WrestleMania XIX

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WrestleMania XIX
Details
Promotion	World Wrestling Entertainment
Brand (s)	Raw SmackDown!
Date	March 30, 2003
Venue	Safeco Field
City	Seattle, Washington
Attendance	54,097
Pay-per-view chronology
No Way Out (2003)	WrestleMania XIX	Backlash (2003)
WrestleMania chronology
WrestleMania X8	WrestleMania XIX	WrestleMania XX

WrestleMania XIX was the nineteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on March 30, 2003 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington.^[1] The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Washington. A record-breaking 54,097 fans from all fifty states and numerous countries from around the world at Safeco Field resulted in a gate attendance generating more than USD$2.76 million.^[2]

WrestleMania XIX was the first WrestleMania to be promoted under the WWE name. It was a joint-promotion pay-per-view event, featuring performers from the Raw and SmackDown! brands. The tagline for WrestleMania XIX was "Dare To Dream". The official theme song for the event was "Crack Addict" by Limp Bizkit. Limp Bizkit performed the theme song live, as well as "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" during The Undertaker's entrance.

The main match on the SmackDown brand was Kurt Angle versus Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship. Lesnar won the match and the championship via pinfall after executing an F5.^[3] The predominant match on the Raw brand was for the World Heavyweight Championship between Triple H and Booker T. Triple H won the match and retained the championship by pinning Booker after performing a Pedigree.^{[4] [5]}. Other matches on the undercard featured a match between Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho, which Michaels won after executing Sweet Chin Music, ^[6], Hulk Hogan versus Vince McMahon in a Street Fight, which Hogan won by pinfall, ^[6] and the third meeting at a WrestleMania between The Rock and Steve Austin, which The Rock won by pinfall after performing a Rock Bottom^[7][6]

Contents 1 Report 1.1 Background 1.2 Event 1.3 Aftermath 2 Results 3 Notes 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Report

[edit] Background

The main feud heading into WrestleMania on the SmackDown! brand was between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar, with the two feuding over the WWE Championship. Angle won the title three months prior at Armageddon by defeating then-champion The Big Show .^[8][9] At the Royal Rumble in January, Angle defeated Chris Benoit to retain the WWE Championship, and Lesnar won the Royal Rumble match to become number one contender to the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.^[10] The following month at No Way Out, Lesnar and Benoit defeated Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Shelton Benjamin, and Charlie Haas) in a Handicap match.^[11][12] On the March 6 edition of SmackDown!, Lesnar defeated Paul Heyman in a Steel cage match to earn a championship match against Angle the next week.^[13][14] The next week on SmackDown!, Angle defeated Lesnar to retain the WWE Championship.^[15][16] Before the match began, Kurt, who was "praying" in the corner, switched with his brother Eric.^[15][16] Lesnar then came out and the match began. Shortly after the match began, Benjamin and Haas came to the ring and distracted Lesnar, which gave Eric time to switch back with Kurt.^[15][16] As Lesnar regained his focus, Kurt was able to pin him with a small package for the win.^[15][16] The following week on the March 20 edition of SmackDown!, Stephanie McMahon told Angle that if he tries to get himself disqualified or if his brother, Benjamin, or Haas try to interfere in their match at WrestleMania, he would lose the title.^[17][18]

The main feud on the Raw brand was between The Rock and Steve Austin. On the February 24 edition of RAW, The Rock returned to WWE, after a hiatus, in a 20-man Battle royal that would had determined the opponent for the World Heavyweight Championship.^[19][20] Rock however, was unable to win after he was eliminated by Booker T; after the match, Rock criticized Steve Austin for being chosen as the Superstar of the Decade by the WWE fans, beginning the feud between Rock and Austin.^[19][20] The following week on RAW, Austin, who was on a long hiatus before returning that previous Sunday at No Way Out,^[11][12] made his WWE television return, as he cut a promo about the WWE fans, before he was interrupted by Rock, who challenged Rock to a match at WrestleMania.^[21][22] As soon as the challenge was made, RAW General manager, Eric Bischoff, announced that the following week on RAW, Rock would face Booker T in a match, and if he had won, he would have the choice to face either Austin or Triple H at WrestleMania.^[21][22] On the March 10 edition of RAW, Rock, with Bischoff's approval, announced that he would pick his own opponent for later that night, which turned out to be The Hurricane, in hopes for Rock to gain an easy victory.^[23][24] However, Austin made his way down the entrance ramp, which distracted Rock and allowed Hurricane to Roll up Rock into a successful pinfall, which made the Austin-Rock match at WrestleMania official.^[23][24] On the March 24, and final edition of RAW leading into WrestleMania, Austin would be banned from entering the arena that night.^[25][26] However, he managed to enter the arena and attack Rock, before Rock fled the ring.^[25][26]

The secondary feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon. One month prior at No Way Out, during a match between Hogan and The Rock, McMahon gave The Rock a chair, which he used to hit Hogan and pin him for the win.^[27][28] On the March 6 edition of SmackDown!, McMahon told Hogan that he hated him for leaving WWE (then known as the WWF) for Ted Turner's WCW and for testifying against him in the steroid trial in the 1990s. McMahon proceeded by challenging Hogan to a match at WrestleMania where if Hogan lost, he would have to retire from professional wrestling. Hogan accepted his challenge later that night.^[13][14] Two weeks later on the March 20 edition of SmackDown!, McMahon and Hogan had a contract signing for their match at WrestleMania. As Hogan was preparing to sign the contract, McMahon attacked with a steel chair from behind. Shortly afterwards, McMahon hit Hogan several times with the chair in the head, causing him to bleed. McMahon then signed the contract and forced Hogan to sign with his blood.^[17][18]

The secondary feud on the RAW brand was between Triple H and Booker T, with the two feuding over the World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H won the title three months at Armageddon by defeating then-champion Shawn Michaels in a 3 Stages of Hell match.^[29][30] On the February 24 edition of RAW, Booker won a 20-man Battle royal by last eliminating The Rock to become the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.^[19][20]

[edit] Event

Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, Chief Morley and Lance Storm defeated Kane and Rob Van Dam via pinfall to retain the World Tag Team Championship in a taping of Sunday Night HEAT.^[6][31] As the event began, Ashanti sang a rendition of "America the Beautiful".^[32][33] The first match that aired was a Cruiserweight Championship match between Rey Mysterio and the champion, Matt Hardy.^[6][34] The match began with back and forth action between the two wrestlers, until Hardy hit a Twist of Fate that got a near pinfall on Mysterio.^[33][32] Mysterio however, retaliated by hitting a 619 on Hardy, but as Mysterio delivered a West coast pop, Hardy ducked into a Roll-up that saw Hardy use the ring ropes for leverage and successfully pinned Mysterio, thus Hardy retained the Cruiserweight Championship.^[33][35][36]

The next match was a tag team match between the team of The Undertaker and Nathan Jones against the team of The Big Show and A-Train.^[6] It was then announced that The Undertaker would have to face both Show and Train in a Handicap match.^[34][35] Both Show and Train had the advantage of The Undertaker in the beginning of the match, however late into the match, Jones entered the match and attacked Show, which allowed The Undertaker to deliver a Tombstone piledriver on Train into a successful pinfall, thus The Undertaker won the match and remained undefeated at WrestleMania.^[33][35][36] The third match was a Triple threat Women's Championship match, between Jazz, Trish Stratus, and the champion, Victoria.^[6][34] Throughout the match, Jazz and Victoria would double team Stratus and Steven Richards, who was at ringside in Victoria's corner, would intervene in the match.^[33][36] However, as Jazz was thrown over the top rope onto ringside, Stratus retaliated an attack by Victoria and kicked her in the gut, that led to a successful pinfall, thus Stratus won the match and the Women's Championship.^[33][35][36]

The next match was a triple threat Tag Team Championship match between the team of Rhyno and Chris Benoit, against the team of Los Guerreros (Chavo and Eddie Guerrero), and the champions, Team Angle (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin).^[6][34] A non-stop action match, as all competitors participated in the match.^[35][36] However, Rhyno delivered a Gore on Chavo, where Benjamin tagged himself into the match and successfully pinned Chavo, thus Team Angle won the match and retained the Tag Team Championship.^[33][35][32] The fifth match was the encounter of Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels.^[6][34] Jericho had the advantage over Michaels in the beginning of the match, as he early on applied the Walls of Jericho onto Michaels.^[35][32] Late into the match, Michaels attempted to hit Jericho with Sweet chin music, however, Jericho countered it into a Walls of Jericho.^[33][35] After Michaels freed himself from Jericho's submission hold, Jericho attempted a suplex that Michaels countered into a roll-up that gave Michaels a successful pinfall, thus Michaels won the match.^[33][32][36]

Before the next match begun, a pillow fight took place between the team of Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson against the team of the Miller Lite catfight girls (Tanya Ballinger and Kitana Baker), which went to a no contest.^[35][32] The next match was a World Heavyweight Championship match between Booker T and the champion, Triple H (HHH).^[6][34] The match began with Booker in control of the match over HHH, however, Ric Flair, who was at ringside in HHH's corner, tossed Booker's knee into the ringside steel steps.^[32][35] The attack allowed HHH to work over Booker's leg, as he applied various submission holds onto Booker's leg including the Indian deathlock.^[32][35] Booker however retaliated and took control of the match; after he hit HHH with a Harlem legdrop, Booker grasped his knee in pain, which allowed HHH to recover and hit Booker with a Pedigree into a successful pinfall, thus Triple H won the match and retained the World Heavyweight Championship.^[33][32][36] The seventh match was a Street fight between Hulk Hogan and the WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon.^[6][34] Both Hogan and McMahon tested each other's strength in the beginning of the match, until McMahon tossed Hogan onto ringside.^[37] Hogan then countered a chairshot by McMahon into several of his own, that caused McMahon to bleed from the head.^[32][37] Late into the match, Roddy Piper interfered in the match as he hit Hogan with a pipe.^[33][37] Hogan however, later retaliated by hitting McMahon with a Big boot into a Leg drop and successfully pinned McMahon, thus Hogan won the match.^[35][36][37]

The next, and final match on the undercard, was the encounter of The Rock and Steve Austin.^[6][34] The match began with Austin and Rock brawling in the ring, which ended up at ringside.^[32][37] Throughout the match, Rock worked over Austin's leg, which included Rock applying a Sharpshooter on Austin.^[35][33] Rock then began to taunt Austin, as he putt on his vest and imitated his taunts, which led to The Rock running into a Rock Bottom by Austin.^[36][37] Rock then retaliated by hitting Austin with a Stone Cold stunner.^[35][36] After he failed to pin Austin with the People's elbow, Rock then hit Austin with two Rock Bottoms that led to the Rock successfully pinning Austin, thus The Rock won the match.^[32][36][37] The main event was a WWE Championship match between Brock Lesnar and the champion, Kurt Angle.^[6][34] The match began with Lesnar and Angle wrestling back and forth, until Angle countered a shoulder block into a German suplex.^[35][32] Lesnar would then attempt to retaliate by attempting to F-5 Angle, however, Angle countered it into an Ankle lock, that Lesnar was able to escape out of.^[33][36] As Lesnar escaped, Angle would attempt to deliver an Angle slam, however, Lesnar countered it into an F-5.^[33][37] Instead of covering Angle, Lesnar climbed to the top rope and hit a botched Shooting star press on Angle, that would only get a two count in a pin attempt.^[35][32] After Angle kicked out, Lesnar hit another F-5, and successfully pinned Angle, thus Lesnar won the match and the WWE Championship.^[38][39][40]

Other on-screen talent^[6]

Role:	Name:
Commentator	Michael Cole (SmackDown!)
	Jerry Lawler (Raw)
	Jim Ross (Raw)
	Tazz (SmackDown!)
	Carlos Cabrera (Spanish)
	Hugo Savinovich (Spanish)
Ring announcer	Tony Chimel (SmackDown!)
	Howard Finkel (Raw)
Interviewer	Jonathan Coachman
Referee	Jack Doan (Raw)
	Earl Hebner (Raw)
	Nick Patrick (Raw)
	Chad Patton (Raw)
	Charles Robinson (Raw)
	Jim Korderas (SmackDown!)
	Brian Hebner (SmackDown!)
	Mike Chioda (SmackDown!)
	Mike Sparks (SmackDown!)

[edit] Aftermath

On the SmackDown! edition after WrestleMania, Stephanie McMahon announced Kurt Angle suffered a pulled hamstring and a neck injury, while Lesnar suffered multiple concussions.^[41][42] She later announced that a tournament would take place to determine the number one contender to Lesnar's WWE Championship.^[41] John Cena would become the number one contender after he defeated Chris Benoit in the tournament's final match.^[43] At Backlash, Lesnar defeated Cena to retain the WWE Championship.^[44] Lesnar would then feud with The Big Show, as he defeated him at Judgment Day to retain the WWE Championship. Lesnar would however lose the WWE Championship to Angle at Vengeance in a Triple threat match that also involved The Big Show.^[45][46] Lesnar then regained the WWE Championship on the September 18 edition of SmackDown!, in an Iron Man match winning 5-4.^[47][48]

On the April 3 edition of SmackDown!, Vince McMahon (kayfabe) forced Hulk Hogan to leave WWE forever.^[41][42] On the May 1 edition of SmackDown!, "Mr. America" (who was in reality Hogan under a mask), made his debut on Piper's Pit, where McMahon promised to prove America was in reality Hogan.^[49][50] Involved in the feud was also, Zach Gowen, a one legged wrestler who was brought in to the feud by Mr. America.^[51][52] However after multiple failing attempts to prove Mr. America was Hogan, McMahon succeeded on the July 3 edition of SmackDown!, after he aired footage of American unmasking and reveiling to be Hogan.^[53][54] He then announced that Hogan was fired from WWE.^[53][54]

On the Raw edition after WrestleMania, Steve Austin was (kayfabe) fired from the WWE by then-RAW General Manager Eric Bishoff due to medical reasons.^[55] (However, Austin was then re-hired by WWE CEO, Linda McMahon, as Co-RAW General Manager on April 29.^[56]) Later that night, The Rock taunted Austin for his firing; which proceeded to Rock challenging another superstar in a match.^[55] Goldberg would answer the Rock's challenge by stating that "you're [The Rock is] next", which proceeded to Goldberg spearing Rock.^[55] On the April 14 edition of Raw, The Rock would accept a challenge made by Goldberg, which he rejected a week earlier, in which the two would wrestle each other at Backlash.^[57] At Backlash, Goldberg successfully pinned Rock.^[58] After the match, The Rock gave a farewell speech in which he stated that he was to take a sabbatical from professional wrestling.^[59]

[edit] Results

Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.

• Sunday Night HEAT match: Lance Storm and Chief Morley defeated Kane and Rob Van Dam to retain the World Tag Team Championship (10:00)^[6]
  • Storm pinned Van Dam after Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley gave Storm a 3D and Bubba elbow dropped RVD on the back of his head.^[6]
• Matt Hardy (w/Shannon Moore) defeated Rey Mysterio to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship (5:39)^[6]
  • Hardy pinned Mysterio using leverage from the ropes.^[6]
• The Undertaker defeated The Big Show and A-Train in a Handicap match (9:45)^[6]
  • Undertaker pinned A-Train after a Tombstone Piledriver.^[6]
  • Nathan Jones, who was scheduled to be Undertaker's partner for the match, made a brief run-in to help Undertaker in the end. He was taken out of the match after being attacked by Big Show and A-Train before the event began.^[6]
• Trish Stratus defeated Victoria (w/Steven Richards) (c) and Jazz in a Triple Threat match to win the WWE Women's Championship (7:17)^[6]
  • Stratus pinned Victoria after a Chick Kick to the mid-section.^[6]
• Team Angle (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin) defeated Los Guerreros (Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero) and Chris Benoit and Rhyno in a Triple Threat match to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship (8:46)^[6]
  • Benjamin pinned Chavo after Rhyno hit Chavo with the Gore.^[6]
• Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Jericho (22:33)^[6]
  • Michaels pinned Jericho with a roll-up.^[6]
• A pillow fight between Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson and the Miller Lite Catfight girls, Kitana Baker and Tanya Ballinger went to a no contest.^[6]
• Triple H (w/Ric Flair) defeated Booker T to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (18:47)^[6]
  • Triple H pinned Booker after a Pedigree.^[6]
• Hulk Hogan defeated Vince McMahon in a Street Fight (20:48)^[6]
  • Hogan pinned McMahon after three Leg drops.^[6]
  • Roddy Piper interfered on behalf of McMahon, hitting Hogan with a steel pipe^[6]
• The Rock defeated Steve Austin (17:53)^[6]
  • Rock pinned Austin after a Rock Bottom.^[6]
• Brock Lesnar defeated Kurt Angle to win the WWE Championship (21:04)^[6]
  • Lesnar pinned Angle after an F-5.^[6]
  • During the match, Lesnar received a concussion after he missed a Shooting star press on Angle.^[6]

[edit] Notes

• A documentary entitled The Mania of WrestleMania was filmed live during the event and released the following year. It was the first production from WWE Films.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Official Website of WrestleMania XIX