What does WrestleMania mean to you?

As I sit here getting completely jazzed about WrestleMania 34, airing this Sun., April 8, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, I find it hard to be quiet about it with my friends and peers. In my experience being a wrestling fan (and a chick wrestling fan at that) I find the most invigorating conversations about likes, dislikes, or predictions comes from social media and not through face to face interaction. Sure, it depends what you’re looking for. There is no shortage of anyone to have a good coffee table conversation with, those who know enough about wrestling legends or those who are at least aware of Macho Man Randy Savage, regardless of the vehicle (mostly via Slim Jim commercials).

As you can imagine, the responses I get when I mention my excitement vary. Here are some samplings for you enjoyment:

• “Like... fake wrestling?”
• “Do you mean like Hulk Hogan and that guy with the toothpick?”
• “I’m not into it but I can’t wait for that Andre the Giant documentary being advertised on HBO.”

Not satisfied with the thoughts or comments of my closest general public assets, I share my excitement with you, Cagesiders. I’m looking forward to WrestleMania because in its simplest form it’s good ol’ fashioned FUN! The entrances are great, there is refreshed gear, and in some cases the debut or return of wrestlers we have been waiting and hoping for. It’s the chance for cliffhangers to be uncliffed (a word I’ve made up for this) and for the underdog to overcome. It’s exciting! Sure, it’s long, so make sure you hydrate and that you have already claimed the TV in your home for the entire day. Load up on nachos and for the love of everything holy, avoid the Totino’s pizza roll.

It’s the Super Bowl of wrestling but instead of a house full of football fans you’ll be hard pressed to find three friends that live close enough to share your extra large deli sandwich with. No worries, though, your texting and posting fingers will be callused by the evenings end. It’s all fun! The whole thing! Even reading an author’s anger in a post done with such haste the poster spells “there” instead of “their” or “they’re” and catches a rash of shit for it. Oh, social media judgement... ya gotta love it.

Having said all that, I was thinking: “Where is a place where I can voice all this exactly how I feel it and get some fun lovin’ banter back? Is there such a community, one that is built upon the opinions and passions of wrestling fandom? Oh yeah, there is!”

So here we go, Cagesiders. My question for you is simple: What does WrestleMania mean to YOU?

But wait, I have one more thing, and please take this opportunity to criticize me on this: I HATE the storyline of the Undertaker coming back. HATE IT! Yeah, yeah, some of you may want to commit social media murder on me right now for not liking the return of “The Deadman.” But before you do, consider this: It is not because I don’t appreciate what he has done in the wrestling world. But it’s over, man! He looks like a mummy with such tired face tats that he now resembles actual historical hieroglyphics and I have no interest in seeing him in the ring with John Cena, or anyone else for that matter. Ever again! I just don’t!

Furthermore, I saw “The Cloaked Crusader” retire live at WrestleMania last year and had to painstakingly sit for what seemed like an hour through the whole rigmarole of his entrance (UGH, forever)... the match … then his leaving… very... very... sloooowwwwllllllly. And, of course, the zoom in on the hat and cloak still shot for 15 minutes (bio break and it was still happening). Now, Cena has been baiting him for the past month, and on this week’s episode on Raw in Atlanta I was certain at the last minute the lights would go out and the thunder would crash. But no. At this point we know something will happen at WrestleMania — WWE wouldn’t waste airtime to bait us this much then give us nothing. Kudos to them, though, for making us wait. They’re doing me a favor — hopefully I only have to see him at WrestleMania, and never again after that. Fingers crossed.

Back to my original question, and I’ve got one more to add:

1. What does WrestleMania mean to you?
2. What do you think of the return of Undertaker?

Ready, set, go!