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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Mania Memories: Rude Awakening

Ravishing Rick
By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

Wrestlemania V of course featured the melting of the Mega Powers and BFFs Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage squared off in the main event.  Hogan (as expected) pinned Savage to become the champion again.  The heel title run of the Macho Man was short-lived.

That disappointment aside, I must say I was pleasantly surprised that "Ravishing" Rick Rude won the Intercontinental title from the Ultimate Warrior.  Rude was so confident he'd win, he wore an airbrushed version of the title on his tights.  Great stuff.  Warrior was obviously the bigger, stronger man in the match, but as Rude and his manager Bobby Heenan proved, Warrior wasn't the smarter man.  From what I remember of the match, Warrior got his foot tangled in the ropes as he tried to suplex Rude back into the ring.  Rude fell on top of him and pinned the champ.  Warrior was kicking to get out of the pin and Heenan put his hands up to protect himself.  (That's the heel commentator's version of what happened. :D)



Rude with the win!
The Rude era as IC champ didn't last very long though.  He defended the title through the summer and ended up dropping it back to Warrior at SummerSlam.  I've talked about it before, Rude is definitely one of those guys who deserved a run as world champion.  I think he was one of the 80's most overlooked and under appreciated stars.  But no one can deny that Wrestlemania V was his Wrestlemania moment.  Now, we just need him to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Look close for the booger.
There were 14 matches on the Wrestlemania V card, and a Piper's Pit segment with Brother Love and Morton Downy, Jr. Incredible to think now days.  Demolition beat their ex manager Mr. Fuji and the Powers of Pain in a handicap match that the mark in me thought Demolition would lose their titles.  Red Rooster Terry Taylor beat his former manager Bobby Heenan.  The Brain Busters beat former champs Strike Force in a match that split Tito Santana and Rick Martel a part.  And in one of the funniest moments of Wrestlemania history (as far as I'm concerned) Hacksaw Duggan and Bad News Brown fought to a double DQ.  After the match, Duggan had a huge booger and snot stuck in his mustache and Jesse Ventura nearly lost his lunch on commentary.  I don't know why, but I still laugh out loud when I watch.

What did you think of Wrestlemania V?  Share your thoughts here or on Facebook.  Thanks for reading.

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