10 Classic WrestleMania Moments (WWE Won’t Ever Brag About)

by Michael Sidgwick

1. Hardcore Hits Home

Hardcore Holly wanted to win the belt, so he could beat everybody - but not like this. He was supposed to "mis-time" his weapon shot at the finish of the Hardcore Championship Battle Royal, but actually mis-timed it, resulting in an unwitting win.

Apocrypha has it that Hardcore loathed working with Crash Holly, which may, in conjunction with the botched finish, have contributed to the foul mood manifested all over Michael Cole's beleaguered face. Forced to cut an off the cuff backstage promo, Holly, serviceable but hardly inventive on the mic, rattled off his credentials as Hardcore Champion about eight times as he attempted to control his simmering temper. It did not work: as the fury within overspilled, Holly raged on Cole and threatened to "break his a** in half, you little sh*thead". What's absolutely beautiful about this moment - other than the fact that Holly called Cole a "sh*thead" on the biggest show of the year - is that he did so under no provocation whatsoever. Well, not from Cole directly. This was a case of kicking the cat, if there ever was one.

Every time Cole witters on about "building momentum", or insincerely screeches "Oh, my!", you can always relive the moment Hardcore Holly, at WrestleMania, called him a "sh*thead".

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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 current Undisputed WWE 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!