5 of the most predictable matches in WrestleMania history  

#5 Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - Wrestlemania 14

Bring on the Attitude.

Without a doubt, the most important year in the history of the WWF/E has to be 1997. Just by looking at the kind of product we had at the start of the year compared with its end, one can see the lengths Vince McMahon went to in order to wrestle back control of TV ratings and mainstream attention from WCW.

A signature part of this transition was Stone Cold Steve Austin, a man the company were pretty much pinning all hopes onto for future success. After a memorable submission match with Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 13, the rest of 97 was dedicated to transitioning Austin into a main event player who would receive his coronation at the following year's event.

Going up against Shawn Michaels was also largely symbolic here. HBK, while very much an innovator in his own right, was seen as representative of the mid-90s 'New Generation', an era the company were trying to leave behind them.

Having Austin standing tall at the close of Mania 14 was a scene written in the heads of WWF management months beforehand so its realisation was merely a formality.

Add to this the fact that Shawn would be taking time off to address his growing list of injuries and you can see why the main event of Wrestlemania 14, whilst iconic, was really very predictable indeed.

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