WrestleMania X-Seven
Sunday, April 1, 2001
Houston, Texas at Reliant Astrodome
*WWF Championship: The Rock (c) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
*The Undertaker vs. Triple H
*Gimmick Battle Royal
*TLC II for the WWF Tag Team Championships: The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardys
*Street Fight: Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon w/ Mick Foley as special referee
*WWF Women’s Championship: Ivory (c) vs. Chyna
*Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit
*WWF European Championship: Test (c) vs. Eddy Guerrero
*WWF Hardcore Championship: Raven (c) vs. Kane vs. Big Show
*The APA & Tazz vs. Val Venis, The Goodfather & Bull Buchanan
*WWF Intercontinental Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. William Regal
What else can I say that hasn’t been said already? I know it’s a cliche to give this show a 10/10 but the amount of entertainment value truly justifies it. Just the second WrestleMania that I would give a perfect score, along with 19. While that one may have had slightly better in-ring match quality, this Mania just had a pure, unmatched epic atmosphere. You get nostalgia in the battle royal and I popped seeing good ol’ James E. Cornette having his WrestleMania moment, a sublime technical masterpiece with Benoit/Angle, the best TLC match in history, excitement in the McMahon bout, a great brawl in HHH/Taker, an epic main event in Rock/Austin, and everything in between was a delight to watch back.
The event itself is great, but I really didn’t like the ending of Rock and Austin. Needless to say that obviously didn’t work out either. I think that brings it down a few pegs in terms of being the best Mania ever.
In a bubble, this show is a masterpiece. It’s the peak of the most popular moment of the industry, arguably ever.
In hindsight though, it’s aged poorly and really represents the beginning of a nearly two decade downturn for the business as a whole in North America.
Another Mania that I feel is comparable is 30. The night of, it felt like WWE was getting behind a crop of new talent and it was a moment of change. I still think it’s a top three mania (next to X7). However, zoomed out given the history since, it feels like none of it mattered in the long run, and they’d eventually go back to their reliable talents and comfort zones.
You two first reviewed WrestleMania X-Seven on March 28, 2011. I wonder if on today’s review, as then:
Wai will reveal that he has stopped adding sugar to his coffee.
Wai will discuss reading about the WWF’s purchase of WCW online in his high school computer class.
John will note Chyna’s odd jog to ring and Wai will compare her match with Ivory to the Ultimate Warrior vs. Triple H at WrestleMania XII.
Kurt Angle will repeat as the Scott Putski Award winner, beating out worthy nominees Test and Triple H.
Wai will explain to John the meaning of Limp Bizkit’s album title Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water.
John will posit that the WWF should not have acknowledged Debra as being the wife of the Stone Cold Steve Austin character, with Wai agreeing, arguing, “Steve Austin doesn’t fall in love, he fucks girls and then leaves them behind”.
I have a mildly hot take regarding the main event. While I don’t think turning Austin was the best decision, I don’t think it was the awful decision many make it out to be.
Leading into 'Mania, Austin was desperate to become champion again. He was agitated and insecure, possibly by his own inability to beat Triple H at the last PPV. During the Raw after 'Mania, the crowd was ready to cheer Triple H as the lead babyface. The WWF decided to delay that angle, but a few months later, Jericho and Benoit were getting main event baby face reactions going into the King of the Ring. And Austin was getting booed.
The failure of the Austin heel run was a failure of execution and of it being overtaken, as everything was, by the horribly bungled Invasion storyline. The turn itself wasn’t unworkable; they could have made a lot of money and told great stories with Austin as a heel champion.
