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The greatest sports entertainment spectacle for the last 27 years, created by World Wrestling Entertainment’s Chairman Vince McMahon Jr., is given an intriguing and emotionally charged two-hour origin documentary in The True Story of WrestleMania.

Along with two discs of a few classic WrestleMania matches over the years, this three-disc DVD set takes you back all the way to WrestleMania I and ending at 26. The people working behind the scenes at WWE back in the early 80′s and now in 2011 explain how the biggest gamble of McMahon’s career paid off in a big way.

McMahon explains how he wanted to monopolize the wrestling industry in the 80′s. In order to stand out from the other territorial federations, McMahon included celebrities along with his superstars. McMahon got the best talent at the time and made the biggest sports entertainment event at Madison Square Garden. WM1 was also the most watched event on closed circuit with over one million viewers. In a neat behind-the-scenes footage, McMahon is instructing Mean Gene Okerlund and Hulk Hogan that they need to clearly explain to the audience that it will only be watchable on closed circuit and not free access television.

While WM1 angered wrestling purists, the success and recognition WrestleMania received made it a draw to celebrities. The following year celebrities were calling to come and participate in the event. WM2 and III are highlighted next, but then there is a quick jump to WM23 due to being in Detroit along with III. Donald Trump’s involvement with WM23 flows nicely back into WM4 and WM5 as they were both held at Trump’s Palace. While the concept of WM4 is explained, the matches and WM5 are featured very quickly, unfortunately a few Manias end up this way.

The controversy surrounding the death threats towards Sgt. Slaughter, McMahon and their families around WM7 time is showcased with the ant-American segments Slaughter was in. For his contributions to WM1 through IX, Hogan is given a few minutes of praise for being the main attraction of Mania. While Hogan is criticized for his fear of Andre The Giant and winning the WWE Championship at WM9, not even the WWE superstars or McMahon deny how there was no WrestleMania without the Hulkster.

The ninth edition of Mania features a few never before seen footage of the making of the entire WM9 day. Footage of Bret Hart wanting to know where some Roman Coliseum girls are and the late Bam Bam Bigelow talking to an elephant are just a few of the neat exclusives shown. Exclusives the rest of the way are just from superstars past and present giving their thoughts on Manias and the Fan Axxess experience.

The documentary ends with a discussion on having Mania at the large open arenas or in the closed arenas and how the Undertaker’s streak has become a yearly attraction. The arena debate is interesting as not everyone likes to wrestle in front of a lot of people when the sound goes up as it does in the opened arenas. However, for some like Chris Jericho it does not feel like a Mania without over 50,000.

If you buy WWE DVDs, especially WrestleMania collections, you have probably seen all matches listed. The documentary is however a fun watch even if you already know almost everything discussed or know the secrets they reveal. The home video presentation done by WWE is beyond fantastic. Their production team did an amazing job capturing the thrills and excitement Manias have generated for nearly three decades. WWE perfectly executed the change in styles over the years with each Mania, not only in terms of their stage production, but in how WWE has evolved in the ring as well.

WWE: The True Story of WrestleMania

Entertainment One

Rated: PG

Released on Mar. 15, 2011

$29.50

Click here to order the DVD

WWE: The True Story of WrestleMania DVD set listing

Disc 1:

The Beginning

WrestleMania is Born

New York, Chicago, Los Angeles

Bigger, Better, Badder !

Influencing a Generation

Battle of the Billionaires

Atlantic City Hotspot

O’ Canada

Hulkamania is WrestleMania

Emotionally Charged

Dream Match…Not a Reality

World’s Largest Toga Party

Back on Broadway

Axxess

Hall of Fame

New Generation

Baddest Man on the Planet

Celebrities

To the New Millennium

Seismic Shift

Mr. WrestleMania

The Crowd Effect

Living Out a Dream

The Music of Mania

Citrus Bowl

Preparing for the Moment

Greatest Match Ever?

Undefeated

The Legacy

Disc 2:

Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper & Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff
WrestleMania, 31st March, 1985

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage vs. Ricky ‘the Dragon’ Steamboat
WrestleMania III, 29th March, 1987

WWE Championship Match
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
WrestleMania III, 29th March, 1987

Retirement Match
The Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage
WrestleMania VII, 24th March, 1991

Ladder Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania X, 20th March, 1994

Disc 3:

WWE Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
WrestleMania XIV, 29th March, 1998

WWE Tag Team Championship – Triangle Ladder Match
The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge / Christian
WrestleMania 2000, 2nd April, 2000

Street Fight
Shane McMahon vs. Vince McMahon
WrestleMania X-Seven, 1st April, 2001

The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania X-8, 17th March, 2002

WWE Championship Match
Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar
WrestleMania XIX, 30th March, 2003

WWE Championship Match
John Cena vs. Triple H
WrestleMania 22, 2nd April, 2006