50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE WrestleMania
46. V Featured The First Top Tier Main Event
Get this: 'Mania V marked the first time someone dethroned the WWF Champion to win the belt on the biggest night of the calendar year. Hulk Hogan beat Randy Savage (who had won the aforementioned tournament at IV) to emerge victorious. This was also the first headliner with any bell to bell value. Yep, Hulk vs. Bundy in the cage had merit, but it wasn't exactly racking up the stars.
Hogan vs. Andre was a blockbuster perfect for posters, and Savage vs. DiBiase had clicked in-ring, but 'Mania V's main event upped the quality significantly on previous pay-per-views. Randy's rejuvenated work as a heel can take some of the credit for that, and so can the hysteria still surrounding Hulkamania in 1989. There was also a lot of heartbreak surrounding the breakup of Hulk and Randy as the Mega-Powers, so people were eager to see them collide in a money match ASAP.
Throw in Miss Elizabeth as extra garnish on this delectable WWF meal and you had a recipe for cold hard cash rushing through company tills. Not much else of note bothered the main in terms of standards, although you might squeeze some thrills out of Demolition vs. Powers Of Pain with Mr. Fuji in tow and Rick Rude vs. The Ultimate Warrior on the undercard. This was largely a one match pay-per-view.
What a match it was, to be fair. Not even the familiar, washed-out look of the Convention Hall in Atlantic City ("Trump Plaza") could harsh the buzz. WWF mega-fans knew the promotion would have a job on its hands improving on this in coming years. Shockingly, they did, but that's up for debate too.