WrestleMania and my love for fake fights

Two weeks ago I took a 5 day weekend and drove to Phoenix, Arizona. The purpose? WrestleMania. For those who know me, they know that ever since I was a child I have been hooked on the pageantry of the WWF/WWE. I still remember being a 8 year old boy and arguing with my best friend David, that Wrestling was real. He would tell me how it was fake and stupid, and I would argue that it was real and that Hulk Hogan's fights were legit because he would often bleed. It would be at a house show at the Old Salt Palace that would forever change the way I looked at Wrestling. Brutus the Barber Beefcake would be facing The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Title. I remember being extra excited for this match as Beefcake was my mothers favorite wrestler. I'm sure it was because of his see-through spandex. Anyhow, during this match Beefcake went to kick Honky right in the chest. Problem was he missed by a good two feet, yet Honky just acted like his chest just caved in. He rolled around in pain and the crowd ate it up. I thought to myself, "Damn it!!! David was right!".

It wasn't long after that match that I stopped watching wrestling. The characters became too cartoon like and other interests came in my life. I played baseball, basketball, and other rec sports. I also fell in love with music and was once again burned by someone pretending to be something they weren't, Milli Vanilli, but that's another blog. It took about another 10 years for me to fall for wrestling, but I did in the summer of 2000.

I became friends with a nice kid named Adam, who worked at Smiths with me. Adam is a very eccentric person and one of his favorite things is Pro Wrestling. He likes it a little too much maybe. If you don't belive me, just look at his High School photos. He liked to lug around a 20 pound replica Heavyweight Championship belt with him. I like wrestling, but not like Adam does! :) But anyhow, Adam asked me to go to a show with him and I agreed. We scored front row tickets and the show was very fun. We saw The Rock, Triple H, and many more attitude era stars. I was hooked again. Which brings me to the present day. I am stuck on this phony fighting. It's my guilty pleasure. I am intrigued by the "art" of pulling off a match. The production of the show, and how two fake fighters can tell a story through choreographed risk. One of my favorite performers is a man named Michael Hickenbottom. Of course he doesn't go by that name, he wrestles as Shawn Michaels, or HBK as some call him. It's short for his nickname, The Heart Break Kid. HBK will go down in this fake sport as one of the top five performers of all-time. Other wrestlers say his matches are so good, he could go out with a mop and make it look like a fight. At this years WrestleMania, he was booked in match he couldn't "win" and placed his career on the line if he lost.

In the world of fake wrestling, Shawn Michaels had booked his retirement match. He was scheduled to fight a man called The Undertaker in a rematch from last years Wrestlemania classic. The twist this year was that if Shawn lost, he would retire. The Undertaker is undefeated at Wrestlemania, and the WWE is going to keep pushing his streak as the ultimate accomplishment in the business. So any "mark" (lingo for wrestling geek that is in the know) knew that Michaels was going to lose and move on. I had to go to the show. I had to see the "Show-Stopper" one more time. I asked Jill if we could go. She laughed at me, but said ok, probably thinking I was just being silly. But then I did it. Booked a hotel and bought two tickets online. Phoenix, here we come.

We invited some friends to come down, who agreed but politly declined to watch the phony fights with us. We had a good time in Phoenix as we went to the Zoo, and to two sping training baseball games, but the highlight for me, and even Jill, was WrestleMania. Over 72,000 fans packed The University of Phoenix Stadium to watch the event. The production value of the show was amazing. Many of the matches were well told, but there were a few stinkers (McMahon VS Hart). But in the main event for the night, HBK would take on the "Dead Man" in another instant classic. The match went back and forth and for 20 minutes it had 72,000 people in attendance and millions around the world on the edge of their seats. We all were caught in the moment and suspended disbelief. Finally, after the Undertaker delivered another devastating tombstone piledriver, Michaels was pinned for his final three count. Fire works shot off, and an 18-0 logo appeared on the jumbo tron. Undertaker did his trademark pose, and then did something out of character. He picked up Shawn Micahels, shook his hand and then they hugged. Shawn Michaels received a huge ovation from the live crowd and thanked everyone. Tears filled his eyes, as it did many in the arena. Jill herself, who thinks wrestling is foolish was moved to tears. In the world of fake wrestling, this moment was very real.