Hey there fellow Otaku & Metalheads!
My own little Road to Wrestlemania continues onward. Last month I gave a review to the classic Wrestlemania 20. With only a dent or two in it’s armor, the event rightfully deserves it’s spot among the best of the best when it comes to the grandest stage. For February, I wanted to do something different......and perhaps a bit unusual. This time around, I wanted to come up with some that tugged at my hearstrings. I wanted to do something that related more towards me emotions when it came to wrestling and the WWE. As strange as this might sound, there were a few moments in all of my years as a fan.....that I honestly shed a few tears. You might laugh when you read this, but here are the top 5 moments in wrestling that can get me to cry. Let’s begin!
5) Undertaker’s Entrance At Wrestlemania 20 (Video)
We begin this list with the “Manly” tear portion. Like I said last month, I didn’t watch Wrestlemania 20 till years later. In regards to this, I actually say it beforehand. It definitely is a sight to see: having embraced the American Badass from 2000 to I think July of 2003, the fans waited months & months for his return. During that waiting, we saw signs of the Deadman taunting his brother Kane, and with each sign, it was obvious that he was indeed coming back. However, we had no idea just how powerful Undertaker’s return would actually be.
So it comes to Wrestlemania 20 proper. Kane comes to the ring with pyro & a background that was actually pretty awesome, and as usual conjured up flames once he was in the ring. For a few moments he was calling out his brother, and you could feel the fans do the same. Then the lights go out, and the familiar voice of Paul Bearer scream out “Oooooh Yes!!”. Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross really hamed it up as Paul Bearer came down alongside the men that would later be called The Druids, holding the urn that gave him control over the Undertaker, while at the same time giving taker his power. Then the Undertaker himself comes out in all of his glory. From the first bit of thunder to the first banging of the gong, one of the most iconic characters in all of WWF/WWE had finally come back into the fold. It’s enough to make a grown man cry. No lie!
4) The Joey Ryan Lollipop Incident (Video)
From the “Manly” tear choice, we come to the “Tears of Laughter” spot. I make no mistake in saying that Joey Ryan is an absolute treasure in the world of wrestling. The King of Sleaze has been making quite a name for himself, what with his dirty persona and all. Easily the reason he’s as popular as he is because of the Penis Flip (Which I believe was developed in Japan), which has defeated many opponents. The other......is due to the Lollipop incident.
Let me paint the scene: It’s 2015 (If I’m correct). It’s a 3-way match between Joey Ryan, Colt Cabana, and the absurdly named Johnny Cockstrong. It would actually be incorrect to call it a match, as it was really more of a comedy bit than anything else. You can tell that the crowd loves what’s going on, and actually doesn’t care that there’s no wrestling going on. Joey happens to have a lollipop on hand. I would get into detail about what happens, but it’s so damn funny I can’t spoil it! You’ll just have to watch it to find out.
3) Connor The Crusher’s Tribute Video (Video)
Now we come to some real tears.
I must confess, I’ve never actually watched this video in it’s entirety. I’ve been able to watch pieces, but never from beginning to end. I think most if not all of us are familiar with the story: Connor “The Crusher” Michalek, who had been battling medulloblastoma (Spinal Cancer) since he was 3, had requested to meet Daniel Bryan, who was his favorite superstar. After the facebook campaign “Help Connor meet Daniel Bryan” formed & pushed, Connor was eventually able to meet his hero at Monday Night RAW. He caught the heart of not just Byran, but all of WWE effectively. From there Connor was treated like royalty, and it culminated in him & his dad going to Wrestlemania 30 for an amazing time. Sadly, on April the 25th of 2014, Connor Michalek would pass away at the incredibly young age of 8. The tribute to Connor from WWE is incredibly touching. Though normally a company that would take any means to get themselves more popular, they came across as very sincere in this tribute. If you’ve got a few minutes, and maybe a tissue for wiping your face, give this video a go.
2) Chris Benoit Crying About Eddie Guererro’s Death (Video)
From one tearjerker to another, we reach a moment that kind of hits close to home for me. Way back in March of 2005, I had the privilege of seeing Smackdown at the then Pepsi Arena with my Dad & my at the time friend Trevor. One of the matches involved a tag team bout between the Basham Brothers (If I remember correctly) and the current tag champions Rey Mysterio & Eddie Guererro. Though I had seen him on TV before, seeing him live was absolute magic. Fast forward to November of that year, and I was shocked by the sudden death of Eddie.
The tribute to Eddie a day or two later was incredibly touching, but no moment during this tribute was so classic, and now infamous, than the sight of Chris Benoit openly weeping. At first it was just him among all of the wrestlers standing outside the ring. Then, it was Chris in a small video moment that really brought on the tears. He went on about Eddie for a few minutes & how much he loved his friend, but it was in the final few seconds that he broke down, and in that time you could see how broken it was. In a warped sense, those few minutes possibly predicted the eventual murder of Benoit’s family, and the suicide of Benoit himself. It was haunting back in 2005, and it’s still incredibly chilling in 2018. It’s also one of the few moments in WWE that can get me to turn on the waterworks.
1) Jim Ross & Mankind Interviews (Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4)
Much like my number 1, I have a confession to make. I never actually saw the interviews in question. It wasn’t until 2016 or 2017 (Forgot which year) that I heard about these on the Solomonster Sounds Off podcast that I found these. The premise is simple: Classic announcer Jim Ross had 4 distinct sitdowns with the ravenous Mankind. In each interview, Jim Ross got to know Mankind a little more, and I must admit.....I cried.
This was at the time when the company was known as WWF, and it was at the height of the Attitude Era. During this time, the company was in overdrive when it came to characters, story, wrestling, etc. These interviews were really well done. Jim Ross asked basic questions, but it was Mick Foley that was stealing the show. Using slivers of reality, he wove a tale that seemed incredibly realistic. Almost believable, if I’m being perfectly honest. Coupled with the music that was playing in the background, and the atmosphere was equal parts illuminating & heartbreaking. You can tell that WWE at the time really cared for this story, as there was a craftsmanship within it you hardly see nowadays. Definitely some of the best promos ever made by the company, and ones that any wrestling fan should treasure!
So these were the 5 moments in wrestling that got me to cry. Again, I know it’s a little silly, but when WWE can actually get a good story going, it’s surprisingly emotional. I might make another one of these sometime down the road, so look forward to that! With this list out of the way, Kreator month marches on. See you all next week, for part 2 of my look at the band. Until then, have some feels when you bodyslam somebody will ya!
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If you’re curious about Connor The Crusher, check out the Wikipedia article below:
Connor Michalek
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