101 WWE Matches To See Before You Die ~ #34

['Plan]

101 WWE Matches To See Before You Die

34

The Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan
Title vs. Title Match
WWF Championship
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Wrestlemania VI
April 1st, 1990

I’m a Paul Heyman guy and Paul Heyman has a saying: de-emphasise the negatives, accentuate the positives. I take a different approach; I say make the negatives your point and they become a positive by virtue of exacerbation.

The relevancy of said point? Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior are criticised heavily for their capabilities inside of a wrestling ring. A lot of the time those criticisms are fair enough. I think not many would disagree with saying that both of them had a number of limitations when wrestling, yet there was one particular instance in which they allowed those limitations to become an advantage, mainly through focussing on them, instead of looking for someone else to help overcome them – they made their negatives the point.

What we have here isn’t a match between technicians or brawlers. It’s a gladiatorial encounter between two behemoth strong-men looking to out-muscle their opponent. It’s an encounter that, today, seems dated, feels cheesy, and looks vibrantly colourful. It’s old school, for sure. But there is no amount of hyperbole I can offer that can speak more volumes than the frenzied fever permeating the sixty thousand in the SkyDome that night, a fever exacerbated by the taunt off between the two combatants as Hogan enters the squared circle.

As the bell tolls, some uncharacteristic trash talk from Hogan helps put over just how serious an encounter and how high pressure a situation this is; that pressure is tangible and becomes increasingly tense as they tease the opening of their match, testing one another with strength, with taunts, with lock ups. If you lose yourself in it, from the very start your heart is pounding. What’s interesting, from a teleological perspective, is the similarities that you can see in how Hogan/Rock and Rock/Cena started in the following two decades respectively – it’s almost as if this was the pilot episode for a series of dream matches due to unfold over time, laying out a kind of structural trademark for the rest of its episodes.

They take their time to settle into the match, yet to the credit of both, it never feels slow. The enthusiasm shown both in their actions and the deafening roar of the crowd lends the entire thing a sense of break neck speed, despite the fact the opening five minutes, like the majority of the match, is relatively thin on content. That said, I’m a firm believer in giving credit where it’s due. Given the famous and widespread criticisms of the abilities of both these competitors, it would be easy to accuse this simple structure of being too average an in-ring performance to warrant its high place on the card, in history and on this list. But it’s not all tests of strength and bizarre criss-crossing on the ropes. There’s some nicely timed rest holds, a number of tightly executed suplexes and even a small package. It may not be much, but it’s more than what one may have come to expect in the general average performances you’d see either of these men give, and with no one else to be accused of carrying them, that’s something worth noting.

Speaking briefly on the idea of either of these competitors being carried, one can identify that it is Hogan dictating the overall bout, and this is a rare case of his in-ring presence being more of a positive than a negative. For example, Hogan’s ability to sell the tests of strength is a testament to how well he could perform when the situation was suited to his limitations and in-ring disposition. Despite what I will cover later in this column, it’s very easy to genuinely believe, through the facial expressions and the time taken, that these two could very well be testing their honest strength. Certainly, on physical terms, there’s no great difference in size between the two. It also adds even further to that general gladiatorial undertone I made mention of earlier, and that makes what follows, again despite its relative simplicity, all the more exhilarating.

In fact, Hogan and Warrior take full advantage of how this thing was booked, in terms of both men being exactly equal, all the way throughout. The tests of strength, taunt offs and face downs don’t stop following the opening, as they often do. They very much become the point of the entire thing. What that means is no real genuine down time. The crowd’s excitement never fades out, like it sometimes can, and their investment makes the match feel like an exhaustingly amazing thrill ride by the time you reach the end. That sense of exhaustion plays well into the tone of the encounter too, again fitting the characters involved to perfection. Why is that?

Well, consider that both the characters of Hulk and Warrior are based on their ability to endure; both can take huge amounts of punishment but still have something left. It is essentially an over-dramatisation of that inherent factor of a wrestling story – the babyface makes a comeback. To return yet again to my point that opened the column, the two simply accept what they are and are not capable of. They limit themselves to the likes of tests of strength, rest holds and other relatively simplistic offence, none of which is particularly demanding or complicated, and all of which allows them to conserve most of their energy as the duration increases beyond what one may normally expect. Yet, because of the basis noted above, that perfectly suits the individuals involved. In other words, the match quality isn’t sacrificed in favour of easier content because the simplicity plays remarkably well into the over-dramatisation at the heart of any Hogan or Warrior match.

The use of rest holds particularly is, in this case, actually a huge positive. They give the impression of these two muscular goliaths simply grinding one another down bit by bit. Watching that happen, coupled with perhaps a level of genuine fatigue from two men carrying a lot of weight for a twenty minute match, is what communicates that feeling of exhaustion I have already mentioned. And it is because you feel exhausted as a viewer, watching these two grind away at one another, as well as hitting equally detrimental offence like double clotheslines, that by the time you start witnessing the comebacks both men are famous for, you get helplessly reduced to the state of a screaming child yourself, genuinely thinking on said comebacks as something remarkably magical.

Indeed, it’s a fascinating thing to see those comebacks take place. Both men are usually the one acting it out, making others experience the helplessness of facing such invulnerability. To be able to turn that tide on these two characters is a wonderful touch, and, again thanks to the nature of them, never feels contrived whatsoever. Instead of being melodrama, as such things can so easily become, it remains as simple drama.

That’s very much the methodology here. I mentioned already the stand offs throughout, but I feel it’s worth emphasising just once more, mainly because it speaks volumes for how effectively this match is booked. It’s very much a case of anything you can do, I can do better. In that sense, it reads essentially as a strong-man version of HBK/Jericho from ‘Mania XIX – it is a radically different beast, but one that shares the same themes of one-upmanship and equality. Head lock to bear hug, clothesline for shoulder block, taunt for taunt, finish for finish, comeback to comeback, it’s beautiful in its simplicity.

It’s not all perfect. Admittedly, there is a bit of a misfire as we witness some attempt to factor in some storytelling, with Hogan teasing a twisted knee. It doesn’t particularly really add a great deal, and, in actual fact, seems to end up being forgotten as soon as thirty seconds after Hogan’s fall. The truth is that neither man’s strength rested in storytelling; in fact, Warrior shows a grim misunderstanding of psychology. Here is the company’s second babyface, perhaps even their top babyface, acting like a heel by clotheslining the champion to the outside and, upon seeing the possibility of him being hurt, refuses to act like a good sport and allow the champ back in, instead opting to target the knee with some cheap shots outside the ring.

It’s a plot turn that’s all rather inexplicable. The only real reason I can think of it being put in there was as a booking move on the part of the company. By teasing the possibility that Hogan suffered an in-match tweak, they allow Hogan to have something of a reason for losing, being that he wasn’t at 100%, and that allows them to give Warrior a clean win without sacrificing the status quo of these two being on completely equal footing. Ultimately though, it’s not something the viewer should get too caught up on. In the end, it reads only as an after-thought.

And naturally, there’s a false finish involved, but it’s nice for me to able to say that it seems to be a well-judged one; we get both men countering the other’s finish and, once more, an emphasis on how the tables have turned on them both, with Ventura openly recognising that fact, namely when Hogan is caught without a referee to make a count. Eventually, when the three count does come, Hogan is even seen barely missing out on getting his shoulder up in time, once again leaving the status of both involved entirely intact.

Needless to say, you may have guessed already that I’m quite the fan of this epic encounter. I feel like that’s quite out of character for me, particularly given my tastes for the likes of workers such as Hart and Ziggler. The truth is, whenever the company seems to prefer spectacle over technicality, I get a little turned off. However, I can’t lie; this remains one of my favourite Wrestlemania matches of all time.

There’s a reason for that, which I’ll come to in due course. It’s one of the reasons why this match made the list. There are, in fact, two levels on which this match works as a must see. The first is the reality behind the match, the second is the reality of the match.

First, the reality behind it. By that, I mean the real world role this match can be seen as playing, in historical terms. It was the first to follow on from that Hogan/Andre dream match ideal, but was the first to modify it into being about the top two babyfaces of the day facing off, as opposed to the biggest new star against the biggest declining star. Like I mentioned in the review above, it laid out a framework that most dream bouts, of any variety, have each, in their own way, followed, whether those comparisons be literal, like the openings of Rock/Hogan and Rock/Cena, or more thematic. In other words, where Hogan and Warrior put on a dream strong-man match, because that’s what they did best, Rock/Austin put on a dream brawl and Shawn/Bret put on a dream wrestling match in their own respective Wrestlemania epics. In short, this match, while not the first dream match, was the first blockbuster face/face main event to explicitly emphasise the symmetry between said faces, and then organically produce a rivalry from that fact.

But quite frankly, while that’s neat, it’s not particularly interesting. Not to me, anyway. That’s why the second reason, the reason I came to discover in thinking on this edition of the series, is the real reason why I want it to live forever as a must see, and, as I said, it’s linked to why it feels so odd for me to love it.

I am a fan of wrestling as art; that is to say, I take it pretty seriously. While I love most wrestling of any variety, I’d rather take a technical classic over a blockbuster spectacle any day of the week. For me, the fun in wrestling comes from viewing it as more than just fun. I dare say it’s a philosophy that seems to have become more widespread in more recent years.

These days, we as fans seem to be increasingly obsessed with words like realism and believability. We’re no longer quite so innocent and we appear to be demanding that our pro wrestling product become ever-more complex. Much like how Nolan’s reboot of the Batman franchise has led to an age where film studios are fetishizing ideals of grit and pessimism, we too as wrestling fans seem to be wanting such things to bleed into our own product. CM Punk is a performer who embodies all these concepts and, as such, is now reaching a level of stardom that has, so far, been unfamiliar to him. It may also be why there’s an increasing rejection of stars like The Rock. Sure, part of The Rock’s criticism stems from his unique career path, but how much may also come from a modern day rejection of his generally quite camp nature? Nowadays, we seem to favour CM Punk’s realistic soliloquies more than we do The Rock’s hyperactive catchphrases.

It is in that world, rooted in its demand for realism, that this match becomes something truly special. It comes from not just another time, but another world. I’m not going to sit here and talk to you about all the usual cliché points about the perceived detrimental effect of the internet and age of communication and social media, but I will say that the reason this match is must see, and the reason why I love it so much, is because it just isn’t self-conscious. It just doesn’t care. It isn’t a counter-argument to the criticisms levelled at this performance art, but an outright rejection of them.

If you watch this match as I watch most matches, being a critic first and fan second, then the likelihood is it won’t do much for you. That’s when you notice how thin it is on content. But if you allow yourself to be entirely dedicated to the principle of kayfabe for just twenty minutes, if you reduce yourself to your most primal form as a wrestling fan and commit to the entire suspension of disbelief, the principle upon which all of wrestling is predicated, you’ll probably love it.

What we have here is a guilty pleasure. It is a spectacle that’s so unashamedly pro wrestling that it’s a kind of middle finger to the haters and critics. It’s over the top and loud, but it’s so grossly over the top and loud, so entirely unrealistic, it’s a powerful reminder of how fun wrestling is if you buy into the ideal behind it. That’s what I meant when I mentioned the reality of the match – the kayfabe reality of it, the in-universe logic of it. This match shouldn’t be about the performances of Bollea and Hellwig, it shouldn’t be about remembering it’s “sports entertainment,” or has a result already preordained.

This match is clearly a staged performance. It’s perhaps, given the two characters involved, the most obviously staged performance in WWE ever. The action clearly isn’t real. The characters clearly aren’t real. But it’s precisely because of all that it’s so much fun. At a time when we’re all so self-conscious about defending wrestling, and so obsessed with wanting it to seem somewhat genuine, this is a refreshing reminder that, sometimes, we just don’t need to bother. This match isn’t about criticism and objectivity. This match is not even about wrestling.

But it is about professional wrestling. It’s a gross self-indulgence in everything professional wrestling is – camp, brash, loud, cheesy, ridiculous and full of life. Where usually we get on our high horse and defend this industry to the death, this is a match that simply shrugs its shoulders, refuses to apologise for it and then does it anyway. The reason why it’s so must see, though, is quite simply because it doesn’t fear doing exactly that.

When it comes to watching it, maybe once in a while, neither should we. I don’t. Not with this one. And, by god, it’s fucking awesome.

Click here to watch The Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan.

[Mr Chop]

But it is about professional wrestling. It’s a gross self-indulgence in everything professional wrestling is – camp, brash, loud, cheesy, ridiculous and full of life.

Nails being whacked all about the head.

I find that this is exactly what I miss about modern WWE. Everyone is trying so hard to be "real" that they forget it's supposed to be fucking fun. Ric Flair couldn't exist in the real world, that's why he's so awesome. I can't hit my boss but Austin did. It's insane and stupid and fucking awesome. It's why Daniel Bryan is the only person I seem to genuinely enjoy anymore, because he's mental and over the top and clearly is having the time of his life.

[fenixx]

Sick column, does it come in good?

(Real feedback later)

[Double Murder Josh]

Definitely a good take on Hogan/Warrior, a match that almost needs no explanation for why it makes the list. This match was just such a seminal event and was very symbolic at the time as well, with Warrior getting "handed the torch" but ultimately not being able to carry it for very long.

One element I think you might've missed here was that this was Hogan's first ever PPV loss (if I'm not mistaken). Hogan and Andre had been double DQd at WM4, but aside from that, his PPV record was basically spotless. The guy just didn't lose. Warrior defeating Hogan wasn't an upset per se, but it was an incredible feat. I would think you would've written more about this aspect.

Similarly, no mention of how this match, because it was a 1-time deal for so long, continued to live in its own mythology among wrestling fans? Or how it was the rare encounter that was so historic it led to a sequel close to a decade later (how many matches can say that)? Or the potential impact it might have had on Hogan and his ego?

Overall, really enjoyed this column and definitely made me think of a whole lot of other reasons why this match is so important in WWE history.

[Freeman]

Kinda reminds me of hair metal (which was popular around the same time as this match) brash, gimmicky, but really really fun and it didn't give a fuck. Actually, I'd say this match is a really good reflection of it's time.

Isn't it funny how the Intercontinental Champion fighting the WWF Champion was the main event of Wrestlemania 20 years ago whereas now this kind of match would be thrown away on a random episode of RAW or Smackdown, with no build. Fuck, even the WWE Champ taking on the World Heavyweight champ doesn't feel that big a deal anymore. Actually dude, from a personal preference, I would have liked to have seen you talk about that, but no biggie.

Good shit as always though, and yeah I guess we're all guilty of that kind of thing from time to time. It's cool to take it seriously and all, but sometimes you've got to kick back, say fuck it and have some fun.

[honestbharani]

Nails being whacked all about the head.

I find that this is exactly what I miss about modern WWE. Everyone is trying so hard to be "real" that they forget it's supposed to be fucking fun. Ric Flair couldn't exist in the real world, that's why he's so awesome. I can't hit my boss but Austin did. It's insane and stupid and fucking awesome. It's why Daniel Bryan is the only person I seem to genuinely enjoy anymore, because he's mental and over the top and clearly is having the time of his life.

I have to agree... The one thing that I really miss about pro-wrestling these days is the fun unrealism of it all... Over the top characters doing over the top actions is what defines wrestling for me.. The element of fun has totally been squashed these days, with DB (as you pointed out) and folks like Santino occassionally being the exceptions.. Even the New Gen era had more fun stuff than this one.

['Plan]

Mr Chop ~ Sadly, it seems Ric Flair is doing his damned best to exist in the real world. Some guys seem to have difficulty identifying the line between reality and wrestledom. I should know; the Hitman's one of them! Good point about Bryan though. Glad you agree and enjoyed! Thanks for the read and feed.

fenixx ~ Yes, it does. I don't know what you're asking, but I've defaulted to a positive.

DMJ ~ I did not know that piece of Hogan trivia, so no wonder it didn't get mentioned! Pretty big historical turning point in that case. You raise a number of good additional points, but ultimately I had to write about the real reason it made the list. That's what these things cover. There could be five hundred other reasons for five hundred other people, and all of them legit, but still...my list, my rules dammit! All good points though, and just further proof this match belongs on the list for sure. Just glad I could get thinking a bit more too. Thanks for the read and feed.

Freeman ~ Hah. The wrestling match equivalent to hair metal. Nice. I guess Warrior was pretty hair metal himself. Interesting point you raise there, about how champion vs. champion matches have dwindled into just another kind of weekly main event. Who's to say that won't get revisited later down the line with a match of its own? *Wink wink*. Just wait and see. The topic will get covered eventually. Remember, there's 101 columns to this thing! Thanks for the read and feed. Glad you enjoyed it.

honestbharani ~ I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say it's what defines wrestling for me - ultimately, I'm still a guy who likes his matches realistic. But as a sort of one-off now and then, as just a bit of fun when I feel like it, this kind of thing fits the bill remarkably well. Still, thanks for the read!

[Mr Chop]

Mr Chop ~ Sadly, it seems Ric Flair is doing his damned best to exist in the real world. Some guys seem to have difficulty identifying the line between reality and wrestledom.

Ha! Fair point, perhaps I should have said that that character can't survive in the real world!

[SkitZ]

Dammit Plan...

Why couldn't you have just structured the entire series in a shortened, summarized style like the last column? I detest both dudes and you know full well of my struggles with focusing on something for longer than five minutes. Seriously, you deserves a cock slap across the face.

[Mizfan]

Ah, what a great example of how a match can completely suck and yet also somehow be awesome! I'm not a fan of either men, but you're dead on that there's something about this match that works on a really basic level, beyond the realm of usual critique.

I do have to say one thing though, I thought this column was quite a bit more repetitive than your usual entries in this series. You seemed to have a rather simple point to make and then nowhere special to go from there. Goodness knows there isn't all that much in ring action to review! This one could have been trimmed down into a shorter entry methinks, and I suspect you only flushed it out as long as it is because people have certain length expectations on this series at this point. If that's not the case take it with a grain of salt, just my own personal reaction.

Even so, excellent job as usual. Looking forward to the top 3rd.