 7: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Scott Hall
Austin’s on the attack from the kick-off, but Hall gets the first 2-count with a clothesline. Nash exposes the turnbuckle and Hall sends Austin into it. Hall distracts the ref and Nash wipes Austin out at ringside. Hall’s in control now and gets a 2-count from a Fallaway Slam and a clothesline. Nash lands another cheapshot behind the referee’s back.
Austin lands a Stunner out of nowhere, so Nash wipes the ref out. Hall and Nash double-team Austin, until Austin Stunners them both. Nash takes a second ref out. Officials send Nash to the back. Hall gets a 2-count off Stunner on Austin, but Austin gets the win with two Stunners.
Opinion: I don’t quite know how to describe this match. Given Hall’s condition (as well as Austin’s well-documented problems) at the time, this is probably as good as it could’ve been.
Match 8: 4-Way Elimination Match for the WWF Tag-Team Championships – APA vs The Dudleys vs The Hardys vs Billy & Chuck (c)
Bradshaw and Chuck start. Bradshaw’s all over him and hits a back suplex. Faarooq and Billy come in. The champs wear out Faarooq and Billy gets a 2-count. Tag to Bradshaw and there’s a 2-count from a DDT. The APA double-team the Dudleys, but they get eliminated thanks to a 3D.
The Hardys come in and double-team the Dudleys. Jeff lands the Whisper in the Wind on Bubba, Bubba gets control and the Dudleys isolate Jeff. He makes the hot tag to Matt who gets a 2-count off a second-rope legdrop. The Hardys land the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bubba to eliminate the Dudleys.
The Hardys hit their signature moves on the champs. There’s a ref distraction and Billy gets a 2-count from a Fame-Asser on Jeff. There’s ANOTHER ref distraction. Billy blasts Jeff with the belt and Chuck covers him for the win.
Opinion: Hard to keep track of. It was OK, but not a match that I’d go out of my way to see again.
Match 9: Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs The Rock
Hogan has the best of the early exchanges until Rock knocks him down and follows up with a clothesline. Hogan blocks an early Rock Bottom, lands some elbows and a back suplex for 2. Rock powers out of an abdominal stretch, but Hogan rolls him up for 2.
Hogan breaks out the Back Rake of Doom before there’s a ref bump. Hogan taps to the Sharpshooter, but there’s no ref. Hogan low-blows Rock and hits the Rock Bottom for 2. Hogan whips Rock with his belt. Rock lands a DDT then returns the favour. Rock gets a 2-count off a Rock Bottom…but Hogan HULKS UP!
Vintage Hogan – right hands, big boot and a legdrop for 2. Hogan hits a second big boot but misses the legdrop. Rock lands another 2 Rock Bottoms and picks up the win with the People’s Elbow.
Opinion: Regular readers will know I’m not a Hogan fan, so sit down and take this in. Don’t get me wrong, this was not a mat classic. HOWEVER…in terms of drama, entertainment and a big fight feel, this is as good as it gets. This match is one of wrestling’s last great spectacles. I can’t praise it enough.
Match 10: Triple-Threat Match for the WWF Women’s Championship – Jazz (c) vs Trish Stratus vs Lita
Trish and Lita double-team Jazz. Jazz puts them both in submission holds and gets a 2-count off a legdrop on Lita. Lita replies with a gutwrench powerbomb on Jazz for a 2 of her own. Trish gets a couple of 2’s of her own from a roll-up on Jazz and rolling through a crossbody from Lita. Trish gets another 2 from a backdrop on Lita.
Jazz is back into it, but quickly gets a Twist of Fate from Lita, as does Trish. She misses a double moonsault. Jazz knocks Trish off the apron and lands a Fisherman’s Suplex from the top rope on Lita for the win.
Opinion: They didn’t get a lot of time really, but they made the most of it. 3 great female workers who each got a decent chance to shine and the finish with Jazz & Lita was something to see.
Match 11: WWF Undisputed Championship Match – Triple H vs Chris Jericho (c) (w/Stephanie McMahon)
H lands some right hands and clotheslines early, as well as a high knee, until Jericho dumps him outside. H launches Jericho off the top rope into the front row and suplexes him back ringside. Jericho immediately starts working H’s left quad, including using a figure-four around the ringpost. Jericho continues using submission moves until H sends him shoulder first into the ringpost.
H gets a 2-count off a clothesline and a AA spinebuster. Jericho sends H outside again and backdrops him through the Announce Table. Back in the ring, H goes for the Pedigree, which Jericho counters into the Walls! H gets to the ropes.
Steph distracts the ref. Jericho tries to use a steel chair, but H DDTs him into it for 2. Steph comes in, so H Pedigrees her. Jericho blasts H with the chair behind the ref’s back for 2. H blocks a Pedigree from Jericho. Jericho comes off the ropes into a Pedigree and H wins.
Opinion: The crowd was pretty dead for this, which isn’t all that surprising considering they peaked with Hogan/Rock. This is a decent little match and Jericho did a great job, but politics won the day and H got “the dub”.
Summary: Ladies and gentleman, I’ve come to the conclusion that the makers of South Park were right. Everything went wrong when Canada came along. If it wasn’t for the Canadians, then Hogan wouldn’t have been able to live off that pop for the last 12 years, had another WWF Championship run in his late-40s and screwed TNA into the ground. Why Canada…why? Blame Canada!
Although I understand why the Triple H story needed to be completed at WrestleMania, it shouldn’t have closed the show. The right time to finish was after Hogan/Rock. It exhausted the crowd’s emotions and reactions.
In terms of matches on the show to seek out, get your eyes on the Angle/Kane match, Taker/Flair and, of course, Hogan/Rock. I said it earlier, but this was the last WrestleMania where it felt like a big deal. Everything else that’s followed has had great matches, don’t get me wrong, but it hasn’t felt as important.
Hopefully, you enjoyed that quick look back at WrestleMania X8. Leave your comments/feedback via the usual channels, and join me again tomorrow to revisit WrestleMania 19!
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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