Wrestlemania Memories?

[Lt. Palumbo]

I know it's kind of a bummer this year, but what the hell, let's share some Wrestlemania memories!

I just stuck on Wrestlemania 21 on the Network. I was there with my brother and I don't think I've seen it since.

I'm telling my wife about it now and just remembered after the show we hung around as everyone left.

Howard Finkle walked by leaving ringside. My brother screams "Fink, you rule" and Howard Finkle, in classic Howard Finkle voice said "Thank you" and nodded graciously.

There's lots more fun ones from that trip, but I want to here yours!

First mania you watched? Staying up late with school friends? Pestering your parents to buy the PPV? What's your WRESTLEMANIA MOMENT™?

[4real]

First Mania I saw was 8 on VHS. I love that show

First one I watched live (as in on TV as I’ve never been to a Wrestlemania) would have been 21 I believe. The ones before I usually just taped.

Benoit winning the belt at XX was probably my favourite Wrestlemania memory until...well you know

I’ve lived with a few friends for the last 4 years so watched the last 3 live til 5 in the morning. Last year broke me though I don’t think I can do it again unless this years is short enough on the 2 nights.

My biggest regret would not be seeing 30 live and not getting to experience Taker’s streak being broken or Bryan winning the main event. Didn’t have Sky sports at the time as was broke so just ended up looking up the results online.

X7 is the best for me but XIX is up there and XXIV is pretty damn good as well.

Best Mania match? Tough one but I would go for Rock v Austin at X7

[Mid-Carder]

My first Mania as a fan was 9 but the only Mania I've watched live (I'm in the UK) was 30. Still one of my favourite events ever. So excited and hyped almost from start to finish, kept making tea because I was tired and bored stupid during Brock/Taker then froze in shock when Brock won. That moment, with no commentary, on my own in dead silence in the middle of the night was such a cool moment. Beyond it being a superb event, I'll always have a soft spot for 30.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Wrestlemania 6 was the first one I remember watching in a VHS rental. That's really how I saw all the WMs at until I think 11 was the first one I remember seeing live on PPV. At the time yes I was a huge Diesel mark. I just remember it live because the Salt and Pepper that was cut out on any release after it. The next one I got was 14 Dawning of the Austin era. X7 still stands out as the best Ive seen. Just top to bottom a great card.

The rest just on and off ordering. For a few years in the mid 00s had get togethers at a friends house seeing all kinds of PPVs, miss those days. The last WM I remember seeing with those friends was 28.

[MiLB Fan]

WM IX was the first ‘Mania I saw and I’ll admit it: Luna Vachon scared the hell out of me. I had the Coliseum Video of the show, which included extra footage of Luna attacking Sherri in the first-aid room. For some reason that was hard for me to watch as a kid; I always looked away when the tape got to that part.

I didn’t attend the show itself, but in 1995 my parents took me to Hartford for the Fan Festival (the precursor to Axxess). They had a ring set up that fans could enter; one side had the ropes removed and carpeted steps that stretched the entire length. I remember being so nervous as I stood in line for Sparky Plugg’s autograph. Oh, stop laughing! I knew that wrestling was entertainment but this was my first time interacting with someone I had only seen on TV. Plus, wrestling still had that bit of mystery about it—I believe ‘95 was the first time the word “internet” was ever spoken on WWE TV. We were still a long way from insider-news sites.

During our stay in Connecticut, we also drove to Stamford because I wanted to find 1241 East Main Street. I assume most of you know the significance of this address, right?

WM 27 was my first time seeing WWE’s biggest show of the year in person. Walking through the airport and around downtown Atlanta, I was blown away by how much the city rolled out the red carpet for WWE. Stepping into the Georgia Dome and seeing that huge stage set was awe-inspiring, because this was my first time seeing wrestling somewhere other than your traditional hockey arena.

[Main Event Mark]

Started watching in '92, WM 8 was the first one I watched (VHS rental)

First one watching live was 2000.

However, the first thing I usually think of when someone says WrestleMania is the the "My Way" hype video for Austin v. Rock at WM X-7.

[edgestar]

One year, for Easter, my brother got WM 5 and 6 in his basket. Before church, we watched the Mega Powers explode, and then, the Ultimate Challenge.

The first live WM I went to, was 29. We did the travel package, and went to the HOF and Axxess. I got to see Booker T get inducted!!

Last year, my fiancee and I went to WM35. Everyone in our section started crying, when Kofi won. That was a truly special moment.

[Stone Coke Miami Watson 🥃]

I remember my dad taking me to the Arco Arena in Sacramento to watch WrestleMania 3 on closed circuit....the pop that Hogan got when he slammed Andre was epic.

And I was one of the 72,000+ in attendance for WrestleMania XXVI in Phoenix....it was nice to finally cross something off of my bucket list that year.

[repomark]

First mania I saw was 8. It was recorded by a school friend who let me borrow and keep his VHS recording of it. I had no idea really what WWF was.

He missed the start - which I now know to be Reba McIntyre (Ariba!) singing America the Beautiful and Shawn Michaels vs El Matador. This meant that the recording came in half way through the second match and my first visual of WWF was the Undertaker standing over Jake Roberts. I was instantly hooked, and Bret Hart v Piper solidified that - still one of my favourite matches and I was lucky enough to get to tell Bret Hart that whilst wearing my Hot Rod t shirt when he did a meet and greet in Glasgow last year. He replied: “love that match and love Piper. He was willing to put me over in ways a guy like Hogan never would.”

Then there is the masterpiece that is Flair v Savage. I think the Nature Boy delivers the best pre and post match combo of promos by any wrestler ever here and I totally ate up the drama of Macho Man defending Elizabeth’s honour. Heenan on commentary was absolute gold.

A lot of people don’t like the second half of the show but I still have fondness for it. The Natural Disasters looked so scary to me as a kid and I remembered hating Money Inc for running away with the tag team titles. Then there was Sid who I loved instantly in his interview with Mean Gene (shut up you fat bald headed little oaf!!!). Hogan I didn’t really care for but when the Warrior came out to save him from Papa Shango I was mesmerised.

WM8 remains one of my favourite Wrestlemanias as you always hold a special place in your heart for the first. Twenty years later - I celebrated the anniversary of my first mania by getting on a plane for the first time and going to Miami for Wrestlemania 28 - my first mania live. There I got to witness the Undertaker - who originated my fandom - go 20-0 which was very special to me. But that is a story for another time as I have rambled on enough!

[government mule]

I remember recording WM2000 off of C4 (UK) and the tape running out just before the end of the main event. Because I wasn't watching week in/week out, I had no idea HHH won and just assumed Rock had won for years, especially as the next one I had recorded was Fully Loaded 2000 and Rocky was WWE champ. Took me years to realise he did the job at WM and actually won it at Backlash.

Prepared for WM17 by buying a 4hr VHS tape and making sure it got everything this time round. Watched it so many times, I wore the tape out.

[Deleted]

WrestleManiaa 20 with Eddie and Guerrero it's, though it was ruined. Thank heaven's we have WrestleMania XXX with Daniel Bryan nowdays. But no matter what, Eddie's the boss.

[Deleted]

Watching WM 7 (I believe the first WM I saw) on VHS tape around 1994 or 1995 when I was very young and being blown away by the Savage vs. Warrior match. As a little Hulkamaniac, I also enjoyed the match with Sgt. Slaughter.

Watching WM 9 around the same time and marking for Hogan beating Yoko for the title. I remember digging the venue. My mom also swears that I loved Giant Gonzalez, but I don't remember this.

Marking for Austin's title win at WM 14 as it happened. WM 14 was the first WM I got to see live and we ordered it every uear up until WM 19 after that.

Watching the all day marathon leading up to WM 2000 and being super excited for it.

Being just as confused as everybody else when Austin turned heel at WM 17.

Watching Hogan vs. The Rock at WM 18 live with my mom. She was rooting for Hogan and I was rooting for The Rock from what I remember.

And, of course, all the moments I got to watch with the rest of you in the live threads like Bryan's wins at WM 30, Kofi's at WM last year, and Brock ending the streak.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

I attended Mania 31-34, so I've got a fair amount of memories, but Saturday Night on Bourbon Street was absolute insanity in all the right ways.

youtu.be/MdeiM8l8EY8

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

I remember I taped X7 off the TV and was disappointed I would have to go to school the day after before I could come home and watch it.

Then I got sick on that Monday and watched it straight away!

Or I pretended to. I genuinely cannot remember.

[cornettesracket]

The first wrestlemania I recorded as live was wrestlemania 9 but the one I treasured most was wrestlemania X the next year. I destroyed that tape from over use. I recorded them all from that but the first one Stayed up for live was no 16 which I didn't know was going to be longer than the tape I had recording so I'd have never seen the end if I hadn't seen it live. I watched them all live after that.

Btw wrestlemania 9 I was 8 years old.

[Bang Bang Bart]

Mania 30 was probably the last one I enjoyed from start to finish. The two Bryan matches really were top-notch.

[repomark]

Mar 27, 2020 17:09:52 GMT -5 government mule said:

I remember recording WM2000 off of C4 (UK) and the tape running out just before the end of the main event. Because I wasn't watching week in/week out, I had no idea HHH won and just assumed Rock had won for years, especially as the next one I had recorded was Fully Loaded 2000 and Rocky was WWE champ. Took me years to realise he did the job at WM and actually won it at Backlash.

Prepared for WM17 by buying a 4hr VHS tape and making sure it got everything this time round. Watched it so many times, I wore the tape out.

Channel 4 never got Wrestlemania in its two year WWE experiment. It showed Royal Rumble 2000 & 2001; Backlash 2000 & 2001; Fully Loaded 2000; Armageddon 2000; Invasion 2001 & Vengeance 2001. I remember it well because like you I didn’t have any other means of watching week in week out (besides Heat on C4) and everything else (including Mania) was on Sky.

[Deleted]

I'm still disappointed in the fact that the first and only WrestleMania I ever attended in person is WrestleMania 32.

[fw91]

Attended Mania XX and 29 live. Remember Cena being super over at 20 as well as the ending, but you know. I thought 29 was ok. Fun to be there live, but pretty unremarkable, although I wouldn't call it a shit show. Enjoyed the Opening 6 man tag and Punk/Taker.

Didn't bother with getting tickets for 35 because I knew the show would run late. Missed a good show, but have no regrets about staying home.

[Instant Classic]

I’m fairly certain the first Mania I ever watched was 18, Jericho and Triple H are really my first true memories of of being a fan.