10 Fascinating WWE WrestleMania Facts & Stats

It's WrestleMania week, baby!

That means plenty of excitement, predictions, rumours and new content for all.

And if anything can be mined for content, it's WrestleMania, given that we're approaching the 37th one in history and all WrestleManias past have their unique own identities and stories behind them.

This conflation of quantity and uniqueness has resulted in some pretty interesting facts, stats and behind-the-scenes tidbits that only seek to enhance the aura of the event.

Moving beyond attendance records (real or otherwise), match lengths and show length, I'm going to dig into a few of these and unravel how they came about, what they mean and how they contribute to the mania of WrestleMania.

Besides, any reason to write about Willie Nelson partying with the Nasty Boys is a good one.

And if that hasn't enticed you to read on, I'm not sure anything will...

10. The Only Cage Match (For A Long Time)

WWE.com

If WWE hadn't booked Braun Strowman and Shane McMahon in a cage match at WrestleMania 37, there would still only be one (traditional) cage match in WrestleMania history.

Despite being a tried and tested gimmick and a popular blowoff in days gone by, WWE have only employed the steel cage one time at WrestleMania previously.

That was for the main event of WrestleMania 2, where Hulk Hogan successfully defended his WWE Title against King Kong Bundy inside the big blue bars during the Los Angeles portion of the show.

It was recently revealed on the WWE Untold episode focusing on the Edge versus Mick Foley Hardcore match from WrestleMania 22 that Vince McMahon had originally planned for it to take place in a cage, until the Rated-R Superstar successfully argued for it to be hardcore rules instead.

While the cage has only been used once (as of this writing), WWE have put on three Hell in a Cell matches at WrestleManias past, each involving The Undertaker (versus Big Boss Man, Triple H and Shane McMahon at XV, XXVIII & 32 respectively).

9. Willie The Worker

WWE.com

One of the highlights of a pretty darn good WrestleMania VII was The Nasty Boys beating The Hart Foundation to win the WWE Tag Team Titles in a grand match.

Another highlight was Willie Nelson's stirring rendition of God Bless America that began the show.

The country music legend was a hit with the boys in the back and wound up partying with Brian Knobbs, Jerry Saggs, Shawn Michaels, Curt Hennig and Curt's father Larry 'The Axe' until the early hours of the LA morning.

During the hazy scene, Knobbs ended up gifting his newly-won championship belt to Nelson as a souvenir after Willie had serenaded him with a version of Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.

Knobbs had known Nelson for years due to a connection with mutual friend Dusty Rhodes, and considered him a hero.

Unfortunately, just a few short hours after the party was over, The Nasty Boys were due at a Gold's Gym to film material with Vince McMahon for an upcoming episode of Prime Time.

They showed up as scheduled, but only with one of their titles.

8. The WWE Title At WrestleMania IV

WWE.com

WrestleMania IV has a number of interesting facts and stats attached to it due to the novel WWE Title tournament that was held at the event.

For starters, the pay-per-view marked the first time the WWE Title had been (officially) vacated since Buddy Rogers first won it in 1963.

As part of the storyline leading into the tournament, WWE's on-screen president Jack Tunney vacated the title after refusing to recognise either Andre the Giant or Ted DiBiase as champions, after the Eighth Wonder of the World had won the belt thanks to a bribed referee (Earl Hebner) only to then hand it to Ted DiBiase (the man responsible for the bribing).

Despite there not being a champion going in, this was still the first time the title had 'changed hands' and a new champion was crowned at WrestleMania when Randy Savage won the title tournament, last defeating The Million Dollar Man in the final.

Because of the tournament, WrestleMania IV also has the most matches of any single one-day WrestleMania in history, with sixteen.

The WrestleMania with the least amount of matches is, unsurprisingly, WrestleMania 12, with six, though one of those was a one-hour Iron Man match.

7. The Undefeated

WWE.com

Though no single WWE superstar has won more WrestleMania matches than The Undertaker's 25 - and nobody will likely ever match his 21 straight victories - he is no longer undefeated at the Showcase of the Immortals thanks to his losses to Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.

There are, however, several other wrestlers who are undefeated at WrestleMania.

Many of them have a rather weak 2-0 record, such as Virgil, Chyna, AJ Lee, Terry Funk and, believe it or not, Mr. T.

There are a few in the 3-0 club, too, like The Legion of Doom, Demolition Ax and Sable.

One man, however, is in front with a 4-0 record.

That man is recent WWE Hall of Fame inductee Rob Van Dam, whose victories over William Regal at WrestleMania X8, in a four-team match at XX, in the Money in the Bank ladder match at 22 and as a member of team ECW at 23 give him the record.

Now, that does come with something of a caveat mind, since Van Dam teamed with Kane to unsuccessfully challenge Lance Storm and Chief Morley for the World Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania XIX.

However, that match was bumped from the main card to the Sunday Night Heat pre-show, meaning it never officially took place at WrestleMania.

So we can thank the Miller Lite Catfight Girls for RVD's spotless WrestleMania resume.

6. A Night Of No Title Changes

WWE.com

WrestleMania is a night for major happenings and that, usually, means a significant title change or two.

Every WrestleMania in history has seen at least one title change go down.

Every one, that is, except for WrestleMania XXVII.

Amazingly, out of eight matches on the main card only the WWE and World Heavyweight Titles were on the line that night, and neither of them got new owners.

Edge retained his World Heavyweight Title against Alberto del Rio in the opener (in his last match for over nine years), while The Miz shockingly left Atlanta as WWE Champion after fending off John Cena (with a little help from The Rock).

5. Consecutive Christian

WWE.com

Looking back at previous WrestleMania results, one low-key great WrestleMania CV belongs to Christian.

His record at the Granddaddy of Them All isn't flawless by any means, but Captain Charisma has had great matches, made memorable moments and gotten some big wins at WWE's biggest show.

He also has a record for consecutive WrestleMania title wins.

While many wrestlers have won more consecutive matches (including longtime partner Edge, who won five in a row), nobody else has won a title three years on the bounce.

Christian teamed with Edge in both men's first WrestleMania in 2000, to win the Tag Team Titles in the Triangle Ladder Match (also featuring the Hardys and Dudleys). They repeated the feat the following year in TLC II at WrestleMania X-Seven.

At WrestleMania X8, Christian actually failed to capture the European Title from Diamond Dallas Page in his scheduled match, but he did win the Hardcore Title in a backstage match/segment, though he lost it again before the night was over.

An interesting side note when discussing the tag titles, WrestleMania and multiple victories is Owen Hart, who left WrestleMania three times as tag team champion with three different partners (Yokozuna at 11, the British Bulldog at 13 and Jeff Jarrett at XV).

4. Most WrestleMania Main Events

WWE.com

To have gone on last at WrestleMania is to belong to an elite club, as the spot is typically reserved for only the very biggest stars.

Not always, of course, but typically.

While the likes of The Rock, Steve Austin, John Cena, Roman Reigns and Shawn Michaels all have many WrestleMania main event matches to their name, nobody has more than Hulk Hogan.

Which is hardly surprising, since he was the top star for much of the 1980's and the beginning of the 90's and was often WWE Champion (or number one contender) when 'Mania season rolled around.

The Hulkster has wrestled in 8 WrestleMania main events in matches that range from the outright excellent (Savage & Warrior) to the downright rotten (Sid Justice, Bundy, Yokozuna etc.).

Of those eight, Hogan won seven and suffered only one loss, to the Ultimate Warrior at 'Mania VI.

Not that it bothered him so much he felt the need to bring Warrior out of the mothballs in order to get his win back in a different company eight-and-a-half years later or anything.

That would be ridiculous.

3. The Gap

WWE.com

A performer can go a long time between WrestleMania matches, whether they find themselves falling down the card and out of favour or simply leave the company and are brought back years later.

We've seen it in recent years with Goldberg, Kurt Angle and Shane McMahon, who all went over a decade between 'Mania bouts.

Then there are a couple who went more than 20 whole years without having a match at WrestleMania.

Ricky Steamboat famously came out of retirement for WrestleMania XXV in 2009, teaming with Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka (who also hadn't wrestled at 'Mania for a time) to take on Chris Jericho. It had been 21 years since The Dragon's last WrestleMania outing, a loss to Greg Valentine at WrestleMania IV.

Tatanka has Steamboat beaten by two years, though, as his surprise appearance in WrestleMania 32's Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal made it 23 years between matches at the Showcase of the Immortals for the Native American Warrior.

Tatanka had wrestled on two previous 'Manias, taking on Rick 'The Model' Martel at VIII and Shawn Michaels at IX but didn't wrestle on another show either during his first run or his return to the company in 2006.

A ten-man tag match he was scheduled to compete in at WrestleMania X was cut for time when the Shawn Michaels/Razor Ramon Intercontinental Title Ladder Match overran and he accompnied Bam Bam Bigelow to the ring for his main event match with Lawrence Taylor at WrestleMania XI.

By the way, for those who care, Tatanka was eliminated from the Andre the Giant Memoral Battle Royal by eventual winner Baron Corbin.

2. The REAL Main Event Man

WWE.com

As mentioned previously, getting to main-event a WrestleMania is rarefied air and not everyone gets to do it.

And nobody gets to headline WrestleMania every time they wrestle on the show.

Well, nobody but Sid that is!

Yes, the Master and Ruler of the World may have only wrestled at two WrestleManias, but both of those matches were main events.

Sid stared at the ceiling for Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VII and, six years later, was back to do the honours for The Undertaker, losing his WWE Title and becoming another victim of the growing Streak.

He may only have half the brain that you do, but he's 100% as far as being in WrestleMania main events is concerned.

1. Before They Were Stars

WWE.com

WrestleMania is the biggest event in the industry and, to appear on the show, you have to be there for some reason or another, whether you're a top star, an exciting up-and-comer or a celebrity.

Most people getting into the business most likely dream about performing at 'Mania, preferably in a featured spot.

While it can take a while to get there, a dreamchaser can see themselves involved in the pageantry of WrestleMania before they actually get their name on the card proper.

Because it's such a big production, WWE will often employ would-be superstars as extras for things like elaborate entrances or backstage skits.

One of the more memorable pre-fame cameos is CM Punk's turn as a prohibition-era gangster during John Cena's entrance at WrestleMania 22, which took place in Punk's hometown of Chicago.

Another curio is Diamond Dallas Page, at the start of his sports entertainment journey, driving Rhythm and Blues to the ring in his Pink Cadillac at WrestleMania VI.

Then there is future Women's Champions Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks wearing masks and flanking their boss, Triple H, for his spectacular entrance at WrestleMania XXX.

Though their faces were not seen, Xavier Woods, Luke Harper, Sami Zayn, Mojo Rawley and other developmental prospects were involved in The Undertaker's spooky entrance at WrestleMania 29 and most of the NXT roster (including Finn Balor) comprised The Game's soldier army at 'Mania 32.