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WrestleMania review: VII to XII

:Headline: WrestleMania review: VII to XII: ID:143699: from db_amp
With WrestleMania XXX a little over three weeks away, Sports Mole continues its look back at the previous editions by remembering Manias seven to 12.

This year will see the 30th staging of Wrestlemania, which is being held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on April 6.

Sports Mole is celebrating the Mania milestone by each week looking back at previous events and the moments that helped shape what is now a global phenomenon.

Last Thursday we covered the very beginnings of the WrestleMania journey, and now it is time to remember fondly the seventh through to the 12th editions of The Showcase of the Immortals.

WrestleMania VII

Another WrestleMania main-evented by Hulk Hogan, the American hero took on the returning Sgt Slaughter, who portrayed an Iraqi sympathiser during the United States' involvement in the Gulf War.

The Hulkster would win to regain the WWF Championship to the delight of a patriotic crowd inside the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena California, but that was just a small snippet of a packed 14-match card.

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Randy Savage was forced into 'retirement' following his defeat to the Ultimate Warrior, but the 'Macho Man' would leave to a standing ovation after being reunited with Miss Elizabeth post match.

Elsewhere, the original Hart Foundation, Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart, would team for the final time before their split, losing their WWF Tag Team Championship to The Nasty Boys of Brian Knobs and Jerry Sags.

However, this event's most lasting legacy could be that it was the WrestleMania debut of The Undertaker, who began his now-famous undefeated streak by making Jimmy Snuka rest in peace.

WrestleMania VIII

Wrestling fans thought that they may finally get to witness the two biggest stars in the business, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, meet in a dream Mania match when the Nature Boy signed with the WWE in 1991.

However, the company strangely decided to go down a different route, with Flair losing his WWF title to Savage, and Hogan recording a disqualification victory over former friend Sid Vicious in co-main events.

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Bret Hart and Roddy Piper put on a show-stealing bout for the Intercontinental strap, which was won by the Canadian, while Jake 'The Snake' Roberts become the second victim of The Undertaker's streak.

WrestleMania IX

This clumsily put-together show will go down as one of the poorer WrestleManias as Hogan inexplicably closed the show on top, having beaten Yokozuna in 22 seconds in an impromptu title match.

On the back of winning the 1993 Royal Rumble, the 589lbs Yokozuna became the first Samoan-born WWF Champion earlier in the night by dethroning Bret Hart, but his success was very short lived.

His manager, Mr Fuji, would challenge Hogan, who had made his in-ring return in tag-team competition on the undercard, to a bout which was over before you could say 'atomic leg drop.'

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Other suspect booking decisions included commentators wearing Togas at Caesars Palace, in the first WrestleMania to be held entirely outdoors, and 'The Narcissist' Lex Luger besting Mr Perfect.

The Undertaker made it three from three on the Grandest Stage of Them All by beating Giant Gonzalez.

WrestleMania X

The showpiece was back on top form at Madison Square Garden a year later, with Yokozuna again in two WWE Championship matches and again coming up short at the end of the evening.

After Lex Luger and Bret Hart had been declared joint winners of the 1994 Royal Rumble, each was granted a title match at Mania, with Luger's shot scuppered when he was disqualified by special guest referee Mr Perfect.

Hart, who had earlier lost a wrestling clinic to brother Owen Hart, would fare better, exacting some revenge on the super heavyweight for his Mr Fuji-inspired loss 12 months prior to regain the gold.

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However, the show is perhaps best remembered for a 15-foot splash off a ladder which helped kickstart Shawn Michaels's reputation as both 'Mr WrestleMania' and 'The Show Stopper'.

He lost his Intercontinental title unification match to Razor Ramon, but HBK's leap is the lasting memory.

WrestleMania XI

NFL star Lawrence Taylor was the headline attraction at the Hartford Civic Center in Connecticut as he beat Bam Bam Bigelow in the main event, ending a feud which began at the 1995 Royal Rumble.

His victory was criticised by some wrestling purists, but Taylor's presence, alongside the likes of Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson, helped the WWE gain unprecedented levels of mainstream media attention.

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In more traditional action, Michaels was unsuccessful in his attempt to take the WWE Championship from former bodyguard Diesel, who had helped train Taylor for his debut in the squared circle.

After missing last year's event, The Undertaker added King Kong Bundy to his list of Mania conquests, while there were title wins for the team of Owen Hart and Yokozuna, and Intercontinental challenger Ramon.

WrestleMania XII

"The boyhood dream came true" for Michaels as he superkicked his way to a first WWE Championship in overtime of his one-hour Ironman epic with his greatest ever rival, Bret Hart.

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The Undertaker picked up his most credible Mania victory to date with victory over Diesel, while Roddy Piper pinned Goldust for three after a hilariously entertaining Hollywood Backlot Brawl.

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and Triple H made their debuts at The Showcase of Immortals, but the night belonged to the WWE's current Chief Operating Officer's future D-Generation X renegade Michaels.

Austin and Triple H may well crop up again when SM continues its trip down memory lane.

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last updated article - 2014-03-14 15:33:05:
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