My WM30 Championship & Experience
May 20, 2014 2:15:51 GMT -5
Odafin Tutuola, Calcifer Boheme, and 5 more like this
Post by ● kaneisdaman ● on May 20, 2014 2:15:51 GMT -5
Having lived here in Australia oh so far away, going to Wrestlemania seemed like the awesome thing to do one day that just wasnt possible. However, this year, I got to do it. 17hrs and many thousands of kilometres away, I was able to attend Wrestlemania 30 week in one of the coolest cities in America, New Orleans. Sharing the experience with a family member and a fellow board member in the US made for such an awesome week! To see a city taken over by so many people with such an interest in the same thing is you was truly an awesome thing. Our time in the US was a whole month, hence why I so late to post this.
The flight in from Dallas, we knew were WM bound. The demographic of everyone on the plane was now nearly all 20+ males. Conversation breaking out everywhere about Mania, the experience had begun. Day 1 was checking out New Orleans. Banners everywhere, fans everywhere. Who do we see on the street? Emma. Yep, I travelled all this way to find....another Australian. Crazy.
First stop: Wrestlemania Axxess. It was the Saturday session. The Bellas no showed which was a shame but Axxess is crazy. Its literally the craziest 4hr period where EVERYTHING is going on around you. Exhibits, theres about 8 superstars out signing at one point, there is the NXT signing, NXT matches going on, even HBK made an appearance in the ring after Paige defeated Alexa Bliss. Managed to get autos of Del Rio, Cody, Goldust, Paige & Alexa Bliss. Awkwardly Paige & Alexa just had a match and since the Bellas had no showed after 40mins, these two filled in at the tables. Paige figured being Aussie I was an Emma fan. Alexa, when I asked her how surreal it must all be, said it truly was. Not yet known (people were looking her up in the program) here she is signing at Axxess for hundreds of fans on the spot after a match. Cody and Goldust were awesome to meet. I quickly designed these 8x10s before my flight out for our 1 month tour of the US and was really short on time. However, funnily enough, several people asked me where i bought them from. Cody, Goldust and Christian all noted them and said there were really cool and wanted some. Pretty stoked to hear that from them. The exhibits were cool, even seeing the WM signs hanging which Ive only ever seen on TV so far far away. Awesome experience and seeing a little tribute to Bearer in takers graveyard was a nice touch.
HOF was an awesome experience. Seeing the people cheered as they came in. Funnily enough So Cal Val was sitting a row in front. Guess she had to get tickets like the rest of us. Felt bad as the guy next to us wouldnt stop bothering her for photos, etc. So cool to be there for the induction of Bearer especially as it was delivered by Kane and an appearance by Taker. The induction I had been waiting all this time for and so glad to be there in person. Jakes was incredibly touching. Warriors was bizarre as the indivdual himself and now knowing the tragic event that occurred after, it was so good to see him and the company making peace with each other.
Wrestlemania. Oh damn. I had only ever been to Raw live for TV once and a SD taping, both in 2012. But this was the grrandest stage of them all and the 30th one. What an amazing experience. The nostalgia of Austin, Rock and Hogan. The hilarious Silverdome screw up. The PPV which has seemed to pioneer a new era for WWE. Seeing Bryan finally win and 75,000 go nuts. And then, being there in person for the most shocking moment of all time. 75,000 packed into the Superdome and you could hear a pin drop. The feeling and atmosphere of that moment was truly insane and not something that could carry across into the broadcast. Pure shock. The stage and set was beautiful as was the purple and gold New Orleans theming. To me, it truly was the perfect event and experience. The mission to make it to WM31 has now begun, but WM30 will always be the special first one.
Then, cap it all of with Raw. Awesome crowd and a number of big shocks. If WM was the start of a seemingly new era, this show concreted it with new stars stepping up and a changing of guards to an extent. So awesome to be back in the Raw live environment, something that differs too much even though the House Shows here in Aus are far higher quality than US ones.
The WM30 experience was complete on our flight out of New Orleans to continue the trip. The flight we were on heading to Orlando via Atlanta, happenned to have a certain someone aboard. Everyone was gathering at the boarding gate, it was the bad guy himself, Razor Ramon. Taking pics with fans, I decided not to bother him. He sat in the frnt of the plane, we boarded and starting walking down the aisle, holding the replica I bought as my WM30 souvenir. What happens? He stops me in the aisle, and jokingly requested a shot at my belt. Awesome ending to an incredible experience!!
The Streak's WM30 Grave
As mentioned, I bought the replica Scott Hall challenged me for as my definitive WM30 souvenir. On sale at NOLA was a set of WM30 side plates, the perfect addition to the belt to remind me of this awesome experience!
Wishful thinking, coincidentally, these are the only two replicas I own.
The flight in from Dallas, we knew were WM bound. The demographic of everyone on the plane was now nearly all 20+ males. Conversation breaking out everywhere about Mania, the experience had begun. Day 1 was checking out New Orleans. Banners everywhere, fans everywhere. Who do we see on the street? Emma. Yep, I travelled all this way to find....another Australian. Crazy.
First stop: Wrestlemania Axxess. It was the Saturday session. The Bellas no showed which was a shame but Axxess is crazy. Its literally the craziest 4hr period where EVERYTHING is going on around you. Exhibits, theres about 8 superstars out signing at one point, there is the NXT signing, NXT matches going on, even HBK made an appearance in the ring after Paige defeated Alexa Bliss. Managed to get autos of Del Rio, Cody, Goldust, Paige & Alexa Bliss. Awkwardly Paige & Alexa just had a match and since the Bellas had no showed after 40mins, these two filled in at the tables. Paige figured being Aussie I was an Emma fan. Alexa, when I asked her how surreal it must all be, said it truly was. Not yet known (people were looking her up in the program) here she is signing at Axxess for hundreds of fans on the spot after a match. Cody and Goldust were awesome to meet. I quickly designed these 8x10s before my flight out for our 1 month tour of the US and was really short on time. However, funnily enough, several people asked me where i bought them from. Cody, Goldust and Christian all noted them and said there were really cool and wanted some. Pretty stoked to hear that from them. The exhibits were cool, even seeing the WM signs hanging which Ive only ever seen on TV so far far away. Awesome experience and seeing a little tribute to Bearer in takers graveyard was a nice touch.
HOF was an awesome experience. Seeing the people cheered as they came in. Funnily enough So Cal Val was sitting a row in front. Guess she had to get tickets like the rest of us. Felt bad as the guy next to us wouldnt stop bothering her for photos, etc. So cool to be there for the induction of Bearer especially as it was delivered by Kane and an appearance by Taker. The induction I had been waiting all this time for and so glad to be there in person. Jakes was incredibly touching. Warriors was bizarre as the indivdual himself and now knowing the tragic event that occurred after, it was so good to see him and the company making peace with each other.
Wrestlemania. Oh damn. I had only ever been to Raw live for TV once and a SD taping, both in 2012. But this was the grrandest stage of them all and the 30th one. What an amazing experience. The nostalgia of Austin, Rock and Hogan. The hilarious Silverdome screw up. The PPV which has seemed to pioneer a new era for WWE. Seeing Bryan finally win and 75,000 go nuts. And then, being there in person for the most shocking moment of all time. 75,000 packed into the Superdome and you could hear a pin drop. The feeling and atmosphere of that moment was truly insane and not something that could carry across into the broadcast. Pure shock. The stage and set was beautiful as was the purple and gold New Orleans theming. To me, it truly was the perfect event and experience. The mission to make it to WM31 has now begun, but WM30 will always be the special first one.
Then, cap it all of with Raw. Awesome crowd and a number of big shocks. If WM was the start of a seemingly new era, this show concreted it with new stars stepping up and a changing of guards to an extent. So awesome to be back in the Raw live environment, something that differs too much even though the House Shows here in Aus are far higher quality than US ones.
The WM30 experience was complete on our flight out of New Orleans to continue the trip. The flight we were on heading to Orlando via Atlanta, happenned to have a certain someone aboard. Everyone was gathering at the boarding gate, it was the bad guy himself, Razor Ramon. Taking pics with fans, I decided not to bother him. He sat in the frnt of the plane, we boarded and starting walking down the aisle, holding the replica I bought as my WM30 souvenir. What happens? He stops me in the aisle, and jokingly requested a shot at my belt. Awesome ending to an incredible experience!!
The Streak's WM30 Grave
As mentioned, I bought the replica Scott Hall challenged me for as my definitive WM30 souvenir. On sale at NOLA was a set of WM30 side plates, the perfect addition to the belt to remind me of this awesome experience!
Wishful thinking, coincidentally, these are the only two replicas I own.
