The Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid

The Winner: The Undertaker

Background Noise

Courtesy of @WyzaNow on twitter

The main feud heading into WrestleMania 13 was between The Undertaker and Sycho Sid, with the two battling over the WWF Championship. At In Your House 13, Bret Hart last eliminated The Undertaker in a Four Corners Elimination match to win the vacant WWF Championship. Hart's reign, however, lasted only one day as he lost the title the next night on Raw to Sycho Sid after interference by Steve Austin. Due to being the runner-up to the title at Final Four, Undertaker was made the number one contender and was booked to challenge Sycho Sid for the title at WrestleMania. However, on the March 17 edition of Raw, Sid defended the title against Hart in a steel cage match, with the winner defending his title at WrestleMania. During the match, both Undertaker and Austin interfered. Undertaker came out to help Sid because he wanted to wrestle Sid for the title while Austin helped Hart because he wanted to make his scheduled no disqualification submission match with Hart a title match. Sid won the match and retained his title and as a result, Sid vs. Undertaker remained the main event of WrestleMania.

This match was the first time that Paul Bearer did not accompany The Undertaker to the ring at WrestleMania, turning on him approximately 7 months earlier. Shawn Michaels was on commentary for this. I do not remember watching this match, in fact I have never seen the match. But I do remember my mom telling me the result of the match at like 3 in the morning after the show. I don’t know why.

The Bell

Bret Hart, for some reason comes out to the ring, grabs a microphone and shouts at Shawn Michaels, then Undertaker, then Sid. Sid punches, then powerbombs Bret. I thought Sid was the villain in this match and was pretty sure that Bret was a hero at this point, yet the crowd cheers at this. The mat is dirty. I assume it is Steve Austin’s blood as he did bleed quite a bit earlier in the night. Sid is using a bearhug which would weaken the back and make it more difficult for Undertaker to hit a tombstone. He drops him ribs first on the guard rail. Puts him in the camel clutch.

This reminds me, apparently Sid shit his pants either before or during this match. That may be what is on the canvas. It does look like a rusty color. Sid got a near fall and after The Undertaker kicked out, Sid kept going back to the pin, under the belief that each kickout would wear out Taker more. Shawn Michaels does add a lot on commentary to this match. Giving his expertise as the best way to beat Sid (take out his legs). Undertaker does something I have noticed that he does in most of these WrestleMania matches, he tries for a running elbow drop and misses.

Sid does a great deal of attacks from the ropes, which given how his career would end a few years later (broken leg after a bad landing from the ropes) is kind of ominous. Undertaker even had to resort to go up top to try and fell the very large Sid. Sid reverses a tombstone piledriver on The Undertaker into one of his own. After The Undertaker kicked out, Sid tosses him out of the ring. During a brawl outside, Bret Hart runs in and hits Sid in the back with a chair in front of the referee. Undertaker takes advantage of this, tossing Sid, spine first into the ring post. He then hits a chokeslam, only gets a two count. Sid had an opening for a powerbomb but Bret Hart runs in AGAIN and this allows The Undertaker to hit a tombstone and get the win.

The Final Verdict

Bret Hart was obnoxious in this match. He came out 3 times and played too much into the finish. He could have cost The Undertaker his Streak just as it was picking up steam. The chair shot was right in front of the referee. I don’t know why it wouldn’t have been a disqualification but glad it wasn’t. I liked the story of Sid getting seemingly desperate later in the match, continually going up the ropes.
The match wasn’t as good as the Diesel match the year before but still a pretty good one. It would have made logical sense for Sid to win, he was the champion and albeit, not a long term one, if any match early in the streak were to have made sense for a loss, it would have been this one.

Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant

 

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At this point Andre The Giant was “undefeated” for 15 years. This however would be his first shot at the WWF Title. The reasoning behind this is, according to Gorilla Monsoon “He never asked for a title match” and “He never wanted a title match”. These arguments seem to indicate to me that anyone could have had a shot at the title as long as they had asked for it. The story was that Bobby Heenan, who just joined Andre weeks prior had convinced Andre to ask for the title shot. 

Hulk Hogan had at this point been WWF Champion for 3 years. They announced they would be changing the title belt after this match.

The Bell

Early in the match, Hulk Hogan goes for a slam but cannot do it. He falls over and Andre lands on him and gets a two count. This failed slam led to Hogan hurting his back. For the next several minutes Andre hammers away at Hogan’s back.

Hulk managed to make a come back using his major speed advantage.  Hogan was running at one point. Andre at this point was struggling with walking. Hulk’s comeback was halted when he ran into a large boot by Andre. Andre placed him in a bearhug which after several minutes Hulk was able to break out of. Although he had broken free Hulk could not stagger the enormous Andre. The match took a spill outside. Once outside, Andre had Hulk in position against the post and attempted to head-butt Hogan and seemingly squash Hogan’s head  between the post and his own Buick sized cranium. Hogan moved and Andre’s windshield of a forehead hit the ring post. Once back in the ring Hogan was able to down the monster with a clothesline. He then proceeded to immediately body slam the big guy and drop a leg for the victory.

Final Verdict

There is no argument that this match is historically significant. However, quality wise, it wasn’t a barn burner. Hogan didn’t do much. The series of punches to break out of the bearhug, avoiding a headbutt. a miracle clothesline, the bodyslam and the legdrop. I wonder if had he hit the bodyslam at the beginning of the match, would he have been able to beat Andre then? I don’t know what much else they could have done. Andre focusing on the back was a smart move. I wonder what the finish would have been like if much like was done in the Intercontinental Title match from the same night, Andre reversed the bodyslam into a small package.

Rating: **