Jarry Park’s Top 24 Wrestlemania Moments

February 29, 2008

The Grand Daddy of ’em all is a little over four weeks away and in the spirit of it all we continue our countdown of the greatest moments in WM history.

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#20: Challenge Accepted
Wrestlemania IX
Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
April 4, 1993

The Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna (c)

The Moment: Yokozuna defeats Bret Hart to capture the WWF title. Hogan comes out to help the injured Hart. Yokozuna challenges Hogan to an impromptu match. Pandemonium ensues.

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#19: Godzilla Makes His Debut
Wrestlemania XI
Civic Center, Hartford, CT
April 2, 1995

The Match: Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

The Moment: Many doubted Taylor could hold his own in a WWF match – let alone the main event of Wrestlemania. But LT shocked the world when he went toe-to-toe with the “Beast from the East” defeating him with a, you guessed it, NFL-style shoulder tackle.

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#18: Crash Test Dummy
Wrestlemania IX – Safeco Field, Seattle WA
March 30, 2003

The Match: Kurt Angle (c) vs. Brock Lesnar

The Moment: Brock Lesnar’s rookie year in WWE was unlike any other. He rose through the ranks faster than anyone in the business by becoming the youngest ever WWE Champion (Randy Orton has since broken that record). Considering his amazing amateur wrestling background it seemed inevitable that he would face the only Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE history, Kurt Angle. The match definitely lived up to the hype and with Angle on the ropes Lesnar decided to try a move usually reserved for men 100 pounds lighter than him. He probably should have kept things that way.

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#17: Proud To Be An American
Wrestlemania VII – LA Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
March 24, 1991

The Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter (c)

The Moment: Vince McMahon, being the ultimate promoter that he is, chose to exploit the Gulf War by turning former American Hero, Sgt. Slaughter, into an Iraqi sympathizer. Obviously, the Hulkster would have none of this and, in the midst of the first war in Iraq, he and the Sarge engaged in a little squared circle warfare. Just like in the Persian Gulf War, the good guys came through in the clutch (or, well, I guess that depends on who you ask).