WrestleMania Rewind: 6 to 10

John Powell

12 years ago

If you are like me, you get all old school each year around WrestleMania time. You raid your disk or streaming library and watch some classic Mania cards, moments just to fuel your enthusiasm for the annual event. With 36 events to choose from, the desire to zero in on the most pivotal matches can be a daunting task.

This is where SLAM! Wrestling comes in.

WrestleMania Rewind is a series detailing the very best and very worst matches from each and every WrestleMania. Check out our guide and take the guess work out of your WrestleMania Rewind.

WrestleMania 6

Date: April 1, 1990.
Location: SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario.

The first time WrestleMania was held outside the United States and in my hometown. I was there as a fan and the crowd reaction to the Warrior – Hogan bout was astounding. It was so clearly divided and so fervent. Interestingly enough, the same thing would happen years later when WrestleMania once again returned to Toronto. What boggles the mind to this day is why The Hart Foundation match played out as it did when Bret Hart was hugely popular in Canada?

Must See Matches
Demolition versus The Colossal Connection
Brutus Beefcake versus Mr. Perfect
Roddy Piper versus Bad News Brown
Ted Dibiase versus Jake Roberts
Hulk Hogan versus Ultimate Warrior
Must Skip Matches
The Hart Foundation versus The Bolsheviks
Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire versus Randy Savage and Sensational Queen Sherri
Rick Rude versus Jimmy Snuka
Rick Martel versus Koko B. Ware
The Big Boss Man versus Akeem
Event MVPs: Brutus Beefcake, Mr. Perfect, Ted Dibiase, Jack Roberts, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior.
Overall Event Rating: 8 / 10

WrestleMania 7

Date: March 24, 1991.
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles.

Capitalizing (exploiting?) on the war in Iraq, the WWE pitched a double main event of sorts with Randy Savage putting his career on the line against the Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan taking up arms against Sgt. Slaughter. While Big Boss Man had one of the best matches of his career against Mr. Perfect, Jake Roberts and Rick “The Model” wrestled in perhaps the worst match ever: a blindfold bout. The collection of mediocre to poor bouts really overshadowed anything noteworthy.

Must See Matches
The British Bulldog versus The Warlord
The Nasty Boys versus The Hart Foundation
The Ultimate Warrior versus Randy Savage
The Big Boss Man versus Mr. Perfect
Hulk Hogan versus Sgt. Slaughter
Must Skip Matches
Jake Roberts versus Rick Martel
The Undertaker versus Jimmy Snuka
Genichiro Tenryu and Koji Kitao versus Demolition
The Legion of Doom versus Power and Glory
The Mountie versus Tito Santana
Event MVPs: Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, Sgt. Slaughter, Big Boss Man, Mr. Perfect.
Overall Event Rating: 6 / 10

WrestleMania 8

Date: April 5, 1992.
Location: Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The WrestleMania franchise goes into a downward spiral with back-to-back cruddy shows. At eight, fans either witnessed crap or classics. There was no in-between that year. It is not often I would recommend actually skipping the main even but Hogan, Sid is just plain awful. Many of the veterans stepped up to the plate in grand style but it wasn’t enough to save the show. I still get chuckles out of the Piper – Hart interview segment.

Must See Matches
The Undertaker versus Jake Roberts
Bret Hart versus Roddy Piper
Randy Savage versus Ric Flair
Must Skip Matches
Big Boss Man, Virgil, Sgt. Slaughter, and Jim Duggan versus The Nasty Boys , Repo Man, and The Mountie
The Natural Disasters versus Money Inc.
Owen Hart versus Skinner
Hulk Hogan versus Sid Justice
Event MVPs: Roddy Piper, Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Ric Flair.
Overall Event Rating: 4 / 10

WrestleMania 9

Date: April 4, 1993.
Location: Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The first time WrestleMania was held at an outdoor venue. Filled with disappointing and lacklustre matches, the event is only noteworthy because of its surprising main event finish. Let’s hope it is the last time we see J.R. in a toga and the last time chloroform is used in an actual wrestling match. Lex Luger and Perfect’s furious feud was a missed opportunity.

Must See Matches
Money Inc. versus The Mega-Maniacs
Lex Luger versus Mr. Perfect
Yokozuna versus Bret Hart
Hulk Hogan versus Yokozuna
Must Skip Matches
Doink the Clown versus Crush
Razor Ramon versus Bob Backlund
The Undertaker versus Giant Gonzalez
Event MVPs: Lex Luger, Mr. Perfect, Hulk Hogan, Yokozuna, Bret Hart.
Overall Event Rating: 4 / 10

WrestleMania 10

Date: March 20, 1994.
Location: Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.

WrestleMania briefly gets back on track before sinking into sludge once again. The sibling rivalry between Bret and Owen Hart would escalate into one of the WWE’s greatest feuds. The image of Owen glaring from the runway as Bret and others celebrate in the ring was a haunting image to be sure. It was the Ladder Match between HBK and Razor that stole the show and still ranks as one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all time.

Must See Matches
Owen Hart versus Bret Hart
Yokozuna versus Lex Luger
Razor Ramon versus Shawn Michaels
Bret Hart versus Yokozuna
Must Skip Matches
Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon versus Doink the Clown and Dink
Randy Savage versus Crush
Men on a Mission versus The Quebecers
Earthquake versus Adam Bomb

WRESTLEMANIA REWIND