Wrestlemania X-8 Review

Wrestlemania X-8 Review : A Dream Match Come True


The is the second and last Wrestlemania held outside of the USA , although I have heard rumours of the next Wrestlemania taking place somewhere ' Olympic '  so who knows .

Saliva sing the opening song which I assume was the theme song for the entire show . Wow that set looks huge .

The video package was very well done .

Rob Van Dam vs William Regal 
This was RVD's Wrestlemania debut and was Regal's second year in a row being in the opener for the IC Title . RVD took a couple of brutal bumps in this match , especially from Regal's back suplex where he landed right on his head . Van Dam was hugely popular here . RVD wins with a five star frog splash and a nice match to start us off here . **3/4

Diamond Dallas Page vs Christian 
This would be the last Wrestlemania that the European title would be defended . Good god i hate this blurring . DDP competing in his first and last Wrestlemania . DDP wins with the diamond cutter . Solid match . **1/2 Christian takes a temper tantrum after the match .

Funny moment backstage with The Rock and Coach .

Goldust vs Maven
This is also the final appearance of the Hardcore title at Wrestlemania . This match wasn't good and would keep changing places throughout the rest of the night . Spike Dudley runs in to pick up the win and runs into the crowd while being chased . DUD

For some reason we get Drowning Pool 'singing' us the story of HHH/Jericho . Ok then moving on .

Backstage , Hurricane attacks Spike and wins the Hardcore title .

Kurt Angle vs Kane
We have quite the underrated match here . Kurt's last Wrestlemania with hair and Kane's last one with a mask until the 28th edition . Good match as Angle gets the roll through and puts his feet on the ropes for the win . ***

Hurricane is sneaking around backstage and spies on the Godfather's hoes as Godfather chases him out .

Undertaker vs Ric Flair : No DQ Match
This is a really good brawl match here . I loved it when Arn Anderson ran into the ring and gave Taker an amazing spinebuster . That absolutely brutal superplex to Flair was brilliant . Flair bled quite badly during the match . Flair kept fighting with all of his heart but couldn't finish it . Taker picks up the win after a tombstone piledriver and goes 10-0 at Wrestlemania . ***1/2

Edge vs Booker T
I believe these two were feuding over some sort of shampoo commercial . Thank goodness they're good wrestlers . Edge back at home in Canada here . Booker's first Wrestlemania as well . Weird to see Theodore Long as a referee . Solid match as Edge wins with the edgecution DDT . **1/4

Backstage Molly wins the hardcore title after hitting Hurricane with a frying pan .

Stone Cold vs Scott Hall
I think Austin deserved better than this at Wrestlemania . This is probably his worst Wrestlemania match . Kevin Nash is out at ringside with Scott . Ok match but it didn't feel inspired at all . Austin wins with his fourth stunner to Scott . **

Dudley Boyz vs Hardy Boyz vs APA vs Billy & Chuck : Elimination Match
The Dudley's theme music is done by Saliva . This felt strange since the tag title matches at the past couple of Wrestlemanias were defining classics of Wrestlemania history . The APA is eliminated after a 3D from the Dudleys . The Dudleys are eliminated after a twist of fate and a swanton . Chuck picks up the win after Jeff is hit on the head with the tag title . **3/4

Backstage , Molly is hit with a door by Christian to become the hardcore champion .

The Rock vs Hulk Hogan
And now it is time for the match that we all came to see ! A match that will go down in history as an all-time classic . This match showed that a crowd can make a match a classic and that it's not all about the moves in the ring , just like Hogan/Andre at WM 3 . It was surreal to see Hogan getting cheered like a villain and The Rock being booed so loudly . This match made the show worth seeing . It was such a fantastic moment seeing the Hulkster hulk up for the first time in who knows how many years . An absolute classic in Wrestlemania history without a shadow of a doubt . The Rock picks up the victory after a peoples elbow to Hogan . ****3/4

After the match , the NWO comes down to attack Hogan , but Rock rescues him . They trade poses and should have sent the crowd home happy . Unfortunately , this wasn't the main event even though it should have been .

A record attendance tonight of 68,237 .

Jazz vs Lita vs Trish Stratus 
Trish was the hometown girl here and yet somehow she didn't walk away with the title . This was a solid triple threat match but not as good as the one the following year . Jazz wins after a fisherman's suplex off of the top rope . **3/4

Backstage , Maven rolls up Christian to win back the hardcore title and that's the end of that .

Triple H vs Chris Jericho
Drowning Pool plays HHH to the ring . I feel bad for this match . It's a good match , but is ruined because it had to follow Rock/Hogan . It really shouldn't have been the main event . A highlight of the match is HHH finally giving a pedigree to Stephanie . HHH wins with a pedigree and becomes the Undisputed champion . ***

6/10 . Some of this show really dragged at some points but there was enough to keep the show going like the classic Rock/Hogan or the great Taker/Flair match .