28 Days of 'Mania: 12 Wrestlers We Miss from the Big Event

Disclaimer: This will be an ongoing series for the next 28 days leading up to the biggest event in sports entertainment, WrestleMania 28. The idea behind the piece is to build more momentum for the event and give you, the Bleacher Report fan, a chance to read, comment and weigh in with opinions about the WWE, the business and the event. It is my hope this becomes something positive and we all enjoy the ride for the next four weeks to Miami and the biggest event of the wrestling year. Enjoy.

There have been some great moments in WrestleMania lore. Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan. Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage. The Celebrity Battle Royal. And King Kong Bundy's quick work of S.D. Jones.

Ah, the good ole days of the WWF and the special link an event like this has with mainstream culture. Fans and entertainers embraced it like it was part of the plans for a spring evening.

That is what Vince McMahon had hoped it would be.

And we all love waiting for it and then embracing it like a holiday event of the wrestling equivalent of Christmas.

Yes, McMahon may have envisioned this as well.

These characters, celebrities and athletes have left an indelible mark on WrestleMania and are missed in our minds. Remembering their appearance and their help in making it the event it has become is something we all want to see again.

William "The Refrigerator" Perry

The "Fridge" was a national icon from his days with the Chicago Bears.

A big, lumbering defensive tackle who also played fullback, blocked for Walter Payton and scored a Super Bowl touchdown.

He was a perfect get for Vince McMahon and the Celebrity Battle Royal.

Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage

Perhaps the best match ever at WrestleMania.

Steamboat and Savage really sold for each other. The two battled it out and gave the fans everything they had.

They were two former NWA starts who showed everyone how it was done back then.

I still watch reruns of it because it was that good.

Roddy Piper

Piper was the ever-popular heel, wrestler, voice and instigator.

Whether he was in the ring or out, he always had something new to say.

And when wrestled, he gave us everything in the ring.

Pamela Anderson

OK, she isn't a wrestler, but hell, why can't I add her?

She was Diesel's valet in the WrestleMania XI match with Shawn Michaels.

And as far as I am concerned, if she wants to be part of another WrestleMania, I am all for it.

I am sure there are many fans who think the same way.

Ultimate Warrior

The coloful, animated Warrior.

I was never a huge fan of him, mainly because when I see him, I see muscles on a man who just moves around the ring and overpowers his opponents.

I thought the match between Hogan and Warrior was awful and when Warrior was supposed to become the next big thing in the WWF, Hogan stole the spotlight back from him.

Even today, the two are at odds.

Hulk Hogan

He got this whole thing started.

Hogan WAS WrestleMania for a while and whether it was Piper or Bundy or Andre or Warrior, it was AWESOME.

Hogan helped usher in the "Rock and Wrestling" connection and brought us some really good stories from that era.

Miss Elizabeth

She was the classiest woman ever to grace the WWF.

Her style was a main reason Randy Savage was so successful and the plot lines of their relationship being written in as storylines was brilliant.

Someone who is so beautiful was such and asset and hindrance to someone like Savage all at once.

"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair

I think he was equally important to both the NWA, WCW and the WWF.

Remember, Hogan was the larger than life character. Flair was the consummate character.

His matches with Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were immortalized.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

There isn't much to say about this.

We all miss him in the ring and love it when he gets on the mic.

His charisma is contagious and he loves being the center of attention as much as anyone. Especially when it is pulling one over on Vince McMahon.

Paul Orndorff

He should have been a world champion. Plain and simple.

Orndorff could have carried the WWF. He could have been a million bucks and gotten over once on Hogan. McMahon saw it differently.

The look and body was incomparable.

Why he wasn't given more of a push is beyond me.

Mr. T

I pity the fool.

Taking a keen interest in the fact that The A-Team was a hot television program and that everything "T" touched turned to gold, McMahon cashed in.

The thought of "T" and Hogan defending Cyndi Lauper's honor was key to The Hulkster getting over even bigger than he was.

And while "T" and Hogan did not always see eye to eye on the match or the concept, it was an amazing combination.

Andre the Giant

We all miss Andre.

While he was older when he was involved in WrestleMania III, he was the icon we still loved even as a heel.

Andre made the world of wrestling lovable, with his dynamic size and brute power.

And when Andre and Hogan locked horns, it was wrestling history.

Another coup for Vince McMahon.