On April 19 and 20, WWE will hold its biggest event, WrestleMania, in Las Vegas for the second time. The first time, WrestleMania IX in 1993, featured one of the most controversial endings in the event’s four-decade history. WWE Hall of Famers Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan discuss the controversial end in an exclusive trailer for Peacock’s WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle (available to stream starting Friday, April 11).
For those who don’t remember, Hogan — WWE’s top star of the 1980s and early 1990s — left WWE following WrestleMania VIII and returned shortly before WrestleMania IX. While Hogan was away, Bret Hart won his first WWE championship. He remained champion until WrestleMania IX, defending the championship against Royal Rumble winner Yokozuna.
In the first part of the trailer, Hart recalled being told that Hogan’s return would have nothing to do with Hart or the championship.
“When Hulk Hogan surfaced, I was told that he was only there to promote a movie and he had nothing to do with the world title and nothing to with me — and for me not to worry about him at all.”
Then came Hogan, who shared his side of the story.
“I was very aware that they were pushing other talent, but perception’s reality. They’d worked all year to get Bret and Yoko in that position. And I think once they put ’em in that position, they realized they didn’t have that hot sauce they needed to do the box office buzz.”
Hogan continued.
“When I came in, I remember several pieces of talent saying, ‘Hogan, be careful champ. Things have changed around here.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t think so.'”
Despite not being involved in the match or any storyline with either man in the main event, it was Hogan who left WrestleMania IX with the championship. In the later stages of Hart’s match with Yokozuna, Hart locked the challenger into the sharpshooter, his finishing move. Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna’s manager, threw salt into Hart’s eyes, blinding him. Hart broke the hold and fell to the ground. Yokozuna then pinned him, earning the championship.
It appeared as though Yokozuna would be the first heel to leave WrestleMania as champion. But Hogan, who had wrestled in a tag match earlier in the night, returned to the ringside to check on Hart. Mr. Fuji then challenged Hogan to fight Yokozuna in an impromptu title defense, which Hogan accepted. Yokozuna quickly grabbed Hogan’s arms and Mr. Fuji once again tried his salt trick, only Hogan ducked. The salt blinded Yokozuna this time, creating an opening. Hogan clotheslined the new champion to the ground, then used his trusted leg drop finisher and pinned Yokozuna, earning his fifth championship.
Hart and Hogan have discussed the booking changes that called for Hogan to win the championship a lot. It will be interesting to hear if either of them—or anyone else—offers any new insights.