Wrestlemania XIV "dX Raided" - March 29, 1998
Main Event: Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin for the WWE Championship
- The official turn of the WWE into the "Attitude" era. The leader of the "New Generation", who was experianced and ready to step up into wrestling's biggest spot, against the guy that epitomized "Attitude", making the most of his biggest moment to date. The match was a very solid main event, and more impressive if you know that Michaels was wrestling with two herniated disks in his back, one of those completely crushed. We've mentioned in the past about torch-passing matches at WM IV, VI, and XII and this is one of those. Mike Tyson was the special enforcer, who ended up counting the fall on Michaels, despite being a member of DX at the time. It is high up on the list of hard-fought, well-worked matches in WM history.
Wrestlemania Moment: Kane Tombstones Pete Rose and The Undertaker's entrance
- These two events became running occurances in future Wrestlemanias. Rose came out to ring announce, slammed the Boston fans over the Red Sox curse, and recieved the Tombstone for his troubles. Taker made is grand entrance, flanked by a line of torch-bearing druids on either side of the aisle. It's hard to describe it with words, it really is something to be seen and experianced. Yes, it is the theatrical side of the business but it is the theatrics at their very best.
Match of the Night: The Undertaker vs. Kane
- The initial culmination of the brother vs. brother feud that started in October at Badd Blood. The two big men beat the dog out of each other and it was really well done in as much as Kane's invincibility was so played up that it took 3 Tombstones to finally put him away. The Undertaker's was also on display as Kane would beat on his older brother and Taker kept sitting up and kept sitting up. I may just be an Undertaker mark, but it was the best story told all night.
Wrestlemania XV "The Ragin' Climax" - March 28, 1999
Main Event: Steve Austin vs. The Rock (Part I) for the WWE Championship
- The Rock was the Corporate Champion, being Vince's chosen one for the last half of 1998 and winning the title at the Survivor Series in a 16-man tournament, even if the path was lightened for him. Austin was climbing the ladder once more, after having the belt screwed off of him by Mr. McMahon in October, continuing the hottest feud of the year (Austin vs. McMahon). Austin won the Royal Rumble to earn the title shot and defeated McMahon in a cage match at St. Valentine's Day Massacre to defend that shot. The two engaged in a brutal, physical battle that would be the signature of their feud. Austin took the duke and the belt, but the seeds for a years-long feud had been sown.
Wrestlemania Moment: The Undertaker hangs Big Bossman from the Hell in the Cell
- Not a memorable match, but the post-match activities but an exclamation point on the Minestry vs. Corporation battles. A creepy and eerie scene to be sure.
Match of the Night: Shane McMahon vs. X-Pac for the WWE European Title
- I know what your thinking, but really this was a good match and what it did for the Corporate storyline made it even better. Shane retained after Triple H turned on X-Pac and DX (which had pretty much run it's course by then) for the Corporate team by Pedigreeing X-Pac, starting an intense feud with the remaning members of DX.
A short one tonight, I'm at work and actually now have things to do (which is a change). I'll try to finish by the end of the week.
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