The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week WrestleMania journey reaches stop No. 19 this week, as the WWE invades Safeco Field in Seattle for a show full of forks in the road for a host of key performers, including Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar.
Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro go deep on a show remembered for its behind-the-scenes drama as much as its in-ring drama, which was considerable. Get Lapsed on the following:
The worm turns on Triple H, as he builds up Booker T as a proud challenger who must stand up for himself in the face of implied racism … and then pins him clean, and hard
Lesnar’s ill-fated leap, and why he just had to hit the F5 afterwards
Austin’s final match, and why his paranoia, pain, and panic nearly kept him from getting into the ring
Limp Bizkit, and the moment Fred Durst has to ask the crowd, “Are you awake yet?”
The first “dual-brand” Wrestlemania, and other distinctions without a difference
Mysterio’s WM debut
Shawn Michaels’ WM return
The best version of Rock’s entrance theme
Hogan v. Vince, a storyline that evoked Vince’s steroid trial, how it miscast Hogan’s actual testimony
Vince peeks over the apron
All that and so much more, including excerpts from a recent chat with Jim Ross about being side-by-side with Austin during his meltdown and Dave Meltzer on what lingers from this show. The 30-week freight train keeps on rolling!