Wrestlemania debuts 2.0 (non-gimmicked list)
Don’t say we don’t listen to our readers here at GERWECK.net – here is the list of WrestleMania debuts just as before, only with repeated gimmicks removed. The other criteria are exactly as before (in-ring competition, guest referees or managers only with celebrity appearances excluded)
These adjustments change the stats slightly. The runaway winner is the original WrestleMania with 31 debuts at the event. This is followed by WrestleMania 2 with 27 and WrestleMania 4 with 23. At the other end of the scale, WrestleMania 21 retains the lowest number of debutants with just 3, followed by WrestleMania 6 with 5 newcomers and WrestleMania 28, which featured 6.
The adjusted full list is as follows:
WrestleMania: Tito Santana (later appeared as El Matador), The Executioner, King Kong Bundy, SD Jones, Ricky Steamboat, Matt Borne (later appeared as Doink The Clown), David Sammartino, Bruno Sammartino, Brutus Beefcake, Johnny Valiant, Junkyard Dog, Greg Valentine, Jimmy Hart, Nikolai Volkoff, The Iron Sheik, Freddie Blassie, Mike Rotundo (later appeared as Irwin R Schyster), Barry Windham (later appeared as Blackjack Windham), Lou Albano, Andre The Giant, John Studd, Bobby Heenan, Wendi Richter, Leilani Kai, The Fabulous Moolah, Hulk Hogan (later appeared as Hollywood Hogan), Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Pat Patterson & Bob Orton. TOTAL: 31
WrestleMania 2: Don Muraco, Mr Fuji, Randy Savage, Miss Elizabeth, George Steele, Jake Roberts, George Wells, The Haiti Kid, Velvet McIntyre, Corporal Kirchner, Pedro Morales, Tony Atlas, Ted Arcidi, Danny Spivey, Hillbilly Jim, King Tonga (later appeared as Haku), B Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, Davey Boy Smith (later appeared as The British Bulldog), The Dynamite Kid, Hercules Hernandez (later appeared as Hercules), Adrian Adonis, Uncle Elmer, Terry Funk (later appeared as Chainsaw Charlie) & Hoss Funk. TOTAL: 27
WrestleMania III: Rick Martel, Tom Zenk, Billy Jack Haynes, Little Beaver, Little Tokyo, Lord Littlebrook, Harley Race, Dino Bravo, Jacques Rougeau (later appeared as Quebecer Jacques & The Mountie), Raymond Rougeau, Danny Davis, Butch Reed, Koko B Ware, Slick & The Honky Tonk Man. TOTAL: 15
WrestleMania IV: Bad News Brown, Boris Zhukov, Jim Powers, Ken Patera, Paul Roma, Ron Bass, Sam Houston, Sika, Virgil, Ted DiBiase, Jim Duggan, Billy Graham, Frenchy Martin, One Man Gang (later appeared as Akeem), Bam Bam Bigelow, Oliver Humperdink, Rick Rude, The Ultimate Warrior, Peggy Sue (later appeared as Sherri Martel), Ricky Steamboat Jr, Tama, Ax & Smash (later appeared as The Repo Man). TOTAL: 23
WrestleMania V: Big Boss Man, Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty, Luke Williams, Butch Miller, Mr Perfect, The Blue Blazer (later competed as Owen Hart), The Warlord, The Barbarian, Ronnie Garvin, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, The Red Rooster & The Brooklyn Brawler (later appeared as Kim Chee). TOTAL: 14
WrestleMania VI: Earthquake, The Genius, Sapphire, Sato & Tanaka. TOTAL: 5
WrestleMania VII: The Texas Tornado, Brian Knobs, Jerry Sags, The Undertaker, Paul Bearer, Genichiro Tenryu, Koji Kitao, Crush, Hawk, Animal, Sgt Slaughter & General Adnan. TOTAL: 12
WrestleMania VIII: Ric Flair, Tatanka, Typhoon (later appeared as Tugboat), Skinner, Sid & Harvey Wippleman. TOTAL: 6
WrestleMania IX: Luna Vachon, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Samu, Fatu (later appeared as The Sultan & Rikishi), Afa, Razor Ramon (later appeared as Scott Hall), Bob Backlund, Lex Luger, Giant Gonzalez & Yokozuna. TOTAL: 11
WrestleMania X: Dink, Alundra Blayze, Mabel, Mo, Oscar, Quebecer Pierre, Johnny Polo (later appeared as Raven), Jim Cornette, Adam Bomb & Diesel (later appeared as Kevin Nash). TOTAL: 10
WrestleMania XI: Jacob Blu, Eli Blu (the duo later appeared as Skull & 8-Ball), Uncle Zebekiah (is set to appear as Zeb Coulter), The 123 Kid (later appeared as X-Pac), Jeff Jarrett, The Roadie (later appeared as Road Dogg), Billy Gunn & Bart Gunn (later appeared as Bodacious Bart). TOTAL: 8
WrestleMania XII: Vader, Ahmed Johnson, Steve Austin, Savio Vega, Hunter Hearst Helmsley (later appeared as Triple H), Sable, Goldust, Marlena (later appeared as Terri) & Jose Lothario. TOTAL: 9
WrestleMania 13: Mosh, Thrasher, Blackjack Bradshaw (later appeared as Bradshaw & John Bradshaw Layfield), Henry Godwinn, Phineas Godwinn, Doug Furnas, Phil LaFon, Rocky Maivia (later appeared as The Rock), Chyna, Mankind (later appeared as Mick Foley & Cactus Jack), Ken Shamrock, Faarooq, Wolfie D, JC Ice, D’Lo Brown & Clarence Mason. TOTAL: 16
WrestleMania XIV: Sunny, Bodacious Bob (later appeared as Hardcore Holly), Taka Michinoku, Aguila, Marc Mero, Kama Mustafa (later appeared as The Godfather), Mark Henry, Kane, Miguel Perez Jr, Jose Estrada Jr, Jesus Castillo, Recon (later appeared as Bull Buchanan), Sniper, Chainz, Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, Scott Taylor (later appeared as Scotty 2 Hotty), Brian Christopher (later appeared as Grand Master Sexay), Steve Blackman & Flash Funk. TOTAL: 20
WrestleMania XV: Al Snow, Test, Debra, Ivory, The Big Show, The Blue Meanie, Ryan Shamrock, Tori & Shane McMahon. TOTAL: 9
WrestleMania 2000: Crash Holly, Albert (later appeared as A-Train & Tensai), Trish Stratus, Edge, Christian, Bubba Ray Dudley, D-Von Dudley, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, The Kat, Mae Young, Val Venis, Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon & Linda McMahon. TOTAL: 21
WrestleMania X-Seven: William Regal, Tazz, Jacqueline, Steven Richards, Duke Droese, The Goon, The Gobbledy Gooker, Brother Love, Michael Hayes & Kamala. TOTAL: 10/11 (Doink appeared in this match, but I don’t know who he was played by)
WrestleMania X8: Rob Van Dam, Diamond Dallas Page, Maven, Booker T (later appeared as King Booker), Chuck Palumbo, Stacy Keibler, Jazz & Lita. TOTAL: 8
WrestleMania XIX: Shannon Moore, Rey Mysterio, Nathan Jones, Victoria, Shelton Benjamin, Charlie Haas, Chavo Guerrero, Rhyno & Brock Lesnar. TOTAL: 9
WrestleMania XX: John Cena, Garrison Cade, Mark Jindrak, Rene Dupree, Rob Conway, Randy Orton, Batista, Miss Jackie (later appeared as Jackie Gayda), Torrie Wilson, Chavo Guerrero Sr, Ultimo Dragon, Jamie Noble, Funaki, Nunzio, Billy Kidman, Tajiri, Akio, Goldberg, Danny Basham, Doug Basham & Molly Holly. TOTAL: 21
WrestleMania 21: Tyson Tomko, Christy Hemme & Akebono. TOTAL: 3
WrestleMania 22: Carlito, Chris Masters, Finlay, Lashley, Jillian Hall, The Boogeyman, Sharmell, Mickie James & Candice Michelle. TOTAL: 9
WrestleMania 23: Mr Kennedy, CM Punk, The Great Khali, MVP, Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, The Sandman, Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, Ariel, Umaga, Armando Estrada, Melina & Ashley Massaro. TOTAL: 16
WrestleMania XXIV: Hornswoggle, John Morrison, Beth Phoenix, Santino Marella (later appeared as Santina Marella), Maria, Vickie Guerrero, Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder. TOTAL: 8
WrestleMania XXV: Kofi Kingston, Alicia Fox, Brie Bella, Eve Torres, Gail Kim, Joy Giovanni, Katie Lea Burchill, Kelly Kelly, Layla, Maryse, Michelle McCool, Natalya, Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes & Tiffany. TOTAL: 15
WrestleMania XXVI: The Miz, R-Truth, Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase Jr, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, Dolph Ziggler, Evan Bourne, Sheamus, Luke Gallows, Serena & Bruce Hart. TOTAL: 12
WrestleMania XXVII: Alberto Del Rio, Ricardo Rodriguez, Brodus Clay, Wade Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Michael Cole & Jerry Lawler. TOTAL: 9
WrestleMania XXVIII: Daniel Bryan, AJ Lee, David Otunga, John Laurinaitis, Teddy Long & Aksana. TOTAL: 6
WrestleMania 29: Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Ryback, Big E Langston, Fandango, Cameron, Naomi, Damien Sandow & (probably) Kaitlyn. TOTAL: 10
NOTE: I am not perfect. There may be an omission or an oversight here or there, especially in the ‘later appeared as’. Let me know in the comments if you spot something I’ve missed
