10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 1993 Facts

3. It Marked The End Of Mean Gene's Long WWE Run

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WWE

SummerSlam 1993 wasn't just the swan song for Ted Dibiase. Mean Gene Okerlund, wrestling's most prolific interviewer, and one of its most identifiable non-wrestlers, finished up with the promotion after more than nine years of bringing gravitas to WWE's insanity.

Okerlund would say years later that he would've been happy to re-sign with the company, but was never actually offered a new contract. He does say he left on good terms, before quickly ending up in WCW. At Fall Brawl held three weeks later, Jesse Ventura gave a not-so-subtle hint that Okerlund's arrival was imminent.

As for SummerSlam itself, the company debuted new interviewer Joe Fowler, a shrill Dave Coulier-lookalike who made Todd Pettengill sound like Dick Cavett. Jim Cornette got in the best line of the night at Fowler just before the main event, when he retorted, "I'll tell you the biggest surprise: your employment!" Fowler didn't last in WWE, and later became a fixture as the host of infomercials and home shopping broadcasts.

Contributor
Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.