10 Times WWE Fans Were Elated At WrestleMania

7. Shawn Michaels Becomes Mr. WrestleMania

Wrestlemania Elated
WWE

WWE had presented classic pro wrestling matches at WrestleMania before - several - but Kurt Angle Vs. Shawn Michaels was different.

Through the strict confines of the brand split format, WWE effectively created the illusion of a dream match they were somehow unable to book. The internal competition narrative of the so-called Ruthless Aggression Era was mostly rhetoric - iron didn't sharpen iron so much as rust demoted iron, in the case of Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman - and only really manifested onscreen on a hollow Survivor Series show. This one, positively superb pro wrestling match captured and perfected the elusive premise.

It was so blow-away fantastic that fans were split and elated throughout, as high on fresh inter-brand warfare as the exceptional story told through unreal athleticism and craft. Shawn Michaels was in seminal form as the incorrigible tweener, drawing the fury from Angle by outclassing him in his mat-based domain, while Angle half-killed Michaels in a super physical performance to transition into the next story beat.

All if it informed by an all-timer of a WWE storyline - Angle had no right being so menacing when cosplaying as his opponent - this stole the show and enriched Shawn's Mr. WrestleMania legacy.

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 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!