WWF WrestleMania VIII

WrestleMania VIII will forever be remembered as one of the WWF’s biggest missed opportunities. Over the summer of 1991, longtime NWA/WCW Champion Ric Flair joined the WWF after a falling out with the rival promotions management, and a showdown with Hulk Hogan seemed inevitable – Flair calling Hogan out from his first appearance. With Flair winning the WWF Title at the Royal Rumble, it looked like wrestling fans were finally going to see the big dream match in the most proper setting – the WWF even advertising it – but in the final stretch of promotion, they suddenly changed gears: programming Hogan against former pal Sid, and having Flair change his tune to calling out Randy Savage instead of Hulk Hogan.

While the WWF has since officially citied the reason for the change as ‘unimpressive business’ for the Hogan/Flair house show matches they ran during the buildup, it had much more to do with the looming government steroid trials – Hulk Hogan ducking for cover under the guise of ‘retirement’ after WrestleMania. WCW would later take advantage of the folly when Hogan debuted for them two years later – immediately programming him against Ric Flair, and drawing their biggest numbers to that point.

WrestleMania VIII was also almost the first WrestleMania one I saw. While I would get into the sport once and for all in early 1994, around the spring of 1992 I did occasionally catch WWF weekend programming, and remember being excited for the big show they were promoting. A family friend was a big fan, and planned to order the show – kindly inviting me over to watch – but I hadn’t been properly bitten by the wrestling bug yet, and seven year old me decided to stay home and play.

From Indianapolis, Indiana; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan. Reba McEntire sings the Star Spangled Banner to kick things off.


Opening Match: Shawn Michaels v Tito Santana: Big staredown to start, but Shawn makes the mistake of jabbing his finger at Tito, and gets caught with a bodypress for two, before being taken to the mat in a side-headlock. Clothesline puts Shawn on the outside, and when he stalls to get in, Tito literally drags him back with another side-headlock - so Michaels powers into the corner to break. Criss cross doesn't go his way, however, and he's right back on the mat in the headlock. Another criss cross sees Shawn sidestep him to put Tito on the floor, and Michaels with a backbreaker on the way back in for two. Chinlock, but Tito powers up, so Shawn blasts him with the (not yet lethal) Superkick. Teardrop Suplex (his actual finisher at the time), but Santana fires off a closed fist to block, and hits the diving forearm. Shawn bails to the floor to regroup, but Tito's right on him, and brings him in for a slingshot shoulderblock. Kneelift sets up an inverted atomic drop, and another diving forearm - but Shawn has the good sense to roll out of the ring again before getting pinned. Tito tries to slam him back in, but Shawn shifts the momentum, and topples him for the pinfall at 10:37. Santana was leading the dance here, and going to the same beat he was comfortable with in 1985, while Michaels still hadn't fully developed his heel act to spice it up much. Still, totally competent stuff. *

The Undertaker v Jake Roberts: This came about when 'Taker turned face - basically by being a gentlemen. A dead gentlemen, but still. 'Taker stalks him around the ring, as Jake tries to stick and move - but his punch drunk love has no effect. To the floor, 'Taker sends him flying into the ringpost, but gets caught with a kneelift coming back in, and Jake tries to takeover - only to run into a chokehold. Lots of chokeholds. Jumping clothesline hits, but Jake slips out of the Tombstone into the DDT - only for 'Taker to sit-up! Another one, but Roberts makes the mistake of going after Paul Bearer (with the Undertaker at this point - for those Bearer-tracking) on the floor instead of covering, and gets Tombstoned out there, and he's done at 6:41. Total, unapologetic squash - Jake already on his way out of the promotion. DUD - but it made its point.

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Roddy Piper v Bret Hart: Hart had lost the title to The Mountie in January while renegotiating his contract (covered up as Mountie scoring an upset while Hart had a high fever), and Piper, in turn, won it from Mountie two days later at the Royal Rumble to set up this face/face match up. Big staredown to start, and they battle over the initial lockup. Hart keeps him in check with a crisp armdrag off of the second lockup, but Roddy goes right at him with a takedown, so Hart dumps him to the floor. Piper comes in hot, shoving at Hart - but composes himself, and calls for a test-of-strength. Hart into a wristlock from there, and Roddy's stiff series of chops can't shake him - instead ending up on the mat in the hold. Criss cross ends with Hart blasting him with a dropkick - but suddenly Bret's on the mat in pain, apparently landing badly. Piper stands over him, but ends up getting cradled - Hart playing possum. Oh, and now Piper's pissed - slapping him hard across the face in response. Hart bodypress sends them both tumbling over the top, but Piper holds the ropes open for him to step back in. Bret proceeds cautiously - Piper not taking any cheap shots, and earning an ovation from the crowd for it - only to have Roddy tell him his shoe's come undone, and blast him in the face as he checks. That busts Bret open, but Piper doesn't change gears - going right after him with closed fists, and a bulldog for two. Cross corner whip, and a visually impressive kneelift (sending Bret flying backwards) gets two. Piper works the cut (punching and biting at it), but gets sunset flipped out of a backdrop attempt for two. That triggers a Golden Gloves routine for two, but Hart manages to blast him with a forearm coming out of the ropes, and they end up in a heap for a double knockout. Piper beats him to the top rope, but Hart was playing possum again, and faceslams him off. Snap suplex gets two, and a Russian legsweep for two. Backbreaker sets up the Sharpshooter, but Piper desperately blocks, so Bret tries to knock him out with the 2^nd rope elbow - only to get a face full of boot. Both guys slug it out on their knees - ending in the referee getting bumped, and Piper dumping Hart to the floor with a clothesline. Into the steps for good measure, and Piper decides to finish him with the ring bell. The crowd flips out, begging him to stop as he holds the bell over the fallen challenger's head - Bobby Heenan of course cheering him on on commentary. He eventually relents, and tries the Sleeper instead, but Hart runs the ropes, and falls on top into a cradle for the pin at 13:50. Afterwards, Roddy teases a heel turn, but ends up embracing the new champ, and wrapping the title belt around his waist. Piper headed back into retirement for a while again after this - this a nice sendoff from an old friend. Great, exciting, and stiff match - well booked drama throughout (as well as a fresh, creative ending - which worked far better than having Piper submit to the Sharpshooter), and quite brilliantly worked - Hart's bladejob done so expertly that he wasn't even punished for it afterwards (it was a big no-no to blade in the WWF at the time), convincing everyone that it was hardway. ****

WBF Update: Bobby Heenan introduces Lex Luger as the next World Bodybuilding Federation (an XFL-like side project of Vince McMahon's) champion, for an interview from his home via satellite. He immediately establishes himself as a heel by insulting Gorilla Monsoon (as well as the association with Bobby Heenan), though he would spend the rest of the year in the WBF before making his proper WWF debut at the 1993 Royal Rumble - his WCW release not allowing him to work for the WWF until then.

Eight-Man Tag Team Match: The Mountie, Repo Man, and The Nasty Boys v Big Bossman, Jim Duggan, Sgt. Slaughter, and Virgil: Family Feud host Ray Combs acts as the guest ring announcer. Big brawl gets us underway - the face team cleaning house. Jerry Sags starts with Jim Duggan all proper-like, and Duggan (who assured us that no wrestling holds would be exchanged during the pre-match promos) unloads clotheslines. Tag to Slaughter, but Sags rakes the eyes, and passes to Brian Knobs to hammer him in the corner. Slaughter fights back with a gutbuster, and tags Bossman to hit a big boot and a windmill punch. Repo Man tries his luck, and they keep passing back-and-forth to give everyone a chance to get in and do a couple of spots. It ends with another eight-way brawl, and Virgil ducks a double-team from the Nasties, nailing Knobs for the pin at 6:31. With the trimmed down card, this was as good a way to get everyone on the show as any - and certainly better than two singles matches, and a Nasty Boys tag match booked out of this bunch. DUD

WWF Title Match: Ric Flair v Randy Savage: After the Hulk Hogan dream match was aborted, and Savage pushed as the number one contender to the title, Flair started playing mind games with his challenger - claiming that Savage's beloved bride Elizabeth had 'belonged to (him) first,' and promising to unveil a nude centerfold at WrestleMania. The promos alone made this a classic before either guy even stepped through the curtain. And Savage wastes no time in getting going - charging down the aisle, and chasing the champ out of the ring. Refusing to wait, Savage beats him up in the aisle (where was he during every Freebirds match, ever?), until Flair manager Mr. Perfect breaks it up, and allows Ric to unload a chop. Not that it slows Savage down a bit, though, jabbing away at Flair, and firing off a ten-punch in the corner. Backelbow gets two, but another blind charge backfires when Ric backdrops him over the top to the floor. He follows with chops and atomic drops, and a hanging vertical suplex brings Savage back in - getting a two count. Release side suplex for two, and a big knife edge gets two. Kneedrop finds its mark, and Savage scrambles to the floor to regroup - only to have Flair follow with another barrage of right hands. Another vertical suplex brings Savage back in for two, and Flair's all smiles now - he's got this in the bag. He casually whips Savage around some more, but he walks into a neckbreaker, and both men are down. Flair recovers first, but Savage catches him on the top rope with a slam, and Flair ain't smilin' no more! Big backdrop and a hangman's clothesline leave Flair cowering, and a Flair Flip leaves him on his back for two. Clothesline sends Flair to the floor, and a flying axehandle leaves him a bloody mess - and got him fined after the show, as his bladejob wasn't nearly as stealthy as Bret Hart's earlier, something Bret makes a point of pride in his autobiography. Into the post for good measure, and Flair flops on the floor. Suplex out there, and he rolls him in - not to cover, but to mount Ric with punches. Flying axehandle gets two, and a bodyslam sets up the Flying Elbowdrop - but Mr. Perfect pulls him out to break up the count! That triggers a chase, and the distraction allows Perfect to pass Flair a pair of knux to lay into Savage with for a dramatic two count. Annoyed, Perfect grabs a chair to bash Savage's knee with, and that's enough to draw a distraught (but still hot looking) Elizabeth to ringside - officials pleading with her the whole way to go back to the locker rooms like Flair's Hannibal Lecter, or something. Calm down guys, he just wants to eat her pussy, not make soup out of her. Meanwhile, Ric rubs it in by destroying Savage's knee while smiling at her, and a kneebreaker sets up the Figure Four at center ring. Macho manages a reversal, but Perfect gets involved again to break it up, so Flair slams him - only to get cradled for two. Pissed that Savage would dare interrupt his spots, Flair drags him over to Elizabeth's corner before absolutely laying into him with chops. Another kneebreaker, but Savage counters into a schoolboy (with a handful of tights for good measure), and wins his second WWF Title at 18:01. Afterwards, Flair flips out, and decides to smooch Liz at center ring anyway - getting him beat down one more time, and triggering another series of insane promos after the match. Well worked, well timed, well booked match here – intense, and filled with great selling from Savage – all coming off so well that they based years of feuding in WCW off of it. *** ½

Tatanka v Rick Martel: Martel tries to slaughter him in the corner early, but gets slammed around, and dumped to the floor - triggering a Tatanka war dance exhibition. Inside, Tatanka works the arm - as Bobby Heenan is losing his mind mourning for Flair on commentary, with Gorilla Monsoon gleefully rubbing it in. On the floor again, Martel hammers away, and a backbreaker sets up a flying axehandle - but Tatanka crotches him on the ropes. Backdrop, but a second try gets him a boot to the face, and Martel slams him - only to get caught with a bodypress out of the ropes, and pinned at 4:31. Tatanka had just debuted in early February, and this was just a TV-level quickie to put him over. ¼*

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Money Inc v The Natural Disasters: Money Inc had picked the tag titles up in a non-televised win over the Legion of Doom in February (winning the titles in their debut effort), and in turn, turning the Disasters face - jealous that manager Jimmy Hart got the untested team the titles, instead of taking care of his long time clients. After some debate, Ted DiBiase starts with Earthquake, as Gorilla keeps rubbing salt into Bobby Heenan's wounds on commentary. DiBiase gets easily overpowered in the early going, and IRS doesn't have any better luck with Typhoon. They eventually manage to dodge him, and start cutting the ring in half with double-teams. Double knockout spot allows the tag to Earthquake, and the four-way brawl goes the challengers' way - so Money Inc simply bail to the floor, and take a countout loss to save the titles at 8:36. Thrilling. Since they weren't doing a clean finish anyway, I'd have been happy if they had the Legion of Doom satisfy Chekhov and run in (they had just done an interview earlier in the show, announcing their return) instead. Money Inc would trade the titles with the Disasters (losing them in July then getting them back in the fall) before moving on to the Steiner Brothers in '93. Really dull stuff here, though. DUD

Skinner v Owen Hart: Skinner spits in his eye on the way in (literally), allowing him to hammer away - and hits an inverted DDT for two. Series of headbutts, but Skinner turns his back as Owen's skinning the cat back into the ring, and gets rolled up at 1:10. The show was already running long (they cancelled an advertised Berzerker/Davey Boy Smith match), so this wasn't going to go anywhere. Owen's push stalled again after this - not really doing anything of note until finally catching on for good in 1994. ¼*

Main Event: Hulk Hogan v Sid: Sid had turned on Hogan during an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event in February to set this up - understandably angry with Hogan for costing him the Royal Rumble match (and, in turn, the WWF Title). Though Hogan had been named top contender to Flair's WWF Title, he forwent his shot in order to deal with Sid. To add to the drama, Hogan teased this as his 'Retirement Match' - though he fails to mention that he's stepping out of the spotlight due to the United States government's investigation of steroid use in the WWF. Sid jumps him on his way through the ropes, but Hogan's music is still playing, so he has no problem cleaning house. Sid forgot Rule #1 there: you can't beat a man whose theme music is playing. You just can't. Big staredown goes Sid's way with a kneelift, and the plodding is officially underway with a series of stomps and forearm smashes. Criss cross goes Hulk's way with fists of fury, so Sid calls for a test-of-strength - but Hogan's got the Power of Hulkamania, and shit, so he can't quite put him away with his glorified hand holding. He tries a chokeslam instead (a good portion of the crowd actively cheering the heel Sid - which isn't ridiculous, considering Hogan came off like the asshole in their feud), and Sid starts working the back. Nervehold brings an already slow match to a dead stop, so Sid gives him a sidewalk slam to switch back to the back. Powerbomb, but Hogan HULKS UP!! Fists of Fury! Turnbuckle Smashes! Big Boot! Bodyslam! Legdrop! – but Sid kicks out at two? That draws Sid manager Harvey Wippleman in (Why? He kicked out, fool), and Hogan gets a lame disqualification victory at 12:26. Afterwards, Papa Shango runs in to help Sid make good on his promise of killing Hulkamania, when suddenly the Ultimate Warrior's theme music blasts over the PA system - and Warrior makes his surprise return (absent since SummerSlam) to save the Hulkster, and close the show with a posefest to send Hogan off, as the crowd goes nuts for the surprise. Match was a mess - with a bad ending to boot. The booking had Papa Shango breaking up the count at two (since Hogan was on the way out anyway), but he 'missed his cue' and forced Sid to kickout before segueing into the improvised DQ. In reality, Vince McMahon held Shango back to make Hogan look weak, in order to elevate Sid. Unfortunately for them, Sid failed a drug test, and quit the promotion rather than sit out a suspension. DUD

BUExperience: Trimming the fat off of this show really helped make this one of the more memorable early WrestleManias. Clocking in at a good hour shorter than the previous few ‘Manias, the card wasn’t stacked with filler match after filler match – instead mostly focused on blowoffs, with good use of filler where needed to build guys up.

While people (myself included) still wish the Hogan/Flair dream match headlined, the show as it was is still quite satisfying, and didn’t suffer for it – along with a big surprise (one the internet wasn’t around to ruin yet) to close, and a classic from Bret Hart and Roddy Piper on the undercard. ***