50 Fascinating Facts About WWE in The 1980s

There was always something nonsensical about Vince McMahon banning words like 'wrestling' whilst promoting his biggest annual event: WrestleMania. WWE stars were performers who couldn't wait to perform on the grandest stage, but they definitely weren't wrestlers who couldn't wait to wrestle wrestling matches inside a wrestling ring at WrestleMania. Work that one out!

'Mania is an iconic name, but it wasn't the first name drafted up. At one stage, McMahon almost slapped a green light on the woefully uninspired "Colossal Tussle" moniker instead. It was fan favourite ring announcer Howard Finkel who pitched WrestleMania - reportedly, his brainwave was inspired by The Beatle-led 'Beatle Mania' of the 1960s.

Thank God for 'Finkus Maximus' and his love of 60s rock and roll.

It would've been perfectly fine for the WWF's commentary teams of the day to describe some of the matches taking place in Madison Square Garden as colossal tussles, but calling the entire event that? Nah, that would've sucked, and it's hard to imagine 'Mania would've gone on to become the pop culture phenomenon it did under any other name or branding.

WrestleMania I was one of the most important wrestling shows of all time, so it had to feel grand. The name everyone went with in the end rolls off the tongue, but Colossal Tussle sure doesn't. It's a clumsy name to say quickly, and even shortening it to just Tussle doesn't sound right either.

Let's hope McMahon gave Finkel a bonus for being so on the ball. He arguably saved the industry's tentpole event from being a one off.