Posted in: Doctor's Orders
Doctor's Orders: The Road to WrestleMania Countdown (#41 - #55)
By The Doc
Feb 25, 2015 - 8:50:49 PM



Welcome back to the Road to WrestleMania 31. Hundreds of men and women have performed on the grandest stage over the course of its rich history. For the next few months, we will celebrate them all…from worst to best. Anyone who has ever had the honor of competing on a Mania card has joined an elite group of pro wrestlers. I salute them all. Great performances, headlining positions, the fondness with which a wrestler is held in the memories of fans across the world, victories in major bouts with high stakes, and the like will shape the top of the ranking hierarchy from here on. Number of appearances takes a backseat to quality of appearances in a more pronounced manner. And it's not just about matches; it's about the prominence of role. Enjoy the Countdown!


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Snowman is a genius



QUESTION OF THE DAY (29): You’re given creative freedom to rewrite history and change a WrestleMania main-event. Which one do you choose and how do you change it?


55. “The Model” Rick Martel
54. Bobby Lashley
53. Umaga
52. Goldberg
51. King Kong Bundy
50. Trish Stratus
49. Booker T
48. Owen Hart
47. The Dudley Boyz
46. Lawrence Taylor
45. Shane McMahon
44. Christian
43. Sycho Sid
42. The Miz
41. Floyd Mayweather


Day 29: Limited But Historic Success


43. Sycho Sid



“The Master and Ruler of the World” holds a statistic that should blow you away if you’re a Mania aficionado such as myself – he is the only superstar to have ever had a 100% ratio of Mania appearances to Mania main-events. He only wrestled two matches and both times he went on last. Impressive, eh? Granted, they took place during an economic downshift between the Hulkamania and Attitude Eras, neither was noted for its critical accomplishments, and he was inserted into his closing match role in part because plans changed last minute, but nobody else in the thirty year history of the “Granddaddy” can make the same claim as Sid when it comes to his awesome ratio stat.

It’s not just the ratio that makes Sid’s Mania resume stand out, either. His two matches were against two of the top stars of all-time: Hulk Hogan and Undertaker. Sid had a presence that had WWE wanting to make him the next Hogan. On the surface, it might have worked. He got over in 1991. When Hogan decided it was time for him to transition away from wrestling, however, nobody on the WWE roster better fit the mold to play the traditional Hogan foil than Sid. Five years later, when the WWE Championship situation was a complete mess and the creative direction switched to awarding Taker for his hard work, Sid was again an ideal antagonist to pit against a larger-than-life hero. I’ll leave you guys to debate his merits, but you can’t take anything away from what he did.

42. The Miz



Miz is amongst the class in WWE history that peaked at an incredible height, but never (as of yet) reached that pinnacle again or even came close to it. You can take nothing away from what he did in 2011, standing tall in a land of historical giants such as John Cena and The Rock to successfully defend the WWE Championship in the main-event. Seriously, how many wrestlers have ever done what Miz did at Mania XXVII?

I know that a lot of fans would rather forget that Miz was allowed to join the elite ranks of both Mania main-eventers and winners of Mania main-events, not the least of which would be CM Punk. It’s difficult to deny that, as of now, it’s hard to look at Miz and see a wrestler who once earned that kind of spot. Yet, the fact of the matter is that he did earn it. Back in 2009, he was a surprise hit, proving that he could antagonize the fan base with the best of them. He just got better and better, on the mic and in the ring, through 2010. That, combined with his past as a reality TV star and marketable personality, was why he was given the honor in 2011. It may drive the likes of Punk and his biggest supporters crazy – and, hey, it is a shame that Punk never received the same honor of going on last at Mania – but blame that not on Miz, but WWE. Personally, I think we’ll look back at Miz in a decade or so and more fondly recall his place in history. He may still make a comeback in a manner similar but not equal to Chris Jericho (who was not well-regarded for his main-event, either, until long after the fact).

41. Floyd Mayweather



Joining the elite celebrity group is boxing’s biggest modern box office draw. I, personally, just don’t see the appeal, but I also will never deny how appreciative I am of his efforts at Mania 24. I was in Orlando for that match against Big Show and I was blown away at how entertaining it was. Mayweather really stepped up. I thought that it was all the more impressive that the original plan had called for Floyd to play the babyface, so he was able to pull off what he accomplished in spite of an audible that found him in his usual comfort zone of being the filthy rich antagonist. I have this picture of celebrity angles being highly scripted and well-planned so as not to embarrass the non-wrestler. So, it probably suited Floyd to be the heel due to his natural attitude, but it was still a deviation from what was originally laid out for him, creatively. Also, he was the catalyst for the smashing WM24 buyrate. It’s amazing to think of the audiences that Mania has been able to draw since 2007’s Mania 23 eclipsed the 1 million buy mark. Thank Floyd for continuing that trend. I don’t think anything else on that card, though it was great, yet had the ability to draw that sort of number. Because of his 2008 efforts for WWE, I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame, 100%. Again, kudos to all involved for that match.


Day 28: Here Comes LT, My Peeps


46. Lawrence Taylor



Had the Monday Night War not been such a memorable time that drew in so many new wrestling fans, those of us that had been around before Attitude and New World Order might have talked a lot more about LT’s role in saving WWE’s backside in the mid-1990s. Taylor was not the celebrity in 1995 that a similar NFL player would be in today’s world with the skyrocketing popularity of pro football, but he was still a pretty big deal that brought WWE back to its 1985 roots. WWE’s stacked rosters and dream matches allowed wrestlers to take over as the primary focus of Mania from 1987’s Pontiac, Michigan spectacular until about 1992. Unfortunately, as the business trailed off, WWE had to go back to the formula used in the beginning of Mania’s existence – use celebrity to highlight the product. To LT’s credit, he was tasked with training for a solo match – no tagging with the top star in the business; he had to go it alone and pray that Bam Bam Bigelow, his opponent, and Pat Patterson, the guest referee, could guide him. I think it’s safe to say that it all worked out spectacularly well given the circumstances. It wound up being a much-needed profile boost for pro wrestling’s mainstream credibility after the steroid trial a few years prior. Taylor took it seriously and performed well, earning a paycheck that pretty much maxed out WWE’s financial flexibility for the fiscal year, despite Mania choosing its weakest location to date in its own corporate backyard in Connecticut.

45. Shane McMahon



I was not an IWC member when Shane last donned his specially-made event jersey and marched down to the ring for competition, but I wonder how I would have felt, with my internet-driven mindset, had I been a card-carrier back then. In hindsight, Shane’s two matches were very good. His bout with X-Pac in 1999 is highly underrated, if you ask me. Some would call his Street Fight with his dad two years later a classic; it certainly was a thrilling effort, booked to delight, and better than it had any right to be given the participants. So, the in-ring resume is strong. There are also his appearances to consider. He was a major factor in the Mania 2000 main-event and the Mania 22 and 23 headliners between his father and Shawn Michaels and Donald Trump, respectively. He popped up at Mania XIX, as well, prominently showing his face for the first time in quite awhile after Vince had lost to Hulk Hogan.

I’m surprised that more columns have not been written about Shane over the years. He lived a dream that so many of us wish that we could and he did not take it for granted. His dad was a wrestling promoter and, despite very little wrestling training, he made a small fortune as a wrestler. He could have easily phoned it in, but he never did. He put his body on the line like few in the business ever have and earned the respect of the locker room in the process (an unverified but hopeful fact).

44. Christian



Christian and the superstars who preceded him on the list were a jumbled mishmash in regards to rankings. I consider them pretty interchangeable. What separated Christian for me was the sheer amount of success that he had in Ladder matches at Mania. He was one of the standard bearers with the Triangle situation at Manias 2000 and X-Seven, respectively. It didn’t hurt his cause that he and Edge won both of those matches with (at the time) prestigious tag team gold on the line. Then, he went onto star in the original Money in the Bank Ladder match and two of the later incarnations, as well. If it were not for all of that shared credit, then he would have ranked higher, but he had to split the critical and championship accolades with at least one person (Edge) and usually several.

If we liken WWE stars to actors, then Christian would be one of those guys narrowly on the fringe of the A-list in Mania history. Overall, as noted in the WrestleMania Era, he ranks much higher because a lot of his singles success took place on stages other than the one commonly labeled “grand,” but his Mania resume is none too shabby. Since he was such a specialist at Mania (ladders) and only once got to fully showcase what he was capable of outside of a gimmick – his MSG match with Chris Jericho in 2004 was outstanding – he’s sort of a Mania version of Jackie Chan (or someone of that ilk).


Day 27: Diversity the Theme as We Enter the Top 50


50. Trish Stratus



We’re going to start the top 50 with what may be a controversial choice. Recent years at LOP, since we began the LOP Hall of Fame project in 2013, have given me an idea as to how our readers feel about the woman that I believe to be the greatest female wrestler of all-time, Trish Stratus. Older fans have an appreciation for the Fabulous Moolah that leaves little room for debate, while younger fans are so conditioned to view women’s wrestling as irrelevant that the idea of a female being a major player seems impossible. Well, I think there’s plenty of room for discussion about the greatest female and I also believe that Trish belongs in the top 50 in Mania history.

The cycle for dominant runs as a WWE headliner are, outside of the usual suspects that earned their stripes as the top guys of a generation, pretty small. Trish was a storyline-focal point at three consecutive Manias from 2004-2006. Not many men can say that. Frankly, not many men that rank ahead of her can say that. She became so indispensible that her Mania stories during that three year run would start in the fall of the previous year and conclude at Mania. Her cause would only have been strengthened had her epic feud with Lita reached its originally desired climax in 2005. As such, her body of work is still very impressive, ending with the top women’s wrestling match of the WrestleMania Era at Mania 22. All NXT and TNA pundits, you cannot duplicate the atmosphere produced by the fans at All State Arena for Trish vs. Mickie James.

49. Booker T



The 5-time WCW Champion had a very successful WWE run with two peaks – one at Mania as a challenger and the other as a champion during the once important Summerslam to Survivor Series stretch. That initial peak coincided with the end of a highly impressive first two years with the company. Of all the WCW talents to come over in the initial aftermath of WWE’s takeover, Booker was one of only two stars that came out looking like he could amount to something as a headliner down the road (the other was RVD). He faltered a bit when the InVasion ended, but he gained a ton of momentum after a 2002 babyface turn and partnership with Goldust made him into a hot commodity as a protagonist. Book got so over that he earned a shot at Triple H’s World title at Mania XIX. I didn’t always feel this way, but I now, personally, feel as though Booker vs. HHH was a helluva story told that year. It flies under the radar on such a stacked show, but enough time has passed that the criticism for the finish should vanish, replaced by an enhanced respect for the presentation, in its entirety. Book came up short, but sometimes the bad guy has to win so he can lose better, later.

Book never did much at Mania outside of that one match. He made several other appearances, notching a match with Edge and a Money in the Bank Ladder match appearance in his belt, but when you headline a Mania with a World Championship on the line, you don’t need much else to keep your name relevant in the all-time conversation.

48. Owen Hart



Booker T had the World Heavyweight Championship match to his credit, but the large portion of a WrestleMania (Mania X) was creatively built around the Hart brothers. Storyline-wise, Bret and Owen’s classic curtain jerker was given the most television time of any of the feuds in 1994. Even after the Hitman won the WWE title in the main-event after losing the opener, Owen came back out to show his irritation at the whole situation. So, Mania X opened and closed, at least to some degree, with a focus on the Rocket. The quality of the Owen-Bret match alone would be enough, for me, to keep the youngest Hart brother in the top 50. That remains one of my favorite matches of all-time. Nobody played the jealous character better than Owen. Surely, there had to be something genuine about his performance. There were times when his acting was a little hokey, but the underlying theme of the conflict never veered off course, begging the question as to whether or not Owen was ever actually acting at all.

The rest of Owen’s Mania resume was pretty solid, too, even though he never reached anywhere close to the heights of his Mania 10 match. He won the Tag Team titles at Mania XI, was on the winning side of a six-man tag at Mania XII, continued to stay relevant in 1997 and 1999 with two more Tag title matches, and had a very underrated mid-card match against Triple H at Mania XIV in Boston.

47. The Dudley Boyz



All due respect to Rob Van Dam and the other ECW Originals (and to Mick Foley, who I don’t personally view as an ECW guy), but the most Mania-successful Extreme wrestlers to come out of Paul Heyman’s Philadelphia outfit were the Dudley Boyz. During that 18-month period when tag team wrestling all of a sudden became a legitimate WWE draw again from late 1999 to early 2001, the Dudleys were huge stars in the most celebrated era in WWE history. It’s no coincidence, in my opinion, that the Dudleys showed up in late 1999 and then the dominos started falling that led to the second (and, to date, last) golden age of WWE tag team wrestling. They sort of bridged the gap between Mick Foley retiring and the end of the physically brutal Attitude Era. Along with Edge, Christian, and the Hardys, Bubba Ray and Devon took high risk to a whole new level. To see what Bubba did in TNA in recent years and think that there was this Foley-esque, brilliant wrestling mind behind all that body-crashing stuff from TLC is astonishing to me, in hindsight. I love it, though. It adds a touch of perspective to the creativity behind those incredible stunt brawls. The only bonehead in the six man TLC bunch was Jeff.

I have a ton of appreciation for the Dudleys. They had just two major Mania appearances, but they were both superlative. Tag Team Championship bouts at Mania X-8 and XX accentuated their stellar five year run in WWE. The tag scene has not been the same since they left.


Day 26: One Hit Wonders of a Higher Class


55. “The Model” Rick Martel



Why Rick Martel? Call it Arrogance

One of the most underrated WrestleManias of all-time is WrestleMania VII. And one of the most underrated WrestleMania performances of all-time is WrestleMania’s Blindfold match between Rick Martel and Jake Roberts. Critically admonished as it may have been, I have never seen fit to ignore the fact that two accomplished in-ring technicians such as Martel and Roberts were given one of the most difficult gimmicks to work with and managed to light the Los Angeles crowd on fire. With every point of the finger, errant punch, grab of the referee’s shirt, and near collision, the audience was 100% locked into the match. Part of what elicits a reaction in wrestling is conflict being resolved in the squared circle. Taking away the essential element of physical contact and brutality, yet still accomplishing the goal of having the crowd eating out of your hand? That’s as impressive a feat as any in Mania lore.

Martel competed at six Manias, first as a tag team specialist – a champion at Mania IV – and later as “The Model” – the smarmy heel character that led him all the way to a headlining spot against “The Snake.” He’s a Hall of Famer in my book.

54. Bobby Lashley



Just getting nudged in the rankings by his Mania 23 opponent is Bobby Lashley, the star who appeared headed for massive success in WWE before crashing and burning amidst the politics and (rumored) old southern prejudices of the pro wrestling business. He seemed destined for big things when he burst onto the Mania scene as the hulking muscle man of the 2nd annual Money in the Bank Ladder match in Chicago. His performance was not particularly noteworthy, but he certainly appeared to be a talent worth keeping your eye on. With strength to spare and an accomplished amateur pedigree, he drew comparisons (and a nickname) to Brock Lesnar. Their careers would parallel in some ways. Lashley was pushed as the face of a new brand – ECW – and had a huge impact at one of his first Manias, headlining Detroit’s Hair vs. Hair saga as Donald Trump’s handpicked representative. Yet, like Lesnar, something as age old in pro wrestling as locker room hazing is in pro football removed him from the game before he ever reached his ceiling. As such, he became a footnote in history, remembered as much for what he never did as for what he actually accomplished.

53. Umaga



The Samoan Bulldozer had just two WrestleMania matches, but his presence in his first was made all the more noteworthy due to the buyrate of that year’s “Granddaddy.” Mania 23 has been financially topped only once in the event’s 30 year history and, though the spectacle has become so great that it is difficult to fully assign credit for economic success to one match, “The Battle of the Billionaires” was undeniably a major factor in the Ford Field extravaganza’s sheer volume of money drawn. Umaga was front and center for Vince McMahon’s attempts to shave Donald Trump’s head bald. His peers just beneath him on this list simply cannot claim to have been a part of something that helped pop that kind of buyrate. Granted, very few saw Umaga’s name or face on the marquee and decided to make him their primary purchasing reason, but he was Vince’s hit man. He was pushed about as strongly as anyone in modern WWE history during his first year and it paid off with credibility. The following year, he mixed it up with Batista in a forgettable match that could’ve been better, but when your two Mania performances involve names like Austin, McMahon, Trump, and Batista, you’ve done something right. RIP.

52. Goldberg



The WCW legend was anything but legendary during his time in WWE, though he was quite memorable. WWE was unable to capture lightning in a bottle with Goldberg as WCW was able to do in the late 1990s, proving that lightning never strikes twice in the same spot. From a historian’s perspective, neither party was motivated by the right things to make the situation work. His stint in WWE did add to his legacy, but the timing was not right for the maximization of the partnership.

Goldberg was a feature attraction at a very important WrestleMania, however. Mania XIX had flopped at the box office. During that show, Goldberg’s first WWE vignette was shown. One year later, “Da Man” was pitted against a man that many had referred to as “WWE’s version of Goldberg,” Brock Lesnar. The former NCAA Heavyweight Champion was a force to be reckoned with in a similar fashion to what Goldberg had been at his apex in 1998. Timing, again, was the undoing of what could have been a marvelous pairing. Both men were leaving WWE after their Mania XX match…and Madison Square Garden knew it. In a match lauded for the crowd turning on both participants, Goldberg was a true professional, carrying a noticeably frustrated Lesnar to a solid outing. Mania XX drew very strong numbers that catalyzed the “Show of Shows” to the heights it still reaches today.

51. King Kong Bundy



WWE, in the early years of the WrestleMania Era, was a land of giants. You had Andre, who was the most gigantic of all. You had John Studd, who well-represented his nickname, “Big.” And then there was a mass of humanity that borrowed from the moniker established by Hollywood’s iconic gorilla, King Kong.

The thought process when Hulk Hogan became the rebranded face of sports entertainment was to pit him against men who were larger than him, creating doubts in the minds of young fans as to whether or not their heroic Hulkster could overcome the challenge. The first of these monsters to clash with Hogan with the world watching was King Kong Bundy, who established a formula that would, one year later, become the essence of Hulkamania’s enemies. The bigger the badder. Bundy had begun has grand stage career with a record 8-second victory over SD Jones and would conclude it in a match that helped build the mystique surrounding the Undertaker’s famous “Streak.” He peaked, though, as one of the most legitimate threats that we ever saw to Hulk Hogan’s multi-year first championship reign. Locked inside a Steel Cage, Bundy and Hogan fought a bloody battle in the main-event of WrestleMania 2.

King Kong has an indelible legacy in film lore, but he also has one in professional wrestling history. Don’t forget it…