10 Times WrestleMania Genuinely Surprised Us
6. Ultimate Warrior Returns
That WrestleMania VIII’s main event was an all-time dud didn’t surprise many. Hogan had lost his lustre, Sid was Sid, and the DQ finish was omni-botched.
Presumably preempting this shoddy finale, a memorable coda was welded onto the end: after Papa Shango (eventually) appeared to attack the Hulkster, a returning Ultimate Warrior stormed the ring, cleared house, and ended the show on a positive note alongside his one–time WrestleMania foe.
The moment Warrior’s music hits might be his defining moment as a performer, and his intensity (sorely lacking in Shango’s tardy turn-up) sprinting down the ramp goes some way to repairing the damage done by the godawful main event. Fans were so shocked that many chose to believe this was a new Warrior, the original version having died.
Behind the scenes, though, Warrior’s comeback was even more surprising. The previous SummerSlam, he had held the company up for money he felt due. With the main event in jeopardy, Vince paid, but quickly fired one of his major stars in spicy fashion. It’s surprising McMahon reached out, but it was the only salvation of this match, and a decision he never, ever regretted for about seven months when he fired Warrior again.