Is WrestleMania 17 Overrated?

[The Brain]

Now before everyone jumps on me for criticizing the king of all pay per views, I just want to say I love this ppv. I am not criticizing. I am just asking. There are so many members on this forum so obviously there are a lot of different opinions on a lot of different topics. However, I don’t recall ever reading a bad word about WM17. This event seems to have achieved the unthinkable; unanimous acceptance from the IWC. It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since this event took place. Let’s take a closer look.

First of all, in my opinion, the WWF was coming off back to back bad manias. I think both WM15 and WM16 are in the bottom three of all manias with 15 being at the very bottom. After two disappointing years I think anything that was good was going to be viewed as great. However, the opinions of 15 and 16 are my own and I’m sure this was not a factor for many people. Another thing to consider is WM17 was the first mania in nine years to be held in a huge stadium. That fact may have subconsciously planted a seed that this mania was going to be great before the show even started. To be fair the arena and atmosphere is part of the overall event experience so it’s not unreasonable to say WM17 gets extra points for the venue. One more personal note, this was the first mania I was in attendance for. I’ve always wondered if that made me overrate the show, but as I said I’ve never read a bad word about it so I guess not. Now the card.

Jericho vs. Regal was a decent opener. It wasn’t stand out special, but it didn’t need to be. It was a good solid match to open the show. Tazz & APA vs. RTC wasn’t really anything special. Not everything was going to be a main event caliber match though. Not bad is good enough for me here. The hardcore match was just meh. I don’t care for matches that take place out of the ring so I didn’t care for this. Test vs. Eddie was ok. Like the opener it wasn’t stand out special but it was as good as it needed to be. The women’s match was just a squash. So half way through the card we don’t have anything great, but it is the undercard and it wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination.

Benoit vs. Angle could have used a better build, but with these two it didn’t matter much. The fans were just looking forward to a great match regardless of the lack of story, and despite a somewhat weak finish that’s exactly what they got. McMahon vs. McMahon was awesome. I wasn’t crazy about the idea when it was announced but everyone in this match played their role perfectly. Ever since this I’ve had more of an open mind about these kinds of matches (looking forward to Lawler vs. Cole for example). What can I say about TLC2? These guys always put on a good performance. The only criticism is this was the third match within one year. It would have been better had the match not taken place at SummerSlam, but that’s just nitpicking. It really didn’t matter. Gimmick Battle Royal was comedic nostalgic filler before the last two matches. Nothing wrong with that. HHH vs. Taker had a great build and gave us a great fight. The crowd popped crazy for that tombstone. Everyone was excited for the main event, but this is the part I think may be overrated a bit. First of all, we had seen this match several times before. Secondly, I didn’t care the match itself so much. It wasn’t bad (like the terrible match at WM15) but I don’t think it’s the legendary match everyone thinks it is. Finally, the finish didn’t work. I know it was supposed to be a big shocking moment when Austin turned heel and joined McMahon, but the crowd wasn’t buying it. As I said I was there and it wasn’t working with the live crowd. Austin kept hitting Rock with that chair as McMahon encouraged him, but the fans kept cheering him anyway. It seemed as though he wouldn’t stop until the fans turned on him. Finally he got a few boos and went for the cover. As soon as the ref hit three, the crowd erupted again. The fans just didn’t care about the heel turn. They were going to cheer Austin anyway. I always felt that hurt the end of the show a bit.

Overall the event was awesome and I rank it number two in my mania rankings (barely losing to WM19). So you may be wondering why I brought it up if I don’t think the event is overrated. It just blows my mind that the IWC seems to be in total agreement about this event. I am simply curious if there is anyone who feels this event is not as great as it is made out to be.

 

[SSJPhenom]

Sorry Brain, but I don't think that you'll get many around here to say WM 17 was overrated or a bad PPV.

For me, it is the be all end all in a PPV. It had everything that one could ask for. Drama, comedy, anger, brawling, wrestling, great spots, and most important for me is that the crowd seemed to be into the event 100% of the way. I can't remember a match during that PPV where the crowd was dead. It was awesome and I loved it.

Not to mention, it was the end of an era. The Attitude Era to be more specific. People didn't know that at the time, but with hindsight being 20/20 and when people look back on it, they realize that it was the last 'Mania of a great Era.

As far as WM 17 goes, IMO, it's the greatest 'Mania of all time with WM 19 coming in second.

 

[Heartachetonight926]

Calling anything, much less a PPV, "Overrated" is 100% based on Personal taste and opinion. I personally think that word should be erased form our English language, because nobody knows how to use it without sounding completely biased.

I agree with what's already been said though, I don't think you'll find many people on this or any Internet forum who think Wrestlemania 17 is Overrated in anyway, shape or form. I'm sure there is some, but not many.

 

[CDoherty]

WM 17 was not overrated, not the best mania but very good.

I think both WM15 and WM16 are in the bottom three of all manias with 15 being at the very bottom.

Are u on drugs? Austin vs. Rock at WM 15 was fucking awesome. Did u ever watch WM 11, the very worst WM hands down, 9 and 23 weren't anything to write home about either.

 

[BTLion1990]

When I first read the name of the thread I thought we had a rogue member, but after reading I must say that I don't think that many will ever call this overrated. Some may have better Mania's but I can't see how somebody could say this PPV wasn't worthy of a WrestleMania.

One of, If not the greatest Mania I have witnessed. The Undertaker/HHH angle was compelling, and to this day it is still HHH's best match in my opinion. The TLC match was fantastic, I mean Edge diving off one ladder and spearing Jeff in mid air was priceless.

McMahon Vs McMahon was phenominal for the fact that neither were active wrestlers, it had all the drama of Linda/Vince/Trish. I thought the storyline was a bit over the top, but they obviously didn't mind they were the McMahons. And when Shane did the coast to coast it was awesome to watch.

Stone Cold Vs The Rock, face Vs face, a fantastic no DQ match and the best of their 3 WrestleMania matches, and the infamous heel turn, by alligning with Vince McMahon was right out of left field. The build up was one of the best build ups ever in my opinion.

Added with the traditional wrestling of Y2J/Regal, and Benoit/Angle, there wasn't a non-worthy match on that card. And like the Brain said, coming from back-to-back Manias that won't be considered the best of all time, this was a major achievement for all.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

WM 15 was terrible. It was obvious that The Rock wasn't ready for a match of that magnitude just yet and nothing else on the card was memorable. So yes, WM 15 ranks at the bottom. I would take WM 11 over WM 15 any day of the week.

On the topic at hand, I would say that it is a tad overrated. Benoit/Angle had better matches. The first TLC should have been done instead of it being the second. HHH and Taker had a good match and I hated the ending of the Stone Cold/Rock match. The heel turn was good in theory but the Houston crowd was not going to boo him no matter what and he still was getting cheers the whole year as a heel.

 

[stmarks2002]

Mania 11 was the worst; 17 had some "filling" spots was a a good show. I was there but not biased to say it was the best; it was the best showing since Mania 14. Mania's 15 and 16 had some good moments but didnt keep the audience. Mania 18 was an epic fail IMO.

 

[CuddleBuns84]

First and foremost. Wrestlemania 9 was garbage. No taking that away. It's the worse one, and always will be.

After that being said. No WrestleMania 17 was not over-rated. In fact, should be the standard of Pay-Per-view Wrestling. It had anything, the builds were great, great matches. Even though the gimmick match was goofy, it wasn't a bad match.

It was four hours long, and intense through the whole show.

Nothing hasn't topped that in a long time. Especially in the last ten years. Plus, 2001 was the last years of the WCW and ECW. So, the WWF had one last major pay-per-view to give to it's fans before it became the number one company in the land.

 

[klunderbunker]

Try to keep on track people. We're not talking about what the most overrated Manias, but rather Mania 17.

As for that show, no it's not overrated. I watched it again a few days ago and it's still incredible. The absolute worst match on the show is the APA/Tazz vs. RTC and that's a perfectly watchable match. They gett he weak stuff out of the way early but first the put Jericho and Regal out there for a hard hitting fight which got things going. The 6 man was next which was 4 minutes long so you can't really get too upset at it. The Hardcore stuff was fun and had a big ending. Eddie vs. Test was ok at least.

Then we get to the meat. Benoit vs. Angle goes without saying, the Women's match was fine for what it was and then the street fight is a fun old brawl which blew off about 5 storylines at once. And then: TLC 2, which is more or less perfect, gimmick battle royal was a nice breath of air before the big two matches, both of which are incredible.

Then there's the main event: Steve Austin vs. The Rock II for the World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship in front of 67,925 fans in the main event of Wrestlemania. As JR said at No Way Out: "60,000 in the Astrodome to see The Rock and Stone Cold!" COULD THAT BE MORE EPIC??? The match itself rocks and was a fitting world title match at Mania.

In short, it's the perfect PPV. There isn't a single bad match on there and the crowd is white hot all night thanks to the perfect pacing (big matches then a breather in the battle royal then the main events). No it isn't overrated and it can't be praised enough.

 

[shapy]

you know what the best WrestleMania is/was?

The one YOU like best!

Arguing/debating over which is the best is pointless. In my opinion, I think WM 1-7 set the bar, with each being unique in their own right, yet remaining to be that epic super card of the year.

WM 8 had high expectations which we all know fell apart. (Hogan v. Flair not happening and the BS finish of the Hogan/Justice match, even with a deflated Warrior's return). However, I still like WM 8. The under card, I feel, saved WM 8 from being a complete let down.

WM 9 was that first let down of WM. A count out finish to the opening IC title match. An odd DQ finish in the Undertaker/Gonzalez match. A very short, anti-climatic World title match in Bret/Yoko, and then the even shorter semi-climatic 2nd World title match in Hogan/Yoko (which was either awesome or sucked depending on your opinion of Hogan). The best under card match may have been Hennig/Luger. That Steiners/Headshrinkers was a decent tag filler. Doink/Crush was very interesting and delivered well, especially with Heenan's commentary. Razor/Backlund was thrown in at the last second. And Hogan's return with Beefacke vs. Money Inc. was again a BS finish. I think the creative minds put more effort and attention into the venue and set design and pageantry than anything else, and kudos to them because WM 9 was a spectacular looking event, with a less than spectacular card.

WM 10 was able to "go back to its roots" so to speak at MSG and with a decent card and unique World title situation. Bret/Owen obviously stole the show in the very first match of the card -- until the ladder match. Both of those matches is what people will remember from WM 10. It also marked the last WM appearance from Savage in an ok match against Crush, but at least the buildup for that match was worthwhile. Bret being able to recapture the World title after a year long struggle to climb the ranks again was a nice touch, and the overall story being told there, with losing to his little brother in the first match, then winning the big one in the last match and having Owen stand in the aisle seething was a great feel.

WM 11, hands down, in my opinion, the worst WM of all time. No way should LT/Bam Bam have been the main event but I guess that was inevitable. All the matches lacked a "big time" feel to them. Backlund/Bret was good. Owen winning the tag titles with a returning Yoko was nice. Diesel/Shawn was very good, but at that point some may have questioned if Shawn was ready for the big time match, which is why it probably didn't go on last. Also, the venue, I think, is to date, the smallest venue that's hosted a WM.

WM 12 - 14 were carried on the shoulders of Bret, Shawn, and Austin - respectively. Each had a fair under card and memorable moments. Iron man match (12), Bret/Austin (13), and Kane/Taker, Austin/Shawn (14) will all be remembered as some of the very best matches of all time.

WM 15, the only WM I ever attended, was a lackluster. The whole special guest ref thing with Foley/Big Show was a clusterfuck. Austin/Rock had been done before, granted not on this scale, but just not good enough for the big show, but sadly, looking back, what else would have been a suitable main event? Well, I think this would have been the perfect time to do Austin/Undertaker for the title, and had it been done, I bet Austin would have won. Also, X-Pac/Shane was much more entertaining than first anticipated. Rest of the card was blah.

WM 16 (I hate calling it WM 2000), could have been beyond epic. Jericho/Benoit/Angle had money all over it, but none of the 3, all making their first WM appearance, were quite ready for that big time delivery, though I loved the concept of the match and thought it was pretty good. There was no Undertaker at this event. The triple threat tag team title match was outstanding and an original. The 4 corners main event was overdone with a McMahon in every corner idea. It worked on paper, but we all knew the McMahon's were becoming the center of attention in the main event of the biggest show of the year. Not good. And, in my opinion, I think we all saw Vince's turn on the Rock from miles and miles and miles away.

WM 17, finally... A great event all around. I do not think it is over rated, simply because I do not think it is the best WM ever -- even up to this point of WM. Had the Rock/Austin match been put off until now, it would have had a greater big time feel to it. But we've seen it dozens of times prior. Taker/HHH was in deed probably the best of the card. I do like WM 17, but including all the WM's prior to 17, I did not think it was the best.

Anyway, just my 2 cents...

 

[MizterColemine]

No one has really elaborated on how excellent the build up and promos were for the this event, and the Main Event especially. Limp Bizkit was especially hot that year and it was a very fitting song chosen. I was only 14 or 15, so My Way was probably my favorite song around that time. WrestleMania might have been the reason why. I would rewatch the recap video over and over. I would rewatch the main event promo over and over.
Stone Cold was so entertaining that year, but at that time I just couldn't get with his persona... I didn't believe in drinking, and he always beat my favorite superstars and stun the Rock. I was a Rock mark, and Stone Cold's heel turn was bittersweet. He finally did the thing that befitted how much of a badass mofo he was, and he didn't give a crap how he won, he was GOING to win that match, and that resonated very well especially after the sit-down they had with J.R. and Austin saying "I have to win this match, Rock". and the intensity he had as he said it blows most of these promos this day and age out of the water. And again, I mention the video packages, and particularly the My Way video package was absolute epicness. If the PPV was overrated, this would be the reason, but it's not overrated. As stated, that WrestleMania was a great experience not only for you that attended but watching at home was one of the highlights of my stint as a WWE fan, if not the best. UnderTaker was Undertaker, and Triple H had shaped up to become a top-notch ruthless bad guy, and was in his prime. If he could channel that intense heel energy this time around it would be amazing. One of my favorite matches was that triple threat hardcore match.
I think it was a perfect match, for what it was. Two big men and an ECW alumni in Raven. Obviously he was the underdog and I would actually have loved for him to win, but everytime he'd try to get in the fight he'd get thrown through or onto something. It had everything. It probably came off better on TV then at the actual event because of it being backstage though. But that might have been my favorite match after TLC and the 2 main events.

 

[WunNightStan619]

i honestly dont see what all the flack about WM's 15 & 16 are. 15 is actually wun of my favorites. Rock and Austin 1 was a better MATCH than the wun at 19. I enjoyed watching Undertaker hang the Bossman...(even though michael cole couldn't have possibly called that spot any worse if he tried smh)..16 was pretty good too. It had a great build for the main event, and the ladder match was classic. In my opinion 25 was the worst Wrestlemania of all of them. I'll never understand why they had Kidd Rock perform for like a half hour, HHH/Orton was trash, nowun really cared to see the hardy's go at it..It was saved only by Taker/Shawn...23 wasnt bad either now that i think of it

But as far as WM17 goes, what more could you possibly have wanted? If you think 17 was overrated i would LOVE to hear what your idea of a great Wrestlemania is. If 17 is overrated, than so are all the rest of them

 

[EastCoastFan]

WM 17 overall, was a GREAT show, one of the best WrestleManias ever. The only problem with it from me was the Steve Austin heel turn at the end. People weren't buying it. I remember my friends and I watching Austin and Vince drinking beer together at the end and wondering "What just happened here?"

As for the title of worst WrestleMania, I nominate WM 20. The saving grace for that one was the main event, and since that match has been "stricken from the record" since June 2007, there's very little positive to say about it.

 

[Brahma Bull]

The Brain continues to prove to me that he either just started watching wrestling this year, or is a troll. although 15 wasnt great, the main event is one of the best around that time, and i definately wouldnt put it on the bottom. but what really proves your ignorance is saying that wrestlemania 16 is towards the bottom. the tlc match, benoit angle and jericho, and one of the best build ups to a main event ever put the ppv at the bottom? lol, your funny brain.

as to what the thread is actually about, ill actually agree with you. 17 was one of the best, but i wouldnt say that it was unchallengably the best, which many people seem to believe.

 

[byrnside]

So fitting that you posted this Brain because just the other day I was reading something about this particular 'Mania and was thinking the same thing. I will say that, earlier today in fact, when I was browsing through The Undertaker/Triple H 'Mania XXVII thread I noticed some people bashing The Undertaker/Triple H match from 'Mania XVII.. How they could possibly think that was a bad match is absolutely beyond me. Personally, with the exception of HBK/Undertaker at 'Mania XXV, it's my favorite "streak" match.

To answer the original question, no, I don't think it's over rated in the slightest. Jericho and Regal was a terrific choice as a curtain jerk, which in my opinion, is an honor in a lot of cases at 'Mania.

The RTC vs. APA/Tazz was exactly what I expected, six guys brawling it out.. Bradhsaw's clothesline is still probably the best in the business.

The 3 Way Dance Hardcore title, I loved it. I always liked these matches, although sometimes they were pretty silly, but this was a good one. When Kane threw Raven through the window I couldn't help but cringe, and the golf cart was just priceless.

For my money, Eddie Guerrero always delivers, even against Test [r.i.p]. Can anyone remind me what the story was going into this one?

Brain described Kurt Angle vs. Benoit, not a lot of build-up, but who cares? Technical clinic from two of the best technicians ever and the fact that Angle tapped was pretty epic.

The Women's title match was just a squash, but Chyna's body was looking pretty banging.

McMahon vs. McMahon was epic. I don't care what people say about these kinds of matches, but Shane O Mac always delivers and Vince usually does too when he steps into the ring. Elbow drop through the announce table, need I say more? Yes? Okay, how many wrestlers do you know that can do the Van Terminator? Other than it's namesake, I don't know too many.

My biggest problem with TLC 2 was that this was the peak of The Dudleyz during their "WASSSSAP" phase, which I always found pretty annoying. Other than that though, we've got one of the last gasps of a dying division, but what a way to go.

I've already posted a thread on the Gimmick Battle Royal and how awesome I thought it was. The only problem was I wish they could've gotten more guys from the past. I love the nostalgia moments in the WWE.

I already said that Triple H vs. The Undertaker was one of my favorite "Streak" matches. The whole battle on the scaffolding was pretty original [for a WWE match] and ended with that chokeslam followed by The Undertaker diving off. Triple H nailed The Undertaker with the sledge hammer and still couldn't get the job done.

As for Austin vs. The Rock. Without a doubt this was my least favorite of their 'Mania matches, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good. I just didn't really believe the Austin swirve at the end. It was just kind of like "..Really? " Vince might as well have turned face. Otherwise it was still a solid match and a good main event.

Overall, I'd say it was definitely not overrated. As far as I can remember this was the last Wrestlemania I was remotely interested in ordering, except for last year, which I ended up not ordering [thank goodness.] I can't wait for the day that we can review a future Wrestlemania with such vigor.

 

[vicd71]

First, I was at WM 15 in Philly for Austin/Rock I, and that was probably the only really good match on that card.

Now, onto WM X7. For my money, this was, hands down, the best WM I've seen in my adult life. After 15 & 16 there was really no way to go but up.

A few things though... The Tazz/APA vs RTC was thrown together at the last minute. If you remember, Lawler was originally in this angle, but had quit WWE just weeks before WM over the firing of his then-wife Stacy. Tazz was added at the last minute so they wouldn't have to scrap the match. If the angle wasn't for WM it would have been ended right then and there. Also, Lawler quitting opened the spot for Heyman to play colorman.

Rock/Austin II far exceeded their WM 15 match. Rock was 2 years older and completely settled into his character and Austin was well... Austin. The reason the heel turn almost didn't work was because it was in Austin's backyard. The original reaction from the crowd was similar to that of both Goldberg's and Sting's heel turns. The fans just didn't want it. Simple as that. That's why Austin was paired with HHH the next night on Raw for another beat-down on The Rock. WWE realized that they almost blew it and that beat-down on The Rock in the cage got Austin over again as a heel. It would have worked long-term, too, except for the fact that HHH blew his quad a few weeks later, leaving Austin without a great heel partner to keep the angle going. That's why Austin's heel run went near-comical with Angle added to the mix, just to keep it going. It was never supposed to play-out that way though and Austin soon went "face" again until the Invasion angle.

And the Angle/Benoit match at WM X7 was good, but their rematch on Raw the next night in the cage was amazing!

 

[rko57]

I'm going to go along with everybody else and say it is not overrated. I was also in the crowd for WM X-Seven, and when it was over, I said to my self "this was the best WM I've ever seen, I dunno how this can be topped" and to this day, I honestly believe it hasn't been topped. And I am very happy that this is easily the #1 voted WM of all time, you'll some people say WM XIX over it or other WMs, but a majority of the time, it finishes #1. I can't think of any way this is overrated, and glad I'm not the only one who can see that

 

[The Jeff]

X-7 was not overrated. It was the end of an era and what an end it was. Each match was hyped and delivered. The main event was probably the most intense match that the WWF ever offered. I have never...ever been so absorbed in 4 hours of entertainment in my entire life. I find it laughable that this topic is even being brought up. The event was gold.

 

[HiddenInPlainView]

What?!?!?!? HHH and Undertaker have wrestled at a Wrestlemania before?!?!?!? I'm pretty sure that we were supposed to forget all about that one. That's why we don't have the usual promo of Taker's victims over the streak.

 

[The Wrestler`s Wrestler]

Sorry Brain, but I don't think that you'll get many around here to say WM 17 was overrated or a bad PPV.

For me, it is the be all end all in a PPV. It had everything that one could ask for. Drama, comedy, anger, brawling, wrestling, great spots, and most important for me is that the crowd seemed to be into the event 100% of the way. I can't remember a match during that PPV where the crowd was dead. It was awesome and I loved it.

Not to mention, it was the end of an era. The Attitude Era to be more specific. People didn't know that at the time, but with hindsight being 20/20 and when people look back on it, they realize that it was the last 'Mania of a great Era.

As far as WM 17 goes, IMO, it's the greatest 'Mania of all time with WM 19 coming in second.

I completely agree with The Phenom 100 o/o with WrestleMania 24 coming in 3rd place for me. WrestleMania 17 IS the standard bearer for wrestling pay per views. WrestleMania 24 was the last great WrestleMania top to bottom. Wrestlemania 25 had its moments but overall felt like a 3 hour raw. And the less said about WrestleMania 26 the better.

With this year being the 10th anniversary of mania 17 I think that this years mania might have a chance to be better then mania 17. Or it could come in 2nd place IMO (It probably will with this years mania having no M.I.T.B match lol) But that is another thread for another time.

But WrestleMania 17 top to bottom with the "Big opener" not the "Curtain jerker" (There is a difference) between Jericho and Regal. The violent and at times funny triple threat hardcore title match with Show, Kane and Raven. 1 night with Chyna (No not that one ) The 1 night Chyna returned to defeat Ivory in a squash match for the WWF womens championship. Angle n Beniot with a mat classic to set up their feud which would last over 3 ppv's.

T.L.C II Still regarded as the best ladder match in wrestling. Vince vs Shane in a street fight to hide their short comings, But none the less a great match with a huge finish. The gimmick battle royal which some people see as a downside to mania 17 was a nice piece of "filler" and a throwback to the ol' days, As opposed to four random divas rolling around on a bed hitting each other with pillows as "filler" Or a 25 diva battle royal with NO entrance or shouts of eliminations as "filler"

Then you have Triple H vs Undertaker. 10 years on and people still talk about how great that match is. And then you have the main event and IMO the best WWF championship match in WrestleMania history dispite the crowd taking to Austins heel turn the way they did.

With Triple H & Undertaker & Edge as "The LAST of the old school" leaving sometime soon, It will be a VERY LONG TIME if EVER for the WWF to be able to put together a WrestleMania that could come even close to being better then WrestleMania 17

 

[McClure]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but the video package for Austin/Rock alone was also quite fantastic. If memory serves, the buildup for the match was a bit slow, but watching that video package years later, it makes it look like the match was the end of a long and vicious rivalry. In short, it makes the match look like it really means something. (Kind of the like the recent package for HHH/Undertaker with legends and current stars)

As for the show itself, everything I have to say about WM17 has already been said. It marks a turning point for the Wrestlemania brand, and we started to see more and more top-to-bottom great shows, such as 19 and 24.

With Triple H & Undertaker & Edge as "The LAST of the old school" leaving sometime soon, It will be a VERY LONG TIME if EVER for the WWF to be able to put together a WrestleMania that could come even close to being better then WrestleMania 17

Well, in all fairness, on paper, WM26 seemed like it had the potential to be one of the best of all time. In the end, they just had too many matches. Punk/Rey had a lot of potential, but it was too short (though Bret/Vince had the exact opposite problem). Some, like Edge/Jericho just had kind of abrupt wishy washy endings (though it was still a great match). Others, like Orton/DiBiase/Rhodes or HHH/Sheamus should have done more to have the veteran put over the younger wrestler.

Another problem was that some matches just had too much build. Feuds like Bret/Vince, Edge/Jericho and Orton/Legacy just seemed to go on too long and hit their peak weeks before the event. (Sorry for going off-topic there)

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

No, I don't think the show is overrated. It is not perfect, there are a few things that I would have changed about the show. BUT, it has everything you want in a PPV, as KB said.

You have the death defying high flying in the TLC match (one of the greatest matches of all time), the classic feud between The Rock and Stone Cold which ends with a shocking heel turn from The Rattlesnake, siding with his long-term enemy in Vince McMahon. You have the technical wizardry of Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit locking up, the drama of the McMahon v McMahon rivalry (ending with an incredible Van Terminator from Shane on his Dad), the hardcore match for the fans of brawling (I loved seeing Raven on a WM card), the great scrap between 2 icons in Undertaker and Triple H, Chyna winning the womens title for the 1st time and a burst of nostalgia in the legends battle royal.

Simply put, the PPV had everything a fan can ask for.

Just look at the list of the stars in their primes:
Austin, Rock , Undertaker, Triple H, Angle, Benoit, Jericho, Kane, Big Show, Edge & Christian, Hardy Boyz.

That is some serious star power on the show, and they all gave their very best.

In my eyes this is easily the greatest PPV the WWE have ever put on and the measuring stick for all shows since. It was a fantastic show, and I would be surprised if anything beats it in the near future. If only Shawn Michaels had returned 2 years earlier, then this show would have been EVEN better!

 

[rge2010]

The Benoit vs Angle match was amazing (as always) but the reason they had no build is because WWF dragged their heels a bit. Sting was being courted to fight Angle at this PPV and when he refused to sign they threw in Benoit.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

I wouldn't say it gets talked about a lot, but when it does, you just don't hear a bad word about it.. It really was a great ppv, non of the matches put me to sleep.. I recently got it on DVD and watched it with my friends, didn't skip a single second, heck I even rewinded bits of it e.g. TLC II.. Mostly when I watch old dvd's I tend to skip most of a match, but this ppc, you can't afford to.. the 6-man tag wasn't all that, but it was fun to watch and being short it was an oryt match, same goes with the womens match which was a squash, but again short and watchable.. I loved the way Benoit/Angle match started, great mat wrestling there and then it became a FIGHT!

Vince/Shane was just awsome, we got sooo much out of this match, it was unbelievable, wrapped up like 3 storylines in 1 match.. TLC II was just amazing from start to, the fans saw some new fresh spots that we'd never seen before, this was the 3rd time in a year these 3 teams put on a classic! HHH/Taker match was IMO the most underrated match on the card, A lot of people say it was crap, have you seen it? It was a standard match, but when you watch it, you think it's a bloody street fight.. Then the main event, it wasn't an epic, no but it was a great match IMO, those 2 were the biggest draws at the time and they did a good job working well with each other and non of saw the Austin/McMahon friendship coming..

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

WrestleMania 17 was not overrated in the slightest sense and there is no arguement made by The Brain that makes me think otherwise.

First of all, in my opinion, the WWF was coming off back to back bad manias. I think both WM15 and WM16 are in the bottom three of all manias with 15 being at the very bottom. After two disappointing years I think anything that was good was going to be viewed as great. However, the opinions of 15 and 16 are my own and I’m sure this was not a factor for many people. Another thing to consider is WM17 was the first mania in nine years to be held in a huge stadium. That fact may have subconsciously planted a seed that this mania was going to be great before the show even started. To be fair the arena and atmosphere is part of the overall event experience so it’s not unreasonable to say WM17 gets extra points for the venue. One more personal note, this was the first mania I was in attendance for. I’ve always wondered if that made me overrate the show, but as I said I’ve never read a bad word about it so I guess not. Now the card.

WrestleMania 15 was bad but WrestleMania 2000( or 16) was not bad. There were good matches like the EuroContinental match and the TLC match while the main event was brilliantly built up and the match was not bad either. The only criticism I have heard of this event is that the main event should have been Triple H vs Rock rather than a fatal fourway match. Either way this PPV does not deserve to be rated as a bottom three WrestleMania by any fan. It was solid but not spectacular.

Also, there have been worse Manias. WrestleMania 2 was a bad show and so was 9 and WrestleMania 11 was also nothing remotely special. I would say that WrestleMania 15 still deserves to be a bottom 3 Mania but not Mania 16. Not by a long shot.

Also I have heard many fans doubt that they are overrating the show due to their presence but you can dispel this doubt in this case. It was a great PPV.

Jericho vs. Regal was a decent opener. It wasn’t stand out special, but it didn’t need to be. It was a good solid match to open the show. Tazz & APA vs. RTC wasn’t really anything special. Not everything was going to be a main event caliber match though. Not bad is good enough for me here. The hardcore match was just meh. I don’t care for matches that take place out of the ring so I didn’t care for this. Test vs. Eddie was ok. Like the opener it wasn’t stand out special but it was as good as it needed to be. The women’s match was just a squash. So half way through the card we don’t have anything great, but it is the undercard and it wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination.

Yes nothing special here but nothing bad either. Jericho vs Regal was a really good match to me and really pumped me up for the matches that were about to come. The hardcore match was also decent for fans who like that sort of matches.

Benoit vs. Angle could have used a better build, but with these two it didn’t matter much. The fans were just looking forward to a great match regardless of the lack of story, and despite a somewhat weak finish that’s exactly what they got. McMahon vs. McMahon was awesome. I wasn’t crazy about the idea when it was announced but everyone in this match played their role perfectly. Ever since this I’ve had more of an open mind about these kinds of matches (looking forward to Lawler vs. Cole for example). What can I say about TLC2? These guys always put on a good performance. The only criticism is this was the third match within one year. It would have been better had the match not taken place at SummerSlam, but that’s just nitpicking. It really didn’t matter. Gimmick Battle Royal was comedic nostalgic filler before the last two matches. Nothing wrong with that. HHH vs. Taker had a great build and gave us a great fight. The crowd popped crazy for that tombstone.

Again you have three great matches here and a very entertaining one in Mcmahon vs Mcmahon. Nothing overrated here either.

Everyone was excited for the main event, but this is the part I think may be overrated a bit. First of all, we had seen this match several times before. Secondly, I didn’t care the match itself so much. It wasn’t bad (like the terrible match at WM15) but I don’t think it’s the legendary match everyone thinks it is. Finally, the finish didn’t work. I know it was supposed to be a big shocking moment when Austin turned heel and joined McMahon, but the crowd wasn’t buying it. As I said I was there and it wasn’t working with the live crowd. Austin kept hitting Rock with that chair as McMahon encouraged him, but the fans kept cheering him anyway. It seemed as though he wouldn’t stop until the fans turned on him. Finally he got a few boos and went for the cover. As soon as the ref hit three, the crowd erupted again. The fans just didn’t care about the heel turn. They were going to cheer Austin anyway. I always felt that hurt the end of the show a bit.

Now these paragraph makes me certain that you are niether a Rock fan or an Austin fan. Their Mania 15 match was not as good as the Mania 17 match but it was still a good standup brawl.

Secondly a great match isn't always about great mat wrestling or excellemt high flying skills. This match featured two guys who defined the era so that is a plus eveen before it starts. The workrate is nothing to scoff at either. Both men were fast in the ring and there were very few rest holds. There were great moments in the match too like when Austin was trapped in the sharpshooter and when Rock countered the Million Dollar Dream like Hart had. So you have workrate, a great build up, two huge stars, edge of the seat action and all the jazz. It was a legendary match in every sense of the word and I challenge you to find a better WrestleMania main event than this.

In fact the best arguement I can make for this is that there were four show stealing matches on the card but yet by the time the main event came no one gave a fuck about those matches. Benoit, Angle, HHH, Undertaker and their epic performances were all forgotten by the time the main event was over.

I agree that the finish did not work a whole lot on the given day but it might be because it was Austin's home crowd. The ramifications of the move fully manifested themselves on the next day on Raw when Austin was booed heavily even by a Texas crowd.

Still the final reaction does not really make it an overrated show. If anything, you can say that the show could have been a fraction better but that can be said for almost any show. This PPV was the closest thing to perfection that the WWF have ever achieved.

Overall the event was awesome and I rank it number two in my mania rankings (barely losing to WM19). So you may be wondering why I brought it up if I don’t think the event is overrated. It just blows my mind that the IWC seems to be in total agreement about this event. I am simply curious if there is anyone who feels this event is not as great as it is made out to be.

No I guess this is one of the few things that the IWC is forced to agree on due to the quality of the show. WrestleMania 19 is good but it is not as great as Mania 17. It is up there with Mania 17 in terms of match quality but I think that Mania 17 had greater star power and a hotter crowd due to WWF being at the peak of it's popularity.