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| Article: |
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| One Moment In Time |
Michael Campbell |
Is WWE ruining real WrestleMania history with fake memorable moments?
They say that it�s the �grandest stage of them all�; the �showcase of the immortals�. And for those who witnessed Bret Hart celebrating a World Title victory in 1994 in the famed Madison Square Garden, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels tearing down the house at WrestleMania 25 or Steve Austin�s hand being raised by Mike Tyson at the fourteenth incarnation of the supercard, it�s hard to argue. WrestleMania is indeed the most bloated, indulgent and, more often than not, satisfactory event on the pro wrestling calendar. However, it�s also more than a mere supercard; it�s a means for a grappler to determine their position on the mainstream professional wrestling ladder. A spot high on the card at WrestleMania can work absolute wonders for a performer�s career. More so than that though, the majority of said workers have grown into adulthood as fans or viewers and to them, being trusted to top the bill is one of the most significant accolades they can achieve.
While it�s routinely paramount that every member of the WWE roster to forget they�re a fan (mainly for fear they become labelled a �mark� and subjected to reprisals from management), this golden rule is waived for WrestleMania. The event is so firmly entrenched in the heads of those living within the wrestling bubble as the most important occasion in their - and therefore everyone else�s � lives that a degree of giddiness is permitted for one night every twelve months. And obviously, this excitement is magnified if you�re the performer elevated to the main event. Although doing so today isn�t quite the achievement it was even as recently as 2002 thanks to the presence of more than one World title, it�s still a massive accomplishment to jazz up one�s CV with. It�s intended to fill a competitor with a special warm fuzzy feeling, one shared with the audience. But is that always the case, or does the average viewer of today perceive the spectacle through jaded eyes? Do we still buy into the excitement of a WrestleMania main event or is it little more than a greedy, self-congratulatory charade?
For the rest of this feature, check out issue 54 of FSM - available at WH Smith and all good retailers. (For US readers we are now carried at Borders and Barnes & Noble, so check for local availability or click here to subscribe.)
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