Magazine Archives: WrestleMania 37: The Hunt for History

By Joe Hulbert, originally in Fightful Magazine, Issue 1

Now more than ever, WrestleMania is a complex event. Surrounded by speculation each year, lofty expectations follow that name, memories desperate for protection. At times, WrestleMania can be a frustrating roller coaster, an encapsulation of the era’s flaws. Especially in recent years, WrestleMania can even be tiring, becoming a marathon affair, featuring far too many people for it to really be featuring anyone. Although, that’s all part of the package. The inevitable hurdles between any viewer and those fleeting moments of magic.

After all, that’s the real attraction. WrestleMania is a spectacle, a grand, flashy extravaganza hosting the industry’s biggest names. The appeal of that is obvious, but it’s rather hollow. To me, at least, WrestleMania is about potential, the possibility of creating an image that’ll live forever. That’s unique, only even feasible due to that aforementioned spectacle. The stage is set, everything in place. It’s now a matter of the product reaching that potential, a question of the quality confirming that it truly belongs in history.

WrestleMania 37 is fast approaching, yet it’s almost certain to bring only a visual or two to mind. Don’t get me wrong, a good memory will allow it to quickly expand, tracing each event for its most spectacular showcase. At the core, there’s usually one that stands out, one year, one match, one moment. For you, that could be symbolic of something grander. Perhaps a reminder of your fandom’s peak, or maybe even its beginning. Either way, I’d imagine that something comes to mind.

Though far from perfect, WrestleMania can only fall so far, those flashbacks and thoughts forever holding it high above the rest. It’s a pathway to the industry’s most idealistic highs, a chance to crown kings and queens on the most emphatic stage of all. In that regard, few things are more real. Yes, you may have to sit through six hours of wrestling or, as of late, even two nights, but if things land as they should, you’ll be quickly swept up all over again, once more lost in that magic.

In my view, it’s that potential that brings us together each year, even if it’s sometimes shielded more by cynicism than anything else. Deep down, we are all pursuing that latest chapter, regardless of what memory stands central in our mind. These visuals define wrestling generations, sparking the interest of some while concluding the journeys of others. That’s the case for both performers and their fans, somehow sharing the experience, living every up and down together. That roller coaster peaks at WrestleMania, for better or worse.

WrestleMania isn’t all about fairy-tale endings, but that’s where my mind strays personally. I’m immediately reminded of the iconic image from seven years ago, as Daniel Bryan stood at the top of the industry, both belts proudly above his head. I then quickly head to the opposite side of that coin, as Bryan stood in opposition to Kofi Kingston’s moment. Kofi-Mania was the culmination of a career rich with commitment, a defiant tale of perseverance. Even if very different, I’d imagine that similar ingredients exist in your own most cherished memories.

Whether it’s an incredible villain reaching the main event, a breakout star stealing the show or more traditionally, a beloved hero receiving his reward, there’s glory in those moments. Sometimes it’s the on-screen narrative, but it can be much bigger than that, the feat that’s made years of work worthwhile. This year is a fascinating example of that truth, as two contrasting paths reach their respective peaks. Bianca Belairand Edge, 2021’s two Royal Rumble winners, enter WrestleMania with very different stories behind them but yet, their closing statements may be similar.

For Belair, this is something new, uncharted territory. After years of being cited as the industry’s hottest prospect, Belair now looks to prove those predictions accurate, creating her first major WrestleMania moment. Though it feels likely, this isn’t about the win, in my view. It’s about Belair cementing herself among the division’s top tier. The potential is obvious, the star power palpable, but this is suddenly about today, not tomorrow. It’s been an era of dominance for WWE’s core crop of main event women. Belair now has to officially join that group.

For those that have followed Belair along the way, it’s a bizarrely comparable feel. There are no guarantees, especially on this stage, particularly in this setting. It’s hard to be anything but impressed by Belair thus far, excited even, but what makes this exciting is exactly what makes it so daunting. This moment is something different, a test where answers will speak for themselves. A precocious talent, Belair now has to fulfil that potential. In the meantime, fans anticipate the latest version of a familiar visual: a triumphant Belair with gold around her waist.

Speaking of familiar, Edge is too experienced for anything to be too distant from that term. Ten years removed from his stunning retirement, Edge looks to reclaim what he never lost, completing his fairy-tale return and becoming champion once more. That’s a simple story but an effective one, bringing an urgency that’s too often lost in these moments. Edge is seeking what he deems to be destiny, but just like Belair, he’s also trying to prove his own point as a performer. Rather than proving the praise right, this is about silencing the skeptics.

With only a handful of matches under his belt in the last decade, Edge is trying to remind the world that he still belongs. This isn’t the role for nostalgia; it’s the most pursued position in wrestling. It’s adding a different pressure, even if it appears similar on the surface. If Belair falls short at WrestleMania, it’s just one miss in a young career of hits. Belair can and will come again, but Edge may not have that same luxury. In fact, he may only have a single shot at this story.

This match will decide that, either ending Edge’s time as a title scene star or extending it, starting a new chapter in his illustrious career. That’s a level of intrigue beyond the result, even if Edge’s most passionate supporters remain rightly attached to that image: “The Rated-R Superstar” back on the mountain top. It’s critical to maintain that sincerity, as again, it remains the heart of this glossy, grand event. If WrestleMania 37 is remembered for anything, it feels likely to be one of those two potential images.

Whether it’s Belair, Edge or both, those snapshots symbolize something broader. It’s the same for my memories, the same for yours too. A stadium united in chants was powerful enough, but its true meaning was rooted in the emotion behind that passion. It was the flashbacks to Bryan’s beginnings, suddenly becoming indelible in the industry’s history books. All of those memories are encapsulated in that one honor, a career of greatness captured by one visual. That’s the most real thing wrestling can manage, a rare moment of raw adoration.

Even as the product evolves, it’s those moments that ensure we are never too far apart. It’s “The Hitman” finally receiving his due, the Austin Erastunning the world, even generations colliding as dream matches unfold. Clearly, things have changed, but those images keep coming. Whether it’s Xavier Woods’touching tears or Drew McIntyrereaching through the screen, these are the seconds that we cherish forever. These are the moments that we truly share, no shield between us, just pure emotion that only history can muster.

It shouldn’t be any different this year. For Bianca Belair, this could be the first crowning achievement of an emerging career, or perhaps it’ll be the original classic within a collection of them. Maybe even both, signalling the start of an era of potentially unparalleled greatness. If so, that image will live forever, whether it’s Belair standing tall or looking on as the first chapter of a famed rivalry concludes. As for Edge, he isn’t looking for firsts. That’s not his mission here.

For Edge, this is about maximizing a moment, breathing even more life into his swiftly re-emerging career. This is the ultimate opportunity to ensure that no time will be wasted; every remaining match matters. It could also be the defining feat for his return, battling back to the status once stolen from him. In some ways, that box may already be ticked. Regardless, in victory or defeat, Edge has another memory to make, a memory that, in many ways, could enhance those that came before it.

Moments and memories are increasingly overused terms in truth. WrestleMania, now that’s a little different. After all, this is the stage built on history, the spectacle standing on nostalgia. These fleeting visuals live forever. Beyond all the flair and flash, that’s what makes this event special. Even if only at WrestleMania, there’s still a sense that magic awaits. The undying truth that at any moment, these men and women can be immortalized.

Joe Hulbert is the co-host of Late Night Grin. He was with Fightful for several years in a variety of roles working as Fightful.com’s lead MMA writer, as an on-air personality and as a feature writer.

Twitter: @JoeHulbert, @LateNightGrin