Pages

Sunday, March 27, 2016

MVPs of WrestleMania #5


By Kevin Hunsperger & Chad Smart
@kevinhunsperger, @chadsmart, @my123cents

Last year I had the idea to do an MVPs of WrestleMania blog, but came up with it a day or two before the big event.  So I held my list waiting for WrestleMania 32 to roll around.  Admittedly I've made a couple of minor tweaks to the original list and debated internally over the quality of my list.  I invited Chad to play along too.  While the lists aren't perfect (he's not in our top ten), I hope you enjoy.  A new blog will be posted daily until March 31, the day I leave for Dallas.

Warrior vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Courtesy: WWE
Kevin's pick:

5) Triple H:  Love him or hate him, it's hard to deny the impact Triple H has had on WrestleMania, not just as a performer but a part of WWE management.  Triple H made his WrestleMania debut 20 years ago as Hunter Hearst Helmsley against a returning Ultimate Warrior.  Sure that outing was less than successful, but it didn't take long for HHH to become one of WWE's big players.  He has had several championship matches, including beating Chris Jericho for the Undisputed Championship at WrestleMania 18.  

He became the first heel to win a WrestleMania main event at WM 2000.  (I don't count Yokozuna's win at WM 9 because Hulk Hogan walked out that night as champion.)  My favorite Triple H WrestleMania match came a couple years ago when he lost to Daniel Bryan in the opener at WrestleMania 30.  It was a bit of a torch passing moment... kinda.  This year the 46 year old heads into the main event of WrestleMania as the defending champion.  When I watched the Blue Blood get squashed in 1996, I never imagined he'd be the champion 20 years later.


The Fink
Courtesy: WWE
Chad's pick:

5) Howard Finkel: There is only one person to appear on camera at the first 31 WrestleManias. That man is affectionately known as, “The Fink.”  Legend has it, Fink is also the one credited with coining the term, WrestleMania.  While he is now reduced to introducing the Hall of Fame inductees, it’s no denying the early WrestleManias would have sounded very different without Howard Finkel’s distinctive voice announcing the competitors.  

No comments:

Post a Comment