7 Biggest WrestleMania rises and falls from year to year
All wrestling fans know that WrestleMania is WWE's biggest PPV. We look forward every year to the moments that will be made and the memories that will last with us forever.
Who can forget the spectacle of Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III in front of more than 90,000 people in the Pontiac Silverdome? Or 'The Ultimate Challenge' between Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI? The list can go on and on.
The feeling of anticipation is not exclusive to just the fans. The superstars that perform on the show are always looking to make their mark on the Grandest Stage of Them All. For some, WrestleMania can be a platform that launches their careers to new heights. For others, those memorable moments are few and far between.
The world of professional wrestling is a perilous one. We have enough evidence to prove this point if we look back at the superstars and matches that comprise a WrestleMania card over the last 36 years.
A lot can change in 365 days. Every year, a superstar could see their position on the card, and in the company itself, change dramatically.. Here are seven stars who have had some of the biggest WrestleMania rises and falls in just one year.
WrestleMania Fall: Randy Savage
WrestleMania VIII - WrestleMania IX
Randy Savage’s career took a hard left turn between 1992 and 1993 in the then-WWF.
At WrestleMania VIII, Savage was part of the double main event and captured the WWF Championship for the second (and last) time from Ric Flair in grand fashion. The Macho Man had a six-month reign with the title before dropping it back to Flair in September of that year.
Despite this, he still managed to main event Survivor Series in November. He also played a prominent role in the 1993 Royal Rumble, being the last man eliminated by winner Yokozuna.
However, things had obviously changed by WrestleMania 9, a few months later. Savage’s role in the show was limited to that of an announcer. Worse still, he essentially played the third wheel in the booth to Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan.
Savage would not make an in-ring appearance at any pay-per-view in 1993 bar Survivor Series.
Whose idea it was to move Savage to the announcer’s table has been debated for years. Some say it was Savage’s own lack of desire to perform regularly in the ring. Others say Vince McMahon believed Savage’s worth as an in-ring performer had declined.
Savage left the company the following year and returned to full-time in-ring status in WCW.