33 Awesome GIFs Telling The Stories Of 33 WWE WrestleMania Pay-Per-Views

Houston...We Have A GIF.

by Michael Sidgwick
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WWE Network

In WWE's narrative, obviously, the Showcase of the Immortals is trumpeted as the stage on which careers and legends are made.

Since its inception in 1985, the annual spectacular has ranged from a celebrity-fuelled extravaganza triggering the workrate-obsessed crowd to a celebrity-fuelled extravaganza marketed as the haven for dream matches. It is, at its best, the wrestling show for all. Lapsed fans who remain high on nostalgia acts; secret fans who feel brave enough to enter the conversation for one night per year; hardcore fans expectant of classic matches: everybody with a connection to wrestling, no matter how remote, joins in on the fun.

It is, at its worst, the wrestling show for all: this year's event threatens to exceed, per Slice Wrestling, eight hours in length in order to accommodate an ever-ballooning roster. Those terrified and or bored rigid at the prospect can take solace in the fact that the fabled WrestleMania Moment (™) makes the marathon worth it. What follows is an attempt to chart the history of the Grandest Stage by both distilling the essence of each event and celebrating the players legendary, charismatic and memorable enough to make such an impression in a matter of mere seconds.

An attempt; certain events, contrary to that narrative, told a less-than-stellar overarching story...

33. WrestleMania I

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The worlds of pro wrestling and celebrity in literal embrace, this GIF encapsulates the idea of WrestleMania as pro wrestling's debutante ball in the mainstream sphere, with a rabid sea of fans eating it all up, intoxicated by the glamour and star power of it all. The match was unremarkable as an athletic contest, but that was none of Vince's concern, at least it at the time. And why would it be?

This is how he won.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!