By Ry
March 27, 1988, from the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the WWF World Title Tournament.
The Card:
– Bad News Brown won a 20-man battle royal by eliminating Bret “Hitman” Hart
– Brutus Beefcake defeated Intercontinental Champion Honky Tonk Man via DQ
– The Islanders & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan defeated the British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware
– Demolition defeated Strike Force for the Tag Team Championship
The Tournament:
– Ted DiBiase defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan
– Don Muraco defeated Dino Bravo by DQ
– Greg “the Hammer” Valentine defeated Ricky “the Dragon” Steamboat
– Randy “Macho Man” Savage defeated Butch Reed
– One Man Gang defeated Bam Bam Bigelow
– Rick Rude and Jake “the Snake” Roberts wrestled to a 15-minute draw
Second Round
– Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan wrestled to a double DQ
– Ted DiBiase defeated Don Muraco
– Randy Savage defeated Greg Valentine
The Semi Finals
– Randy Savage defeated One Man Gang
The Finals
Randy Savage defeated Ted Dibiase for the WWF Title in the finals of the tournament
Title Changes:
– Demolition defeated Strike Force for the Tag Team Championship
– Randy Savage won a 14 man tournament for the WWF title
WM FACTS:
– Wrestlemania IV set the record for most matches on a Wrestlemania, with 15 matches.
– Wrestlemania IV was the first time the WWF World Title changed hands at Wrestlemania, with Randy Savage winning the Vacant Title.
– Wrestlemania IV began the “MegaPowers” angle, a partnership between Hulk Hogan and Savage, the two would finally collide a year later at Wrestlemania V.
– Andre The Giant and Hulk Hogan squared off for the second straight Wrestlemania.
– Wrestlemania IV was the only Wrestlemania during the “Hogan Era” that Hulk Hogan did not main event, as he would wrestle in the main event in Wresltemania’s I, II, III, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX.
– After winning the tag titles from Strike Force, Demolition would go on to have an 18 month title reign.
– Finally, Wrestlemania IV was a mind numbing four hours long, a feat that the WWF will once again try to create with Wrestlemania X Seven.