List of WrestleMania XII Critical Reception and Reviews

Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart Iron Man Match — ****1/4 (Meltzer)

Near Five Stars — Critical Division Remains

Dave Meltzer rated the Iron Man Match ****1/4 in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter — near the top of the scale but below the five-star threshold he had awarded both WM10 matches. The rating reflects a match that most contemporary reviewers regarded as a technical achievement of the highest order despite significant structural criticisms. Bret Hart himself has called it 'my finest WrestleMania moment' and 'the best pro wrestling match.' Many fans still regard it as the best 60-minute Iron Man match of all time. Critical division centres on whether the 0-0 regulation period robbed the match of drama — the TJR Wrestling review calling it 'an enormous disappointment' for failing to execute the Iron Man stipulation's multi-fall potential, while other reviewers praised its sustained endurance and technical excellence.

Overall Event — Mixed Reception: 'A One-Match Card'

Strong Main Event Elevated a Weak Undercard

Critical consensus on WrestleMania XII overall is that it was 'a one-trick pony' — an event built entirely around the main event match, with minimal investment in undercard quality. Wrestlemania XII: The Iron Man Match's Bleacher Report piece stated: 'WWE simply said, We are going to give you the main event, and it's going to be an hour long, and we really don't care what else is on this show.' IMDB rates the event 7.3/10. One IMDB reviewer gave it a C grade overall, noting that 'the main event is everything else is not.' Multiple reviewers identified it as a significant improvement over WM11 while acknowledging it fell short of WM10 and WM8. Wrestleview's Mike Tedesco called it 'a much improved WrestleMania from the year before. Other than Austin vs. Vega, all the matches were entertaining or at least interesting.'

Undercard Assessments — Highlights and Lowlights

Hollywood Backlot Brawl Praised; Austin vs. Vega Criticised

Among the undercard matches, the Hollywood Backlot Brawl between Piper and Goldust was consistently cited as an entertaining and creative highlight — with one reviewer noting that 'the sight of two wrestlers chasing each other down the highway at the time was unbelievable.' Undertaker vs. Diesel was considered a serviceable and decent match. Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega was the most criticised match on the card — 'totally dead,' 'mediocre,' and described as Austin's WM debut 'in the worst possible circumstances for a future mega-star.' The Warrior vs. HHH squash was praised for its entertainment value and Warrior's spectacular entrance, despite its brevity. The six-man tag was generally considered 'fair.'