Unsung WrestleMania Moments
In its near three-decade legacy, The Show of Shows has inspired droves of WWE fans who’ve witnessed moments like the fulfillment of Shawn Michaels' childhood dream at WrestleMania XII, Hogan slamming Andre at WrestleMania III, the birth of the Austin Era at WrestleMania XIV, and more.
None can contest these as WrestleMania’s finest, most significant moments. But in the shadow of such iconic instances lie lesser praised, underrated moments that have also established WWE's annual extravaganza as a worldwide marvel, The Greatest Spectacle of Them All.
Scouring each match, each entrance and every moment to have occurred at WrestleMania, WWE.com uncovers 10 hidden gems from the depths of obscurity that have left the WWE Universe in awe, inspired by the memorable visions they witnessed.
You can also add your thoughts on our chosen moments, plus offer your own suggestions for moments we may have missed on Twitter and Facebook.
WrestleMania IX: Double Doinks
Las Vegas' Caesars Palace is known for its shows, its spectacles, and on the right night, its magic acts. But live at WrestleMania IX, even David Copperfield's jaw dropped (and somewhere, that of a young Criss Angel, too) when Doink the Clown magically doubled in the dead center of the squared circle, serving a Kona crushing blow to the clown's opponent.
Better yet, with both Crush and the referee down, the mirror image Doinks teased the mirage, adding insult to the illusion-based injury and forever etching a frightfully multicolored vision in the minds of coulrophobics everywhere.
WrestleMania 23: Four times the RKO
The WWE Universe often buzzes about Edge's calamitous, ladder-top Spear to a dangling Jeff Hardy at WrestleMania X-Seven. Rightfully so. But this moment met a close rival six years later in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
Finlay. Matt Hardy. Mr. Kennedy. All fell victim to a quickstrike RKO from Randy Orton and each left crumpled on the ring mat beneath the coveted briefcase overhead.
Accentuating the wild torrent of RKOs, The Viper ultimately met CM Punk atop the rungs high above the ring, coiled his grip around The Straight Edge Superstar and leapt off the bout's fourth and most impactful executions of Orton's signature weapon - one truly memorable sight on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
WrestleMania XIV: Smellin' it for the first time
Little known WrestleMania fact: At WrestleMania XIV, for the first time on WWE television, The People's Champion asked if another individual could "smell what The Rock is cookin'."
On this night in 1998, this individual (the smell-er) just happened to be Gennifer Flowers, infamous mistress of U.S. President Bill Clinton who made a celeb appearance at 'Mania to interview The Great One.
The Rock's signature phrase would catch fire, earning the attention of the WWE Universe - all clamoring for the scent brewed up by The Most Electrifying Man in sports-entertainment.
WrestleMania X-Seven: Hardcore Golf Carts
The first-ever getaway cart in WrestleMania history failed defending Hardcore Champion Raven in 2001, but succeeded in establishing one of the oddest images in any bout contested on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
After being projected through a window and tortured throughout the Astrodome's halls in a Hardcore Title Triple Threat Match, Raven stumbled across and took the wheel of a parked golf cart. Before he could escape, towering foe Big Show hopped aboard - a 500-pound stowaway. Then, the chase was on as Kane - who had previously been avalanched through a backstage wall by Show - found his own cart and followed his foes. It was a brief race, however, as a battered Raven veered out of control, just in time for The Big Red Monster to catch up en route to his Hardcore Championship victory.
WrestleMania 22: The Worm Kiss
Headlocks, yes. Dreadlocks, sure, it’s King Booker. A lip-lock? This was the last thing anyone expected to see when his majesty battled Boogeyman at WrestleMania 22. Alas, despite all his regalia, Booker couldn’t save his lovely teammate, Queen Sharmell, from the puckered, putrid lips of WWE’s insect-guzzling nightmare creature.
With chewed nightcreepers swathing his mouth, Boogey made Sharmell an honest woman in Chicago with one sloppy, worm-smeared kiss.
Perhaps the only person in the Allstate Arena who shrieked louder than Booker’s bride was referee Charles Robinson, cementing this as the most gleefully horrific WrestleMania moment in history.
WrestleMania IV: Clothes make the (Macho) Man
Of course, the biggest story coming out of WrestleMania IV in Atlantic City's Trump Plaza was "Macho Man" Randy Savage's triumph in the WWE Championship tournament. But how about props for doing it in fully sequined style?
While surpassing four different opponents in a single night, Savage adorned a unique robe each time with his color coordinated main squeeze, Miss Elizabeth, in evening gowns of a matching shade.
The Madness began in round one with a deep royal purple, lightened up with a pale pink in round two, then muted to a sleek, shimmery black for the semifinal bout. In the last round, Savage and Liz celebrated in an appropriately radiant white for what Gorilla Monsoon himself coined Macho Man's "finest hour." Quick changes, keen attention to fashion detail and the WWE Championship? "Ohh yeahh!"
WrestleMania XII: The Ultimate Warrior returns
Over the years, the unstable and downright erratic Ultimate Warrior has come and gone from WWE just as quickly as his signature charging procession to the ring. That didn’t dampen the great anticipation of his return to action at WrestleMania XII.
The former WWE Champion was welcomed back to WWE with a refreshed logo inspired by his facial war paint as well as a firework-infused frame of that same emblem, heralding his entrance. The Warrior's intensity enabled him to plow through Triple H (in The Game’s personal WrestleMania debut) and electrify the WWE Universe like he'd done countless times before.
WrestleMania XXV: Kingston's vertical scale
Against seven other top-caliber Superstars in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, Kofi Kingston vowed to standout in his performance at The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania.
Kingston found his opportunity for a WrestleMania moment, stunning the crowd of 72, 744 by springing onto a collapsed ladder held by Mark Henry. Blink and you missed it, as a crafty Kofi quickly scaled the upright rungs in an attempt to snatch the briefcase.
Kingston's agile display drew thousands of camera flashes within Reliant Stadium - not to mention the awe of many other WWE fans who couldn't react in time to snap a shot of the lithe Superstar's ascension. Naturally, Kofi's rise was just as dramatic as his fall - right into Henry's clutches. But he certainly gets an "A" for his athletic effort.
WrestleMania XV: Triple H goes Corporate
Arguably among the most critical turning points in Triple H's career came with a dual betrayals - ironically - in the City of Brotherly Love at WrestleMania XV.
First, during his bout with The Big Red Monster, Triple H realigned with Chyna after The Ninth Wonder of the World turned on her fellow Corporation member, Kane. Less than an hour later, the newly reunited pair reemerged during X-Pac's collision with Shane McMahon, seemingly to aid their fellow D-Generate. Suddenly, the shocked crowd jeered as the DX leader showed his Corporate colors with a destiny-altering Pedigree to X-Pac. No one saw it coming.
This single move made a resonating statement: "It's my time now." And more than a dozen World Championship reigns later, The Game hasn't looked back.
WrestleMania XX: No love for Goldberg or Lesnar
Disgust. That's what the WWE Universe had for both Bill Goldberg and Brock Lesnar when they entered the hallowed birthplace of WrestleMania, Madison Square Garden.
While a match between these gladiators promised an explosive event, news of Goldberg and Lesnar's respective WWE departures turned the audience against them. In effect, the overwhelming disapproval of the New York City crowd - expressed in vehement boos and chants of "You sold out!" - overshadowed its combatants ... but not it's special enforcer and referee.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin had no problem obtaining raucous cheers when The Rattlesnake delivered matching Stunners to discharge both leviathans from WWE forever.
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