10 Fascinating WWE Facts About WrestleMania 36

5. An Unconventional Record Falls

Edge Randy Orton
WWE

WWE had booked two title matches on one WrestleMania multiple times over the decades, thanks in part to the existence of two world titles for much of the show's existence. A battle for main event supremacy has often been a low-lying story underneath the on-screen angles themselves - which belt means more? Which story resonates enough to go on last? Which new Champion gets to feature in the closing shot?

Unfortunately, this doubling-up allowed a number of title matches to go short. Daniel Bryan's infamous 18-second loss to Sheamus at WrestleMania 28 had bizarre consequences longterm, but wasn't well-received in the moment. Nor was Hulk Hogan's 22-second win over Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX, and the company didn't even need multiple titles by then.

But never before had both Championship matches been the shortest on their respective nights. Braun Strowman's win over Bill Goldberg on Night One and Drew McIntyre's over Brock Lesnar on Night Two were shorter than anything that came before or after them, including cinematic clashes and midcard attractions long-forgotten from this 'Show Of Shows'.

Lesnar went down in just 4:35, while Braun Strowman put away 'Da Man' in just 2:10. Like their aforementioned forefathers, neither was particularly well received.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett