10 Fascinating WWE WrestleMania 13 Facts
7. Ken Shamrock Turned Down IWGP Championship Match To Sign With WWE
The ECW-themed episode of Monday Night Raw in February 1997 was notable for, well, ECW's threading presence, as well as the surprise return of the Legion of Doom. What's sometimes lost in the shuffle is that on that night, Ken Shamrock made his first WWE appearance. He had just signed a lucrative three-year contract with the company earlier that day, spurning another major opportunity in doing so.
Five days before Shamrock, who would referee the famed WrestleMania 13 submission match, signed his hearty deal, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that the former UFC Superfight champ would be challenging Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight crown at the Tokyo Dome in April.
Shamrock hadn't officially signed his deal to appear at the Tokyo Dome card (but had agreed in principle), thus WWE was able to swoop in and sign away the renowned grappler. WWE hadn't entirely shed its cartoonish elements at this point in history, so the addition of Shamrock gave the company a necessary dose of credibility and gritty reality.