A Match For The Ages?
Posted by: TolerancE on 02/07/2005

Recently on The Honky Tonk man forums, one of our members posted a question that is without a doubt one of the most thought provoking questions that I have seen in recent memory.

Wrestlemania III (Hogan vs. Andre)

Billed at the time as the biggest wrestling match of all time.

I've heard an even split as to whether this match could headline a Wrestlemania in 2005? Is the match timeless, or was it for its time period?

I would like to take this time to enter my own opinion on the matter. It seems as though through the annals of time, fans of any brand or federation of wrestling were conditioned to a certain extent on what they could and could not expect. Hogan and Andre was indeed a timeless match that had so much momentum and was so well prepared that it drew 93,000 plus; an indoor attendance record that still stands today.

But to answer the second part of that question; could that match headline Wrestlemania in 2005? The answer would be no. As time has gone by, we have witnessed the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Undertaker, The Rock, and most importantly, the INTERNET. This has eventually changed the way the fans look at how a pay-per-view is booked and not to mention have a backstage view of all the scoops and happenings. Fans today are much smarter and look at the overall product as an insider rather than a true fan. This leads to all the negativity and decline in the state of the business. Sometimes the fans won’t let themselves be entertained.

To see Hogan & Andre in a modern day setting would be similar to seeing Kane & Snitsky going head to head. Granted, Hogan & Andre were two of the most popular and well recognized wrestlers in their day, but they failed to deliver by today’s standards which would have been disaster.

Sure, there are some purists who still look for that nostalgic feel in today’s world of “Sports Entertainment,” but would they even be entertained with a 13 minute sub par match when the entire outcome of the match and the next 5 months plans are leaked out online? The main thing is, seeing a Hogan vs. Andre match present day would look good on paper, however, would fall short in its overall delivery to an already finicky fan base.

Any comments, rebuttals or question are welcome.

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