31 Manias in 31 Days: Rewriting Wrestlemania XI

[LODemolition]

WrestleMania XI is up next in my "Rewriting WrestleMania" series. It was the 2nd in the post-Hogan era, and is considered by many as the worst Mania of all-time. It undoubtedly held the worst main event of all-time of Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow. Even at 14 years of age when this event happened, I couldn't believe that this was the direction they chose to go in. The roster was still falling upon hard times at this time, but this event could have been made much better. Let's look at the results.

April 2, 1995
Hartford Civic Center (Hartford, CT)

Lex Luger & British Bulldog def. Eli & Jacob Blu w/ Uncle Zebekiah

Intercontinental Championship:

Razor Ramon w/ 1-2-3 Kid def. Jeff Jarrett w/ The Roadie by DQ

Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer def. King Kong Bundy w/ "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase

World Tag Team Championship:

Owen Hart & Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette def. Smoking Gunns to become new champions

I Quit Match:

Bret "Hit Man" Hart def. Bob Backlund

WWE Championship:

Diesel def. Shawn Michaels to retain

Main Event:

Lawrence Taylor w/ Ken Norton, Jr., Carl Banks, Rickey Jackson, Steve McMichael, Chris Spielman & Reggie White def. Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Million Dollar Corporation


*Rewriting WrestleMania XI*


1. WWF Tag Team Championship: The Smoking Gunns (c) def. The New Headshrinkers w/ Afa

While the tag team division was incredibly weak at this point and time, I still would have used Owen and Yokozuna elsewhere. The same goes for "The Allied Powers" (Luger and Dave Boy), so that leaves the New Headshrinkers as the next in line for Billy and Bart's opposition.

2. Psycho Sid def. British Bulldog

I thought Sid deserved his own match at this event, not just to be Shawn's lackey. I'd have him go over Davey Boy in convincing fashion, as he'd eventually be in the main event picture.

3. 8-Man Tag: The Million Dollar Corporation - King Kong Bundy, Kama, Tatanka, and IRS w/ "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase def. Buhwhackers & Men on a Mission

A filler match here to showcase the rest of DiBiase's crew and not just Bigelow.

4. Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette def. Lex Luger

I thought these 2 could have had 1 more Mania bout left in them before Lex left for WCW.

5. Jeff Jarrett w/ The Roadie def. 1-2-3 Kid

I never could take Jeff Jarrett seriously in a program with Razor for the IC Title. He and Waltman would have matched up better in my opinion.

6. Intercontinental Championship: Razor Ramon (c) def. Owen Hart

I really would've preferred to see these 2 in the IC Title match. In a rematch of the '94 King of the Ring finals, Razor gets his revenge and retains the gold.

7. Lumberjack Match: Bam Bam Bigelow w/ The Million Dollar Corporation def. Lawrence Taylor w/ Retired NFL Stars

While I'm completely against this match as the main event, it doesn't mean I don't think it shouldn't have happened at all. The way it was set up at the Rumble was very good actually. And I know that the celebrity always wins, but Bigelow deserved the W.

8. "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel def. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels w/ Psycho Sid

I liked these 2 as Mania opponents after Diesel being Shawn's former bodyguard, but I don't think it should have main evented. They gave Nash everything far too soon in my opinion. I wouldn't have put him over as champ until KOTR or SummerSlam at the earliest.

9. WWF Championship Match: The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer def. Bret "Hitman" Hart (c)

Bret and Diesel at the 95 Rumble went on far too long to end in a no-contest. I would have pushed Taker strong after his return in the summer of '94, and Bret should have still been champ going into this event. I almost put he and Owen up against one another yet again, but I thought it might be overkill. However either way, he deserved much better than Bob Backlund.


Feel free to comment and/or post your rewritten WM11.

 

[No Count Pup]

[u][b]*Rewriting WrestleMania XI*[/u][/b]


[b]1. WWF Tag Team Championship: The Smoking Gunns (c) def. The New Headshrinkers w/ Afa[/b]

While the tag team division was incredibly weak at this point and time, I still would have used Owen and Yokozuna elsewhere. The same goes for "The Allied Powers" (Luger and Dave Boy), so that leaves the New Headshrinkers as the next in line for Billy and Bart's opposition.

[b]2. Psycho Sid def. British Bulldog[/b]

I thought Sid deserved his own match at this event, not just to be Shawn's lackey. I'd have him go over Davey Boy in convincing fashion, as he'd eventually be in the main event picture.

[b]3. 8-Man Tag: The Million Dollar Corporation - King Kong Bundy, Kama, Tatanka, and IRS w/ "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase def. Buhwhackers & Men on a Mission[/b]

A filler match here to showcase the rest of DiBiase's crew and not just Bigelow.

[b]4. Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette def. Lex Luger[/b]

I thought these 2 could have had 1 more Mania bout left in them before Lex left for WCW.

[b]5. Jeff Jarrett w/ The Roadie def. 1-2-3 Kid[/b]

I never could take Jeff Jarrett seriously in a program with Razor for the IC Title. He and Waltman would have matched up better in my opinion.

[b]6. Intercontinental Championship: Razor Ramon (c) def. Owen Hart[/b]

I really would've preferred to see these 2 in the IC Title match. In a rematch of the '94 King of the Ring finals, Razor gets his revenge and retains the gold.

[b]7. Lumberjack Match: Bam Bam Bigelow w/ The Million Dollar Corporation def. Lawrence Taylor w/ Retired NFL Stars[/b]

While I'm completely against this match as the main event, it doesn't mean I don't think it shouldn't have happened at all. The way it was set up at the Rumble was very good actually. And I know that the celebrity always wins, but Bigelow deserved the W.

[b]8. "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel def. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels w/ Psycho Sid[/b]

I liked these 2 as Mania opponents after Diesel being Shawn's former bodyguard, but I don't think it should have main evented. They gave Nash everything far too soon in my opinion. I wouldn't have put him over as champ until KOTR or SummerSlam at the earliest.

[b]9. WWF Championship Match: The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer def. Bret "Hitman" Hart (c)[/b]

Bret and Diesel at the 95 Rumble went on far too long to end in a no-contest. I would have pushed Taker strong after his return in the summer of '94, and Bret should have still been champ going into this event. I almost put he and Owen up against one another yet again, but I thought it might be overkill. However either way, he deserved much better than Bob Backlund.


Feel free to comment and/or post your rewritten WM11.[/QUOTE]

Razor vs. Owen for the IC Title was a great idea. What I would change on your card is Bret Hart would have challenged Lex Luger for the WWF Championship.

I would have also moved HBK into the match with Lawrence Taylor because Shawn can get a quality match from anyone. Diesel would have faced Bam Bam Bigelow and wow the fans with a WrestleMania-moment powerbomb.​

 

[HBKperfect23]

Allied Powers vs Eli and Jacob Blu. I liked the Bulldog and Luger together. I wish they got a tag title run. This was fine pairing them together here.

IC title: Razor vs Jarrett. I enjoyed the run these two had together.

Taker vs Bundy. It's. It as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I just don't no what else you could do with taker here. A lot of people have suggested taker vs Bret, the problem is taker was only 3-0 with no streak being discussed. Bret probably would have went over here and the streak would never be.

Bret Hart vs Backlund. Not a submission match. That's what ruined it. Make it bigger. Have Backlund put his career on the line. Let those two just go out there and wrestle like they did on tv when Backlund turned on him after the Match. If not have Brets match with Hakushi next month be his mania match.

Tag titles Smoking Gunns vs Owen and ??? Still have Yoko come in. This was big at the time and worked.

LT vs BamBam. I'm ok with it. LT is one of the best football players ever. He's a legit athlete. It's not like Mr T coming in. I just don't think this should have closed.

Desil vs Shawn Michaels for the title. Same match, have it close. The build between Desil and Shawn was perfect. The match was pretty good. I enjoyed everything about this feud/match.

Not much too change due to the roster. I would have probably pushed Yokos return up a few months and put the tag titles on Yoko and Owen and had them wrestle Bulldog and Lex (forming them earlier too). I liked the undercard at next months IYH. Put that on the mania under card and you have one decent PPV

 

[Dagger Dias]

Another awful Wrestlemania event. It joins 9 and 27 for me in the bottom tier. The main thing that without a shadow of a doubt MUST change is this.... Lawrence Taylor VS Bam Bam Bigelow should never have main evented this show. The match order should change to where Michaels VS Diesel for the WWF Championship goes on last. Unlike Lawrence Taylor VS Bam Bam Bigelow, Michaels and Diesel actually deserved to main event the show. The whole "Royal Rumble winner gets to main event Wrestlemania" thing comes to mind, plus look who was in the match. There's plenty of reasons to justify why that should have gone on last instead.

 

[MMK]

Wow. What a thin roster. Worst wrestlemania to date up to this point.

1. 20 Man BATTLE ROYAL won by Yokozuna
Yokozuna/ King Kong Bundy/ Bob Backlund/ Kama/ Hakushi/ Billy Gunn/ Bart Gunn/ Eli Blu/ Jacob Blu/ Bob Holly/ Doink/ Mabel/ Mo/ Duke Droese/ Aldo Montoya/ Kwang/ I.R.S/ Henry Godwinn/ Fatu/ Sionne
(Yoko is a mystery entrant and makes his triumphant return to Mania)

2. Owen Hart vs British Bulldog
(Bulldog returned to wwf in the summer of 94 and aligned himself with Bret against his brother Owen. That should have transitioned Owen away from feuding with Bret to a major feud with Davey but it never really happened. I still like the team of Owen and Yokozuna, but I'd save it for the summer)

Intercontinental Championship
3. Razor Ramon def 1-2-3 Kid
(The 123 Kid should have turned heel much sooner. He and Razor were buddies throughout 94. Instead of Shawn turning on Diesel at S.Series it should have been the Kid turning on Razor. Tired of being Razors sidekick, he demands a shot at the title seeing as how he has several victories over Razor in the past when Razor was a heel. Kid could have cut several blistering promos leading up to Mania similar to what Andre said about Hogan leading up to Mania 3:"If im such a friend to you how come you never ONCE offered me a title shot? The only reason you befriended me was because you wanted to keep your friends close but your enemies closer. You know I've got your number and you didnt want me coming for you!")

WWF Tag Team Champions
4. Diesel & Shawn def Jarrett & Roadie
(Diesel and Shawn were a great team, I never saw the logic in breaking them up so soon. They only formed in 94, why break them up after only being together for such a short period of time? They were over huge with the crowd. Shawn turned face the night after Mania anyway, so when they turned Diesel face in late 94 why not just turn them both face? We already seen Shawn betray a tag team partner just two years ago? Besides Diesel and Shawn reunited the night after Mania anyway, so the split only lasted 4 months. I say keep them together. And keep the titles on them. Here they face another egomaniac with a bodyguard of sorts in Jarrett and Roadie. Eventually HBK/Diesel drop the titles to Owen and Yoko at King of The Ring. Then they can both enter the title picture. Diesel wasnt ready for that yet anyway.)

5. Lex Luger & Lawrence Taylor vs Tatanka & Bam Bam Bam Bigelow
(Luger had a huge feud with the $million dollar corporation throughout 94, so why not have him come to Taylors aid in the build up to Mania. Much like Wrestlemania 1 with Mr.T and Hulk, make it a tag match so Taylor doesnt have to work the entire match)

WWF Championship:
6. The Undertaker def Bret Hitman Hart
(I would have had Undertaker win the Royal Rumble and take the title from Bret who never should have dropped it to Backlund just so Backlund could drop it to Diesel. Shawn won the Rumble the following year so it wouldnt be a huge difference for him. Just save the whole entering at #1 and lasting the full 60 minutes for next years event which would have made more sense seeing as how the main event was an ironman match.)

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

Diesel vs Shawn did not need the title as it should have been about Diesel stepping away from Shawn. Bret should have remained champ going into this event overcoming his brother and Backlund to lead to a year long reign. Taker should have won this Mania to set up Bret and Taker for the title. A case can be made for either guy to retain but at least we now have 3 big matches on this card with this title match, Shawn/Diesel and Bam Bam/LT.

 

[FlairFan2003]

Shawn won the Rumble the following year so it wouldnt be a huge difference for him. Just save the whole entering at #1 and lasting the full 60 minutes for next years event which would have made more sense seeing as how the main event was an ironman match.)

HBK never came close to 60 minutes....they changed the format of The Rumble to one entry every 1 minute so Shawn could enter #1 and only wrestle a little over 30 minutes, actual time was about 44 minutes.

 

[FlairFan2003]

The problem is Lawrence Taylor....bottom line, WWE knew that they only way to make people want to watch this was the mainstream appeal of LT...if there is no LT there really was no reason to watch, the card was lackluster at best with just a few stars anyone cared about competing. You cant take LT off the card or this isn't W-Mania, it's more like a good Friday Night House Show.

 

[Mac]

WWE Championship Match- Diesel (c) vs Shawn Michaels

This match was pretty good and it was the culmination of a near year long buildup. This feud didn't need the title involved, but considering that this was the hottest angle heading into that WM you can't complain too much. Plus they were in need of new stars and Diesel was "the man" at the time. In my rebooking this match closes the show, and imo the right guy won. Shawn wasn't ready in 1995. Shawn in 1995 heading into WM 11, was the equivalent of where Dean Ambrose is on the card in today's WWE.

Special Challenge Match- Bret Hart vs Lex Luger

Throughout the years the WWE seems to always miss out on opportunities. None more clearer than in 1995, you had a guy like Luger who was one of the few big names on your roster and an established star who was clearly one of your most over faces, and a fairly decent draw. You instead waste him (and the Bulldog) in a meaningless curtain jerker match against an obscure tag team. Luger deserved to be doing more. Then you had Bret who was the superstar of the year in 1994 coming off a great title run and you saddle him with Bob Backlund in a match no one wanted to see. This was a poor use of Bret Hart.

In my rebooking I blowoff the Bret/Backlund angle at the RR. Luger and Bret both think they're the "best" they're both bothered by the ending of the '94 Rumble. This pretty much writes itself and in essence we get a dream match which feels WM worthy, and this is much better than what both men were involved with at that show.

Undertaker vs Bam Bam Bigelow (w special enforcer Lawrence Taylor)

LT had no business being in a match. You wanted to use Taylor to gain mainstream attention well here is a way for him to be involved without him being in a match. King Kong Bundy was passed his prime here and he and Taker had poor chemistry. Bam Bam was apart of the Million Dollar Corporation that Taker had been feuding with for a year. So you're continuing the angle and you get a better match in the process for both guys. Once again here was another missed opportunity Taker/Bam Bam could've been good.

Syhco Sid vs 123 Kid

Sid made his return a month before this event, and you knew you had big plans for Sid going forward in 1995. This is a great way to reestablish Sid to the WWE audience as a monster and a force to be reckoned with. You pair him with the Kid, a guy that could bump for Sid and sell his offense as the most devastating thing ever. You showcase Sid here just before he's about to battle for the title in the spring/early summer.

British Bulldog vs Bob Backlund

A showcase match for Davey and this could also tie into the Backlund/Hart storyline nicely.


Everything else I'd keep the same.

 

[Goldie]

I'm not so keen on the Taker vs Bret matchup whilst both were babyfaces (though they would wrestle 2 years later when Bret was heel). At the Rumble we aleady had Bret square off against a babyface in Diesel.... and Bret was the crowd favourite!
In 1995 Bret was the bigger babyface in the company... so this could end Takers streak (well he was only 3-0 by this point so it was before it was noticeable)

Razor Ramone def. Jeff Jarrett (IC title)
Razor gets his return win from the Rumble.

IRS & Tatanka def Smoking Gunns (Tag Titles)
IRS & Tatanka were both in Ted Dibiases heel Corporation stable. IRS was a multi time tag champion..... and it will give Tatanka the opportunity to win the gold he was denied at the 95 Rumble

Bam Bam Bigelow def 123 Kid
From the match mentioned above at the Rumble.... Bam Bam destroys the Kid to prove that the Kid/Bob Holly tag title win was the fluke it was portrayed as

Sid def Bob Backlund
Heel vs heel match. Give Sid a convincing win against the old veteran.

Davey Boy Smith def Owen Hart
As mentioned above... Davey was in the face Hart clan, and Owen the chief heel in he Hart clan. After Bret & Owen had been a focus in 1994.... pair Davey with Owen in 1995. We know they can put on a class match from their later 1997 Euro title series.

Undertaker def Yokozuna (coffin match)
Taker gets revenge on Yoko in a reverse outcome from the 1994 Rumble

Bret Hart def. Lex Luger
Turn Luger heel as his babyface push bombed.... he was always better as a heel in my opinion. Have in turn on Bret beforehand and they can square off in a big Mania fued.

Shawn Michaels def, Diesel (C) for the WWE title
I'll bring Shawns first world title forward a year early. Diesel held the title too long.... and struggled as champ. Diesel was very green when he was pushed to the top... and to be fair, Shawn was left waiting longer than he should have.
As it happened Shawn turned Face soon after WM11, on account of the cheers he received and boos Diesel had in this very actual matchup!
We could even have a swerve where Shawn turns face and Diesel turns heel by the end of this match.

 

[MMK]

HBK never came close to 60 minutes....they changed the format of The Rumble to one entry every 1 minute so Shawn could enter #1 and only wrestle a little over 30 minutes, actual time was about 44 minutes.

That's why I suggested save the storyline of entering at #1 and winning it all for 1996 when they went back to the 2 minute intervals. I am aware the 95 Rumble is actually the shortest in history. Hence why Shawn would have been better off entering #1 in 96 so it lined up perfectly with the 60 minute match at Mania that year.