WWE were able to run through much of 1987 off of the overwhelming success of WrestleMania III, but when the calendar turned to 1988 they were suddenly faced with the very daunting prospect of needing to top the year that put them firmly on top of the wrestling world. While many figured the surest path to doing so involved topping WrestleMania III with WrestleMania IV, WWE instead completely expanded the scope of their PPV operations by adding the Royal Rumble and SummerSlam to their event calendars. In the process, they created a yearly structure of major events that the company still adheres to this day. Of course, more shows means having to produce more content and here again WWE came through spectacularly by implementing some of the largest changes at the top of the card in years. It started with the company's decision to finally take the belt off of Hulk Hogan and put it on Randy Savage at WrestleMania IV and continued as the two formed the fabled Mega Powers team while slowly building towards one of the most compelling feuds that WWE ever produced. Elsewhere, The Ultimate Warrior would shock the world by ending the record Intercontinental Championship reign of The Honkey Tonk Man at SummerSlam and Demolition would begin a record run of their own after winning the Tag Titles from Strike Force at 'Mania IV. It was risky business changing up all of your champions in 1980s pro wrestling, but WWE made all the right calls and soon each of those men would become the hottest acts in the company. The company would certainly top themselves in 1988, but ironically they would do it with everything but the bigger WrestleMania everyone was sure they needed.
