The War to Settle the Score(1985)- WWF title match: Hulk Hogan(c) vs Roddy Piper: I covered this, and the background quite well in my Hogan Tribute, so I'm gonna repost a revised copy of that: By 1985, the WWF was an entertainment juggernaut, even drawing in pop music's Cyndi Lauper (she began her involvement in 1984), one of the top stars of the day, which people referred to as the Rock and Wrestling Connection. Cyndi originally helped Hulk's female counterpart, Wendi Richter, and her quest for the Women's title, but, she was also a friend of Hulk's, and he was even her date to the Grammy Awards. Anyways, in December of 1984, Roddy Piper, who disdained the whole Rock and Wrestling Connection, came out during an award presentation involving Cyndi Lauper, Dick Clark, and Cpt. Lou Albano (who appeared in a music video of Cyndi's), and broke the award over Lou's head, then did the unthinkable, he KICKED Cyndi! This prompted Hulk to challenge Piper, and it was set to take place on February 18 1985, at an event titled The War to Settle the Score, and took place on MTV! This thing was MASSIVE, and MAJOR celebrities (mainly musicians) of the era (people that we'd consider legends today) even got in on it, discussing the big match prior to the showdown. The match was crazy, and ended in a brawl, which drew Mr. T in, and ultimately set up the first Wrestlemania. Hulk got the official win by DQ. The whole deal shows just how HUGE wrestling was back then, and the top face and heel hooking it up in front of a super hot MSG crowd for the title leads to a classic. It's amazing to watch all the hype and celebrity involvement all these years later. The ramifications of the match, setting up Wrestlemania 1, add to it's legend.

Wrestlemania 1- Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs "Rowdy" Roddy Piper & "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff: Dude, its the Wrestlemania 1 main event, this is CLASSIC, you HAVE to know of it. Not only is it interesting for it's historical significance, but the fact that its a kick ass old school brawl. The MSG crowd was so hyped too, because in 1985, NOBODY could even come close to as popular as Hulk Hogan & Mr. T, or as hated as Roddy Piper. I don't mean to undersell Orndorff, he could mix it up with the best of them, but the other three were off the charts. The legendary Muhammad Ali is even there as guest outside official, giving the event an even bigger air of importance.

Wrestlemania 2: WWF title Steel Cage match: Hulk Hogan(c) vs King Kong Bundy: Here's the setup via a revised sample from my Hogan Tribute: During an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, the 400 plus pound King Kong Bundy led a brutal attack, with the help of his manager Bobby Heenan & Don Muraco. Bundy used his dreaded Avalanche (running corner splash) repeatedly, busting Hogan's ribs pretty badly. Rightfully pissed off, Hogan wanted Bundy, and the match was set for Wrestlemania 2, for the title, in a STEEL CAGE! There was a lot of doubt as to if Hulk could beat Bundy, since his ribs were still hurting (bandaged even) when the big match arrived. Hulk provided a nice little match, bloodying Bundy, then decisively beating him to end the feud they had going in. The coolest part was Hulk getting the infamous Avalanche (corner splash), but hulking up and not feeling it. That's why he rules, he can shake off even the most deadly attacks.

The Big Event(1986)- WWF title match: Hulk Hogan(c) vs "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff: This is a match set in the middle of one of wrestling's hottest feuds, Hogan vs Orndorff. To set the feud up, after the Wrestlemania 1 main event, Piper & his buddy Bob Orton left Orndorff in the ring, pissed that he lost the match for the team. Hulk, being the nice guy he is, took him under his wing, and they were allies for over a year. But, Orndorff turned on him, which seriously pissed off pretty much everyone. Hulk wanted revenge, so they started their feud, simple, but effective. The feud was so hot, they decided to put this in a Toronto stadium, where 74,000 people showed up! The match was good, and Hulk won by DQ, but the sheer amount of people who were there to see it, and the legend of the feud makes this so cool.

Wrestlemania 3- WWF Intercontinental title match: Randy Savage(c) vs Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat: You HAVE to know this match, its widely considered one of the greatest matches of all time, and its hard to disagree. Like all great matches, there is a story. Randy (still a schizophrenic heel at this point) got pissed off during a title defense against Steamboat, feeling as though he was losing, so he grabbed the ring bell, and smashed it into Ricky's throat! Ricky was put out of action for several months, but Savage's brutal act had raised the ire of many, including legend Bruno Sammartino, who was so upset, he came out of retirement to face Randy himself! Savage always managed to come out on top, then, Ricky returned. Steamer stalked Savage all around the horn, beating the living crap out of him so bad, that he got DQed in matches with him, something horribly out of character for one of the most beloved wrestlers ever, who had never even so much toyed with a heel turn his ENTIRE illustrious career. But, finally, Ricky would get one big shot at ultimate revenge, a title match at Wrestlemania. Ricky even came with backup, George "The Animal" Steele. Steamboat & Savage put on a wrestling clinic until Steamer cradled Macho up for the title. Ricky's victory brought the house down, and is one of my favorite moments in wrestling.

Wrestlemania 3- WWF title match: Hulk Hogan(c) vs Andre the Giant: You might have heard about this by now, its only the BIGGEST MATCH OF ALL TIME! You HAVE to have seen this at SOME point, if you didn't, DEAR LORD, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?! SATAN?! Sorry, I take that back, even HE'S seen it. I go completely in depth in my Hogan tribute, but what else is there to say? The moment Hulk slammed Andre, we had witnessed the GREATEST moment of ALL history, I mean, was our forefathers signing some paper REALLY better than HULK HOGAN SLAMMING A GOD DAMNED GIANT?! Yeah, didn't think so. Oh, yeah, prior to the match Hulk gave his classic "This is where the power lies" interview. Hulk was referring to his hands as the source of power, and I can't disagree with that statement.

Summerslam 1988- WWF Intercontinental title match: The Ultimate Warrior vs The Honky Tonk Man(c): I hate Warrior, but this was just awesome. You see, Honky was pretty much a joke, coming into the WWF in 1987 as a face, but the fans hated him, not willing to cheer some lame Elvis impersonator. Honky turned heel, and the fans HATED him, not like "he's a bad guy, BOO!", but "Please, just die, we REALLY hate you" kind of hatred. So, in full genius mode, Vince McMahon slaps the Intercontinental title on him, having him beat Ricky Steamboat, fresh off his glorious title win at Wrestlemania 3, a fluke. THEN, he lets Honky run wild, having him cheaply escape with his title every night FOR OVER A YEAR. The fans were FUMING, they wanted somebody, anybody to KILL Honky, and finally take the title off of him. A match was set for the first ever Summerslam, hailing from MSG, Honky would face Brutus Beefcake, or so it seemed. Brutus was brutally attacked by "Outlaw" Ron Bass, which put him out of action, leaving Honky with no challenger. When it came time for what was supposed to be his match, Honky decided to make an open challenge, and what a colossal mistake that was. Before you know it, The Ultimate Warriors music strikes up! Warrior was getting pretty over by this time, and he ran through every opponent in minutes, so people were psyched, hoping this would be the end of Honky. Warrior DECIMATED Honky, killing him dead in 28 seconds, then pinning him to win the title, and the crowd ERUPTED, Honkys run was finally over! It was such a great moment, and the angle was just brilliant, so brilliant, that any attempt to recapture the magic of it has failed.

Survivor Series 1988- Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Hercules, Koko B. Ware, & Hillbilly Jim vs "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, The Red Rooster, The Big Boss Man, Akeem, & Haku: This was just a sweet, old school Survivor Series 5 on 5 match, with Hulk, Macho & Koko B. Ware on one team! Koko main events a PPV! Hogan is handcuffed to the ring by Boss Man, and poor Savage has to go it alone, since all their partners are gone, and that adds to the excitement. You probably don't need me to tell you Hulk gets free and wins the match, but he does, and it rules. I guess I'm just a sucker for the Survivor Series matches, especially before they cut them from 5 on 5 to 4 on 4.

Wrestlemania 5- WWF title Match: Hulk Hogan vs "Macho Man" Randy Savage (c): If you ask me about one of the greatest feuds ever, Ill tell you about Hogan vs Savage, it doesn't get any better than that. If you somehow don't know about the feud, here's a quick recap: Hulk & Savage teamed as the Mega Powers, with their manager, Elizabeth, who was originally with Macho. During a tag match, Liz got injured while at ringside, so Hulk rushed to get her to the medic backstage, since he was free on the apron, leaving Randy alone. It all turned out fine, Liz was ok, and Hulk came back to score the pin himself (vs Akeem & The Big Boss Man, The Twin Towers), but Savage wasn't willing to let it be. Randy was all pissed about Hulk running off, and he came to the conclusion that Hogan was trying to steal Elizabeth away, so he clocked him with the WWF title. Oh boy was *I* mad. I was little at the time, but I felt betrayed, Hulk was (and is) my hero, and he gave Randy is seal of approval, so I became a huge fan of his, then he turns on Hulk. Hogan was pissed too, since he challenged Savage to a title match at Wrestlemania 5. The match is AWESOME, with Savage being such a jerk that you just want to kill him, and Hulk looking for retribution, and his second WWF title. The two have off the charts chemistry, so whenever they get together in any fashion, it rules. Hulk won, as if the ending was in doubt, and I, along with pretty much everyone else couldn't be happier.

Daytona Beach Ocean Center House Show I saw live circa spring/summer 1989- WWF title Steel Cage match: Hulk Hogan(c) vs The Big Boss Man: It was my first live event at which I saw this epic match, and being so young, I was really scared of the loud arena at first, until HE came out, my idol, Hulk Hogan. I LOST IT, and my fear subsided as the man I watched every week was LIVE, right in front of me. Boss Man was an evil cop at this point, with manager Slick (who is actually like the best manager EVER), and he had taken to beating Hulk with a nightstick on several occasions, which traumatized me, so I HAD to see him get his ass kicked. Hulk delivered huge, cementing him as my hero, and Boss Man/Hogan TORE THE HOUSE DOWN, with Hulk SUPERPLEXING the 350 Boss Man, fighting off Slick, then hitting the legdrop before making his escape from the cage, and I got even more into it. Hulk stayed to pose for like a half hour, and you bet your ass I stayed the whole damn time to watch. I've been to like 22/23 events live, including two PPVs, and have yet to hear anyone top that ovation Hulk got in the Ocean Center that night.

Saturday Night's Main Event, July 16 1990- WWF Tag Team titles: The Rockers vs Demolition(c): Back in the day, this was HUGE for me, two of my favorite teams going head to head for the titles. I actually missed most of the broadcast, but made it home for this. Why would I almost miss such an epic encounter? Simple really, I was up the street seeing WWF action LIVE. It was awesome, then I got to come home to watch this! The whole thing was sweet, and even though I am a Demolition fan till the end, I was kinda sad that The Rockers didn't get the gold. And they never would, as a team anyways, but had an infamous "phantom title reign", which is a very interesting story I'll now share. In that situation, The Rockers beat champs The Hart Foundation during a Saturday Night's Main Event TV taping in October of 1990, but during the course of which the top rope broke, and it turned into chaos. The reason for the tile change was that Hart Foundation's Jim Niedhart was fired for whatever reason, and was merely fulfilling his contractual obligations by dropping the gold to another team. Due to the rope breaking and downward spiral of the match after it, the WWF decided not to air the match, despite The Rockers defending the titles on the next weeks taping (they used to film weeks of TV in one night). Niedhart was rehired during all this, and the switch was forgotten. To cover their tracks, the WWF sent a letter to PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated), wrestling's top publication, saying that the top rope breaking created an unsafe working environment, so the title change was void. Back to the match, it took on a legend of it's own in my mind, and while it might not be a widely remembered, I like it.

Daytona Beach Ocean Center House Show I saw live circa July of 1990- WWF Intercontinental title match: "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka vs Mr. Perfect(c): I recall this being the same night as the Demolition/Rockers match I talked about earlier, but could be mistaken. Both of these guys kick SO much ass its not funny, and I recall this being the opener. If I wasn't there live to see it, I'd kill to get a copy of these two greats going one on one. Snuka wasn't the force he once was during this late 80's-early 90's run, but he still ruled. I was heavy into it, and it was exciting, with Perfect winning via his Perfect Plex finisher. I knew Snuka couldn't win even at that young age, but cheered him anyways since he was (and always will be) one of my favorites.

Saturday Night's Main Event, July 16 1990- WWF Intercontinental title match: Tito Santana vs Mr. Perfect: This is a rematch from the Intercontinental tournament final that happened when the Ultimate Warrior had to vacate the belt when he won the WWF title at Wrestlemania 6. Perfect beat Tito to take the gold in April, but under auspicious circumstances. The two kick ass wrestlers were on their game for this, and produced a rockin' little match. Tito was securely fastened into his "jobber 4 life" days, so he didn't stance a chance, but since he rules so much, people still got into it.

Summerslam 1990- WWF Intercontinental title match: "The Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich vs Mr. Perfect(c): This was a short, but energetic match that saw WWF newcomer, Kerry Von Erich (from the famous Von Erich wrestling dynasty) win the IC title in a pretty big upset. Perfect was, for my money, the best bumper in the business, willing to jump 6 feet in the air to sell a punch, or land on his head to make his opponent look good. Perfect was in rare form here, being beaten pillar to post, then hit with a move I love, the Discus Punch! It was Tornado's finisher, where he'd do a big spin before walloping a guy right in the face. Perfect did a complete 360 for it too, then fell flat on the mat to be pinned for the three count. I used to watch it all the time, since it was Von Erich's finest hour, as sadly, he began a downward turn, and took his own life early in 1993. Perfect also passed away in 2003, but the two have left behind matches like this for fans to remember them for, and I thank them for that.

Summerslam 1990- WWF Tag Team title 2/3 Falls match: Demolition(c) vs The Hart Foundation: When you put two of my favorite teams out there, and let 'em loose in a long match such as a 2/3 falls one, I can't help but love it. This is near the end of Demolition's run, as original member, Ax is replaced by new member, Crush due to health problems. The three members of Demolition were allowed to pick and choose which two to defend the belts, since Ax could do some work still. Here, the Demos cheat like mofos, officially having Crush & Smash wrestle, but Ax hides under the ring, and they switch all around so the freshest guy can compete. This might be flawed since Ax is bulkier than his partners and has short hair, Crush is taller than his other partners, Smash has a visible tattoo on his arm, and they all have different makeup, but that's ok. The Legion of Doom come down to drag the hiding man out of the ring that leads to a distraction, allowing the Foundation to win their second (and last) WWF Tag title, and ending Demolition's third and final title reign. As fate would have it, at Wrestlemania 7 the next year, the Foundation would drop the titles to the Nasty Boys, ending their run as a top tag team by going separate ways afterwards, and that same night, Demolition (now only Smash & Crush, Ax got released due to his health issues) jobbed (lost) their final match to a one-shot Japanese team nobody could give a crap about so Vince could make nice nice with the foreign promoters. It's nice to know that the final days of my favorite tag team ever were marred by politics. Fuck you Vince. Demos 2.0 would be re-tooled, as Crush became Kona Crush (who was cooler than all hell), and Smash as Repo Man, an ill-fated comedy gimmick. At least the Demos left one hell of a legacy, holding the tag titles 3 times, their first for a mind boggling record 479 days, and dominating the ranks from 1988-1990.

WWF Barcelona Tour 1991- Tito Santana vs The Undertaker: I found this hidden gem on the overnet/edonkey server a while back, and almost died when I saw it. I couldn't believe this actually happened. When this took place, Tito was jobber supreme, laying down for everyone with a pair of wrestling boots, despite being more talented than most of the roster, and he was facing The Undertaker. Not crappy, half ass mid-90's Undertaker, full-on, "I no sell every move, and slaughter EVERYONE in my path" Undertaker. This is like some Spanish only deal, so it had Spanish commentary, nobody in the USA was probably ever meant to see this miraculous event. Anyways, I watched the show, not understanding a lick of what the announcers were saying, then this match starts. I was like, "Poor Tito, not even top guys like Warrior could to touch this guy, and Hogan hadn't gotten his hands on him yet, he's gonna get a MAJOR league ass kicking". 'Taker was hot as hell during this time, and he squashed everyone in his path under 5 minutes, but Tito held on! Tito kept fighting, and while I knew he was gonna eventually be pinned, I was getting into it. A body bag came into play, and Taker polished Tito off with the Tombstone, then fixed to seal him up in it, BUT NO! Tito escaped! Now I was questioning if I was really seeing this or not. Tito got up, gave it a go, but he would soon fall victim to 'Takers unstoppable path of destruction, or so I thought. Tito was all fired up, and when 'Taker's manager Paul Bearer tried to get involved, he stole the urn, and clocked 'Taker with it, and the crowd was going nuts. I was stunned, and even though this match had happened over a decade before, I was praying for Tito to actually win. Tito goes for the pin, 1....2......3. Oh my fucking god! TITO SANTANA BEAT THE UNDERTAKER! The crowd was going bonkers, and I don't blame them, decades later watching on my PC, I was too. This is probably the most shocking win I've ever seen, and I've been watching my entire life. Think about if, in today's wrestling world, a member of La Resistance, pretty much a jobber team, were suddenly to beat HHH. It was THAT big. I assume it was for the Spanish fans, as Tito is of Spanish decent, and it more than made up for the years of being buried by the WWF, and I'm glad to have been able to see it.

Wrestlemania 7- Career Match: Macho Man Randy Savage vs The Ultimate Warrior: Holy shit, that's all there is too say. Seriously, other than the Hogan/Warrior match, someone (Savage) pulled off a miracle and had a good match with Warrior, not just good, fucking unbelievable. The energy was off the charts, and it was booked (and worked) so well, it became a classic. Savage was still the heel btw, and he tried EVERYTHING to kill Warrior dead, but after FIVE elbow drops, the Warrior STILL GETS UP! Good God. Warrior then, being the weirdo he is, talks to his hands, and begins to exit the ring, as if he received a message to go, but Savage attacks before he can leave. Warrior ends up fighting back, and gets a different message, to say and fight. Warrior does, and proceeds to whip Randy's ass, then he finished him and pins him with a boot on the stomach to win. Adios Savage. As amazing as that match was, the after match was BETTER. Savage's manager, Sensational Sherri comes in, all pissed off, since Randy lost, and is now gone from wrestling, leaving her out of a job too. While poor Macho lays in a heap, exhausted, Sherri begins to berate and kick him. We then go out to the crowd, to catch the reaction of Macho's former manager, Elizabeth, who was shown earlier, enjoying the festivities, and obviously interested in how Macho's career vs career match would turn out. She looks upset. When she cant' take it anymore, she jumps the guardrail, runs to the ring, and tosses Sherri out by the hair. She then tries helping Macho up, who is dazed, and is stunned when he sees Liz in the ring with him. She is crying, obviously because she cares, and is actually in love with Macho, just as she always was. The two then embrace, as Macho's music cues up, bringing the house down, as almost everyone in sight is just BAWLING their eyes out. Seriously, that was one of the best emotional moments, not just in wrestling, but of anything I've ever seen,  it even gets me a little misty eyed. If anyone ever doubted wrestling's ability to be heartfelt and emotional, show them this. As the two leave, Macho even holds the ropes for her, something she had to do for him all those years, and it acted as an apology for how bad he treated her. One of my all-time favorite moments as a wrestling fan, something that has yet to be topped by any other event in my mind for it's emotional content. If you have a heart, you'll enjoy this. Macho's retirement would only last until the tail end of the year, so it all worked out.

Wrestlemania 7- WWF title match: Hulk Hogan vs Sgt. Slaughter(c): In this match you have Sgt. Slaughter, who was once a pro-USA good guy, who returns with an different attitude, supporting Iraq, during the Desert Storm conflict, only to steal the WWF title, and then there's Hulk Hogan, the most ass kicking freedom fighter to ever live, ready to take the WWF title back for his country. I was SO pumped for this too, I wanted Hulk to MURDER Sarge, he couldn't get away with dissing the USA, more importantly Hulkamania. As expected, Hulk did kill Sarge, winning the title for a glorious third time, unprecedented at the time, and did so in a bitchin' match. Hulk saved the WWF, and the USA once again, proving my hero could do no wrong.

Summerslam 1991-WWF Intercontinental title match: Bret "Hitman" Hart vs Mr. Perfect(c): Considering the participants, their talents, the importance of this match, and how much I like them, it is one of my best choices for this list. They gave it their all in this contest, despite Perfect's back being so messed up, he would have to walk away from wresting for a bit afterwards. Bret secured his first WWF singles title here, and launched his solo career, pretty much cementing him as a future main event star.

Tuesday in Texas (1991)- Jake "The Snake" Roberts vs Macho Man Randy Savage: Here's the story: Jake turned heel in 1991, and started doing really sinister things, even aligning with Undertaker, who's darkside persona fit right in with him. Jake terrorized Randy Savage at the reception for his wedding to Elizabeth (who were reunited at Mania 7) that took place at Summerslam 1991, seemingly upset he didn't get invited, but being the freako he turned into, I wouldn't want him there either. Randy & Liz got a special gift that night, a KING COBRA IN A BOX! Not the best gift, but I'm sure Jake just didn't know where the happy couple registered. So, Jake ended up hounding Randy, since Randy was rightfully pissed at Jake for screwing with him and his bride. During one broadcast of WWF Superstars though, Jake lured Savage from the commentary position (he took that up after "retiring"), and ended up tying him up in the ropes, allowing his pet cobra, Lucifer to bite him! For the record Macho REALLY took the bite too, the snake was obviously de-venomized, but it still takes some courage. This act forced a pissed off Savage to request his retirement overturned, which was granted, and it was ON now! This was a really intense match, but short, as Savage got a fluke pin as Jake beat on him. But the after match, that was the most shocking. Jake laid a five alarm ass whuppin' on Savage, and did the unthinkable, he SLAPPED Elizabeth! This was 1991 we are talking about nothing like that EVER happened. This was just so far beyond anything in wrestling, the emotion, and darkness to it all.

Royal Rumble 1992- WWF Intercontinental title match: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper vs The Mountie(c): Before I get into the match, and since I love to inform, here's some interesting stuff on The Mountie: He was Jacques Rougeau of the Rougeau brothers tag team, and later the Quebecers, playing a Canadian law enforcer, hence the name. Mountie also used a cattle prod to shock his victims, usually allowing him to get the win. Canadians didn't like how their police force was being portrayed, and Mountie was actually BANNED from Canadian WWF programming! Mountie won the title on a fluke, facing Bret Hart, who had a 104 degree temperature (so the story went), and was wrestling against doctor's orders. Being Bret's friend (and even distant cousin), Piper replaced him in a match for the Royal Rumble a few days after the title loss, to face Mountie for the gold. The match wasn't too special, but it marked Roddy's first, and only WWF/WWE title, and the roof blew off the place when he won. Being a massive Piper fan, it was a great moment for me to see him get the gold. In a rematch vs Mountie on Saturday Night's Main Event three days later, a moment I remember well took place. Piper won, and afterwards, Mountie shocked him with the cattle prod, but Piper didnt feel it! After he kicked Mountie's ass, Piper removed his signature "Hot Rod!" shirt to reveal a vest, which read "Shock Proof"! Piper was the man, and it sparked a conversation with a girl in my class I had a HUGE crush on. Thanks, Roddy! Piper's winning of the belt would lead to a classic Wrestlemania encounter with Bret Hart a few months later, also covered on this list.

Coliseum Video Exclusive, circa February/March 1992- Hulk Hogan & "Rowdy" Roddy Piper vs Sid Justice & Ric Flair: When I got the Immortal Hulk Hogan video from my local library, and saw the teaming of Hogan/Piper, I nearly passed out. Hogan & Piper had a LEGENDARY rivalry in the 80's, and are two of my VERY favorites ever, and in Hulk's case, my all-time favorite. The fact that the two were teaming is enough to make this list, there are only a few of my dream teams that could even compare. I loved the tape so much for this, I payed the library so I could keep it. This, by estimate, takes place in February/March since Flair was World Champion, and Piper was Intercontinental Champion, and both men won their respective title at Royal Rumble 1992 in late January, and lost them at Wrestlemania 8 in early April, funny how that worked huh? Piper was in a pretty hot feud with Flair, which never really went anywhere sadly, and Hulk had issues with both Flair and Sid. The end saw Hulk pinning Flair, which I believe was the first time in their matches that there was a clean pinfall over the other. It's kind of screwed up looking back, since Piper was so hot, he should've at least got a quickie World title win, and Hulk was gearing up to face Flair one on one at Wrestlemania 8, which could've been as big as Hulk/Andre. The WWF switched at the last minute, despite already announcing Hulk as the # 1 contender to face Flair, and Randy Savage got the title shot, then won the gold at Mania, while Hulk took on Sid, winning by DQ in a match billed as his retirement. Good thing Hulk was just taking a break, since that match would've been a very shitty end to his amazing career. As for Piper's Wrestlemania match, that's the next one I'll cover.

Wrestlemania 8- WWF Intercontinental title match: Bret "Hitman" Hart vs "Rowdy" Roddy Piper(c): Both guys were faces, good friends even, and it was Piper who took Bret's place in a re-match against The Mountie, who beat him when he was in no condition to wrestle for the title a few days prior to Royal Rumble 1992. As covered earlier, Piper ended up winning the belt in the match, and Bret figured he had a claim to a match, so we got this one. There was tension in the air, and it looked like somebody would turn heel during the whole thing, but come the match, nobody did. Considering how awesome both guys are, the match kicked all kinds of ass, with Bret bleeding like a stuck pig, and Piper reverting to his heel days by beating the shit out of him. When the ref got knocked out by accident (a less than common occurrence in those days), Piper, went outside, and grabbed the ring bell, preparing to wallop the bloody, and half awake Hitman, an act that'd most assuredly turn him into a full-on heel. Piper thought better of it, and he ended up losing honorably, even helping Bret put on the gold after the match, in a show of sportsmanship you don't see today.

Prime Time Wrestling circa early summer of 1992- WWF Intercontinental title Ladder match: Bret Hart(c) vs Shawn Michaels: This is the first WWF ladder match, and it rocked. It aired on Prime Time Wrestling as I stated, but I have it on a WWF video release, Most Unusual Matches Ever, and I'm pretty sure it's on a few other WWF videos as well. Bret was IC champ from Summerslam 1991 until Summerslam 1992, and Michaels was only in his Heartbreak Kid gimmick since right before Royal Rumble 1992. Best reports put this in June or July, sorry I couldn't find an exact day. The match was a great, old school ladder match, focusing on the wrestling, not just crazy bumps. Both guys rock my world, so this was kick ass. Bret obviously wins here, but that doesn't take anything away from the match, or it's historical significance.

Summerslam 1992- WWF Intercontinental title match: Bret "Hitman" Hart(c) vs The British Bulldog: This match is AMAZING. One of the best technical wrestling matches ever, a very exciting, and fun one to watch as well. You see, Bret & Bulldog are brothers in law (at least then), since Bulldog was married to Bret's sister Diana (who is there watching), and both were faces (good guys) making this an extra emotional match. On top of that, this took place in Wembly Stadium, jammed packed with 80,000 fans in London England, making it Bulldog's hometown crowd. The fans were LOUD too, they WORSHIP Bulldog as a god, and poor Bret never stood a chance in getting them to cheer for him. Bulldog's popularity made the match that much better, since Bret teased turning heel, acting like a COMPLETE DICK throughout, and its fun to see, since he was like the # 1 face in the WWF then. Bret turned up the evil, laying into Bulldog any chance he got, until Bulldog gets a crucifix pin, winning the title, and the crowd goes CRAZY. The match holds up very well today, and I like seeing Bulldog's crowning moment, since I like him, and to for him to do it in front of 80,000 of his people, is beyond awesome. Sadly, Bulldog passed away in 2003, but his legacy lives on in the hearts of his fans.

Monday Night Raw, January 25 1993- Loser leaves the WWF: Mr. Perfect vs Ric Flair: This took place on the third episode of Raw, and at the time it happened I HATED Ric Flair. I never let my grudge go of how he screwed Hogan out of the WWF title at Survivor Series 1991, and won the Royal Rumble in 1992, winning the title he made vacant by screwing Hulk over. Plus, he bored me, I never got why people loved him so much. I appreciate him more now, and like his current role. But then, I NEEDED Perfect to send Flair packing. The story is that Perfect used to be Flairs friend, and ally, but he came back to active wrestling, then the two had a falling out. This was a good match, and wouldnt you know, Perfect hits the Perfect Plex, and Flair is gone (he went back to WCW)! I was SOOOO happy, and Perfect was a god 4 life at that point.

Wrestlemania 9- WWF title match: Hulk Hogan Yokozuna(c): This wasn't even really a full match, Yoko had just beat Bret for the title, and Hulk came to see if Bret was ok, since Yoko's manager Mr. Fuji (another awesome manager) threw salt in his eyes, leading to the loss. Fuji started taunting Hulk on the mic, and issued a challenge on behalf of Yoko for right then and there. Hulk was all "No thanks, I'm gonna help my friend". Then, Fuji said they'd put the title on the line! Hulk was listening now. Bret gave the ok, and it was on like neckbone sucka. Hulk charged the ring, where Yoko caught him, and held him so Fuji could throw salt in his eyes, but Hulk ducked, Yoko got it instead! Hulk dropped Fuji, then nailed the Axe Bomber (his version of a running axe handle/clothesline, a move that is as good as a death certificate in Japan), and finally the legdrop! 1-2-3, Hulk is the 5 time champion! I predicted Hulk would walk out of the show the champ, and everyone was like "Your crazy, he's not even challenging for the belt", and I was like "SHUT UP! HE'S GONNA DO IT! 5 TIME CHAMP!", turns out I WAS right, assholes. Hulk was there yet again to come through, which is part of why I love this so much. I've watched it like 9,000 times, because before his 2002 return, it was his last hurrah in the WWF/WWE, which I looked at fondly, saying "He'll be back, I know he will", and he did come back. Hulk is the best, I can always count on him.

Monday Night Raw, May 17 1993- WWF Intercontinental title match: Marty Jannetty vs Shawn Michaels(c): Here is the background: Jannetty is also known as the "other" half of the legendary Rockers tag team with Shawn Michaels, but some of us know that while Marty never got as huge as Michaels, he still is better any day of the week. Marty kinda went south after the infamous breakup of The Rockers, where Shawn put him through a plate glass window on the Barbershop (Brutus Beefcake's interview segment). However, he'd eventually get his revenge. It was May 17 1993, and Shawn Michaels was the Intercontinental champ. On Raw, he issued an open challenge for the belt, and who would return from exile to accept: Marty F'N Jannetty. Oh, Michaels tried to weasel his way out of it, knowing full well that Jannetty was gonna whip his sorry ass, saying that Jannetty, (who was in street clothes), didn't have wrestling gear. Jannetty said it was in the back, he went to suit up, and the revenge match I had waited a year for was FINALLY gonna happen. They had a dandy of a match (voted PWI's match of the year), and with the aid of Mr. Perfect (he had issues with Michaels too), who threw his signature towel in Shawn's face, Marty Jannetty won the Intercontinental title. You'd better believe I marked out (wrestling lingo for getting super excited) like a little bitch, because Jannetty, a guy I worship, rose to the occasion, and won the big one. The glorious reign didnt last long, as he dropped the belt back to Michaels in short order(about a month), but it still marks one of my all-time favorite moments.

Survivor Series 1993- Marty Jannetty, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Razor Ramon, & The 1-2-3 Kid vs IRS, Diesel, Rick Martel, & Adam Bomb: This one of those old school Survivor Series elimination matches, which I go nuts for. The match itself was pretty awesome, and Jannetty made it to the end, as him and The 1-2-3 Kid were the survivors! Any big Jannetty win is good enough of a match to make my favorites list.

Survivor Series1993- Smokey Mountain Wrestling Tag Team titles: The Heavenly Bodies vs The Rock and Roll Express(c): This marks the first ever non-WWF/WWE title defense on their programming, as the company had a working agreement with SMW. We got some great, old time tag wrestling, which even at a young age, I really liked, despite thinking the Heavenly Bodies were a lame team, and never amounted to much in their WWF run. The Bodies won the gold here, and briefly, I didn't hate them for such a rock ass match.

Monday Night Raw, January 10 1994- WWF Tag Team title match: Marty Jannetty & The 1-2-3 Kid vs The Quebecers(c): For this to make sense to anyone, since most have forgotten, or don't know this match ever happened, let me explain why I love this so much. I was, and am a DIE HARD Marty Jannetty fan. The man rules in ways not yet discovered, and while most people think hes a jobber, he never gave up, and once in a while, he even pulled off something great, like this. NOBODY gave the Kid (a jobber then too) & Jannetty a snowball's chance in hell, except me. I was like 8 years old, had no inside knowledge of wrestling whatsoever, and if there was a God, we'd see new champs here. I was being babysat the night of this, and knew I wasn't supposed to be up, so I lied to be able to see it, I HAD to. I sat there, transfixed by the action in a great match, then, the 1-2-3 Kid comes off the top rope onto Pierre, the pin starts, 1...2...3. HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!! KID & JANNETTY WON THE TAG TITLES!!!!!!!! That is what was going on in my head, and I went APESHIT, jumping all over the place in my joy. I don't think anything I got a Christmas a few weeks before made me happier than seeing Kid & Jannetty win. I was in Heaven, all was right with the world. I got reamed out later for lying, but FUCK THAT, years later I still have that moment to remember. The fact that Kid & Jannetty held the belts for only one week didnt mean crap, nobody could change their victory.

Wrestlemania 10- Bret Hart vs Owen Hart: Bret & Owen had a SWEET feud, with the typical sibling rivalry supplemented by great in-ring action. The two are some of the best to ever lace up boots, and together they were gold. This is widely considered one of the best matches in Wrestlemania history, a sentiment I fully agree with. Plus, the result of Owen winning is shocking considering what would happen later, since Bret was also in a WWF title match against Yokozuna in the main event, which he won. This is probably one of my favorite Owen moments, which I look back on when I think about him, and how his life ended too soon.

Wrestlemania 10- WWF Intercontinental title Ladder match: Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels: This was a REAL ladder match, not just filled with a bunch of sick bumps, as HBK & Razor went all out, using the ladder in any way they could think of. Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT the first ladder match ever, or even the first in WWF/WWE history. The ladder match concept was introduced during the 80's up in Canada, and WWF/WWE had their first one on an episode of Prime Time in 1992 (which was covered earlier on the list). Both guys had their working boots on, and provide an entertaining match without all the suicidal spots (which are cool, don't get me wrong). People can have their TLC matches, I'll take old school "I'm gonna beat your ass until you can't get up" matches thank you.

Bash at the Beach 1994- WCW title match: Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair(c): It took Hulk signing with WCW for the big Flair/Hulk dream match to happen, and here he was, facing Flair for the title in his first WCW match. I still wanted Flair to die at this point, so Hulk's whipping of his ass was great. Great, match, and a great result. Flair & Hulk work extremely well together, and it boggles the mind why they didn't get to do more with each other during their WWF/WWE runs. I'd have loved to see the two team up when they were in WWE at the same time in 2002/2003.

WCW Clash of the Champions 28, August 28 1994- WCW United States title match: "Stunning" Steve Austin(c) vs Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat: I was in Florida visiting relatives when this event happened, and made it a point to have the Clash on at my Grandparent's house, where I was staying. Clash was something WCW had been doing since 1988, the first show aired on live TV as a challenge to the WWFs Wrestlemania 4 PPV. You see, back then WCW was actually known as the NWA, and were a LITTLE pissed that Vince McMahon and his WWF ran its 1^st ever Survivor Series PPV the same night as their biggest event, Starrcade the year before in 1987. Due to being rivals, the cable companies were forced to choose a show to air, and since the WWF has THE wrestling brand, they picked Survivor Series over Starrcade. Vince knew they would, which is why he did it, and depending on your point of view, that was either really dickish and wrong or hilarious and brilliant. The WWF went so far as to steal the NWA's saying of "A Thanksgiving Tradition" for Survivor Series, and Starrcade was forced to run in December every year thereafter. So, out of their feuding, came Clash of the Champions, which would run anywhere from 2-4 times a year on TBS. And now, onto the match, finally. Before Austin was "Stone Cold", he was "Stunning" Steve Austin, and yes, he did kick major ass. Austin was an arrogant heel, who teamed with Brian Pillman as one of the best tag teams ever, The Hollywood Blondes, then he went solo. Austin engaged in a thrilling feud with Ricky Steamboat, having awesome matches in tag competition for the WCW Tag Team belts (with the Hollywood Blondes vs Steamer & Shane Douglas) in late 1992- early 1993, in singles competition, they feuded for the Television title in mid-late 1992, and finally, the U.S. title in from late 1993 until this match. This marked the last match in the career of one of wrestling's greatest, Ricky Steamboat, and boy did he ever go out on top, winning the U.S. belt in my favorite bout of the Austin/Steamboat series.

Summerslam 1994-WWF title Steel Cage match: Bret Hart(c) vs Owen Hart: As I said above, these two were gold together, and this is one of my favorite cage matches. The way it all broke loose, with the Hart family members storming the cage, even drawing in the British Bulldog, who made his return as a spectator, only to be dragged in, marking his WWF return, which made me very happy. For those who must know, Bret won in an extremely close, and thrilling climax.

Survivor Series 1995- No DQ WWF title Bret Hart vs Diesel(c): YES! Bret Hart, who could pretty much do anything there was to do in a wrestling ring versus Diesel, who was BAD ASS back in 1995. Say what you will about Kevin Nash, but as Diesel, he was the man. I was PUMPED to see this live on PPV, my uncle brought his, umm, perfectly legal (yeah!) cable box over so we could all see the show, and this match. Diesel had been acting all heelish, but both guys were faces coming in. Diesel had held the belt for a full year at this point, and I, liked him, but am a MASSIVE Bret fan, so I was hoping he'd win. The no DQ aspect allowed the match to get pretty physical, in a time where going through tables and being hit with chairs wasn't commonplace. Bret & Diesel went all out, with me and my family who I watched with getting into it. Bret even went through a table, something totally unreal to me at that time. Then, Bret got a shocking cradle pin, winning his third WWF title, and I was loving it. Diesel snapped afterwards, beating Bret up, then throwing the title on him before leaving. He didnt quite turn heel, as he went on to proclaim he still cared about his fans, but became a "tweener", straddling the line of being a heel or face. Diesel is said to be the first tweener, and the whole concept of "shades of grey" was used in subsequent years for the "Attitude" era.

Nitro, January 22 1996- WCW title match: "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs Ric Flair(c): I wasn't supposed to be up, but I missed Nitro due to Raw, so I watched the replay at midnight. I HAD to watch Savage vs Flair, I remembered their feud in the WWF, which was taking off again in WCW, and I am a giant Savage fan, and was a huge Flair hater at the time. The match was exciting, as matches between the two always were, and I held in my excitement until, I saw Macho go up for the elbow! He hit it! 1-2-3!!!!!!!!!!! I LOST it, Macho had just won the title, and I couldn't contain myself, so I got busted. I didn't care. I was so happy I couldn't sleep after it anyways, and enjoyed the rest of the show, silent, but happy.

Bash at the Beach 1996- Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, & a Mystery Partner vs "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Lex Luger & Sting: We all know who the mystery partner was, but I put it there anyways. I covered the match rather well in my Nash article, so I'm gonna reprint that here, so you can get the whole story: May 27 1996. It was Memorial Day, and the first 2 hour addition of WCW's Monday Nitro, when Scott Hall, A.K.A. Razor Ramon stormed the ring during a Mike Enos vs Steve Doll match. Now, to people not in the know, which was a lot of people, since the internet wasn't everywhere then, seeing a top WWF guy just show up on the rival company's flagship show, that was going head to head with WWF's Monday Night Raw, was HUGE. I remember sitting there stunned, like the crowd, and probably most of the fans watching, as Hall declared "You wanna war? (referring of course to the heated WWF vs WCW war that raged practically WCWs inception, but was really raging then), you got one!". So there it was, the fans saw Razor F'N Ramon, whether acting under orders from the WWF, or on his own, punking out WCW, on their own show. Hall, still not named as such (WWF owned Razor Ramon, Scott Hall is his given name, same deal with Nash & the Diesel name), would show up the next week near the end of the show, take over announce booth, and issue a challenge, 3 of WCWs best vs 3 of HIS guys (basically saying he has two more people to aid him), drawing out one of WCW's top guys, Sting. Sting and Hall had a confrontation, that included Hall tossing a toothpick in Sting's face (a Razor Ramon trademark), only to be slapped. Hall then says that the next week, he'd have a little, no BIG (he emphasized big) for Sting, and WCW. So, around the same time the next week, who should walk out? Kevin Nash. Now, there were two, known only as "The Outsiders", promising to "take over", and they pressed WCW for who would answer their challenge, to which WCW boss, Eric Bischoff told them that he'd announce it all at the Great American Bash PPV. At the Great American Bash, the "Outsiders" and Bischoff had a summit of sorts, where the first thing Bischoff did was ask about their allegiance to the rival WWF, which was dispelled (WWF sued WCW, since they had implied that the WWF was behind Hall and Nash's takeover plot, and Hall was still using their trademarked mannerisms and accent). Bischoff then announced that the match WOULD happen, at WCWs next PPV, Bash at the Beach in Daytona Beach Florida (which happens to be my old stomping grounds). Then, when Eric informed them that their opponents would be announced the next night on Nitro, Hall and Nash were pissed, so Hall punched Eric, and Nash Jackknifed him through a table off the stage! The next night on Nitro, The Outsiders would finally find out who'd accepted their challenge, Sting , The Macho Man Randy Savage, and Lex Luger, but who was their third man? The Outsiders didn't reveal who it was, and when the time came for the big match, the third man was still nowhere to be seen. So, with 2 vs 3, WCW battled this outside threat, who actually dominated the WCW forces with only two men, and team WCW was in dire need of help. With Luger and Sting nearly dead, Savage tags in, and he too ends up beaten. There were a few top WCW stars who weren't choices for this match, like Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, The Giant etc, would anyone of them help WCW? And, when they needed it the most, Hulk Hogan, returning from filming a movie, comes out, and runs The Outsiders off, with poor Savage still laid out in the ring. Hulk prepares for battle, rips the shirt, then, LEGDROPS THE MACHO MAN! OH MY GOD! HOGAN WAS THE THIRD MAN! Honestly, NO ONE saw that coming. We aren't treated to a finish, but after the most shocking moment in wrestling , things just got crazy, Hall, Nash, and Hogan beat up on the WCW team, as the ring FILLS with garbage. Mean Gene, as shocked as the fans, announcers, and everyone else, enters the ring to interview Hogan, and try to understand whats going on. Hogan then rips the WCW a new one, even telling the fans to "Stick it"! Hulk then declares the trio "The New World Order of wrestling", the NWO. From that night on, the finally named Hall, Nash, and the newly dubbed "Hollywood" Hogan DOMINATED WCW, literally, everything that went on in WCW for almost two years revolved around them. The NWO would beat up whoever, take over the announce booth and call matches themselves, recruit WCW stars to join them (even Eric Bischoff joined), insert their own programming into the broadcast, anything they wanted, they OWNED WCW. So, there you have how the NWO formed. It really was a shock, and as I watched live, my mom actually guessed Hogan, but I couldn't believe it would be him. When it happened, everyone there looked at me, knowing how big of a Hulkamaniac I am, and I simply said "I still like him". Hulk changed his whole image, no just being a bad guy, but by wearing all black, ending the era of red and yellow.

Survivor Series 1996- Steve Austin vs Bret "Hitman" Hart: No titles, just two guys locked in a hot feud, producing one of the most exciting technical wrestling matches I've ever seen. I am a Hitman fan forever,  I wasn't one of the many who started cheering the heel Austin, so I was pleased when Bret beat his ass. Some people refer these guys' Wrestlemania 13 match as being a classic, I liked it, but in my opinion, this was much better.

In Your House: The Final 4(1997)- WWF title(vacant) Final 4 match: Bret Hart vs Vader vs Steve Austin vs The Undertaker: This was supposed to be to see who got a title shot at Wrestlemania 13, BUT, champion Shawn Michaels decided to puss out with a fake knee injury so he wouldn't have to drop the title to anyone. That is one good thing about "Jesus Freak HBK", he's not as big of an asshole as he was once he got a main event push. The story was that Bret had REALLY won the Royal Rumble for a title shot, but Austin(a heel who was getting good face pops) cheated and jumped back in after being tossed out(the refs were too busy breaking up a fight between Terry Funk & Mick Foley to see), then dumping Bret, Taker, & Vader to get the official win. Gorilla Monsoon, the WWF President couldn't in good conscience allow Austin to go to 'Mania after they way he won, so he set up this match. With HBK pulling his crap though, the match was now for the title itself. The rules are that you can be eliminated via pinfall, submission, or being tossed over the top rope ala a Royal Rumble match. This was pretty sweet, much better since it was for the gold, and I was heavily cheering Bret, who was starting to piss fans off since he was mad that Austin cheated, and they thought Austin was cool. I didn't give a crap, Bret was god. I sided with Bret during his whole run, through the Pro-Canadian heel turn & Hart Foundation days, right up until he was screwed over and left the WWF. I'm glad he won here, but he lost it the next night to Sid on Raw when Austin ran in, making it the first World title change on Raw.

Summerslam 1997- WWF title match, special guest referee Shawn Michaels: The Undertaker(c) vs Bret"Hitman" Hart: Both participants were in a really cool phase in their careers, 'Taker was in a modernized state of his "Deadman" persona, wearing a leather ensemble, and he added a loud "boom" to turning the lights on, giving him an extra edge. Bret was a heel, doing his Pro-Canada thing, and ruling the world at it. Michaels and Hart were pissed at each other, and 'Taker was just along for the ride. The match was awesome, and the result saw Michaels accidentally blast 'Taker instead of Bret with a steel chair, and Bret pinned him, giving him his fifth, and final world title in the WWF. This also began a sweet Michaels/Taker feud, as showcased in the next match on the list.

In Your House: Ground Zero(1997)- The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels: This wasn't really a match, but it ruled. You see, after being screwed over by Michaels at Summerslam, 'Taker was PISSED. This was just 'Taker stalking HBK, then kicking his ass, all the while knocking down the ref who got in his way. This led to about 6 different refs coming down, and eventually it all fell apart. The climax saw Taker do a no-rope plancha (a dive over the ropes, onto your opponent on the floor in which you fly over without even touching the top rope) onto like 10 guys! This was a sweet, out of control brawl, one of the best I've ever seen.

Raw, May 10 1999- Brisco & Patterson vs The Mean Street Posse: This was seriously one of the funniest things I've ever seen on a wrestling show. The Posse were losers, and Brisco & Patterson were old goofball flunkies of Vince McMahon. The two sides got into a feud, and this match was made. And boy, it was better than it had any right to be. Patterson & Brisco were PISSED, and just KILLED the Posse, and the crowd LOVED it. After the glorious win, Patterson & Brisco celebrated to Hulk Hogan's Real American, and the fans (me too) were cheering like crazy! It was insane. Somehow, these losers and old dudes put on some of the most entertaining TV I've seen in like forever, and did HUGE ratings, like a 9.1 Nielsen, it set a record! This has to be seen to be believed.

ECW TV (TNN), December 24 1999- ECW title match: Masato Tanaka(c) vs Mike Awesome: ECW was known for some really intense brawls, and this has to be my all-time favorite. Every year on Christmas Eve, my family (when we were all in the state) would have a party, which was always fun, but necessitated me wasting the rest of the day away until then. Luckily, ECW had a short lived TV deal on TNN from 99-2000, so I could watch that. I was treated to spectacular title match between enemies Masato Tanaka & Mike Awesome. The two had carried their rivalry from Japan, where they competed for FMW, the Japanese equivalent of ECW, and the two companies had a working relationship, allowing Tanaka and others to do ECW shows. A few days prior to this, Tanaka won the ECW title from Awesome in Nashville, and now, Awesome wanted his title back. The two basically beat the hell out of each other, and when the dust, and table wreckage settled, Awesome was once again ECW champ. This is, in my opinion, the best match in ECW history. I also have to say how both WCW & WWF/WWE missed the boat when they had Awesome on their rosters in the years following. Awesome was pretty bad ass, and agile for a big man, he could have been a good guy to have as a monster on the upper midcard.

Wrestlemania 18- Hulk Hogan vs The Rock: Once in a great, long while, a match can be so epic, and memorable, that even minutes after it's over, you know it's gonna be a classic. This match is one of those. Being the BIGGEST Hulkamaniac ever, there was only once thing I really wanted to see since he left the WWF in 1993, his triumphant return. Years went by, but I never gave up hope, I knew he wouldn't let me down, he never did before. People started to mock him, and say his day was over, saying that I was crazy for wanting him back in the WWF, since he'd be a joke. I refused to believe them, and in February 2002, a full 9 years after he last appeared, Hulk Hogan had returned, and I was THRILLED. Hulk came in as a member of the NWO, a WCW group that pretty much was responsible for the resurgence of wrestling in the mid-late 1990's, and judging by the response he got on his first night back, I knew that Hulkamania was gonna run wild again. Right away, Hulk entered a program with a self proclaimed "Icon", the Rock, who's claim is too absurd to get into. Still representing the NWO, Hulk was now on a path to face The Rock at Wrestlemania 18, but the face reaction each night leading up to the show got louder, and louder, like when he came to the Gund Arena, I was there, and lost my voice for almost a week cheering him. It would come to a head at Toronto Skydome, where the match was set to take place. Hulk got an UNGODLY reaction when he came out, and I at home was going PSYCHO, because sure as anything I'd ever known, HULK MOTHER FUCKIN' HOGAN WAS BACK! To say the fans blew the roof off the place would be an understatement, they shot that sucker into the stratosphere, roaring with all they could at EVERY move Hulk did, and nearly booing The Rock back across the border when he even came close to the Hulkster. It was one of the most amazing thing I've ever seen, the fans drew a line in the sand, saying "SCREW what the WWF wants us to do, Hogan is the man, we'll cheer him".  I take issue with The Rock winning, but the after match posing Hulk did more than made up for it, plus that gave birth to his resurgence, leading him to world title # 6, actually being the LAST WWF champion, and first WWE champion, holding the belt during the name change.

Backlash 2002-WWF Undisputed title match: Hulk Hogan vs Triple-H(c): The fact that Hulk won the title a sixth time, which I was eagerly awaiting ever since I heard he was coming back that February is enough for this to be here. Plus, HHH sucks worse than anyone, so Hulk's win is made even better because of it. The entire Hogan revival of 2002-2003 was probably the last time I was REALLY excited as a fan. It was the greatest thing ever that after all those years of knowing my hero would return and win the title, he did, taking his place right back at the top.

Smackdown, July 2 2002- WWE Tag Team title match: Hulk Hogan & Edge vs Billy & Chuck(c): Awesome. The best Smackdown moment EVER. Hulk, after using Voodoo Child his whole return run since February 2002, he came out to Real American! Probably since it was close to the 4^th of July. Hulk's win sent me into a frenzy, even though I read the spoilers. This was Hulk's first, and only reign as a tag champ, so it was historic, and special.

Wrestlemania 19- Hulk Hogan Vince McMahon: This was the only reason I ordered Wrestlemania 19, while most fans were wetting themselves over Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle, I only cared about Hulk kicking Vince's sorry ass all around the arena. This had been brewing since Vince & Hulk had begun to revolutionize wrestling, Hulk as the wrestler, and Vince as the boss, about 20 years before this. The two had an extremely fun brawl, including a shocking cameo appearance by RODDY PIPER! I was freaking out when Roddy showed up, as were the 50,000+ in attendance that night. Seeing Hulk drop THREE legdrops on Vince to win was satisfying, plus the return of Piper was well worth the price of the PPV.