10 Things You Learn From Watching 1991 On The WWE Network
Was the shine starting to disappear from WWF by 1991?
In many ways, 1990 was arguably the last true year of 'Hulkamania'. Hulk Hogan did stick around on and off up until mid-1993, but his once almighty grip on the World Wrestling Federation was nowhere near as strong as it had been before. In 1991 though, the Hulkster was called upon to make a return to the top of the card.
As 1991 began, it was The Ultimate Warrior who sat on top as WWF Heavyweight Champion. Having defeated Hogan at WrestleMania VI the previous year, Warrior seemed destined to lead the promotion through the rest of the decade. That's a sobering thought, considering what happened less than a full year into his reign.
In '91, the WWF presented five pay-per-views. There was Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series and an extra-special This Tuesday In Texas card. Unbelievably for the time, three of those events featured WWF Title changes, as Vince McMahon sought out a winning strategy for the years ahead.
These events are available on the WWE Network, and there's a lot to glean from watching over them again. Here are ten things you can learn (complete with some interesting observations) from 1991...
10. The Rockers Went Out With A Bang
1991 was the final year that Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty teamed together as The Rockers. In early-1992, an infamous skit was shown on The Barbershop (talk show segment for Brutus Beefcake) during which Michaels hurled his former partner through a window. Before things reached boiling point, The Rockers had some of their finest matches.
At the Royal Rumble, they were called upon the open the card against The Orient Express. WWE's decision to put both teams out there first proved a shrewd one, the match was almost 20 minutes of well-paced action. It wouldn't be the last great pay-per-view opener The Rockers provided that year.
Come WrestleMania VII, the beloved pair were tearing it up again against The Barbarian and Haku in another fine effort. The Rockers weren't involved in SummerSlam, then the seeds were sown for their break up at Survivor Series.
Despite the fact they were about to go their separate ways, Michaels and Jannetty produced some of their best work right before the split. In particular, the Rumble and 'Mania matches are must-see.