10 Fascinating Facts About WWE WrestleMania III
Pontiac, MI played host to one of the most iconic nights of wrestling ever.
If you didn't live through the eighties, the culture of the time probably looks like anachronistic vomit coated in neon bile. Truly, you have to have a physical frame of reference to understand the appeal of poofy mall hair, a pair of Chucks, and the absolute necessity of music videos on cable television. What endures from the eighties are concepts that have been improved upon, evolved. What survives in otherwise unvarnished form is heralded as nostalgia, artifacts of a "simpler time" for folks in their forties today.
WrestleMania 3 was an event sandwiched between two noteworthy eras of Vince McMahon's WWE: the end of the Rock 'n Wrestling Era that revolutionized the entire business, and the onset of his company more deeply embracing cartoonish hues in its characterizations (even moreso than in the Mr. T/Cyndi Lauper days).
It's a testament to WrestleMania 3, held before at least 78,000 fans in Pontiac, MI, that it not only straddled the gap between two eras of WWE as deftly as it managed to, but that that endures today as more than just a mere artifact of its time. There's so little about the event that has aged negatively. When fans regard WrestleMania 3 as one of the greatest wrestling events ever, it's not with nostalgia goggles clouding their sight.
Here are a handful of tidbits about that historic night that you might not have known.
10. WWE Restricted PPV Access In The State Of Michigan
Hey, McMahon had a Silverdome to fill. With Hulk vs. Andre for the WWE Championship looming large, WrestleMania 3 was the hottest ticket around, whether you watched from home, or you attended that day in Pontiac. In fact, if you were anywhere approximate to Pontiac, and you wanted to see the show, buying a ticket was your only avenue.
That's because McMahon took the liberty of blacking out the pay-per-view throughout all of The Great Lakes State. It's not exactly a new idea; the Indianapolis 500 would black out the televised race in Indiana to try and ensure a sellout.
McMahon's plan seemed to work, as traffic was gridlocked as far as the eye could see, jam-packed with cars full of revelers desperate to see if The Hulkster could vanquish "The Eighth Wonder of the World."