50 Fascinating Facts About WWE in The 1980s
17. A Crazy Plan For The 90s Was Shot Down In 1989
Get this: One of the original plans pencilled in for WrestleMania VI's 'Ultimate Challenge' was Hulk Hogan vs. Zeus. Yes, as in a sequel (of sorts - Hogan played a different character in the movie) to 'No Holds Barred'. The story called for monster heel Zeus coming for revenge 'in the real world', and the company would play that out on the biggest show of the year to kick off the 1990s.
Wait, the 90s?! This is an 80s article! Don't worry, because the plan was squashed flat right at the tail end of 1989, so it still fits snugly here. Cooler heads prevailed and everyone realised Zeus couldn’t work a lengthy singles match. Infamously, he had to be carefully guided through every single spot when teaming with Randy Savage vs. Hogan and Brutus Beefcake at SummerSlam '89.
Zeus was a rank rookie in the wrestling game, after all. The pressure on his shoulders to match up well out there with Hulk was big enough in a tag setting. Imagine how easily the guy would've folded had he been tasked with working a 20+ minute one on one vs. Hogan at WrestleMania? Hulk would've carried the match, but there's only so much one side can do.
Warrior wasn't exactly Bret Hart between the ropes, but he was more accomplished than Zeus. Hogan could carry Ultimate to something passable if the match was formatted properly. Christ only knows how much of a disaster 'Mania VI could've been had 'No Holds Barred II' taken place in Toronto instead.
Eek!