A weekend made for Wrestlemania

It's kind of like the Academy Awards, Grammys and the Super Bowl all rolled into one. But considering that it's sports-entertainment, the only trophy these people to get is a chair-shot alongside the head and thrown off a 15-foot high ladder. Ladies and Gentlemen, it's Wrestlemania weekend.

It's kind of like the Academy Awards, Grammys and the Super Bowl all rolled into one.

But considering that it's sports-entertainment, the only trophy these people to get is a chair-shot alongside the head and thrown off a 15-foot high ladder.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's Wrestlemania weekend.

An event, which has gone on for the past 26 years, will unfold again this weekend when the best of the best at their "sport" hit the ring at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

This year's main event will pit the Undertaker against Shawn Michaels, with the 'Take' putting his 18-0 streak on the line against Michaels and his career. Also on the card will be Bret Hart in a no-holds-barred match with WWE owner Vince McMahon, a match 12 years in the making.

As a fan of the WWE for nearly my entire life, I've complied a list of some of those moments that will live on forever in the history books.

10. Wrestlemania 18 - The Rock v. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. Let's face it, the match featured two of the biggest stars of their time. The Rock was the biggest name in the business at that time and took on Hogan, who was supposed to be at the twilight of his career. Since then, The Rock has moved on and Hogan is still fighting, even though nobody may be watching.

9. Wrestlemania 23 - Mick Foley v. Edge. Barb wire, thumbtacks and someone being lit on fire. Not necessarily the makings of a great match, but an entertaining one indeed.

8. Wrestlemania XII - Roddy Piper v. Goldust. In what turned out to be Piper's best fight since the movie "They Live," both guys fought all over Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. Baseball bats, a gold Cadilliac and a car chase that resembled the one by O.J. Simpson, pretty unforgettable in my opinion.

7. Wrestlemania III - Ricky Steamboat v. "Macho Man" Randy Savage. One of the better matches of all time as Steamboat defeated Savage in the Pontiac Silverdome in front of the largest indoor crowd at the time.

6. Wrestlemania XIV - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin v. Shawn Michaels. At the time, Michaels was running around with Mike Tyson and despite having the "baddest man on the planet" in his corner, it didn't save Michaels from Tyson's right fist as he was knocked out cold following a loss to Austin for the WWE title.

5. Wrestlemania XII - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin v. Bret "Hitman" Hart. Austin entered the ring that night as a villain, but left the ring a legend as he failed to submit and instead lost the match when he passed out in the ring from the massive amount of blood loss during the 40-plus minute match.

4. Wrestlemania VI - Hulk Hogan v. The Ultimate Warrior. Very rarely do you see two fan favorites step into the ring against each other, but that is exactly what happened in the SkyDome in Toronto that day. The Warrior defeated the Hulkster to claim the heavyweight title, the first time Hogan had lost at Wrestlemania.

3. Wrestlemania 24 - Shawn Michaels v. Ric Flair. Flair had nothing left to prove and following his loss, said he was done wrestling. Three years later, he's still around the sport although I'm not sure why.

2. Wrestlemania XVI - Edge and Christian v. the Hardy Boyz v. the Dudley Boyz. The first ever "Tables-Ladders-Chairs" match unfolded at this Wrestlemania, and although they weren't the headliners at this event, they're the only match worth remembering from the 2000 event.

1. Wrestlemania III - Hulk Hogan v. Andre the Giant. Face it, without this match drawing that crowd in Michigan that day, Wrestlemania probably doesn't grow into what it has became now. Hogan, who nobody gave a shot to win, defeated Andre, slamming him to the mat in the process and jump-starting the phenomenon that is Wrestlemania today.

Some wrestlers have been "Immortal," or "Ultimate," but this weekend's event should be nothing short of fantastic.

It can't be written any other way.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached at 664-0239 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.