WrestleMania IV

WrestleMania IV
March 27, 1988
Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino Convention Center
Atlantic City, New Jersey

Here is a show that not a lot of people like. It has been called “WrestleMania Bore.” The theme of the show was to decide the undisputed WWE Champion via a 14 man single elimination tournament. Andre the Giant finally got his rematch with Hulk Hogan and won the title from him. The only problem is that he gave up the title to the “Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase immediately afterwards which prompted President Jack Tunney to vacate the title and put it up for grabs in this tournament at WrestleMania. Like I said, not a lot of people hold this match in much regard. I personally have a special fondness for this event. This was the first ever pro wrestling video I have in my collection, and I have always appreciated that this event has a certain charm to it. I am well aware, that I am in the minority on that front.

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, and Bob Uecker (battle royal only)

20 Man Battle Royal
Not quite the same heat that the battle royal had at WrestleMania II with the participation of NFL players, but this was an easy way to get a bunch of people a WrestleMania pay day. I am a sucker for battle royals, I’ll be honest. This one is okay, as the match dwindles down to Bad News Brown, Bret Hart, and Junkyard Dog. Bad News and Bret are the two heels so they conspire and get rid of JYD. Just when we think that Bad News and the Hitman are gonna split the purse money, Bad News hits Bret with the Ghetto blaster and eliminates him. Bret is understandably pissed and comes back in the ring and takes out Brown, and smashes the trophy that was awarded to the winner. This was essentially Bret Hart’s (and Jim Neidhart by default) face turn, and was supposed to result in a big singles push (according to Bret). The push never happened though (at least in 1988). **


WWE Championship Tournament – First Round Match
“Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase w/ Virgil and Andre the Giant vs. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan

Allegedly, Dibiase was supposed to win this tournament and the championship. Like a lot of rumors in professional wrestling, I never really know what to believe. Anyway, this is a decent enough opener. Dibiase wins when Andre nails Duggan and pins him. Dibiase moves onto the Quarterfinals. **

WWE Championship Tournament – First Round Match
Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin vs. “The Rock” Don Muraco w/ “Superstar” Billy Graham

One thing that became a running WrestleMania joke between Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura was the reference of Dino Bravo “setting the bench press record” with help from Ventura. It started as Jesse sort of denying it, and by WrestleMania V Jesse is simply annoyed that people keep talking about it, and at WrestleMania VI Jesse just says “thank you.” Okay, so maybe you have to watch the shows to be as impressed as I am with the running joke. Or maybe I’m nuts. Either way, this match was just a power vs. power match. Not a whole lot to it, Muraco wins by DQ when Bravo puts the ref in the way when Muraco was going after him. ¾*

WWE Championship Tournament – First Round Match
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine w/ “Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart

This would be Ricky’s last match before heading to brighter days in the NWA where he would have this little trilogy of matches with some guy named Ric Flair. I hear the matches are pretty good. Speaking of good matches, this match is pretty good too as you would expect from two very good workers like Steamboat and Valentine. Match is back and forth. One problem that a lot of people have with this show is the crowd is very apathetic to say the least. Even still, the match ends when Valentine reverses Steamboats high cross body block and rolls through it and gets the pin. ***1/2

WWE Championship Tournament – First Round Match
“Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth vs. “The Natural” Butch Reed w/ Slick

Most fans were probably thinking (and drooling) over the prospect of a Savage-Steamboat rematch in the quarterfinals. Steamboat once said too that he had been out of action for a few weeks and when he came back he saw the pairings before the show and immediately thought the same thing that he would get to return the favor to Savage from WrestleMania III. Well no such luck there. The outcome of this match wasn’t in doubt. Savage hits the flying elbow and gets the pin. **

WWE Championship Tournament – First Round Match
Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Oliver Humperdink vs. One Man Gang w/ Slick

Big man vs. big man here. Bigelow of course is one of the most athletic big men you’ll ever see, and One Man Gang works hard for a guy his size. This match is a train wreck though. Bam Bam gets some nice offense in to keep it from DUD territory, but OMG gets a count out win after Slick pulled the ropes down and Bam Bam tumbled over. ½*

WWE Championship Tournament – First Round Match
Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan

These two had one of the best and hottest feuds ever, but for some reason, the matches were never really outstanding. I think they had a couple decent ones at some MSG shows, but overall, the in-ring work during the feud lacked a little bit. This match is no exception. Just a long boring match that ends in a 15 minute time limit draw. *1/4

Ultimate Warrior vs. Hercules w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan

This would be the Warrior’s PPV debut. These two were feuding and apparently it began when Warrior snapped Hercules’ steel chain. Pretty much what you would expect from these two as neither is really known for producing technical masterpieces in the ring. Warrior wins by getting the shoulder up on a double pin spot. You could tell that Warrior’s star was rising though as he had one of the biggest crowd reactions of the night. ½*

WWE Championship Tournament – Quarterfinals
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant w/ Ted Dibiase and Virgil

The idea of this tournament was that because Hogan and Andre were the previous two champions they would both get first round byes, and face each other in the 1st match of the 2nd round. Andre was pretty much done at this point in his career so he didn’t have a lot to give. Hogan was set to go film his movie “No Holds Barred”. This match didn’t have the benefit of 90,000 fans to carry it here, and therefore it was not very good. The match ends in a double disqualification after both men hit each other with chairs. ¾*

WWE Championship Tournament – Quarterfinals
Ted Dibiase vs. Don Muraco w/ Billy Graham

With Hogan and Andre being eliminated, the booking really starts to unfold here, with Dibiase being booked as a top heel. Nice little match here that Dibiase gets a clean win and is made to look real strong here. **1/4

WWE Championship Tournament – Quarterfinals
Greg Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth

Two great professionals here go at it, and they put together a decent match. The main problem here of course, as usual, is the time restraints with so many damn matches on the same show, but this is decent enough. Savage reverses a figure four leg lock into an inside cradle and gets the win. **1/2

WWE IC Championship
Honky Tonk Man (champion) w/ Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue vs. Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake

Peggy Sue is actually Sensational Sherri with a wig. This match suffered a little bit from the aforementioned apathetic crowd. Put this match in the Silverdome and you wouldn’t be able to hear yourself think there was so much fun in this match. Not great from technical standpoint by any stretch, but I really love Honky’s heel tactics and Brutus plays right along with it, and Jimmy Hart ties it all together on the outside. Match ends when the ref gets knocked out by Jimmy Hart and Honky gets disqualified. Jimmy Hart gets a haircut for his troubles though from Brutus. Sue me; I liked the sports entertainment aspect of it. *3/4

6 Man Tag Team Match
Islanders (Haku and Tama) and Bobby Heenan vs. British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith) and Koko B. Ware

The storyline here was that Heenan and the Islanders dog knapped the Bulldogs mascot Matilda. They are pissed, so Heenan comes out in a dog protection outfit. Just brilliant comedy from Heenan. Heenan gets the win when the Islanders slam him onto Koko for the pin fall. Match started off really hot, and slowed down, but still has some comedy value. *3/4

WWE Championship Tournament – Semifinals
Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth vs. One Man Gang w/ Slick

The Gang is coming off a bye so the storyline here is very obvious. Savage against all odds for a shot at the finals. Decent big vs. little match here but these two guys would have better matches against each other. Savage wins by disqualification when OMG hits him with Slick’s cane. They sold the storyline and Savage gets to the finals against Dibiase. *1/2

WWE Tag Team Championship
Strike Force (Tito Santana and Rick Martel) (champions) vs. Demolition (Ax and Smash) w/ Mr. Fuji

This would be the beginning of Demolition’s two year run at the top of the tag team division. Demolition being sold by the commentators as dominant heels, and the champions are perceived as true underdogs. Watching this match you never get the feeling that Strike Force has a shot, and that is what I like about this match. Sometimes the fact that something is predictable is a GOOD thing. The match ends when Ax hits Martel with Fuji’s cane and Smash makes the pin. This would be the first of 3 tag title reigns for Demolition. Very solid match. **1/2

Main Event
WWE Championship Tournament Finals
Ted Dibiase w/ Andre the Giant vs. Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth
*Rated #43 on my Top 50 WrestleMania Matches of all time*

One of my favorite matches ever here and underrated for the story that it told. Savage has wrestled 3 times already, and Dibiase only 2 coming off a bye. Dibiase has Andre in his corner. So the odds are very much stacked against Savage and they just make that fact obvious. Great storytelling! Andre is wreaking havoc on Savage early which prompts Miss Elizabeth to even the odds and get some help. The help comes in the form of Hulk Hogan. That match continues and things look bad for Savage, but when Andre distracts the ref, Hogan comes in and hits Dibiase with a chair, and Savage hits the flying elbow for the WWE Title. This is an underrated match, mostly because there is an overall disdain for this show. ***3/4

Final Analysis: I totally understand why most people don’t find this show very appealing. As I said earlier I find that this show has a certain charm to it that I can’t explain. Randy Savage is also one of my favorite wrestlers of all time and this is his big moment. This is also a very well booked show. I mean if you’re gonna have Savage win this tournament, then booking it exactly how they did, is the right thing to do. Yes it would have been nice to see Savage-Steamboat part 2, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the booking made complete sense. What can I say? I like this show a lot!