Wrestlemania XVIII Re-Do Review

Wrestlemania XVIII Re-Do Review



This Wrestlemania is remembered for one match. But were there other matches that were also memorable? Let's find out.


                                                                                                                                                            




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

(It was strange not to have America the Beautiful and instead have this nu-metal song. And yeah the set was pretty damn big)



The video package was very well done .

(Another one putting over the enormity of Mania)



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

(Good choice for the opener, as it got the crowd fired up. At this point, RVD was a fan favourite, and they were just waiting for him to win a title and elevate himself. Regal's suplex that made RVD land on his head still looks sick. Solid match but not as good as originally thought. **1/2)



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 .

(Yeah unfortunately the blurring will be an issue for another few shows. Anyway this came about with Christian betraying DDP. The match itself was solid and entertaining. Could have been much better with some extra time. **1/2)


(By the way, for those wondering, I know I've already re-done Wrestlemania 17, but I still want to watch it again with the anthology version. I may update the re-done version if I change my mind about some ratings)


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

(All the shenanigans that went on for the rest of the show were pretty fun to watch. This part wasn't good though. No heat from the crowd and the uses of the weapons felt uninspired. Not quite a dud though as I've seen worse. I'll go with  1/4*)



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

(Definitely here just to waste time)



Backstage , Hurricane attacks Spike and wins the Hardcore title .

(Fun stuff)


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 . ***

(Overrated this one but not by much as it was very solid. I'd still put it as Angle's worst Mania match, but that's only because the other ones range from great to fucking awesome. Angle tried his best to get a great match, but he can still be happy with it being quite good. **3/4)



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

(This started Flair's comeback in the ring for another six years. Taker looked like a total dick in this feud. It was a really one-sided feud, as Taker took out Flair's friends and family, lost him his job in the board of directors, and Flair never really got his revenge. It's still awesome to see Arn Anderson run in and deliver a big spinebuster to Taker. The match wasn't as good as I remembered and most of it featured some dull offense from Taker. It did have it's moments though. I'll go with  ***)



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

(Yep it was a commercial for shampoo. At least this gave guys a reason to feud unlike, for example, Kane vs Orton which just seemed random. I think this feud was mainly made up just to get Edge on the card, since they were in his home town. Match was entertaining enough and had a nice finish. **)



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 . **

(I wonder how things would have went had they went with Austin/Hogan instead. I guess we'll never know. This is easily Austin's worst match at Mania. He definitely deserved more. I forgot that this match was even on the card prior to watching it. Austin was fine here but Hall just didn't seem to be feeling it. Can't believe it took four stunners to put Hall down. Should have been one. Sticking with  **)



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

(There was no way in hell they'd have been able to follow the two previous Mania tag title matches, which were all time classic ladder and TLC matches. How did Chuck manage to go from this to a badass biker years later? The match was pretty entertaining while it lasted, but it could have used a better finish. **1/2)



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

(How this wasn't the main event I will never know. That's like putting Miz/Cena ahead of Taker/HHH. Oh wait..... Anyway the match is still a classic and I'm glad they didn't overbook it with run ins from the NWO until the match was over. It was a contest to see who the better man was. Seeing Hogan hulk up and the crowd going wild still gives me goosebumps. This match proves that it's not just about the wrestling, but about the feeling that two all time greats clashing in the biggest event of the year can create. I do think my original rating was too high though. I'll go with  ****)




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


(Is it me or did Lita look stoned coming to the ring? Maybe it's just her. The crowd did have some reaction for Trish who was the hometown girl. I thought the match would have been better given the talent in the ring, but it wasn't too bad. *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 . ***

(They didn't even give it a video package before it began unless you count the pointless Drowning Pool performance earlier in the night. Made it feel like just another match. It should have been billed as Triple H vs Stephanie McMahon. When you have Chris Jericho as a third wheel in a feud, you're doing something wrong. At least Jericho can say he's been in the final match at Mania. The match itself was better than I remembered and had a good finish to go with it. I'll put this up to  ***1/4)


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 .


(6/10. Not a great Mania here as Hogan/Rock was the only real memorable match. Taker/Flair and HHH/Jericho were good matches but not great. Everything else felt more like matches you would see on Raw or Smackdown, but they were all entertaining in their own way, except for the first Hardcore Title match)