Wrestlemania 10: A Retrospective Look

[Dagger Dias]

We're up to Wrestlemania 10 in the retrospective look back on all of the previous editions of the Wrestlemania brand. This will be the 10th of 29 topics in the thread series. We are getting closer every day to Wrestlemania 30, so let's continue to observe the history of the biggest show of them all.

We will be discussing Wrestlemania 10 this time around!

Wrestlemania 10 took place on March 20, 1994. It was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. There were 18,065 fans in attendance for this show. Here are the results of the matches:


0. The Heavenly Bodies (Jimmy Del Ray and Tom Prichard) (with Jim Cornette) defeated The Bushwhackers (Luke Williams and Butch Miller) in a tag team match for the dark match

1. Owen Hart defeated Bret Hart in a singles match (20:21)

2. Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon defeated Doink the Clown and Dink in a mixed tag team match (06:09)

3. Randy Savage defeated Crush (with Mr. Fuji) in a Falls Count Anywhere match (09:49)

4. Alundra Blayze (c) defeated Leilani Kai in a singles match to retain the WWF Women's Championship (03:20)

5. Men on a Mission (Mabel and Mo) (with Oscar) defeated The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre) (c) (with Johnny Polo) by countout in a tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship (07:41)

6. Yokozuna (c) (with Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) defeated Lex Luger by disqualification in a singles match for the WWF Championship with Special Guest Referee Mr. Perfect (14:40)

7. Earthquake defeated Adam Bomb (with Harvey Wippleman) in a singles match (00:35)

8. Razor Ramon (c) defeated Shawn Michaels (c) (with Diesel) in a ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship (18:47)

9. Bret Hart defeated Yokozuna (c) (with Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) in a singles match to win the WWF Championship with Roddy Piper as the special guest referee (10:38)




Now, here are some discussion questions concerning the event:

What was your favorite match on this show, and why did you like it the most? What about the worst match of this show, why did you like it the least?

If you could change a few things about Wrestlemania 10, what would it be and why?

You may only use wrestlers who were available at the roster at that time or make changes that could have realistically taken place in March 1994. Please keep in mind the situations going into the show such as who could actually have been pushed into a title match, or what songs existed back then if you wanted to change the show's theme music, and so forth.

You may only discuss Wrestlemania 10 in this thread. The other Wrestlemania events will be getting their own retrospective threads shortly, any posts regarding other events will be considered spam and you risk getting an infraction.

Discuss!

 

[PingPongBundy]

This is definitely one of my favorites. I've been a wrestling fan for almost exactly twenty years now. This WrestleMania took place two or three months before I became a fan. In any event, I've always enjoyed watching this Mania and I have probably watched it close too 100 times. I'd be shocked if more than a few people listed as their favorite match any match other than the ladder match. This was the epitome of a wrestling clinic. Very few matches that involve gimmicks of any kind can lay claim to that, in my opinion. These two brought everything they had that day and there's a reason that this match is still talked about just a little over a month short of twenty years to the day. The women's match was great too. In a great age when women could actually wrestle, Alundra and Leilani put together a nice showing. I'm Facebook friends with Leilani and she's a super nice person. I've told her that I consider her to be among the more underrated lady wrestlers of all time. As for my least favorite, I have to go with Adam Bomb v Earthquake. These two should have been given more time. Earthquake had the weight and power and Adam was tall and muscular enough to have been a good match for Quake. I realize, though, that since the ten man tag match was scrapped due to time constraints that this one probably was as well.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

To many this Wrestlemania tried to right the wrong of WMIX and in most respects it did. Bret Hart not only won the title back but against the guy that beat him in the first place and, without Hogan in sight, he got his big WM moment at the end of the show. All is right in the WWF World.

But that's just one of the reasons why WMX ranks so high up for me as far as WM events are concerned. The whole event was an angle but an amazing angle. Where as WMXV was also "one big angle" it's overbooking was overwhelming where as WMX kept it simple.

Of course there's the Royal Rumble controversy which meant Luger would face Yokozuna first then Bret Hart will face whoever wins that match.

But it was just a whole night of drama.
- Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart opens up the card with a great story of a jealous younger brother. Bret enters WMX with a banged up knee, gets exploited and Owen Hart outwits Bret for an opening victory. Classic 5 star match!
- Luger vs. Yokozuna - A mediocre match but sets the tone of WMX. Yoko retains but Luger doesn't look bad losing at all. Then we get a great promo by Jim Cornette to hype up this "impromptu" main event.
-Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna - The rematch from WMX and that alone is a story on it's own but we also have the backstory of Bret Hart's knee and his loss to Owen earlier (will that get into his mind?). This was a short match but I found it entertaining it was a Bret Hart trying to break Yokozuna apart. However Bret Hart ends up winning but not because he out wrestled Yoko or even figuring him out but, rather, it was because Yokozuna had one fatal mistake and the irony that his biggest asset lead to his downfall.

Bret Hart wins, MSG crowd, pops, the faces all celebrate with Bret Hart with the likes of Luger, Hall, Savage, and even Burt Reynolds (who would actually become a A-List Celebrity in 4 years time). However Owen looks from the ramp saying "it should be me/mine" and in all fairness it could be since he beat Bret clean the night earlier.

So this one big angle does so many things
- It gives Bret Hart his WM moment that was stolen to him at WMIX
- Owen Hart is now established as a top contender for the World Title and a legitimate threat to Bret Hart's reign.
- Neither Yoko nor Luger are "hurt" from not winning at the end

So yeah WMX was a great piece of clockwork and design that was executed flawlessly.

And we haven't even gone through the Ladder Match yet. While I am on the minority that found Owen vs. Bret to be a better match, Shawn and Razor had a great match and can understand why people prefer the latter bout. It was such an innovative match and even now despite the TLC's, MITB, etc. we see today. I still think Shawn/Razor's WMX still holds up just because it was a match that played to their strengths. It wasn't an "OMG" or "Holy S***" kind of match but it was a match where they used this gimmick to tell a story.

Overall this was a great WM. And, like i said, it's in my Top 5 WM of all time and ranks up there with WM17.

They had two matches that are considered 5 Star Classics then you have Bret Hart's moment of redemption that played through the event.

Sure the other matches were mostly dud's but, in the big picture, it didn't matter.

This was the WM the WWF needed to have in a post Hogan era and by golly they succeeded.

What was your favorite match on this show, and why did you like it the most? What about the worst match of this show, why did you like it the least?
Quick answer ... Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart.
Worst match ... The mixed tag team match - no reason except that it felt so pointless.

If you could change a few things about Wrestlemania 10, what would it be and why?
Tag Team Title Match - I would rather have any of the faces in the 10-Man tag team face The Quebecers over Men on a Mission. The Smokin Guns, 123 Kid, Tatanka, anyone of those would have been more interesting than Men on a Mission.
The Women's Championship - Alundra Blayze was always a reliable female wrestler but she should have been challenged by Heidi Lee Morgan or Luna instead.
Savage vs. Crush - Should have been a normal match. The whole concept of the match was just too confusing.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

This is one of those events that, honestly, very little could be done to improve the booking of the card - the lineup was probably the most logical line-up of any WM thus far, with many matches being the culmination of long term booking (Owen v Bret started at Survivor Series, Yoko v Luger from the previous July, Savage v Crush from late Summer, Shawn v Razor from September when Shawn was 'suspended')

Many people may say that Diesel should have wrestled - I'm glad he didn't. He was being built up but wasn't yet in a solid feud so any face he went up against would have been a jobbing, and they already had Earthquake dominating Adam Bomb on the card.

Many people may say that Bret should have won the Royal Rumble outright; this ignores that Vince wanted to do something a bit different, a bit unique, for this particular version of the event, being the tenth edition. Plus I though the RR ending was done perfectly, and was a really gripping conclusion to a decent RR match. Plus if it was simply Bret v Yoko, we would have been deprived of the classic (and - only just - my match of the night) in Owen v Bret. (Yes, I prefer that to the classic ladder match - but it was a close decision!)

The only real changes for me would have been the way certain matches were booked. Yoko v Luger should have had a better finish, it was awful. Savage v Crush, the prototype for the Last Man Standing match, was enjoyable but the stipulation of having a full minute to return to the ring after being pinned was too long - should have been 10 seconds to get to their feet, as is now. It just slowed the pace down too much. And the reason given for bumping the 10-man was pathetic - the heels couldn't decide who was captain? Give me a break.

Overall a fairly decent event, where (for once) long-term booking paid off

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I always felt Vince did the co-winners angle at WM either for two of these reasons
1. ) They already started the Owen/Bret feud and probably had plans to have that match at WM.
or
2.) Vince wasn't sure who he wanted to go over at WMX. We all knew if it was Vince decision alone it would have been Luger since he wanted him to be the next Hogan but the fans were mostly behind Bret Hart.
or
3.) A Little of both

 

[rge2010]

Bret having to pull double duty was purely because this event lacked serious star power. Undertaker was injured, Diesel was still a body guard, Perfect had semi retired, Bulldog and Hogan had left the company...

Bret vs Owen and HBK vs Razor were classics. However, the match everyone wanted to see was Hart vs Luger.

Bret Hart vs Lex Luger should have been the main event.

Yokozuna and Earthquake would have been an interesting battle of the heavyweights.

Owen Hart and Randy Savage could have had a great programme together.

 

[Wald]

Fantastic event highlighted by the 90s' two top wrestlers, HBK and Bret Hart. Really showed the good part of their rivalry, as I'm sure both wanted to steal the show, before all the nonsense happened.

Match of the night for me is unquestionably Owen Hart vs Bret Hart in the opener, one of my favourites of all time and possibly my second favourite Mania match too. Perfectly pitched with the right outcome in a clean finish for Owen. Risky finish none the less and it is highly unusual for the newly crowned Champion to look in any way weak, particularly in those days. I remember being in actual shock that Owen had outwrestled and outsmarted Bret to be honest but it was done well, with Bret going back to his victory roll finish from King of the Ring the year before and Owen having a counter ready.

Right ending to the night too with Bret finally reclaiming what the majority of fans thought was his belt all along. Great touch with Owen coming out at the end, as it looked for a minute like he might actually turn face and get in the ring and join his brother in congratulating him. Set the wheels of their epic Summerslam match in motion nicely.

HBK vs Razor is the other standout moment/match obviously. One of the first bell to bell, on the edge of your seat matches I can remember the WWF putting on. Well fought by both but by the end I think it was obvious that HBK was leapfrogging Razor in to the main event very soon.

For all my praise I would make a lot of changes to the card though. Macho Man vs Crush didn't need the minute countdown after a pinfall, just have it as Falls Count Anywhere instead. Men on a Mission should have won the titles here and I would have booked the match earlier if they were worried about it taking from Bret's moment. Perfect should have had a better heel turn on Luger that would have given that match a better finish.

In fact WM10 probably shows you everything that was wrong with the WWF in the mid-90s and why neither Bret nor HBK should ever be given the blame for declining business. Those two pretty much did everything they could to turn back the tide that was building against the company but they just didn't have the supporting cast to truly stop it.

 

[Gibby]

Not a great deal to add here. Despite the two classic matches on the card, the one that stayed with me until I rewatched it was Savage v Crush. I distinctly remember Savage tying him up to that piece of gym equipment and getting the pin. Interesting thing to do, but not WM quality in retrospect.

In fact, outside of a feelgood ending and two stellar matches, this WM isn't very good. Which just shows how brilliant those two matches were when I still consider this one of my favourite events ever. The ladder match I would argue is the highlight of Hall's in-ring career. The pacing in that match is an absolute masterclass and both men being great pals probably helped a lot. On some days I prefer this match, on others I prefer...

...Bret v Owen - which is probably, having not seen much Stampede, a reiteration of a match they've worked and talked over 50 times before and their natural chemistry really shows. I really really rated Owen Hart and thought that his petulant underdog gimmick was so on the money that I'm surprised that he couldn't really stay top line once this feud was over. He could work with anyone, had a great range of move - and if his charisma was a problem then why is it ok that Bret was pretty boring and earnest? I suppose he wasn't a draw. Pah. Money is such bullshit.

Anyway, it was a creative ending that naturally indicated a way forward. Often WM is a dead stop for feuds, or they continue with a very transparent 'turn'. And it sent the odious Luger back into dudgeon, which was fantastic news for me.

 

[LODemolition]

This is one where there's not much you could've changed at all. Bigelow in a singles match against a more serious opponent would've helped, but that's about it. I can't pick a favorite match because 2 of my all-time favorites happened at this event in Bret vs Owen and Razor vs Shawn. My only complaint about WMX is that the tag team division was extremely weak. Other than that, they did a wonderful job with it.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

Wouldn't change much and would leave all the important stuff as is. This card did a perfect job of re-establishing Bret as the guy and set up his next feud, and it also continued to push Razor and Shawn further up the card.

My favorite match was the opener. Such a entertaining action packed match with a great surprise ending you never see coming. As for least favorite it would have to go with the Earthquake/Adam Bomb match. It could have been ok, but all we got were 30 seconds. I would have rather seen that match scraped and add the extra time to one of the main event matches on the card. Also seemed odd to bury Bomb like that. Earthquake was pretty much done at that point and Bomb could have still been something.

 

[The Brain]

This is a tough one. WrestleMania X was a very good show and I thought a lot of the matches had a strong build. The New Generation was in full swing and this was the first mania without Hogan. Even though this was the tenth mania and it was back in MSG it didn’t have quite the same blockbuster feel without Hogan. Still though I thought it was a good show and it featured two of the best matches in mania history.

It’s tough to pick a favorite. Both Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart and Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels were classics. Most people remember WM10 for the ladder match but Bret vs. Owen was my favorite. That might be the best technical wrestling match in WWF history. Razor vs. Michaels was revolutionary and they made our jaws drop with their performance but I usually prefer the straight wrestling match to a gimmick match. Bret and Owen wrestled an absolutely perfect match that night. I never get tired of watching it.

I’m going to mention two matches as my least favorite. First is Earthquake vs. Adam Bomb. It’s always easy to pick the quick matches as a least favorite and this was another 30 second squash. I don’t always have a problem with these quick matches but I was disappointed here because I liked Adam Bomb. It may seem very minor but I was disappointed he didn’t get an introduction or entrance. He ran out to confront Howard Finkel for pushing Harvey Wippleman and next thing you knew he was pinned. That’s the dishonorable mention. My least favorite was Randy Savage vs. Crush. I can’t believe I just typed the name Randy Savage after the words least favorite. I credit myself for giving Savage the Original Mr. WrestleMania nickname on this forum but his last mania match did not live up to his past performances. The falls count anywhere stipulation sounded like a good idea but the added stipulation of getting 60 seconds to get back to the ring didn’t work. The match was just awkward and the stipulation really took away from the action. It’s a shame too because this was a hot feud that had five months of great build. The match did not live up to the hype at all.

For the third year in a row a scheduled match was scrapped due to time constraints. I would have never gone to three hours for mania and allowed time for more matches. Even with more time I don’t think I would have gone with the ten man tag. For those that don’t know the scrapped match was Tatanka, The 123 Kid, Sparky Plugg, & The Smoking Gunns vs. IRS, Rick Martel, Jeff Jarrett, & The Headshrinkers. I would have gone with Tatanka vs. IRS one on one. Tatanka definitely deserved to be on mania and he and IRS would start a feud right after. I would have just started that feud a little earlier to get them on mania. I would have also put The 123 Kid against Rick Martel in just kind of a filler match to allow the Kid to get on his first mania (somehow he didn’t actually wrestle at mania for the first time for another five years).

It would have been nice to have had an advertised main event for the show. We knew it was going to be Bret Hart challenging either Yokozuna or Lex Luger. Since Hart already had a great match earlier in the night Lex Luger beating Yokozuna in the main event in the only title match probably would have been better. The problem was Luger had lost his momentum by mania so Hart had to be added to the title mix while still getting his match with Owen. I wasn’t a big fan of the two title matches scenario but I think it worked out for the best. Bret beating Yoko for the title a year after losing it to him was a nice touch and Owen coming out at the end and standing in the shadows during the celebration was brilliant. Luger just seemed kind of worthless here and his time as a main eventer in WWF quickly came to an end. And please let’s not hear any of this nonsense about how Luger was supposed to walk out champ until the night before the show until he told a bunch of people about it at some bar. That never made any sense and I’m very confident that never happened.

 

[NtwrestlingMaster]

My favorite match on the card was hands down the ladder match for the IC title. I am pretty sure almost everyone here is thinking the same on this, but I also really enjoyed Bret vs. Owen in the rivalry of the two brothers, which I could easily relate to since I have a brother. My least favorite match had to be the mixed tag match, with Doink and Dink, because they really should have done more with Bigelow, considering what I have seen him do in ECW. He deserved more than that.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

I credit myself for giving Savage the Original Mr. WrestleMania nickname on this forum

HAHAHA! Oh man, and there will be plenty of people who believe you too. Sadly, it seems that you are one of them. I would argue, but this site means way more to you than it does to anyone else. So, take your title...which has as much merit as Dino Bravo's strongest man in the world self-proclamation. What a noodle.

WMX was a really good card that I would have preferred outside of MSG. I grew up watching and attending MSG events and could watch reruns of those 80s house shows forever. But by this point, WrestleMania had outgrown the Garden. Ten years in the making and all that withstanding...

This ends my era of WrestleMania--WMXI-WMXIII sucked--and, so I won't be reading the malarkey of The Brain and JoeJoeyJoJoJoe anymore. But, when you're done reading their fiction, be sure to read what really happened. It may prevent some of the repetitive nonsense on this forum. It might even--God forbid--inspire some original thought. Nah...

 

[MCMG]

This was a pretty enjoyable Wrestlemania. The ladder match stands out. It helped make the match as a whole; giving us the platform for other great WM ladder matches: TLC, MITB etc. This is the first sighting of Mr. Wrestlemania.

HBK and Ramon may have stolen the show but this Wrestlemania was great for the Hart's. Owen and Bret put on a superb opening match that was part of a great feud. Owen should probably achieved more but that is a discussion for a different time.

Bret Hart winning the belt was a big moment. He was champ for a long time and they needed someone to help carry the company.

Two fantastic matches that remain Wrestlemania classics. The making of Bret Hart and the ladder match as well as a breakthrough night for Michaels. Overall it was a solid show with a lot of average filler but enjoyable nonetheless.

 

[MMK]

The road to Wrestlemania X was pretty bumpy with a lot of questionable moves that could have blown up in their faces, but everything pretty much worked out as planned.

Bret vs. Owen, and Shawn vs. Razor are classics, but one thing I haven't heard anyone on here mention yet is the VENUE. MSG is just perfect for Wrestlemania. Especially before the new renovations. The ring design, the entrance and isle are all top notch. I even loved the new wavy Wrestlemania logo they had in 94.

Having Owen beat Bret in the opening match only to end the pay per view with Bret back on top and Owen stuck in his shadow once again is great storytelling. But if there was to be an alternate ending I would have done it this way....

If they couldn't decide who should win that years Rumble between Bret and Lex, then don't give it to either of them. The Rumble should always be used to elevate someone, and when you don't it's a wasted opportunity. Why not have Bret beat Yokozuna for the title at the Rumble, then have Owen win the Royal Rumble and face Bret at Wrestlemania. You still get the same classic Mania match, only without all the Luger/Yokozuna clutter. Owen still wins and gets a run as Champion straight through to Summerslam where he drops the belt back to Bret in the cage match.

But I wouldn't end Mania with a heel winning the WWF Title. Instead, Bret vs Owen for the WWF Title could have taken place in the middle of the card, much like Savage vs Flair a few years earlier. So what match does close the show? Why not Shawn vs Razor in the IC unification Ladder Match. They closed Summerslam 92 with the Intercontinental Title and no one complained about that. I think ending the night with Razor atop the ladder holding both IC straps would have been a fitting alternate ending to Wrestlemania x.

As for Luger and Yokozuna, it could have been Luger and Savage vs Yokozuna and Crush. By combining the 2 rather mediocre singles matches those 4 men had into one tag match, you allow more time for the Ladder Match and the Bret-Owen match, not to mention that 10 man tag match that never came to be.

 

[AnthonyM4]

This is one of the best wrestlemanias ever. They did a great job commemorating 10 years of wrestlemania what with it being at the Garden and showing highlights of the previous 9 manias. My favorite match was Bret vs Owen. Epitome of 5 star classic. They put on a clinic. Maybe the best opener in wm history. I don't think I have a least favorite match, but the way the Savage vs Crush match worked was silly.

I would have had Luger win the title from Yokozuna and had him lose the title to Bret later that night. There was no need to have Bret vs Yokozuna again for the 2nd straight year. In fact when I was watching this show live as it happened, I was hoping it would be Bret vs Luger for the title at the end with Bret winning.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

At the time I remember this being one of the top 2 Mania's for me. It was an almost great card, although the 8 man was a loss as so many guys who clearly were supposed to be on the show were there at the end... but it did give rise to the Shoulder lift which I always considered Bret's reward and fair pop for his work to that point, putting Davey over and seeing him get all the glory, putting Yoko over and seeing Hogan steal it... Bret always alludes to the same thing happening when he was a kid and while he self mocks a bit, you can tell it means a hell of a lot to him as a moment...who wouldn't love being raised on high by your peers in a moment of triumph?

The booking of the show was solid if not spectacular. I would much rather have seen Bam Bam vs Quake than the Doink feud with Luna... The Quake match was wasted as both he and Bomb were gone within a few months both could have been dropped to accomodate the 8 man or even a 10 man with those guys involved and the Gunns and Headshrinkers in a 4 way for the Tag Gold.

The Tag division was poorly used during that show and it was pointless to have MOM lose by countout... They'd have been better making it a four way or having the Gunns go against the Quebeccers. To me MOM just weren't worth the push at the time. The Steiners were still employed at this point, so them being not on the show is a major miss.

Randy Savage's last Wrestlemania moment was interesting as it was the first real "Attitude" style match. Nothing like Falls Count Anywhere had been done before and the feud was somewhat interesting. Personally I'd have like to have seen Savage facing Bam Bam Bigelow or even better Diesel. As this was the point they started to push Nash as a wrestler, it would have been a good first "big win" and might have legitimized his title win and mega push later in the year. Bam Bam would have been a great opponent for Savage, particularly with the high flying aspects of both guys, I always felt this was a missed opportunity in 88 and it could have really cemented Bigelow, particularly if they'd have gotten DiBiase involved...

The Womens title was again a waste... Madusa would have been better deployed as a manager (her and Owen would have been a very interesting idea) and the match was useless filler.

But from the ridiculous to the sublime... the Ladder match, while stolen from Bret perhaps, was the definitive of it's kind. It was the first time Shawn really "delivered" at Mania and really worked to put his opponent over rather than himself. Hall was at his best in this match, he literally never got better - even with the NWO angle... Razor could easily have been the guy to go to the World title that November as over as he was at that time.

The Title situation was perhaps the best booked a Mania had been to that point and remains one of the best. The idea of Co winners shocked people and then when it was all settled it seemed so logical.

Bret V Owen remains my 2nd favourite match of Bret's other than Summerslam 92... ironically he lost both but you could tell how much he wanted to get Owen over throughout the match, even live and not anticipating the finish. That he let himself get beat, clean, outsmarted was a big boon to Owen's career - and his own, for reasons I'll go into in a bit.

One thing that let this show down was the celebrities. While Rhonda Shear may have been big on US TV, she was wrong for Mania... Donnie Wahlberg was years away from his current status as a top TV star and Nick Tutturro looked like he was gonna pee his pants he was marking out so much...

Referee wise - Mr. Perfect's return was predictable and perhaps for me the wrong choice. Sure I got that both had been a prior Mania opponent of the challenger and thus stuff "could happen" but I always thought they could have used Davey here in the Luger match and add a "will he call it down the middle/links to Bret" - who would Davey think Bret had a better chance against... Piper was perhaps better deployed in the Luger match, hauling off on Lex for touching him rather than the wishy washy DQ... sure it would "heel Piper" but he was pretty much bulletproof by that point. Perfect in the Bret match would have been very interesting... would he "get his own back for the 2 losses"? Just more that could have been done.

As it turned out the one celeb they got right was Burt Reynolds... although he mumbled a bit at the dull stuff (intentionally I think) he did a great job of not only whipping the crowd up for a massive pop for Piper but also for Bret... Bret walked into that arena with everyone believing it was possible, even though he'd lost cos Burt said so... sounds crazy but it worked big time... Even his reaction with Bret when he'd won, that he was clearly a genuine fan of the guy and happy for him was more than the average mania celeb manages... so Kudos to Burt... as his career seemed to grow after you can only see this as being a starting part of his comeback.

Bret wins and of course we get the shoulder lift... but the best moment of the show was Owen... standing outside the ring looking on poker faced... First Razor and Savage (who also looked genuinely thrilled for Bret, perhaps knowing how Hulk had screwed him better than most could) beckoned Owen to come in and join the celebration... but he hesitated... even then his poker face was there... you genuinely didn't know how this was gonna go... Finally Bret gets down and almost challenges Owen to come in... and he makes his choice... he stays outside...

That moment, coupled with the manner Owen won (and his funny literally snot faced promo) set the tone for his whole character, the whiny, self absorbed but now respected Hart... He wasn't the "little brother" any more, he wasn't the "runt of the litter", he had proven himself to the fans and had the courage of his convictions.

The reason it was so good for Bret as well as Owen, it meant their feud was literally 2 sides of the same coin... Bret had gained his success on his own terms but ultimately chosen the popular path to get there, the Davey handshake hug being a perfect example. Owen had had to fight and earn his respect and now he was out of that shadow he didn't relent and "sell himself out" by leaping in the ring and celebrating with the others, he didn't make himself a hypocrite for the cheers, he was his own man and clearly a worthy contender... he then did what Bret did in winning KOTR... That feud was the only WWF title feud other than Hogan v Savage or Andre to have any true substance to it emotionally. Owen never got his just reward which would have been that 5 night reign Backlund had... sure he would have jobbed to Diesel... but had he jobbed to Diesel at the Royal Rumble in 8 seconds, a truly hated despised champion then Diesel would have been set for life, Owen would have too and so would Bret as the brothers could reunite over it...

It's almost the perfect way to book a feud and no brother feud has ever come close to it...why? because basically it was 100% real. The reason people were so hurt when Owen passed was because he WAS that guy, self important a little, funny a lot but a man who knew and fought for his sense of right and wrong... for us fans it came from that "gift" Bret gave him in letting the "smartest guy" be outsmarted and Owen's poker face and dedication to his job... when all the guy probably wanted to do was run in and hug his brother with the others... instead he separately for years to keep it up when all they would likely want to do is catch up on how their kids were doing... it all started at 10... and that for me is a better moment than almost anything since...and almost before...

 

[theHeadliner]

First of all, in regards to the ladder match... Shawn nor Razor knew they would be working a ladder match of any kind until they arrived at house show events in early 1994 and saw on their booking sheets a "ladder match" for them and they were puzzled by it, and weren't sure what to do even though Shawn was in a ladder match against Bret in 1992. Shawn came up with the idea of him never technically losing the belt and Razor was the imposter IC Champ, so there should be two belts and they resolve it at WM10, but its not like Shawn purposely went to Vince and said "let's do a ladder match at Wrestlemania." The agents saw that they were working good matches with the ladder and that's how it developed. But they were booked at live events doing ladder matches without their knowledge or input well before WM10.

 

[The Brain]

I'd be shocked if more than a few people listed as their favorite match any match other than the ladder match. This was the epitome of a wrestling clinic.

It looks like just as many people think Bret vs. Owen was the match of the night. Both were fantastic and you can't go wrong either way but for as good as the ladder match was it's not the undisputed match of the night. Bret vs. Owen was that good. That was the epitome of a wrestling clinic.

I would have had Luger win the title from Yokozuna and had him lose the title to Bret later that night. There was no need to have Bret vs Yokozuna again for the 2nd straight year. In fact when I was watching this show live as it happened, I was hoping it would be Bret vs Luger for the title at the end with Bret winning.

I could see think Luger vs. Bret is a little more appealing but I don't think that would have worked very well. Having a babyface win the title half way through the show only to lose it an hour later doesn't seem right.

WMX was a really good card that I would have preferred outside of MSG. I grew up watching and attending MSG events and could watch reruns of those 80s house shows forever. But by this point, WrestleMania had outgrown the Garden. Ten years in the making and all that withstanding...

That’s your contribution to the WrestleMania X thread? It shouldn’t have been in MSG? I don’t think mania had outgrown the Garden considering it is the most famous arena in the country and the event wouldn’t go back to a big stadium for seven years. You win the award for most useless and boring contribution to this thread.

HAHAHA! Oh man, and there will be plenty of people who believe you too. Sadly, it seems that you are one of them. I would argue, but this site means way more to you than it does to anyone else. So, take your title...which has as much merit as Dino Bravo's strongest man in the world self-proclamation. What a noodle.

This ends my era of WrestleMania--WMXI-WMXIII sucked--and, so I won't be reading the malarkey of The Brain and JoeJoeyJoJoJoe anymore. But, when you're done reading their fiction, be sure to read what really happened. It may prevent some of the repetitive nonsense on this forum. It might even--God forbid--inspire some original thought. Nah...

I’ve been on this forum for a few years now. I started calling Savage the original Mr. WrestleMania back when I joined in 2009. I never saw anyone refer to him as that before and now I do see it once in a while. I’m not trying to put a trademark on it. It’s just something that caught on a little bit in the old school section where I spend the majority of my time on the forum.

Why aren’t you going to contribute in the upcoming threads? Because 11-13sucked? The point of the threads is to make suggestions to improve the shows. I have plenty of ideas. In fact I’ve had several original ideas in the old school section over the years. I guess you’re not creative enough to participate so I’ll probably just see you pop in once in a while to insult somebody.

 

[LBGetBack]

I agree with those saying it should've been Bret-Luger in the main event. They were the top 2 stars at the time, and Luger was basically DONE after this event. If he had won the title off Yokozuna, and then worked a main event match with Bret, it may have elevated him as any match with Bret was sure to be good at that time.

The Mr. Perfect-Luger feud they were trying to set up fizzled out as Perfect left again.....and we'd already seen it the year before! It wasn't that good, even then!

 

[PingPongBundy]

It looks like just as many people think Bret vs. Owen was the match of the night. Both were fantastic and you can't go wrong either way but for as good as the ladder match was it's not the undisputed match of the night. Bret vs. Owen was that good. That was the epitome of a wrestling clinic.

I have to agree, actually. Sometimes I forget how good that match really was. Both matches were just epic. I guess I'm a "noodle?" lol

 

[PingPongBundy]

And the reason given for bumping the 10-man was pathetic - the heels couldn't decide who was captain? Give me a break.

Supposedly, the real reason was for time constraints. I think that's why Adam v Quake was shorter. But you're right, the reason they gave was just plain dumb.

 

[Pedigree1]

This was the first WM as you all know without Hogan in it. It was a very enjoyable WM,of course Luger was scheduled to win the title that night,but he blabbed due to a drunken stooper i believe the night before.. Im sure everyone will agree that the best matches were Owen Vs bret. Talk about a five star match right there,very technical and i have often said that Owen was more talented than bret was in the ring..

In what was a surprise Owen Beat Bret clean.. That was a 20 minute hard fought battle hold for hold! Yes i know there brothers,but that match was like watching clones wrestle one another. It was that good.

HBK Vs Razor in what many regard as one of the best ladder matches of all-time. This match alone set Shawn Michaels up as Mister WM! Great great match,and a match if your a fan,you can't ever get sick of watching a masterpiece like that.. I would have also liked Tatanka going against IRS,that would have been great... The brain is right,they did start a feud not too soon after.. Tatanka belonged on WM,too bad it didnt happen

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The Luger drunk myth has been debunked many times... Vince just went cold on him, mainly cos the Lex Express bill didn't really return what he'd hoped it would. The fans wanted Bret, there was no point in forcing Luger down their throats any further and thus just as with Flair, a big experiment from WCW failed for the main event. Unlike Flair though, Luger was happy to take the cash and move down the card till his contract ran down. Sure the Allied Powers would have been better fighting each other and were booked awfully, but the idea was sound... as was his feud with Tatanka, which was actually his best work for Vince...

This was really the time VKM should have made a big play for Sting and Rick Rude...

Bringing Rude back for Mania 10 to take Luger out of the match or attack Bret after the title win would have been a very smart move (and prolonged his career as he wouldn't have been in that Japan match with the stupid runway) and in Sting's case, he was a guy they could really have pushed in the way they'd intended Luger. Mega push as that top face alternative to Bret and American hero type.


Rude didn't want any part of a Hogan run WCW cos history would repeat so I am sure had the offer been made, he'd have gone over, he may have even been considering it when the injury took his career. As a wily vet he could have played at least the role Backlund played if not become more of a way to get Shawn, Bret and Davey bigger.

I even think the Patriot would have worked better than Lex at that time in that role, Vince wanted a new "American Hero" but the fans wanted the Canuck... so he tried again later that year with Diesel...then with Shawn... and ultimately got Austin and Rock.

 

[Wald]

I think people saying it should have been Luger vs Bret in the main event don't realise how much of an unstoppable force Yokozuna was built as. He was the WWF's first real dominant main event heel, the guy who ran Hogan out of the company at King of the Ring, derailed the Lex Express at Summerslam, beat the Undertaker in a casket match at Royal Rumble and could barely even be taken off his feet in a match. He had also beaten Bret Hart for the title a year earlier. He was so dominant it honestly looked to me, as a kid, that he might even beat Bret. Smark fan in me now sees that Bret was obviously going to win but back then I had my doubts, something I didn't have for, say, Slaughter vs Hogan at Wrestlemania 7 or Flair vs Savage at Wrestlemania 8.

Luger's push as a main event WWF talent hadn't worked out too. Ever since the Summerslam ending of his match with Yoko he looked like a bit of a chump. I mean the guy gets this super push as an American hero and on the night he happily takes a count out win over the champion? Even then it looked to me like Lex couldn't get the job done against Yokozuna and took the cheap way out. Look at the reaction to Luger and Bret at the Rumble and you can see there was no appetite for to be the guy in the company, everyone wanted the Hitman.

Only way to pull off a Luger vs Bret main event would be to have Luger turn heel, which would have necessitated turning Yoko face and in the same match. Austin and Bret were talented enough to pull off a double turn at Wrestlemania 13 but no way Luger and Yoko could have done the same.