There will perhaps never be another moment like it.
22 years of serendipitous scripting all built to the moment The Undertaker lay, prone, concussed and defeated in a result that still triggers debate to this day. An incredible presentation of an even-more-incredible finish, the moment causes the type of shock beyond the noise and melodrama of standard professional wrestling. It is the silence - the relentless, unforgiving silence - that makes this moment, followed by the micro-reactions that follow as reality sets in.
The lack of Brock's music, the eventual reveal of the gut-wrenching "21-1" graphic and even the now-infamous shots of a shocked crowd as fans looked to each other to make sense of what they'd seen. Execution could have been hamstrung by the match that preceded it, but the inch-perfect delivery captured perhaps the most iconic moment in WrestleMania history in a manner that hasn't ever lost the requisite heft.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
