10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (10 Nov)

4. The Hidden Business Reason Behind Halloween Havoc 1995's Monster Trucks

Hulk Hogan The Giant Sumo
WWE Network

At WCW's Halloween Havoc 1995, Hulk Hogan and The Giant engaged in a monster truck battle atop Cobo Hall in Detroit. Neither man was actually in his designated truck; trained stunt drivers performed the segment, then Hulk and Giant worked a proper wrestling match in the main event.

The whole scheme was part of Eric Bischoff's master merchandising plan.

On 83 Weeks, he said that WCW's fascination with trucks (they'd later license out vehicles for Goldberg, Sting and others) had nothing to do with providing entertainment on a pay-per-view. Nah, it was designed to cut the company in on a lucrative toy business. If Hot Wheels would agree to manufacture mini-trucks based on WCW wrestlers and sell them in Walmart, it'd be worth a fortune.

That's the real reason behind what happened at Havoc '95. Although it didn't end up working, one can't blame Bischoff for trying something outside the box that might help WCW turn a profit. In 1995, smack bang in the middle of the cartoon era, he had to try a different approach.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.