Customer Reviews

WWF: WrestleMania 13 [VHS]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Wrestlemania returned to Chicago after 11 years since Wrestlemania 2. I think this wasn't a bad Wrestlemania even though it has gotten a couple of bad reviews. Match for match, this Wrestlemania is pretty solid. This Wrestlemania began the "Dark Days" while hosting a match that will never be forgotten for years and years to come.

4 Team Elimination Match
The Godwinns vs. The New Blackjacks vs. Doug Furan & Philip Lafon vs. The Headbangers
The winners of this match would get a title shot at the WWF Tag Team Champions the next night on RAW. John "Bradshaw" Layfield made his WM debut here as one half of the New Blackjacks. The Headbangers was also making their debut with their unique style and their crazy, rocker attire. Everybody in this match put in a good effort and this match produced a very good and fun opener. 3.5/5

Intercontinental Championship
Rocky Maivia vs. The Sultan
This match right here led to Rocky Maivia morphing into The Rock as everybody knows today after the loud BOO's and "DIE ROCKY DIE" chants from the Chicago crowd. However, Rocky and the Sultan put on a pretty decent match up for the IC Title. Rocky gets a quick roll up for the win and we get a special appearence from Rocky's dad Rocky Johnson for a post-match reunion among father and son. 3.25/5

Hunter Hearst Hemsley vs. Goldust
Triple H and Goldust was continuing their feud here that began around the time of the Royal Rumble and also the arrival of Chyna took place as well. The future "cerebral assassian" and the "Dream's boy" surpassed their match from the Rumble. It got a little dull at times but the good over shadows the bad here. A very good match and one of the bests of the night. 4/5

WWF Tag Team Championship
British Bulldog and Owen Hart vs. Mankind and Vader
Vader and Mankind is probably the most unlikiest of teams ever and it showed here as the crowd were showing favoritism for heels Bulldog and Hart in this match. Even with the disappointing double count out end, this was a surprisingly good tag team bout. A very enjoyable match. I also recommend viewing Owen's interview with Jim Ross before the match. 4/5

Submission Match with Ken Shamrock as the Special Referee
Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
The match was just all out warfare as the match began on the outside with Hart and Austin fighting into the crowd until they made their way back to the ring where Austin and Hart used steel chairs and ring bells on each other. And Austin soon getting busted open after taking a shot into the steel rail. Just classic match. Ends with Austin passing out in his own puddle of blood to the Sharpshooter. 5/5 [Match also available on Bret Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be]

Chicago Street Fight
Legion of Doom & Ahmed Johnson vs. The Nation of Domination (Faarooq, Savio Vega, & Crush)
This is a match that you have to appreciate the effort that every man involved put in. The Road Warriors returned to their hometown to team up with Ahmed Johnson to end this feud with the Nation of Domination & Ahmed had. The match has many hardcore spots but it was just too spot festy which was its down fall. A decent match up but really couldn't top the match place infront of them. 3.75/5

WWF Championship
Sycho Sid vs. Undertaker
Okay, before the match got underway Bret Hart came out to cut a very entertaining heel promo about him getting screwed out of his title shot against Shawn Michaels (who was doing commentary). Bret and Shawn was supposed to have a rematch here after last years Wrestlemania where Shawn defeated Bret for the title and Bret was to suppost to get the title back from Shawn here a year later at this Wrestlemania. But that was before Shawn had to release the title due to injury and go "find his smile." So therefore, Bret won the vacated title but would soon lose it to Sid and in their Steel Cage rematch where the Undertaker interfered and costed Bret the match which set up this main event between Undertaker and Sid. So thats how the Undertaker and Sycho Sid and not Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels II match came about.

As for the match goes, it isn't the greatest Wrestlemania Main Event but it also doesn't come close to being the worst. The match became a brawl that got taken to the outside where Sid punished Taker until the match resumed back into the ring. Towards the end, Bret Hart would come back out again to distract Sid. After the distraction from Bret, Undertaker hits Sid with the Tombstone to capture his first championship gold at a Wrestlemania. 3.75/5

This Wrestlemania is pretty good. Its far from being the worst. I recommend this cheap for 10 bucks or under or just catch it in the Wrestlemania anthology set. It's apart of Volume 3 in the Wrestlemania sets.

***I'm typing this review as my own private nostalgia trip. I hope it's helpful, but it's mainly for my own self-indulgence.***

I was 11 when this event was coming to my hometown area. The Rosemont Horizon was recently changed to the All-State Arena. The corny Slammy Awards just took place (Owen Hart "won" his 2nd in the Best Bowtie category!). My local Burger King had WWF cups with wrestlers on the sides. Pretty much all of my classmates got to see the WWF because we faithful few taped every RAW, Shotgun Saturday Night, Superstars, and even LiveWire! Finally, the WWF still insisted that the event was in Chicago. Umm...it's actually in Rosemont, IL...but close enough.

And...my parents told me I couldn't go with some friends:
"You have school on Monday."
"Wrestling encourages violence between you three brothers."
"That Stone Cold Steve Austin has a foul mouth."
"Chicago's not a very safe area without enough adults." (Again, it's in Rosemont)

God bless my parents, but even with a boring as hell main event, I would give almost anything to be with the crowd on this exciting night. WRESTLEMANIA 13 may not be the best of this PPV series, but sometimes it's okay to enjoy an event simply because it was right around the corner. Besides, as I look years later, the 13th WRESTLEMANIA is a pretty solid one from a wrestling perspective.

So, without further ado, here are my memories & reviews of the matches:

1) Elimination Match
The Godwinns v. The New Blackjacks v.
Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon v. The Headbangers
---I watched every episode of WWF TV, and couldn't tell you how this one got booked. But that's okay, because all four of these teams put on a nice crowd-energizing show. If you're not familiar with Furnas & LaFon, that's a shame, because they were a crisp technical duo similar to The Hart Foundation. And the pig farmers, cowboys, and grunge punks managed to keep things going too. This match doesn't hold any significance, but 10 minutes of exciting escapism is enough for me.
"7.0 / 10"
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2) Intercontinental Championship
The Sultan v. Rocky Maivia (champion)
---Man, people really despised the clean cut Maivia! I wasn't sure why, but regardless of whether you joined that bandwagon, I still rather enjoy this match. The Sultan (aka "Rikishi") doesn't look like he can have a decent match, but the two opponents actually compliment each other quite well. Plus, seeing Rocky Johnson get involved was entertaining to even a young fan like me who only knew that he was Maivia's daddy. A few months later, we would be introduced to The Rock, but I still remember Rocky Maivia fondly.
"7.0 / 10"
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3) Hunter Hearst Helmsely v. Goldust
---This rivalry actually got some good TV exposure in late 1996. Goldust finally proclaiming that he wasn't gay was...well, a pleasant surprise. Also, I believe this was Chyna's first appearance on WWF PPV. Seeing her mangle Marlena around was rather shocking; say what you will about Chyna's career, but she made an impression for a long time. As for the match, it's MUCH better than their ROYAL RUMBLE encounter. That one just went on and on, with all sorts of blatant cheating. But this contest is a much sharper display between the two wrestlers. One of the night's best!
"7.5 / 10"
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4) Tag Team Championships
Vader & Mankind v. Owen Hart & The British Bulldog (champions)
---Another bizarre booking, as Vader & Mankind were allied with the scheming Paul Bearer, yet got mostly positive reactions from the crowd. I never betrayed my loyalty to the Hart Family, both heroes & villains. Most people criticize this match because it ends with a double DQ, and they're absolutely right about that. What they forget was how awesome this tag match was until the finish. Both teams put on an excellent show, and either team could've walked away with the gold. Also, this match was from a time when disqualifications weren't seen as ripoffs to younger fans like me. We only cared about the winners. In this match, all four of them came out on top, in my eyes.
"8.0 / 10"
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5) Submission Match (Guest Referee: Ken Shamrock)
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin v. Bret Hart
---Okay, you all know what happens. This match is really something special. It was the official career-maker for Austin. The crowd switching sides midmatch was very surprising, and remains an awesome listening experience. The commentary as dead-on. The action is exciting. Even when the two guys go in the crowd (usually a boring move), the match is exciting. Austin's bloody cries of pain are pure TV brilliance. Ken Shamrock's stint as a referee was actually a good way to introduce him to WWF audiences. Simply put, you need to see this if you haven't. For those of you have, just be grateful, because it almost didn't take place (more on that later).
"10 / 10"
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6) Chicago Street Fight
The Nation of Domination v. Ahmed Johnson & The Legion of Doom
---For months, my then-favorite Ahmed Johnson had been battling uphill against this black supremacist group. Finally, Ahmed would get two men with tough Chicago backgrounds (Hawk & Animal) to compete in the first "weapons match" I ever saw. I had never seen an ECW Match, except for when they "invaded" RAW for a brief while. And to finally see the NOD to get their bodies beaten was just a glorious thrill. Years later, this is really a guilty pleasure. The whole match is sloppy, and the weapons spots are repetitive after a while. It's still entertaining, but my memories are more enjoyable than yours may be.
"6.0 / 10"
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7) WWF Championship
The Undertaker v. Sycho Sid (champion)
---First, a little background:
Undertaker was always the guy who never lost fair and square. Shawn Michaels was heavily despised by me, and I couldn't have been happier when Sid won the belt from him. And Bret Hart's heel promo only made me a stronger fan of his. In my mind, HBK was the jackass, and Hart's future anti-American angles made a lot of sense to me.

The RAW before this WRESTLEMANIA had a Bret/Sid Steel Cage Match, where Austin & Undertaker helped their WM opponents (!) so that they could get the WWF Title Match in 6 days.

This WRESTLEMANIA main event almost never happened, and although I was thrilled to see Taker win the belt, I have never EVER been able to watch this 30-minute borefest in one sitting. Undertaker hadn't been using his technical prowess for very long, and Sid's big-man offense forced him to compete in that slow "Dead Man" style. HBK's guest commentary wasn't anything special. Even with Sid going to the top rope for a few moves, the whole thing just plodded endlessly. I've actually fastforwarded this match from start to finish, and it's still unbelievably slow. There've only been a handful of worse WRESTLEMANIA main events. Sid's role in the WWF diminished in the few months to come. Undertaker's 2nd WWF Title reign was arguably his best.

Look at my review title, and put an emphasis on the word "Until".
"3.0 / 10"
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From a wrestling fan's eyes, this is still a pretty good WRESTLEMANIA to me. But I still remember all the reactions I had when I saw this PPV back in March 1997:
"Undertaker's wearing the grey colors, again."
"Who is that scary woman with Triple H?"
"How dare everyone boo Bret Hart!"
"Why is everyone into Steve Austin? He's the bad guy!"
"I don't care if Owen stole his 2nd Slammy, he's awesome!"

I doubt I'll change the minds of those who dislike WRESTLEMANIA 13. But I doubt they've listened to someone who got so close, and regrets missing a truly pivotal night in his time as a fan.

Never had the words "card subject to change" been more appropriate than at the 13th Wrestlemania. The main event seemed to change numerous times since the Royal Rumble with Shawn Michaels out with an injury and the World Title changing hands on three ocassions. The scheduled main event would be The Undertaker and Sid, a battle between two big men that clearly did not have the marquee value of past main events. Not only that but the original planned "Chicago Street Fight" between rivals, Ahmed Johnson and Farooq was now a six-man tag team match. On paper, this one looked to be terrible.

However as luck had it, this was actually better than the previous two Wrestlemania's. The main event had commentary from Shawn Michaels and an impromptou appearance from Bret Hart made the match play out better than it could have. The highlight of the evening was an "I Quit" match between Bret and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. This was the match that made Austin a star as rather than giving up to Bret's sharpshooter, he passed out from the pain. The six-man street fight was also exceptional as all six guys used every weapon in the building including "the kitchen sink"!

The rest of the card really was pretty average. Chyna made her Wrestlemania deut as she sent Marlena ("Terri Runnels") to the hospital. The Rock also made his Mania debut as the clean-cut Rocky Maivia. A four-team elimination match made for a good start to the show.

This Wrestlemania was a classic, especially the brutal submission match between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret "The Hitman" Hart! Bret irish whips Steve Austin headfirst into the solid steel guard rail, busting Steve wide open! Steve begins pouring blood from his busted forehead, and the result of the violence in this heated matchup causes Austin to eventually blackout. Not for the faint of heart! The rest of the PPV was pretty good also. The Undertaker takes on Psycho Sid in the main event for the WWF title. That match was O.K. The whole PPV had its moments. If you want a piece of wrestling history, then this is the video for you.

Okay, so this wasn't an excellent WrestleMania, but it was still pretty good. You see, everyone that wrote a review saying something like "This was the worst Mania of all time" must not know much about WrestleMania 13. The matches were great, it's just that this was when WCW was winning the ratings game and the WWF was stuck in between "Attitude" and "1995 style" wrestling. (1995 was the worst year for professional wrestling) The Bret Hart- Steve Austin match was excellent and it showed who was the better wrestler. The main event was a very good main event but it would have been better with HBK having something to do with it. Even though I really dislike Steve Austin, I'll admit he put on the best match of the night (which he doesn't always do) Good video, but I'd rent it first to see if you're a "Attitude" lover or a fan of "not so old school" wrestling.

This certainly wasn't the best Wrestlemania of all time but it was the birthplace of WWF(WWE)ATTITUDE and had some memorable moments. Here are the 7 matches and my rating out of 5 stars.
1. Four-team Elimination Match: Doug Furnas&Philip Lafon VS. The Godwinns VS. The New Blackjacks VS. The Headbangers. 2 stars
Decent, but not much else. A decent tag match once the first 2 teams got eliminated.
2. Intercontinental Title Match: The Sultan VS. The Rock 2 stars
The Sultan is fat and slow so the match lacks pace. The Rock puts on an okay performance.
3. Singles Match: Triple H VS. Goldust 3 stars
The end of a long fued. Entertaining match between the two.
4. Tag Team Titles Match: Vador & Mankind VS. Owen Hart & The British Bulldog 3 stars
Again, this match also is a little slow but has some high spots and was better than I thought it would be.
5. Ultimate Submission Match with Special Referee Ken Shamrock:
Bret"Hitman"Hart VS. Stone Cold Steve Austin 5 stars
TOTALLY awesome. This match stole the show and may be the greatest Wrestlemania match ever. These two should be proud of themselves for the effort they put into this match. Austin takes a brutal beating and refuses to give up in the end.
6. Six-Man Street Fight: N.O.D VS. L.O.D & Ahmed Johnson 4 stars
Pretty good street fight. Tons of weapons used but a lot going on at one time so its hard to pay attention.
7. WWF Title: The Undertaker VS. Sycho Sid 4 stars
A good match for two big guys. Some high spots and low spots. Sid [stinks] so I'm glad Taker won. Bret Hart interferes.
Verdict: I recommend this Wrestlemania to any WWE fan. Get it, if nothing else, for the Submission match between the Hitman and Stone Cold.

THIS WRESTLEMANIA HAD THE LOWEST BUY RATE IN WRESTLEMANIA HISTORY. AND WITH GOOD REASON, THIS WRESTLEMANIA WASN'T EVEN WORTH BUYING! LET ALONE EVEN WATCHING. HERE'S WHAT I THINK OF THIS WRESTLEMANIA'S CARD;

1. FOUR TEAM ELIMINATION TAG MATCH
THE HEADBANGERS [MOSH & THRASHER] VS. THE BLACKJACKS [BRADSHAW & THE LEGENDARY BARRY WINDHAM] VS. FURNAS & LAFON VS. THE GODWINNS [HENRY & PHINEAS]
A DECENT OPENING MATCH. HARD TO BELIEVE A LONGTIME MID-CARDER LIKE BRADSHAW WOULD GO ON TO SUDDENLY WIN THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. AS A MATTER OF FACT, BRADSHAW IS THE CURRENT WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION. RATING; 3/5

2. FOR THE WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
CHAMPION ROCKY MAIVIA AKA THE ROCK VS. THE SULTAN
TIME FILLER. AT LEAST YOU DO GET TO SEE HOW THE ROCK WAS IN THE EARLIER DAYS OF HIS WWE CAREER. RATING; 2/5

3. HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY VS. GOLDUST
NOT REALLY A GOOD MATCH. RATING; 2/5

4. FOR THE WWE WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
CHAMPIONS OWEN HART [R.I.P.] & THE BRITISH BULLDOG [R.I.P.] VS. MANKIND & VADER
THIS WAS A BORING MATCH. THE WWE CONTINUED TO HOLD VADER BACK FROM DOING ANYTHING BIG IN THE WWE. RATING; 1/5

5. I QUIT MATCH
STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN VS. BRET HART
BY FAR THE GREATEST MATCH TO EVER COME OUT OF THIS EVENT. ALL OF THE OTHER MATCHES ON THIS EVENT ARE LAME COMPARED TO THIS ONE. RATING; 5/5

6. CHICAGO STREET FIGHT
AHMED JOHNSON & THE LEGION OF DOOM [THE LATE GREAT HAWK & ANIMAL] VS. THE NATION OF DOMINATION [FAAROOQ, CRUSH, & SAVIO VEGA]
LOD DID THIS TYPE OF MATCH MANY TIMES WHEN THEY WERE KNOWN AS THE ROAD WARRIORS IN WCW/NWA. BUT THIS CHICAGO STREET FIGHT SUCKED! RATING; 1/5

7. FOR THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
CHAMPION PSYCHO SID VS. THE UNDERTAKER
ONE OF THE CORNIEST MAIN EVENTS IN WRESTLEMANIA HISTORY! THIS MATCH LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER, BUT IT SUCKS TO WATCH! BUT, AT LEAST TAKER DID WIN WHAT WAS HIS 1ST WWE TITLE SINCE 1991! RATING; 1.5/5

AND SO ENDS A REVIEW ABOUT ONE OF THE WORST WRESTLEMANIAS OF ALL TIME. ONLY BUY THIS TAPE IF YOU'RE A COLLECTOR OF WRESTLEMANIA. BUT, DON'T EXPECT TO WANNA SEE THIS ONE IN ITS ENTIRETY MORE THAN ONCE.

Wrestlemania 13:

1. New Blackjacks vs Headbangers vs Godwinns vs Furnas/Lafon 4 way elimination number 1 contenders match for the tag team titles: This match was ok, it shouldnt of been on this show but it was still decent, didnt like the double countout, but the headbangers kept this match interesting with their high flying moves **1/4

2. The Rock(c)vs The Sultan IC Title: This match could have been better, rock got dominated the whole match, it was sort of a basic title match, didnt like the ending or the aftermath involving the rocks father, Rocky Johnson **1/4

3. Triple H vs Goldust: This was a good solid match, had its boring parts but also had its good parts, ending was pretty good ***

4. British Bulldog/Owen Hart(c) vs Vader/Mankind WWF Tag Team Titles: This was going along fine, some good moves and counters, it went on for 16 minutes so it had enough time to show there talent... and then the ending, the ending ruined the match for me **3/4

5. Steve Austin vs Bret Hart Submission Match Spec Ref= Ken Shamrock: OH MY GOD, THIS WAS INCREDIBLE!!! This match had everything, some good brawling, mat wrestling, a lot of blood and drama, austin getting busted open really helped this match, some stiif chair shots, the ending was amazing and looked so good with blood pouring out of austins face, words cannot describe how great this match is, just watch it *****

6. Nation of Domination vs Legion of Doom/Ahmed Johnson Chicago Street Fight Match: This match was decent, some good hardcore wrestling with a table spot in the middle, at times it did look like a big mess but then it would take its shape again, loads of weapons used including trash cans, lids, cookie sheets, tables, chairs, baseball bats, you will like this match if you are a fan of brawling and hardcore wrestling **3/4

7. Sid Justice(c)vs The Undertaker WWF Title: This wasnt a good main event at all, sid dominates the whole match and just works over undertakers body which I didnt like, the only good part of the match was when taker was in control, the ending could have been better, bret interfered and helped taker pick up the victory, which i didnt like because undertaker shouldnt need help to win a title, hes the undertaker for god sake **1/4

Match of the Night: Bret vs Austin
Worst Match of Night: 4 way tag team match
Moment of Night: SPOILER= Bret Hart makes Austin pass out to the sharpshooter

Overall PPV: 7/10

Good show but not memeroble

Lafon & Furnas VS Godwinns VS Headbangers VS New Blackjacks: A good opener. The only bad part was the cheap count out that eliminated Furnas & Lafon and New Blackjacks. However, it did settle into a good match.

Rocky Maivia VS The Sultan: I've always enjoyed this match and the work of Rikishi or whatever you want to call him. The first few minutes is a back and fourth encounter and slowly dies down to Sultan uses submissions while Rocky does nothing. The crowd is very dead for this match, I heard a Rocky sucks chant halfway thru it, and Rocky wins via roll up to end this one. After, Sheik, Sultan, and Backlund attack Rocky until his father comes out to save the day.

Triple H VS Goldust: A very long match between two wrestlers I could careless about. This was also the debut of Chyna.

Vader & Mankind VS Bulldog & Owen Hart: The first time (I believe) in WrestleMania history a heel vs heel tag team match took place and the last time come to think of it. My dvd freezes during halfway during this match so I cannot tell you if the match was good or not but I believe it was until the stupid double count out.

Bret Hart VS Steve Austin in a Submission match with speical guest ref, Ken Shamrock: Nothing needs to be said about this match that hasnt been said already. If you never watched this match, then what are you waiting for?

LOD & Ahmed Johnson VS N.O.D in a Chicago Street Fight: This was a clear attempt to cash in on ECW's success. However, the match is so out of control and there is so much going on that you can lose track of whats going on. An ok match but way out of control to even know whats going on.

Sid VS Undertaker: Shawn Micheals does guest commentary. Bret Hart cuts a promo before the match and Sid power bombs him. The match is like Sultan/Rocky earlier, starts out strong but quickly gets dull with Sid getting in the offense as Taker just took it. It was a street fight but didnt use any weapons, just a few moves on the outside that looked nice. Hart comes back and distracts Sid, Undertaker gets a tombstone piledriver on Sid and wins the belt. Not a bad match but not a classic.

Overall, a good PPV. The WWF was clearly going in a different direction after WrestleMania 13 and this would provide a blueprint.

Another old WWF tape as this was one of the more unique WrestleMania cards of all time. During this time, the main event was changed in so many ways. After a series of events involving Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels & Sycho Sid, the main event eventually became Sycho Sid defending the WWF Championship against The Undertaker. Speaking of Austin/Bret, they would make even more history at this event as their match has still stood to test of time today.

Elimination Match: The Headbangers vs The Godwinns vs The Blackjacks vs Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon. The winners of this match would receive a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championship the next night on RAW. This was one of those matches where not everyone was able to get a moment to shine but still was able to contribute to the match & had a good opener with the Headbangers showing why they were so popular among the fans at the time.

Intercontinental Champion Rocky Maivia vs The Sultan. Honky Tonk Man actually joins the commentator's table for this match. This was the match that planted the seeds for Rocky to eventually turn into The Rock as the crowd completely turned & booed Rocky out of the building to the point that they were chanting "Rocky Sucks, DIE Rocky Die" etc. The match itself was decent with cameos from Bob Backlund, The Iron Shiek & Rocky Johnson at the end but the match is mostly remembered for the crowd's reaction.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Goldust. The end of their long feud over Marlena & for those that don't remember, this was Chyna's WrestleMania debut. Anyways, this was a good match between these two & was much better than their Royal Rumble match that they had earlier in the year as it focused more on the wrestling instead of both men trying to out-heel the other with tons of cheating. But the real highlight here was what Chyna did to Marlena that was something nobody had ever seen before.

WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart & The British Bulldog vs Mankind & Vader. This was a unique match since both teams were heels but the crowd was at first cheering for Vader but then got behind Owen & Bulldog midway through the match along with the fact that the tease of breakup between Owen & Bulldog was still going on here. Great tag team match between both teams despite the double countout ending as Owen was workhorse of the team while Bulldog used his power along with Mankind & Vader holding their own despite this being their first time as a tag team.

Submission Match: Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin w/Special Referee Ken Shamrock. Before I begin, it should be noted that this was also Ken Shamrock's WrestleMania debut & first major role in the WWF. Honestly, I can try to describe this match but the words that I put down will not do this match justice. This was the match that stole the show, this was the match where the crowd turned against it's hero (Hart) & cheered for the villian (Austin) as they told such a great story here to the point where they switched roles & just like their previous Survivor Series encounter, the match that helped elevate Austin into the superstar that we know him today.

Chicago Street Fight: Legion of Doom & Ahmed Johnson vs The Nation of Domination. The Road Warriors were making their return in their hometown to help Ahmed battle Faarooq & his nation. This match lived up to what it was supposed to be & that it was just a wild fight with everyone using various weapons like a stop sign, 2X4ers, chairs, fire extinguishers, a noose rope, trash cans & even the announce table at ringside that lead to Faarooq getting injured in the process along with various members of the Nation getting involved in the action.

WWF Champion Sycho Sid vs The Undertaker. Before the match started, Shawn Michaels made his way to the ring to do commentary that eventually lead to Bret Hart coming out & shooting a promo to continue his new heel run that lead to him being powerbombed by Sid, much to the crowd's delight. Undertaker has been known to work with some of the giants in the wrestling business who weren't the best wrestlers & give them one of the best matches of their careers & this was no exception as I always felt that the year 96-97 was Sid's best run of his career. This was mostly a brawl with both men trying to over power the other along with Sid attacking Taker's back to where he slammed him onto the Spanish announce table. With multiple cameos from Bret Hart, Undertaker was able to secure his second WWF Championship & for those history fans, his 6th WrestleMania victory.

Overall, this was one of those events that was better than most people give it credit for as there was solid action throughout the night while at the same time, planting the seeds for the Attitude Era so I highly recommend this WrestleMania.