Wrestlemania #4: Book The Tournament Finals
As you know, Wrestlemania 4 had a tournament format. If you didn’t know that, go read about it below. Anyway short question today: how would you have booked it? The only rules: you have to keep the same people in the tournament and Hogan vs. Savage is the main event of Wrestlemania 5 no matter what. I’m not much of a booker, but here’s what I would have done:I like the original plan which had DiBiase beating an exhausted Hogan in the finals, likely through cheating. Have Andre knocks Hogan out, Savage runs out for the save but Hogan is out cold in the Million Dollar Dream, and DiBiase stands tall to end the show. I know it’s a big stretch for the 80s, but how hot would the house shows have been for Hogan vs. DiBiase? The idea here is that it gives DiBiase the summer to chase Hogan, you have Savage win the title at the first Summerslam and then the Mega Powers Explode as was carved into stone for Mania 5.
I agree w/ what you say .. i’m not sure if any of this will make sense but i’m just gonna ramble this idea out.
Somehow at Mania IV we end up w/ Hogan and Andre never having their tournament match. Andre ends up having to face Dibiase to get into the finals and Dibiase pays him off to reach the finals. Maybe Savage gets hurt by Andre or something to lead to that. Hogan takes Savage’s path to the finals, beating the monster One Man Gang, etc. Hogan has Dibiase pinned in the Finals but it’s a screwy finish where Andre helps Dibiase win the Tourney.
Over the course of time between Mania and Summer Slam, Hogan and Dibiase do light up the house show circuit like you said, with Hogan either winning by DQ or countout or Andre interferencing leading to the DQ everytime. Hogan finally gets fed up and challenges Andre for one more match at Summer Slam. This leaves Dibiase w/ no dance partner for the Main Event.
Enter Randy Savage.. who, of course, has the “I was injured during the tournament so you never beat me” storyline going for him. Hogan/Andre can have the same finish as Mania had OR Hogan can beat him clean, either/or. Andre attempts to help Dibiase again, Hogan stops that from happening and ends up helping Savage win the Title, maybe by accidently hitting Dibiase or Andre accidently hits Dibiase.
That kick starts the jealousy, as Savage begins to wonder why Hogan would come out. Savage gets big-headed and says he could’ve handle both men. We head to Survivor Series where a team w/ Savage and Hogan meets a team w/ Dibiase and Andre. Savage can either leave Hogan to fight them both and Hogan loses, or they win then Savage attacks. Or they can wait ’til the big blow up at SNME they had. Any of those would’ve been sufficient. If Savage leaves Hogan in the match at Survivor Series and Hogan loses, that is Savage’s ammunition leading into Survivor Series. Savage says “I could’ve beat both of them, but you can’t. That’s why i’m the World Champ” Making him completely egotistical and forgetful of the fact that it was Hogan who helped him out in the first place.
damn, long winded. Loved this time period tho.