Hi, Stephen
Well, when I first saw what I had to write (my greatest WM memory), I thought it would be easy... and hard too, as I've seen only 5 WMs entirely (WM XII, XV, 2000, X7 and X8).
I could have choose something like Kurt Angle at X7, and my surprise at him being so... blown up, pumped up, and with a weird face... He looked like he was on cocaine... but I can't have bad memories about Kurt.
I could have choose one of the greatest heel turns of all times... no, not SCSA with Vince... I'm talking about WMXV and HHH... Man that was absolutely some of the best writing I've seen... 1 minute, the hero of the world joining Chyna again... 2 matches after... The Game is born...
I could have choose WM2000 and the TLC, or the first heel champ to ever retain at WM (HHH... again)
I was 11 when I started to watch wrestling, sporadicly, around 1995... until I saw a recap of Survivor Series and he underdog going against the power-guy with intelligence instead of strenght or cheating... Bret Hart is in position to take the JackKnife when out of nowhere he small-packages Diesel to become the WWF Champ... I was amazed.
That same month, Owen Hart kicked Shawn Michaels in the head. Shawn vanisg?hes and goes to the hospital.
Later, on January, a press conference is held when Shawn confirms his inclussion on the Royal Rumble... I was once again amazed by the power of will of this supermen. Shawn would eventually win the Rumble.
Then, on February's In Your House, the WWF championship was on the line in a cage match between Bret Hart and Diesel. This match had the most amazing ending I have ever seen, with Taker ripping a hole on the mat and taking Diesel with him, as Bret escapes retaining the championship, and making his fight with Shawn inevitable.
And to make my point, my favorite WM moment was, is, and forever will be the Iron Man Match between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. Why do you ask? Simple.
Because Gorilla Monson was "taken out" by Vader, another "President" was put in charge by WWF management: Rowdy Roddy Piper. And one of his first actions was to make the WWF Championship match at WM to be the biggest ever, one for the ages. He acomplished that by making the first ever 60-Minute Iron Man Match for the WWF Title. Both men agree, they sign the contract, and the match is settled. What happened after that contract was signed was absolute gold to my eyes: both men shock hands and... didn't intend to hurt each other until WM. The world was looking at a GENTLEMENT'S PACT. The weeks after and until WM, both men had fights, and when a 3rd happened to atack one of them, the other would run out and save him, and viceversa. Both men, taking care of each other. Both men were looking for to having the match of their lives at WM by saving their oponents of the hands of ruthless villains (Lets remember,they were both babyfaces).
Both wanted the other to go the distance and to give the best match they could. Both men left the WWF 3 or 2 weeks prior to WM to go train, and you would see videos of them training... Bret jogging by the side of a Montreal river... Shawn doing sit ups and training with Jose Lotario.
Then, it happened, WM XII... The whole night I was anxious about the results.
Then, on Monday, I found out what happened. (No, I didn't watch the PPV, I live in Chile, and only got RAW on cable, USA... at least it was live). I was dissapointed... Bret lost... I'm a die hard fan of Bret.
It was the year 1999, December, when I finally could get my hands on WM XII. I saw the tape, and was as amazed as when I was 11 or 12. Shawn coming down from the roof and through the crowd. Bret with determination on his face. The Sweet Chin Music to the timekeeper, and the look of Bret when he saw the boot coming to his face. Shawn flying over the ropes to hit Bret. The psycology that both used on that match, a 60 min match that was never boring or dull or monotonous or even predictable. The use of the time, and the mind struggle of every fan watching when Bret locked that Sharpshooter with one minute to go and Shawn so far away from the ropes. The awesomeness of Shawn Michaels karate-stand up after 60+ minutes, and the final Sweet Chin Music, those that come from out of nowhere and give you goose bumps. And finally... the childhood dream, finally coming true... a whole world stoped because of one man and his dreams. A lesson to us all: dare to dream, because dreams really come true.
The match, and specially the hype, the build up (the most amazing one I've ever seen), the honor, the loyalty, the manhood and the whole psycology. That's my favorite WRESTLEMANIA moment: The Iron Man Match for the WWF Title at WrestleMania XII... the one WM match that has really make this words true to me... Wretlemania, The Showcase Of the Inmortals.
Pepo
19 years, Chile
It's something I wrote for a web site (411mania.com). It's about my favorite Wretlemania moment. If it's good enough, it will get published on the site.