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Many people would just click over the wrestling channel without giving it a second thought. We forget that wrestling is rich in history and does not only consist of fake soap opera entertainment.
Any fan of the sport would have watched it for years; growing up with some of their favourite TV personalities, watching them from when they debuted to when they retired. The sport has had its fair share of off-screen drama involving the tabloids and various other taboo occurrences only adding to the tension on-screen.
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We often forget that the stunts we see on TV are examples of pure athleticism and take a specific type of person with sheer guts and bravery to perform them. These men and women put everything they have into their performance and risk some injuring themselves in the process.
The sport’s history and sports betting in the USA is absolutely amazing with plenty of records and achievements and a loyal fan base who love a flutter; these factors are worth mentioning. We’re going to focus on the most iconic moments in wrestling history that shaped this on-screen world into what it has become today.
Hell in a Cell: Mankind vs the Undertaker
This fight will go down in history as a match that succeeded in blurring the lines between the acting world and reality. The crowd really didn't know what was real and what was fake when Mankind took on the Undertaker.
Some might say that a match like this one should never be repeated with many believing that Mick Foley, Mankind, had been killed by the end of the match.
That night in 1998 was a night of carnage, and both men danced with the devil in that ring. Commentator JR had everyone in the palm of his hand as fans watched on in disbelief as the Undertaker lay into Mankind one blow after another.
Unfortunately, thumbtacks were involved, and the match ended with Foley lying unconscious on the floor with no one knowing if he was faking it. Later Foley’s wife, and many others including Vince McMahon, made him promise never to do anything as extreme as that match which took place on that night in 1998.
The Retirement of Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XXVI
Another iconic moment featuring The Undertaker, this fight was definitely the most memorable and critical moment in wrestling history.
For many, this encounter at Wrestlemania 26 would remain etched into their memory and is still mentioned at Wrestlemania events. The match was one of the best wrestling fans have ever seen; the fighting standard will be hard to replicate. If you managed to get a ringside seat for this match you are considered incredibly fortunate, as this was one that you needed to see in person to truly grasp the sheer gravity of the situation and its impact on wrestling from then on.
The match was the finale between two wrestling legends with both wrestlers having their own record achievements in the sport. It was an 18-year streak competing with a 25-year career that made this fight the penultimate match for that night and in the history of wrestling.
It didn't take a serious fan to predict that Shawn would lose that night and that the Undertaker would remain victorious. But very few were ready for when Michaels walked out of the ring, marking the end of his career in the world of wrestling.
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The match was full of tension and suspense and ended 20 years of history with a few weeping fans in the crowd to add to the drama.
Hulk Hogan Bodyslams Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania 3
Imagine Hulk Hogan body-slamming a 500-pound man? Has to be the most significant moment in all of wrestling history. The match made a name for Hulk Hogan, but it let everyone know that Wrestlemania was here and took the sport seriously.
This David v Goliath match featured Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant and exhibited the most notorious bodyslam to have ever been seen on TV; greater than when future wrestling superstars such as Lex Luger and Ezekiel Jackson would slam the likes of Yokozuna Big Show.
With over 90,000 fans in the crowd and millions more watching it on their screens, this night of March 29, 1987, would shape wrestling into what it is today.
These iconic moments have earnt the serious sport of wrestling a seat at the table and prove that this sport is, in fact, art and should be taken seriously by everyone and not simply brushed aside as a soap opera.
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