10 Fascinating WWE WrestleMania 12 Facts
9. Vader Was Forced Back Early While Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
WCW cut the beastly Vader loose in September 1995 following an altercation with Paul Orndorff. The monster had a credible reputation in the eyes of fans, and his overall presence made him a natural hire for McMahon in early-1996. Before debuting in the 1996 Rumble match, Vader had made it clear to McMahon that he needed shoulder surgery. "The Mastadon" was permitted to take time off after filming a suspension angle, in which he assaulted President Gorilla Monsoon.
After having the surgery, Vader was confident that he would have many months off to properly heal before his grand return. That all changed when McMahon called him weeks after the surgery, saying that he needed Vader to work with Yokozuna at WrestleMania, an order that infuriated Vader immensely. The match ended up turning into a six-man tag, but Vader was indeed back on the road, long before he should've been.