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

11. WrestleMania VI - Original Main Event Plans Featured Zeus & Mr. Perfect

Back in the 90s when the company utilized more long-term booking, the WrestleMania main event was sometimes penciled in as far back as the day after the prior year's WrestleMania. Obviously, this didn't always happen and even when it did, sometimes changes to the booking plans were made, such as the following year at WrestleMania VII, but more on that later. Shortly after WrestleMania V, plans were tentatively made to have Hulk Hogan wrestle Tiny "Zeus" Lister at WrestleMania VI as a way to capitalize on the hopeful box office success of the Vince McMahon produced No Holds Barred film. When it become clear that the film would flop in a major way, plans for Mania had to be changed and Mr. Perfect was then slotted into the WrestleMania main event heel spot. To help build the undefeated Mr. Perfect, McMahon booked the real-life Curt Hennig to win the 1990 Royal Rumble - until Hogan got to the Orlando Arena that day and had the plans changed, making himself the winner. When fan reaction exploded during the '90 Rumble's one-minute spot where Hogan and Warrior squared off alone in the ring, the previously potential match between the two champions became cemented and locked in as the WrestleMania VI main event. Fallout from the No Holds Barred disaster, including the strain it put on Vince and Hulk's relationship, were just a couple of factors that contributed to the positioning of Ultimate Warrior as the heir apparent to Hogan's throne. Plans with Zeus had already been scrapped dating back to the Fall, and Mr. Perfect just fell victim to the rise of The Ultimate Warrior.