20 Things You Didn't Know About WrestleMania (1985-1994)

For 32 years, WrestleMania has been home for historic high-profile matches and career-making moments that have created some of the most iconic imagery in wrestling. The sight of the legendary battle between Andre The Giant and Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III, the Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan main event that never happened, and the year-long build of The Rock vs. John Cena are just some of the moments and stories that couldn't possibly be forgotten. But there are also WrestleMania memories that WWE doesn't like to re-live. Not every WrestleMania story has been front page news. In fact, some WrestleMania anecdotes were often kept quiet, or tried to be silenced altogether, since their details were not the type of stories that WWE likes to share. These more secretive tales, in some cases, had the potential to change the course of the entire company; others were less impactful but contain interesting pieces of information that might change your perception of a particular WrestleMania. This article will take a look at 20 of those lesser known features that took place from 1985 through 1994, from the original WrestleMania through WrestleMania X. Future articles will delve into the next 22 editions of the Showcase Of The Immortals, but for now, enjoy these 20 things that you may not know about WrestleMania I through X.

20. The Event's Name Was Almost Completely Different

Believe it or not, WrestleMania was almost called something entirely different. WrestleMania was the brainchild of Vince McMahon, coming about while he was taking a rare vacation in the Caribbean. Vince visualized an event that combined elements from the entertainment world (including celebrities) with the athletic components of sports to create a mecca for sports-entertainment, a term Vince would become famous for coining. Despite Vince's vision, the branding of the show was not as sharp and Vince had originally intended to name the event 'The Colossal Tussle'. Catchy, ain't it? Thankfully, during a company meeting in 1984 Howard Finkel, the longtime WWF and WWE ring announcer, recalled the pop-culture phenomenon from the mid-1960s that was Beatlemania and suggested the event be called "WrestleMania", instead. This spectacular event would eventually become the crowning achievement of both Vince McMahon and WWE, but many fans today don't realize how much different things could have been if the "The Colossal Tussle" took place on March 31, 1985. Thank you Howard Finkel!