31 Manias in 31 Days: Rewriting Wrestlemania IV

[LODemolition]

Today we revisit the 4th WrestleMania in 1989, which featured a 14-man tournament for the vacated WWF Championship. The title became vacated after the infamously controversial Saturday Night's Main Event match where Andre was declared the winner over Hogan (even though he clearly got a shoulder up), then sold the championship to Ted DiBiase. Then-president Jack Tunney declared the title couldn't be bought or sold, and declared the title vacant. The time and place where the new champion would be decided? WrestleMania IV, at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, NJ. Here are ther results.

WrestleMania IV - March 27, 1988
Trump Plaza (Atlantic City, N.J.)

Battle Royal:

Bad News Brown def. Bret "Hit Man" Hart, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Jim Powers, Paul Roma, Sika, "Dangerous" Danny Davis, Sam Houston, Hillbilly Jim, B. Brian Blair, Jumpin' Jim Brunzell, Ray Rougeau, Jacques Rougeau, Junkyard Dog, Ken Patera, Ron Bass, King Harley Race, Nikolai Volkoff, Boris Zukov and George "The Animal" Steele

Ultimate Warrior def. Hercules w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

Intercontinental Championship:

Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake def. Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue by DQ

The Islanders & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan def. The British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware w/ Matilda

World Tag Team Championship:

Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji def. Strike Force to become new champions

WWE Championship Tournament:

Round One Match -- "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil and Andre the Giant def. Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Round One Match -- Don Muraco w/ "Superstar" Billy Graham def. Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin by DQ

Round One Match -- Greg "The Hammer" Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart def. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

Round One Match -- Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth def. "The Natural" Butch Reed w/ Slick

Round One Match -- One Man Gang w/ Slick def. Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Oliver Humperdink by count-out

Round One Match -- "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts went to a draw

Round Two Match -- Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Virgil ended in a double DQ

Round Two Match -- "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil def. Don Muraco w/ "Superstar" Billy Graham

Round Two Match -- Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth def. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart

Round Three Match -- Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth def. One Man Gang w/ Slick by DQ

Main Event - Finals of WWE Championship Tournament
Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Elizabeth and Hulk Hogan def. "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil and Andre the Giant to become new champion


*Rewriting WrestleMania IV*

Ok, first of all...16 matches in 1 night is exhausting for even the most excited crowd. The entire tournament should've either had less participants or they should've done the first round before this event. It made it nearly impossible for any other matches to matter, because yes, they did still have the other titles defended on this night. Not to mention a battle royal. These results look like a weekend-long wrestling festival rather than a WrestleMania. It was ridiculous. So once again, I will take my best shot at fixing maybe the most overthought Mania card of all-time.


1. WWF Championship Tournament Round 2 Match: "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth def. The Big Bossman w/ Slick

Like I said, get rid of the first round in the previous week of programming. Savage would have made quick work of the Bossman in the opening match of the night.

2. WWF Championship Tournament Round 2 Match: "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan def. Jake "The Snake" Roberts

Some of the wrestlers that advanced were questionable as well. Why not get the most out of someone like Rude?

3. WWF Championship Tournament Round 2 Match: "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil def. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

Putting Steamboat out in the 1st round to Greg Valentine was an awful decision. Let him advance to the 2nd and lose due to Virgil's interference.

4. WWF Championship Tournament Round 2 Match: Andre The Giant def. Hulk Hogan by count-out.

Some might say leave this how it was with a double DQ, but I promise this will make sense in the next round.

5. The Hart Foundation w/ Jimmy Hart def. Strike Force

A break from the tournament provides some tag team action. I would not have had Strike Force go into WM4 as the champions, however.

6. WWF Championship Tournament Semifinal Match: "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w Virgil def. Andre The Giant by forfeit

Once again, controversy strikes as Andre sells out to DiBiase and allows him to advance to the finals without a fight.

7. WWF Championship Tournament Semifinal Match: "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth def. "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

After Savage defeats Rude, the main event for the night is set. I wouldn't change a thing about that. Savage and DiBiase was a good move.

8. Intercontinental Championship: The Ultimate Warrior def. Honky Tonk Man (c) w/ Jimmy Hart

I simply would've moved up the SummerSlam result to have happened at Mania. Something to keep the fans excited at this long drawn-out event.

9. Bad News Brown def. Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake

Forget the battle royal and give Bad News his own match here. I'm beginning to wonder how long WM4 actually took.

10. The Young Stallions def. The Bolsheviks

I'd have a quick tag match here for a change of pace, with the Stallions going over.

11. Bam Bam Bigelow and One Man Gang w/ Slick fight to a double disqualification[/b]

I thought Bigelow missing from the card was an obvious miscue.

12. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan def. Hercules w/ Slick

A quick battle here between 2 formidable foes.

13. WWF Tag Team Championship: Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji def. The British Bulldogs

I would've had the Bulldogs come into the event still the champs. I think they and Demolition would have made for an even better tag team title match.

14. WWF Championship Tournament Final Match: "Macho Man" Randy Savage def. "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil

Truly no reason to change anything about the main event. One of the few things that were done right at this event.

Feel free to post your comments and/or rewritten WrestleMania IV.

 

[Really?]

OP, you realize that the Bulldogs lost the tag title prior to Mania 3. Are you suggesting that they never lose the titles and hang onto them through to Mania 4?
Also, Warrior was far from a proven wrestler at this point. Beefcake had been built up from the previous Mania.

I like the idea of doing away with the first round on TV leading up to the PPV. You do, however, need to realize that Mania was a very different event back them. There were matches put together for the sake of the PPV, and built after the match was announced.

That being said:

I'm good with the six man, the tag titles, Warrior vs Herc, and the IC title match. The battle royal got a lot of guys a pay day, so I am ok with that.

I'm fine with Dibiase going to the second round. I'm also ok with Gang going over and Jake vs Rude finishing in a bye for Gang. Obviously Savage winning was he way to go, but I would have certainly had Steamboat go over Valentine in round 1. Finally, Hogan should have beat Andre by DQ or by count out.

That would have made the next round:
Hogan def Andre
Dibiase def Muraco
Savage def Steamboat: Knowing that this would be a re-match from the classic the previous year would have added some much needed story to the tournament.
Gang with a bye
Semis:
Dibiase beats Hogan
Savage beats Gang
Final:
Savage over Dibiase

 

[mont3818]

Ted DiBiase w/Virgil, Andre the Giant, & Bobby Heenan vs. Jim Duggan in a Tournament Semi-Final
Duggan was probably the second most popular guy in the company after Hogan at the time. He would headline the B shows when Hogan wasn't around. So this could be a good spot to create some intrigue and have people wonder whether Duggan was finally getting the rub. Plus DiBiase and Duggan have history from Mid-South to make for a good match-up.

Randy Savage vs. Rick Rude w/Bobby Heenan in a Tournament Semi-Final
Rude and Jake Roberts had a good feud going at the time, which ended up culminating at SNME after this Mania. Since their match here was just a throw-away match meant to further the tournament, and since the tournament should have been reduced to give it more meaning and match quality, I'd have Rude fight Savage instead. Rude was an excellent heel who was always on the verge of getting to the next level. This would have made for a compelling match-up as Savage was seen as a viable successor to Hogan at the time. Jake Roberts could possibly get involved after Rude tries cheating for the victory.

The British Bulldogs defend the WWF Tag Team Championships against Demolition
I would have like to see The British Bulldogs in at least one showcasing WM match before their time was cut short. This could have been it.

Hulk Hogan vs. Jesse Ventura
Talk about high-profile superfight!!! Hogan should have been taken out of the tournament completely so that fans would rally even more behind Savage. Jesse COULD HAVE physically worked one more match, he teased coming out of retirement multiple times on commentary, and always criticized Hogan. Ventura's popularity was very high at the time coming off of Predator the year before. He got a big ovation at this event and would have made the perfect ultimate villain to go against Hogan. Picture it: the epic promos back and forth, Jesse rocking the feather boas and tie-dye tights precursing the Hogan of 2002-present. Epic!
Andre should have retired after WMIII, he was already VERY limited by then. Maybe still have the angle where DiBiase buys the belt to set up this tournament in the first place, but Hogan vs. Andre at this point at WMIV was an overkill pointless money grab. Plus, to me, Hogan vs. Andre now slightly diminishes their special encounter the year before.

Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase w/Virgil, Andre the Giant, & Bobby Heenan in the Tournament Finals for the WWF Championship
No brainer here. Hogan endorses Savage after to set up their year-long storyline.

Talk about a WMIV with some teeth and some potential to be memorable!! Reduce the size of the bloated tournament and give it a special co-main match up.
I don't follow the mid-card stuff from the time close enough to really suggest a card for those ones. Also, I'm mostly looking at WMIV in a bubble as to what could have made THIS event the best it could have been and ignoring storylines before and after.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

Interesting that you say 16 matches is too much (it is), but you only actually reduce it to 14 (still too many IMO); a couple of points to make: I believe the Big Boss Man didn't debut until June; and you mention Bam Bam Bigelow was a glaring omission from the card: he fought the One Man Gang that night.

The consensus on the threads a year ago was that Steamboat should have gone over Valentine, making Savage v Steamboat a second round match; I think this would have made sense, however I do like your idea of Savage v Rude. Perhaps they should have just had Rude v Steamboat in the first round instead, which would have given the fans two potential barnstormers to look forward to in round 2. Have Jake and the Hammer fight to the draw instead.

 

[Cub McCallister]

This was a decent Mania BUT they had way too many matches which needed to be reduced to try and give more ring time to other guys, I would reduce the amount of participants in the tournament to 8 and make it a star studded tournament, my card would be:

1) Ted Dibiase Vs Jake Roberts
Wwf Title Quarter Final Tournament Match. Put these two together to kick off the show and let Dibiase advance to the next round.

2) Hulk Hogan Vs Andre The Giant
Wwf Title Quarter Final Tournament Match. Stays the same except have Hogan advance to the next round.

3) Randy Savage Vs Gregg The Hammer Valentine
Wwf Title Quarter Final Tournament Match. I would put Savage up against Valentine with Savage getting the victory.

4) Ricky The Dragon Steamboat Vs Rick Rude
Wwf Title Quarter Ginal Tournament Match. Put these two together to round off the tournaments first round with Steamboat getting the win and advancing.

5) 20 Man Number 1 Contender Intercontinetal Title Over the Top Rope Batltle Royal Match.
I would make this match a number 1 contenders match with the winner facing Honky Tonk Man at a later date with Bad News Brown still winning the match.

6) The Ultimate Warrior Vs Hercules
Singles Match. Stays the same.

7) Ted Dibiase Vs Hulk Hogan
Wwf Title Semi-Finals Match. Have these two square off against each other with Hogan being screwed out of the title thanks to Andre and have Ted advance to the finals.

8) Randy Savage Vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat
Wwf Title Semi-Finals Match. These two could put on a great match wit Savage getting the win and advancing to the finals.

9) Strike Force (C) Vs Demolition Vs British Bulldogs Vs Hart Foundation
Wwf Tag Team Title Four Corner Elimination Match. I would add two more teams to the match wit Demolition getting the win by eliminating the Hart Foundation last.

10) The Honky Tonk Man (C) Vs Brutus The Barber Beefcake
Wwf Intercontinetal Title Match. Stays the same except have Honky Tonk with the match by pinning Brutus.

11) Randy Savage Vs Ted Dibiase
Wwf Title Finals Match. Stays the same I wouldn't change anything here.

That's my Ppv and I narrowed it down to 11 matches by having 2 extra matches inbetween each round to give them a breather, I think this card could deliver.

 

[LODemolition]

OP, you realize that the Bulldogs lost the tag title prior to Mania 3. Are you suggesting that they never lose the titles and hang onto them through to Mania 4?

Yes, I realize that . And no, I was suggesting the Bulldogs regain them at some point in 1988, probably the late fall or winter.

 

[mont3818]

No love for my Ventura/Hogan idea?? Does anybody else think that's good? Too far fetched?

 

[MMK]

My Wrestlemania 4
Kickoff with that classic 1988 opening graphics. "The WWF...what the WORLD is watching"

1. 25 MAN BATTLE ROYAL
Brutus Beefcake, Greg Valentine, Ricky Steamboat, Don Muraco, Dino Bravo, One Man Gang, Bam Bam, Harley Race, Hacksaw, Ken Patera, Bad News,
Outlaw Ron Bass, Hillbilly Jim, Junkaryd Dog, Butch Reed, Danny Davis, Koko B.Ware, Bolsheviks, Rougeaus, Killer Bees, Young Stallions
(Brutus gets the win. Earns an Intercontinental Title Shot)

8 MAN WWF Championship Tournament

2. ROUND 1: Ted DiBiase DEF Bret Hart w/Jimmy Hart.
(Bret Hart turned face at this event but I would have done so differently. Have him win a qualifying match to enter the tournament at Mania. DiBiase offers Bret and Jimmy Hart a bribe in exchanging for Bret dropping out of the tournament and allowing DiBiase to advance. Jimmy Hart's eyes light up with dollar signs and he accepts the cash on Brets behalf without hesitation. Jimmy taps Bret on the shoulder and tells him to hit the showers. But as Jimmy turns to leave Bret stops him, takes the money from him and throws it in Dibiase's face. Then proceeds to pummel Dibiase with fists to a huge pop. Dibiase is ultimately victorious but after the match Jimmy Hart berates Bret for not taking the bribe. At this point Anvil shows up and the Hart Foundation hit the Hart Attack on Jimmy to thunderous applause. Harts officially face, and at the same time we get a great Bret/Dibiase match)

3. ROUND 1: Ravishing Rick Rude DEF Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Leave this match as it is, only have Rick Rude cheat to win. This keeps the feud going.

4. ROUND 1: Randy Savage DEF Honkytonk Man
(This was supposed to be the intercontinental championship match at WM4 but Honky didn't want to drop the title. I say keep the match since it was such a red hot feud, but incorporate it into the tournament without the Intercontinental title being on the line. That way Savage wins and ends the feud, but Honky is still the IC Champion.
*Some might have put Savage vs Steamboat at this event, but the match they had a year earlier was perfect and there was no need to try and duplicate it. Plus if Savage were to win a rematch then that's just 50/50 booking and takes away from Steamboats' big moment a year earlier. That match was a classic, I say leave it alone)

STEEL CAGE MATCH
5. ROUND 1: Hulk Hogan def Andre the Giant
(This was the 3rd meeting between the two and I feel a steel cage should have been incorporated to settle the score and set it apart from the other matches in the tournament)

SIX MAN TAG
6. Ultimate Warrior & The British Bulldogs vs Hercules & The Islanders
(Warrior would have made a much better partner for the Bulldogs than Koko. And Herc makes sense on the other side as he and The Islanders are both managed by Heenan. This also combines two feuds into one and cuts down on the amount of matches)

WWF TITLE TOURNAMENT: ROUND 2
7. Ted Dibiase def Hulk Hogan
(Hogan is counted out fighting the Giant on the floor)

8. Randy Savage def Rick Rude
(Rude swivels his hips at Elizabeth who fakes interest enough to allow Savage to roll Rude up from behind for the 1-2-3)

WWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
9. Demolition def Strike Force
(No changes necessary)

WWF CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
10. Randy Savage def Ted Dibiase
(No changes necessary)

 

[willross]

Demolition beating the pretty boy Strike Force team was so perfect, why change it?

The Hogan/Andre draw was epic!!! It solidified early on that Hogan was not going to be champion and made the tournament that much more exciting.

 

[LODemolition]

Demolition beating the pretty boy Strike Force team was so perfect, why change it?

The Hogan/Andre draw was epic!!! It solidified early on that Hogan was not going to be champion and made the tournament that much more exciting.

I just think Demolition vs The Bulldogs would have been that much better. I don't recall those teams ever meeting. I'm sure it happened at some point, but I just don't recall it. For the same reason I changed every tag match at WM7, the booking of that one is baffling in hindsight. They could havr booked some absolute classics and chose not to.

 

[roipdh123]

WrestleMania 4:

1.20 Man Battle Royal to earn a future WWF Intercontinental Championship shot
Bret Hart won by last eliminating The One Man Gang {Final 4: Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart & The One Man Gang & Greg Valentine}.

2.Singles Match
Bad News Brown def. Don Muraco.

3.Singles Match
Harley Race def. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

4.WWF Intercontinental Championship match
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake def. The Honky Tonk Man {C} via a Disqualification.

5.Singles Match
Hercules def. Jim Duggan.

6.Singles Match - Challenge of a lifetime
The Ultimate Warrior def. Andre The Giant.

7.WWF Tag Team Championship match
Demolition def. Strike Force {C}.

8.Singles Match
Jake "The Snake" Roberts and "Ravishing" Rick Rude fought to a time limit draw.

9.Six Man Tag Team Match
The Islanders and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan def. The British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware.

10.Singles Match
Hulk Hogan def. Jesse Ventura.

11. WWF Championship match
Randy Savage {w\Hulk Hogan and Miss Elizabeth} def. "The Milliion Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase {C} {w\Andre The Giant and Virgil}.

 

[willross]

I disagree it would have been better cause Dynamite Kid was so injured by that time, Davey Boy would have had to do all the work, as per most Bulldog matches then.

 

[roipdh123]

Wrestle Mania IV:

1.Opening Bout: 30 Man Battle Royal
The Ultimate Warrior won by last eliminating Hercules Hernandez. Final 4: Warrior & Hercules & Duggan & JYD. Warrior debuts and puts himself over big with winning the battle royal.

2.Tag Team Match
The Hart Foundation def. The One Man Gang and Butch Reed {w\Slick} . Tag match to put over The Hart Foundation {as I had nothing else to do with them and I wanted them on the card but not in the battle royal}.

3.Singles Match
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake def. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. The implosion of the Dream Team - a year long build for a match that I believe would have been a good one for a Mania.

4.Six Man Tag Team Match
The Islanders and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan def. The British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware. Stays the same.

5.Singles Match
Bad News Brown def. Don Muraco. Give Brown a singles match at Mania to continue his slow burn push to the upper mid card \ main event scene in 1989.

6.Singles Match
Harley Race def. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. The curtain joker - it can be a great match where the storyline is not the most important thing {even though I believe it would have been great}.

7.Singles Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
"The Ravishing" Rick Rude def. Jake "The Snake" Roberts {C}. Same match as they did but I will give Rude the win and the IC Title.

8.Singles Match
Andre The Giant def. Bam Bam Bigelow. During 1987 and the winter of 1988 you build Bam Bam as an unstoppable baby face monster. Then he gets to his ultimate challenge here at Mania against Andre and loses due to a distraction from Virgil and Ted Dibiase.

9.Tag Team Match for the WWF Tag Team Championship
Demolition def. Strike Force {C}. Stays the same.

10.Co-Main Event: Singles Match
Hulk Hogan def. Jesse "The Body" Ventura.
The feud builds itself - as there was animosity between the 2 always and I wanted Hogan's match at Mania to be featured as something special so what a better way to follow up matches with Sammartino {WM 2} and Andre {WM 3} with a guy like Ventura.

11.The Main Event: Singles Match for the WWF Championship
"The Macho Man" Randy Savage def. "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase {C}.
The same way is done with Dibiase buying the title from Andre. Then he bribed Jack Tunney to let him stay with the title. Then as tournament is held to determinate the No.1 Contender for the title at Mania where both Andre and Hogan are banned from the tournament {so they can start their own Mania storylines}. In the finals that happened 3 weeks before Mania you saw The Macho Man Randy Savage defeating Harley Race to become the No.1 Contender for the title.

 

[LOS ANGELES LAKERS]

Here's how I would have re-written WrestleMania IV:

BATTLE ROYAL Winner: JYD

WWF CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Dibiase by pinfall over Duggan, Muraco over Bravo by DQ, Steamboat over Valentine by Pinfall, Savage over Reed by Pinfall, OMG over Bigelow by countout, Roberts and Rude wrestle to a draw.

The Ultimate Warrior over Hercules by Pinfall

WWF CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant are both Disqualified, Dibiase over Muraco by Pinfall, Steamboat over Savage by Pinfall.

INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE
Beefcake over HTM (C) by DQ
Honky Tonk Man retains Intercontinental Title.

WWF CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Steamboat over OMG by DQ

The Islanders and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan over The British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware

WWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Demolition over Strike Force
Demolition wins Tag Team Championship


WWF CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Dibiase over Steamboat by Pinfall
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase wins Undisputed WWF Championship.