Dirty old March, eh?

You all know the score: the sun is preparing to go north for the winter, daylight savings is over and 7am looks like 8am, and at the end of this week, everyone is going to get sick from overindulging in chocolate.

In this month's NZPWI Highlight Reel, we'll be taking a long, retrospective look at the only good thing that ever happens during the month of March (or sometimes in April), and what's that? WWE's showcase event, WrestleMania. The showcase of the immortals. The hyperbolic extravaganza that has been the number one fixture on the wrestling calendar since its inception in 1985.

Settle in, folks. This is gonna be a long one.

• WRESTLEMANIA
  Madison Square Garden
  New York, New York
  March 31, 1985

Vince McMahon might be a billionaire today, but if the inaugural WrestleMania event had bombed, he would likely be flipping burgers for another famous McSomeone. Vince went all-out in 1985, spending every cent he had in booking the show and recruiting the likes of Mohammad Ali, Cyndi Lauper and ring-wearing pianist Liberace to give WrestleMania a real showtime aesthetic not seen in the world of professional wrestling before. Needless to say, the gamble paid off. Twenty years later, McMahon rules wrestling with an iron fist, and WrestleMania is universally recognised as the "Superbowl" of sports entertainment.

WINNERS

HULK HOGAN and MR T overcame the challenge of "Mr Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper to win the Tag Team Championship of Hollywood (B-list version) in a rough encounter. Hogan began a long tradition of unclean victories by capitalising on an error made by "Cowboy" Bob Orton, who mistakenly nailed his pal Orndorff with his ever-present arm cast. Hogan covered Orndorff for the win, and the legacy of filthy, dirty main event victories for Hogan began.

ANDRE THE GIANT had a successful evening, defeating Big John Studd in a $15,000 bodyslam challenge. Unfortunately, the money was swiped by the Destiny Church... sorry, by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, thus ruining Andre's attempt to distribute the money to the fans.

LOSERS

An unheralded MATT BORNE put up a brave fight but ultimately went down to the fierce power of the legendary Ricky Steamboat. Borne would go on in later years to have more success as Doink the Clown. If you can call being a wrestling clown a success, that is.

"SPECIAL DELIVERY" JONES was finished in nine seconds. That one works on multiple levels.

• WRESTLEMANIA 2
  Nassau Coliseum (Long Island, New York)
  Rosemont Horizon (Chicago, Illinois)
  Sports Arena (Los Angeles, California)
  April 2, 1986

WrestleMania 2 was the first such event to be broadcast on Pay-Per-View. It was also the first (and thankfully, the last) WWE PPV to be broadcast from three seperate venues; each with their own main event match.

WINNERS

HULK HOGAN defeated King Kong Bundy in a steel cage match that was about as memorable as this sentence is.

THE BRITISH BULLDOGS defeated Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake to win the WWE Tag Team championship. In their corner was the irrepressible Ozzy Osbourne, who unfortunately kept his love for eating winged creatures to himself for the evening.

LOSERS

NFL gridiron star WILLIAM "REFRIDGERATOR" PERRY was the fans' favourite to win the 20-man WWE/NFL battle royale, however he couldn't last the distance. How exactly did Perry get his nickname? A refridgerator is large, white and full of food. Perry was large, black and full of food. I guess that's close enough.

VELVET McINTYRE suffered a major embarrassment, losing her WWE Women's championship to the Fabulous Moolah, who was already pushing 120 by the time this match rolled around.

• WRESTLEMANIA III
  Pontiac Silverdome
  Detroit, Michigan
  March 29, 1987

Ah, this is it: the first WrestleMania event to really capture the atmosphere that we expect to experience each year when the big day rolls around. A reported 93,000 (although the actual number is somewhere in the 70,000's) fans packed into the monstrous Pontiac Silverdome to see the most anticipated match in WWE history. They were also fortunate enough to see one of the best matches in WWE history. WrestleMania III was a huge night for the company and the event provided the early blueprint for the massive spectacles that WWE produces each year.

WINNERS

HULK HOGAN continued to dominate the WrestleMania main event scene, shocking the world when he successfully bodyslammed the immensely-proportioned Andre the Giant. The match almost came to an early end, when Andre fell on top of Hogan for a two count that many people swore (and some still do) lasted long enough for a three count. Hogan rallied back from the near-upset to stagger Andre before delivering that legendary bodyslam and following up with his familiar leg drop before being counted to victory.

RICKY "THE DRAGON" STEAMBOAT came out a winner in what many people consider to be the greatest match in WWE history; certainly the greatest non-gimmick match by a country mile. Defending Intercontinental Champion Randy "Macho Man" Savage had seriously injured Steamboat's throat in the months prior to this encounter, and the Dragon was out for retribution. The two men used everything in their technical and aerial arsenals to enthral the crowd in a match that continued with no clear indication of a possible winner. Savage finally took the advantage and prepared to drop Steamboat with a bodyslam, however the Dragon executed a small package rollup that has to be seen to be believed, and with three slaps of the referee's hand, the greatest match anyone had ever seen had come to an end.

LOSERS

"ADORABLE" ADRIAN ADONIS (born Keith Franke) used to be a well-built, gritty wrestler who wrestled alongside Jesse "The Body" Ventura under the tutelage of "Classy" Freddie Blassie. But by the time WrestleMania III rolled around, well... let's just say that Adonis had plenty of rolls around as well. He went down to Roddy Piper in what was billed as Piper's retirement match. Where are they now? Piper continued to make appearance for the next eighteen years (including his participation in countless wrestling matches; he even won the WWE Intercontinental Championship in the early 90's - oh, and he'll be at WrestleMania 21, too). Adonis, unfortunately, left WWE shortly after the event and was tragically killed in an automobile accident the following year/

BOBBY "THE BRAIN" HEENAN thought he had it all figured out. He'd successfully turned Andre the Giant against his longtime friend, Hulk Hogan, and now he had an 8-foot tall, 500lb weapon of destruction who was a lock to win the WWE Championship. What could possibly go wrong? Well, perhaps Heenan should have sought out bodyslam insurance.

• WRESTLEMANIA IV
  Trump Plaza
  Atlantic City, New Jersey
  March 27, 1988

For many New Zealand viewers, WrestleMania IV marked the beginning of their love affair with WWE PPVs. The event was centred around a single-elimination tournament for the vacant WWE Championship, which was held up following the infamous Hebner twin swerve in which Andre The Giant defeated Hulk Hogan for the title with the aid of referee Earl Hebner's twin brother, Dave. Ted DiBiase bought the title from Andre, which didn't sit well with WWE officials. That brings us to Atlantic City, and WrestleMania IV, where the tournament would decide an undisputed champion.

WINNERS

One year on from his upset loss to Ricky Steamboat, RANDY "MACHO MAN" SAVAGE won the hearts of millions by winning four matches in a single evening to snare the WWE Championship in an effort remembered as much for the emotion it generated as the skill it took to get the job done. The victory, aided slightly by the omnipresent Hulk Hogan, also heralded the formation of the Megapowers, with Miss Elizabeth as their manager. Two handsome, muscular men at the height of their careers, and one smoking-hot valet to guide them... what could possibly go wrong?

Even though he lost the WWE Championship match, "MILLION DOLLAR MAN" TED DIBIASE had a successful night, bowling over "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and "The Rock" (not that one) Don Muraco on his way to the tournament final. More importantly though, DiBiase cemented his position as WWE's lead villain during this PPV. Not bad for a WrestleMania first-timer, eh?

LOSERS

BRET "THE HITMAN" HART showed early signs of his tendency to bitch and whine when a partnership with Bad New Brown went awry during the 20 man battle royale. Hart and Brown joined forces to eliminate the competition, but Brown blindsided Hart with his patented Ghetto Blaster and dumped the furious Canadian out of the ring to claim victory. Hart, ever the gracious man in defeat, demonstrated keen sportsmanship by taking Brown's newly-won trophy and smashing it to pieces. What a man.

The all-smiling, all-waving WWE Tag Team Champions STRIKE FORCE (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) were dead in the water by the time WrestleMania IV rolled around, because they had a date with Demolition; the sweaty, fat, facepainted bondage gear-clad brawlers whose tendency to shoot first and shoot later (...asking questions? Didn't happen) won them huge support from the fans. Strike Force put up a good fight, but ultimately went down in a blaze of white spandex glory. They were never the same again after this match, and when Rick Martel was seriously injured in a subsequent match with Demolition, it appeared as though Strike Force were done for good.

• WRESTLEMANIA V
  Trump Plaza
  Atlantic City, New Jersey
  April 2, 1989

One year removed from WrestleMania IV, and things were already very different in WWE. Talented new recruits such as the Rockers and the Blue Blazer were demonstrating that a wrestler doesn't need to be a behemoth to draw a crowd, and a new generation as a whole was beginning to take its first baby steps towards prominence. But when WrestleMania V rolled around, all anyone could talk about was the impending WWE Championship match between the bitter, jealous champion Randy Savage, and the man who had been his closest friend and confidante for a year, Hulk Hogan. The Megapowers explode!

WrestleMania V was especially memorable for New Zealanders, as the homegrown team of the Bushwhackers made their first WM appearance. WHOOOOOOA, HEEEEEEEEEY!

WINNERS

HULK HOGAN defeated WWE Champion Randy Savage in what could possibly have been the best match of his career, downing the champion after sustaining minute after minute of brutal offense. The match marked his first WWE Championship win at WrestleMania, but it didn't end the feud between Savage and Hogan, which would continue for several months.

"RAVISHING" RICK RUDE came into his own at WrestleMania V, winning the Intercontinental Championship from the Ultimate Warrior, whose own star was just beginning to rise. Despite the loss, however, big things were predicted for the man from Parts Unknown.

LOSERS

STRIKE FORCE attempted a comeback against the legendary pairing of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard; two members of original Four Horsemen group who had joined WWE as the Brain Busters. Unfortunately things turned sour when Tito Santana mistakenly nailed his partner Rick Martel with a flying forearm. Martel left the arena in disgust and left Santana to be clinically dissected by the Brain Busters.

THE POWERS OF PAIN went to extreme efforts to upset WWE Tag Team Champions, Demolition, in their quest to earn the tag team gold. In November 1988 at the Survivor Series, the Powers of Pain successfully convinced Demolition's manager, Mr Fuji, to betray them. Under his tutelage, the Warlord and Barbarian were to go all the way to WrestleMania to unseat Demolition, but Ax and Smash proved to be too tough.

• WRESTLEMANIA VI
  Skydome
  Toronto, Ontario
  April 1, 1990

Fuelled by the power of his "little warriors" (and likely by some massive doses of A-grade anabolics), the Ultimate Warrior led WWE's charge into the final decade of the 20th century. As the pivotal character in a new generation of WWE stars, the wildly popular Intercontinental Champion's rise to prominence could not be ignored, and so it was determined that the Warrior would meet incumbent WWE Champion Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania to determine which wrestler was the most powerful.

WINNERS

THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR defeated Hulk Hogan after a bruising encounter in which fans were torn in their support of the two 'roided-up superstars. Warrior ultimately earned a victory after crushing Hogan with his famous body splash, but there was a moment of tension after the final bell when Hogan was seemingly reluctant to hand his WWE Championship belt over to the winner. (art imitates life imitates art...). Hogan finally handed the belt over and the two men celebrated as the Toronto fans went bananas.

DEMOLITION proved themselves to be nothing less than absolute legends, defeating the Colossal Connection of Andre the Giant and Haku to claim the WWE Tag Team Championship for a then record-equalling third time. Also of note here is the fact that this was Andre the Giant's final WrestleMania match. Sadly, Andre would pass away three years later, the result of complications brought on by acromegaly; the disease responsible for his superhuman size.

LOSERS

Never anything less than controversial, "ROWDY" RODDY PIPER attempted to deflect Bad New Brown's accusations of racism by turning up for their match with half of his body painted black. Piper said that he'd intended to prove that it didn't matter whether he was black or white, but unfortunately gave the wrong impression entirely. Note to Piper: painting yourself up like a jigaboo dancer will not put you in anyone's good books.

Nowdays, it's all the rage for white guys to pretend to be soul brothers with roots in the deepest, darkest corners of Africa (or Harlem, take your pick) but back in the day it was a rotten time to be AKEEM, THE AFRICAN DREAM. Akeem, you see, was known in WWE circles (and again today on the independent scene) as the One Man Gang. This was until his manager, the shady "Doctor Of Style", Slick, performed the world's most bizarre backlot ritual. The result? Akeem, your favourite tubby white African. What could be more humiliating than that? Try being beaten in record time by the Big Boss Man in front of almost 70,000 people. Yeah, that'll do it.

• WRESTLEMANIA VII
  Sports Arena
  Los Angeles, California
  March 24, 1991

This event marks the beginning of a slow and painful descent into hell for WrestleMania, and apart from a couple of choice moments during the 90s, it wasn't really until 1998 with WrestleMania XIV that the event began to really mean something again. Yes, the honeymoon was over, and hard times were ahead. The first sign of trouble? WrestleMania VII's ticket sales were moving slowly, and so WWE shifted the event from the grand Memorial Coliseum to the significantly smaller Los Angeles Sports Arena. WWE's story? The event was being shifted in response to death threats against the WWE Champion, Sgt Slaughter, who was an Iraqi sympathiser at the time. With the exception of WrestleMania VIII at the Hoosierdome in 1992, WrestleMania would not return to a high capacity arena venue again until WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001.

WINNERS

He may have lost his match, but the "MACHO KING" RANDY SAVAGE won the girl in what is remembered as one of the most unquestionably emotional moments in professional wrestling history. Savage, who at that point was wrestling as the Macho King, had found himself booked in a retirement match with the Ultimate Warrior. Even after dropping five of his patented flying elbows on the Warrior, Savage was still unable to put the muscular competitor away. Warrior had a moment of self-doubt after hitting multiple finishers on Savage without success, but finally rallied through to win the match. This did not sit well with Savage's valet, Queen "Sensational" Sherri, and so she stormed into the ring to kick her man while he was down. Enter Miss Elizabeth, who had been sitting at ringside, to pull Sherri aside. When Savage realised what Elizabeth had done, he apologised for his mistreatment of Elizabeth (the pair had been separated since the Megapowers disaster in 1989) and the pair reconciled to everyone's delight. People in the audience cried as the pair left the ring to a massive ovation.

A young, dead chap known as THE UNDERTAKER made his WrestleMania debut count, destroying WWE legend Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka with about as much emotion as the average Englishman displays in bed. Snuka was but the first in a long line of WrestleMania scalps collected by the Dead Man.

LOSERS

After four years of being the most dominant tag team in WWE, DEMOLITION died a sorry death at the hands of the unheralded Japanese duo of Tenryu and Kitao. The unit would disband immediately after the event.

TITO SANTANA continued his horror run of WrestleMania losses, going down to the Mountie in less time than it takes to heat up a TV dinner.

• WRESTLEMANIA VIII
  Hoosierdome
  Indianapolis, Indiana
  April 5, 1992

Hoosierdaddy? (that was awful... D, please don't fire me)

The "Immortal" Hulk Hogan indicated that this night's match would be his last, and so his encounter with Sid Justice took an unfortunate precedence over the torrid WWE Championship match between the champion, Ric Flair, and his challenger, Randy Savage (yes, the same Randy Savage who had been forced into retirement a year earlier. Wrestling, eh?). Flair had succeeded in playing some serious mind games with Savage, using his wife Elizabeth as the pawn (as opposed to using Chyna in the porn, but let's not go there, shall we?), and so into WrestleMania VIII we went in anticipation of one of the most emotionally-charged WWE title matches ever.

WINNERS

HULK HOGAN went out a winner (in a manner of speaking), defeating Sid Justice with the aid of the Ultimate Warrior, who made a shock return to WWE. Try and work that one out, folks: Warrior is the one who wins the retirement match at WrestleMania VII, but Randy Savage is the one with a job twelve months down the track. And then Hogan, who announced his retirement after this match... oh, you'll see.

RANDY SAVAGE overcame wave after wave of Ric Flair's rulebreaking and Curt "Mr Perfect" Hennig's interference to win his second WWE Championship. Flair responded to the loss in a postmatch interview, claiming that Savage grabbed his tights to gain the pinfall, conveniently ignoring the laundry list of rule infractions that he'd made himself, and this is why Ric Flair is the dirtiest player in the game, and an absolute legend. Ric, this WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO's for you.

LOSERS

I'm sorry to be blunt, but for as great a talent as he was, TITO SANTANA's WrestleMania win/loss record was about as crappy as you'll ever see. Tito put up a brave fight in WrestleMania VIII's opening match, but ultimately went down to a hot young talent who was just beginning to find his place in WWE. Who? None other than the newly-dubbed "Heartbreak Kid", Shawn Michaels.

After years of deviousness, JAKE "THE SNAKE" ROBERTS went out on his head as the Undertaker set about becoming the Anti-Tito, winning another match on his way to establishing the best Winning record in WrestleMania history. After being Tombstoned out on the floor and dragged back into the ring for a pinfall loss, Jake Roberts left WWE and would not return for several years.

• WRESTLEMANIA IX
  Caesar's Palace
  Las Vegas, Nevada
  April 4, 1993

Generally regarded as the worst WrestleMania event of all time, WrestleMania IX was a bomb by all accounts. Hulk Hogan finally played a wicked game of politics and revealed himself to be the true dirtiest player in the game, while an eight foot piece of Wrestlecrap named "Giant" Gonzales made his first and only WrestleMania appearance, but probably made more of an impact in that one match than Tito Santana did in eight years of WrestleMania appearances, but for all the wrong reasons.

WINNERS

HULK HOGAN defied the bounds of logic and good taste to become a five-time WWE Champion after the main event match, despite having lost a tag team title match earlier in the evening, and despite having retired from the business during the previous year. You see, Bret "The Hitman" Hart entered WMIX as the incumbent WWE Champion, and he was scheduled to defend his title against the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble; the monstrous Yokozuna. After a long and bruising match, Yokozuna was finally able to claim victory after his crooked manager, Mr Fuji, hurled salt into Bret's eyes, thus distracting him long enough to be pinned. One, two, three, so pack up the kids and head home, right? Wrong. Enter Hulk Hogan to aid the fallen Hitman, and it was at this point that things began to go really scewy: Mr Fuji, so confident of his young charge's ability to overcome all obstacles, issued a challenge to Hogan on the spot. WWE Championship match, right now. So Hulk, with Bret's blessing, stepped into the ring and promptly won the WWE Championship in less than a minute after Fuji's second assault (get it? Assault? Salt? Oh, nevermind) missed its mark. Hogan became the first five-time champion in WWE history, but also became one of the most hated and distrusted wrestlers on the roster. The fans didn't buy Hogan's sincerity for a second, and the ill will continues to this day. Hogan, incidentally, was run out of the company a mere three months later.

RAZOR RAMON made his first real impression on WWE fans by crushing former (and we're talking 1970s former here) WWE Champion Bob Backlund, thus endearing himself to the crowd for the first time. Razor would scale even greater heights in 1994, as you'll soon see.

LOSERS

Forget about 1997; this time, BRET "THE HITMAN" HART really was screwed. You've heard the backstory already, but Bret deserves a consolatory pat on the back for his efforts.

He was once a part of one of the hottest tag teams in WWE history, and he went to being a mulleted loon in fluro. "KONA" CRUSH became the victim of one of WWE's more infamous switcheroos when he went down to Doink the Clown, who was aided by his good buddy... Doink the Clown. Confused? You'd have to be either retarded or a WWE Referee to miss the obvious switches, but what's in the record book is what counts, as they say.

• WRESTLEMANIA X
  Madison Square Garden
  New York, New Work
  March 20, 1994

WrestleMania returned to its spiritual home for its tenth incarnation, and with Vince McMahon never being afraid to try new things, WrestleMania X became one of WWE's biggest successes ever.

WINNERS

SHAWN MICHAELS may have lost his bid to become the "real" Intercontinental Champion, but his performance in the first-ever televised ladder match in WWE history made him a legend and a true WWE Championship contender. His death-defying skills and gigantic bumps also helped to usher in a new era of athleticism for WWE.

OWEN HART had been trying for years to step out of the shadow cast by his legendary brother Bret, but at WrestleMania X he didn't so much as step out as he took a running leap, shocking the world by defeating his older brother in one of the best pure wrestling matches in WWE history. And to cap it all off, Owen bragged about his incredible victory in a post-match interview that must have made Bret feel one inch tall.

LOSERS

LEX LUGER's WWE career was mortally wounded on this night, having come up short yet again in his bid to become WWE Champion. The format for this evening's title hunt was simple: Luger and Bret Hart were declared co-winners of the 1994 Royal Rumble, so it was determined that each man would get a crack at the WWE Championship, with Luger first facing the reigning champion, Yokozuna, and then the winner of that match going on to face Bret Hart in the evening's main event. Luger, who had not endeared himself to guest referee Curt "Mr Perfect" Hennig, was disqualified from the contest, thus allowing Yokozuna to defend his title again against the battle-worn Bret Hart.

OWEN HART had mixed fortunes at WrestleMania X, as he was yanked down from his post-victory euphoria after watching his hated brother Bret win the WWE Championship in the evening's main event. So, as Bret celebrated in the ring with all of his WWE friends, Owen stood in the aisle and glared at his brother like a petulant child. And remember that killer backstage interview? Well, Owen did it with a huge glob of drool on his chin.

• WRESTLEMANIA XI
  Civic Center
  Hartford, Connecticut
  April 2, 1995

If the history of WrestleMania could be defined by a series of life's minor moments, then WrestleMania XI would be that awkward moment in which you realise that the glass of milk that you've just devoured in a hurry came from a bottle whose contents expired some time last week. Yeah, this was the WrestleMania that was headlined by Bam Bam vs LT. Say no more.

WINNERS

SHAWN MICHAELS continued his rise to greatness, earning incredible crowd support during his unsuccessful bid to steal the WWE Championship away from his former friend, Diesel (better known to you as Kevin Nash; the lowest-drawing heavyweight champion in WWE history). This match was the first of many David and Goliath encounters which would mark HBK's career as one of the all time great ones.

OWEN HART earned his first WWE gold, craftily recruiting former WWE Champion Yokozuna to join him in facing the WWE Tag Team Champions, the Smoking Gunns, in a match that the Gunns would sooner have forgotten. The result was academic, and the smile on Owen's face was as wide as his partner's ample rear end.

LOSERS

It's all BAM BAM BIGELOW'S fault. If Bam Bam hadn't antagonised NFL "great" Lawrence Taylor during the 1995 Royal Rumble, this match would not have taken place. If Bam Bam hadn't antagonised Taylor, he would not have brought along his NFL buddies for backup. LT would not have brought along Steve "Mongo" McMichael. McMichael would not have been bitten by the wrestling bug and would not have found gainful employment in WCW, first as a commentator and then as a member of the getting-less-legendary-by-the-day group known as the Four Horsemen. McMichael would not have introduced his cancerous, bilious wife Debra to the business. Debra would not have dumped him. Debra wouldn't have jumped to WWE. Debra wouldn't have married Steve Austin in a bid to get more TV time. Et cetera et cetera et cetera. Damn you, Bam Bam. It's all your fault.

The WWE career of LEX LUGER had managed to limp onwards for another year, but it was DOA by the time WrestleMania XI rolled around. Having fallen from grace in a most remarkable fashion, Luger went from wrestling in one of WrestleMania X's main events in 1994 to jerking the curtain in 1995 with Davey Boy Smith against a team that, ironically, would later be called DOA.

• WRESTLEMANIA XII
  Arrowhead Pond
  Anaheim, California
  March 31, 1996

WWE's first crack at "WrestleMania Goes Hollywood" missed the mark a little, but WrestleMania XII is notable not only for its legendary Iron Man match, but for the WrestleMania debuts of a couple of fellas by the names of Triple H and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

WINNERS

SHAWN MICHAELS capped off an incredible year by lasting over an hour to defeat crybaby-in-the-making Bret Hart, claiming his maiden WWE Championship in a match that many felt was the best match of 1996. Shawn and Bret outlasted the one hour time limit without gaining a single decision in this unique match, and so Michaels dug a little deeper to deliver his patented Sweet Chin Music kick to Bret Hart, knocking him senseless in overtime. One pinfall later, and the "boyhood dream" was a reality.

STEVE AUSTIN earned his first WrestleMania victory, defeating Savio Vega in a tough, enjoyable contest that was slightly marred by some hokey footage that purported to show "Rowdy" Roddy Piper chasing Goldust down an LA freeway in a white Ford Bronco. Yeah, say no more.

LOSERS

BRET HART took a break from WWE after losing the WWE Championship, which more or less foreshadowed his permanent departure from the company the following year. Think back to Bret's antics after the battle royale at WrestleMania IV, and ask yourself if it's art imitating life, or the other way around?

HUNTER HEARST-HELMSLEY (Triple H to you and I) suffered an absolute drubbing at the hands of the  Ultimate Warrior, who was returning to WWE after a four year absence. Bam. Pow. Squash. Moving on.

• WRESTLEMANIA 13
  Rosemont Horizon
  Rosemont, Illinois
  March 23, 1997

WWE was a company on its deathbed by the time WrestleMania 13 came to be. WCW was running hot with the NWO leading the charge, while the deteriorating relationship between WWE's two main superstars pointed to even rougher times ahead. The company didn't quite know it yet, but a trash-talking Texas redneck was readying himself to step into the breach and carry WWE to heights that no wrestling promotion had ever thought possible. But first, this crap.

WINNERS

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN may have lost the battle, but he won the war in a most resounding fashion. Refusing to say "I Quit" to his opponent Bret Hart, Austin passed out in a pool of his own blood in what is one of wrestling's most iconic moments. Austin went into the match as the company's top villain, but emerged a working-class hero, winning over the fans with pure guts and determination.

THE UNDERTAKER earned his second WWE Championship, toppling Sycho Sid after an embittered Bret Hart interfered in the match, thus breaking Sid's concentration and leaving him wide open for the Undertaker's Tombstone Piledriver. Seated at the ringside commentary table was Shawn Michaels, who had plenty to say when Bret Hart first appeared at the onset of the match to cuss out Sid, the Undertaker and Michaels himself at ringside. Dramas, dramas, we've got your dramas here.

LOSERS

BRET "THE HITMAN" HART's career took a massive 180 following his cruel dismemberment of Steve Austin. At risk of losing his fans for good, Bret slammed the final nail in the goody two-shoes Hitman character's coffin when he interrupted the WWE Championship match not once, but twice, to rant about how nobody loved him, but he was still the man, yada yada. Eight months later, Hart would be gone from WWE for good.

• WRESTLEMANIA XIV
  Fleet Center
  Boston, Massacheusetts
  March 29, 1998

Welcome to the Attitude Era! A new look, new stars, and new determination as WWE picked itself up off the canvas and came out punching with incredible power as 1997 rolled into 1998. The NWO was getting old over in WCW, while WWE was generating some incredible new superstars. Steve Austin, Triple H, Chyna, Kane, Mankind, the New Age Outlaws and Ken Shamrock were among the hot new stars who had risen to incredible prominence in the months leading up to WrestleMania XIV, with Austin storming into the main event to face Shawn Michaels, who had become the most hated wrestler in the business following his alleged involvement in the Montreal incident of November 1997. With boxing legend Mike Tyson in on the act, WrestleMania XIV was the focus of incredible media attention. Meanwhile, WCW chief Eric Bischoff was beginning to feel a little nervous...

WINNERS

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN overcame incredible odds to defeat D-Generation X leader Shawn Michaels and claim his first WWE Championship, with a little help from "special enforcer", Mike Tyson. Michaels had brought his DX buddies, Triple H and Chyna, out for backup, but when the vindictive pair were ejected from the arena, Austin capitalised on Michaels' severe back injury to bash his way into the record books. Austin snatched the title, and the WWE fans went bananas.

THE UNDERTAKER had been plagued by the presence of his younger brother Kane for several months, and when the two finally faced off at WrestleMania XIV, it looked as though the Big Red Machine might have had too much power for his big brother. It took three Tombstone Piledrivers to finish Kane off, but if history is any indicator, then perhaps Kane should really be recognised as a winner; after all, he gained massive notoriety for delivering a Tombstone to baseball legend Pete Rose; the first of three times that he would do so at WrestleMania events.

LOSERS

SHAWN MICHAELS would have been on cloud nine following the departure of his hated rival, Bret Hart. However, he did not stick around long enough to enjoy the victory. In January 1998, Michaels suffered a nasty back injury during a casket match with the Undertaker, and so it turned out that Michaels' match against Austin at WrestleMania XIV would be his last. He would hold onto that promise for four years (save for one match for his TWA promotion in 2000), before returning to active duty in 2002.

PETE ROSE ran his mouth a little too much for comfort during his stint as a guest ring announcer. He took the opportunity to trash the city of Boston, which left him wide open for an attack from the not-easily-amused Kane. It was antics like these that would see Rose inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in later years.

• WRESTLEMANIA XV
  First Union Center
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  March 28, 1999

WWE was riding the crest of a wave of mainstream media attention as the 90s came to a close, and by the time WrestleMania XV rolled around, the pro wrestling industry had come full-circle. Believe it or not, but wrestling was "cool" again. With WWE superstars making guest appearances on prime-time comedy and drama shows, and being interviewed on the hottest talk shows in America, the average yank couldn't look left or right without seeing WWE superstars; particularly Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. How appropriate then, that these two phenomenal wrestlers would tie up in the main event of WrestleMania XV.

WINNERS

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN captured his third WWE Championship (his first reign was ended by Kane, who promptly lost the title back to Austin the following night), defeating Vince McMahon's "Corporate" Champion, the Rock, in a contest that saw more false finishes than probably any other main event match in history. This match marked the end of the first major phase of the legendary Austin vs McMahon feud, in which McMahon had spent every waking hour since WrestleMania XIV plotting to have Stone Cold lose the WWE title, for fear that the brash Texas redneck would damage his company's clean, corporate image. McMahon, of course, was absolutely beside himself when Austin dropped the Rock with a Stone Cold Stunner to finish the match. Better luck next year, eh Vince?

TRIPLE H shocked wrestling fans everywhere when his own master plan was accomplished with resounding success. Going into the event as the leader of rebel faction D-Generation X, Hunter Hearst-Helmsley was without the support of his female bodyguard, Chyna, who had defected to Vince McMahon's Corporation. Furthermore, Chyna had established a relationship with fellow Corporation member Kane, and it was this rivalry that led to Philadelphia and WrestleMania XV, where Triple H was scheduled to wrestle Kane in an effort to settle the feud. The match was unremarkable until Chyna made an inevitable appearance at ringside. She slid into the ring and appeared to be aiding Kane, but she blindsided him with a steel chair as the fans cheered wildly. As Kane looked at Chyna with a "Why me?" expression on his... er... mask, Triple H finished the job with the chair; swatting him down and then delivering the Pedigree as the referee signalled the disqualification. Hunter may have lost the match, but DX was a whole unit again, and the Corporation was a (wo)man down as the event continued. Next on the card for DX was a Greenwich Street Fight for the WWE European Championship, with DX's X-Pac challenging Vince's son and Corporation ringleader Shane for the highly-disputed championship. Again, the match was unremarkable until the Corporation's "Hired Gun", Test, interfered in the proceedings, thus prompting Triple H and Chyna to come out and even the odds. Chyna, however, took the unusual step of distracting the referee, and while she did this, Triple H slid into the ring. In a moment, the happy reunion took an interesting and unexpected turn, as Triple H grabbed his little buddy X-Pac, kicked him square in the gut and delivered the Pedigree before rolling Shane on top for the pinfall. Triple H and Chyna were a couple again, yes. A Corporate couple.

LOSERS

The D-GENERATION X faction was left in ruins after the defection of Triple H. DX members Billy Gunn and Jesse James ran to X-Pac's aid after he was doublecrossed, but all three of them were overpowered by Triple H, Chyna and Test. it wasn't until Kane came out in search of Triple H that the tide was turned. DX would unofficially align with Kane for the next few months, but Billy Gunn eventually "saw the light" and split with DX in order to ally himself with Triple H and Chyna.

BART "THE HAMMER" GUNN was the winner of WWE's Brawl For All contest; basically boxing with wrestlers. Enter Butterbean, the super heavyweight champion of the world, to challenge Gunn at WrestleMania XV, with the result being so embarrassing for Gunn that he disappeared from WWE soon afterwards.

• WRESTLEMANIA 2000
  Arrowhead Pond
  Anaheim, California
  April 2, 2000

WrestleMania 2000 took place during interesting times for WWE. A huge influx of new talent meant that the face of WWE would change yet again, with names such as Jericho, Benoit, Angle, Guerrero and Tazz generating a huge amount of interest. Also, the WWE Tag Team division was gaining speed, with the Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boys and Edge & Christian having quickly gained a reputation for being daredevils who could do incredible things with tables, ladders and chairs. WWE Champion Triple H ruled the company with an iron fist (and a gold belt) alongside his wife, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley; dominating WWE in the absence of Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was sidelined while recovering from neck surgery. Also, the retiring Mick Foley pledged to hold on for one more match; an unpredecented Fatal Four Way elimination match that would feature himself, the Rock and the Big Show each challenging Triple H for his gold.

WINNERS

TRIPLE H turned the tide of history, becoming the first heel (bad guy, for the uninitiated) to leave WrestleMania as the WWE Champion. Mick Foley made a spirited attempt for the gold, but he was retired (for the second time) by Triple H, who then prepared for a one-on-one showdown with the Rock - the Big Show having been eliminated early in the contest. The Rock appeared to have an advantage over his rival until his cornerman, Vince McMahon himself, interfered in the proceedings and provided enough of a distraction for his son-in-law (with whom he had previously been feuding) to blindside the Rock and win the match. The Rock, for his part, did his best to ruin the family reunion after the match, gaining wild cheers when he dropped Stephanie with the Rock Bottom.

EDGE AND CHRISTIAN won the first of many WWE Tag Team titles in what was billed as a triple threat tag team ladder match, but what has come to be known as the unofficial first "TLC" (Tables, Ladders and Chairs) match in WWE history. Reknowned for speaking very little, Edge and Christian opened up after their victory, ushering in a new age of "awesomeness" for the Canadian pair.

LOSERS

1996 Olympic gold medallist KURT ANGLE entered WrestleMania 2000 as a dual champion, with the Intercontinental and European (or Eurocontinental, as Angle liked to call them) championships around his waist. Enter Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit, who won the European and Intercontinental championships respectively in a triple threat match which Angle would later claim was a conspiracy against him and his success.

Hardcore legend MICK FOLEY returned to WWE to make a one-off appearance in the main event, and immediately became the sentimental fan favourite to unseat Triple H, who had already become the most hated WWE Champion of the modern age. Unfortunately for Foley, fairytales were never his thing, and after a Pedigree in the middle of the ring, the dream was over.

• WRESTLEMANIA X-SEVEN
  Reliant Astrodome
  Houston, Texas
  April 1, 2001

The world of wrestling was forever changed in March 2001, as WWE announced the corporate takeover of their struggling rival, WCW. Upstart independent promotion ECW was also breathing its last, and in fact it wasn't apparent to many ECW wrestlers that their company was dead until their owner, Paul Heyman, appeared on WWE television to replace longtime colour commentator Jerry "The King" Lawler. So for WWE, WrestleMania X-Seven would be their victory parade; their chance to show the world who was boss and what they could do when there was nobody to oppose them. WrestleMania X-Seven signalled a return to the cavernous, high-capacity arenas, with the Reliant Astrodome capable of holding almost 70,000 fans; over three times the size of the arenas typically used for WrestleMania events up to this point. When all was said and done, WrestleMania X-Seven is still widely recognised as the best WrestleMania to date.

WINNERS

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN capped off his return from injury by defeating the Rock for the WWE Championship, but the price he paid would change the course of his career. When Vince McMahon strode to ringside during the match, nobody knew quite what to expect. McMahon and Austin were bitter rivals, but the Rock had no love for the billionaire owner either. So when McMahon stepped into the ring and nailed the Rock with a chair, fans around the world couldn't believe their eyes. Stone Cold was in cahoots with McMahon, and with a few solid chairshots to punctuate the moment, Austin recaptured his precious WWE Championship, then shook the hand of the man whom he had been a constant folly to for the past three years.

THE UNDERTAKER stretched out his WrestleMania winning streak to nine matches, defeating Triple H in a crippling encounter that happened to take place in his own home city. Triple H had managed to avoid the Undertaker's Last Ride powerbomb by clubbing 'Taker in the head with the business end of a sledgehammer, however he could not escape the second attempt, and with that the Undertaker's unblemished record remained intact.

LOSERS

Speaking of records, spare a thought for THE ROCK, who by this time was becoming somewhat of a WrestleMania bridesmaid. Three WrestleMania main events, for three losses. No wonder he buggered off to Hollywood.Now this is a little bit of a departure from the usual winner of a loser award, but I would be remiss not to mention THOSE BLOODY AUSTRALIANS who put WrestleMania X-Seven in severe danger of not being the greatest WM of all time by spoiling the show with their rendition of that godawful "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" chant that made everyone in the free world hate their stinking guts in 2000. Right, moving on...

• WRESTLEMANIA X-8
  Skydome
  Toronto, Canada
  March 17, 2002

WrestleMania moved back to Canada for 2002 as WWE experienced the fallout from the failed Invasion angle. Also, the NWO had invaded the company in the weeks prior to WrestleMania X-8, which gave way to a fast-burning rivalry between two icons of the wrestling world; the Rock and Hulk Hogan. Meanwhile, dual WWE/World Champion (referred to in the history books as the WWE Undisputed Championship) Chris Jericho enlisted the help of the conniving Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley in an attempt to break the momentum of Triple H, who had found himself in an unfamiliar position; being the fan favourite as he headed to WrestleMania X-8 to challenge Jericho for the world crown.

WINNERS

TRIPLE H overcame eight months of intense rehabilitation to overcome his quadriceps injury, storming into the main event at WrestleMania X-8 and delivering some serious punishment to Chris Jericho en route to becoming the second "Undisputed" Champion in WWE history.

THE ROCK found himself in a strange predicament of his own, conceding fan support to the NWO's Hulk Hogan as the pair squared off in a match billed as "Icon vs Icon." The Rock ultimately prevailed, but not before trading some serious respect with the old timer. By the end of the match, Hogan was a dead certainty to return to the red and yellow of old, which didn't sit well with his NWO friends Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, however he and the Rock disposed of them and mugged for the crowd. Photo opportunities ahoy!

LOSERS

After years of dominating the main events, STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN found himself becoming a victim of the modern age, wrestling in a midcard match with the NWO's Scott Hall. This apparent lack of respect would start a chain of events that would eventually see Austin gather up his toys and go home.

WILLIAM REGAL had a fairly crummy time during his first two WrestleMania events. In 2001, he was defeated by Chris Jericho in the opening match of WrestleMania X-Seven, which happened to be for the Intercontinental Championship. At WrestleMania X-8, Regal again found himself seeing stars as WWE's hot new talent Rob Van Dam defeated him for the Intercontinental title.

• WRESTLEMANIA XIX
  Safeco Field
  Seattle, Washington
  March 30, 2003

The first WrestleMania event to take place since the "brand extension" roster split of 2002, WrestleMania XIX took special significance as the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship were each defended in seperate matches for the first time at a WrestleMania event. Smackdown won the right to host the evening's main event as they were the home brand of the 2003 Royal Rumble winner and number one contender to Kurt Angle's WWE Championship; a phenomenal young talent named Brock Lesnar.

WINNERS

BROCK LESNAR claimed his second WWE Championship, but almost lost his life in the process. Yet toperform the spectacular Shooting Star Press that he had used with effect in Ohio Valley Wrestling, Brock had decided to reserve the move for an event worthy of the spectacle. And so it was that with Kurt Angle laid out on the canvas (a victim of Brock's regular finisher, the F-5), Brock ascended the top rope and leapt off. Unfortunately, he lost his balance at a crucial moment in the jump, and the near-300lb monster landed on the back of his head. Brock would later say that it was only his muscular neck that saved him from a broken neck, or worse. Nevertheless, the groggy, disoriented challenger picked Angle up, delivered another F-5, and covered him for the winning pinfall.

THE ROCK noted in his pre-match interview that if there was thing he'd learned in Hollywood, it's that Acts one and two don't matter; Act three is the one that people remember. And with that, the Rock headed out to face Stone Cold Steve Austin in what he perceived to be his last chance to defeat Austin at WrestleMania. The two traded punches, insults and finishing moves for what seemed like an eternity before the Rock finally nailed Austin with the Rock Bottom. He delivered the move again and again until Austin's body was limp, and then with a three count, the match - and Austin's career - was over.

LOSERS

CHRIS JERICHO wanted so badly to beat Shawn Michaels. When he couldn't get the job done during the Royal Rumble match, he antagonised Michaels over and over until HBK had no choice but to agree to this match, which would be the first WrestleMania in-ring appearance for Michaels in five years. The two had a classic match which was easily the best of the evening, but it was the veteran Michaels who ran away with the victory. Jericho appeared to be remorseful after the match, but when Michaels' guard was down, Jericho dropped the former WWE Champion with a low-blow and strutted away.

BOOKER T was a raging hot favourite to defeat World Heavyweight Champion Triple H in their title match, but all the momentum in the world couldn't help him reach the promised land and bring him his sixth reign as World champion. Following the match, Booker's career fell into a tailspin from which it has never quite recovered.

• WRESTLEMANIA XX
  Madison Square Garden
  New York, New York
  March 14, 2004

"Where It All Begins... Again!" was the tagline for WrestleMania XX, which returned again to Madison Square Garden. The decision was met with mixed reactions by WWE fans, who were happy to see WrestleMania go "home", but were concerned about WrestleMania not taking place in a high-capacity arena as it had done for the previous three events. The fans needn't have worried, as the hype, presentation and in-ring drama of WrestleMania XX ensured that it would be remembered as one of the greatest WrestleMania events to date; many rate it as highly as WrestleMania X-Seven.

WINNERS

A mere three months before WrestleMania XX, CHRIS BENOIT was just another face in the crowd on Smackdown. Then he won the 2004 Royal Rumble. Then he defected to Raw. Then he challenged Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. From there, it was a whirlwind ride to the World Heavyweight Championship for Benoit, defeating Triple H and Shawn Michaels in WrestleMania's first ever triple threat main event match. It was the culimination of a long and hard road to the top for the gutsy Canadian, and for someone who languished in WCW for so many years, winning the "big gold belt" in the main event at WrestleMania was a fitting way to make up for lost time.

Likewise, EDDIE GUERRERO had his own WrestleMania moment, successfully defending his WWE Championship against Kurt Angle. Angle had an advantage over Eddie during the late stages of the match, but the canny Guerrero loosened his boot, so when Angle applied the ankle lock, Guerrero's boot slipped clean off. A confused Angle walked right into a Guerrero rollup, and that, as they say, was that.

LOSERS

You have got to feel sorry for ULTIMO DRAGON, whose career in WWE was less than distinguished to say the least. He hung on for dear life because he wanted to wrestle at WrestleMania, and so when he was included in the Cruiserweight Open match, it must have been like having all of his Christmases at once. That is, until Ultimo ran onto the stage to make his grand entrance, and slipped over. Regaining his bearings, Ultimo ran to the ring, climbed the ropes to greet his fans... and promptly slipped again. Don't bother looking for the errors on the DVD; WWE Home Video cut them out.

Thanks to media reports, there wasn't a single fan in the house who did not know that BROCK LESNAR and his opponent BILL GOLDBERG were leaving WWE after WrestleMania XX. As a result, both men were mercilessly booed to a point where neither man knew what to do to begin the match. The match itself was unremarkable (Goldberg won with his usual jackhammer/spear combo), but the atmosphere was about as close as WWE will ever get to the days of the old Colloseum. Absolutely terrifying.

And that is that; a brief (HAH!) rundown of the past 20 WrestleMania events. Now, before I go, some fast facts about the big event:

• The Undertaker has the best winning record in WrestleMania history; an unequalled 12-0 winning streak. The Big Show, on the other hand, has the worst winning record of the current WWE superstars, having made five in-ring appearances at WrestleMania, for five losses.

Just for comparison's sake, here are the WrestleMania win/loss records for some other current WWE superstars:

Triple H: 4 wins, 5 losses
Kane: 3 wins, 3 losses
Shawn Michaels: 4 wins, 7 losses
Kurt Angle: 2 wins, 3 losses
Chris Benoit: 2 wins, 2 losses
Chris Jericho: 2 wins, 3 losses
Edge: 3 wins, 0 losses
Eddie Guerrero: 2 wins, 2 losses

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Tito Santana's WrestleMania record stands at 1 win and 7 losses. Yikes.

• Triple H is the only WWE Superstar to have successfully retained two world titles at WrestleMania; once in 2000 and once in 2003. WWE Superstars who have successfully retained their world titles once are Hulk Hogan, Kevin "Diesel" Nash, Yokozuna (although he ultimately lost the title to Bret Hart the same night at WrestleMania X) and Eddie Guerrero.

• The tradition of allowing the Royal Rumble winner the right to compete for a world championship at WrestleMania began in 1993 with the 'Rumble victory of Yokozuna. Since then, only three such challengers have failed to win their title matches. Lex Luger (co-winner of the 1994 'Rumble) failed to defeat Yokozuna at WrestleMania X; Shawn Michaels (1995) failed to defeat Diesel at WrestleMania XI; and the Rock failed to defeat Triple H at WrestleMania 2000.

• Brock Lesnar and Yokozuna are the only WWE superstars ever to have won world titles in their WrestleMania debuts. They stand alongside Ted "Million Dollar Man" DiBiase, Sgt Slaughter and Kevin "Diesel" Nash as being the only WWE superstars to have made their WrestleMania debuts in the main event matches. (ignoring WrestleMania 1, of course, and the sham "main events" of WrestleMania VIII and WrestleMania XII)

• Bret "The Hitman" Hart holds the record for the longest streak of consecutive WrestleMania in-ring appearances with twelve, starting at WrestleMania 2 and finishing with WrestleMania 13. Tied for the second longest streak are Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 1-IX) and Triple H (WrestleMania XII-XX), each with nine appearances apiece. Triple H will break Hogan's record when he appears at WrestleMania 21, marking his his tenth consecutive WrestleMania appearance. Interestingly, while the Undertaker has the longest undefeated streak in WrestleMania history, the longest streak of consecutive appearances for the dead man is a mere five, which he achieved between WrestleMania XI and WrestleMania XV. However, with an undefeated winning streak of 12-0, the Undertaker obviously shares the record of overall WrestleMania appearances with Bret Hart. Undertaker is poised to make the record his own when he faces Randy Orton at WrestleMania 21.

And, in case you were interested, these are the guys who have made the highest number of WrestleMania in-ring appearances overall:

Bret Hart & the Undertaker: 12
Hulk Hogan & Shawn Michaels: 11
Triple H: 9
The Rock, Owen Hart, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Jake "The Snake" Roberts & Tito Santana: 8
Steve Austin, "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, Jacques Rougeau & Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake: 7

And on that note, we're done! Enjoy WrestleMania 21, and I'll see you next month.