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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
The Dark Days Begins With The Birth of Stone Cold Steve Austin Apr 08, 2009
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.
Good "UNTIL" The Very End Dec 21, 2008
***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"
_______________________________________________
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"
_______________________________________________
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"
_______________________________________________
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"
_______________________________________________
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"
_______________________________________________
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"
_______________________________________________
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.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 WWF Wrestlemania 13/The Era of "Darkness" is underway! Aug 06, 2006
WWF Wrestlemania 13
3/23/1997
Rosemont Horizon,Rozemont Illinois
On Air Commentators;Vince McMahon,Jim Ross,and Jerry the King Lawler and Shawn Michaels would be the guest commentator for the main event between The Undertaker/Sycho Sid for the WWF Title.
# 1 contenders match for the WWF Tag Team Titles;
The Headbangers(Mosh and Thrasher)defeated The New Blackjacks(Barry Windham and Justin Hawk Bradshaw)The Godwinns(Phineas and Henry)and Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon in an Four Way Tag Team Elimination Match to earn a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championship.
WWF Intercontinental Title Match;
Rocky Mavia defeated The Sultan w/Bob Backlund and The Iron Sheik to retain the WWF Intercontinental Title.(Rocky Mavia is The Rock in case you didnt know that and this is his Wrestlemania debut.The night before the p.p.v at the 1997 Slammy Awards the Rock aka Rocky Mavia won the 1997 New Sensation of the Squared Circle Award.Well anyway Rocky Mavia defeated The Sultan(who is Rikishi the Rocks cousin)after an rollup.After the match Rocky Mavia would get attacked by the Sultan and The Iron Sheik and out of no where Rocky Johnson(the Rocks dad)would come out to help his son.Rocky Mavia and The Sultan would have another match at Survivor Series 2000 under different gimmicks;Rocky Mavia as the Rock and The Sultan as Rikishi).
HHH w/Chyna defeated Goldust w/Marlena(I liked their match at the 1997 Royal Rumble better seeing that then the Intercontinental Title was on the line before HHH lost it to Rocky Mavia the month before on Raw).
WWF Tag Team Title Match;
WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and The British Bulldog(Davey Boy Smith)fought Mankind and Vader w/Paul Bearer to a double count out.Therefore Owen Hart and The British Bulldog retain the WWF Tag Team Titles.(This was a rare "heel vs heel" tag team title match).
Submission Match;
Bret "Hitman" Hart defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin in an submission match w/guest referee Ken Shamrock after Stone Cold passed out from Bret Harts sharpshooter.(It was going to be HBK/vs Bret for the WWF Title before the "lose my smile thing" came about so instead of the rematch between HBK/Bret for the WWF Title from Wrestlemania 12,Bret got to face Stone Cold Steve Austin in an submission match instead.This match made Austin turn face(good)and Bret turn heel(bad).In the end after an 25 minute classic Bret Hart won after Austin passed out from the Sharpshooter.After the match Bret wouldnt back off of Austin and ended up getting suplexed by Ken Shamrock(the guest referee from the UFC)for his troubles.***** classic match!Good work Bret!).
The Legion of Doom(Hawk and Animal) and Ahmed Johnson defeated The Nation of Domination(Faarooq,Crush,and Savio Vega)w/Wolfie D,J.C Ice, PG-13 Clarence Mason and Dlo Brown)in an Six Man Chicago StreetFight.
WWF Title Match;
The Undertaker defeated Sycho Sid to win the WWF Title following an "tombstone pilderiver.(Shawn Michaels was the guest commentator for the match).
Overall a classic Wrestlemania.Even though Shawn Michaels refused to job to Bret Hart,they made up for it w/the classic submission match a match that made Stone Cold's rise to the top.And the WWF Title Match between Sycho Sid and The Undertaker was also pretty good which kicked off the "Era Of darkness" in the WWF.They would have an rematch for the WWF Title on 6/2/1997 on Raw which was one week before the 1997 King of the Ring.The Undertaker would win that match too by the way.Also this would be Bret Harts last Wrestlemania.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
WrestleMania 13 Jan 29, 2006
Match 1:4 Corners Elimination #1 Contenders match:
Headbangers vs The Godwins vs Doug Furnas & Philip LaFon vs The New Blackjacks.
7/10
Match 2:WWF Intercontinental Championship:Rocky Mavia vs The Sultan.
7/10
Match 3:Hunter Hearst Helmsly vs Goldust.
7/10
Match 4:WWF Tag Team Championship:Owen Hart & British Bulldog vs Vader & Mankind.
8/10
Match 5:Submission I Quit match:Bret "the hitman" Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin.
10/10
Match 6:Chicago Street Fight:Ahmed Johnson & Legion Of Doom vs The Nation Of Domination.
9/10
Match 7:WWF Championship:Undertaker vs Psycho Sid.
8/10
0 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Bret vs Stone Cold in the match of the year! Sep 30, 2005
Great Wrestlemania.Best Ive saw other than Wrestlemania 14.Has jam packed matches and excitement.Bret Hart is a crybaby whining about this and that getting screwed time and time again like a little baby.He needs a pacifier.Anyway I enjoyed seeing Stone Cold open up a can of whoop ... on the Hitman.Its just a shame that Bret Hart made Austin pass out but Austin never submitted so he never officialy lost.Also in the main event which featured Undertaker vs Sycho Sid for the championship with Shawn Michaels at the commentator booth(Since his chicken ... dint feel like defending his title against the Hitman at Wrestlemania 13 and made up some b.s about losing his smile). Bret Hart comes out again crying about getting screwed like a little sissy so I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sycho Sid power bomb him right out of the arena(Boy I dont know who's a bigger whiner him or his brother Owen) sending him all the way back to Canada.So anyway Bret shuts his mouth for once until he comes out and interferes in the main event thus Sid losing and The Undertaker reigning supreme beginning the era of darkness!
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