1. Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior (Halloween Havoc 1998)
The April 1990 win by Ultimate Warrior over Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI was shocking for a number of reasons. The first being the fact that Hogan has been the premiere star in the World Wrestling Federation for over five years, a pop culture phenomenon. No one had even come close to being as popular as the Hulkster was, at least until Warrior found himself on the receiving end of a sizable push. The face-painted star was the greatest threat to Hogan's dominance and his win at the Showcase of the Immortals seemed to signal a passing of the torch, so to speak. Secondly, it was the first time in six years that Hogan was pinned cleanly, without any sort of hijinx contributing to the loss. Warrior beat the biggest star in the industry in the center of the ring, earning his championship reign. That defeat haunted Hogan. It was the one loss he had never avenged. When World Championship Wrestling threw a boatload of money at Warrior to join the promotion in 1998, that opportunity presented itself for the first time in nearly a decade. At Halloween Havoc that October, the two biggest babyfaces of the early 1990s squared off in one of the most anticipated bouts of the year. And the wrestling industry proceeded to sit back and watch embarrassed as two competitors clearly past their primes engaged in one of the most shameful matches ever. Everything from the moment the bell rang was an abomination, including a botched fireball spot that perfectly sums up the general crappy nature of the entire bout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_onsAu6SZH8 Hogan got his win back and Warrior disappeared from the squared circle for good afterward. In the years that proceeded the contest, both men involved admitted their shame over the match, cementing its legacy as the worst "epic" rematch in wrestling history.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
