WWE WrestleMania XX

2004’s WrestleMania XX was the last WrestleMania I saw live – in fact, the last WrestleMania I’ve seen in full, period. Though I had checked out as a fan a few years before, I still ordered WrestleMania because ‘it’s tradition!’ and the promise of an anniversary show drew me in one last time.

My memories of the show are of watching it with my then girlfriend (not a wrestling fan in the least), and it running so long she asked me to drive her home in the middle of it. Not that I minded, as at over four and a half hours it became a chore to sit thorough at points, and the drive provided a much needed break.

From New York, New York; Your Hosts are Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, and Tazz. The Harlem Boys Choir sings ‘America the Beautiful’ to kick things off.


Opening WWE United States Title Match: The Big Show v John Cena: I didn't know who John Cena was watching this live (for a good period, I legitimately thought John Cena and Channing Tatum were the same guy - true story), but even then, you could tell he had that certain 'something,' and was going to be a huge star. Cena goes right at Show with right hands, but gets overwhelmed by a kneelift, and dumped. Cena tries a flying bodypress back in, but gets powerslammed for two. Lariat levels Cena, and a bodyslam leaves him crawling at Show's ankles. Show with a hanging vertical suplex for two, and a big boot continues the punishment. Snake eyes, but Cena turns it into a sleeper - only to get rammed into the corner to break. Another clothesline, and he hooks a cobra clutch - but Cena won't quit, and starts firing off right hands.  He staggers Show, and the F-U hits - but it only gets two. Cena doesn't know what to make of it (though, really, he hadn't done much to wear Show down first), so he distracts the referee and clobbers Show with a pair of knux, then hits another F-U for the pin at 9:13. Show's offense was slow and dull (which was the bulk of the match), but Cena sold it well, and the finisher was visually impressive. ½*

World Tag Team Title Fatal Four-Way Match: Booker T and Rob Van Dam v The Dudley Boyz v La Resistance v Mark Jindrak and Garrison Cade: One of the problems with ordering a four and a half hour pay per view, but not following the product at all is matches like this - where I didn't know who literally half the guys are, let alone why they're fighting. The Dudleyz and RVD/Booker T were familiar from the old days. Everyone else...? Everyone trades off with the usual 'spot, tag, spot' stuff that fills Fatal Four-Ways, until settles in to beating on the champions - particularly Booker T. Van Dam saves by spinkicking everyone (inside or outside of the ring), but getting shoved into the rail by D-Von Dudley as he tries to come off the top. Eight-way brawl breaks out, and Van Dam pins Rob Conway with the Five Star Frogsplash at 7:55 to retain. I was bored with this in 2004, I was equally bored with this today. Well, maybe a little less, since I didn't spend some fifty dollars to see it this time. DUD

Chris Jericho v Christian: Both guys chew each other out at the bell, and Christian tries shoving him - only for Jericho to sock him on the nose in response. Jericho backelbow, and a side suplex, but he misses a blind charge, and gets dumped. He hangs on to the ropes, however, and Christian gets backdropped out as he charges him. Jericho with a springboard bodyblock out after him, and they do a pinfall reversal sequence back inside - ending with Jericho trying for the Walls of Jericho. Christian makes the ropes before he can roll it over, so Chris charges, and suffers the same fate Christian did earlier (getting dumped over the top) - this time with a release side suplex. Christian chokes him, and hits a kneelift for two. Headvise, but Jericho powers out, so Christian tries a chinlock. Chris counters into another Wall attempt, but gets his eyes raked, and Christian spinheel kicks him for two. Jericho starts throwing clotheslines to come back, and an enzuigiri gets two. German suplex gets two, and a Northern Lights suplex for two - triggering another pinfall reversal sequence. This one ends with Jericho bulldogging him, but the Lionsault hits the knees, and Christian plants him with an inverted DDT from the 2^nd rope for two. To the top rope, so Jericho follows for a superplex - only to take a forward falling superplex. Texas Cloverleaf gives us a view of these two dudes in the front row wearing SUPER creepy Doink costumes (hell, it may have actually been one of the Doink’s), until Jericho counters into the Walls. Christian pulls himself to the floor (while still in the hold) to force a break, so Chris brings him back in with a butterfly superplex for two. That draws out Trish Stratus as they have a slugfest on their knees, and Christian plants him with a DDT for two. He tries to go to the top rope, but Trish objects, so he throws her across the ring (always the appropriate response), and when Jericho tries to check on her, she accidentally nails him with a backelbow, and Christian schoolboys him for the pin at 14:56. Afterwards, Chris tells Trish not to worry about it, but it turns out she did it on purpose, and she and Christian beat him down afterwards. I was disappointed with this live, and time has not changed by opinion. A solid, well worked match - but fell short of expectations, and felt a bit directionless at points. ** ¼

Handicap Match: Evolution v The Rock 'n' Sock Connection: Mick goes for the ultimate cheap pop with an 'FDNY' shirt. Also, it covers his gigantic manboobs. Evolution holds the high ground, so Rock and Mick Foley charge in and clean house like it's RAW in 1999. Ric Flair and The Rock start proper, and Rock mocks the strut after winning a shoulderblock. Slugfest goes Rocky's way, and he backdrops Flair - knocking him to the floor. It's a ploy, of course, and Ric rakes the eyes, but a blinded Rock still manages to backdrop him out there, and Foley hits a Cactus Elbow for good measures. Tag to Randy Orton and he demands Mick Foley, but suddenly loses his nerve when the tag is made, and bails to the floor. Foley follows with a ram into the announce table, and brings him in for an elbowdrop for two. Tree of woe allows him another elbowdrop, and Rock punctuates it by punching him in the nuts. Lariat, so Flair tries a cheap shot from the apron - but Rocky smacks him. Batista does it right, and Rock ends up on the floor, and slammed into the guardrail. Inside, Batista with a backelbow for two, and Flair tags in to show the kids how to work a guy over. He starts with thunderous chops in the corner, then heads to the top rope - only to get slammed off by the Rock. He still manages to tag Batista back in to keep the ring cut in half, but he takes another lariat, and passes to Foley. Evolution uses the numbers advantage to their... advantage... and give Foley a beating on the floor - Orton whipping him into the steps. Inside, that gets two, and Flair chops him (which still echoes, even through Foley's six layers of flannel), and Evolution cut the ring in half. Double knockout allows the tag to the Rock, and he's so eager to beat down Evolution that he even pulls guys in off of the apron to properly abuse them. Unfortunately, he's not Hulk Hogan (you'd think he'd have learned that in 2002), and the numbers eventually overwhelm him when Batista hits a spinebuster. He goes to capitalize, but Flair interjects: he wants to drop a People's Elbow! And that he does, but Flair takes the strutting too far, and gets spinebustered into the real thing for two. Eye rake allows the tag to Orton, but he walks into a Rock Bottom for two - when Flair saves. That allows Batista to catch him with a sitout powerbomb, giving Orton two. Tag to Foley for a double-arm DDT on Orton, and he reaches for the sock in his pants. Mandible Claw, but Orton counters into the RKO for the pin at 17:09. Really well paced (it made great use of tags to avoid restholds), fun match (for the audience, as well as the participants - who looked like they were having a ball doing their thing at MSG), and guys like Foley and the Rock (both coming off significant time off) having no problem keeping up with the others. ** ½

Playboy Evening Gown Match: Stacy Keibler and Miss Jackie v Torrie Wilson and Sable: Sable was looking old and busted by 2004 - especially beside Stacy and Torrie (and Trish earlier). She and Torrie strip down to their undies before the bell even rings (well, it's better for mobility...), so Stacy follows suit, but Jackie's not into it. The others decide to gang up and strip her (remember kids, if a girl doesn't want to take her clothes off, there is absolutely nothing wrong with violently forcing her to), and the 'match' is basically a series of gratuitous T&A shots while they all roll around in their underwear. Eventually, Torrie rolls Jackie up for the pin at 2:41. Not a match, but certainly not boring. DUD

Cruiserweight Open: Ultimo Dragon v Shannon Moore: This is a gauntlet match, with nine guys competing to get a shot at Chavo Guerrero's Cruiserweight title. Moore and Dragon draw the opening slots, and fight over a waistlock right away. Dragon with a backslide for two, but Moore hits him with a release side suplex for two. Flying moonsault, but Dragon dodges, and hits an inverted DDT to advance at 1:17.

Cruiserweight Open: Ultimo Dragon v Jamie Noble: Noble is in next with a short-clothesline for two, but he gets caught with lightning kicks for two. Backbreaker, and Dragon tries the inverted DDT again, but Jamie counters into a neckbreaker and he's done at 1:00.

Cruiserweight Open: Jamie Noble v Funaki: Funaki tries to Pearl Harbor him with a flying bodypress, but Noble rolls though for the pin at 0:08 - staying king of the mountain.

Cruiserweight Open: Jamie Noble v Nunzio: Nunzio with a victory roll for two, and a 2^nd rope dropkick for two, but gets dumped to the floor with a somersault bodyblock, and counted out at 1:50.

Cruiserweight Open: Jamie Noble v Billy Kidman: Kidman tries his luck with a backdrop to the floor, and Nunzio (still on the outside) holds Noble in place for Billy to dive with a shooting star press. Inside, Kidman backdrops him, and hits an enzuigiri to weaken him for a sitout powerbomb from the top rope at 1:50.

Cruiserweight Open: Billy Kidman v Rey Mysterio: Mysterio's turn, and he springboards right in, but gets dropkicked for two. Criss cross allows Rey to return the favor, and a super sunset flip eliminates Kidman at 1:20.

Cruiserweight Open: Rey Mysterio v Tajiri: Tajiri goes right for the Tarantula, but Rey shrugs him off, and sends him home with a victory roll at 1:10.

WWE Cruiserweight Title Match: Chavo Guerrero v Rey Mysterio: Akio is next, but he's been bumped on the floor, so Chavo comes in. He goes right at the weakened Mysterio, and still manages to cheat his way to winning the WCW Open at 1:50. This was basically just an excuse to give a bunch of guys a WrestleMania payday instead of just having a single great match - which is the problem with a lot of the later 'Mania's. * for the whole thing - just too difficult to follow, overall.

Brock Lesnar v Goldberg: Steve Austin is the guest referee. I actually missed this one live, as I was driving my bored girlfriend home. This is a pretty infamous match, as both men were on the way out of the promotion, and the always aggressive New York crowd wanted to make sure they got a proper farewell. They waste no time, either, giving both guys a round of extended middle fingers during the entrances, and starting a 'you sold out' chant. Both guys get completely lost as the crowd starts singing 'hey hey hey goodbye' at them, and stall. Imagine how much hate it takes to get near eighteen thousand people to fucking sing in unison (and somewhat on key!) - it's like the world's biggest flash mob. They keep stalling as the crowd chants for Austin (drawing a smirk from him, and leaving Lesnar near tears), and they finally tie-up - doing an epic stalemate, though it doesn't come across as such with the crowd booing the fuck out of them. Another lockup goes to a stalemate, as the crowd starts ramping up their heckling. Shoulderblocks trigger a power-stalemate, and both guys take a knee - looking like they've lost all patience. Goldberg finally gets it going with a press slam into a spear, but a proper spear sends him flying to the post, and onto the floor. Lesnar posts the shoulder out there, but gets caught with a snap suplex coming in for two. Another one, and he goes to a chinlock. Goldberg hiptosses free (the crowd sitting silently), but he can't turn the tide, and Lesnar works him in the corner. Meanwhile, the crowd starts giving him the finger in unison again. Goldberg tries a swinging neckbreaker and the spear gets two. He argues the count to allow Brock to sneak up with an F5 for two, and he in turn argues the count before getting speared and Jackhammered at 13:48 - which the crowd actually gives a sarcastic golf clap to... before starting to flip them both off again. Afterwards, Lesnar gives the crowd a pointed double bird, and Austin stuns them both - finally giving the crowd what they want. This definitely falls under 'so bad, it's good' as the match was absolutely horrible, but watching the crowd, and everyone’s reaction kept it from being boring. It's also historically notable for serving as Goldberg's final match. DUD

WWE Tag Team Title Fatal Four-Way Match: Too Cool v The World's Greatest Tag Team v The Basham Brothers v The APA: Here's yet another bit of 'let's pack tons of guys into a match so everyone gets on the card' booking. Bradshaw starts with Shelton Benjamin, and once again it's 'beat on the only black guy in the match' time, as everyone takes turns pounding him. Charlie Haas tries his luck with Scotty 2 Hotty, and hooks a bearhug after dodging a headscissors. He manages to make the tag to Rikishi, and a buttsplash finishes Danny Basham at 6:05. I don't even think Faarooq tagged in. I'm pretty sure I missed this one, too, live - but I honestly can't even remember. Let's hope I did. ¼*

WWE Women's Title v Hair Match: Victoria v Molly Holly: Great moment on commentary, as Jim Ross talks about Wendi Richter beating Leilani Kai at the first WrestleMania, and Jerry Lawler responds with a high pitched 'WHAT?!' at the prospect of more women. Or, maybe he just blocked out the non-Diva division like I have, and Ross triggered a Vietnam-style flashback for him. Molly gets Victoria into a headvise early, but Victoria powers up with closed fists, and a powerslam for two. Victoria with a superplex, but Molly counters into a sunset flip/powerbomb for two. Overhead backbreaker, but Victoria counters into a backslide to retain at 4:56. Afterwards, Molly gets shaved, of course. DUD

WWE Title Match: Eddie Guerrero v Kurt Angle: Eddie looks a bit emotionally overwhelmed at coming into a WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden as WWE Champion, but that doesn't stop him from working a nice stalemate on the mat with Angle. Back to the mat, Angle hooks a side-headlock, but Eddie keeps getting uppity, so Angle blasts him with a shoulderblock. Not to be outdone, Eddie throws three shoulderblocks to take Angle down (Kurt shocked each time he ends up on his back, and running twice as hard into the next one), and Kurt bails to break the momentum. Back in, Angle decides to take it to the mat to a front-facelock - and he holds Eddie firm. Guerrero manages an overhead suplex to break, and takes advantage of the challenger’s overzealousness with a pair of armdrags into an armbar. Kurt breaks with a kneelift, and hooks an abdominal stretch to capitalize, but Eddie gets uppity again, so Kurt gives him a German suplex. They end up on the apron for Kurt to try a second German to the floor, but Eddie holds the ropes (triggering a beautiful tug of war), and Kurt falls to the floor. Eddie with a baseball slide, but a flying bodypress after him hits the rail. Inside, that gets Angle a two count, and a backbreaker gets two. Kurt ties him up on the mat in a bodyscissors, and shifts into a chinlock when Eddie won't hold still. That still won't stop the champ, so Angle tries a stungun for two. Pair of overhead suplexes get two, so he goes back after the ribs with a waistlock on the mat. Eddie fights up to a vertical base, but just gets overhead suplexed again for his troubles. Kurt starts to get frustrated, and puts him on the top for a superplex, but Eddie fights him off - only to miss a desperation Frog Splash. Kurt stomps the ribs, and taunts Guerrero as he starts unloading closed fists. Eddie just refuses to stay down, however, and gets in his face with a series of clotheslines, and a side suplex for two. He's still weakened, however, so Angle goes into the rolling German's - only for Eddie to counter the second one with a victory roll for two. Kurt levels him with a lariat in response, but the Angle-Slam is countered with an armdrag, and a headscissors. Eddie with rolling snap suplexes, but this time it's Kurt Angle who counters - into the Anklelock. Eddie breaks with a dropkick, and heads to the top rope - but there's Kurt with a belly-to-belly superplex for two. Anklelock, but Eddie counters into another victory roll for two. Thoroughly sick of his shit, Angle blasts him with a German suplex, but Guerrero still manages to counter the Angle-Slam with a DDT. Frog Splash for a dramatic two count - shocking Eddie as much as the crowd - and he gets caught in the Anklelock again as he tries to figure out what to do next. Kurt nearly snaps his foot off, but Eddie flings him to the floor, and uses the reprieve to undo his boot a bit - relieving the pressure on the bad ankle. He can't do much to follow-up, however, and a furious Angle runs in to slap the Anklelock back on - only for Eddie's boot to slip off, and Guerrero to cradle the confused challenger at 21:30 to retain. Really good, intense back-and-forth match – firing on all cylinders: from the psychology, to the selling, to the drama, to the creative finish. *** ¼

The Undertaker v Kane: Classic staredown to start, and ‘Taker just unloads on him. We spill to the floor, and ‘Taker lays him across the edge of the ring for a legdrop. Cross corner clothesline by Billie Joe Taker, and he goes for the Last Ride, but Kane stunguns him (or, well, at least in theory does - as they miss it by a mile). Sidewalk slam, and a flying clothesline get two. Slugfest, and ‘Taker catches him with a big boot/legdrop combo. Ropewalk forearm pops the Garden, but Kane catches him in a choke coming down, which Undertaker promptly counters with his own choke! ‘Taker does not like people stealing that one from him. Sequence ends with Kane hitting his chokeslam, and that’s gotta piss ‘Taker off. And, indeed, that kind of disrespect causes the sit up. Jumping clothesline, chokeslam, and the Tombstone finish at a brisk 7:45. The entrances took up as long as the match. * ¼

Main Event: World Heavyweight Title Triple Threat Match: Triple H v Shawn Michaels v Chris Benoit: Three-way shove fest ends in both guys ganging up on champion HHH, until Benoit starts trading chops with Michaels. That goes Benoit's way, of course, as does a pinfall reversal sequence into a Northern Lights suplex for two. Shawn finally manages to break the momentum with a clothesline, only for HHH pops back up and takes them both out. Benoit goes flying over the top to give us Shawn/HHH, and Michaels backdrops him, but gets caught with a high knee out of a criss cross. To the floor, Hunter bashes Benoit into the apron a couple of times, only for both of them to go down like bowling pins off of a Michaels baseball slide. Shawn punctuates it with a flying moonsault onto both, and rolls Hunter in for a two count. Backdrop, but HHH counters with a knee, and goes for the Pedigree - only for Benoit to save with a lariat. He posts Michaels to keep him out of things, and gives Triple H a snap suplex before unloading chops. Cross corner whip doesn't go his way, however, and HHH hangs him in a tree of woe - which he then whips Michaels into for two. Another try, but Shawn reverses, and schoolboys him for two. Shawn with the diving forearm, but the kip up is met with another lariat from Benoit, and he gives HHH the rolling Germans (with the nice touch of having to fire shots to weaken him between each) - only to get crotched by Michaels on the top rope. Shawn uses the reprieve to Superkick at Hunter, but HHH ducks it, dumps him, and goes back to superplex Benoit for two. He hooks the leg for a couple more two counts, and tries the Pedigree, but Benoit counters into the Crippler Crossface. Shawn dives in to break it up, and has the gall to try the rolling Germans on Benoit - only to get reversed as he goes for the second. Chris with the flying headbutt for two on Michaels, but a whip into the ropes allows Michaels to hit another diving forearm. Inverted atomic drop for the recovering HHH, and a bodyslam sets up the flying elbowdrop. Superkick, but Benoit pulls HHH out at two, and everyone spills to the floor. Michaels wins a slugfest with Benoit out there, and brings him in for some chops - only to get reversed into a Flair Flip in the corner. Slingshot draws blood (in a flawless bladejob), and Benoit hooks the Crossface - HHH physically stopping Shawn's hand from tapping. None too pleased, Benoit rams Hunter into the steps, but a second try gets reversed, and HHH preps a table. He tries a Pedigree through it, but Michaels wants in on the fun, and they work together to suplex Benoit from one announce table through another. Benoit out of the way, the bloody Michaels beckons HHH into the ring to settle things, and they get right into a big slugfest. Shawn actually manages to win that, and Hunter Flair Flips to the floor for Shawn to post - blading off of it. Back in, Shawn keeps firing closed fists, but walks into a Pedigree as he winds up for a wild haymaker. HHH crawls over to throw an arm on him for the pin, but there's that pesky Benoit to break up the count again. Hunter tries to give him a Pedigree, too, but Chris counters into a Sharpshooter - HHH screaming in pain! Benoit pulls him back just as he's about to make the ropes, and that's likely it - only for Shawn to blast him with a Superkick to break. That gets two, so Shawn tries it again - only to get backdropped to the floor. Meanwhile, HHH has recovered, and goes for the Pedigree on Benoit - but gets countered into the Crossface, and he taps out at 24:30 - putting Benoit over completely clean. I did not expect that at all, live, as I figured that if Eddie managed to squeak by Angle there would be no way they'd put Benoit over, too. But they did - and as Jim Ross was screaming on commentary, 'finally!' Afterwards, Eddie Guerrero comes down with his title belt, and the two old pals – finally kings of the mountain – embrace with real tears in their eyes at center ring, as confetti falls. This was a fabulous moment - a moment of justification for many fans 'like us' who waited years and years to see this happen. It would still likely rank as one of the best WrestleMania Moments ever, if not for the tragic end of both men’s lives over the next three years. The match itself was fantastic - insanely well worked, and paced (taking tremendous advantage of having three guys out there to share the workload), and it would probably make rankings as one of the best WrestleMania matches of all time if it hadn't been written out of history. **** ¼

BUExperience: This show is the ultimate example of ‘let’s book a show so long that eventually some good matches have take place’ theory. And, yes, there are some good matches, but the parade just goes on and on and on. The show is so insanely long (it’s like WrestleMania IV fell off the Wellness Program wagon – and ironically, Donald Trump was sitting at ringside), that you just feel numb by the end of it. Which is a shame, because Benoit’s big moment (and the celebration with Eddie) – while obviously taking on a different, more tragic meaning today – was a huge feel good moment, and a huge validation for fans like me who waited years to see it. The action and historical significance are more than enough to make it relevant – but it’s certainly not a show I plan on watching in full ever again, if I can help it. *

While I very much enjoyed seeing Benoit and Guerrero finally walk of WrestleMania as champions, it was too little too late for me. And that’s the hardest part. Everything we wanted was only a Monday away. RAW. Nitro. I’d watch three/four hours over a weekend, and then I'd either tune in to RAW, or tape it while I watched Nitro. Didn't matter. It didn't mean anything. When I was bored, I'd go out and rent some more. We had everything. We had Hart. We had Hogan. We had Austin. And… now it's all over. Today everything is different; there's no attitude... I have to watch old blurred DVDs like everyone else. I can't even get into shows - right after I got here, I wanted a bloody WarGames, and I got egg noodles and ketchup. I tune into RAW, and see blinged out, sign-pointing nobodies. And I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook.