10 WrestleMania Statistics WWE Don’t Want You To Know

3. 1

Dolph Ziggler WrestleMania
WWE.com

If the preceding avalanche of snark wasn't enough, here's something you're really not going to like...at all!

In over 34 WrestleMania events, held in front of well over a million molten fans, as huge storylines converge into epic blowoff matches contested by the most over megastars in all of professional wrestling, just one match has earned a ***** rating from the venerable Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer - that being the revolutionary Intercontinental Title Ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon from 'Mania X.

The Undertaker Vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25? ****3/4, though since Dave is still abused to this day because of that rating, if he could turn back time, he'd probably save himself the bother and give it five. Or maybe he'd go back and not Hot Or Not? Peyton Royce's breast implants. One of the two.

Kurt Angle Vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 21? ****3/4. Randy Savage Vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania III? ****1/2. Bret Hart Vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII? ****1/4, incredibly. He must really like long stretches of absolutely nothing.

This isn't a thin excuse to put over New Japan Pro Wrestling, or anything like that - and WrestleMania is best enjoyed as an all-round spectacle - but in this specific age, match quality is paramount. Even WWE recognises this, and marketed AJ Styles Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura as an on-trend 'Dream Match'. Meltzer is more over than Eric Bischoff, post-83 Weeks. The sphere of influence has changed. If ALL IN and Double Or Nothing indicate anything, it's that ******* matches draw more than the antiquated Monday Night RAW.

WWE hasn't delivered a true, epic one-on-one clinic for a not inconsiderable number of years - and without somewhat fit and ready nostalgic superpowers ahead of 2019, what, other than the brand itself, is the selling point?

And is that brand itself in danger of faltering?

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!