31 Manias in 31 Days: Rewriting Wrestlemania XIV

[LODemolition]

The next installment in my "Rewriting WrestleMania" series takes us back to the beginning of the Austin era: WrestleMania XIV. With "Stone Cold" Steve Austin being the most popular superstar in WWF/E history, his first title reign had to start somewhere. With Shawn Michaels on his way out with a nagging back injury, it was the perfect time and place for Austin to have his chance to carry the company on his shoulders. The year before, he had put on a fantastic match with Bret Hart and they probably knew then that they had their next #1 guy. WM14 also hosted The Undertaker's best and most personal feud to this day, when he faced his brother Kane, who debuted the previous October at Badd Blood. There's honestly not a lot about this WM that I would change, based on who they had available at the time. I think they did a pretty good job booking this one. However, it could always be better. Here are the full results.

March 29, 1998
FleetCenter (Boston, MA)

Tag Team Battle Royal
Legion of Doom w/ Sunny def. Savio Vega & Miquel Perez, Truth Commission, Bradshaw & Chainz, Mark Henry & D-Lo Brown, Quebecers, Rock N' Roll Express, Farooq & Kama, Jose Estrada & Jesus Castillo, Headbangers, Scott Taylor & Brian Christopher, The D.O.A., The Godwinns and the New Midnight Express

Light Heavyweight Championship
Taka Michinoku def. Aguila to retain

European Championship
Triple H w/ Chyna def. Owen Hart to retain

Mixed Tag Team Match
Marc Mero & Sable def. The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust & Luna

Intercontinental Championship
The Rock w/ Nation of Domination def. Ken Shamrock after reverse decision when Shamrock would not release the ankle lock

Dumpster Match for World Tag Team Championship
Cactus Jack & Terry Funk def. New Age Outlaws to become new champions

Undertaker def. Kane w/ Paul Bearer

WWE Championship Main Event
Stone Cold def. Shawn Michaels w/ D-Generation X (Mike Tyson was special ring enforcer)


*Rewriting WrestleMania XIV*


1. Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Fatal 4-Way: LOD 2000 w/ Sunny def. The Headbangers, Too Much, and the Disciples of Apocalypse

I thought the battle royal was a bit overkill for a tag team title match. I would've put my favorite 4 teams in a match together. Though they were a "new" LOD with a slightly new look, they were still the LOD and still the best in the business.

2. Light Heavyweight Championship: Taka Michinoku (c) def. Aguila

I thought it was cool that they showcased the light heavyweight division at Mania, which was WWF's attempt to keep up with the amazing cruiserweight division in WCW. Taka was the best they had, so he was the right choice for champion.

3. European Championship: Triple H (c) w/ Chyna def. Owen Hart

I wouldn't change a thing here either. Owen playing "The Black Hart", after all other members of The Hart Foundation had left for WCW, made for a great feud with Triple H, who played a big part in the "Montreal Screwjob."

4. Intercontinental Championship: The Rock (c) w/ The Nation def. Ken Shamrock

I liked the twist of having Shamrock win, then lose it back after going apeshit on all the officials and putting the ankle lock back on The Rock twice more after the match. I'd keep this the same as well.

5. Mixed Tag: Marc Mero & Sable def. The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust & Luna

We thought Goldust was a freak until he revealed his TAFKA Goldust persona. I liked this feud and match, nothing needs to change here.

6. WWF Tag Team Championship Dumpster Match: Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie def. New Age Outlaws (c)

I almost inserted the LOD and made it a triple threat, but if it's not broken...

7. The Undertaker def. Kane w/ Paul Bearer

You'd have to be crazy to make any changes to this feud.

8. WWF Championship: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin def. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels (c) w/ D-Generation X (Mike Tyson as Special Guest Enforcer)

Though I thought Tyson turning on DX and joining Austin's side was a bit predictable and corny, there's no major changes I'd make either. It was Austin's time and Shawn needed to get his back fixed, so the timing couldn't have been better for the fans to jump on Austin's bandwagon and crown him new champ. This has been the Mania I would change the least about so far and maybe the rest of the way up until WM30. We'll see.

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

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

With the talent that was available I wouldn't have changed the card as I think they got things right.

However, if could go back to before Survivor Series and change things around I would have kept Bret around, had him hold the title through Mania, to set up the rematch against Austin at 14 with Austin overcoming his greatest adversary (at that time) on his way to the title. Then, with Shawn I would have begun a story where Trips starts to lose faith in Shawn as he can't beat Bret for the title. That would ultimately cause a rift between the two and set up a match at Mania for control of DX.

 

[Mac]

The only change I'd make is to the Light Heavyweight title match. Replace Aguila with Brian Christopher. Besides that the card is perfect. This is one of my favorite Mania's and imo this Mania is underappreciated. However I'd like to present an alternate WM 14 if things played out differently.

Mike Tyson vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

In real life this was the correct use of a celebrity. However if they had Tyson actually wrestle I wonder how it would've turned out. Imo Big Show/Mayweather was arguably the best celebrity/wrestler match ever. But considering how their feud began you'd understand if it lead to a match. Not saying I'd want to see this. But just giving an alternative.

WWF Championship Match- Shawn Michaels (c) vs Owen Hart

Owen was probably the 2nd hottest guy in the company in early '98 following Montreal. But the WWE seemed to have missed a golden opportunity with Owen around this time. Owen returned at the IYH PPV and attacked Shawn. So logically this should set up a feud right? Nope, instead DX does rock paper scissors to determine who gets Owen which of course HHH wins. I think the potential storyline was hot enough to carry a program through WM. Owen would've been a good champion.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

Austin was just TOO hot to NOT get the Wrestlemania win, to be honest. Although I agree that WWE did miss a money match between Shawn and Owen, this should have been at the Royal Rumble (just change things around, a straight swap, Owen for the Undertaker, who takes Owen's Rumble spot and is eliminated by Kane's interference the same way Owen was eliminated by DX's interference)

This, of course, would also mean that Shawn wouldn't have broken his back at the Rumble, which would change the course of history somewhat, but let's assume karma remained and he got injured regardless. My only issue with changing too much on WM cards (hypothetically of course) is that a chain reaction would occur, meaning that SO much more would change beyond WM. However this one change regarding Owen Hart and the Undertaker would change nothing: they would fit the storyline, filter seemlessly into No Way Out (where Owen teamed with Austin, Cactus Jack and Terry Funk against DX and the Nee Age Outlaws) and on to a Wrestlemania that I agree should stay pretty much as it was.

 

[HBKperfect23]

Austin was just TOO hot to NOT get the Wrestlemania win, to be honest. Although I agree that WWE did miss a money match between Shawn and Owen, this should have been at the Royal Rumble (just change things around, a straight swap, Owen for the Undertaker, who takes Owen's Rumble spot and is eliminated by Kane's interference the same way Owen was eliminated by DX's interference)

This, of course, would also mean that Shawn wouldn't have broken his back at the Rumble, which would change the course of history somewhat, but let's assume karma remained and he got injured regardless. My only issue with changing too much on WM cards (hypothetically of course) is that a chain reaction would occur, meaning that SO much more would change beyond WM. However this one change regarding Owen Hart and the Undertaker would change nothing: they would fit the storyline, filter seemlessly into No Way Out (where Owen teamed with Austin, Cactus Jack and Terry Funk against DX and the Nee Age Outlaws) and on to a Wrestlemania that I agree should stay pretty much as it was.

Owen interfered in Michaels match at December IYH. I really thought they were going with michaels/Owen at the Rumble. I agree that it could have been great. The storyline was there with Owen defending the Hart family and going after the title.


WMXIV is one mania I wouldn't touch. Michaels was a white hot heel and Austin couldn't have been more over. I wish Shawns back could have been in better shape. The build was great, the match itself was acceptable but these two healthy could have been something special.

 

[LODemolition]

If Austin hadn't gotten over like he did, there's no doubt in my mind that Owen would have headlined his first Mania here. As awesome as that would have been, everything happened the way it did and I wouldn't change it. Austin was on top of the WWE for the next 3 years and his popularity couldn't be touched.

 

[MMK]

First of, Owen Hart would never appear at my WM14. He should have left to WCW with the rest of the Harts. There was nothing for him in WWF. As long as we're rewriting we may as well keep Owen alive and out of the WWF and as far away from Blue Blazer as possible.

Ditch the Tag Team battle royal. Too many filler teams. As for LOD 2000, I choose to pretend that never happened. Any roster member that isn't included in this card can just be shoved into a pre show battle royal. Except TAFKA Goldust. Another bastardization of a perfectly good character. Leave him as just plain Goldust thank you.

WRESTLEMANIA 14

Leadership of The Nation
The Rock def Faarooq
(Winner becomes leader of the Nation. Rock wins. Faarooq is ousted and attacked by all other Nation members. Rock should then go on to win the KOTR 97)

European/ Intercontinental Championship unification
Triple H vs Ken Shamrock
(Have Shamrock win the IC title from Rock at The Rumble then unify the two midcard titles at Mania. Never made much sense to have two midcard titles. Very WCWish. Euro title was only ever created to give Davey Boy a push anyway. When Shawn won the title it lost all meaning)

Dumpster Match for World Tag Team Championship
New Age Outlaws def Cactus Jack & Terry Funk
(Only change to this match is the outcome. The old blood should always put the new blood over)

INFERNO MATCH
Undertaker def. Kane w/ Paul Bearer
(These two had an inferno match just one month later. Not sure why the gimmick wasn't used for their initial confrontation.)

WWE Championship Main Event
Stone Cold def. Shawn Michaels
(Mike Tyson as special ring enforcer)