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All aspects of a professional wrestling event combine to create the spectacle that fans have to come enjoy on a weekly basis for decades. Whether it be one of the longest-running episodic shows on television or a monthly pay-per-view/”network special event”, hard work and creativity go into creating the best possible experience for fans.
During the late 90’s and early to mid-2000’s WWE traditionally created a unique set for each pay-per-view event in addition to different sets for Raw and Smackdown. The sets for these events helped provide an identity for events that are now home to some of the biggest moments and matches in WWE history.
Here are 10 of the best Non Wrestlemania sets of all time.
#10 Survivor Series 1998
The Attitude Era of WWE was known for many things, blood, violence, and scantily clad women to name a few. It was not known for big extravagant Pay per View set pieces. This is exhibited in this entry on the list, but in its simplicity lies its excellence.
The 1998 edition of Survivor Series was broadcast from St. Louis, Missouri and featured the “Deadly Games” tournament for the vacant WWF(E) Championship. The title was vacant due to the ongoing feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mr McMahon, the feud also featured Kane, Undertaker, and Mankind.
The stage and entrance way featured a giant detailed skull with “deadly games” tattooed on the forehead area, and glowing red eyes, the only other décor were a few metal structures with flames coming out of the tops. The stage speaks to the importance of the tournament that would dominate the event and culminate in the Rock’s first WWF(E) Championship win as he would turn and align himself with Mr McMahon.
#9 Invasion 2001
Regardless of how you feel about the Invasion storyline from the early 2000’s, the stage from the 2001 Invasion Pay per View really hammered home the Us v. Them mindset for the night. Featuring separate entrances and walkways for the respective sides (WWE and Alliance) the stage was set up in a Y layout to portray that each side had their own backstage areas.
This stage is a great example of less is more, all the lavishness of previous and future stages are not at play here, something as simple as different doors for superstars to walk out of was enough to provide the viewer with the thought that these people do not like each other to the extent that all sharable space had to be split among the groups.
#8 Vengeance 2005
This set beautifully captured the aesthetic that is Las Vegas, Nevada. WWE brought Vengeance to Sin City in June of 2005 to blow off the Triple H/Batista championship feud inside Hell in a Cell. This stage featured everything from giant dice and playing cards, to digital roulette wheels creating a fun and memorable setting for the event.
Although the stage didn’t mesh well with the intensity of the event (in addition to the Hell in a Cell match, the card also featured a grueling WrestleMania rematch between Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle), it gave the event a sense of individuality and uniqueness, which is something that is lost on the majority of WWE “Network Specials” in present day.
#7 Capitol Punishment 2011
The only WWE Event to hold this name, it took the place of the universally panned Fatal 4-Way Pay per View in June on the WWE event schedule. This event featured the blow-off match to the John Cena/R-Truth feud for the WWE Championship.
The event took place in Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, and the stage and promotional material for the event was themed around the federal government including the President at the time, Barack Obama. The stage was constructed to resemble the U.S. Capitol Building including the huge dome and spite middle, a large screen above the entrance way, and American Flags everywhere. The set was nothing short of a spectacle to behold and one that will not soon be forgotten in WWE.
#6 Armageddon 2008
The Armageddon Pay per View was situated on the WWE schedule in December, largely making it a lower tier secondary Pay per View, often used as a build-up to the Royal Rumble.
However, the 2008 event (the last time to present that an Armageddon event has been produced by WWE) is held high in the hearts of many WWE fans because it was the setting for Jeff Hardy’s first WWE Championship win.
The event was broadcast from Buffalo, New York and featured one of the biggest and complex stages ever created by WWE. Staying in line with the post-apocalyptic nature of the title of the show, the stage was set up to resemble a damaged castle. The set piece was huge, with a large digital display in the middle of the entrance way for superstar entrance packages.
#5 King of the Ring 2001
King of the Ring used to be a staple event for the WWE, joining WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and the Royal Rumble as the Big 5 Pay-Per-Views for the company until the event’s cancellation in 2002.
Often featuring a single elimination tournament to crown a new “King of the Ring” the event also featured championship matches and blow-offs to feuds, adding to the important nature of the event in the eyes of fans.
In 2001 WWE had the creative juices flowing with this set creation. The most defining characteristic of the set is the giant throne that towers over the entranceway, giving the event a “Big Fight Feel”. Also featured on the entrance stage were large glass panels adorned with the King of the Ring Symbols, (you may remember them from the match that saw Kurt Angle suplex Shane McMahon through two of these panels).
#4 Smackdown 2001-2009
Fans of Early 2000’s WWE will most likely remember the moment when Rhyno gored Chris Jericho through the old Smackdown stage in early 2001. The very next week, Smackdown came on the air with a new stage that is arguably one of the best WWE has ever created. The image of a giant fist smashing through a mirror above the entrance way has become an enduring image for the Smackdown brand, with likenesses popping up in promotional packages as recent as the 2016 brand split.
The main reason for the company’s decision to quit using the stage is due to the switch to HD programming in 2009. WWE opted for a sleeker and more technology-heavy, a uniform stage for all of their weekly programming.
#3 Royal Rumble 2006
The 2006 Royal Rumble was broadcast from Miami, Florida and featured a theme centred on Ancient Roman culture. Featuring promotional packages of the McMahon family in togas, white marble columns, and other fixtures in Roman mythos the Royal Rumble was sure to be a spectacle.
The stage and entrance way was modelled after the Roman Colosseum with more white columns, crimson drapery, and empty battle chariots decorating the large set. This Rumble also brought back the gimmick from King of the Ring with 2 doormen dressed in Roman attire opening the double doors for superstars to enter the arena.
The theme of the night brought a sense of importance to the event, making each match feel bigger, kicking off the road to WrestleMania.
#2 Royal Rumble 2000
The first of 2 Royal Rumbles at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City. The layout of the venue provides a unique circumstance in the short entrance way to the ring. The entrance way featured panels of sheet metal, graffiti, debris, road markings and an overhanging taxi cab to capture an urban scene.
The short entranceway provided for a quicker paced royal rumble match in a sense that superstars got to the ring much quicker than a traditional arena. The creativity involved in the construction of the set, coupled with the iconic nature of the Garden itself, made this stage one of the most unique and memorable in WWE History.
The set was also featured in the No Mercy Video Game for the N64, adding to its legacy.
#1 Backlash 2000
The Backlash Pay-Per-View was traditionally the first event after WrestleMania, taking place in late April or early May. Often featuring the fallout from WrestleMania, including rematches for championships and grudge matches to further new storylines, Backlash has held a prominent place in WWE’s event lineup.
In addition to its stature in the WWE PPV lineup, Backlash was also home to one of the coolest entrance ways in WWE history. One of the common themes of the promotional material for Backlash featured a swinging hook slicing through the air. Creative minds utilized this imagery to create a gauntlet of giant swinging hooks that lined the entrance ramp and stage for Backlash in 2000, 2001, and 2002.
As a superstar made their way to the ring, these humongous structures would swing back and forth making the matches feel more intense.
