31 Manias in 31 Days: Rewriting Wrestlemania XIII

[LODemolition]

In today's session of "Rewriting WrestleMania", we go to Rosemont, IL in 1997 for WrestleMania XIII, which definitely regressed from the Mania before. A big part of that is because Shawn Michaels couldn't be a part of the event. Having to forfeit the title, or at least not willing to lose it back to Bret in some peoples' view, just a couple weeks after winning it back at the Royal Rumble from Sid. While the main event suffered, it also ended up helping Bret Hart as he had one of his most memorable matches in his last true WrestleMania match against Steve Austin, before leaving in the fall after the infamous "Montreal Screwjob" incident. Here are the complete results.

March 23, 1997
Rosemont Horizon (Rosemont, IL)


No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Fatal Four Way Elimination Match
The Headbangers def. The Godwinns w/ Hillbilly Jim, The New Blackjacks and Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon

Intercontinental Championship
Rocky Maivia def. The Sultan w/ Bob Backlund and The Iron Sheik to retain

Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/ Chyna def. Goldust w/ Marlena

World Tag Team Championship
Owen Hart & British Bulldog vs. Mankind & Vader w/ Paul Bearer went to a double count-out

Submission Match
Bret "Hit Man" Hart def. Stone Cold (Ken Shamrock was special guest referee)

Chicago Street Fight
Ahmed Johnson & Legion of Doom def. Nation of Domination

WWE Championship Main Event
The Undertaker def. Sycho Sid to become new champion


*Rewriting WrestleMania XIII*


1. Steel Cage Match: Mankind def. Vader w/ Paul Bearer

I think they missed out on a chance here to split these 2 up and several months before Mania and begin a program between these former great WCW rivals. Foley would have played the face, or the twisted type of babyface that only he can. I thought having them challenge for the tag team titles, and end in a double count-out nonetheless, was a huge waste.

2. European Championship: British Bulldog (c) def. Ken Shamrock by disqualification

I would have rather seen Shamrock in a match at his first Mania than just playing the part of special guest referee in the Austin/Hart matchup. Shamrock and Davey Boy could've been a good feud. Bulldog wins by DQ when Shamrock goes apeshit and refuses to let go of the ankle lock.

3. WWF Tag Team Championship: Legion of Doom def. The Headbangers (c)

It blows my mind that the LOD were not only never crowned tag team champs at a WrestleMania, but they were never even involved in a title match at the grand daddy of 'em all. I'd waste no time in putting the straps back on Hawk and Animal here at their first time back at Mania in 5 years.

4. "The Loose Cannon" Brian Pillman def. Goldust w/ Marlena

Brian Pillman was always one of my favorites, and it's a shame that they didn't find a spot for him on the card of WM13. It was the only one that he could have actually competed in during the short time he was a part of the WWF roster. I'd basically just move up the feud between he and Goldust from the fall to the spring.

5. Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat: Rocky Maivia (c) def. Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Owen Hart

I absolutely hated the road they went down for the IC Title match. The Sultan? One of the absolute worst gimmicks in WWF/E history. Literally anyone else on the WM13 card should've challenged Maivia instead. Since I couldn't decide between Owen and Hunter, I simply made it a triple threat. But I'd let Rocky retain, just as he did over The Sultan.

6. Chicago Street Fight: Ahmed Johnson def. Faarooq

The six-man street fight was entertaining, but I would have preferred to see LOD win the tag team titles and Ahmed and Ron Simmons (Faarooq) go 1-on-1. Ahmed gets the win on the way to his IC Title push later in the year.

7. Submission Match: Bret "Hitman" Hart def. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

This match was perfect in every way, shape and form. Having Austin lose consciousness instead of submitting was brilliant and watching his entire face covered in blood while locked in the Sharpshooter was amazing. Bret refused to let go of the hold and left the ring hearing mainly boos from the crowd and Austin received the opposite reaction. By the time they would meet at the next ppv, Bret was a full-fledged heel and "Stone Cold" was the babyface. One of the coolest double turns ever.

8. WWF Championship: The Undertaker def. Sycho Sid (c)

With Shawn Michaels' suffering the knee injury that he did to keep him from defending the championship at WMXIII, the WWF was forced to call an audile and put the title back on Sid. With the cards that were dealt, I think they played the best hand possible. WrestleMania 13 ended with Undertaker crowned as WWF Champion for the 2nd time. Even though I rewrote WM11 with Taker crowned new champ, I wouldn't change how the 13th WrestleMania ended at all.


Feel free to comment and/or post your rewritten WrestleMania XIII.

 

[Mac]

WWF Championship Match- Shawn Michaels (c) vs Undertaker

Shawn had a "knee injury" that sidelined him for this event. But I'm willing to bet that Shawn would be much more willing to "work" through "the injury" if he were in line to lose to Taker as opposed to Bret. With the year Taker had in 1996, I would've been positioning Taker to win the belt at WM 13, and in the process doing it against Shawn Michaels thus giving us a dream match. A match people wanted to see at that time. A much better match than the God awful Sid/Taker borefest.

Submission Match- Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Sometimes the best matches happen as a result of circumstances and destiny. Austin was originally being positioned to face the Bulldog at this event. They began the buildup with Austin attacking Davey a few times in late '96. Meanwhile we were supposed to get a WM 12 rematch between Bret and Shawn. Granted that match might've been good but we've already seen them face each other plenty of times at that point. This Austin/Bret feud was fresh and its historical for what it lead to. You got a double turn and you finally realized that Austin could be the next big star. This was one of the most important matches in WWE history.

Syhco Sid vs Mankind

I remember them having a pretty decent match on a Raw a few weeks before this event. At this point Mankind was a full fledged tweener. I would've started a program between these 2 a little after the Rumble and have it culminate here.

European Championship Match- British Bulldog (c) vs Owen Hart

These two had a great match in the finals of that tournament to crown a new Euro champ. Then they had a rematch on Raw afterwards. I would've saved that rematch for WM and with them teasing dissension between the two there was some level of a story involved.

Intercontinental Championship Match- Rocky Maivia (c) vs Vader

I'd substitute Vader in place of the Sulton and carry on the feud the same.

I'd keep the tag team fatal fourway as is only difference the tag titles would be defended in that match. I'd have Furnas/LaFon win them off the Bulldog and Owen just to continue their angle.

I'd keep everything else the same.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

The late changes to the planned card didn't help, but I was left underwhelmed by this Wrestlemania.

In regards to the OP's rewrite, just a few things:

• you say you wanted to split Mankind & Vader 'months earlier' - they only got together around the Royal Rumble, I believe. However, I do feel that Vader (one of the biggest misuses of talent in WWE history) would have torn the place down had he feuded with Mankind at any point during 1997

• the ending to the Bulldog-Shamrock match as you describe it is essentially the ending to the Summerslam match up between them. It also wouldn't make sense if Shamrock got dq'd for not releasing the hold, but Bret Hart DIDN'T in his match.

• I like the second poster's idea for a Euro title rematch between Owem and Bulldog better I'm afraid - a technically sound match, and importantly would put the Euro title on the map: where better to promote your new, month-old title than at the biggest show of the year. Could have been a match of the year competitor too!

• sticking with this, Shamrock made his debut as a non-wrestler at WM13; I think his in-ring debut was at A Cold Day in Hell versus Vader. Given that was two months later, there *may* have been a legit reason why he wasn't used in-ring until then.

• due to the Euro title change, I would be inclined to leave the IC title as Rocky v Triple H - but I like the idea of adding Goldust and Flash Funk (would have been Marc Mero if he wasn't injured) to it as well, in a four way elimination match. I agree, the Sultan was an awful gimmick and choice of challenger.

• I very much like the idea of the OP in making the streetlight a simple one-on-one between Faarooq and Ahmed Johnson. I feel they deserved a ppv 1-1 blowoff; how I would book mine though would be to have the Nation of Domination gang up on Ahmed to the point where, late in the match, the returning Road Warriors (unannounced and certainly not having already returned) come in to even up the odds. From here the same spots that closed the actual match would occur, such as the Doomsday Device on PG-13, before Ahmed pinned Faarooq.

• Pillman I believe still wasn't ready by this point, he was still rehabbing his shattered ankle; a shame though that he never got a Wrestlemania moment. Had things been different he may well have challenged Austin for the title at WM15. RIP Flyin' Brian.

• the submission match I would keep the same

• Sid could have squashed pretty much anyone to keep him strong, as a filler between the two top matches - in fact, he can steamroll over the Sultan, including an impressive powerbomb, after which he could attack Bob Backlund like he attacked Jose Lothario at Survivor Series

• following on from their Royal Rumble match clash, I'd like to add Mankind v Terry Funk (I know Funk was a Rumble surprise, but it wouldn't have taken much to give him a 3-month contract) - they then could have played ok this the following year: "last year they fought each other, this year they are challenging for the tag titles!"

• my main event then would become the Undertaker challenging Vader for the WWE Championship. As I alluded to earlier, Vader was criminally misused in WWE. By having him in the main event of WM, potentially as champion (same timeline as occurred but he would get the belt after Final Four instead of Sid, who should never have been a 2-time champ), it keeps him hot, which builds up Shamrock's debut more, and it allows 'Taker to beat the guy that pinned him at the Royal Rumble ppv

So my version of WM13 would therefore be:

• euro title: Bulldog (c) v Owen Hart
• Mankind v Terry Funk
• Intercontinental title 4-way: Rocky Maivia (c) v Triple H v Flash Funk v Goldust
• Chicago streetfight: Ahmed Johnson v Faarooq w/Nation of Domination
• Submission match: Bret Hart v Steve Austin
• Sid v the Sultan
• WWE title: Undertaker v Vader (c)

 

[FlairFan2003]

It was interesting how the Austin-Hart double turn worked. Fans were already bored with Hart and Austin was the exciting, unpredictable anti-hero, fans were ready to boo Hart and wanted to cheer Austin heading in, kind of like Hogan in WCW.

Fact was, the NWA did a similar violent ending to maybe the greatest "I Quit" Match ever, Tully Blanchard vs Magnum TA (Starrcade 85) where Magnum busts apart a wooden chair Blanchard had used as a weapon and takes a jagged end piece and uses it as a knife, leaning on top of Blanchard who was pinned on the mat driving it like a stake into his forehead as Blanchard screams in pain but technically never says "I Quit"....despite the similar aggressive and overtly violent tactic fans roundly cheered Magnum and his win, unlike Hart. The difference being fans already liked Magnum and saw him as a favorite, they weren't burned out or bored with him, and Tully was such a detestable character the way he was portrayed it was hard to feel sympathy for him, unlike Austin.

 

[gmanversion1]

I personally would have had Bret retain the World title in his defence against Sid on the Raw the night after Final 4 In Your house.

This would make the submission match for the title. Bret would still win.

KOTR would be set as a 3 way with Austin and Taker, but the injury Bret suffered would force him to forfit the belt, and Taker would beat Austin for the vacant belt.

Summerslam would unfold the same way, Bret vs Taker with HBK as ref, with Bret getting the belt back

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

I personally would have had Bret retain the World title in his defence against Sid on the Raw the night after Final 4 In Your house.

This would make the submission match for the title. Bret would still win.

KOTR would be set as a 3 way with Austin and Taker, but the injury Bret suffered would force him to forfit the belt, and Taker would beat Austin for the vacant belt.

Summerslam would unfold the same way, Bret vs Taker with HBK as ref, with Bret getting the belt back

I agree. Everything leading up to this WrestleMania since even before the Royal Rumble was about Bret/Austin. Then you have the Rumble screwjob - where Austin actually wins. It would have made too much sense for Bret to win the vacant title at IYH and then defend it against Austin - who could have claimed he still deserved the shot at 'Mania for winning the Rumble.

Undertaker vs Psycho Sid still happens. But the Submission Match is for the title. Bret could carry it to SummerSlam then doing the USA vs Canada stuff.

 

[MMK]

Pre Show BATTLE ROYAL
Headbangers, The Godwinns, The Blackjacks, Furnas & LaFon, Sultan, Marc Mero, Goldust, Razor Ramon 2, Diesel 2, Flash Funk, Jesse James, Rockabilly, Bart Gunn

Intercontinental Championship
Hunter H Helmsley w/ Chyna vs Rocky Maivia
(Rocky won the IC title way too soon. Things came too easily and too fast for him. A few obstacles along the way wouldnt have killed him. I would have had him get a shot at the title at Mania but ultimately lose to Triple H with help from a debuting Chyna. The Goldust/Hunter feud should have been settled after their Rumble match. No need for another match at Mania)

European Championship
Owen Hart vs British Bulldog

Ken Shamrock vs Vader
(I hate the special referee gimmick, even though Shamrock was fine in the role during the Bret/Austin match I don't think that match needed any celebrity involvement. I would have had Shamrocks in ring debut at Mania. Use the feud with Vader that took place in May at Mania instead)

Chicago Street Fight
Ahmed Johnson & Legion of Doom def. Nation of Domination
(I wouldn't change anything here. LOD had only returned a month prior to Mania so having them become tag team champions so quickly would be unfair. Yes, they're legends, but they can't just show up and demand a title shot based solely on reputation. Since this event was in Chicago I might actually have held off on the LOD's return until the event itself. Have them show up as Ahmed's mystery partners. )

The Undertaker def. Mankind
(Undertaker returned at Survivor Series to face Mankind but I would have held off on his return until Royal Rumble for the road to wrestlemania. Then have the return match with Mankind at Mania. Mankind was Takers greatest rival and they should have met at least one time at Mania)

WWE Championship Main Event
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin
(Same finish, only this time the match is for the title. Austin won the Rumble and should have gone on to the main event of Mania. The Final 4 match that was held in February can still take place, only it should have been a triple threat between Bret/Taker/Vader (the 3 men Austin screwed over at the Rumble) for the recently vacated title. Bret wins the title and will meet Austin at Mania.)


Also, seeing as how Shawn was "injured" and couldn't compete at this event, whether the injury was legit or not I would have written him off TV a lot better than they did. "I lost my smile" was not enough reason to vacate the title. Have Psycho Sid snap after losing to Shawn at the Rumble and viciously attack Shawn on RAW resulting in an injury angle. Shawn is out and Sid is suspended for the assault. Sid only appeared ONE time in WWF after WM13, so why have him play such a prominent role in the main event if he wasnt in the long term plans?