WrestleMania IV

WrestleMania IV took place on March 27, 1988, at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. The main event was a tournament for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship. That day wrestling fans attention was divided because of a free event Jim Crockett ran against the Pay Per View.

The WWF created The Survivor Series and The Royal Rumble to disrupt Jim Crockett's first two PPV shows. As revenge, he scheduled the first Clash of Champions to air live on TBS against WrestleMania IV. That show was famous for the Sting vs Ric Flair 45 minute draw. That match turned Sting into a superstar.

In the fall of 87, Randy Savage was feuding with The Honky Tonk Man over the I-C title. During a match on SNME, The Honky Tonk Man, with the help of the Hart Foundation, threw Miss Elizabeth to the ground. She ran to the back to get help. She came back with Hulk Hogan. After the match, Hulk and Randy shaked hands and became friends.

”The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase entered the WWF in the summer of 87 telling people he could buy whatever he wanted because every man has his price. He attempted to purchase the WWF Championship from Hulk Hogan but found out that he could not buy Hulk Hogan. He then bought the next best thing, the contract of Andre the Giant.

Andre and Hulk had their rematch live on NBC in the most watched match in wrestling history. Ted DiBiase bought off the referee (actually the twin of the referee) and Andre won the match. Andre then relinquished the title and gave it to Ted DiBiase. President Jack Tunny declared the title vacant since the title could not be sold.

Hulk and Andre had first round byes and were guaranteed to meet up in the second round. That match ended in a double DQ. Randy and Ted fought in the finals. Ted had Andre and his servant Virgil in his corner. Savage had Elizabeth go to the back to get Hulk. The match ended when Hulk hit DiBiase with a chair and Randy then hit the elbow off the top rope to become champion.

Jim Crockett was forced to sell his company to Ted Turner a few months later. However in his feud with Vince McMahon he won the battle on 3/27/88. More people saw Sting vs Ric Flair than saw “The Macho Man” win the WWF Championship. In addition, anyone that saw both shows would have to agree that the Clash was the superior program on that night.

- Due to a timing snafu, the WWF Magazine came out a few days before the show and stated on the cover that Savage had won the tournament.
- Bret Hart had a face turn. He would be a good guy for the next 8 years.
- This is the first WrestleMania not to finish with a Hulk Hogan match.
- Donald Trump sat ring side for this event. He would be at ringside for 3 other events.

Clash of Champions
TV Title (Amateur Rules): Champ Mike Rotunda beat Jimmy Garvin
US Tag Team Titles: Champs The Midnight Express beat The Fantastics by DQ
Barbed Wire Match: The Road Warriors & Dusty Rhodes beat The Powers of Pain & Ivan Koloff
NWA Tag Team Championship: Lex Luger & Barry Windham defeated Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard to win the titles
NWA World Championship: Champ Ric Flair vs Sting battled to a time limit draw

WrestleMania IV
Tournament Round 1:
Ted DiBiase pinned Jim Duggan
- Don Muraco beat Dino Bravo via DQ
- Greg Valentine pinned Ricky Steamboat
- Randy Savage pinned Butch Reed
- One Man Gang beat Bam Bam Bigelow via count out
- Rick Rude and Jake Roberts battled to a draw, eliminating both men
Quarterfinals
- Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant fought to a double-DQ, eliminating both men
- Ted DiBiase pinned Don Muraco
- Randy Savage pinned Greg Valentine
Semifinal
- Randy Savage pinned One Man Gang
Final
- Randy Savage pinned Ted DiBiase to become new WWF Champion
Non-tournament Matches
- Bad News Brown won a battle royal by last eliminating Bret Hart
- The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hercules Hernandez
- I-C Title: Brutus Beefcake beat The Honky Tonk Man via DQ, HTM keeps the title
- The Islanders & Bobby Heenan beat The British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware
- Tag Team Title: Demolition beat Rick Martel & Tito Santana to win the tag team titles