The True Story of Wrestle Mania

The True Story Of WrestleMania

I have begun to watch this documentary released by the WWE after hearing great things. It has been OK so far, interesting to hear how each event came about, choosing the venue etc. The Mania I got up to before leaving the house was WM VIII and this is what I wanted to talk about. 

I recall this WM like it was yesterday, all the fall out from the Royal Rumble and then the 'dream' match being signed between WWF champion Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan. For years Hogan had been the face of the WWF and Flair likewise in the NWA/WCW and so when Flair signed for the WWF in the fall of 1991 and proclaimed himself the 'real world champion' even brandishing the title belt he was holding when he left WCW we all waiting with baited breath for battle to commence. For a while the two were kept apart, Flair embroiled himself in a series of matches with old nemesis and friend 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. Hogan was building to a WWF title match with The Undertaker at the Survivor Series and Flair got himself involved in the build up. The match itself saw Flair get involved which led to Undertaker winning the strap. A rematch was signed for the following week in a special PPV dubbed 'Tuesday in Texas'. Once again, Flair got involved in the match and following the controversy the WWF title was was held up and it was announced that the winner of the 30 man Royal Rumble match would be the new WWF champion. In one of the greatest Rumbles ever Flair outlasted everyone to win the title. Shortly after, it was announced Hogan over Piper, Randy Savage & Sid Justice would face Flair at WrestleMania VIII. In the build up, Hogan storyline wise got into a feud as such with Justice which originally stemmed from Justice eliminating Hogan from the Rumble from outside the ring, but it was after an episode of the Main Event it was announced by the promotion that plans have changed for Mania and now in a double main event it would be Hogan vs. Justice and Flair vs. Savage for the title. The show itself was a decent show, good matches with Bret Hart over Roddy Piper for the IC title and Flair vs Savage both matches had 'color' something Vince McMahon wasn't happy with because even though we are in a PG era now back then he had told the roster no blading.

Hogan and Flair did face each other on house shows and even had a couple of matches recorded by the WWF crew which have since be aired on WWE Classics. Going back to the documentary, it was basically said that in those matches on the house shows the two didn't connect. It's a shame really as myself as a fan of both the NWA/WCW and the WWF back then I really wanted to see the match on the big stage. But I think, overall the WWF fans didn't really take to Flair and even though he went on to regain the title in September of 92 he would go on to lose it again this time to Bret Hart in October. January of 93 was the Flair's last month in the company that time around.

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