wrestlemania 10

Ten years in the making, back at Madison Square Garden, is Wrestlemania 10. This PPV event showcases the very first Ladder match and also the first Wrestlemania to have duel WWF title matches. This PPV was lacking in celebrities and also there would be no Undertaker at this PPV; since he was out with an injury. Most recently, anyone who won the Royal Rumble would get a title shot in the main event of Wrestlemania and the events leading up to the title match would be coined” The Road to Wrestlemania”. At the 1994 Royal Rumble, it came down to Bret “The Hitman” Hart and a new up and coming, soon deflated, superstar; Lex Luger, both of these men would eliminate each other simultaneously and both men would be granted a WWF title match at Wrestlemania against Yokozuna; thanks to then WWF president Jack Tunney. After last year’s Wrestlemania Bret Hart was looking for revenge, but Luger had also built up a name for himself as a new heavyweight contender. Wrestlemania 10 would be both an opportunity for both men to prove themselves; one would win the title and one would be forgotten. Also the Ladder match between “HBK” Shawn Michaels, and “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon remains one of my top five favorite matches of the first 10 Wrestlemanias and also goes down in history as one of the most inspirational matches for young WWE superstars of today’s professional wrestling. Before we talk more about the Ladder match, let’s talk some more about Lex Luger and his feud with Yokozuna.

Yokozuna was a very dominate force in the WWF during 1994. Until Hulk Hogan beat him at last year’s Wrestlemania, Yokozuna was undefeated. Now a two-time WWF champion, he was looking for a new challenger; that challenger would be announced when whomever won that year’s Royal Rumble match. Still being managed by Mr. Fuji (my favorite manager of the early nineties) Yokozuna’s manager would declare a challenge for someone to body-slam the champion. Many would try and failed, but flown in by helicopter; Lex Luger would make his debut and become the first man to body-slam Yokozuna. This gives Luger recognition with the fans and he also receives a championship match at Summer Slam of 1993. Luger would win by a count-out so he would not gain the championship. Luger would then go on to the Royal Rumble and win it with Bret Hart. Both men would have a coin toss to see who would face Yokozuna first and Luger won. Which would lead us to our title match, but let’s first see Lex Luger body-slam Yokozuna.



Yokozuna was a 500 pound sumo-wrestler and Luger was an American body-builder so this match would involve a lot of powerhouse moves. Many years before joining the company Luger would have a surgery which would leave a metal plate in his forearm and this plate would be used to his advantage whenever he would go for his forearm smash finisher. Against Yokozuna’s weight, Luger was going to need all the help he could get. On top of having to fight a man twice his size, Luger was also surprised by a special guest referee; Mr. Perfect. Luger would start the match off strong, knocking Yokozuna out of the ring after a stare-down between the two. Yokozuna, once in the ring, would remove one of the corner turnbuckle padding and would attempt to slam Luger’s head into the exposed steel. Luger would reverse Yokozuna’s attempt and instead Yokozuna would have his head smashed off the exposed turnbuckle. After a few running power-moves, Luger would body-slam Yokozuna; then hit him with his finisher; the running forearm smash. Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna’s new manager; Jim Cornette would try to interfere in the match, but Luger would knock both men unconscious. While Mr. Perfect checked on the knocked-out managers, Luger would pin Yokozuna. Mr. Perfect would not see the pin, and Luger would come over to Mr. Perfect and shove him for not making the count. Mr. Perfect would then turn heel and disqualify Luger; allowing Yokozuna to remain WWF champion. Luger would never again rise to the fame of this match, as he would soon leave to join WCW. This match symbolizes how something or someone can be gone from professional wrestling in the blink of an eye…



Shawn Michaels, The Heartbreak Kid, an Icon in professional wrestling, started to be called “Mr. Wrestlemania” After this match. Michaels spent most of his younger years in a tag team called “The Rockers”, but would soon grow tired of tag team wrestling and turn on his partner. Shawn Michaels would then go on to be managed by Sensational Sherri and win the Intercontinental championship. Michaels became a very cocky heel and would refuse to defend his championship, so WWF president Jack Tunney stripped him of his title and held a battle royal to crown a new intercontinental champion. A new rising star, “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon would win the battle royal and earn the right to be called the new Intercontinental champion. Michaels did not like this and challenged Ramon to a match at Wrestlemania to decide would be the rightful champion. This match would end-up becoming a Ladder match, and set the bar for many other Ladders matches after it. Both versions of the Intercontinental championship would be held above the ring and the wrestler would have to climb a Ladder and regain the championship to win. The Intercontinental championship had led many wrestlers to become heavyweight champion, and Shawn Michaels was the next.

The match would begin with offense from Ramon, until Michaels would send him to the outside of the ring. Shawn Michaels brought down his new bodyguard; Diesel, who would interfere while Ramon was on the outside. The referee would see this interference and order Diesel to leave ringside and return to the back. This left the opportunity for the match to be completely even. While on the outside, Ramon would pull up the outside ring padding to attempt his finisher on Shawn Michaels. Michaels would reverse the move and Ramon would fall bareback on the concrete floor. Michaels would grab the ladder and attempt to reclaim the title, only to be knocked down by Ramon. Michaels would set up a ladder in one of the corners and try for a splash on Ramon, but Ramon would reverse it and Irish whip him right back into the ladder. Ramon would try to grab the titles, but Michaels would climb the ladder after him. After both men exchanged some shots, Ramon would superplex Michaels off the ladder. Ramon would again reach from the title, only to have the ladder drop-kicked out from under him from Michaels. Shawn Michaels would hit his finisher, then called, The Super Kick and add a piledriver to that as well. Michaels would then grab the ladder and prompt it up against one of the corners of the ring, jump on the turnbuckles and use his weight to make it and himself crash down on Ramon. Michaels would recover and try again to win the match, but Ramon would throw him off the ladder. Michaels would get entangled in the ropes, and Razor Ramon would reclaim the title and be declared the winner and rightful Intercontinental champion. Shawn Michaels would go on to become a heavyweight contender, while Ramon would go on to feud with Diesel. This match keeps me on the edge of my seat every time I watch it and never has a dull moment. This match would lead to such other match concepts as the Money in the Bank match and the TLC match (Tables, ladders and Chairs). This match will always be remembered as the first sign of the things to come for the WWF called “The Attitude Era” but for now let’s take a look at some of the highlights of this amazing match.



After a nail-biting ladder match and our first WWF title defense, it was time for our main event match. Wrestlemania 10 was rematch time for Bret Hart. At last year’s Wrestlemania, Bret Hart would lose his title to Yokozuna thanks to assistance from Mr. Fuji. Hart would then go on to win the first ever WWF King of the Ring tournament and be entered in the WWF Royal Rumble match. Bret Hart would win the match with Lex Luger and lose a coin toss to him on Monday Night Raw. Luger would face Yokozuna first, but he lost. Now it was Hart’s turn to win back the WWF championship. This match saw one of the only celebrities on hand, as Burt Reynolds would be the guest ring announcer for the match. Long time friend of Harts and Wrestlemania 8 opponent; Rowdy Roddy Piper would be special guest referee for this match as well. Yokozuna would attack Hart before the bell rang, but would make a mistake with a clothesline; allowing Hart to reverse and knock the champion to the mat. As Hart would begin to gain offense, Yokozuna’s new manager; Jim Cornette would attempt to interfere, only to be knocked out by the special referee; Roddy Piper. While that was happening, Yokozuna would regain control of the match and hit Bret Hart with a leg drop and a belly-to-belly suplex. Yokozuna would pull Hart near the ropes and try for his finishing move; The Banzai Drop. Yokozuna would lose his footing and fall to the mat. This would allow for Hart to win the match and not only win the WWF championship for the 3rd time, but win it for the first time at Wrestlemania. No longer was the Red and Yellow running wild, but the Pink and Black attack would show again why he will always be remembered as “The best there is, The best there was, and The best there ever will be”.

Wrestlemania 9

From the entertainment capitol of the world; Las Vegas, Wrestlemania 9 came from Caesers Palace. On April 4, of 1993, the WWF (now WWE) had its first Wrestlemania outside. After the bomb threats of two years ago, the WWF could finally have an outdoor event. This event would showcase Hulk Hogan’s return to the company, the next turning point of the Deadman Streak, and the rise and fall of Yokozona. This would also be The Macho Man’s first stint as a commentator for the WWF, as he would join Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby “The Brain Heenan”; who would enter the arena backwards on a camel. This moment in WWF history goes down as one of the funniest. Not to many celebrities were on hand, but the PPV was also the debut of one of the most recognizable voices of the WWE Universe and a WWE Hall of Fame member; Jim Ross. Let’s first talk about Hulk Hogan’s return to the WWF.



During much of 1992 WWF was promoting wrestlers who didn’t look like they were taking steroids. Wrestlers like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, took over for such stars as The British Bulldog, The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan. During the summer of 1992, Hogan would be filming his 2nd movie “Mr.Nanny”; which would be released a year later in the summer of 1993. A long time friend of Hogan's, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake had been out with a face reconstructive surgery and three years later would make his return on the new popular WWF TV show Monday Night Raw. Beefcake would have a return match against “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase but ends up getting double teamed when Debiase receives help for his partner IRS. Money Inc (Dibiase and Schyster) were then WWF tag team champions with manager Jimmy Hart. Jimmy Hart was known to be a heel manager but on this night he turned baby-face. Schyster would attempt to hit Beefcake in his newly reconstructed face, but Hart would jump in the way for the save. Shortly thereafter Hulk Hogan would make his return and come to the aid of Beefcake. They would form a tag team called “The Mega-Maniacs” with Jimmy Hart managing his first baby-face team. They would challenge for the tag team titles at Wrestlemania 9, only to lose by disqualification. The end of the match saw Hogan and Beefcake grab a hold of IRS’s briefcase, open it up and reveal stacks of cash; which they would then throw out to the crowd. This was one of those feel-good matches, because of the returns of both of the men who made up “The Mega-Maniacs”; Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. Hogan would go on to play a big role in the main event of Wrestlemania 9, but Brutus would soon leave WWF for WCW. Before I get to the main event, let's first talk about The Undertaker's biggest match to date against The Giant Gonzalez.



Harvey Wippleman was a mediocre manager during the early nineties and would be the main reason for this match. The Undertaker would continue to dig graves for his victims and his latest challenge was Kamala. Kamala was managed by Wippleman and Undertaker would destroy Kamala at the 1992 Summer Slam. Kamala would get a rematch at the 1992 Survivor Series and The Undertaker would debut a new match, which would become one of the matches he is known for; The Casket match. He would lock Kamala in a casket and Wippleman vowed revenge. The Royal Rumble was now granting it’s winner a chance at the WWF title at Wrestlemania 9 and The Undertaker wanted his shot. Harvey Wippleman would then debut The Giant Gonzales at The Royal Rumble and cause The Undertaker to be eliminated. A match was then set between the two to settle the score at Wrestlemania 9. For two years now The Undertaker was dominate at Wrestlemania; using his Tombstone finisher and pinning the helpless victim, but this wouldn’t be the case for this match. The Undertaker would use all his strength against Gonzales, but would not be able to use his finisher. Wippleman would then throw a chloroform rag to knock out The Undertaker. Just when everyone thought the streak was over before it began, Gonzales would get disqualified and The Undertaker would earn another notch on his winning streak; but at the cost of a DQ. This would be one of The Undertaker’s worst Wrestlemania matches and we would not see The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 10 due to injury but would return to face King Kong Bundy at Wrestlemania 11, but that’s a tale for another time.

After the steroid scandal of 1992, Bret “The Hitman” Hart would drop the Intercontinental championship to a new rising singles star; Shawn Michaels and would beat Randy Savage to become the new WWF champion. After seven years in the business, Bret Hart had finally won the big one, but while he was riding high a new fear was growing in the WWF and that man’s name was Yokozuna. Managed by my favorite manager of all time; Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna weighed in at 500 pounds and was an unstoppable monster. Yokozuna would compete in the 1993 Royal Rumble and win it. The win would earn him a shot at Bret Hart’s WWF title at Wrestlemania 9. Up until Wrestlemania 9, Yokozuna was undefeated and it would continue on in this match. For every submission move Hart threw at Yokozuna, he would use the power behind his weight to brake out of every attempt. Bret Hart would continue to gain some kind of offense, when Yokozuna would miss two big splashes on Hart. Bret Hart knew he had to act fast, or his title would be gone. So he untied one of the corner turnbuckles, exposing the steel and drove Yokozuna’s head straight into it. Hart would then apply his submission finisher; The Sharpshooter but Mr. Fuji would throw salt in Hart’s eyes. This would enable Yokozuna to get the pin fall and allow him not only to remain undefeated but also give himself his first WWF championship. This match would be the first nail in the coffin for Hart’s WWF career, but he would go on to the next Wrestlemania to win back the WWF title, but that will be featured in the next post.



This was not the end of the match for Yokozuna however Hulk Hogan would come down to check on Bret Hart and be called on a challenge he sent out for Yokozuna. Both Hulk Hogan and Yokozuna had both already had a match that night, but Hogan accepted to fight Yokozuna for the WWF championship immediately. Hulk Hogan said in an interview on WWF Raw that he would be the one to put a stop to Yokzuna’s rampage and this would be his shot. Mr. Fuji would attempt the same salt throw on Hogan, only this time he would miss and hit Yokozuna. Hogan would hit his finisher and beat Yokozuna in the shortest WWF Title match; 21 seconds. This would be Hogan’s 5th title reign and his last for the WWF before leaving for WCW. For now let’s ravel in the last title reign, for the WWF, for Hulk Hogan.