Manias that were afterthoughts

[ChitownKnight]

You had great Wrestlemanias (3, 10, 17, 30), terrible manias (9, 11, 27, 29, 32), manias that have somewhat historical significance cuz of big time matches/moments (18, 20) and ofcourse Covidmania (36). What are some Wrestlemania that are not significant at all? I always think of 33 and 34. They were not terrible manias but nothing really stands out about them

[Stu]

I'm just gonna preemptively rule out Wrestlemanias 1-25 from this discussion.

[BRV]

Other than it being the first time WWE performed in front of a live crowd in over a year, I cannot recall anything of substance from WrestleMania 37.

[Desi]

I've already forgotten that 28, 31, 33, & 35 happened. 😅

[theironyuppie]

34 gets off to a really good start (the best three matches are in the opening four: Charlotte/Asuka, the Ronda mixed tag, and the IC triple threat), but crashes pretty hard and has an awful main event.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Feb 27, 2024 11:03:47 GMT -5 Stu said:

I'm just gonna preemptively rule out Wrestlemanias 1-25 from this discussion.

Funny enough I was about to mention WM26. The only match that has had any staying power is a rematch from the year before that gets most of the attention because it happened first despite both of them being just about equally awesome.

[BRV]

Feb 27, 2024 11:09:58 GMT -5 theironyuppie said:

34 gets off to a really good start (the best three matches are in the opening four: Charlotte/Asuka, the Ronda mixed tag, and the IC triple threat), but crashes pretty hard and has an awful main event.

I know the pandemic necessitated a two-night WrestleMania in 2020, but without WrestleManias 34 and 35, I don't know if it would have become a permanent fixture.

Those shows were just brutally long, and both events had crowds that were absolutely dead by the time the main event rolled around. WrestleMania 34 had a 14-match card and I don't think the crowd made a single noise after the Daniel Bryan return match. As for WrestleMania 35, it was 16 matches and the audience ran out of steam after the Kofi Kingston-Daniel Bryan match (which was 10th on the card!)

[repomark]

I think the only manias that will fit into this category are those that either a) didn’t have a classic match or b) didn’t have any proper historic significance.

I used to know every mania card off by heart up to about 35, but would struggle with the more modern ones. I am not a fan of two day manias even though I also get the reasoning behind it given how long one day shows were becoming. That’s probably a moan for another thread though.

My point is, I can probably name something redeeming about most manias but would draw a blank on 36, 37 and 38 - even though I am sure if I went back and watched again it would jog my memory to
matches I enjoyed.

[ChitownKnight]

Feb 27, 2024 11:03:47 GMT -5 Stu said:

I'm just gonna preemptively rule out Wrestlemanias 1-25 from this discussion.

If we move this thread to wrest can we discuss 1-25 as well? I wanna include all manias

[legendkiller1985]

Outside of Drew beating Brock and Firefly Funhouse/Boneyard match, i can't really remember 36.

[ChitownKnight]

Feb 27, 2024 11:12:46 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Feb 27, 2024 11:03:47 GMT -5 Stu said:

I'm just gonna preemptively rule out Wrestlemanias 1-25 from this discussion.

Funny enough I was about to mention WM26. The only match that has had any staying power is a rematch from the year before that gets most of the attention because it happened first despite both of them being just about equally awesome.

I feel like 26 should have been significant but for some reason it’s feels like an eh mania. I mean you had a world title match with the 2 biggest stars of the previous 5 years and the retirement of HBK

[Fade]

Just personal but I didn’t care for WrestleManias 28-37.

[Jumpin' Jesse Walsh]

Not exactly afterthoughts, but 37 and 38 blend together a lot for me. I actually have to pause and think which show featured Shane vs. Braun.

[ChitownKnight]

Feb 27, 2024 12:21:47 GMT -5 Jumpin' Jesse Walsh said:

Not exactly afterthoughts, but 37 and 38 blend together a lot for me. I actually have to pause and think which show featured Shane vs. Braun.

Man I totally forgot that was a match lol. I think mania 38 will be remembered for stone colds return/retirement but there is nothing else really significant

[tafkaga]

The first one I felt this way about was 11.

9 is certainly historically significant, even if it's for all the wrong reasons.

[Lizuka #BLM]

29's the perfect intersection of being a show where nothing of consequence happened, going into it there was nothing about it that was interesting on paper, and also it's just really damn bad on top of that.

[msc]

Of the ones I've seen live: 23, 27, 29, 32 all felt like this.

Historically 11 is hard to beat.

[nisidhe]

VIII was a good one, but stands out primarily for what happened in pro wrestling as a whole that year.

Edit: I realize that this reply broke the "Prior to 26" rule. I'm struggling to see a Wrestlemania like that, that truly marked a transition or drew a line under an era.

[Instant Classic]

My first Wrestlemania was 18. Since then my least favorites have been

26, 27, and 32 for it being so long. I’ll also probably never watch Wrestlemania 36 ever again for obvious reasons.

[Jumpin' Jesse Walsh]

32 is less of an afterthought and more of a memory you have the day after a wild night of drinking where you question if it even really happened at all.