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Post by DiBiase is Good on Apr 22, 2007 21:07:32 GMT -5
Ah, Wrestlemania 8. It always seems to be one of the most popular of the Manias and it's not hard to see why. So here we go with the observations...
Reba McIntyre's rendition of The Star Spangled Banner is my favourite performance at a Wrestlemania. I'm not American, but it gets me going every time I hear it.
I like Shawn/Tito a lot except for the crappy ending. Shawn just falls on Tito. I always wonder if Sherri was meant to hook Tito's leg so he couldn't kick out.
The LOD interview is a bit bizarre. I like Paul Ellering and all, but when he says "I have returned" there is no reaction at all.
Snake / Taker is decent. Even if Snake's head misses the floor by a mile when he is tombstoned. Although, it's a pretty dangerous spot anyway so I won't dwell on it.
I love the Bret/Piper interview. Especially when Piper drops the belt (not the title belt). The match is all kinds of awesome as well. Although, I never worked out why Flair supposedly got punished for blading in his match but Bret didn't get punished for doing it in this match.
The 8 man Tag Match is quite obviously an excuse to get 8 Mid-carders on the show. It's harmless fun actually. And the build up with Ray Combs is quite cheesy but not too bad at all.
The segment with Luger is so obviously pre-taped. Although, I love it when he calls Gorilla a "fat guy" and Heenan cracks up.
Flair/Savage. What a match!!!! Two greats going at it. I was not expecting Savage to win the title when watching this live, but damn when he does the crowd goes insane. I love the booking of having the first half of the double main event halfway through the card because this match was so intense the crowd needed a boring match to calm down.
And speaking of boring matches, Tatanka/Martel isn't actually that bad. It's just I'm still worn out from Savage/Flair.
As much as I love Money Inc. Their match is pretty dull. I do love the kid holding up $1 dollar bills and Heenan calling him a "ham n egger" though.
Next up is Owen Hart/Skinner. Am I the only one who laughs out loud when Skinner gobs in Owen's face at the beginning? Surely not.
And Hogan/Sid ends off the show. It's pretty crappy actually but as a Hulkamaniac it's a pretty special match as it was his "farewell match". And as much as I think the Warrior is a douchebag, I love his return at the end of the match. Shame Sid was gone about 2 weeks after this show.
Actually that was more of a review. Here are some observations.
Anyone else notice that 3 of the WWF's biggest stars of the 90's all win the first three matches on the card?
The first half of this event is really good with 2 matches in the 4-5 star range. Shame the 2nd half couldn't keep up the momentum.
It's been debated for ages now, but I really think as much as I love the Savage/Flair match that Flair/Hogan should have been the main event. Then Savage could have had a match with Snake, possibly a retirement match as that feud was sooooo intense it would have been justified. It just seems wrong to me that Hogan vs Flair first happened in WCW, not the WWF.
And I've not actually mentioned it, but I have to say. The commentary on this event is absolutely fantastic. If you ever wonder why people say Gorilla and Heenan are the best commentating duo ever then watch this show and the 92 Royal Rumble and it will become clear.
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Post by OGBoardPoster2005 on Apr 22, 2007 21:59:36 GMT -5
Wrestlemania VIII was the end of Rock N Wrestling and the beginning of the New Generation and made a great transition show
As for Flair/Hogan I always thought it was intended along wiht Savage/Roberts and Sid/Taker
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Post by humanoid on Apr 22, 2007 22:16:48 GMT -5
Not only did 3 stars of the 90's go over, but they went over top stars of the 80's. Heenan Monsoon were amazing, I remember the build up to this show like it was yesterday. Just awesome. I'm kinda glad Hogan didn't get the shot, because even as a kid I wasn't entertained by Hogan at all, and I hated how he threw a tantrum at the end of the rumble to eliminate sid.
P.S. This is what part of the alphabet would look like if there were no Q or R.
P.P.S. I much preferred Ray Charles at 2 to Rebas performance.
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crup
Bubba Ho-Tep
The Loose Cannon
Posts: 639
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Post by crup on Apr 23, 2007 0:49:06 GMT -5
Yes DiBiase....you are the man. (keep these coming)
Snake / Taker is decent. Even if Snake's head misses the floor by a mile when he is tombstoned. Although, it's a pretty dangerous spot anyway so I won't dwell on it.
Haha.....I always noticed Jake's head misses by a mile even as a child.
It's been debated for ages now, but I really think as much as I love the Savage/Flair match that Flair/Hogan should have been the main event. Then Savage could have had a match with Snake, possibly a retirement match as that feud was sooooo intense it would have been justified. It just seems wrong to me that Hogan vs Flair first happened in WCW, not the WWF. And I've not actually mentioned it, but I have to say. The commentary on this event is absolutely fantastic. If you ever wonder why people say Gorilla and Heenan are the best commentating duo ever then watch this show and the 92 Royal Rumble and it will become clear.
Agree with both of these..... Savage and Jake would've been great, but I think Savage went over too many times before this.
Flair keeping the title (over Savage) would've made this classic 'mania much better...but you really can't argue with the pop this ending got. I found the section in Flair's book on how he felt he should've got the win (at WM8) as one of the most interesting parts of the book.
Random question(s): If Hogan and Flair got the main event.....how do you see it ending? and where does that leave Sid? What really happened with Shango (I've heard he was late)? Wasn't Shawn supposed to fight Marty, but he (Marty) was having legal problems or something?
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MolotovMocktail
Grimlock
Home of the 5-time, 5-time, 5-time, 5-time 5-time Super Bowl Champion 49ers-and Wrestlemania 31
Posts: 13,984
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Post by MolotovMocktail on Apr 23, 2007 0:55:07 GMT -5
The Tatanka/Martel match was classic for the commentary alone. Heenan repeatedly saying "Lumpy Indian", and saying Tatanka was from Cleveland, and when Monsoon accidentally said Ric Flair instead of Martel, he lost it, and challenged him to a fight...great stuff.
I also think this is the first show that used pyro, as it went off right after the Savage and Hogan matches. It was an awesome sight that was so impressive in its day. I think before the show or in between, I remembered seeing Papa Shango in a basement or dark room with a Hogan voodoo doll, so I figured he was up to no good. Say what you will about the botched finish, but Warrior returning and Hogan's farewell were some of the all-time great Mania moments.
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Post by Captain Wonderful on Apr 23, 2007 1:55:23 GMT -5
The Tatanka/Martel match was classic for the commentary alone. Heenan repeatedly saying "Lumpy Indian", and saying Tatanka was from Cleveland, and when Monsoon accidentally said Ric Flair instead of Martel, he lost it, and challenged him to a fight...great stuff. Bobby Heenan delivered some classics that night. "Where did those ten lumpy Indians go?" "They're LUMBEE, not 'lumpy.'" "I thought you said 'lumpy.'" "You know, if you want to be fair to Flair, you gotta be fair and say that's a heck of a robe. For only a man as fair as Flair can show up at Wrestlemania--" " WILL YOU STOP?![/u]" "Instead of being thrown out of the ring, he should have done the pitching." "Who should have done the pitching?" "Ta-ta-ta-ta-Tatanka. Then again, if the Indians had more pitching they'd be a better team." "WHY don't you stop?" "Did you ever say hello to Tatanka?" "Yes." "Did you do it properly." "Yes?" "You said 'HEY-how-are-ya HEY-how-are-ya.'"
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Post by Mister Yummy on Apr 23, 2007 12:53:39 GMT -5
Flair vs. Hogan did indeed happen in the WWF. They did several matches at house shows, one of which I was lucky enough to witness.These were all when the title was vacant, in December of '91 and January of '92. The match I saw, Hogan won by count out. I'm quite sure there's one of their WWF matches on a colleseum video release, but I'm not sure which one. Hell, the show I was at had cameras, it's possible I'll get to see the match again at some point. Were any of you at the St. Louis Arena Matenee show that day in december 1991?
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Post by humanoid on Apr 23, 2007 13:07:56 GMT -5
My favorite Heenan-Monsoon exchange was when heenan was saying he pinned a couple of guys with the side headlock, when he was champion of the neighborhood.
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Post by DiBiase is Good on Apr 23, 2007 13:11:31 GMT -5
I also think this is the first show that used pyro, as it went off right after the Savage and Hogan matches. It was an awesome sight that was so impressive in its day. There was pyro at WM6 after Warrior won.
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crup
Bubba Ho-Tep
The Loose Cannon
Posts: 639
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Post by crup on Apr 23, 2007 17:19:56 GMT -5
How come Shango didn't get a match at WM8?.....and does anyone know why the Bulldog and the Berzerker was removed from the card?
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Post by Captain Wonderful on Apr 23, 2007 17:22:30 GMT -5
My favorite Heenan-Monsoon exchange was when heenan was saying he pinned a couple of guys with the side headlock, when he was champion of the neighborhood. "I have an announcement to make. Shawn Michaels has left the building." "WHO CARES?!" "Shawn Michaels has left the building." "WILL YOU STOP?!"
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Post by Brandon Walsh is Insane. on Apr 23, 2007 17:26:53 GMT -5
the thing that always got me is when the warrior's music hit, we got a picture of the fink dropping the ring bell. It was a delayed reaction type of thing when i was a kid watching it live.
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Post by scifi1980 on Apr 23, 2007 17:59:21 GMT -5
My observation of this event is how only two celebrities made an appearance. I watched it live and I am positive nothing was edited out for the coliseum video release. What you see on that video is accurate, except for the Machoman interview in the lockeroom as Flair is making his way to ringside and the scene where he and Elizabeth are leaving the building.
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Post by irs on Apr 23, 2007 19:02:22 GMT -5
And I've not actually mentioned it, but I have to say. The commentary on this event is absolutely fantastic. If you ever wonder why people say Gorilla and Heenan are the best commentating duo ever then watch this show and the 92 Royal Rumble and it will become clear. couldnt agree more. My favorite Heenan-Monsoon exchange was when heenan was saying he pinned a couple of guys with the side headlock, when he was champion of the neighborhood. "I have an announcement to make. Shawn Michaels has left the building." "WHO CARES?!" "Shawn Michaels has left the building." "WILL YOU STOP?!" hahaha... yeah thats awsome. "i remember when i was champion, monsoon!"
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Post by skillz on Apr 23, 2007 19:06:14 GMT -5
Wrestlemania VIII was the end of Rock N Wrestling and the beginning of the New Generation and made a great transition show Agreed. Much like WM X7 was the end of the Attitude Era, I think WrestleMania VIII was the end of the Hogan era. It ended with a bang. I would have preferred Hogan going over Flair at the end, but Savage/Flair was a classic and Warrior's run-in at the end made up for a lackluster main event.
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Post by Cheeto Smith on Apr 23, 2007 20:34:02 GMT -5
I think this Wrestlemania is proof of the effect a giant venue brings. WM8 feels a lot more epic than it actually was (imho) on account of the giant Hoosier Dome setting. Imagine the same card in the LA Sports Arena, you'd probably not be remembering it quite the same way so many years later. Maybe instead you'd be focusing on how they blew the last spot in the main event, in the match that shouldn't have even occurred in the first place.
I think WM8 was average (for those days, which means GREAT compared to today). Worse than 7 and better than 9. It featured a very strong lineup, although matched up poorly (should have had Hogan/Flair, Jake/Savage, etc). I'm not a big fan of the end of either half of the double main event. Hogan/Sid was clearly botched and Savage's pull of the tights just didn't do much for me. I would have preferred a classic elbow drop.
I think Ellering got no reaction because most fans had no idea who he was. I don't know if I represent the typical or atypical fan, but I was exclusively a WWF fan, having no interest (or even awareness) of other promotions. Ellering was a total stranger to me, and probably most others too.
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HRH The KING
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
Posts: 15,079
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Post by HRH The KING on Apr 24, 2007 0:23:34 GMT -5
The main event should have been Hogan vs Flair
Jake Roberts and Randy Savage should have ended their feud with Macho killing Jake once and for all.
I would have preferred Shawn Michaels vs Owen Hart and Money Inc vs The Nasty Boys,
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localh
ALF
We are 138
Posts: 1,218
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Post by localh on Apr 24, 2007 2:09:27 GMT -5
Yeah I remember at the end of the Coliseum Video it said something about the Bulldog/Berzerker match but I am not sure why it was not shown.
I really Liked the Flair/Savage match as well as Heenan classics like Arriba Macintyre and Be fair to Flair.
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Cranjis McBasketball
Crow T. Robot
Knew what the hell that thing was supposed to be
Peace Love and Nothing But
Posts: 41,975
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Apr 24, 2007 3:21:23 GMT -5
To this day, I refer to Reba MacIntyre as "Arriba".
No one seems to notice.
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Post by akumashogun on Apr 24, 2007 3:30:36 GMT -5
I love the Bret/Piper interview. Especially when Piper drops the belt (not the title belt). The match is all kinds of awesome as well. Although, I never worked out why Flair supposedly got punished for blading in his match but Bret didn't get punished for doing it in this match. I've heard it was because Bret was busted open legit.
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