As WrestleMania returns to Las Vegas for the first time in 31 years, we look back at WrestleMania IX and its impact on “The Showcase of the Immortals”.
It’s easy to tell if someone is a fun-loving optimist you should attach yourself to for life, or a fun-sponge you should avoid at all costs based on their view of WrestleMania IX.
Positive people will love the ninth installment of WrestleMania because of its unique setting outside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. WWE transformed a parking lot in Las Vegas into a Roman Colosseum for the 1993 PPV.
16,000 fans packed the makeshift arena as WWE’s broadcast team donned robes for “The World’s Largest Toga Party”.
It was the first outdoor ‘Mania. It was such a cool look fans begged for WWE to head back outside until the second open-air WrestleMania in 2008.
WrestleMania IX was the first ‘Mania not to take place in a dimly-lit arena. This can be identified as the spark for WrestleMania becoming more of a colourful spectacle.
This year, as WWE brings WrestleMania back to Las Vegas for the first time since 1993, 53,410 fans will pack the Allegiant Stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.
The stadium’s transparent roof will give the vibe of an open-air show but keep the noise in and the fans cool during WrestleMania 41.
Tickets at WrestleMania IX ranged from $50 – $150. Fans going to Las Vegas this year will pay between $180 for the cheapest single Saturday ticket to $8,000 for a two-day combo floor ticket.
WrestleMania IX Criticism
A Negative Nancy will complain that WrestleMania IX had poor in-ring quality and a shockingly non-sensical finish in which Hulk Hogan became WWE Champion despite not being in the championship main event.
Bret Hart losing the championship was a sign of Vince McMahon’s untrustworthiness and last-minute booking. This sort of booking will, thankfully, be missing from WrestleMania this year.
Many of the matches did finish via DQ, or no contest which did mean a lot of bouts fell flat at the finish.
People have also claimed WrestleMania IX was an infomercial for Caesars Palace.
Sure, Caesars Palace CEO Dan Reichartz did get a moment in the Nevada sun to celebrate how great his casino was as the host at WrestleMania. This would become a tradition as WWE began to butter up its corporate associates. Expect to see multiple Netflix executives at ringside on April 19 and 20.
But WrestleMania IX delivered on so many of the things fans hope for every year. Even if the execution wasn’t perfect.
Hogan’s win was unpredictable and a total swerve. What wrestling fan doesn’t go into WrestleMania hoping for mind-blowing moments?
WWE Embraces Its Environment
WWE recognized Las Vegas as the home of magic and created one of the most iconic images in WrestleMania history.
Doink the Clown pulled off an impressive illusion when a double appeared in the ring and helped him defeat Crush. The broadcast team debated all evening whether then-Caesars Palace headline magician David Copperfield had consulted on the illusion.
WWE also seemingly raided Las Vegas magic megastars Siegfried & Roy’s prop box as a variety of animals appeared during WrestleMania IX.
Since then, WWE has made a real hubbub about its host cities. From Riyadh to Glasgow, it embraces where it is.
Vegas is still the magic capital of the world. Perhaps one of the current headliners will appear in a puff of smoke at WrestleMania 41.
Cirque du Soilel has taken over Vegas since WWE last ran WrestleMania there. The contemporary circus conglomerate offers an eclectic mix of characters and would also be a good addition to help WWE show the flavor of Vegas.
Las Vegas: Where The Bloodline Takes Over WWE
WrestleMania IX saw the Anoa’i family begin its stronghold on WWE. Roman Reign’s uncle Afa accompanied “The Headshrinkers” Samu & Fatu (Rikishi) to the ring for their tag match with The Steiner Brothers.
Bron Breakker defends the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 41 to continue the Steiner family legacy.
Meanwhile, Yokozuna headlined the show as WWE Champion. Yokozuna set an unwanted record when he won and lost the WWE Championship at both WrestleMania IX and X.
Although he lost the gold it put the wheels in motion for The Bloodline rising.
The Rock competed in the main event – or semi-main event – of every WrestleMania between 1999 and 2002. “The Final Boss” has since returned to headline multiple WrestleMania shows.
Reigns then took over as the certified closing man of “The Showcase of the Immortals”. Reigns will compete in his 10th WrestleMania main event on night one of WrestleMania 41.
Rikishi’s son Jey Uso, who headlined night one in 2023 with his twin brother Jimmy, will compete for the World Heavyweight Championship this year.
It is safe to say Las Vegas was the birthplace of the Anoa’i family taking control of WrestleMania.
Las Vegas Is Perfect For Magnitude of WrestleMania
It’s taken WWE 32 years to bring WrestleMania back to Las Vegas. This seems strange as Las Vegas is a destination that many international fans long to visit. Hosting WrestleMania in Sin City could be the tipping point for many fans buying tickets.
Don’t believe me. I’ll be flying over 5,000 miles and spending my life savings to attend WrestleMania in Vegas to prove my point. The location was the deciding factor as it’s an adult playground I’ve always wanted to visit.
Las Vegas is the perfect location to host the magnitude of WrestleMania. In 1993, a lot was made of the WrestleMania brunch as a side event to the main show.
This year, WWE will host two nights of WrestleMania, NXT Stand & Deliver, WWE SmackDown, Hall of Fame, Roast of WrestleMania, and multiple events at WWE The World.
More than 70 independent wrestling shows will also take place in Las Vegas. Most of these shows take place along the 4.2-mile Las Vegas strip, or 6.6 miles away on Freemont St. No other city can offer so many venues in such close proximity.
This makes Las Vegas potentially the greatest location for WrestleMania. One thing is for sure. WWE shouldn’t wait another 31 years to bring WrestleMania back to Las Vegas.
Here’s our list of the craziest matches happening during WrestleMania week.
Shout out to @TrustInPhil for this list of the SEVENTY wrestling shows in Las Vegas for #WrestleMania Week.
This does not even include the WWE shows, plus all the wrestlers doing comedy, and live podcasts. pic.twitter.com/aPWkgaIX5H
— Laurence Gibbons (@GibbonsGob) April 11, 2025
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