One MIND-BLOWING Secret From EVERY WWE WrestleMania
34. WrestleMania 8 | A Rumoured Special Guest Referee
In 1985, the WWF was a riot of a fad that many celebrities enjoyed, if only for the schlock of it all. Some of them obviously enjoyed being paid to be a part of it.
By 1992, the WWF was a very different place. The increasingly unpopular brand was becoming toxic; by February, the St. Louis police department had raided the locker room on suspicion of illegal drug possession. WrestleMania 8 was a virtual celeb-free affair, outside of Reba McEntire singing the Star-Spangled Banner, and it’s little wonder. It was hardly a great public relations opportunity, was it?
This almost wasn’t the case. Vince wanted more celebrity involvement originally.
In the February 24, 1992 Observer, Dave Meltzer reported that sources at Top Rank boxing, operated by Bob Arum, claimed that boxing legend George Foreman had received an offer to be the special guest referee for the main event. Arum was apparently happy for Foreman to get the payday, but Foreman wasn’t interested. He was in the midst of a late-career renaissance. That, or he was worried Hulk Hogan was going to batter him for stealing his endorsement deal two years before it was struck.
Discussions then turned to Lou Ferrigno, star of the Incredible Hulk, which was probably more realistic. Ferrigno was on the downswing - his TV movies weren’t drawing - but there was an obvious narrative “in”.
Sid spent much of the WrestleMania 8 build accusing President Jack Tunney of corrupt, “bogus” acts. Installing a guy also sort of named ‘Hulk’ as ref might have further incensed Sid. The television would have been gold. Obviously, that never ended up happening, either.