We've knocked out the first section of WrestleMania Flashbacks, and we continue by going to the Hoosier Dome for WrestleMania VIII. Bret Hart and Roddy Piper declared war on each other and there was a classic encounter between the "Macho Man" and the "Nature Boy."
By the time WrestleMania VIII rolled around, Bret "Hitman" Hart had struck out on a singles career and had earned himself a shot at then-Intercontinental Champion "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Having never faced off before for the title, the two had a bit of a heated exchange prior to the match in an interview with Gene Okerlund.
Regardless of the respect the two may have had for each other, tempers in the match flared up very quickly. When Piper spit on Hart minutes into the match, it set the tone for how things would be. During the match, Piper even busted Hart open. They beat each other senseless in a vicious battle. But it would be Hart getting the victory, when he countered a sleeper hold in the corner and victory rolled Piper for the win. After the match, the two embraced as Bret celebrated as a two-time Intercontinental Champion.
In the months leading up to WrestleMania VIII, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair captured the WWF Championship by winning the 1992 Royal Rumble match. Hot on his heels in the title picture was former champion "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and the two were set to collide at the Hoosier Dome for the gold.
Savage wasted no time in starting the match, going after Flair before the bell. He went through the match almost possessed to reclaim the WWF Championship. At one point in the match, Mr. Perfect (who was in Flair's corner) pulled Flair out of a pin attempt after Savage hit his top rope elbow drop. Enraged, Savage went after Perfect. It was enough to allow Flair to grab an illegal object and hit Savage with it. Flair then distracted the ref so Perfect could get a chair and hit Savage in the knee.
Amidst all the action, Miss Elizabeth stormed to the ring in anger of what was happeneing. Several WWF official pleaded with her to return to the back, but she refused and remained in Savage's corner. Meanwhile, Flair had applied the Figure Four leglock on Savage, doing more damage. But Savaged shocked Flair when he countered a punch and rolled him up to claim the WWF Championship.
Flair regained the title later in the year, but departed for WCW when he lost the title to Hart at a non-televised event in October.
MATCH RESULTS:
- DARK MATCH: The Bushwhackers def. The Beverly Brothers
- Shawn Michaels (with Sensational Sherri) def. El Matador
- The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) def. Jake Roberts
- Bret Hart def. Roddy Piper to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship
- Big Boss Man, Virgil, Sgt. Slaughter, and Jim Duggan def. The Nasty Boys, Repo Man, and The Mountie (with Jimmy Hart) in an 8-man tag team match.
- Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) def. Ric Flair to win the WWF Championship
- Tatanka def. Rick Martel
- The Natural Disasters defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Money Inc. by count-out. Money Inc retains titles.
- Owen Hart def. Skinner
- Hulk Hogan def. Sid Justice (with Harvey Wippleman) by disqualification
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