“Don’t watch Wrestlemania to criticize it. Let yourself go. Cheer, boo, jump up and down, laugh, cry, have fun. Spectators and workers, consider Wrestlemania your holiday. Sunday, April 1st, don’t log onto 1wrestling.com for the latest backstage scoop. Don’t make predictions. Don’t look for “inside” info. Don’t watch your Best of Sasuke tapes. Don’t try to analyze or interpret something that isn’t supposed to be analyzed or interpreted.
Wrestlemania is your day to vacation from the industry, and to become what you once were: a fan”
–Mr. Hill
I am a 36 year old, for the most part well adjusted man. . For nearly 21 years, (longer than some of you reading this have been alive) one of my yearly traditions has been to watch the biggest night of professional wrestling, Wrestlemania. Now I will happily admit that the mystique of this once holy night for me has worn off. And I would be lying if I said I’ve seen every single Wrestlemania. But with the addition of the WWE Network I have made sure that this legendary night has reentered my consciences. The night that was once billed as the Superbowl of Professional Wrestling has become somewhat of a spectacle in multi facets. What was once a night; has morphed into weekends and now four days of wrestling excitement that flocks to the city where Wrestlemania is held. This year with Wrestlemania being in Northern California, many of our own talented SoCal Wrestlers are getting opportunities to shine. King of the Indies, WrestleCon, Hoodslam, Shimmer, etc this weekend will be packed with wrestling for those in attendance. Since your old pal Jay isn’t exactly heading up to San Jose, I’ll be watching on the Network. For just $9.99 I’m looking forward to Andre the Giant Battle Royal. I want to see Ziggler and Bryan steal the show in the IC Scramble. I want to see the World Eater against the Phenom. I want to see Rusev vs. the Face of the Franchise. And I really do want to see Roman Reigns take on Brock Lesnar. But what I’m really hoping for is the signature Wrestlemania Moment that some how the WWE finds away to manufacture now for 31 of these extravaganzas.
Jay Cal’s Top 5 Moments in Wrestlemania
#5 Even at the age of nine I knew I was witnessing something incredible. Decades later the match would be descried as one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania History. 1987, Ricky Steamboat defeats “Macho Man” Randy Savage for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Savage and Steamboat put on a clinic. And even the theatrics of George “the Animal” Steel couldn’t distract from such an incredible match.
#4 Another IC Title Match: the Ladder Match between “the Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels and “the Bad guy” Razor Ramon. This match would essentially set the bar for ladder matches, not just in the WWE, but in all of professional wrestling. And if you look carefully, you’ll see borrowed spots of this match in almost every single ladder match. Ultimately Razor would win the title, but both were given so much praise.
#3 Were you a Hulkamaniac or were you a Warrior? The larger than life super-heroes would clash in the ring for the Ultimate Prize in professional wrestling the WWE Heavyweight Championship. In terms of wresting this wasn’t the most stellar match. In terms of telling a story and getting a fan based invested, this was one of the moments that wrestling fans of the time were very excited about. This was the match that literally tore my family apart. Wrestlmania 6, I sat alone just waiting for the moment that this match would go on. The entire Cal family was rooting for Hogan. I alone believed in the Warrior. And I leapt to my feet to celebrate his victory.
#2 Andre the Giant ripped the cross off around his neck. He beat up Hogan on Piper’s Pit. So going back to Wrestlemania 3, when the largest arms in the world stepped into the ring with the 8th Wonder of the World it was very much the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object. And even though years later we would learn that Andre was body slammed before (Paul Boesch Library against Harley Race) it was the biggest spectacle of it’s time.
#1 Last year’s Wrestlemania when the streak came to an end. In an era where Kayfabe is all but dead and every fanboy thinks they know what’s going to happen next, Brock Lesnar put an end to a streak that would last 21 years of Wrestlemania. In the audience you’d think you had just witness the JFK Assignation. Heads hung in disbelief. And whether you loved it or hated it, you were talking about it.
I’d also like to wish all of our local Southern California talent good luck this weekend. Have a great weekend, push the limits, stay safe, and show the world what SoCal is all about.
Upcoming Events
Vendetta Pro Wrestling “Shamrock Slam 2015? in Santa Maria, Tonight @ 7:35 PM
EWF in San Bernardino, Saturday @ 7:00 PM
MWF Lucha Libre in Los Angeles, Saturday @ 8:00 PM