10 Ways WWE Is Killing WrestleMania

8. Past > Present/Future

Goldberg Mania 33
WWE.com

At WrestleMania 13, Steve Austin turned face in the greatest match in the history of North American wrestling.

The WWF (belatedly) recognised his momentum and coronated him as the man one year later. Vince McMahon was so trained on the future that he refused Bret Hart's request to drop his WWF Title to Austin at Survivor Series 1997.

He knew that 'Mania was the stage on which to do it, because 'Mania, at least once, was the proving ground for the stars of tomorrow. Nowadays, it is a festival of nostalgia. That there are no stars approaching Austin's level in this new era is not a coincidence.

Those crucial breakthrough moments are as dead in WrestleMania lore as the arenas in which it used to be promoted, but the super-sized setting just obscures the true scale of the company.

WrestleMania 21 dipped in quality towards the end, but it remains the perfect template for what the show should be. There was one dream match in Kurt Angle Vs. Shawn Michaels, a legend elevating the new guard via association in Undertaker Vs. Randy Orton, and two main events ushering in the next generation. They didn't deliver, but that's irrelevant. Both John Cena and Batista became true stars. 'Mania 21 glorified the past and built towards the future in equal measure.

The latter goal was attempted at 'Mania 33 - but the wider glorification consumed it.

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!