WrestleMania X-Seven: The Greatest Wrestling Pay-Per-View of all time
By Tathya Sachdev
Austin. The Rock. The WWF Championship. “STONE COLD IS SHAKING HANDS WITH SATAN HIMSELF! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SOMEONE TELL ME THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!”
The moment that was the very pinnacle as well as the supposed culmination of the Attitude Era. Tell me you didn’t have goosebumps.
Not only is the Attitude Era considered to be the most successful period in WWE history, but it also happened to host arguably the greatest pay-per-view the company ever produced in its now 70-year history. Perhaps the best year of the Attitude Era from an in-ring standpoint was 2000, which saw many of WWE’s top talents do their best work and go all out whenever it mattered most. That momentum carried the company into early 2001 and culminated in the spectacle that was WrestleMania X-Seven.
From top to bottom, the event was stacked. The pacing and the overall structure of the card were perhaps what enabled each and every final bit and piece to complement the other flawlessly.
A quick overview of Part 1…
At the time, WrestleMania showcases were infamous for having star-studded headline acts, but compromising on the undercard. Such was not the case in 2001. Virtually every match on the card served its own purpose and was entertaining in its own way.
To kick off the proceedings, Chris Jericho successfully defended his Intercontinental Championship against WWE Commissioner William Regal. Regal played his role to perfection, as the wily veteran dominated Jericho for the majority of the match. In the end, however, Y2J got the crowd behind him and made a comeback, securing the pinfall after a Lionsault. Jericho was quickly gaining momentum in the company and his time to get elevated to main event status was on the horizon.
The title bout was followed by Tazz and The APA defeating Right to Censor in an action-packed six-man tag team match that, at just under four minutes in length, was exactly what it needed to be.
Next up was perhaps the most underrated match of the night, featuring Raven defending the Hardcore Championship against two of the biggest men in the company, Kane and Big Show. The build was tied-up with the Undertaker-Triple H feud, diminishing its importance to an extent. However, the three men went all out and gave the fans something that was totally different than what the rest of the show had to offer. And that’s what made it work. Raven was almost run over by a golf cart, Big Show threw Kane (and himself) through a wall, and ultimately, Kane went bonkers with a diving leg drop off the stage onto Big Show for the 1-2-3. What more could one ask for in a Hardcore Championship match?
The next match on the card saw Eddie Guerrero lie, cheat, and steal his way into winning the European Championship. Eddie led Test to a solid match here. Guerrero was not viewed as a future main-event talent at the time, but he was consistently impressive, and the fans were consistently invested.
The fifth match pitted Kurt Angle against Chris Benoit. In case you are still reading and have not decided to go watch the match instead, the writer cannot add anything that can make you do so. The fact that this match isn’t talked about as much as it should be is a testament to how great the entire show was. In the end, Angle rolled up Benoit, using the tights for leverage to win the match. A technical masterpiece through and through.
The following match saw Chyna squash Ivory win the Women’s Championship in under three minutes. This match was short and sweet and served its purpose of marking her official transition to the women’s division.
We digress for a bit…
It’s not just the matches that make an event. It’s also the overall presentation and atmosphere. One thing about the Attitude Era that will probably never be replicated is the electricity of the crowds. Emanating from the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, with nearly 70,000 rabid fans in attendance, WrestleMania X-Seven captured that vibe perfectly. Having a stacked card from top to bottom helped tremendously, but this event would not be remembered as fondly as it is without that rowdy crowd.
Another aspect of the presentation that was perhaps at its peak during the Attitude Era was commentary. But just a few months before the event, WWE was put in a precarious position when Jerry “The King” Lawler, whom Jim Ross is most synonymous with on commentary, quit the company. WWE managed to make the best out of this situation by introducing Paul Heyman to the announce team. In hindsight, it is no surprise that Paul E. knocked the ball out of the park. He gelled extremely well with J.R. from the get-go, and they provided the perfect soundtrack for WrestleMania X-Seven.
After the interval…
Next up was Vince McMahon going one on one with his son, Shane, who was now also the new owner of WCW. This was ‘Sports Entertainment’ at its finest. With Mick Foley serving as the special guest referee, the match also involved Stephanie McMahon, Linda McMahon (in a “vegetative state”), and Trish Stratus. In the end, fans got what they wanted – a Mr. McMahon humiliation. It was smart to make this different from everything else on the show because the fans ate it up. This was a masterpiece in a train wreck kind of way.
“OH, MY GAWD! EDGE FROM A 20-FOOT LADDER, WITH A SPEAR ON JEFF HARDY! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JEFF HARDY MAY BE BROKEN SMACK DAB IN HALF!”
Quite possibly the single most iconic spot in WrestleMania history. But the match was so much more than a crazy bump. The six men gave it their all and the result was magic. The Hardy Boyz, The Dudley Boyz, and Edge & Christian, through some miracle, had topped their historic Triangle ladder match from Mania 2000 and their first TLC match from Summerslam 2000. Edge & Christian once again won in a classic match that pushed the envelope even further.
What followed was perhaps the perfect ‘breather match.’ The Gimmick Battle Royal should not have worked as well as it did. It was never meant to be taken seriously. It was what it was, a fun nostalgic trip down memory lane that reminded us of some of WWE’s most outlandish gimmicks over the years. “Mean Gene” Okerlund and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan handled commentary for the match, immensely adding to the presentation. For anyone that cares, The Iron Sheik last eliminated Hillbilly Jim to win the battle royal.
The penultimate match featured Undertaker and Triple H in a match that was physical with a capital P. Halfway through the bout, they brawled through the crowd and out into the arena, which was a spectacular visual. The two stalwarts took one another to their absolute limit, with The American Badass pinning The Game after a hellacious Last Ride.
The Main Event
After an “undercard” as spectacular as the one WrestleMania X-Seven, The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin really had to step their game up. This is what 67,925 fans had flocked over from all over the world to witness at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas. This is what the record-breaking buy rate of the PPV audience of the time had paid for. And step up they did.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock had faced off in the main event of WrestleMania XV, but it was a totally different story heading into this encounter. Stone Cold had been out of action due to injury for an entire year, and in his absence, The Rock had established himself as the biggest star in the company. He was a full-fledged babyface. But The Texas Rattlesnake was now back to reclaim his place at the top of the food chain. Austin was more of a tweener and Mr. McMahon wasn’t actively feuding with him. The fact that the event was held in Texas also contributed to the dynamic. Right before the entrances, a No Disqualification stipulation was added to the WWF Championship match.
Both men waged war as they fought for the richest prize in the business, and for the right to be called the biggest star in the business. Throughout the match, Austin showcased a more vicious mean streak and used the No DQ stipulation to his advantage at every turn he could. As the crowd was going berserk, the WWF Champion suddenly countered an Irish whip into a Stunner! The Rock with a Stunner to Austin! He crawls over for the cover… one-two-and Austin kicks out at two and a half! As both men were lying in the middle of the ring, out came, to a chorus of boos, Satan himself – Mr. McMahon.
As the boss watched on from ringside, both men got back to their feet and engaged in a typical Rock-Austin back-and-forth sequence. Rock eventually caught Austin with a spine buster and followed up with The Most Electrifying Move in all of Sports Entertainment! One, two, and to the utter disbelief of the entire stadium, Vincent breaks it up! As the champion realized what had just happened, he turned his attention to Vince. A distracted Rock walked right into a Rock Bottom by Austin but kicked out right as the referee’s hand was coming down for 3.
Austin went for a Stunner but the champ countered and the referee got knocked out of the ring. Rock tried to capitalize but Austin went low. Then Austin motioned to Vince. Oh my God, they’re working together. Austin and McMahon unleashed a hellacious assault upon the WWF Champion. A stunner and over a dozen chair shots later, Austin had regained the WWF Championship. Then the two of them shook hands and shared beers. In the words of Paul Heyman, “Stone Cold had sold his soul for the WWF title.”
Aftermath
Austin’s subsequent heel run proved to be a disappointment. In many people’s eyes, WrestleMania X-Seven marked the culmination of the Attitude Era. The crux of the Attitude Era was the ongoing war between WWF and WCW. With that over, literally, days before WrestleMania, the programming took a turn in approach. What followed was the Invasion storyline, which ultimately ended up being a convoluted mess. The company would, in many ways, press the reset button the following year, as they introduced the brand split and kicked off the ‘Ruthless Aggression’ era, with a fresh crop of talent arriving.
It was almost as if the company was aware that the Attitude Era was about to be over, and thus it encouraged the fans to celebrate the conclusion of what was unarguably the company’s hottest and most exciting period ever. With what is perhaps still the greatest event WWE has ever produced: WrestleMania X-Seven.