5 Game Changing WWE Moments That Just Lead To Business As Usual

2. World Champion vs World Champion €“ Or So We Thought

The Moment: In the 80's wrestling reached heights not seen since the advent of TV in the 50s. Leading the way were the World Champion's of the two biggest wrestling promotions in the US; Hulk Hogan with the WWE, and Ric Flair with the NWA. While both World Champs were in the field of pro-wrestling, the two men couldn't have been more different. Hulk Hogan told the children of the World to train, say their prayers, and take your vitamins, while Ric Flair told the men of the world to party, say they weren't married, and take your Kamikazes. Hulk Hogan was all about quick, dominating matches that were far more about theatrics than sport, while Ric Flair was touted as the greatest technical wrestler of the decade, and soon, of all time. The WWE was flash & pizazz served as family entertainment, and the NWA was old school, bloody, all-out pro-wrestling. Everything surrounding those 2 belts couldn't have been more different, and all fans could do was talk about what if? What if Hulk Hogan, the leader of the new school of sports-entertainment, and Ric Flair, the man preserving the prestige and integrity of pro-wrestling, were to clash? Who would win? How great would the match be? However, just as when people discuss what would happen if Mike Tyson fought Muhamid Ali, the fans knew it would remain in the world of fiction. That is until a series of events lead to the impossible happening: Ric Flair was now in the WWF. Not only that, he'd left the NWA undefeated, as the World Heavyweight Champion, and HAD THE BELT. It was a gift from the wrestling Gods. With WrestleMania 8 on the horizon, this was like not only winning the lotto, but having someone pre-scratch the ticket for you. The Aftermath:

Naturally, the NWA sued the WWF and they were no longer allowed to use the belt on TV, which was fine. Ric Flair was still the champion. After feuding with Roddy Piper in order to get him established, he went on to win what is known as the greatest Royal Rumble ever, in the year 1992, and capture the World Wrestling Federation Championship. Here he was, the NWA champion, holding what was then known as Hulk Hogan's title, and WrestleMania 8 was 3 months away. With a tear in our eye, this was it! The biggest match of all time and we were gonna get it! After all the fan & magazine speculation, here it came! We're gonna get it! Sid Justice vs Hulk Hogan! Ric Flair vs Randy €œMacho Man€ Savage!....wait. Yup, after all this time, after having the single biggest money-making match pre-packaged and dropped in the lap of Vince McMahon, he decided to give the people the matches they weren't asking for. You may ask yourself why, and from what's been reported it seems that Vince thought it wouldn't sell due to the fact that house shows with Flair vs Hogan as the head-liner didn't do too well. Ridiculous as it seems, but that's the reason. Flair dropped the strap to Macho, and was gone from the company before WrestleMania 9. When Hulk Hogan signed to WCW in 1994, they realized what they had and immediately signed Hogan vs Flair at Bash at the Beach for the title, right out of the gate. It of course did ridiculous, record-setting numbers, even when both men were considered past their prime.