Please be advised that in the interests of maintaining contemporaneous consistency I will be referring to WWE as WWF throughout this article. This clarification should prevent you from imagining giant men in spandex fighting pandas for money.
On August the 29th 1992 the WWF came to Wembley Stadium for its annual SummerSlam. It was the first time the organisation had strayed outside the States for an event of this scale, and the reason was purely financial: Vince McMahon and his backers realised that while enthusiasm for the sport was waning – or at least plateauing – in the US, fans in the UK were in the fevered grip of Wrestlemania, Hulkamania, and – perhaps most crucially of all – Gladly-Spend-Thirty-Pounds-on-a-Giant-Foam-Finger-amania. The WWF’s instincts proved correct: the first round of tickets for SummerSlam sold out in five minutes, and the event helped to shift over a million pounds in merchandising. UK fans would do anything...
On August the 29th 1992 the WWF came to Wembley Stadium for its annual SummerSlam. It was the first time the organisation had strayed outside the States for an event of this scale, and the reason was purely financial: Vince McMahon and his backers realised that while enthusiasm for the sport was waning – or at least plateauing – in the US, fans in the UK were in the fevered grip of Wrestlemania, Hulkamania, and – perhaps most crucially of all – Gladly-Spend-Thirty-Pounds-on-a-Giant-Foam-Finger-amania. The WWF’s instincts proved correct: the first round of tickets for SummerSlam sold out in five minutes, and the event helped to shift over a million pounds in merchandising. UK fans would do anything...
- 8/29/2022
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
When I first watched pro wrestling as a kid it was amazing. Not only is it “real” when you’re a kid, it simply blows you away. Sports and entertainment rolled into one is the ultimate stimulus for a little dude who’s growing up. It’s why to this day I look back fondly on the old WWF and stars like Randy Savage, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Tito Santana, Hulk Hogan, Junkyard Dog, Jimmy Snuka, and the list goes on. But as a little kid little did I understand the profitability of such an organization. I think at the time most of
Could There Be a WWE Theme Park on the Way?...
Could There Be a WWE Theme Park on the Way?...
- 5/25/2017
- by Nat Berman
- TVovermind.com
WWE.com
The Wyatt Family are one of the most promising factions currently on WWE television. Clearly, the company have very high hopes for Bray Wyatt. The man is an excellent talker on the microphone, and he can also brawl with the best of them when given the opportunity. Erick Rowan has size on his side, which helps make him fit in well. Meanwhile, Braun Strowman looks to be a pet project of sorts for the promotion.
Then, there’s Luke Harper. Arguably the best actual in-ring worker of the group, Harper belies his huge size to move around the ring extremely well. Upward mobility may come difficult for the man without being part of The Wyatts, but he has some interesting ideas on that of his own. Those words are featured in this week’s article, one which aims to present 10 pro wrestling related facts which even the most...
The Wyatt Family are one of the most promising factions currently on WWE television. Clearly, the company have very high hopes for Bray Wyatt. The man is an excellent talker on the microphone, and he can also brawl with the best of them when given the opportunity. Erick Rowan has size on his side, which helps make him fit in well. Meanwhile, Braun Strowman looks to be a pet project of sorts for the promotion.
Then, there’s Luke Harper. Arguably the best actual in-ring worker of the group, Harper belies his huge size to move around the ring extremely well. Upward mobility may come difficult for the man without being part of The Wyatts, but he has some interesting ideas on that of his own. Those words are featured in this week’s article, one which aims to present 10 pro wrestling related facts which even the most...
- 1/8/2016
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The 1990 Survivor Series event was a unique show that featured a main event match where the winners of the undercard tag team elimination matches teamed up in the main event.
The babyface side consisted of Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and Tito Santana going against the heel team of Ted Dibiase, Rick Martel, The Warlord, Hercules and Paul Roma. You might think that the heels would be favored to win since they had the numbers advantage 5 to 3, but to nobody’s surprise it was Hogan and Warrior that emerged as the winners.
Even though it was a great idea, WWE never went back to the “Ultimate Survivors” in a grand finale match like they did in 1990. It was likely a time issue, because it’s hard to fit in another match on a three hour show, but it would definitely have made future events more exciting.
Today’s...
The 1990 Survivor Series event was a unique show that featured a main event match where the winners of the undercard tag team elimination matches teamed up in the main event.
The babyface side consisted of Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and Tito Santana going against the heel team of Ted Dibiase, Rick Martel, The Warlord, Hercules and Paul Roma. You might think that the heels would be favored to win since they had the numbers advantage 5 to 3, but to nobody’s surprise it was Hogan and Warrior that emerged as the winners.
Even though it was a great idea, WWE never went back to the “Ultimate Survivors” in a grand finale match like they did in 1990. It was likely a time issue, because it’s hard to fit in another match on a three hour show, but it would definitely have made future events more exciting.
Today’s...
- 11/20/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Winning the World Heavyweight Championship for a wrestler is up there for prestige with being an actor and winning the Oscar. It’s simply the top prize of your trade. To get that kind of prestige you must be a compelling performer, able to capture the imaginations of audiences worldwide. You must have the dedication of a Pope and the presence of a Hollywood icon.
But wrestling is a fickle mistress. No matter how loudly the crowd chants your name, how much TV time you have, or how much merchandise you shift, you may never get the big belt around your waist. Some of the hardest working, most popular grapplers in the industry simply could not find that magic formula of personality, match quality, timing and luck. It’s a hard thing to achieve, even for established and prevalent talent.
This list counts down ten of the best wrestlers,...
Winning the World Heavyweight Championship for a wrestler is up there for prestige with being an actor and winning the Oscar. It’s simply the top prize of your trade. To get that kind of prestige you must be a compelling performer, able to capture the imaginations of audiences worldwide. You must have the dedication of a Pope and the presence of a Hollywood icon.
But wrestling is a fickle mistress. No matter how loudly the crowd chants your name, how much TV time you have, or how much merchandise you shift, you may never get the big belt around your waist. Some of the hardest working, most popular grapplers in the industry simply could not find that magic formula of personality, match quality, timing and luck. It’s a hard thing to achieve, even for established and prevalent talent.
This list counts down ten of the best wrestlers,...
- 6/6/2015
- by Lee Hazell
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy not all that far away, the Intercontinental Championship meant something. Like really meant something. Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, Shawn Michaels, Ricky Steamboat, Randy Savage, Tito Santana, Don Muraco and Pat Patterson waged wars over the title, sacrificing themselves for the allure of the gold. They bled, sweated and cried for the right to hoist the belt overhead, to have their names etched in the history books. It was a great honor to be selected to hold the belt because it meant that you were considered to be one of the best workers in the industry. For some, the strap was a stepping stone to bigger and better things further up the card. For others, it was the culmination of years of hard work and a sign of respect from management.
Over time, the title has been greatly devalued. It has become a prop,...
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy not all that far away, the Intercontinental Championship meant something. Like really meant something. Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, Shawn Michaels, Ricky Steamboat, Randy Savage, Tito Santana, Don Muraco and Pat Patterson waged wars over the title, sacrificing themselves for the allure of the gold. They bled, sweated and cried for the right to hoist the belt overhead, to have their names etched in the history books. It was a great honor to be selected to hold the belt because it meant that you were considered to be one of the best workers in the industry. For some, the strap was a stepping stone to bigger and better things further up the card. For others, it was the culmination of years of hard work and a sign of respect from management.
Over time, the title has been greatly devalued. It has become a prop,...
- 8/9/2014
- by Erik Beaston
- Obsessed with Film
The WWE main roster is always changing, some wrestlers leave for whatever reason happens to cause their departure, some wrestlers move up the card because management wants to give them a push and some wrestlers move downwards, or stay still, sometimes merely because the creative team has a lack of ideas for their television character.
The last twelve months have been memorable and a lot has happened to the main WWE roster since June of 2013. So, let’s take a look at the main superstars who are on the main stage of WWE, rate them, and look at how their future in WWE looks at this moment.
The grading system is as follows:
A+ – Is/Should be one of the main faces of WWE. A true star.
A – Should be/Is in the main event scene and has the talent to stay there.
B – Should be being pushed as a future top contender.
The last twelve months have been memorable and a lot has happened to the main WWE roster since June of 2013. So, let’s take a look at the main superstars who are on the main stage of WWE, rate them, and look at how their future in WWE looks at this moment.
The grading system is as follows:
A+ – Is/Should be one of the main faces of WWE. A true star.
A – Should be/Is in the main event scene and has the talent to stay there.
B – Should be being pushed as a future top contender.
- 7/1/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE.com
Like many sports around the world, professional wrestling is an industry where performers from a multitude of ethnic backgrounds compete as (perceived) equals, vying against each other in a series of contests to capture championships, win matches and gain in-ring glory. While wrestling is escapism from the real world and should never be confused for anything else, often a bit of the real world creeps in. Race and racism often find their way into storylines, sometimes in an innocuous way, sometimes drawing fans’ focus away from what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called “the content of their character.”
Go back 20-plus years and it’s easy to find examples of racism littered throughout WWE, whether it’s Jesse Ventura calling Tito Santana “Chico” and his forearm the “flying burrito,” or Mr. Fuji and Don Muraco using terms like “yard ape,” “Puerto Rican hubcap thief” or honky.
Like many sports around the world, professional wrestling is an industry where performers from a multitude of ethnic backgrounds compete as (perceived) equals, vying against each other in a series of contests to capture championships, win matches and gain in-ring glory. While wrestling is escapism from the real world and should never be confused for anything else, often a bit of the real world creeps in. Race and racism often find their way into storylines, sometimes in an innocuous way, sometimes drawing fans’ focus away from what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called “the content of their character.”
Go back 20-plus years and it’s easy to find examples of racism littered throughout WWE, whether it’s Jesse Ventura calling Tito Santana “Chico” and his forearm the “flying burrito,” or Mr. Fuji and Don Muraco using terms like “yard ape,” “Puerto Rican hubcap thief” or honky.
- 6/8/2014
- by Scott Carlson
- Obsessed with Film
There are so many great docs on the various institutions, characters, fans and businessmen that make up professional wrestling. Stories about Hulk Hogan, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, Bret Hart, and even the feature film "The Wrestler" have not only stocked festivals like Tiff and Hot Docs, they have also been very successful in theatres and on television. "The Sheik" is yet another tale from this so-called sport, but this time it features one of the most disliked heels to ever enter the ring. Lucky for us, the story of Khosrow Vaziri and his roller-coaster of a life is just as compelling as fake wrestling.
The Iron Sheik is one of the most memorable and iconic characters to ever come out of Vince McMahon's WWF/E machine. In a time when caricature (or maybe even racism) was something a little more up-front in the culture, the Sheik and his...
The Iron Sheik is one of the most memorable and iconic characters to ever come out of Vince McMahon's WWF/E machine. In a time when caricature (or maybe even racism) was something a little more up-front in the culture, the Sheik and his...
- 4/25/2014
- by Mark Wigmore
- Moviefone
WWE.com
A lot of people have been talking about Benjamin Morris’ 538 piece, “Are Pro Wrestlers Dying at an Unusual Rate?”
Like Morris, I am neither an actuarial scientist nor a demographer. So, our interpretations of the data should be taken with a grain of salt. My results were somewhat different from Morris’ due to a difference data set and changes in how we calculated actuarial predictions.
Differences in methodology from Morris
I also used Social Security Actuarial Life Tables, but my “expected mortality rates” for the age groups were not the same as Morris’. For each wrestler, I calculated what their age would have been as of today. Then, based on gender, I looked up the number of lives (out of 100,000) that were expected to still be alive and converted that to a percentage. His analysis looked at wrestlers who were on 20+ WWF PPVs through 2002. I went with a...
A lot of people have been talking about Benjamin Morris’ 538 piece, “Are Pro Wrestlers Dying at an Unusual Rate?”
Like Morris, I am neither an actuarial scientist nor a demographer. So, our interpretations of the data should be taken with a grain of salt. My results were somewhat different from Morris’ due to a difference data set and changes in how we calculated actuarial predictions.
Differences in methodology from Morris
I also used Social Security Actuarial Life Tables, but my “expected mortality rates” for the age groups were not the same as Morris’. For each wrestler, I calculated what their age would have been as of today. Then, based on gender, I looked up the number of lives (out of 100,000) that were expected to still be alive and converted that to a percentage. His analysis looked at wrestlers who were on 20+ WWF PPVs through 2002. I went with a...
- 4/22/2014
- by Chris Harrington
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
From 1993 to 2002, The WWF/E King of the Ring was the next big pay-per-view show after WrestleMania, bridging the gap between The Showcase of the Immortals and SummerSlam. But The King of the Ring actually began in 1985 as a specialized tournament for WWF house show audiences. During it’s initial years, the crown was even defended in sanctioned WWF matches, changing hands/heads in one-on-one matches. Beginning in 1993 it became a stand-alone event, crowning a new king once a year on pay-per-view, until it ceased to be after the 2002 tournament. Since then, the tournament has come back infrequently, playing itself out on Raw and Smackdown in 2006, 2008, and lastly in 2010.
From the inception of the crown, 20 superstars- ten World Champions, nine Hall of Famers, and an unfortunate handful of duds in-between- have worn the crown. Some embraced the “king” title, incorporating it into their gimmick. Some won the tournament,...
From 1993 to 2002, The WWF/E King of the Ring was the next big pay-per-view show after WrestleMania, bridging the gap between The Showcase of the Immortals and SummerSlam. But The King of the Ring actually began in 1985 as a specialized tournament for WWF house show audiences. During it’s initial years, the crown was even defended in sanctioned WWF matches, changing hands/heads in one-on-one matches. Beginning in 1993 it became a stand-alone event, crowning a new king once a year on pay-per-view, until it ceased to be after the 2002 tournament. Since then, the tournament has come back infrequently, playing itself out on Raw and Smackdown in 2006, 2008, and lastly in 2010.
From the inception of the crown, 20 superstars- ten World Champions, nine Hall of Famers, and an unfortunate handful of duds in-between- have worn the crown. Some embraced the “king” title, incorporating it into their gimmick. Some won the tournament,...
- 4/8/2014
- by The 'House
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The reason WrestleMania is WWE’s most important show is because more people tune in to that one show per year than anything else WWE puts on. People have been having WrestleMania parties for 30 years and making trips to go the big event because they know it’s going to be a memorable night. Part of what makes it special are when the good guys go bad or the other way around.
It’s important that heel and face turns happen because if people stay in the same role forever it would get boring. When a tag team breaks it up, they usually do it so that one person goes the other way so that they can create a rivalry between the two competitors. Most of the time we can see it coming, but what we really care about is whether the turn is executed the right way.
The reason WrestleMania is WWE’s most important show is because more people tune in to that one show per year than anything else WWE puts on. People have been having WrestleMania parties for 30 years and making trips to go the big event because they know it’s going to be a memorable night. Part of what makes it special are when the good guys go bad or the other way around.
It’s important that heel and face turns happen because if people stay in the same role forever it would get boring. When a tag team breaks it up, they usually do it so that one person goes the other way so that they can create a rivalry between the two competitors. Most of the time we can see it coming, but what we really care about is whether the turn is executed the right way.
- 4/1/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
Since won by WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson in 1979, the WWF/E Intercontinental Championship has been held by the “workhorses” of the WWE. Talented workers and storytellers like Tito Santana, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Mr. Perfect, and Shelton Benjamin- all great performers, but not the person the office would bank on carrying the company at house shows and PPVs- carried the Ic-title, entrusted in having great matches at- or near-the-top of the card with other mid-card superstars.
And with the WWE Network now comes the ability to access the all-time classics at anytime, anywhere, for a very affordable price. But after watching The Dragon and Macho Man at WrestleMania III, the Michaels/Ramon Ladder Match from WrestleMania X, Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog from Summerslam in England… after watching the best of the best, whose morbid curiosity hasn’t wanted to take a peek at the worst of the worst?...
And with the WWE Network now comes the ability to access the all-time classics at anytime, anywhere, for a very affordable price. But after watching The Dragon and Macho Man at WrestleMania III, the Michaels/Ramon Ladder Match from WrestleMania X, Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog from Summerslam in England… after watching the best of the best, whose morbid curiosity hasn’t wanted to take a peek at the worst of the worst?...
- 3/12/2014
- by The 'House
- Obsessed with Film
We are fast approaching the 30th annual WrestleMania event and it is the time of year when many wrestling fans look back on the famous event and revisit the moments that, for whatever reason, were memorable to them. Through the years there have been plenty of memorable moments at WrestleMania and dozens of wrestlers have carved themselves into the tree-bark of history with their performance on the grandest stage in professional wrestling. One of those wrestlers, of course, is the man who called himself “The Heartbreak Kid” and was labelled by fans and critics alike as “Mr WrestleMania”. That man is Shawn Michaels, and this DVD/Blu-ray package is about his legacy on WWE’s main stage.
Shawn Michaels made his WrestleMania debut as part of The Rockers tag team with Marty Jannetty to take on The Twin Towers in 1989 at the fifth annual show, and his last wrestling appearance...
Shawn Michaels made his WrestleMania debut as part of The Rockers tag team with Marty Jannetty to take on The Twin Towers in 1989 at the fifth annual show, and his last wrestling appearance...
- 3/9/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
When many people think of the great WrestleManias, a select number of events tend to pop up in the mind of most fans. WrestleMania X7 is probably the best WrestleMania of all time and a candidate for the best American wrestling PPV of all time. WrestleMania III is up there thanks to the spectacle of the Silverdome and a rather great event overall. That’s fine and dandy, but I’m going to throw a different WrestleMania into the mix. WrestleMania VII may be the best WrestleMania that nobody talks about.
First, let’s address the elephant in the room and one of the main reasons that most fans tend to shy away from WrestleMania: Gulfsploitation. I don’t even know if that is a word, but that is probably the best name for it. Taking Sgt. Slaughter who at that point had been portrayed as an American hero...
First, let’s address the elephant in the room and one of the main reasons that most fans tend to shy away from WrestleMania: Gulfsploitation. I don’t even know if that is a word, but that is probably the best name for it. Taking Sgt. Slaughter who at that point had been portrayed as an American hero...
- 11/28/2013
- by Robert Goeman
- Obsessed with Film
It's comic and cosplay time in the big city as the annual New York Comic-Con comes to Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Convention Center.
New York Comic-Con 2013 has taken Manhattan, and the stars are gathering for a big weekend of pure fan revelry. Celebrities speakers, panelists and autograph-signers this weekend include William Shatner, Seth Green, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sylvester Stallone, David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Sigourney Weaver, Andrew McCarthy, John Barrowman, Felicia Day, George Romero, Joel Grey, Anthony ‘C3PO’ Daniels, and cast members from Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Haven, Beauty & Beast, Teen Wolf, Agents of Shield and the upcoming series Reign. Also in attendance were pro-wrestlers Hulk Hogan, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, Greg, ‘the Hammer’ Valentine, Brutus ‘the Barber’ Beefcake, Sergeant Slaughter and Tito Santana. Approximately 700 exhibitors from the Television, film, publishing and comic industries were on site.
The Walking Dead panel screened new footage from the upcoming season. Marvel...
New York Comic-Con 2013 has taken Manhattan, and the stars are gathering for a big weekend of pure fan revelry. Celebrities speakers, panelists and autograph-signers this weekend include William Shatner, Seth Green, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sylvester Stallone, David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Sigourney Weaver, Andrew McCarthy, John Barrowman, Felicia Day, George Romero, Joel Grey, Anthony ‘C3PO’ Daniels, and cast members from Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Haven, Beauty & Beast, Teen Wolf, Agents of Shield and the upcoming series Reign. Also in attendance were pro-wrestlers Hulk Hogan, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, Greg, ‘the Hammer’ Valentine, Brutus ‘the Barber’ Beefcake, Sergeant Slaughter and Tito Santana. Approximately 700 exhibitors from the Television, film, publishing and comic industries were on site.
The Walking Dead panel screened new footage from the upcoming season. Marvel...
- 10/12/2013
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
WWE Monday Night Raw opens tonight with Hhh standing in the middle of the ring in his suit and tie. Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rolling are standing beside the ring with their championship belts draped over their shoulders. We’re live.
Hhh introduces the “Face of WWE”, Randy Orton, who hits the ring to pretty decent heat from the crowd before grabbing the microphone and talking about how Daniel Bryan is nothing more than a “B+ player”. Hhh tells the crowd that Daniel Bryan is similar to what Doink The Clown was and that Doink was never champion because it would have been bad for business, the same as if Bryan were to win the WWE title. Bryan’s music plays while the new corporation continue to insult the former American Dragon, the fans pop loud for Bryan who stands on the stage in his ring gear and...
Hhh introduces the “Face of WWE”, Randy Orton, who hits the ring to pretty decent heat from the crowd before grabbing the microphone and talking about how Daniel Bryan is nothing more than a “B+ player”. Hhh tells the crowd that Daniel Bryan is similar to what Doink The Clown was and that Doink was never champion because it would have been bad for business, the same as if Bryan were to win the WWE title. Bryan’s music plays while the new corporation continue to insult the former American Dragon, the fans pop loud for Bryan who stands on the stage in his ring gear and...
- 9/3/2013
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
There’s no doubt there was a lot of outrage on the internet following the conclusion of WWE SummerSlam. There were a lot of questions with Triple H, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan as Raw rolled into Anaheim. In the city of the Anaheim Angels, was there a devil on the shoulder of The Game? What’s next for John Cena and is Daniel Bryan’s big push over? About a month ago, I asked the question is Daniel Bryan the new Stone Cold Steve Austin? Judging from this weeks episode It definitely seems like that’s the case. While he may not swearing or lewd he seems to be set up to be the main protagonist against the new McMahon-Helmsley regime.
The show begins with John Cena who comes out and explains that he is just as disgusted by the actions of Triple H. Cena says that Bryan deserves to be champion.
The show begins with John Cena who comes out and explains that he is just as disgusted by the actions of Triple H. Cena says that Bryan deserves to be champion.
- 8/20/2013
- by Paul Jordan
- Obsessed with Film
We are now one week away from the 29th edition of Wrestlemania – the biggest and grandest PPV in the history of the wrestling industry. For almost three decades Wrestlemania has been the scene of some of wrestling’s greatest feuds and most memorable moments. Stars have been made and careers etched in the annals of time. But as big as it has become the original Wrestlemania was far from being “The Grandest Stage of ‘em all” as it has become know. It wasn’t even given full national PPV exposure! Unbelievable when you think of how huge the event is today.
For those of you that are new to WWE or perhaps weren’t around when it all began What Culture show’s its age and goes back to 1985 to bring you a full run down of all 28 previous Wrestlemanias. If this doesn’t get you in the mood for...
For those of you that are new to WWE or perhaps weren’t around when it all began What Culture show’s its age and goes back to 1985 to bring you a full run down of all 28 previous Wrestlemanias. If this doesn’t get you in the mood for...
- 4/2/2013
- by Matt Aspin
- Obsessed with Film
We are less than a month away from WrestleMania 28, and as always there is huge hype surrounding the top few matches on the card. But spare a thought for the match that takes place first on the card, whose job is to get the show off to a good start and psyche up the crowd.
What follows is a collection of the best of those opening matches, and what’s interesting is how many participants went on from opening the show, to main eventing it a few years later.
10. WrestleMania 15
Hardcore Title Match: Billy Gunn vs. Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly
This match marked the first time that the Hardcore Title was defended at a Wrestlemania event. Prior to this match, Gunn was part of the Intercontinental Title programme, while his partner Road Dogg was the one known for Hardcore. For some reason, they switched divisions and Gunn defended here.
What follows is a collection of the best of those opening matches, and what’s interesting is how many participants went on from opening the show, to main eventing it a few years later.
10. WrestleMania 15
Hardcore Title Match: Billy Gunn vs. Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly
This match marked the first time that the Hardcore Title was defended at a Wrestlemania event. Prior to this match, Gunn was part of the Intercontinental Title programme, while his partner Road Dogg was the one known for Hardcore. For some reason, they switched divisions and Gunn defended here.
- 3/12/2012
- by Patrick Farren
- Obsessed with Film
So sue me, I'm a wrestling fan. I first got into what WWE head cheese Vince McMahon prefers to call 'sports entertainment' these days way back in the early 1990s, in the era of (then) established stars like Hulk Hogan, Brutus 'The Barber' Beefcake, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, 'Million Dollar Man' Ted Dibiase, Mr Perfect, Big Bossman and a colourful, gravel throated character known as the 'Macho Man, aka Mr Randy Savage.
Born Randall Mario Poffo in 1952, Savage was a supernova among stars in the WWF roster, a character so much larger than life that even the red and yellow machismo machine that was Hulk Hogan struggled to match him in the charisma stakes.
Coming from athletic stock (his father Angelo Poffo, a well known wrestler in his own right in the 1950s and 60s who at one point held the World Sit Up record), Savage initially aspired to be a baseball player,...
Born Randall Mario Poffo in 1952, Savage was a supernova among stars in the WWF roster, a character so much larger than life that even the red and yellow machismo machine that was Hulk Hogan struggled to match him in the charisma stakes.
Coming from athletic stock (his father Angelo Poffo, a well known wrestler in his own right in the 1950s and 60s who at one point held the World Sit Up record), Savage initially aspired to be a baseball player,...
- 5/20/2011
- Shadowlocked
I'm not sure where to begin. Growing up, most of us had people we looked up to or admired. Teachers or coaches. Celebrities or athletes. Naturally, most of my influences were in the world of sport. People like Kirk Muller, Cal Ripken Jr., Paul Molitor, Mario Lemieux and of course Bret 'The Hitman' Hart, 'The British Bulldog' Davey Boy Smith, 'Mr. Perfect' Curt Henning, 'Ravishing' Rick Rude and Randy 'Macho Man' Savage. With today's news, the last four on that list are all gone. TMZ [1] broke the news that 58 year old Randy Savage (Poffo) sufferred a heart attack while driving his 2009 Jeep Wrangler. He lost control, it went over a concrete median and crashed head on into a tree. Fortunately, his wife escaped the accident with only minor injuries. Savage had an amazing career. Six time World Champion, an Intercontinental Champion and one of half of one of the greatest tag teams of all time,...
- 5/20/2011
- by Greg
- FilmJunk
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