WWE SummerSlam 2014: 8 Worst Booking Decisions in PPV's History
In 1990, The Ultimate Warrior defeated Hulk Hogan
to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. It should have been the
passing-of-the-torch moment that would help create a new star to carry
the company into the next decade. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
As popular as the Warrior was, and as underrated as he was despite garnering a reputation that states otherwise, there was an emotional connection between fans and Hogan that could not be replicated—no matter how hard Vince McMahon and his marketing machine tried.
When Hogan was put out of action following a brutal assault at the hands of the massive Earthquake, fans had a feud they could invest themselves in. They were terribly concerned for the health and well-being of the former champion. Letters and cards flooded WWE headquarters, as questions emerged regarding the iconic performer's future in wrestling.
While all of that was going on, Warrior was stuck defending his title against "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Mr. Perfect and Rick Rude in feuds that were clearly seen as secondary to the headline program between Hogan and Earthquake. That resulted in a lackluster title reign for the popular powerhouse.
At SummerSlam, it would become readily apparent which feud fans saw as the most important in WWE.
Hulk Hogan vs. Earthquake drew the loudest reaction of the evening, proving that fans cared far more about the personal vendetta that had intensified between the two wrestlers in the weeks leading up to the show than they did for the ice-cold feud between Warrior and Rude, which had been seen countless times just one year earlier.
The decision to book Warrior and Rude at the top of the card only proved detrimental to the legitimacy of both men as valid main event performers. It exposed that fans cared far less about the issues between Warrior and Rude than they did about those between Hogan and Earthquake and, at the same time, proved that the Hulkster would forever be the top dog in professional wrestling.
As popular as the Warrior was, and as underrated as he was despite garnering a reputation that states otherwise, there was an emotional connection between fans and Hogan that could not be replicated—no matter how hard Vince McMahon and his marketing machine tried.
When Hogan was put out of action following a brutal assault at the hands of the massive Earthquake, fans had a feud they could invest themselves in. They were terribly concerned for the health and well-being of the former champion. Letters and cards flooded WWE headquarters, as questions emerged regarding the iconic performer's future in wrestling.
While all of that was going on, Warrior was stuck defending his title against "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Mr. Perfect and Rick Rude in feuds that were clearly seen as secondary to the headline program between Hogan and Earthquake. That resulted in a lackluster title reign for the popular powerhouse.
At SummerSlam, it would become readily apparent which feud fans saw as the most important in WWE.
Hulk Hogan vs. Earthquake drew the loudest reaction of the evening, proving that fans cared far more about the personal vendetta that had intensified between the two wrestlers in the weeks leading up to the show than they did for the ice-cold feud between Warrior and Rude, which had been seen countless times just one year earlier.
The decision to book Warrior and Rude at the top of the card only proved detrimental to the legitimacy of both men as valid main event performers. It exposed that fans cared far less about the issues between Warrior and Rude than they did about those between Hogan and Earthquake and, at the same time, proved that the Hulkster would forever be the top dog in professional wrestling.
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