It all started with an idea. WrestleMania was an idea Vince McMahon had back in 1985 that would fuse the worlds of professional wrestling and mainstream celebrity to create a true entertaining extravaganza. Over the years that followed it, McMahon would build the legacy of the show based on other highly successful ideas, both his and others'. There was the epic main event at WrestleMania III between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant that drew 93,173 fans to suburban Detroit's Pontiac Silverdome. The Battle of the Billionaires in 2007 resulted in the highest pay-per-view buyrate until the titanic clash between The Rock and John Cena at WrestleMania 28 broke that record. The Money in the Bank ladder match worked out well, too. As great as some of those ideas may have been, there were others that failed miserably. They missed the mark, some in spectacular fashion, and became blemishes on whatever show they appeared. With WWE celebrating the 30th birthday of their landmark event this Sunday night, here is to hoping nothing from this year's show joins this dubious list.
10. WrestleMania 2: Broadcasting From Three Separate Locations
The idea to broadcast WrestleMania 2 from three different locations (Long Island, Chicago, Los Angeles) may have been a revolutionary one but that does not make it good. By sending its Superstars to three different cities for the event, it dramatically thinned out its roster and led to Superstars who did not belong on the card suddenly finding themselves thrust onto the biggest event of the year. The Uncle Elmer vs. Adrian Adonis and Corporal Kirchner vs. Nikolai Volkoff bouts stood out as some of the worst of the evening while some of the lackluster and B-level celebrities dramatically watered down the concept of the original. The most glaring problem with the idea was that Vince McMahon, the architect of WWE and WrestleMania, could not be at all three venues to ensure that the show ran smoothly. While he would have only sent his most trusted advisers in his place, there is something that no number smart, savvy wrestling minds can replace when it comes to McMahon. His knack for knowing his talents, knowing what worked and what did not and knowing his audience was something McMahon possessed that set him apart from many of his competitors at the time. Without that element, the show was undoubtedly affected.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
