10 Wrestlers Who Didn't Turn Up For WrestleMania
3. Hulk Hogan - WrestleMania 6
Hulk Hogan had one job to do at WrestleMania VI: Ensure that his replacement as top star, the Ultimate Warrior, emerged from their match as the definitive victor. He both exceeded his remit and disregarded it altogether.
Their match, inconceivably, was one of only a handful of very good matches Warrior had throughout his entire career. Carried in part by its almost tangible heat, its novel babyface versus babyface mode of psychology, and primary objective, meant that Hogan was unable to fall back on his tiresome and predictable formula. Hogan's performance within the match's 22:51 duration was refreshing (by cynical design) - but his behaviour in its aftermath was a politicking masterclass.
As soon as the referee's hand struck the mat for a third time, Hogan jumped up in the air, daisy-fresh. He looked up to the heavens with an expression of shock, as if God himself had failed him. After finally reconciling the loss of his WWF Heavyweight Title, Hogan adopted the bigger man act and paraded Warrior around the ring like the good sport he is.
Hulk had torpedoed the mission. After the match, the focus was on his brilliant in-ring performance and his all-round swell guy act. Warrior was inconsequential to his own moment.