Leading up to WrestleMania 26 on March 28 in Arizona, we will be publishing a daily WrestleMania PPV flashback report going back to 1992 at WrestleMania 8. We'll be publishing one PPV flashback report around 12:00 p.m. CST every afternoon until this year's WrestleMania.

-- Thursday, Mar. 11 - WrestleMania 8 (1992): Hogan vs. Sid, Warrior run-in
-- Friday, Mar. 12 - WrestleMania 9 (1993)
-- Saturday, Mar. 13 - WrestleMania 10 (1994)
-- Sunday, Mar. 14 - WrestleMania 11 (1995)
-- Monday, Mar. 15 - WrestleMania 12 (1996)
-- Tuesday, Mar. 16 - WrestleMania 13 (1997)
-- Wednesday, Mar. 17 - WrestleMania 14 (1998)
-- Thursday, Mar. 18 - WrestleMania 15 (1999)
-- Friday, Mar. 19 - WrestleMania 16 (2000)
-- Saturday, Mar. 20 - WrestleMania 17 (2001)
-- Sunday, Mar. 21 - WrestleMania 18 (2002)
-- Monday, Mar. 22 - WrestleMania 19 (2003)
-- Tuesday, Mar. 23 - WrestleMania 20 (2004)
-- Wednesday, Mar. 24 - WrestleMania 21 (2005)
-- Thursday, Mar. 25 - WrestleMania 22 (2006)
-- Friday, Mar. 26 - WrestleMania 23 (2007)
-- Saturday, Mar. 27 - WrestleMania 24 (2008)
-- Sunday, Mar. 28 - WrestleMania 25 (2009)
-- Sunday, Mar. 28 - WrestleMania 26 Live Coverage

***

WrestleMania PPV Flashback Report - WM 8 (1992)
April 5, 1992
Indianapolis, Ind. at the Hoosier Dome
Report by Octavio Fierros and Brett Hosmer, Torch contributors

-- Find out how to sign up for a Torch VIP membership to access the Torch Staff Audio Roundtable Review of WrestleManias 1-9 right now!

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan

Description: In the first ever WrestleMania with a double main event, Ric Flair defends his WWF Title against Randy Savage. Also, is this really Hulk Hogan's last WWF match?

TOP 5 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SHOW

- Randy Savage walks out of WrestleMania VIII as new WWF Champion, winning the belt for the second time in his career. It was arguably one of the best matches of all-time.

- Hulk Hogan said that this might be his last WWF match. Sid guaranteed to put an end to Hulkamania tonight.

- The Ultimate Warrior returns to the WWF after a brief hiatus. It makes sense now that Hogan is leaving because Warrior is going to be the top wrestler in the business, alongside Randy Savage of course.

- Bret Hart captures the IC Title for the second time in his career. Roddy Piper felt that he didn't have anything to prove and Bret Hart has a brighter future.

- Paul Ellering, who managed the Road Warriors in the NWA, makes his WWF debut with the most popular tag team in wrestling.

WRESTLEMANIA REPORT

The show began with the WrestleMania graphics being displayed, with a Vince McMahon voiceover hyping the first-ever WrestleMania double main event of Flair-Savage and Hogan-Sid, in what "could prove to be Hogan's farewell match."

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are on commentary. This would be Monsoon's last WrestleMania as the play-by-play man. Heenan was staring up at the big screen, wanting to see the big centerfold pictures of Elizabeth that Ric Flair had promised to show.

Reba McIntyre sings the national anthem as Heenan jokes that it is Tito Santana's sister "Arriba" McIntyre singing.

(1) Shawn Michaels (w/Sensational Sherri) pinned "El Matador" Tito Santana at 10:32. Michaels came out to the ring wearing a vest that read, "I'm too sexy for this crowd," a spin off of a popular song in the early 90s. The match began with Michaels hurling some insults at Santana, who went on the offensive with a cross body block and then applying a side headlock. Michaels fought back with some jabs but got clotheslined over the top rope and out. Santana dragged him back inside the ring over the top rope by using the same side headlock. Michaels fought him into the corner and hit some shoulder blocks and elbows. Santana reversed 2 Michaels Irish whip attempts, and on the second, Santana caught Michaels as he went for a reverse leapfrog. He reapplied the side headlock. Michaels held Santana up for an atomic drop but Santana maintained hold of the headlock, and gained a couple 2-counts with it. In some humorous banter, Monsoon mentioned that in all his years he had never seen anyone pinned with a side headlock, and Heenan claimed that he'd pinned a few people with it. Heenan then later claimed he made a guy give up once during the instructions. Heenan was just classic.

Michaels finally broke the headlock after sidestepping Santana and tossing him over the top rope. Michaels hit a backbreaker after Santana made his way back inside, then applied a chin lock. Santana fought out of it but Michaels hit the super kick (known as a "reverse crescent kick" in 1992). He ignored Sherri's cries of "Pin him!" and instead lifted Santana up, and was caught with a right hand. Santana then took control, knocking Michaels outside the ring with the flying forearm. After tossing Michaels back in, he hit a flying shoulder block and made a signal for his finishing hold, which Monsoon called "El Paso De Muerte" (which I believe translates into "The Pass of Death"), which was a simple flying forearm to the back of the head. Heenan asked Monsoon if he had actually said "Extra Hot Pace Picante." The move sent Michaels outside the ring, and as Santana tried to slam him back inside the ring, Michaels grabbed a hold of the top rope and ended up falling on top of Santana for the 3-count.

Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in front of the live crowd with the Legion of Doom, joined for the first time in the WWF by their longtime manager Paul Ellering. Ellering said it was "revenge" that unites them once again, and Animal clarified it by saying they want revenge on Jimmy Hart and Money Inc. who had defeated the LOD for the tag team titles a couple months earlier. He led the crowd in an "LOD" chant as Hawk said in the past they were a runaway train with nobody driving it, but now the driver of the train is here, and that makes the scarier than ever before. Ellering says his guidance will turn the LOD from good to great again and soon they will regain the tag team titles.

Sean Mooney interviews Jake Roberts. Roberts denies that he will bring a snake to the ring as he was ordered not to bring a snake to the ring by WWF President Jack Tunney. Footage played of Jake's attack on the Undertaker and Paul Bearer on a segment of the "Funeral Parlor." He sounded confident and said when the time comes he will win with the DDT.

In a Coliseum Video exclusive, Lord Alfred Hayes interviews the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. Taker tells "Snake Roberts" that his day of reckoning is at hand and it is time for him to meet his end.

(2) The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) pinned Jake Roberts at 6:40. Jake started the match by giving Taker short jabs and slipping behind him. He clotheslined Taker over the top, but as usual Taker sold nothing. Taker dragged Jake outside the ring by his feet and rammed him into the ring post. Back inside, Jake went on offense with several punches, having little effect. Taker blocked an Irish whip before executing one himself and choking Jake in the corner. He dropped an elbow, and then hit a flying clothesline. He picked up Jake for the Tombstone, but Jake slipped behind and hit the DDT. Taker stayed down for several seconds but then sat up. Jake broke a chokehold with a knee lift then hit a short-arm clothesline. Taker sat up but Jake gave him a second DDT. Instead of going for a pin, however, Jake went after Paul Bearer outside the ring. Taker followed Jake outside and gave him a tombstone on the floor outside. He rolled him back inside the ring for the easy pin.

Okerlund interviews Bret Hart and Roddy Piper. Piper was rambling on about how Bret was as a child when he pinched Bret's cheek and Bret told him to keep his hands to himself. Piper got upset, and Bret said all he wants is Piper's Intercontinental title, and then he touched the belt. Piper told Bret to keep his hands to himself. As Piper turned, Bret held his fist up and said, "I would've had you." Piper turns to reveal he had a leather strap wrapped around his fist and says, "I don't think so." Bret left as Piper said "Not today!"

(3) Bret Hart pinned Roddy Piper at 13:49 to win the Intercontinental Title. They had a stare down at the start, as in the crowd some fans unfurled a huge "4 Horsemen" banner, which was immediately taken down and not seen again. Having signs discussing anything having to do with rival promotions were a big no-no in the WWF in 1992. Piper took Bret down with an arm drag, then a few minutes later he did the same to Piper. Piper took down Bret amateur-style but Bret used his momentum to jerk Piper outside the ring. Piper was mad as Bret shoved him and Piper spat at him. They did a test of strength then exchanged wristlocks. Piper tried fighting out of Bret's wristlock with chops and but Bret held on. Piper finally broke free with an Irish whip but Bret came right back with a dropkick. When he landed, Bret pretended that he had suffered a shoulder injury, and the referee ordered Piper to back off while he tended to Bret. When Piper moved in, Bret surprised him with an inside cradle for a near-fall. Piper, upset at what he felt was a dirty tactic by Bret, slapped him across the face. Bret came at Piper with a cross body block, and at first Piper caught him in mid-air, but then they both sort of fell over the top rope outside the ring in an awkward-looking spot. Piper held the ropes open for Bret as he came back inside the ring, and Bret kept a close eye on Piper as he cautiously stepped inside.

Suddenly, as Bret went down to lace his boots, Piper caught him with a punch to the face, which Bret sold huge. He went down and bladed here as Piper opens up the cut with some right hands and a bulldog. Piper continues on offense, with Bret getting a quick pin attempt with a sunset flip, but Piper immediately went back on the attack. He gets a 2-count after some jabs then Bret fires back with a forearm that sends Piper outside. Piper comes back in and they clothesline each other. Piper gets up first and climbs to the top rope, but Bret gets up and hits Piper, who crotches himself on the top rope. Bret then hits a reverse atomic drop and a snap suplex for a near fall. He continues on the attack with a Russian leg sweep and a backbreaker. He then goes for the sharpshooter but Piper blocks it and Bret gives him an elbow to the head. He then goes for a dive off the second rope but Piper gets a foot up. He then shoves Bret into the ref, who goes down. Piper clotheslines Bret outside and rams him into the ring steps before tossing him inside. He then grabs the ring bell and holds it over Bret's head. He looks at the crowd, teasing a heel turn here as he thinks about whether he should use the bell or not. He decides to toss it aside as the crowd pops. After Bret misses with a right hand, Piper applies a sleeper hold. But Bret walks Piper over to the corner and kicks off the top rope and rolls back over on top of Piper as Piper still has the sleeper applied. His shoulders are down and the referee counts three. Real good match. Afterward, Piper helps Bret to his feet and wraps the title around his waist in a show of sportsmanship.

-- Watch a video of the match with Hart's description from his book embedded in the video on Bret Hart's Facebook page.

At this point, Monsoon and Heenan interview Lex Luger, who is "live from his home in Atlanta." Luger talks about himself, as he is, at this time, not a wrestler for the WWF but a bodybuilder for Vince McMahon's World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF). After saying he has the most perfect body of anyone, he removes his shirt to reveal a red WBF tank top as a woamn wearing a black WBF tank top hands him a glass of milk, which Luger drinks. The live audience did not see this interview.

The Nasty Boys, The Mountie and Repo Man talk about their upcoming 8-man tag team match, which is immediately followed by an interview with their opponents, Sgt. Slaughter, Virgil, Jim Duggan and Big Boss Man. Nothing noteworthy was said in either interview.

(4) The Big Boss Man, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Virgil, and Sgt. Slaughter defeated The Nasty Boys, The Mountie, and Repo Man (w/Jimmy Hart) at 6:29 when Virgil pinned Brian Knobs.

Before the match, Howard Finkel introduced Ray Combs, the late host of the popular game show Family Feud as the special ring announcer for the next match. He tells childish jokes about all the heels, which of course all threaten to attack Combs after each insult.

The bell rings with all eight men inside the ring, as the faces quickly knock the heels outside. Duggan starts a "USA" chant. Sags and Duggan start the match as Sags pummels Duggan momentarily before Duggan hits two clotheslines. Boss Man completely misses a punch at Sags as he stands on the apron, but Sags sells it anyway. Slaughter tags in but gets a thumb in the eye. Knobs is tagged in and Slaughter works him over before tagging Boss Man. Boss Man works over Knobs before missing a charge in the corner and Knobs tags in Repo Man. Repo hits 2 butt drops onto Boss Man's back, but on the third attempt Boss Man turns over as Repo lands crotch-first on his fist. Heenan says "He just Repo'd himself!" Virgil, wearing a guard over his face to protect his broken nose, tags in and soon there are 5 or 6 guys in the ring all at once. After the ring is cleared, Sags is in with Virgil. Sags works him over, tags Mountie, who goes to the second rope and reminds us all who he is before jumping right into the arms of Boss Man who hits a spinebuster. At this point everyone gets in the ring again, before Virgil is in alone with both Nastys. Knobs holds Virgil up for Sags, who has a chain wrapped around his fist. Virgil ducks and Sags hits Knobs, who is pinned by Virgil.

Sean Mooney interviews "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig and WWF World champion Ric Flair. Hennig is holding what he and Flair claim is the pinup picture of Elizabeth. Flair says for Savage to look up when he's flat on his back, so he can see the pinup picture on the big screen. He tells Elizabeth she has one more chance to ride Space Mountain.

Okerlund does an interview outside Randy Savage's dressing room. He says Savage is not giving interviews. However, during the middle of Flair's introduction, Lord Alfred Hayes finds Savage in a locker room. Savage says little of note.

(5) "Macho Man" Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair (w/"Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig) at 18:01 to win the WWF World Title. The bell rings as Savage attacks Flair in the aisle. Hennig grabs Savage from behind and muscles him back to the ringside area. Inside, Savage hits Flair with a clothesline then works him over in the corner. Flair goes for an inverted atomic drop but Savage blocks it and clotheslines him. He pushes Flair into the ropes but then gets back-dropped over the top rope and out. Flair goes outside and works on Savage's back, then rolls him back in and continues to work on the back. Flair gains a pair of two-counts after suplexes. The next several minutes see Flair dominating the match, working over Savage's back with suplexes and hard Irish whips into the corner.

Savage finally gains the advantage at 8:00 with a neck breaker. He shoves Flair into the corner but catches a thumb to the eye. Flair goes to the top rope but Savage catches him and slams him off the top rope. Savage hits a backdrop and two clotheslines before spitting at Flair. In a good-looking spot, Savage whips Flair into the corner, but Flair flips over the ropes and lands on his feet on the ring apron. He then runs over to the top rope on the other side of the ring and dives at Savage, but is caught by Savage coming down and Savage gains a near fall. Savage clotheslines Flair over the top rope and then hits a double ax handle from the top rope that sends Flair face first into the steel guardrail outside. Flair blades. Savage rams Flair into the ring steps and Flair does his famous face-first flop outside the ring.

Savage suplexes him outside the ring before tossing him back inside and hitting another double ax handle for a nearfall at 12:00. Savage then goes to the top rope and hits the flying elbow, but Hennig comes in and breaks up the three-count.

Savage chases Hennig around the ring and then in the ring, he goes after Hennig who tosses a taped object to Flair behind the ref's back. Flair wraps the taped object in his fist and as Savage turns, Flair nails him in the jaw with it. He goes for a pin but Savage kicks out at two. Flair starts choking Savage as the crowd chants "Macho." With Flair distracting the ref, Hennig hits Savage's leg with a steel chair outside. At this point, Elizabeth starts coming down to the ring as a slew of officials (which one of them is Shane McMahon) try to order her back, unsuccessfully. In the ring, Flair works over Savage's leg, which he sells, is injured from Hennig's chairshot. He puts the figure-four on Savage as Hennig gives an assist from outside. Savage is nearly pinned several times while in the figure-four, but when Hennig tries to assist a second time, the referee sees it and kicks Hennig's hand off Flair's. Savage gets an inside cradle for another nearfall. The crowd is really into the match by this point.

Flair works Savage in the corner and taunts Elizabeth. He drags Savage back to the middle where he has Savage up on one leg. Savage bocks a punch by Flair, the rolls him over, holds Flair by the tights, and scores the pin. The crowd pops huge. After the match, Flair grabs Elizabeth from behind and shouts "what about me?" before forcing a kiss on her. Elizabeth slaps at Flair and forces him back as Savage goes after Flair again. The referees spend several minutes trying to separate Flair and Savage before Flair/Hennig finally leave. Savage and Elizabeth celebrate in the ring as fireworks go off above.

Mooney interviews Flair and Hennig, and Bobby Heenan runs in as Heenan and Hennig both complain about Savage pulling the tights. Flair calls Elizabeth a "jezebel" and says Savage got lucky, saying, "you did it once, let's see you do it again." He promises that he will beat Savage and kiss Elizabeth again in the future.

Okerlund interviews Savage and Elizabeth. Savage is still selling the leg injury. Savage is intense here as he says he is not finished with Flair, that he only "got a piece" of him and next time he wants all of him.

The Coliseum Video version here has a recap of the weekend's WrestleMania Fan Festival. They show an interview with Hulk Hogan at the WrestleMania Reception, where Hogan announces that he is just "bored" and wants some time with his family, and when he finishes his next movie (which Hogan called "Rough Stuff" which I believe was the working title for what became "Mr. Nanny") he is going after the WWF Title.

(6) Tatanka pinned Rick Martel at 4:29. Before the match, members of Tatanka's Lumbee Indian tribe danced in the ring, and were finishing their dance outside the ring as the match began. Martel dominated briefly before Tatanka countered with a hip toss and slam. After a couple chops, Martel fled the ring to regroup. He came back in as Tatanka continued to work him over. Martel missed a shoulder block into the corner and his shoulder hit the ring post. Tatanka went to work on the arm. Martel countered with sort of a half-choke slam and went on the attack, tossing him over the top rope. He hit a backbreaker and went to the top rope, but Tatanka shook the ropes and Martel crotched himself. Tatanka took control with a series of chops, and then ducked his head as Martel kicked him. Martel hit a body slam and clothesline, and appeared to be in complete control when suddenly Tatanka came off with a cross body block for a pin out of nowhere.

Mooney interviews the tag champs Money Inc., with their manager Jimmy Hart. IRS says they aren't taking the Natural Disasters lightly, but they are taking them.

Okerlund interviews the Natural Disasters. After yelling that they're going to win the belts, they smack each other on the chest repeatedly.

(7) The Natural Disasters (Earthquake & Typhoon) defeated World tag team champions Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase & IRS, w/Jimmy Hart) via count-out at 8:34.
IRS and DiBiase each tag in and out before even making contact in the match, then finally DiBiase starts off with Earthquake and gets overpowered. IRS comes in and the Disasters nock both of them outside the ring. Back inside, Quake batters IRS's arm before making the tag to Typhoon, who works over IRS some more. He grabs him by the tie and rams his head into the turnbuckle 10 times. Typhoon misses a charge in the corner and DiBiase tags in. He gets a brief flurry of offense before Typhoon reverses an Irish whip in the corner. DiBiase ducks a charge by Typhoon, who does one of the worst looking over the top rope bumps you'll ever see. Money Inc. works over Typhoon while making frequent tags in and out. IRS holds Typhoon in a front face lock, as Typhoon powers him into the corner and makes the tag to Quake, but the ref misses the tag. Meanwhile DiBiase comes in without tagging and the ref allows it. DiBiase and Typhoon clothesline each other. Quake tags in and goes to work on IRS, and a moment later all four men are in the ring. Quake clotheslines DiBiase out of the ring as Typhoon splashes IRS inside. Quake starts jumping in preparation of the dreaded butt drop finisher, but Jimmy Hart sneaks in and pulls IRS outside the ring to safety. DiBiase grabs the tag belts, and in one of the lamest finishes in WrestleMania history, they simply walk away from the ring and get counted out. You could hear a pin drop during this match.

Okerlund interviews Brutus Beefcake. Okerlund mentions Beefcake having his career cut short from a boating accident, and that he and Hulk Hogan are close friends. Beefcake says Hogan has always been a giving man who holds his head high. He says he is the number-one Hulkamaniac and that Hulkamania will live forever.

(8) Owen Hart pinned Skinner at 1:08. At the start of the match, Owen did a back flip off the top rope, turned around and caught a face of tobacco juice by Skinner. Skinner dominated the whole match, hitting a shoulder breaker and getting a 2-count after a DDT before Owen pinned him out of nowhere with a reverse rollup, his only offensive move of the match.

Okerlund interviews Sid Justice with Harvey Whippleman. Sid delivers an intense promo, saying Hogan will understand one thing that he is the master and Hogan is but the learner. He promises that it will be Hogan's last match as highlights of a sitdown interview between Hogan and Vince McMahon were shown. In the interview, Hogan says he wouldn't know until he comes out of the ring if it was his last match. Vince says regardless of whether or not it's his last match, he thanks Hogan for the memories, the inspiration, and for Hulkamania. They shook hands. (A footnote: 11 years later, they would face each other at WrestleMania.) The camera cut back to Sid as he was laughing. He said he doesn't care about the memories of Hogan or any of the Hulkamaniacs. He says the only thing anyone will remember is that Said Justice was the man that ended Hulkamania.

9. Hulk Hogan defeated Sid Justice (w/Harvey Whippleman) via disqualification at 12:22. Whippleman introduces Sid after taking the microphone from Howard Finkel. The crowd pops huge for Hogan as he comes out. Sid attacks Hogan before the bell, but Hogan comes back and knocks Sid out of the ring a couple times before ripping his shirt off. Hogan's music continues to play during all this. The bell rings with Sid outside the ring. The crowd chants "Hogan" as Sid slowly steps back inside. The two have a stare down before Sid goes on the offensive with a knee lift and kick. He works over Hogan for a minute before Hogan fires back with some right hands as the crowd pops huge. He knocks Sid out of the ring.

As Sid comes back inside, he challenges Hogan to a test of strength, which Hogan reluctantly accepts. Sid dominates the test, bringing Hogan to his knees. Hogan tries a few times to fight out of it but Sid twists Hogan's fingers and walks him into the corner where he continues on the attack. Hogan reverses an Irish whip and hits a clothesline but then goes after Whippleman and Sid catches him with a choke slam. Sid spends a moment talking trash before going to work on Hogan's back. He kicks Hogan to the outside and follows him out. He stops in front of a cameraman and says "I love every second of this" before tossing Hogan back in. He applies a nerve hold similar to an Asian spike for the next 90 seconds of the match. Hogan fights back with some elbows, but Sid comes right back with a side suplex. He then calls for the power bomb, makes the sign for the Last Rites and then hits the power bomb. Heenan screams that it's over, so of course Hogan kicks out at two and begins to Hulk up.

The finish was unusual, to say the least. Hogan hits the boot to the face and leg drop, and as soon as he hits the leg drop Whippleman starts to get on the apron. Sid kicks out of the leg drop with authority at 2, and Hogan goes right after Whippleman who is now in the ring as the referee calls for the bell. He tosses Whippleman into the arms of Sid, who catches him. Hogan has Sid in the ropes when suddenly Papa Shango enters the ring and attacks Hogan from behind. Sid and Shango double up on Hogan as Sid leaves the ring to get a chair. Then, suddenly, the Ultimate Warrior's music plays and Warrior runs to the ring to a HUGE pop, the biggest of the night by far. Warrior clotheslines Shango out of the ring and shakes the ropes. Sid hits Warrior with a chair, but Warrior no-sells it and keep shaking the ropes. Hogan grabs the chair from behind and Sid slips out of the ring and leaves with Shango and Whippleman. Hogan holds up a fan's sign that says "Bring Back the Warrior" as Hogan and Warrior pose together to Hogan's music as fireworks go off inside the arena.

We suggest these recent related articles...

WWE FLASHBACK: Kane character debuts 18 yrs. ago today in first-ever Hell in a Cell match - Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

HIAC FLASHBACK: Kane beats Undertaker in HIAC match 5 yrs. ago today, plus Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for WWE Title

ROH FLASHBACK: The aftermath of Joe vs. Kobashi 10 years ago today