WWF March to WrestleMania VIII (March 29, 1992)

 

Original Airdate: March 29, 1992

Your Host is Vince McMahon in the studio; the theme tonight is A Tribute to Hulk Hogan, and they have a great set here, with dark black curtains and images of Hulk Hogan floating around everywhere

We open with clips of Hulk Hogan defeating Iron Sheik for the WWF Title in January 1984

WWF Title Match: Hulk Hogan v Andre the Giant: From WrestleMania III on March 29 1987 in Pontiac Michigan. Bob Uecker acts as the guest ring announcer, and Mary Hart as the guest timekeeper. The big, epic staredown to start, and Hogan throws right hands. He goes for the slam early, but Andre topples him for a two count. That slows Hulk way down, and Andre goes to work. He delivers a pair of bodyslams, then a pair of corner whips, as Hulk struggles. Andre misses a headbutt in the corner, allowing Hulk to throw a few rights, and a running forearm smash gets Andre wobbly. Hogan chops him in the corner, and a series of turnbuckle smashes rattle the challenger, but Hulk runs into a boot. That allows Andre a bearhug, and Hulk fades, before finally slugging free. Hulk with a pair of shoulderblocks to stagger the challenger, but a charge for a third gets blocked with a chop. That allows Andre a big boot to send Hogan to the outside, and Andre follows him for a big chop on the floor. Headbutt, but Hulk dodges, and Andre hits the post. That buys Hogan the time to pull up the floor mats, and he tries a piledriver on the floor, but Andre backdrops him to block. That whole spot looked stupid. Stupid because who could believe Hulk could do it, and then the execution of the backdrop was terrible. Inside, Andre misses another big boot, allowing Hogan to rebound with a clothesline so big that it takes Andre off of his feet for the first time! Hulk delivers a bodyslam as they get up, and the legdrop finishes at 11:54! What can you really say? It’s not a great match, but no one was honestly expecting it to be. It delivered, it drew - the nose plays. ¼*

Various fans talk about how much they’ll miss Hogan when he’s gone

Hulk Hogan/Sid Justice feud review video. The revisionist history here is over the top, even for them

Roddy Piper v Shawn Michaels: From Biloxi Mississippi on March 10. The WWF Intercontinental title isn't on the line here, but they’re already putting Shawn over as a future champion here. Piper spanks Sherri before the bell, and Shawn loses it, but can’t get much in on the Hot Rod. A criss cross sees Michaels throw a bodypress, but Roddy rolls through for two. Piper tries an atomic drop, but Michaels counters with a victory cradle for two. Shawn tries a dropkick, but Piper blocks, and launches him with a catapult into the corner for two. Sherri hops onto the apron for a distraction, so Piper sexually assaults her, but, on the bright side, Michaels is able to nail him. To the outside, Shawn feeds him the steps, and then sends him crashing into the ring announcer’s table. Inside, Michaels tees off with punches, a series of them getting a two count. Michaels with a chinlock from there, but Piper escapes, so Shawn tags him with a superkick on the criss cross. That allows him to try for the Saito suplex, but Piper blocks. A slugfest goes Shawn’s way via an eyerake, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Piper unloads. Shawn ends up straddled on the top rope, and Piper uses a kneelift, but Michaels blocks a bulldog - bumping the referee in the process. That allows Michaels a clothesline, and Sherri tosses him her boot. Michaels blasts Piper with it, and covers, but there’s no referee. Sherri tries to revive him, but before she can, Bret Hart is out. He passes a recovering Piper the boot, but the referee recovers just in time to see Roddy using it, and calls the DQ at 6:30. Afterwards, Piper gets in Hart’s face for ‘costing’ him the match, though, really, no one made you swing, Hot Rod. This was actually really fun, and they had more chemistry than I expected. It’s also notable for being their only match together, outside of battle royals. * ¾ 

A look at highlights of WWF Champion Ric Flair’s claims that Miss Elizabeth was his before she was Randy Savage’s. Why does this presuppose that Elizabeth ‘belongs’ to anyone?

Ric Flair v Jim Brunzell: From Biloxi Mississippi on March 10. The WWF Title isn't on the line here. Posturing to start, and Flair gets control. He puts the boots to Brunzell, and a kneedrop connects for two. Flair with an inverted atomic drop, and he unloads with chops in the corner, but Brunzell gets fired up. He manages a backdrop and a dropkick for two, followed by a sleeper, but Flair quickly uses a kneebreaker to escape. Figure four, and good night at 3:29. Not much to this one. DUD

Recently, Vince sat down with Elizabeth, who is still in shock about Ric’s claims. But, the shock is fading, and turning to anger. Not just at Ric, but at the WWF Magazine for publishing such shit. Anyway, Liz claims that the photos are fake

WWF Title v WWF Intercontinental Title: Hulk Hogan v Ultimate Warrior: From WrestleMania VI, April 1 1990 in Toronto Ontario Canada. Big power showdown to start, as they size each other up. Collar-and-elbow lockup battle goes to a stalemate. Test-of-strength goes to a stalemate. Big criss cross ends in Hogan hitting a bodyslam, but Warrior no-sells, and they criss cross again - this time Warrior slamming him, and Hogan getting up, though not quite as quickly. Warrior capitalizes with a clothesline over the top, and Hulk hurts his knee on the landing. Warrior shows no mercy, going to the outside, and stomping the knee, allowing Hulk to show off those acting chops that won him so much acclaim over the years as he sells the hell out of it. Warrior brings him back in, and they start trading eyerakes, with Hulk getting the best of it, and hitting a cross corner clothesline. Ten-punch count and a bodyslam setup a pair of elbowdrops for two, and Hulk hooks an inside cradle for two! It's so odd to see Hogan actually carrying a match during this era. Axe bomber gets two, and a forward-backbreaker is worth two. Hulk grounds him in a chinlock, as Warrior is very clearly blown up here - and badly. Well, he's the idiot who decided it wise to run down the extra long aisle at full speed before the biggest match of his life, what did he expect? Side suplex gets two, then back to the chinlock. Give Hulk credit here, carrying a match like this is way out of his comfort zone, but he's doing a great job of giving Warrior the rest he needs, while still keeping things interesting enough to not lose the audience. Warrior powers out of the hold, but another criss cross ends in a double-knockout spot - again allowing them to catch a breather, while also functioning as a dramatic spot. Both men beat the count, and Warrior starts no-selling. Hulk throws axehandle after axehandle, but Warrior ignores them, and starts pelting him with running clotheslines. Pair of cross corner whips leave Hogan on his knees (Hey, remember the knee? Glad you do, 'cause Hogan doesn't), and Warrior delivers a vertical suplex for two. Bearhug see Hogan fade, but the arm starts shaking on the third drop, and he slugs his way free. Despite the complexity of the moves used being as simple and basic as it gets, they have the crowd molten throughout here. Another criss cross sees the referee get clobbered, and Warrior goes airborne with a pair of flying axehandles. That's risky strategy against Hogan. Just ask Savage. Warrior goes for the kill with the jumping shoulderblock, but Hulk sidesteps, and Warrior wipes out. Cover, but there's no referee - giving Hogan a visual pinfall. Warrior comes from behind with a side suplex as Hogan tries to revive the official, and gets a dramatic two count out of it from the dazed referee. Hogan with a schoolboy for two, and a backelbow knocks Warrior to the outside. Hogan goes after him for a slugfest on the floor, but Warrior rams him into the post on the way back in. Warrior keeps after him with a clothesline, and he manages to power Hulk through the press-slam/splash combo, but it only gets two! HULK UP BABY! Fists of Fury! Big Boot! Legdrop, but Warrior rolls out of the way - Hogan landing right on the knee from earlier! Warrior quickly follows up with a splash, and we have a new champion at 22:50! Interestingly, this was the longest match in WrestleMania history to that point (main event or otherwise), and would remain so all the way until 1996, when the Hart/Michaels Iron Man Match shattered its record. That's kind of a feat in its own right, given that neither guy is exactly renowned for his stamina, and really highlights how well booked this match was - one of the greatest smoke and mirror shows of all time, and at the highest level. *** ½

Sid Justice is ready to help Hulk ride off into the sunset, as long as it’s in an ambulance 

Undertaker/Jake Roberts feud review. Jake was hitting everything out of the park during this period

Jake Roberts v Jim Powers: From Biloxi Mississippi on March 10. Jake is slow and methodical here, on his way to finishing with a DDT at 3:04. This was a little too long. DUD

The Natural Disasters v Kato and Barry Horowitz: From Biloxi Mississippi on March 10. Since Tanaka was gone, would it really have killed them to put Barry under a mask, and pretend he was Asian as well, to keep the illusion of the Orient Express going? I mean, it’s not like they’re above that sort of thing. Or, why not just let Paul Diamond work without the mask, since there’s no reason he needs to pretend to be Asian anymore, now that Tanaka isn’t there. Earthquake finishes at 1:53. DUD

The Hulkster joins Vince in the studio for a sitdown interview, and he goes into hardsell mode for the Sid match, but stops short of officially announcing his retirement 

BUExperience: I like these kinds of shows, and this one was no exception. Good stuff, particularly the surprisingly fun Piper/Michaels pairing.