wrestling

411’s Countdown to WrestleMania 28: WrestleMania 14

March 19, 2012 | Posted by Larry Csonka

INTRO
The Undertaker was successful at WrestleMania XIII and walked out with the WWF title. But as we would hit the road to WrestleMania XIV, he would have bigger problems. Losing the title and the return of a brother he thought dead put a damper on his year. Shawn Michaels would team with HHH and Chyna and DX was born, and along with that came another WWF Title win, and oh yeah, that little Montreal Screw Job thingy, which explains the absence of Bret Hart from the company. With the Undertaker looking to collide with Kane in their first of many battles, Stone Cold Steve Austin would win the Royal Rumble and look for his first WWF title as he took on the Heartbreak Kid. In a huge promotional move, Mike Tyson was brought into be a special referee in the WWF Title match, but would join DX and add another obstacle in the way to the title for Austin. Shawn was having severe back issues going into the match, Austin was ready to carry the ball but was hurt as well as the years were catching up to his knees and neck. The company would either sink or swim on the main event…

* The Road Warriors won a 15-team Battle Royal to become the #1 Contenders for the Tag Titles
* WWF Light Heavyweight Title: TAKA © defeated Mr. Agulia @ 6:00 via pin
* WWF European Title: HHH © defeated Owen Hart @ 11:29 via pin
* Marc Mero and Sable defeated TAFKA Goldust and Luna @ 9:14 via pin
* WWF Intercontinental Title: The Rock © defeated Ken Shamrock @ 4:55 via DQ
* WWF Tag Team Titles (Dumpster Match): Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie defeated The New Age Outlaws © @ 10:02 to become the NEW WWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
* The Undertaker defeated Kane @ 17:00 via pin
* WWF World Title: Steve Austin defeated HBK © @ 20:04 via pin to become the NEW WWF CHAMPION

Scott Rutherford
BEST MATCH: Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin [****] Far and away the best match on the card at 4 stars and more mind bobbling to think how badly hurt Shawn was and how underdone Austin was as well. They two could probably work a *** match while missing both arms and legs…they are that good. This match is super historic and was the breakthrough into the new attitude era and the imputes for Attitude.

WORST MATCH: The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock [*] These guys usually had good matches together and really after months of build up, Shamrock should have gotten the IC title here but it didn’t happen and Shamrock never really got as hot again. Looking back however, it certainly turned into the right booking decision to keep the title on Rocky.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE SHOW: The Tag Team Dumpster Match. I had gone away from wrestling for a couple of years and was brought back in by the Austin buzz. This type of hardcore match was still relatively new and having seen no ECW here in Australia, this whole match was different and exciting. Loved the bump off the ladder into the dumpster and all of Terry Funks goofy selling!

MVP OF THE SHOW: Shawn Michael. He may have been under threat of death from The Undertaker to job but Shawn did go out, did put on a hell of a match and did put over Steve Austin incredibly strong all with an incredibly fucked up back.

OVERALL SHOW RATING: 7/10 – The WWF strikes back! Not a great card action wise with only a couple of decent matches but after years of lacklustre WM’s this card had something they other didn’t…pure excitement. A little bit of something for everyone and a genuine edge to everything. The second big bang for wrestling.

Arnold Furious
BEST MATCH: Steve Austin v Shawn Michaels [****] Austin & Shawn had a great match in 1997 where they played tag team partners who hated each other. It was a match with fantastic chemistry but no finish. So this match was hotly anticipated and certainly didn’t disappoint. The only thing that stopped it being epic was HBK’s back problem. It slowed him down a touch and forced Austin into the driver’s seat. Still, they had a magical finishing sequence planned out and their wonderful chemistry helped the match be great. Shawn promptly retired and didn’t wrestle again until 2002. Meanwhile Austin moved on to Vince McMahon and the Attitude era began in full force. This is one those occasions where a match really punctuates an era. This was very much the end of the mid 90s “New Generation” with Bret Hart, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall already gone. With this match Shawn joined them. Steve Austin picked up the ball.

WORST MATCH: Taka Michinoku v Mr Aguila [**] A total throwaway opener. Just a bunch of spots to get the crowd popping.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE SHOW: Mike Tyson’s punch on Shawn Michaels. HBK sold it like a champ. His subsequent celebration with Steve Austin was something special. Seeing Austin as champion meant something big was about to happen. Vince McMahon would not be pleased.

MVP OF THE SHOW: Steve Austin. He’d spent the previous two years convincing people he belonged in the main events and when they finally pulled the trigger he didn’t disappoint. The victory would see in a year of historic merchandise sales, deafening pops and an angle that’s still being ripped off today. Any wannabe superstar nowadays has to have a little of Austin ‘s attitude if he’s to have any hope of being accepted by the fanbase as a whole.

OVERALL SHOW RATING: 8.5 – Austin’s title win capped a momentous show and combined with the following night’s Raw set the scene for one of the most successful years in wrestling history. While 1998 didn’t produce many good wrestling shows, as it was more about getting everyone over, this is one of them.

Sean Garmer
BEST MATCH: Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin [****] I can rewatch this match over and over to this day because it is a classic Wrestlemania moment. I was 12 when this Wrestlemania came on and was sad to see my favorite Shawn Michaels lose the belt, but at the same time I was hardcore into Stone Cold as well. Some people don’t think this match means much anymore because HBK came back and wrestled full-time for a number of years in the 2000’s. However, as I’ve gotten older I’ve done nothing but gain more respect for both men. Michaels wasn’t just pulling one of his patented awesome sell jobs, his back was really hurting him in this match because of the years of abuse his body took. Stone Cold was “The Man” at this point and would only get hotter after the result of the match became final. All throughout the match you could see the story unfold as the ailing veteran was giving one last valiant effort to try to overcome the younger shining star of the business. I loved that Mike Tyson really didn’t get involved too much as the enforcer and played his role to the tee until the end when he turned on Michaels. The “go home” part up to the finish was flat out awesome and was one of the first times we’ve seen the whole back and forth blocking of finishers type of build-up. “Stone Cold” “Stone Cold” “Stone Cold is the Champion” Jim Ross’ iconic words are still heard to this day because this match meant the torch had been passed to Austin and the “Attitude Era” was on its way to domination.

WORST MATCH: The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock [**] The Rock was part of the “Nation of Domination” at this point and Ken Shamrock was making everyone believe he really was “The World’s Most Dangerous Man.” The match itself was decent but the finish and end result made the match stupid to me. Rock whacks Shamrock with a chair but Shamrock no sells it because he is crazy and then locks in the Ankle Lock for the win. In today’s world, whatever happens in the post-match does not affect the result of the match itself. However, for some reason at FREAKING Wrestlemania XIV of all places they decided to reverse the decision because Shamrock beat the holy crap out of everyone, even referees. This still makes no sense to me and I think it hurt the match a lot, Shamrock is the only guy to make the Ankle Lock look dangerous and it was ok at this point for Rock to suffer a loss. The post-match was important because Rock has pissed off the Nation at this point and they didn’t want to help him. Why the decision needed to be reversed boggles my mind to this day.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE SHOW Austin winning the title/Tyson punches out HBK : This is what everyone wanted to see and they got it. WWE delivered on a huge buildup with Mike Tyson involved and the match was flat out terrific to boot as well. The Austin Era truly began after his win here and it is one of those Wrestlemania moments that stand the test of time in my book. WWE also knew that they couldn’t have Tyson at a PPV without him “knocking someone the f*** out” and HBK took it like a champ. Sure, he didn’t really knock him out, but it worked to great effect. I remember it with fond memories because it is one of those rare instances where WWE let the two guys go out there and work. Then they let the crazy stuff fly after the match was over and let Austin celebrate with the celebrity that counted his victory.

MVP OF THE SHOW Shawn Michaels: If HBK had not comeback after this match, he would still be one of the best ever to lace up some boots. Shawn Michaels may have had his attitude issues and may have been a big problem backstage but he still went out there and performed. JR’s whole speech during HBK’s entrance sums up HBK perfectly! “No one has ever outperformed Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania.” Michaels had a bad back and he could have just mailed-in his then final performance, but he didn’t and as a fan that is a honorable feat for a guy that gives his all in his matches.

OVERALL SHOW RATING: 8.0 Other than Ken Shamrock vs. The Rock, I don’t think there was really a bad match on this show. Some people don’t like the Dumpster match, but I thought it was good for what it was. Marc Mero and Sable wasn’t something I enjoy watching all the time but for this PPV it was decent. Pretty much all the titles were defended and most of the matches were good. The first ever Kane vs. Undertaker match was fantastic and still the best match they have ever had together. To me, that was show stealer quality considering that we didn’t know what to expect out of Kane. I rate shows in how they entertained me in the total spectrum. The main event delivered and the rest of the matches did what they are supposed to do. Not every Wrestlemania does that and I think we should commend those involved for accomplishing the goal of the “big show.” Have the matches give us entertainment, be good, and make us really want the main event. Wrestlemania XIV accomplished those things.