The History of the WWE Championship.

[WeeAl]

Really enjoying these so far mate, the last one especially has made me want to flick on The Network tonight and watch some prime Hogan and Macho from '88 and '89. I'm looking forward to the review of the 'Mania 6 main event, I love that match I do. The WWF at it's finest.

[Mr.E]

+1 for the fanclub on this one.

 

Loving the entries, although I can imagine it's going to take you a fair while to finish hah. Fair play though, keep it going!

[Max Power]

Bloody hell, it's only Wrestlemania VI.

 

DATE: April 1st 1990

 

CHAMPION: Hulk Hogan

 

CHALLENGER: The Ultimate Warrior.

 

We're in The Skydome and Jesus Christ this crowd is amped. There are signs everywhere and it's a sea of red, yellow and orange. The two men face off, it's title against title. Gorilla reminds us there are 68,000 people in attendance, and Ventura says both men are in prime physical condition. He chastises Warrior for sprinting to the ring and says Hulk is more relaxed. The crowd favour Hogan in the preliminaries, after all, Toronto is Terry's House.

 

The staredown is electric. Hogan's tache is resplendant. "YOU CAN CUT IT WITH A KNIFE". The atmosphere I presume, not the tache. They shove each other and each man takes it in turns to overpower the other. Test of strength. Sorry, a "Greco Roman Knuckle Lock" according to Governor Ventura. Warrior comes out on top initially, but Hogan reverses and this leads to that beautiful meme where it looks like Warrior is sucking him off. I don't know how to embed images, but google it.

 

The camera pans and the sheer scale of the event is amazing. Single leg take down by Hulk and an elbow drop. Warrior runs the ropes and the two men draw a stalemate from a shoulder bloke. They do that rope running spot from The Rumble that I hate, but the crowd seem to love. Scoop Slam from Hogan but Warrior pops right back up. Same rope running bollocks and Warrior slams Hogan. Hulk is slower to rise. Clothesline sends The Champ to the floor. Hogan sells the knee. He's a masterful seller, or salesman if you wheel.

 

Warrior lays the boots to Hogan in a slightly heelish manner which draws a little boos. He immediately stops though and rolls back in. Hogan says "My knee has gone Brother" to Hebner, so Warrior lobs Hulk back in. Warrior boots the knee to a mixed reaction. Hogan chokes Warrior and Hellwig belts Hogan and inadvertedly catches Hebner at the same time. Earl no sells this and dresses down The Warrior, and sticks this in the memory bank for when he goes back and forth with Triple H in 2000.

 

Hogan with punches now. Clothesline. Ten punch in the corner which the crowd love. Hogan forgets to sell, which causes Ventura to call him out on it. "Perhaps he temporarily dislocated the patella" replies Monsoon, which is probably the line of the night. Elbows by Hogan and a two count. SMALL PACKAGE NO. Warrior kicks out again. Hulk on top with a rear chinlock and some proper fake punches right in front of the camera. Chops by Hulk Flair. Clothesline. Two and a half count. Big pop for the kick out.

 

Backbreaker leads to another near fall. Chinlock again. Crowd chants for Hogan during Warrior's comeback spot. I've just noticed Hellwig's green boots. They look shit compared to the rest of his garb. Knee to the back. Warrior is gassed. Back suplex. Two and three quarters count. Great timing by the two men. Chinlock again. Randy Orton is watching keenly. BUT HERE COMES THE WARRIOR. There's life in him and he "channels The Warriors". Elbow's to Hogan. Double clothesline, and both men are down. It's breather time. Both men's chest are pumping up and down gasping for air like that Vinnie Jones advert to the beat of Staying Alive.

 

Warrior up first. Hogan follows. Warrior shakes the ropes while Hogan slugs away. A taste of your own medicine Hulk. Warrior runs over Hogan with more fucking clotheslines. He signals for The Gorilla Slam. He delivers a suplex instead for some reason. Good two count though. Bearhug by The Challenger. The two men cuddle like two drunks at closing time. Gorilla has never seen The Hulk in this much trouble. Crowd chants for Hogan. Loud spot calling there. I can imagine it went something like "I'll whip you off Hulk then I'll clothesline you".

 

The crowd are going ballistic for this bearhug though. It's been a good minute. Hogan fading. Hebner has sweaty pits as he raises Hogan's arm. Light blue isn't a good colour. Hogan keeps the arm up though on the third count and here comes the comeback. Down goes Hebner! Hogan drops down and Warrior runs right into Earl. They should have done it this way instead of Hulk slapping Patrick at Halloween Havoc. Well done by all three men, it looks as realistic as it can do. Ventura says that we have a "major proportional problem Gorilla". Christ knows what that means. Warrior up top. Double Axe Handle. And again. Warrior dances like Michael Flatley. He runs the ropes but Hogan sidesteps him like The Rock did to Shawn Stasiak during the Invasion.

 

Hogan with the visual win as he covers Warrior for at least a ten count. Warrior up, back suplex. Visual win for Warrior now. Hebner stirs now. Warrior covers, brilliant kick out on 2.9999. More great timing by both men. Roll up by Hulk, and a slow count from Hebner. Warrior kicks out just on two, when he should have just waited that little bit longer. Slugfest now. Warrior to the outside. Brawl on the outside. Warrior rolls Hogan back in. More fucking clotheslines.

 

Gorilla Press from Warrior and The Big Splash. He covers but no, here comes Hogan. Punch. Headshake. Punch. Headshake. Here Hulk goes, round and round the ring. Finger wag. Punch from Hogan, whip, Boot, Leg Drop.....but NO, Warrior rolls out of the way. Warrior off the ropes, Big Splash for the one....two.....three. Hogan kicks out right on the three, but we have a new champ! Outstanding finishing sequence. Hogan punches the mat and makes a beeline for the belt to steal the spotlight. Great businessman.

 

NEW CHAMPION: The Ultimate Warrior.

 

RATING: A proper big match feel. The action was more basic than the previous year, but that's simply down to the excellence of Savage. But still, it was a satisfying twenty minutes or so and considering the talent involved was a triumph.

 

RANK:

 

1. 'Macho Man' Randy Savage v Hulk Hogan

2. Hulk Hogan v The Ultimate Warrior

3. 'Macho Man' Randy Savage v 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted Dibiase

4. The Iron Sheik v Hulk Hogan

5. Hulk Hogan v Andre The Giant

 

--

 

Tomorrow we're invading Iraq.

[Onyx2]

I thought this thread would be garbage when it first appeared but I'm so glad to be wrong. I love it!

 

I can't watch Hulk v Warrior at WrestleMania VI enough times.

[Dudley Eastbank]

Hogan vs Warrior was basic, but it was so well done. Keep it up by the way, this is a fun thread.

[Max Power]

DATE: January 19th 1991

 

CHAMPION: The Ultimate Warrior

 

CHALLENGER: Sargent Slaughter

 

--

 

Gorilla and Roddy Piper are behind the desk. Never really heard any of Piper's commentary before so I'm certainly intrigued. Slaughter out first with General Adnan. Massive boos. Sarge looks smug as fuck. "God bless America" is Piper's first offering, not bad for a kayfabe Jock. Here comes The Warrior, sprinting full pelt.

 

And he doesn't fuck about. Warrior ducks a flag assisted clothesline from Sarge and Adnan and takes them both down, breaking the flag in half. He cleans house and snaps the Iraqi flag. Roddy is shouting unintelligible gibberish at the top of his voice, and Slaughter feeds for Warrior in the early stages like the good un that he is. Big Boot and High Knee. Gorilla hopes Slaughter "chokes on that dammed flag". BIGBACKBODYDROP. Warrior's tassles are tremendous. Slaughter whipped to the outside. Here comes Sherri. That didn't last long. The commentary team talk about Warrior turning her down earlier. I wouldn't have. Shoulder block. Sherri grabs Hellwig's leg and he chases her off. "HERE'S THE MACHO KING FROM OUTTA NOWHERE". Savage hammers Warrior, he looks fantastic all in pink. A proper dickhead. Warrior is cooked, and the crowd chant USA USA USA.

 

Slaughter stops the count out because he doesn't want to win by count out. A noble act by the treacherous heel. Warrior is goosed and crawls back to the ring. The Warriors in the crowd are truly behind him. Sarge in control now. He lays the boots in. Punches. I've just noticed the excellent winkle pickers Slaughter has on his feet. Back Breaker by The Challenger. More boots. Irish whip and a double clothesline. Both men are down. Hot Rod is very shouty. "I CAN HARDLY HEAR MYSELF" he shouts. I fucking can. Bearhug by Slaughter that kills the crowd. Warrior flails. Hip Thrusts by Sarge, which is very amusing and looks like he's dry humping The Champ. The crowd are woken by Warrior's comeback and the USA chants begin. Warrior fades again in this long fucking rest hold.

 

"BUT HERE COMES THE WARRIOR" screams Gorilla. To be fair, they probably have to shout over the audience. Scoop Slam from Warrior. But he hurt his back on that one. Elbow from Slaughter. "A consumate professional" apparently. Another backbreaker. Good heat this from Slaughter as he looks for the Camel Clutch. Here it is, but Warrior's feet are outside the ring. Hebner is poorly positioned though and cannot see this. Slaughter releases the hold and celebrates like Kurt Angle.

 

Rope Shaking from Warrior, who's "impervious to pain". Clothesline. Clothesline. It's awkward to type that word so I wish he'd stop. Flying shoulder block and he signals for the Gorilla Press. But here's Sherri again. GIMMEABREAK. GETOUTTATHEREYOUWENCH. Monsoon is brilliant. Sherri spits at Warrior. He grabs her and hauls her in. Great bump. The crown lose their shit for Warrior throwing Sherri onto Savage on the outside. But Slaughter from behind chokes Warrior and as the ref forces the Challanger to break the hold WHAM, Savage clocks Warrior with the sceptre. Savage and Sherri get the fuck outta there and Slaughter covers for the one...two...three. The commentators can't believe it and they wait for someone to overturn the decision. Warrior is rolling around looking for sympathy and the crowd chant HOGAN HOGAN HOGAN. Funny. The result stands much to the chagrin of Piper and Monsoon.

 

RATING: The action itself wasn't great but the crowd interraction was first class. Slaughter played his role very well and Warrior carried his end of the match as best as he could. Not great though.

 

RANK:

 

1. 'Macho Man' Randy Savage v Hulk Hogan

2. Hulk Hogan v The Ultimate Warrior

3. 'Macho Man' Randy Savage v 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted Dibiase

4. The Ultimate Warrior v Sargent Slaughter

5. The Iron Sheik v Hulk Hogan

6. Hulk Hogan v Andre The Giant

 

--

 

Get the bullet proof vests ready, we're off to Mania VII.

[tiger_rick]

Ugh. Fuck, I hate that Slaughter reign. The match is tolerable because the two Savage run ins are awesome but the end result is stomach churning. Not only does Warrior lose, the Horrendous Iraqi sympathiser character wins and we end up back at Hogan. Triple whammy.

[PunkStep]

Slaughter was fucking rotten, wasn't he? At any point during his wrestling career, was he ever any good? Was he this rubbish in the 80s too?

[Max Power]

It's a horrible reign and the Iraqi Sympathiser storyline is an utter disgrace, but, in the spirit of the thread I have to judge it purely on the action between the ropes - which, although generally shit, is not as shit as earlier matches.

 

But yes, it wasn't a great watch knowing what is to follow.

 

EDIT: The fucking Iron Man Match isn't far away.

 

DOUBLE EDIT: Neither is This Tuesday In Texas.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Max Power

[Abe_Knuckleball_Schwartz]

It's a horrible reign and the Iraqi Sympathiser storyline is an utter disgrace, but, in the spirit of the thread I have to judge it purely on the action between the ropes - which, although generally shit, is not as shit as earlier matches.

But yes, it wasn't a great watch knowing what is to follow.

EDIT: The fucking Iron Man Match isn't far away.

DOUBLE EDIT: Neither is This Tuesday In Texas.

Yeah, good luck with the Iron Man match, I watched Wrestlemania XII earlier this week and that match certainly hasnt improved over time. I remeber being really excited during the build up to the match when I was watching it in 1996 thinking it would be an all time classic...... Got that one wrong!

 

BTW - really enjoying this thread.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Abe_Knuckleball_Schwartz

[Guest]

I've still not watched the iron man match, but I can't fathom it exists. Who's bright idea was it for the first ever WWF iron man match to tell the story of a uninspired cagey football game where everyone's too shit-scared to take a risk and a shitty goal gets bundled in in extra-time? its like Mexico v Portugal in the Simpsons

 

It doesn't even make psychology sense, as I've read reviews that were like, oh the psychology, gave me a stonk-on. Why would you be more cagey in an iron man match? If you lose a fall early on you can still easily catch up, so why wouldn't you either go all-out or just not be cagey? 

 

I mean, it's stupid, but what's more unbelievable is that.... it's just so un-Vince? he's always put the entertainment first. he must've just really missed his dad that day

Edited December 9, 2016 by sj5522

[Liam O'Rourke]

Slaughter was fucking rotten, wasn't he? At any point during his wrestling career, was he ever any good? Was he this rubbish in the 80s too?

Watch him as a heel in Mid Atlantic, he's excellent as the dick bully heel.

[WWFChilli]

1984 face run against the Iron Shiek. Cracking, cracking stuff.

[Briefcase]

I didn't even realise that Iron Man match was the first one. I think now knowing that it makes it even worse. If you've done a few and you get a cagey one then fair enough its different, but as a first had I watched that match back then it would probably put me off any future ones. 

[PowerButchi]

Slaughter was fucking rotten, wasn't he? At any point during his wrestling career, was he ever any good? Was he this rubbish in the 80s too?

 

He was absolute fucking amazing in the 80s. Like super super super super. Great bumper, great heel, great babyface, top brawler. One of the very very best.

 

Watch the Boot Camp match vs Iron Sheik, Alley Fight vs Pat Patterson or Final Conflict with Don Kernodle vs Steamboat/Youngblood.

 

He was a fantastic worker and should be compulsory viewing for any wrestling fan.