11 Best WrestleMania Endings

9. A Deal With The Devil

The Attitude Era was defined by anti-authority rebel "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's war with the megalomaniac owner of WWE, Vince McMahon. So, when WrestleMania 17 went off the air with Austin shaking the hand of the man he had spent so much time and energy spiting, fans were understandably shocked. Here was the man they had invested in emotionally, turning his back on all of them for the shot at one more run with the WWE Championship.

In that moment, WWE Creative and The Texas Rattlesnake set aside the morals and code that made Austin a hero to millions and the most must-see performer in company history, to execute a shocking turn that certainly had the industry buzzing and provided the epic event with a spectacular conclusion, but did more long-term damage than good.

The ending of WrestleMania 17 is a historic one. While some fans may point to another moment as the end of the Attitude Era, the shaking of hands between Austin and McMahon was the definitive conclusion of the greatest rivalry in the history of the company. WWE, nor sports entertainmet, would ever be the same again.

Contributor
Contributor

Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.