10 Things fans want to see at Wrestlemania 35
35 years ago, what was then called the World Wrestling Federation decided to do the impossible. They wanted to take pro wrestling out of the small arenas, fairgrounds, and bingo halls and make it much, much bigger. No longer content with being niche entertainment, the WWF's CEO Vince McMahon set his sights on making professional wrestling mainstream.
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Thanks to an aggressive marketing campaign which included a partnership with what was then a new cable network--MTV--Vince created something called the Rock n Wrestling connection. He believed that the outlaw vibe in the music industry would mesh well with the unconventional and at times crazy world of professional wrestling.
The result was a highly rated event televised on MTV called "The War to Settle the Score." Cyndi Lauper and Mr T, both major 1980s icons, were also written into the plot which saw Rowdy Roddy Piper challenge Hulk Hogan for his WWF World Heavyweight championship.
After generating a great deal of media interest with the MTV event, Vince McMahon went one step further and created Wrestlemania, which he intended to be the 'Woodstock' of pro wrestling. The ambitious plan was not the first wrestling pay per view--that honour goes to the NWA's Starrcade--and was not even the WWF's first foray into cable special events. The Wrestling Classic featured a tournament and is WWF's first official PPV.
What made Wrestlemania unique was not that it was a wrestling event on cable, but that it would have a 'big event feel' akin to the Oscars or the Grammys. Celebrities of all types, from the music and film industry, would be brought in to further lend their prestige to the event.
As history tells it, the first Wrestlemania was a huge success. In fact, it was so successful that they did it again...and again the following year, until it became a tradition.
Fast forward to 2019, and Wrestlemania has become the gold standard for prestige, pageantry, and sports entertainment. Every wrestler dreams of one day walking through the curtain into a Wrestlemania arena.
With Wrestlemania 35 coming up shortly, fans are salivating in anticipation of the event's card, which hasn't even been officially set. Here are ten things fans are hoping to see at Wrestlemania 35.
#1.The Return of Dave Batista
Batista is a former WWE World champion and a living legend in the sport. His forays into cinema have yielded two of the best received Marvel movies to date, namely the Guardians of the Galaxy parts one and two. His fame may have made him a household name, but many pro wrestling fans feel as if he 'belongs' to them first.
Batista's return was teased during the Smackdown anniversary celebration, where Evolution reunited in the ring. Batista pointed out to Evolution leader Triple H that the cerebral assassin had never pinned the Animal's shoulders to the mat.
Their tense staredown ended in a hug, but given the lingering resentment a man with Triple H's ego no doubt feels, he could goad Batista into an in-ring return. Fans are hoping fervently to see Drax the Destroyer in the ring once more.