10 Times Outside Factors Totally Changed WWE WrestleMania
8. Injuries & Insults (WrestleMania 2000)
A rare misfire of the shared universe excellence of the Chris Kreski era, WrestleMania 2000 was something of a mess of contrived dynamics and multi-man might-as-wells. It wasn't a horrible show - the awesome roster and white-hot brand meant that it couldn't entirely fail - but Kreski had to contend with both McMahon megalomania and the crazed flux of incoming and departing talent.
The injury to Steve Austin created several headaches - and yet more accounts of what the alternate timeline may have looked like. Austin Vs. The Big Show, a spiritual sequel to Hulk Hogan Vs. André The Giant, was a purported main event pitched when Vince was in negotiations with his prized asset. To think of how much Vince once loved him.
With Austin shelved, Vince ultimately settled on the Fatal 4-Way main event, the complexion of which changed from inception to execution. Chris Jericho was dropped, having disappointed McMahon, with Mick Foley replacing him in the sort of sentimental gesture that seems so incompatible with the modern image of the man.
Jericho's insult relegated him to the Eurocontinental Title match, in which he was joined by Chris Benoit. The insults dealt to him and his Radicalz defectors by WCW upheaved the WWF's midcard - for the considerable betterment of it, once Kreski detangled the web.
Some readers might bristle at this love-in, for a resistant narrative has emerged on the podcast circuit.
Since that whole Chris Kreski-as-Head Writer thing was a myth, and Bruce Prichard is back to restore us to the glory years, we promise to put an end to it in six months, by which time wonderful episodic TV order shall be restored.
Doot doot doot!