1. WWF Intercontinental Championship (1988): Honky Tonk Man (c) vs. Ultimate Warrior
Use whatever cliché you want, but this much is certain: Timing is everything in creating a perfect moment. And on August 29, 1988, all the stars ALIGNED. Consider:
Honky Tonk Man basically had backed into an Intercontinental Championship reign, as he happened to be wrestling Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat on the night they decided to take the belt off him. He wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a transitional champ, but through circumstance, he continued to hold onto the title for nearly 15 months. After a while, Honky’s title defenses became a major draw on THE HOUSE show circuit, with HTM and manager Jimmy Hart looking for any way possible to keep the belt around his waist: count-outs, disqualifications and other nefarious means. It worked against every other challenger up and down the card.
Ultimate Warrior had debuted in WWF 10 months earlier, captivating audiences with his high-octane performances, running roughshod over jobbers and lower-card wrestlers. (Think Goldberg in facepaint with tassels.) He was quickly becoming a major star in WWF, but he needed some direction in his career.
via www.whatculture.com
0 comments: