The Showcase of the Immortals

On one night each year, sports entertainers have the chance to etch their names into professional wrestling lore. by Jeff Laboon 

Hart holds Austin in the sharpshooter as Austin passes out.

I remember my first WrestleMania moment. Steve Austin, hated by fans for his disrespectful behavior since joining the World Wrestling Federation, challenged Bret Hart, beloved for his interactions with fans, in a submission match. Unlike a regular match, the match requires the wrestlers apply submission holds to get his or her opponent to submit, or quit. Austin and Hart fought a fierce, but even match until Hart put Austin in his trademark hold, the sharpshooter. As Hart applied the hold, which strains the lower back and pressures the knees, Austin bled profusely while he reached for the ropes. As he inched towards the ropes, Austin seemed closer to submitting from the pressure of the hold. That is, until he stopped moving altogether. Austin refused to tap out and lose the match, so he passed out from blood loss instead. As a 12 year old, I never saw anything quite like this performance. How can one man be so stubborn that he refuses to quit?

A performance at WrestleMania sticks with a career forever, much like Reggie Jackson’s postseason prowess in the fall classic or Max Talbot’s two goals in Game 7 of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals. On the night of WrestleMania XIII, Austin and Hart sought to provide a show that fans would remember for ages.  

Tonight marks the 27th installment of WWE’s WrestleMania. Often referred to as the “Show of Shows,” WrestleMania is considered the Super Bowl of sports entertainment. That designation, though, is quite the misnomer. Wrestling - or as it’s now more commonly referred to as, sports entertainment - does not operate in the same way as the NFL or any of the other professional sports leagues in America. There is a supposed ranking system for the contenders for each belt, but the industry does not rely on any points or adheres to these fictional rankings. Hence the term “sports entertainment.”

The purpose of the industry is to entertain its fans, not crown a king for their sport. That is why “the Super Bowl of sports entertainment” is a very loose definition for WrestleMania. The event provides a spectacle that no other night can match, but for anyone who has never seen the event live or watched it on pay-per-view, it’s very hard to understand.

Jericho (blue tights) hugs childhood idol Shawn Michael (red) after their match at Wrestlemania XIX at Safeco Field.

In a new DVD released by WWE titled “The True Story of WrestleMania,” former superstar Chris Jericho described the night as the stage where athletes can become immortal. A great match between two superstars at a live house event stays within the memories of those in attendance on that night. A great match on Raw, the company’s flagship weekly program, may stick with people for a little bit longer. But, stealing the show at WrestleMania immediately enters sports entertainment lore. Consider Aaron Rodgers of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. In Week 14 of this season, he threw four touchdown passes to help the Packers cruise past the New York Giants and better their chance for a playoff spot. In the first round of the playoffs against Philadelphia, he threw three touchdowns and completed 67 percent of his passes. When his career is over, though, neither of these games will resonate with football fans aside from maybe those in the stadium. His performance at Super Bowl XLV, though, will be attached to his name forever. 

 

It is the same in sports entertainment. Chris Jericho’s match at WrestleMania XIX against Shawn Michaels, a man who Jericho molded himself after, will live with sports entertainment fans forever. Picture a match as a story in itself. With each match come plot twists and turns that keep the viewer on the edge of his or her seat. Some of them are planned, like a jump from a 15-foot ladder onto an opponent, while others are improvised, like one superstar missing their cue or botching a move only to create an even more realistic one. Even in a losing effort, Jericho made his mark at that WrestleMania because, along with Shawn Michaels, he told a story in the ring that captivated the sports entertainment universe.

WrestleMania seemingly sets new building attendance records for each venue it comes to. In 2004, tickets sold out in under a minute for WrestleMania 21 at Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center. In 2005, it took less than two minutes to sell out the show in Chicago. After years of performing at hockey and basketball arenas like STAPLES Center and Allstate Arena, the event is now restricted to football stadiums like Reliant Stadium in Houston (home to this year’s NCAA Final Four), Ford Field in Detroit, and the Georgia Dome in Atlanta (home to tonight’s festivities). While the stage and entrance ramp usually take up a chunk of the stadium’s seating, the additional seating on the field more than compensates. Picture performing in front of a crowd of over 72,000 – the attendance at last year’s event at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Much like the Super Bowl, cities now bid to host the show each year because of the tourism and revenue that it provides for the city. In recent years, the event has developed beyond just the show on Sunday night to an entire week called “Fan Axxess,” where fans can rub elbows with some of the industry’s finest. Since WrestleMania XX, the night before the event is reserved for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony to recognize some of the best in the business. Past stars, current talents, and fans converge on an arena or concert hall in the host city to listen to thank you’s and jokes from the people who brought sports entertainment to where it is today – and usually one celebrity entrant. 

WrestleMania XXV at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

It’s easy to look back at the history of WrestleMania fondly, but Vince McMahon and the WWF took a significant risk with the first WrestleMania in 1984. At the time, wrestling was limited to territories. Each part of the country had its own wrestling promotion with its own roster of wrestlers and personalities. The WWE, at this time called the World Wrestling Federation, had the New York region, so they regularly performed at Madison Square Garden. With the first WrestleMania, though, McMahon made wrestling national. The event was aired on closed circuit television – the frontrunner to modern pay-per-view- in theaters throughout the country. Since this event disrupted the harmony of the territory system, the performers that night risked being blacklisted from appearing in any American territory, or returning to their previous territory if the WWF folded. Much like McDonald’s replacing mom and pop burger joints around the country, WrestleMania was the franchising of sports entertainment. It was now a national industry.  

Miz (black) defends WWE Championship against Cena (purple) in the Miz's second career WrestleMania match.

While the event does not crown one winner, like the premier events of other sports, each installment defines sports entertainment at that given time. Arguably the biggest match on the card tonight will pit John Cena against WWE Champion Mike “the Miz” Mizanin – yes, the guy from the Real World. Cena was 19 years old when Austin left his place in WWE history. The Miz, only 17.

Cena is the face, or the good guy. Seven years ago, he was the favorite for guys in the 18-30 demographic because his anti-establishment character. Now, he’s the face for young wrestling fans and females, which makes his old supporters furious. The Miz acts as the foil for Cena. He regularly criticizes the Cena crowd, which brought the Miz the support of the 18-30 year olds.

Both superstars hope to live out a childhood dream and leave their mark on the entire WWE Universe by the end of the night, regardless of whether the fans love them or hate them. For these performers, there will not be a bigger show this year. Years of hard work will culminate in one match in front of a sellout crowd of over 71,000. Tonight is about the mastery of one’s craft.

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Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, one of the faces of the company up during the late 1990’s, will be hosting the event, which starts with the performing of “America the Beautiful” by Keri Hilson at the special start time of 7 PM, ET. It’s available on pay-per-view (so call your local cable provider) and at WWE.com for $54.95.