Is this really the most hated WrestleMania of all time? Arguing the case for WWE’s most maligned annual spectacle
With WrestleMania getting underway next month, WWE fans might remember 1993 for all the wrong reasons.
WWE WrestleMania’s illustrious history has provided wrestling fans with memories to last a lifetime, but poor WrestleMania 9 remains one plenty would sooner forget.
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Fans may well be buzzing about this year’s instalment of WWE’s biggest show of the year, WrestleMania 40 coming from Philadelphia with a two-night extravaganza.
But while this and many Mania epics before it have been star-studded occasions earning five-star reviews, the 1993 instalment has stood the test of time for being the awkward, odd one out.
That’s at least how some view WrestleMania 9, which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada in April of ’93.
With a staggeringly low 3.9 out of 10 rating on wrestling stat bible Cagematch, there aren’t too many with good things to say about the show that saw two WWE Championship title changes.
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Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart had been unseated as champion by Yokozuna, who in turn was defeated by Hulk Hogan in a matter of seconds – an ending steeped in backstage politicking that’s been slammed in the 20-plus years since.
While that seems the biggest bone of contention for WWE fans, the overall presentation of the show also underwhelmed many.
The company transformed the Vegas venue Cesar’s Palace into an actual Caesars Palace of sorts, billing the event as The World’s Largest Toga party.
Ring announcer Howard Finkel and commentator Jim Ross were among those forced to awkwardly don a toga for the show, while actors portraying Caesar and Cleopatra were also introduced to the live crowd.
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One particularly brutal Cagematch show review reads: “That ending, oh god that ending was everything wrong with Hogan to the max, might be one of his worst moments on [WWE], just disgusting.”
Another pulls just as few punches, adding: “Probably the Worst Wrestlemania of all time filled with terrible wrestling and really dumb booking decision every wrestler here either look dumb or look weak…”
But was it really all that bad? Some long-time fans actually remember ‘Mania 9’ with a far fonder eye – and for good reason, too, when you take a step back to try and find the positives.
Here we round up definite plus points that argue against WrestleMania 9 being the worst of all time:
Jim Ross makes his WWE debut
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While Good Ol’ JR may be regarded as one of the finest wrestling commentators of all time, notably for his work behind the WWE announce desk.
WrestleMania 9 marked his first day on the job and, toga or not, he delivered a great call throughout, adding a real sports feel to WWE’s pantomime style.
While the three-man booth featuring Macho Man Randy Savage and Bobby the Brain Heenan felt crowded at times, it’s hard to imagine this era of WWE action without Ross as the mouthpiece.
WrestleMania 9’s look and feel was totally different
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The togas weren’t to everyone’s taste, that’s for sure. But 16,000 fans packed into Cesar’s Palace that sunny April afternoon and were given something, visually, that WWE had never tried before. (Yes, we accept, they have not tried since, either)
From costumes and props to false Roman pillars, they made the effort to create something unique. The in-ring action from the day has resulted in the Toga Party being remembered as a joke but, in truth, it would probably have helped make the day at the time.
Shawn Michaels and tag teams shine superbly
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There were some less-than-stellar matches at WrestleMania 9 – that we cannot contest. But there were a few gems, too.
The two that spring to mind are the Intercontinental title bout and a thrilling tag team effort. Shawn Michaels, defending the ‘IC’ gold, wrestled the undefeated Tatanka in the first match of the broadcast, and it’s an encounter that undoubtedly stands the test of time as one of WrestleMania’s finest openers.
Also really watchable was the tag match that saw The Steiner Brothers defeat The Headshrinkers in meeting that felt before its time in terms of its pace and execution. The Steiners, perhaps wasted in WWE in 1993, came out on top in arguably one of the top moments of their entire run.
These are two matches you should seek out if you’ve never seen them before.
Mr Perfect delivers the goods, of course
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Mr Perfect was one of the most accomplished wrestling stars of the early 1990s and shone in WWE thanks to a memorable Intercontinental title reign.
He wound down his in-ring activities with WWE during 1993, so WrestleMania 9 was actually his final in-ring showing at a Mania, though he would appear on screen at others.
Ten minutes of solid wrestling was handed to Perfect and his foe, Lex Luger, for what was another entertaining match on the card, with bad guy Luger coming out on top via pinfall in a hotly contested finish.
Doink the Clown remains one of the greatest wrestling villains ever
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Though Doink may be remembered by some 1990s WWE fans as a fun-loving clown that entertained kids at events all over the world, there are those who remember his prior incarnation, a devious and sinister soul, expertly portrayed by Matt Borne.
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His match with Crush at WrestleMania 9 provides a perfect glimpse into the star quality of the wrestler and the character alike. Doink came out on top – unfairly of course – thanks to the infamous Double Vision sketch that saw a second wrestler in a Doink costume appear to attack his opponent while the referee lay out of action.
This is one moment worth seeking out WrestleMania 9 for on its own merits – but it’s far from alone. Just as this show is far from the worst WrestleMania in history. At least in our view.
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