When people talk about early WWF WrestleMania history, WrestleMania 4 is one of the strangest shows the company ever produced. For the first time ever, the event started without a reigning WWF Champion. That alone made the whole night feel different.
So how did that happen?
It all goes back to the chaos involving Hulk Hogan, André the Giant, and Ted DiBiase. Hogan was the champion, but during a controversial match with Andre, things went completely off the rails. A shady referee counted the pin for Andre after being secretly paid by DiBiase. Even stranger, Andre immediately handed the championship belt to DiBiase because the “Million Dollar Man” had essentially bought it.
The WWF president at the time, Jack Tunney, wasn’t having any of that. He declared the championship vacant and announced that the new champion would be decided at WWF WrestleMania 4 in a massive one-night tournament featuring fourteen wrestlers.
That set the stage for one of the most unusual WrestleMania cards ever.
Event Details
The show took place on March 27, 1988 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, inside the Trump Plaza complex owned by Donald Trump. Like the previous year, Trump leaned heavily into the promotion of the event.
The broadcast team for the night was the always entertaining duo of Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura, who were one of the best commentary teams wrestling ever had.
Before any wrestling began, singer Gladys Knight performed “America the Beautiful,” continuing the tradition of celebrity involvement at WrestleMania 4.
Opening Match
20-Man Battle Royale
The night kicked off with a large battle royal featuring a mix of tag team wrestlers and mid-card competitors. The winner would receive a giant trophy.
Notable names included Bret Hart, Bad News Brown, Junkyard Dog, Hillbilly Jim, and several tag team specialists from the era.
Early in the match eliminations came quickly. Wrestlers like Sam Houston and Sika were among the first to go out. Meanwhile the bizarre George Steele spent half the match wandering outside the ring like the wild character he was.
Eventually the chaos narrowed down to four competitors:
- Bret Hart
- Bad News Brown
- Junkyard Dog
- Paul Roma
Roma was tossed out first, leaving the two villains (Hart and Brown) temporarily teaming up to eliminate the fan favourite Junkyard Dog.
With the crowd behind Hart, it looked like the two might celebrate together. Instead, Brown suddenly kicked Hart in the back of the head and dumped him over the top rope to steal the victory.
Winner: Bad News Brown
Match Thoughts
The battle royal dragged for a while, but the final few minutes were fun. The ending moment between Brown and Hart was especially memorable because it hinted at Bret Hart slowly turning into a fan favourite.
Aftermath
Bad News Brown was awarded a gigantic trophy that looked almost bigger than he was.
But Bret Hart wasn’t done.
Clearly furious about being betrayed, Hart stormed back into the ring, attacked Brown, and completely smashed the trophy to pieces. The crowd loved it. Moments like that helped push the Hart Foundation toward becoming babyfaces shortly afterward.
Celebrity Moments Begin
WrestleMania in the 1980s always had celebrity appearances, and this show was no exception.
Baseball personality Bob Uecker returned from WrestleMania 3 and immediately started wandering around the arena looking for TV star Vanna White.
Another celebrity, Robin Leach, famous for the show Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, welcomed viewers to the tournament portion of the event.
Now it was time for the main attraction of the evening:
The WWF Championship Tournament.
First Round (Opening Round)
Ted DiBiase vs Hacksaw Jim Duggan
The first tournament match featured Hacksaw Jim Duggan facing the arrogant Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase.
DiBiase entered with two very important allies: his bodyguard Virgil and Andre the Giant.
Duggan used his power early on, tossing DiBiase around and firing up the crowd. It looked like Duggan might advance when he prepared his famous three-point-stance tackle.
But Andre interfered.
The giant tripped Duggan from outside the ring, allowing DiBiase to capitalize and deliver his finishing fist drop for the victory.
Winner: Ted DiBiase
Match Thoughts
Not a spectacular match, but it accomplished its job. The story was clear: DiBiase had Andre helping him, and that made him a serious threat to win the tournament.
Quick Backstage Segment
Backstage, Brutus Beefcake cut a promo while holding the giant scissors he used as part of his “Barber” gimmick. It was a bizarre but memorable character.
Later in the night he would challenge The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship.
First Round (Opening Round)
Dino Bravo vs Don Muraco
Next up was a power-versus-power contest between Dino Bravo and Don Muraco.
Both wrestlers relied heavily on strength rather than speed, which unfortunately made the match feel slow and awkward. The chemistry between them just wasn’t there.
Things ended in chaotic fashion when Muraco accidentally knocked the referee down during the action. When the official recovered, he disqualified Bravo for causing the situation.
Winner (via DQ): Don Muraco
Match Thoughts
This was rough. Two big guys with similar styles who didn’t mesh very well. The finish felt messy and unsatisfying.
At this point in the night the tournament was just getting started, and there were still many matches left.
The next part of the show would feature one of the best matches on the card when Ricky Steamboat faced Greg Valentine, plus the first appearance of Randy Savage in the tournament.
First Round (Opening Round)
Ricky Steamboat vs Greg Valentine
Next up was a match that immediately raised the in-ring quality of the show. Ricky Steamboat faced Greg Valentine, two wrestlers known for being technically solid performers.
Steamboat started fast, using his usual quickness and athleticism to frustrate Valentine early on. He scored a few quick near-falls that got the crowd interested right away.
Valentine eventually slowed things down with his trademark offense — particularly those nasty elbow shots he loved throwing. Once Valentine gained control, he worked over Steamboat methodically and tried to wear him down.
Steamboat kept fighting back though. At one point he countered a suplex attempt and began targeting Valentine’s arm, which was classic Steamboat strategy. The two traded control for several minutes with some very believable near-falls.
Valentine finally managed to apply his famous Figure Four Leglock, but Steamboat managed to escape before the damage was too severe.
Late in the match Steamboat went to the top rope and attempted his flying crossbody. Valentine cleverly rolled through the move, grabbed Steamboat’s tights for leverage, and stole the victory.
Winner: Greg Valentine
Match Thoughts
This was easily the best match of the show so far. The pacing was good, the crowd was engaged, and both wrestlers worked hard. The finish was a classic heel move too, which fit Valentine perfectly.
After the match, Steamboat argued with the referee about the finish but eventually accepted the result and greeted the crowd. It would actually be one of his last appearances in the WWF for a while before heading to other promotions.
Backstage Segment
Meanwhile, cameras cut backstage where Donald Trump was shown sitting ringside watching the event.
Another backstage interview featured The British Bulldogs alongside Koko B. Ware. The Bulldogs mentioned that their bulldog Matilda would be going after Bobby Heenan later in the night.
That storyline would become one of the stranger parts of the show.
First Round (Opening Round)
Randy Savage vs Butch Reed
The next tournament match featured the hugely popular Randy Savage taking on Butch Reed.
Savage had gained a lot of popularity since his incredible performance the previous year at WrestleMania 3, and the crowd clearly wanted to see him go deep in this tournament.
Reed used his strength early on and managed to throw Savage around for a bit. His manager Slick cheered loudly at ringside while Reed tried to keep control.
But Savage didn’t stay down long.
After a short comeback, Savage knocked Reed off the top rope and quickly climbed up himself. Moments later he delivered the move everyone in the arena was waiting for:
The Flying Elbow Drop.
Savage landed perfectly and scored the three-count.
Winner: Randy Savage
Match Thoughts
This match was short but did exactly what it needed to do. Savage looked strong and advanced in the tournament without taking too much damage.
Tournament Bracket Update
At this point the tournament bracket was starting to take shape:
- Hulk Hogan vs André the Giant
- Ted DiBiase vs Don Muraco
- Greg Valentine vs Randy Savage
There were still a couple more first-round matches left before the next stage could begin.
First Round (Opening Round)
Bam Bam Bigelow vs One Man Gang
This match featured two extremely large wrestlers: Bam Bam Bigelow and One Man Gang.
Despite his size, Bigelow was surprisingly agile and even pulled off a cartwheel early in the match, which always impressed fans.
Gang relied more on brute force. With the help of his manager Slick, he managed to slow Bigelow down.
Then came a confusing finish.
While Bigelow was recovering on the apron, Slick pulled down the top rope which caused Bigelow to tumble outside the ring. The referee started counting, and Bigelow couldn’t make it back inside before the ten count.
Winner (via count-out): One Man Gang
Match Thoughts
This finish felt awkward and rushed. Bigelow showed flashes of his athletic ability, but the match ended before anything interesting really developed.
Hulk Hogan Interview
Backstage, Hulk Hogan cut a very intense promo about facing Andre again later in the tournament.
The promo started strong, but like many Hogan interviews from that era, it eventually turned into a wild rant about earthquakes, destruction, and other over-the-top imagery. Classic Hogan energy.
First Round (Opening Round)
Jake Roberts vs Rick Rude
Next up was a match between two wrestlers who had strong personalities and unique styles: Jake Roberts and Rick Rude.
The match started slowly, with both men trying to control the pace. Roberts focused on working Rude’s arm while Rude relied on power moves and heavy strikes.
Unfortunately, the match dragged quite a bit.
Rude spent long stretches holding Roberts in chinlocks and rest holds, which drained the energy out of the crowd.
Eventually the 15-minute time limit expired before either wrestler could secure a victory.
Result: Time-limit draw
Because the match had no winner, neither wrestler advanced in the tournament.
Match Thoughts
Both men were capable of much better matches than this. Instead of building to a dramatic finish, they mostly stalled until the time limit ran out.
Tournament Situation
Because of the draw, One Man Gang received a bye into the semifinals.
That kind of weird tournament booking would become a running theme throughout the night.
At this point in the show, the tournament structure looked like this:
- Hogan vs Andre
- DiBiase vs Muraco
- Valentine vs Savage
- One Man Gang waiting in the semifinals
But before the next round began, fans were about to see the WrestleMania debut of one of the most explosive characters of the era:
The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior vs Hercules
Before the tournament continued, fans got the WrestleMania debut of The Ultimate Warrior. His opponent was Hercules Hernandez, another powerhouse wrestler.
Warrior sprinted to the ring like a man possessed, which immediately fired up the crowd. That explosive entrance quickly became one of his trademarks.
The match itself was exactly what you’d expect when two power wrestlers collide — lots of punches, clotheslines, and raw strength.
Hercules actually managed to slow Warrior down at several points, even applying a Full Nelson hold to try to keep him grounded. Warrior eventually fought out of it and the two ended up crashing to the mat in a pinning situation.
Both shoulders were down for a moment, but Warrior managed to lift his shoulder before the three-count while Hercules stayed down.
Winner: The Ultimate Warrior
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t exactly a technical classic. Warrior was still very inexperienced in the ring at this point, and it showed. Still, the crowd loved him and his popularity would only grow from here.
After the match, Hercules attacked Warrior with a chain, wrapping it around his neck. Warrior fought free and sent Hercules retreating, which gave the fans a satisfying moment.
Intermission
At this point the broadcast cut to a brief intermission filled with advertisements for WWF merchandise. Considering the show had a massive number of matches, the break was probably needed.
When the broadcast returned, it was time for the tournament’s quarterfinal round.
Quarterfinal Match
Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant
This rivalry was one of the biggest in wrestling history.
The story between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant had already headlined WrestleMania 3, but their feud continued thanks to the controversial title situation.
Andre entered the match with Ted DiBiase and Virgil at ringside.
Andre attacked Hogan immediately and used his size advantage to dominate the early moments. He hammered Hogan with chops, headbutts, and heavy strikes.
Hogan eventually fought back with punches that actually knocked the giant off his feet — something that always got a big reaction from the crowd.
But the interference soon started.
Virgil distracted the referee while DiBiase smashed Hogan in the back with a steel chair. Hogan grabbed the chair and swung it at Andre, which caused the referee to call for the bell.
Then Andre grabbed the chair himself and struck Hogan with it as well.
Result: Double Disqualification
Match Thoughts
This match wasn’t anywhere near as good as their WrestleMania 3 encounter. Andre was clearly slowing down physically by this point, and the double disqualification felt like a way to move the story forward rather than give fans a satisfying match.
The result meant neither man advanced in the tournament.
Aftermath
Even though Hogan had technically lost the match, he didn’t leave quietly.
He chased DiBiase and Virgil around the ring before returning to slam Andre one more time to send the crowd home happy from that segment.
Meanwhile, because Hogan and Andre were both eliminated, the winner of the next match would automatically advance all the way to the tournament finals.
Quarterfinal Match
Ted DiBiase vs Don Muraco
With Hogan and Andre out of the tournament, the pressure was now on Ted DiBiase and Don Muraco.
Muraco started strong, attacking DiBiase before the bell and hitting several power moves to try and finish things early.
DiBiase eventually regained control by using his intelligence rather than pure strength. He drove Muraco head-first into the turnbuckle and began wearing him down.
Muraco tried to rally with a comeback, but DiBiase countered by lifting him and dropping his throat across the top rope.
The move stunned Muraco long enough for DiBiase to score the pinfall.
Winner: Ted DiBiase
Because of the earlier double disqualification, this victory meant DiBiase skipped the semifinals entirely and advanced straight to the tournament final.
Match Thoughts
This was a very basic match, but it did its job. DiBiase looked clever and opportunistic, which fit his character perfectly.
Quarterfinal Match
Randy Savage vs Greg Valentine
Next it was time for Randy Savage to continue his run in the tournament against Greg Valentine.
Savage entered with Miss Elizabeth, while Valentine had Jimmy Hart in his corner.
Valentine once again relied heavily on his elbow attacks, repeatedly smashing Savage with them to keep him under control.
Savage eventually fought back with a burst of energy. He landed a bodyslam and followed it with a flying double axe handle from the top rope.
Valentine attempted to apply the Figure Four again, but Savage quickly countered the attempt.
Savage rolled Valentine into a small package pin and caught him completely off guard.
Winner: Randy Savage
Match Thoughts
This was a decent match but felt a little short considering how good both wrestlers were. Still, Savage advancing kept the crowd interested in the tournament.
Tournament Update
At this stage the bracket had narrowed significantly:
Final:
Ted DiBiase
Semi final:
Randy Savage vs One Man Gang
Savage would have to win one more match before reaching the final.
And considering how many matches he had already wrestled, the story now became whether Savage would simply run out of energy.
But before the semifinals happened, the show continued with more matches including:
- The Intercontinental Championship match
- A six-man tag team match involving Bobby Heenan
- The WWF Tag Team Title match
And eventually the tournament final for the WWF Championship.
Intercontinental Championship
Honky Tonk Man vs Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake
Next up was the Intercontinental Title match. Champion The Honky Tonk Man defended the belt against Brutus Beefcake.
Honky Tonk came to the ring with Jimmy Hart, while Beefcake carried the giant barber scissors that were part of his gimmick.
The match itself wasn’t exactly thrilling. Both wrestlers relied more on character work than technical wrestling, so the action stayed fairly basic. Beefcake had a few moments where he fired up the crowd, including a nice high knee strike.
Eventually Beefcake locked in a sleeper hold that had Honky Tonk completely out.
However, Jimmy Hart interfered. He climbed onto the ring apron and struck the referee with his megaphone while the official’s back was turned. That knocked the referee down.
With the referee out cold, Honky Tonk recovered while other officials tried to revive the original referee.
The chaos led to the match ending in a disqualification.
Winner: Brutus Beefcake (via DQ)
Champion still: Honky Tonk Man
Match Thoughts
The match was pretty dull overall. The most memorable moment came afterward when Beefcake chased Jimmy Hart and managed to cut some of his hair with the barber scissors.
Six-Man Tag Match
British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware vs The Islanders & Bobby Heenan
This match featured Davey Boy Smith, Dynamite Kid, and Koko B. Ware taking on Haku, Tama, and manager Bobby Heenan.
The story here revolved around the Bulldogs’ pet bulldog Matilda chasing Heenan around the arena.
Whenever Heenan entered the ring, he quickly tried to escape to avoid the dog.
The actual wrestling was fairly chaotic with all six men getting involved. At one point Koko B. Ware delivered a series of dropkicks that woke up the crowd.
Eventually the match broke down with everyone fighting in the ring.
During the chaos, The Islanders managed to place Heenan on top of Koko for the pinfall.
Winners: The Islanders & Bobby Heenan
Match Thoughts
The wrestling was forgettable, and most of the attention was focused on the comedy involving Matilda chasing Heenan.
After the match, Davey Boy Smith chased Heenan up the aisle with the bulldog, which the crowd enjoyed.
WWF Tag Team Championship
Strike Force vs Demolition
The tag titles were on the line as Rick Martel and Tito Santana (Strike Force) defended against the powerhouse team Demolition, made up of Ax and Smash.
Demolition were managed by Mr. Fuji, who spent most of the match interfering.
Strike Force controlled the early moments with speed and teamwork, but Demolition used their strength to isolate Santana and wear him down.
Eventually Martel got the hot tag and hit several dropkicks that briefly turned the tide.
However, Mr. Fuji threw his cane into the ring during the chaos. Ax grabbed it and struck Martel with it while the referee was distracted.
Moments later Martel was pinned.
Winners: Demolition – New Tag Team Champions
Match Thoughts
The match had some solid tag team action, but the finish felt overly complicated. Still, Demolition winning the titles was a big moment.
Tournament Semi-final
Randy Savage vs One Man Gang
Now it was time to determine who would face Ted DiBiase in the tournament final.
Randy Savage had already wrestled multiple matches that night, while One Man Gang had a fresher advantage.
Gang used his size and strength to dominate early, repeatedly slamming Savage and keeping him grounded.
Savage tried to fight back with speed and aerial attacks, even diving from the top rope to the outside onto Gang.
The turning point came when Slick jumped onto the ring apron to distract the referee. During the distraction, Gang grabbed Slick’s cane and struck Savage with it.
Unfortunately for Gang, the referee turned around just in time to see the attack.
Winner: Randy Savage (via disqualification)
Match Thoughts
The match itself was short and mostly built around the story that Savage was exhausted heading into the final.
After the match, Gang attacked Savage again with the cane before leaving.
WWF Championship Tournament Final
Randy Savage vs Ted DiBiase
The tournament final finally arrived.
Ted DiBiase entered first alongside André the Giant.
Randy Savage came out with Miss Elizabeth, who had supported him throughout the tournament.
Right from the start Andre interfered by tripping Savage, giving DiBiase an advantage.
Savage fought hard despite clearly being exhausted from earlier matches. DiBiase used several suplexes and attempted to finish things with the Million Dollar Dream sleeper hold.
Andre continued interfering from ringside, knocking Savage’s hand away when he reached the ropes.
At that point Elizabeth left the ring area and ran backstage.
The crowd immediately realized what was about to happen.
She returned with Hulk Hogan.
Hogan sat in Savage’s corner to neutralize Andre’s interference. The arena exploded with noise.
Later in the match, Hogan snuck into the ring while the referee was distracted and struck DiBiase with a steel chair.
Savage saw his opportunity.
He climbed to the top rope…
Hit the Flying Elbow Drop…
And pinned DiBiase.
Winner: Randy Savage
New WWF Champion
The Celebration
After the match, Hogan entered the ring and handed Savage the championship belt.
Savage celebrated with Elizabeth while the crowd cheered loudly.
One of the most memorable images from the show came when Savage lifted Elizabeth onto his shoulders while she held the championship belt high in the air.
It was a huge emotional moment that cemented Savage as the new top star in the company.
Final Thoughts on WrestleMania 4
This show ran for over three and a half hours and featured an incredible 16 matches.
That was part of the problem.
The tournament concept was interesting, but the number of matches made the show feel overly long and exhausting. Many of the matches ended with strange finishes like disqualifications or count-outs.
Still, the night had one major success: the rise of Randy Savage.
Savage wrestled four times and proved he was one of the most complete performers in wrestling at the time. His combination of in-ring skill, charisma, and character work made him the perfect choice to become champion.
Best and Worst of the Night
Best Match:
Ricky Steamboat vs Greg Valentine
Worst Match:
Bam Bam Bigelow vs One Man Gang
Most Memorable Moment:
Randy Savage winning the WWF Championship with the Flying Elbow.
Show Rating
Overall Rating: 4.75 / 10
The show had an ambitious concept but suffered from too many matches and inconsistent quality.
However, the ending — Randy Savage becoming champion — remains one of the most iconic moments in WrestleMania history.
