WWF WrestleMania VIII Results
April 5, 1992
Indianapolis, Indiana (Hoosier Dome)
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
Vince McMahon narrates a video package highlighting tonight’s double main event. WWF Champion Ric Flair will defend the title against “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Hulk Hogan will face Sid Justice in what could be Hogan’s final match.
We go live into the Hoosier Dome. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan welcome us to the show. They talk about all the matches we’ll see tonight.
Reba McIntyre is in the ring to sing the “Star Spangled Banner.” The crowd gives her a tremendous hand after she concludes the song.
“El Matador” Tito Santana vs. Shawn Michaels w/ Sensational Sherri
Before the match begins, Sherri takes Michaels’ jacket off and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Michaels gets in Santana’s face and pokes the chest. Santana shoves him back before punching him. Santana hooks a side headlock, but Michaels whips him off. Santana ducks a clothesline and hits a running cross-body block for a two count. Michaels shoves him, so Santana shoves him back. Santana hooks a side headlock and takes Michaels down. Michaels punches at Santana before having a whip reversed. Santana leapfrogs him, but Michaels holds the ropes to stay away. Santana then clotheslines Michaels over the top rope. Sherri checks on Michaels at ringside before he gets on the apron.
Santana pulls Michaels into the apron with a side headlock. Michaels backs him to the corner and digs some shoulders into the midsection. Michaels punches and elbows Santana before having a whip to the opposite corner reversed. Michaels slingshots over him and punches. Santana reverses a whip to the opposite corner. Michaels tries to slingshot over him, but Santana is wise to this game. Santana punches him before hitting a headlock takeover. Michaels’ shoulders go down twice for two counts. Michaels fights up, but Santana hits another headlock takeover. Santana keeps it cinched on. Michaels whips him off, but Santana comes back with an inside cradle for a two count. Santana then goes back to a headlock takeover. Michaels shoulders go down for a near fall. Sherri screams instructions at Michaels. Michaels whips him off and sends Santana over the top rope.
Michaels stays in the ring and looks for a count-out. Santana gets on the apron, and Michaels punches him down. Michaels sends him into the ropes for a backbreaker to get a near fall. Michaels goes to a chin lock. Santana fights up and elbows out before hitting the ropes, but Michaels superkicks him down. Michaels stands over him. Sherri screams at Michaels to pin Santana. Michaels goes for his side suplex, but Santana punches out. Santana sends him into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Michaels sends Santana into the ropes, but Santana sends him out of the ring with a flying forearm. Santana attacks him outside the ring and bounces his head off the steel steps. Santana puts him in the ring and hits a slingshot shoulder tackle. Santana sends him into the ropes and punches the midsection. Santana connects with a knee lift and an inverted atomic drop. Santana hits El Paso de la Muerte, but Michaels rolls out of the ring. Sherri checks on Michaels. Michaels gets on the apron, and Santana attacks. Santana tries to slam him into the ring, but Michaels falls on top of him for the win out of nowhere.
Winner by Pinfall: Shawn Michaels
Santana cannot believe he lost. Michaels waves him out of the ring before posing with Sensational Sherri. Bobby Heenan says Michaels will be the star of the 90s.
Mike’s Thoughts: Decent match to start off the show. They went a little hard on the headlock, but this was a solid effort all around. The finish was also a little wonky as it just sort of happened. Almost looked like a spot that went awry, but they had to go with it. The first WrestleMania singles match in the career of the Shawn Michaels, who would come to be known as “Mr. WrestleMania.”
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is on an interview platform and introduces the Legion of Doom. They come out with Paul Ellering. Ellering shouts that he has returned. He is the bad apple. Ellering first brought the Legion of Doom together. Ability caused the Legion of Doom to become the greatest team of all time. Honor forms the bond of this team and revenge unites them once again. Ellering tells everyone to make his words well. This is the beginning of the end. Ellering is not here to get rich, but to get even. Animal says since day one, the Legion of Doom has beaten everybody. Jimmy Hart cheats on his own team. Hart is the lowest scum on the planet. They’ll get revenge on him. As for DiBiase and IRS, there is no way they’ll beat them. Hawk says they’ve been a runaway train with nobody driving it. Now Ellering is driving the train. The missing piece of the puzzle is complete. The people know where their hearts lay with tag teams. That’s why they’re the best.
Ellering says all the tag teams wonder if the going up is worth the going down. They’ve earned their money the old fashioned way: they beat people for it. His boys are very good, but when they’re bad, they’re very bad. Ellering is here for one reason: to get those Tag Team Titles back. Animal says they won’t let anyone down. Hawk says, “AWW WHAT A RUSH!”
Mike’s Thoughts: Meandering promo that dragged on a bit too long. They went around with each guy saying something and then it circled back to Paul Ellering, who said the exact same thing he just said moments ago. Not great.
Sean Mooney is backstage with Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Mooney asks about the rumor that Roberts is going to bring a snake to the ring. Roberts says Jack Tunney, as senile as he is, wouldn’t let him bring his favorite pet to the ring. Footage is shown of Jake Roberts on the Funeral Parlor. Roberts trapped Undertaker’s hand in a coffin and gave Paul Bearer a DDT. Roberts then hit the Undertaker with a steel chair. Roberts says he will put the final nail in the coffin of the Undertaker. Trust him.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs. The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer
The bell rings, and they keep away from each other. Roberts avoids Undertaker and punches him a few times. Undertaker keeps advancing him. Roberts clotheslines him over the top rope, but Undertaker lands on his feet. Undertaker pulls Roberts out of the ring and sends him into the ring post. Roberts attacks Undertaker as he gets in the ring and whips him hard into the corner. Roberts punches and tries to whip him again, but Undertaker blocks it. Undertaker punches him and sends him to the corner. Undertaker grabs him by the throat and chokes him in the corner. Undertaker whips him hard into the corner and grabs him by the throat again before choking him in the corner. Undertaker punches and whips him hard into the opposite corner before choking him again. Roberts is down on the mat. Undertaker drops an elbow before sending him into the ropes for a flipping lariat. Undertaker goes to scoop him up for a Tombstone Piledriver, but Roberts slides off and hits a DDT! The crowd is really buzzing. Paul Bearer holds the urn up at ringside, and Undertaker sits up. Roberts attacks and hits a knee lift before connecting with a short-arm clothesline. Roberts then hits another DDT before pointing at Paul Bearer. Roberts grabs Bearer and punches him while the Undertaker sits up. Undertaker grabs Roberts from behind and hits a Tombstone Piledriver on the floor. Undertaker gets him in the ring and covers for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: The Undertaker
Mike’s Thoughts: Not really much of a match here. Jake Roberts quit in real life before the show, so this was his last stint in WWF for the time being. Personal problems caught up with him. It’s startling to see the difference a year makes. Roberts looked put together and on top of his game in the Blindfold Match at WrestleMania VII. Here, he looked bloated and seemed to want to be anywhere but in this match. All those factors led to Undertaker running over him with no problem. Too bad because the match was built well with a great Funeral Parlor segment only to have a dud of a payoff.
We go backstage to see “Mean” Gene Okerlund standing with Bret Hart and WWF Intercontinental Champion “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. Piper says we have arrived and he talks about how much he loves Hart’s family. Piper remembers when Hart was a child. Hart wasn’t potty trained until he was seven and tied his shoes together, but that’s ok. Piper pinches Hart’s face, but Hart tells him to keep his hands to himself. Piper gets offended and was only trying to put him at ease. They shove each other before walking off.
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper (c)
Piper and Hart go face-to-face in the middle of the ring before backing up. They lock up, and Piper hits an arm drag. Hart gets up and thinks about his next move. They lock up, and Hart gives Piper an arm drag. They lock up, and Piper takes him down before riding him with a waistlock. Hart gets to his feet and charges the ropes to get Piper out of the ring. Piper furiously gets in the ring, and Hart shoves him. Piper spits in Hart’s face in response. Piper signals for a test of strength, which Hart obliges. Piper kicks the grip off and wrenches the arm. Hart quickly counters and wrenches away at the arm. Piper chops the chest, but Hart won’t let go of the arm. Hart wrenches the arm again, so Piper drives him into the corner. Hart still won’t release. Piper tries to run around the ring, but Hart takes him down. Piper fights up and finally whips him off. Hart ducks a clothesline and comes back with a dropkick. Hart immediately grabs his shoulder in pain after landing badly. Piper shows concern, and Hart catches him with a small package for a near fall!
Piper angrily gets up and slaps Hart in the face. Hart shoves him, and Piper talks some trash. They lock up, and Hart hooks a side headlock. Piper sends him into the ropes, so Hart goes for a running cross-body block. Piper hits the ropes and they get stuck trying to go over the top rope. Piper tries to throw Hart over the top rope and goes over with him. They saved that from being a botch. Piper invites Hart back into the ring. Piper tells the referee to check Hart’s boot, and he sucker punches Hart. Hart immediately starts bleeding from the right eye. Piper immediately goes to work on the injured eye and hits a bulldog for a two count. Piper bites the cut and sends him hard into the corner. Piper hits a vicious knee lift for another near fall. Piper punches Hart and sends him into the ropes, but Hart comes back with a sunset flip for a two count. Piper punches away at Hart and takes him down for another two count. They trade punches before Hart hits a wild flying forearm that sends Piper out of the ring. Piper soon gets back in the ring, and they hit each other with a double clothesline.
Piper soon gets up and goes to the top rope. Hart quickly pops up and crotches him up there. Hart then hangs him off the top turnbuckle and slams him on the mat. Hart hits an inverted atomic drop followed by a suplex for a near fall. Hart hits a side leg sweep for another near fall. Hart drops Piper with a backbreaker and sets up for the Sharpshooter. Piper blocks the move from being applied, so Hart drops an elbow. Hart goes to the second rope for a diving elbow, but Piper gets a boot up in the face. Bobby Heenan exclaims, “This is a hell of a match!” They trade punches from their knees. Hart hooks a side headlock, so Piper whips him off and the referee is accidentally taken out. Hart is sent out of the ring, and Piper bounces him off the ring steps. Piper grabs the ring bell and gets in the ring. Hart is struggling to get up as Piper raises the bell to hit him. Piper then thinks about what he’s doing and puts it down. Piper throws the bell away. Hart gets to his feet, and Piper slaps him. Piper applies the Sleeper Hold, but Hart climbs the ropes and kicks back to fall on top of Piper. The referee comes to and counts the pin!
Winner by Pinfall and new WWF Intercontinental Champion: Bret “Hitman” Hart
Bret Hart struggles to get up. Roddy Piper grabs the WWF Intercontinental Championship and hands it to Hart. They shake hands and embrace in the ring.
Mike’s Thoughts: I agree with Bobby Heenan: that was a hell of a match. Tremendous action, storytelling, excitement… this had it all. I loved the story told in this one. This is by far Piper’s best WrestleMania match of his career. He didn’t overdo anything like he had a tendency of doing sometimes. It was just perfect. The covert blade job done by Bret Hart added so much to this as well. The rule then was no intentional bloodletting, so Piper gave him a potato and Hart bladed. Hart then sold the eye so well he didn’t get in trouble when he went backstage. Everyone thought it was accidental. Great stuff all around.
We go to the home of Lex Luger, who is the newest signing of the WBF (World Bodybuilding Federation). Luger says only Bobby Heenan could pull this off and is the greatest. Luger says he has the best body on planet earth. Luger shows off his muscles and drinks some milk.
The Mountie and The Nasty Boys are backstage talking about Virgil. Repo Man runs in and says this will be the biggest repossessing in WrestleMania. Jerry Sags and Brian Knobbs tell them to get ready.
Sgt. Slaughter, Virgil, Big Boss Man, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan are elsewhere backstage. They’re ready for the 8-man tag. Duggan says they’re going to attack.
The guest ring announcer for the next match will be Ray Combs from Family Feud. Combs says feuds are his business. He has the privilege of introducing a match that will pit eight wrestlers in teams of four against each other. Combs claims to have taken a survey of the crowd (a play on Family Feud) and makes fun of The Mountie, Repo Man, and The Nasty Boys. They try to attack him after making one too many jokes.
The Mountie, Repo Man, and The Nasty Boys w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart vs. Sgt. Slaughter, The Big Boss Man, Virgil, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan
The good guys stop the bad guys from attacking Ray Combs. They try to do stereo back elbows, but Boss Man sent Knobbs into the ropes too soon. The rest were synced up. All four men then lock arms to clothesline Repo Man and The Nasty Boys. Repo Man gets in the ring, but Virgil clotheslines him. The good guys stand tall in the ring while the bad guys regroup.
Duggan tags in and will go against Jerry Sags. They circle the ring, and Sags taunts the crowd. Sags attacks Duggan from behind and bounces him off the top turnbuckle before raking the face on the ropes. Duggan sends him into the ropes and hits a pair of clotheslines. Duggan follows up with an atomic drop. Slaughter tags in, but Sags rakes the eyes. Brian Knobbs tags in and punches Slaughter. Knobbs forearms him in the corner, but Slaughter reverses a whip to the corner and clotheslines him down. Slaughter hits a gutbuster and stomps the midsection. Slaughter sends him into the ropes and drops down to hit an elbow to the midsection. Boss Man tags in and kicks Knobbs down. Boss Man uppercuts him and punches him in the corner. Boss Man charges him in the corner, but Knobbs moves. Repo Man tags in and punches away at Boss Man. Boss Man shoulder blocks him down and goes for a big splash, but Repo Man moves. Repo Man jumps on the back of Boss Man before Boss Man turns around and gives him a low blow. Boss Man punches him down and tags Virgil in. Virgil hits a dropkick and goes to the top rope for a cross-body block. The Nasty Boys are late coming in to break up the pin, so the referee just stops counting. Repo Man hits a back suplex on Virgil and attacks Duggan. The referee keeps Duggan back while the bad guys attack Virgil. Sags comes in and knees Virgil. Sags hits a pumphandle slam for a near fall.
Mountie tags in, but Boss Man catches him and slams him. A melee breaks out with all eight men. Mountie sends Slaughter into the ring post. The Nasty Boys remove Virgil’s face guard and set up for a double clothesline. Sags accidentally clotheslines Knobbs when Virgil moves. Duggan gets Sags out of the ring. Virgil covers Knobbs for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Sgt. Slaughter, The Big Boss Man, Virgil, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Mike’s Thoughts: This was not a good match. Lots of mistimed spots and clunky work. This is that period of WWE history where you can really see the awful gimmicks (The Mountie, The Repo Man) getting time as they scramble to make some new stars.
Sean Mooney is backstage with WWF Champion Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect. Perfect is holding a large piece of cardboard. Perfect claims on the other side of the cardboard is the giant centerfold of Miss Elizabeth that they’ll be showing on the large screens inside the Hoosier Dome. Ric Flair says this is WrestleMania VIII. The lights are shining bright and women are lined up down the block for a shot at the champion and Mr. Perfect. Most of all, it’s Randy Savage’s attempt to walk the aisle and defend the honor of his lady while trying to capture the most coveted trophy of them all, the World Wrestling Federation. When Savage is down on his back after the taking the beating of a lifetime, he can look at the big screen as Mr. Perfect waves the centerfold. Then Liz will get one last shot at Space Mountain. WOO!
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is outside “Macho Man” Randy Savage’s dressing room. Okerlund says Savage isn’t granting any interviews. Okerlund surmises that Savage may be preoccupied with his match, defending his wife’s honor, or thinking about that centerfold possibly being on the big screens.
WWF Championship
Ric Flair (c) w/ Mr. Perfect vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage
Flair stays away from Savage and goes up the aisle. Savage attacks him from behind and punches him. Mr. Perfect pulls Savage off and drags him to ringside. Flair gets in the ring and waits for Savage. Savage stalks Mr. Perfect at ringside. Flair chops the chest as Savage gets in the ring. Flair sends him into the ropes, but Savage ducks an elbow and connects with a clothesline. Savage knees him in the back to send Flair to the corner. Savage punches Flair and does the 10 punches in the corner. Flair counters with an inverted atomic drop attempt, but Savage counters and hits a clothesline. Savage sends him to the corner and back elbows him down for a two count. Savage pushes Flair into the ropes, and the referee backs him up. Savage charges Flair, but Flair gives him a big back body drop over the top rope! Savage landed hard!
Flair goes outside and chops the chest before driving him into the ring apron. Flair kicks Savage down and gets in the ring. Flair steps on Savage’s head as he rolls into the ring. Flair stomps away at Savage before chopping him in the corner. Flair connects with a suplex for a near fall. Flair drops him with a back suplex for another near fall. Flair smiles as he gets Savage up in the corner and chops the chest. Flair whips him hard into the corner twice before chopping him down for a two count. Flair drops an elbow and kicks Savage out of the ring. Flair goes outside and drives Savage into the apron again. Flair punches Savage and gets back in the ring. Flair pulls him up to the apron by the hair and hits a big suplex into the ring for a near fall. Flair argues the count with the referee. Flair whips Savage hard into the corner and punches him in the face again. The referee admonishes Flair. Flair again punches Savage before stomping away at him. Savage fights back, but Flair chops and pushes him into the corner. Savage wildly punches, but Flair kicks him. Flair sends him into the ropes, but Savage comes back with a swinging neckbreaker.
Savage blocks a punch and punches away at Flair. Flair thumbs him in the eye and goes to the top rope. Savage grabs Flair and slams him down to the mat. Savage kicks Flair before sending him to the corner and hitting a scary back body drop. Savage hits a pair of clotheslines before spitting on Flair. Savage sends Flair to the corner, but Flair rolls up the turnbuckle and lands on the apron. Flair immediately goes to the top rope and jumps, but Savage clotheslines him out of mid-air for a near fall! Mr. Perfect exhales in relief. Savage ducks a clothesline and clotheslines Flair out of the ring. Savage stands on the top turnbuckle and hits a diving double axe handle to ram Flair into the barricade.
Flair is busted wide open! Savage sends Flair into the steps before ramming him into the ring post. Savage gets in the ring to break the count and then goes outside to give Flair a suplex on the floor. Savage gets him in the ring and hits a double axe handle off the top rope for a near fall. Flair’s platinum blonde hair is turning red from all the blood. Savage hits a scoop slam and goes to the top rope. Savage connects with his trademark Diving Elbow Drop, but Mr. Perfect pulls him off. Savage chases Mr. Perfect into the ring. The referee steeps between them and gets knocked out. Perfect throws a weapon to Flair, who puts it in his fist and punches Savage in the face. The referee comes to and counts, but Savage kicks out! Flair is absolutely furious and starts punching away at Savage. Flair kicks and chokes Savage. Perfect grabs a steel chair and hits Savage in the leg with it while the referee isn’t looking.
Elizabeth all of a sudden runs down. Dave Hebner, Shane McMahon, Rene Goulet, Jay Strongbow, and someone else try to stop her from getting involved. In the ring, Flair hits a knee breaker and applies a Figure Four Leglock. Savage screams in pain and lays down. The referee nearly counts Savage down a few times. Perfect holds Flair’s arm for leverage at times. Flair slaps Savage in the face a few times. Savage tries to roll Flair over, but Perfect stops it. The referee kicks Perfect’s hand away, and Savage rolls Flair over. Savage hobbles around and gets a small package for a two count. Flair puts Savage in the corner and shouts to Elizabeth, “It’s for you, baby!” Flair chops away at Savage’s chest and hits another knee breaker. Flair punches the leg, but Savage blocks it and rolls Flair up with a handful of tights for the win!
Winner by Pinfall and new WWF Champion: “Macho Man” Randy Savage
The crowd is going wild for the new WWF Champion Randy Savage. Elizabeth gets in the ring and checks on her husband. Flair gets in Elizabeth’s face, and she looks frightened. Flair grabs her and kisses her on the lips! Elizabeth slaps him back, and Savage tackles Flair before punching away at him! Agents try to separate them, but they have a hard time maintaining order. Flair and Perfect eventually leave the ring. Savage tries to get to them, but his knee gives out.
Savage and Elizabeth celebrate in the ring and wild pyrotechnics explode around them.
Mike’s Thoughts: This was a hell of a match. Just a great brawl with awesome heat throughout. The crowd was super into this. I loved Elizabeth coming out and getting involved. Pretty cool to see a young Shane McMahon involved in the fracas to try to keep her back. Flair and Savage went hard at each other. This obviously should have been the main event. Very odd positioning to have this in the middle of the card and have Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice main event, but with Mr. Politics in the main event it shouldn’t be a surprise. Flair has told this story a bunch of times. While Bret Hart got away with blading himself and passing it off as an accident, Flair blatantly bladed himself and got absolutely chewed out for it by Vince McMahon shortly after the conclusion of the match. This is also very much the end of an era for Savage and Elizabeth. Savage and Elizabeth were getting separated in real life and she would be gone from the company by the end of the month. This is her last appearance on a WWF PPV event. Sad when you think of it that way, but at least they ended with a triumph of a match and a great angle.
Sean Mooney is backstage with a bloodied and furious Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect. Perfect says this was an injustice. Perfect says Savage had a handful of tights. Bobby Heenan runs in and shouts that Savage pulled the tights. Heenan says there’s nothing to worry about. Flair says what we have right now is a man that’ll walk around town tonight claiming to be the Real World’s Champion, a two-time WWF Heavyweight Champion. He’ll be claiming the love of that jezebel Elizabeth. Unlike a lot of people in the greatest sport of them all, they don’t cry over spilt milk. The money, the brains, the nucleus: you did it once. Let’s see you do it again. One time means nothing to Flair’s career. Perfect says Savage will be damaged goods like his old lady. Savage took a shortcut and is a cheater. Flair says they’ll regroup together. It might not be tomorrow, but it’s coming. Flair will beat Savage and kiss his wife on her moist, sweet lips. WOO!
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with new WWF Champion Randy Savage and Elizabeth. Savage doesn’t care about the controversy. Savage took a big piece of Ric Flair. Flair hasn’t been beat up properly. Savage wants the whole Flair package. Savage will do anything to win. If he didn’t prove it, he’ll prove it next time. Okerlund asks Elizabeth if she feels vindicated. Savage hands Elizabeth the WWF Championship and sends her off. Savage says this is all for Flair and walks off.
Footage is shown of the problems with Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice.
There are Native Americans dancing in the ring for Tatanka’s entrance. Sean Mooney is backstage with “The Model” Rick Martel, who says he heard Tatanka is in the parking lot “scalping” tickets.
“The Model” Rick Martel vs. Tatanka
The bell rings, and the Native Americans continue to dance and sing before going to the back. Martel puts Tatanka in the corner and knees away at him before punching him. Tatanka reverses whip to the corner and hits a hip toss. Tatanka connects with a pair of scoop slams, and Martel gets out of the ring to recover. Tatanka dances around the ring. Martel gets back in the ring and locks up with Tatanka. Martel knees him in the midsection and tries to bounce him off the top turnbuckle, but Tatanka blocks it. Tatanka chops him, but Martel sends him to the corner. Martel charges, but he hits the ring post shoulder-first when Tatanka moves. Martel soon tries for a hip toss, but Tatanka blocks it. Martel slams him and starts to choke him. Martel sends Tatanka over the top rope, and he hits hard at ringside. The referee prevents Martel from getting out of the ring. Martel goes outside and clubs away at Tatanka before putting him in the ring. Martel stomps the back and clubs him. Martel connects with a backbreaker and goes to the top rope. Tatanka shakes the ropes and crotches him on the top rope. Martel falls to the canvas, and Tatanka viciously chops the chest. Tatanka sends him hard into the corner and hits a back body drop. Tatanka chops him down and hits a Tomahawk Chop. Tatanka sends him to the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Martel hits a scoop slam before sending him into the ropes for a clothesline. Tatanka soon ducks a clothesline and hits a running cross-body block for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Tatanka
Mike’s Thoughts: Just a match with Tatanka and Rick Martel. It feels like this would have been better served on a Superstars of Wrestling show rather than WrestleMania.
Sean Mooney is backstage with WWF Tag Team Champions Money Inc. and Jimmy Hart. Jimmy Hart says the Natural Disasters just need to remember one thing: Hart knows all of their weaknesses. Ted DiBiase laughs and says you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit in the wind, and you don’t write checks that you don’t have the funds to recover. IRS says it is tax time and they have to pay up to Money Inc.
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with the Natural Disasters, Earthquake and Typhoon. Typhoon says they haven’t forgotten what Jimmy Hart did to them. They have a special surprise for him. Earthquake says the time for talking is done. They’re going to get what’s rightfully theirs. Okerlund is left trying to cover up his laughter.
WWF Tag Team Championship
Money Inc. (“The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Shyster, c’s) w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart vs. The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon)
It’ll be Earthquake starting against IRS. IRS circles around him, but Ted DiBiase offers to come in. DiBiase tags in and laughs. DiBiase circles around Earthquake, and they lock up. Earthquake powers DiBiase to the corner and flexes his muscles. DiBiase locks up with him again, but Earthquake shoves him to the corner. They lock up once again, and again DiBiase is shoved into the corner. DiBiase is not happy. DiBiase applies an overhead wristlock, but Earthquake powers him down. DiBiase talks strategy with IRS and walks around the ring. DiBiase knees Earthquake, but he has a whip reversed on him. Earthquake clotheslines DiBiase and IRS. Earthquake clotheslines them both again. The Natural Disasters then clunk together the heads of Money Inc. The Natural Disasters stand tall in the ring while Money Inc. talks strategy with Hart.
IRS gets in the ring with Earthquake and wrenches the arm. Earthquake wrenches IRS’ arm and tags Typhoon in. IRS knees him, but he has a whip reversed. Typhoon hits a hip toss and stomps IRS. Typhoon bounces IRS off the top turnbuckle a few times. Typhoon goes for an avalanche, but IRS moves. DiBiase tags in and chops Typhoon back a few times. Typhoon reverses a hard whip to the corner. Typhoon sends DiBiase to the ropes, but DiBiase holds on. Typhoon is confused and just goes over to heard-butt him. Typhoon goes to splash him against the ropes, but DiBiase moves. Typhoon sloppily goes over the top rope. IRS slams Typhoon into the steel steps. DiBiase knees Typhoon in the face a few times before tagging IRS in. They send Typhoon into the ropes for a double-team clothesline. IRS drops an elbow for a near fall. DiBiase tags in and punches away at Typhoon. IRS tags back in, and Money Inc. sends him into the ropes for a back elbow. IRS applies a front facelock to Typhoon. Earthquake makes a tag, but the referee didn’t see the tag. Money Inc. quickly takes Typhoon down, and DiBiase picks up a two count. DiBiase sends Typhoon into the ropes, and they wipe each other out with a double clothesline.
Earthquake tags in and kicks IRS back to the corner and shoulders him. Earthquake sends him hard into the corner and clotheslines him. DiBiase runs in, but he eats a clothesline from Earthquake. Earthquake and Typhoon send DiBiase and IRS into one another. Earthquake then clotheslines DiBiase out of the ring. Typhoon splashes IRS. Earthquake is legal and starts to stomp around IRS. Jimmy Hart grabs IRS out of the ring before the Earthquake Splash. Money Inc. walks off with the WWF Tag Team Titles and get counted out.
Winners by Count-Out: The Natural Disasters
Money Inc. retains the WWF Tag Team Championship
Mike’s Thoughts: What an awful match with an even more terrible finish. The Natural Disasters were pretty bad here, particularly Typhoon. A bad botch with him having to throw himself over the top rope and going backward into a double clothesline and falling flat. The finish was a disaster and the crowd was pretty mad. I haven’t seen that on many of the early WrestleMania shows yet.
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake. Okerlund brings up Beefcake’s boating accident and mentions he’s Hulk Hogan’s best friend. Beefcake says he and Hogan have been to the top and to the bottom. Hogan has always held his head high and been a giving man. Beefcake is here to add his voice to the rest of the 70,000 out there. Regardless of this being Hogan’s last match or not, he’s the #1 Hulkamaniac. Hulkamania will live forever.
Skinner vs. “The Rocket” Owen Hart
Skinner spits in Hart’s face while he makes his entrance. Skinner attacks him from behind and hits a shoulder-breaker. Skinner punches away at him and stretches him on the ropes. Skinner sends him into the ropes and kicks him. Skinner sets up and hits a reverse DDT, but Hart kicks out. Skinner head-butts away at him before sending him over the top rope. Hart skins the cat and rolls Skinner up for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: “The Rocket” Owen Hart
Hart dropkicks Skinner out of the ring after the match and poses for the crowd.
Mike’s Thoughts: This was a complete and total nothing match. Barely lasted a minute and it was over. Looking at Owen Hart’s ring gear… the early 90s was where fashion went to die.
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is in the locker room with Sid Justice and Harvey Wippleman. Okerlund says he thinks the main event is going to be a barnburner. Sid tells Okerlund to shut up. This is going to be Hulk Hogan’s last match. As Sid stands in the ring and Hogan walks the aisle, Hogan needs to know that Sid is the master and Hogan is but the learner. Sid promises this is going to be Hogan’s last match.
We go to a sit down interview with Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan. McMahon asks if this is the last match of Hogan’s career. Hogan says when he thinks about having his last match at WrestleMania, it chills him to the bone. Handling happiness in his personal and professional life is something he can brag about. By saying this might be his last match, he’s the only one that can make that decision. Right now, at WrestleMania, he won’t know until he comes out of the ring if it was his last match. McMahon thanks Hogan for the memories, the inspiration, and Hulkamania.
Sid tells Okerlund to shut up. He doesn’t care or give a damn about the memories of Hulk Hogan. The only thing people will remember is that he’s the man that ended Hulkamania. Sid says he curses Hogan and every Hulkamaniac because he rules the world.
Howard Finkel introduces Harvey Wippleman. Wippleman calls himself Dr. Harvey Wippleman. This is the main event of WrestleMania and Wippleman is the announcer. Sid Justice makes his entrance, and Wippleman tells the crowd to show respect. They boo him as he comes to the ring.
Sid Justice w/ Harvey Wippleman vs. Hulk Hogan
Sid attacks Hogan as he makes his entrance and sends him into the ropes. Sid drops down, but Hogan quickly pops up and punches him out of the ring. Hogan’s music is still playing as he bends Sid over the top rope and clubs the chest to knock him to ringside. Hogan then rips off his shirt and poses for the crowd, which loudly cheers for him. Hogan looks significantly smaller than in years past.
The bell rings, and Sid is still outside. Sid looks like he’s having a breakdown. Sid takes a long time before getting in the ring and going face-to-face with Hogan. Sid knees him back and punches him a few times. Hogan hobbles around the ring in pain. Sid grabs Hogan and rips at his face before clubbing his back. Sid kicks Hogan down and tells the crowd to quiet down. They don’t listen. Sid sends Hogan into the ropes and drops down, but Hogan punches him out of the ring, which is exactly what happened during Hogan’s entrance. Sid regroups with Wippleman at ringside.
Sid motions to the crowd to be quiet and gets back in the ring. Sid signals for a test of strength. They lock hands and struggle for position. Sid has the height advantage and brings Hogan to his knees. Hogan gets some strength back and begins to fight up to his feet. Hogan starts to stand, but Sid uses his power to bring Hogan back down to his knees. Hogan gets fired up again and starts to power up once again. Hogan gets to his feet and lifts the arms up, but Sid powers him to the corner and knees him in the midsection. Hogan reverses a whip to the corner and clotheslines him. Wippleman gets on the apron, but Hogan scares him away. Sid grabs Hogan by the throat and hits a chokeslam. Sid poses as the crowd loudly boos. Sid walks over to the corner and says he has a saying. Sid says to do unto the man as he would do unto you. Sid stomps Hogan and poses before clubbing the back. Sid forearms him in the small of the back before kicking him out of the ring.
Wippleman distracts the referee as Sid takes Wippleman’s doctor bag and beats Hogan with it. Sid puts Hogan in the ring and applies a nerve hold. Hogan fades away as Sid holds it on for a while. Hogan looks out and the referee checks the arm. Hogan gets fired up and elbows out of the nerve hold, but Sid clubs the back and hits a sidewalk slam. Sid signals for the end. Sid gets Hogan up and connects with a Powerbomb! Sid covers, but Hogan kicks out and starts to Hulk Up. Sid punches him, but Hogan absorbs the impact. Sid is stunned. Hogan punches Sid back and bounces him off the top turnbuckle before sending him into the other turnbuckle. Hogan sends him into the ropes and hits a big boot, but Sid doesn’t go down. Hogan hits a scoop slam to a loud reaction. Hogan drops the big leg, and Wippleman is on the apron. Sid kicks out, and the referee immediately goes to Wippleman to deal with him. Hogan grabs Wippleman, and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner by Disqualification: Hulk Hogan
Papa Shango all of a sudden just randomly wanders out and starts to run down to the ring. Hogan press slams Wippleman into Sid. Sid just catches Wippleman. Hogan and Sid brawl as the crowd is confused as to what is happening. Shango gets in the ring and attacks Hogan. Sid and Shango tie Hogan in the ropes.
All of a sudden, The Ultimate Warrior’s music hits! Warrior gets in the ring to a big reception and clotheslines Shango out of the ring. Sid cracks Warrior in the spine with the chair, but Warrior absorbs the pain. Hogan steals the chair from Sid, and Sid retreats from the ring. The crowd is going wild. Hogan and Warrior hold their arms up together. Warrior claps for Hogan and stands tall with him. Hogan and Warrior pose along with some sparklers as the show comes to an end.
Mike’s Thoughts: What an absolutely awful main event. I mean putrid. Hogan and Sid were both just terrible here and had no chemistry with each other. The match was horrible. Sid attacked Hogan before the match and they did a “sequence” where Hogan punches him out of the ring. They did the EXACT same sequence in the match with the same results. They literally just repeated the same exact thing. Bad. Then that finish? Rumor has it Papa Shango was late getting out there, which it really does look like that was the case. They looked totally confused as to what to do next and improvised before the bell just randomly rang. Then Papa Shango wandered out… not a good look. The return of the Warrior seemed like it made the crowd happy, but it didn’t save this match from being one of the all-time worst WrestleMania main events.
Overall, I liked that this was a shorter show – the last few were about 3 and a half hours whereas this was 2 hours and 45 minutes. There were two really good matches (Hart and Piper, Savage and Flair) and a whole lot decent to all-time awful stuff. Just a weird show. The Golden Era is definitely over at this point.
Also, around this time in 1992, the government was beginning to really crack down so guys that were completely bloated on steroids the year before looked noticeably smaller on this show. Hogan is a key example of that. At this point, it’s all crashing down and it is indeed hurting inside. That’ll do it for this retro recap! What are your memories of this event? Did you attend it or watch it live? What do you think of it? Let me know!
Quick Match Results
— Shawn Michaels def. “El Matador” Tito Santana
— The Undertaker def. Jake “The Snake” Roberts
— Bret “Hitman” Hart def. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship
— Sgt. Slaughter, The Big Boss Man, Virgil, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan def. The Mountie, Repo Man, and The Nasty Boys
— “Macho Man” Randy Savage def. Ric Flair to win the WWF Championship
— Tatanka def. “The Model” Rick Martel
— The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) def. Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Shyster) via CO; Money Inc. retains the WWF Tag Team Championship
— “The Rocket” Owen Hart def. Skinner
— Hulk Hogan def. Sid Justice via DQ
E-Mail – mike@wrestleview.com
Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
Thanks for reading!