CLASSIC MATCH - Hulk Hogan v. The Ultimate Warrior (Wrestlemania VI)

Hulk Hogan v. The Ultimate Warrior
WWE Champion v. WWE Intercontinental Champion
Wrestlemania VI Main Event
April 1, 1990 at the Skydome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

WINNER.... and NEW World Wrestling Federation Champion....
The Ultimate Warrior...

This was a match that couldn't happen. How could the WWE - at that time the WWF - tear my heart in two? How could WWF President Jack Tunney make a good guy - and not just any good guy, but THE good guy Hulk Hogan - wrestle another good guy - and not just any other good guy, but the most popular good guy since Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior? How would the crowd react? Who would the fans be cheering for? Hulk Hogan can't lose, can he? No... Hulk Hogan never loses... to bad guys.

This match took place before I had ever heard the terms 'babyface' or 'heel.' This match took place when Hulk Hogan was truly Immortal. This match took place when wrestling was a real competition between two athletes who had trained hard and scouted their opponent. In 1990, I had no idea that the competition I thought I was watching was actually a physical exhibition. I had no idea that Hogan and The Warrior discussed how the match would progress and what the 'high spots' would be and how the match would finish. I had no idea of all the locker room politics that must have gone into such a high-profile match between the two biggest money-making professional wrestlers on the planet. I had no idea that Hulk Hogan was looking to get out of the industry and go work in Hollywood.

What I did know in the beginning of the year of our Lord, 1990, was that with each Saturday morning, The Ultimate Warrior became more and more appealing to me. His entrance was so cool. His antics in the ring were so cool. His music was so cool. His look was so cool. The promos he cut made no sense but they were so cool to an 11 year old kid that they didn't have to make any sense. In 1990, Hulkamania became boring to me. In 1990, I wanted to see The Ultimate Warrior become the WWE (or WWF) Champion.

The tagline for this match was 'The Ultimate Challenge,' and I think that the tagline referred less to the actual match and more to the fans. Would the fans support a new top face? Would the fans jeer The Ultimate Warrior? Would the fans be able to handle their two heroes facing off against each other in Canada? The answers were 'For a little while,' 'No,' and 'Yes.'

The match itself was exciting only because of the caliber of the wrestlers. It was a popularity contest between the well-known biggest draw in the world and the up-and-coming cool new guy. Vince McMahon went with the cool new guy because the biggest draw in the world thought he could move on to bigger and better things. This sort of 'passing of the torch' match has happened several times at Wrestlemania and it had happened before this particular match was booked. However, this is the first time that the WWE dared to book two faces - the two most popular faces - in a Championship Main Event match at Wrestlemania. McMahon wasn't spoon-feeding his audience a main event that would have an obvious finish. He was putting the ball in his audience's court. He was daring in a way. Obviously his audience would accept The Warrior as the top star... he was immensely popular... but the chance of the winner and the new torch bearer being booed out of the Skydome was very real.

The match began with a stare-down/pose-down and moved onto a test of strength. The crowd ate it up. They cheered for both participants. It was unbelievable that this match was happening. As Gorilla Monsoon put it, the tension could truly 'be cut with a knife.'

Hogan injured his leg outside the ring and at one point told Earl Hebner that he could no longer continue the match. This was a heel move and a nice strategy to ensure that The Ultimate Warrior - who was pushed as a bigger face in this match - would be accepted as the winner.

Hogan was able to shake his head and stomp around the ring and point his finger and go numb to any offense Warrior was able to produce. It was a sure thing that Hogan would pass this 'Ultimate Challenge.' The swerve came as Hogan went to drop his big leg. The Warrior rolled out of the way and landed a body splash on the surprised Champion and covered him for a somewhat quick 1-2-3. The Skydome erupted in excitement.

Hogan put The Warrior over even more by handing him the WWE Championship Belt, embracing him in a very manly way, and raising The Warrior's hand in victory. The torch was passed... for about nine months...

When the WWE adopted the 'Attitude' moniker, the fundamental focus was creating a shade of grey between the opponents. I'll paraphrase Vince McMahon: 'Our audience is tired of Good Guy versus Bad Guy.' The excitement in the Skydome and the excitement in the suburban houses of all the kids watching Wrestlemania VI on Pay-Per-View was created by the prospect of the ultimate Good Guy versus another ultimate Good Guy. The excitement was the shade of grey. The excitement was the audience not really knowing who they wanted to win the match and not being able to assume who would win the match. As far as being the biggest possible match on the biggest wrestling event of the year; Hulk Hogan v. The Ultimate Warrior defined what a Wrestlemania Main Event should be. The excitement leading up to and surrounding this match defines what the excitement surrounding Wrestlemania should be.

Hogan v. Warrior is quite possibly the most memorable match in Wrestlemania history. It buried the already dead 'Rock and Wrestling' 1980's Bigger-is-Better Era. It ushered in an era without Hulk Hogan - although he wouldn't be gone from WWE television and Pay-Per-Views for another two years - and started the search for a new top draw. The Ultimate Warrior couldn't carry the torch that Hogan and McMahon bestowed upon him on April 1rst, 1990. However, it was clear that Hogan no longer wanted to carry it and it was clear that a new talent would have to reach for it. With Wrestlemania VI, the WWE as I had known it - and as all the wrestling fans from my generation had known it - was changed forever.


Here, for the loyal readers of OIW's viewing pleasure, is Hulk Hogan versus The Ultimate Warrior... The match is split into eight parts because we respect the OIW Nation's intelligence and time. We know that not only do our readers have better things to do than watch the complete match in one sitting, but we also know that our readers are intelligent fans who can live without a test of strength...

Random Notes - Post Second Coming

I had hoped to have a video of Chris Jericho's return to Raw but I have been unable to find one. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough? Truth be told I became frustrated. I figure, if you didn't watch Raw last night for Chris Jericho's return, yet you read a pro-wrestling blog you need to take a good look in the mirror.

Chris Jericho ended the program and ratings for Raw were down from last week. Hmmm... maybe because people weren't interested in Jericho enough to sit through a horrible Diva tag match and Hornswagle v. Carlito?

I was excited to see Jericho. It was the furthest thing from a surprise as it's been speculated for months and confirmed for weeks.

I would like to see Triple H win the WWE title from Orton and turn heel on Jeff Hardy and have the feud culminate at Wrestlemania. I would like to see Michaels work a long program with Ken Kennedy. However, I have no idea what I would like to see Chris Jericho do. Where does he fit? He's already in the title picture... a spot that Jeff Hardy and Ken Kennedy are more deserving of.

I'm not going to knock Chris Jericho at all. I think it's great that he's back in wrestling. However, I also thought it was great when the Ultimate Warrior made his triumphant return at Wrestlemania 12.

Overall, I am excited to tune in on Monday.

As far as Edge, the Armageddon main event will most likely be a triple threat match between him, the Undertaker and Batista for Batista's World Heavyweight Championship.

I'll post a video as soon as I find one.

Peace Out

-Seannie Wan

Survivor Series 2007 Preview

Survivor Series has become the worst Pay-Per-View event of the year. It's treated like a high-profile event but delivers like an episode of ECW. When Survivor Series 2006 ended, I wanted to vomit. It was disgusting. It was uninteresting. It was bad wrestling and it was bad storytelling and it was worse than the worst card I could have thought off.

Survivor Series 2007 is shaping up to be the same... maybe a little better.

First off, I hate traditional Survivor Series matches. They were cool in the '80s because it was the only opportunity a wrestling fan had to see Hulk Hogan team up with the Ultimate Warrior and Demolition... or Randy Savage team up with Jake Roberts and the Rockers... I might be making up actual Survivor Series teams but I think you get the point. In today's over saturated professional wrestling market these sort of team-ups between 'superstars' happen more often than not. The WWE has to book 3 main events every week so it's near impossible for team-ups not to happen and story lines not to cross.

A traditional Survivor Series match is lame because at least five 'superstars' have to be eliminated within twenty minutes. This means that there are some cheese ball pins and submissions. There are no high-points and there has to be time for each 'superstar' to perform his signature move. Ugh. Just thinking about this match makes me wonder why The Kidd is ordering the PPV.

The match up:
Triple H, Rey Mysterio, The Hardys, and Kane vs. Umaga, Mr. Kennedy, MVP, Finlay, and Big Daddy V.
It doesn't matter who wins or who pins who. It's for the kids and I'm not looking forward to it.

10 Divas Tag Team Match? I don't care. Whatever.

Hornswoggle vs. The Great Khali? Ok. Am I taking this match seriously? Because the WWE seems to be taking it seriously. It's a bad joke. And the worst part of the joke is that Hornswoggle is a better wrestler than Khali.

Batista vs. The Undertaker Hell in a Cell for the World Heavyweight Championship? I'm interested. Will Taker get his belt back? Who can say 'no' to a Hell in a Cell match? Well, if you book it along side this other garbola, I might say 'no.' I think The Undertaker will get the World Title back as the original plan was for him to carry from Wrestlemania 23 until Wrestlemania 24. And remember that Edge is on the promo for Survivor Series. He's cleared to return to the ring. He is going to show up and do something... I think... I hope.

Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship? Well, there is one way that this match can be interesting. That one way is this: if Michaels puts Orton in a sharpshooter while Vince McMahon is at ringside and Vince orders the bell to be rung and awards Shawn Michaels the WWE Championship without Orton having tapped out. Unfortunately, I doubt something creative like that would happen. At this point in his career, Shawn Michaels would not turn heel. And if he would, I doubt he would be quick to remind wrestling fans of the Montreal Screwjob. Maybe I'm wrong... hopefully I'm wrong.

Anyway, I'm going to watch the Survivor Series not because I will enjoy it but because I feel it is my duty as Chief WWE Correspondent.

Peace Out

-Seannie Wan