Text By Jed Shaffer

What if...Paul Orndorff Landed First?

Part III

Our story continues as 1987 gives way to 1988. Hulk Hogan, after almost 10 months on the shelf with an injured neck, has declared his intentions to come back to the ring for Paul Orndorff's blood and the WWF Title. Standing in his way are several men: Orndorff's allies in the Brain Trust ... and another challenger in Macho Man Randy Savage, who has stepped up in Hogan's absence and shown he has what it takes to not only defeat Orndorff, but the character to be called a champion. Only one will get the opportunity, though ...

Dec. 1987-Jan. 1988:

As 1987 gives way to 1988, the chaos in the WWF surrounding the WWF Championship and the Brain Trust goes from boil to overflow. WWF Magazine runs a cover story with a triangle of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and Paul Orndorff, with the headline "Two Men, One Goal", looking into the question of whether Hogan and Savage's pursuit of Orndorff will lead to a clash that will leave Orndorff safe from both. At every chance, Heenan tries to reassure Orndorff that his erstwhile challengers will end up cancelling each other out, leaving him in the clear ... but a string of convincing victories by Savage, and a rising groundswell of support for Hogan, undercut Heenan's confidence.

In early January, it is announced that the WWF will have a prime time special called The Main Event on NBC on February 5th, and a WWF Title match is guaranteed (despite protests from Heenan and Orndorff). The announcement immediately fuels speculation about who will be awarded the coveted prize. Despite impassioned pleas from Heenan and Orndorff to name his opponent so he may properly prepare, WWF management remains steadfast in their position: a contender will be named when he is chosen, and no sooner. And because management won't name one, the two main contenders take to interviews to campaign for themselves.

In a pre-taped interview, Randy Savage offers a chilling warning; "The Main Event, February 5th, 1988. It's a big day, a very special day. That's the day that the Macho Man Randy Savage will go into the history books as the man that took down Paul Orndorff, ooh yeah! You couldn't beat me in November, you couldn't beat me fair and square at Survivor Series, and I pinned you one-two-three in December! The Macho Man has your number, Orndorff! I've got your mind, I've got your soul, and I'm coming to take your belt next! Dig it!" Savage pauses, taking off his glasses. When he speaks again, his voice is calmer ... but, somehow, scarier. "And as for Hulk Hogan ... the Macho Man respects everything you accomplished, ooh yeah. What happened to you, what Orndorff did, that was wrong. But for nine months, I've been the man taking it to Orndorff. He can't beat me, and he can't take me out! The Macho Man has earned the shot to be the World Wrestling Federation Champion, oooooooh yeah. You don't get shots handed to you just because you show up and say you want one! If you want a piece of what's left of Paul Orndorff after I get through with him, ooh yeah, you got yourself a deal. But if you think the Macho Man is gonna get outta the way for you after I worked as hard as I did to get here, you got another thing coming, Jack! And if that don't cut it, then I'll see you in the ring! Dig it!"

Within a week, Hogan issues his own message; "You know something, with some things the more they change, the more they stay the same. When I left, Paul Orndorff was a big phony, trying to step into my shoes when he wasn't good enough to step out of his own shadow. And now that I come back, and I see Paul Orndorff, he's get friends with money, big guys watching his back, and he's got the World Wrestling Federation Championship ... but I know the truth, dude. I know all about you, brother. You're running scared; scared of the largest arms in the world. Scared of the Hulkamaniacs, and scared of Hulkamania! And you know something, my Hulkamaniacs, Paul Orndorff is right to be scared. He's right to be running from me, because he called down the thunder, and now the thunder gods are angry, and they demand I take Paul Orndorff and squeeze him till he pops! But you know something else ... some things have changed. Because now, I don't just have Paul Orndorff to look out for, I got Macho Man Randy Savage. Well, let me lay it out on the line for you, Macho Man; you say you've earned your spot by workin' hard. You say the Hulkster just waltzed in here and is demanding a shot. But the fact of the matter is, the Hulkster's been workin' hard, too, dude; workin' hard to walk again, workin' hard to lift, workin' hard every day, in the gym, trying to get back what Paul Orndorff took from me: nine months of my life. So the fact is, Macho Man, the Hulkster isn't taking what's yours; the shot at Paul Orndorff belongs to Hulk Hogan. And if you got a problem, jack, then we can get it on in the ring and see whether the Madness can stand toe-to-toe with the Mania, and if you really deserve a shot at the WWF Championship. And maybe, after I beat that miserable dog Paul Orndorff and take back the WWF Title, maybe I'll ask for a match with you so we can settle this. But make no mistake, dude; I get the shot first!"

During an episode of Superstars, as Vince McMahon is scheduled to interview the Koko B. Ware, Ted DiBiase, accompanied by Virgil and Bam Bam Bigelow, storm the interview dais. McMahon demands to know what the meaning of their intrusion is, to which DiBiase responds with laughter.

"Little man, your role here is to close your mouth and hold this microphone!" DiBiase yanks the microphone, and McMahon's hand, under his mouth as he faces the camera. "I'd like to welcome my guest. He's your World Wrestling Federation Champion, Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff!"

Orndorff and Heenan come out to their usual chorus of disapproval. Everyone shakes hands, and after the pleasantries, Heenan asks why they're "out here with the humanoids".

"Well, Bobby," says DiBiase, "I've watched Superstars and Wrestling Challenge ... I've seen WWF Magazine ... I hear what people are talking about: who's getting the shot at The Main Event? Randy Savage ... or Hulk Hogan? The whole world is talking about which one's gonna get a piece of you at The Main Event, and they all act like whoever it is, it's a foregone conclusion that you're gonna lose. But I know you, Paul Orndorff; I know you're a true champion, and a superior competitor. I know you could stare down a rabid bull. I know for a fact you could beat either of those two yahoos on any given day because I've seen you do it before!" The crowd boos this minor twisting of history, but DiBiase continues undaunted. "Now, I know you could take either one of them, but you're like me; you want to do it on your time, not on the command of some idiot in a suit. So I have a solution for you. Remember how I brought in Bam Bam here to help the cause, and how I did so on the condition of a title shot? How about you grant me that title shot for The Main Event?" Heenan and Orndorff both cloud over with worry, so DiBiase quickly moves into spin control. "Listen ... you know I don't have it out for you, so you know I'm gonna play it by the rules! Worst case scenario, I beat you ... the belt stays in the Brain Trust, and I give you a rematch at WrestleMania! Best case scenario, you beat me, and you get to put off Hogan and Savage once again! It's win-win, Paul!"

Heenan and Orndorff discuss it for a moment, then enthusiastically accept the deal, sealing it with handshakes. For two weeks, the fans, and the wrestlers, of the WWF have to live with the concept of the company's two most loathsome men squaring off against each other for the company's richest prize. But two weeks after the deal, on Wrestling Challenge, Jack Tunney reads a prepared statement regarding the title match on The Main Event:

"There has been some confusion regarding the WWF Title match, and the challenger for it, scheduled for The Main Event on February 5th. WWF officials have been deluged with requests and campaigning by WWF superstars who all believe they are the most worthy contender. During our deliberations, Paul Orndorff and Ted DiBiase took it upon themselves to broker a deal for DiBiase to claim the challenger's position at The Main Event. Under no circumstances was this an action authorized by WWF management; Mr. DiBiase and Mr. Orndorff, his championship status not withstanding, are not in a position to nominate challengers and book matches on their own, and we will not honor any 'deal' these gentlemen might have reached. One day, Mr. DiBiase may be the recipient of a WWF Title shot, but it must be earned through hard work and an exemplary win-loss record, not through backdoor deals. As for Mr. Orndorff's challenger, we have weighed the top contenders--Macho Man Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan--and their claims to the spot. After weighing all factors, it has been determined that, while Hulk Hogan does have a rightful claim to a match with Paul Orndorff, his inactivity hinders his claim; consequently, the win-loss record of Randy Savage, combined with his recent success against the WWF Champion, makes him the more deserving contender and, thusly, will face Paul Orndorff on February 5th. However, we cannot ignore the enmity between Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff, and that the issues between them surround the WWF Championship; therefore, at The Main Event, Hulk Hogan will have a match with Andre The Giant. Should Hulk Hogan defeat Andre, he will be awarded a WWF Championship match against the winner of the Orndorff/Savage match at WrestleMania IV."

The Main Event--February 5, 1988:

With a third high-profile match--a return match pitting Jake Roberts against Ted DiBiase--the first prime time special on network TV for the WWF seems destined to be memorable, perhaps even historical.

And right off the bat is a memorable moment, as Randy Savage steps up to conduct an interview with Lord Alfred Hayes. Just as Hayes finishes introducing the #1 contender, and before Savage utter a single syllable, Hulk Hogan steps onto the set, eyeing Savage shoots the glare right back as Hogan approaches him, getting nose to nose with each other. After several long, tense seconds, Hogan extends a hand and mutters two words; "Good luck." Savage takes Hogan's hand, pumps it a couple times, and then just clasps it, staring at Hogan. Hogan leaves without saying another word, and before Hayes can ask Savage about the encounter, or the match later on, Savage takes off too.

Before the DiBiase/Roberts showdown can get underway, Roberts speaks with the referee and makes a request; the barring of Virgil from ringside. The referee agrees, leaving DiBiase distraught, furious and on his own against a very angry Jake Roberts. As soon as the bell rings, Roberts lives up to his nickname and strikes like a snake, knocking DiBiase silly. It's only through a rake to the eyes, after taking a pounding for six long minutes, that DiBiase is able to mount an offense, and even then, it's short-lived; Roberts counters most of what DiBiase throws at him, leaving DiBiase no choice but to run. Roberts follows DiBiase out, walking right into the trap: Bam Bam Bigelow comes roaring down the aisle like a freight train. The ref signals for a disqualification, but Bigelow and DiBiase ignore the ringing bell and drag Roberts into the ring, where he is beaten until Randy Savage runs them off with a steel chair.

While the investigation into referee Dave Hebner's activities surrounding the Survivor Series match ended up clearing him of wrongdoing, the crowd still greets him with open hostility as he prepares to officiate the Hogan/Andre match. Hogan eyes the ref with suspicion, but keeps his mind focused on toppling the massive mountain of a human being across the ring from him. Andre uses his size to overpower the Hulkster, and wisely targets Hogan's neck with clubbing forearms and wrenching the neck with vises and headlocks. Hogan has to expend valuable strength to kick out of Andre's pinfall attempts, which are made all the more difficult as, once again, the ref shows bias and counts quicker for Andre. Despite what looks to be crippling pain in his neck, and an opponent that can manhandle him at will, Hogan mounts a comeback and, in a moment that sends flashbulbs exploding, picks up and body slams Andre. But when Hogan goes for the pin after the leg drop, there is no ref to make the count; instead, he's in the corner, talking with Bobby Heenan. Hogan grabs the ref and yells at him, which prompts the ref to signal for the disqualification; the crowd comes unglued, until a second ref, that looks just like Dave Hebner slides into the ring and starts arguing with the assigned ref. Hogan, like the audience, watches the argument between the two identical men in utter confusion; Heenan watches in horror, as if he's seen a ghost. Several people from the front office come out to try and make sense of the issue, but no official announcement is made about the result of the match, and the officials, the referees and Hogan all disappear together into the back, leaving a horrified Heenan with his client to face the angry mob.

Regardless of the confusion surrounding the Hogan/Andre match, the main event goes on, captivating even the other wrestlers, who gather around monitors to watch the match. Without teammates to hide behind, Orndorff employs mind games and tries to stall Savage, but the Macho Man takes the fight to the champ, putting Orndorff on the defensive. But unlike previous times, Orndorff uses Savage's temper against him, and manages to turn the tide because of it. Several Savage comeback attempts fall flat thanks to cheating by Orndorff. But Orndorff's ego proves his undoing, as he toys with Savage too long and gives him the opportunity to stage a true comeback. Despite interference from Bobby Heenan, Savage manages to fight back and get Orndorff in position for his patented flying elbow; but, once again, Savage is denied the opportunity by Ted DiBiase, who shoves Savage off the turnbuckle while the ref is distracted by Heenan. Orndorff struggles and gets an arm over Savage, but amazingly, Savage kicks out, and kicks out again after a weak Orndorff piledriver. But Savage can't manage to kick out when DiBiase reaches in and holds his feet while Orndorff uses the ropes for leverage. Just like that, Savage's chance is stolen away, again.

In their private locker room, the Brain Trust celebrates with champagne. Gene Okerlund draws the short straw and has to interview Heenan, whose smugness is six steps beyond intolerable. "Okerlund, I told you, I told the world what they were dealing with when Paul Orndorff became champ!" he crows. "I said you were getting the most superior athlete ever to hold the WWF Title, and look at us! Look at what we got! Every challenger he's faced, he's beaten. And the suits, their big plan to destroy Paul Orndorff and the Brain Trust ... putting Mr. Wonderful in a WWF Title match tonight against Savage, and Hulk Hogan in a #1 contender's match? It fell apart! They got nothing left! They're done! Orndorff can't be sto--"

"Wait," Okerlund says, putting a hand to his ear. "I'm getting word ..." Suddenly, Okerlund's eyes almost pop out of his head. Heenan demands an answer, but Okerlund silences him with a hand. After a few more seconds, Okerlund snarls at Heenan. "You! You make me sick!"

"What? What did I do?"

"Don't hand me that! Your referee friend came clean! How you locked Dave Hebner in a closet and paid off his twin brother to replace him and throw the match for your client! Don't try and deny it, weasel; your fake referee friend confessed!" Heenan's face nearly collapses as Okerlund exposes the ruse. "Well, I'll have you know that, since WWF officials found out about your plan, they're awarding the match by disqualification to Hulk Hogan!" Heenan gulps, his skin turning white; he doesn't need Okerlund to state the obvious, but Okerlund does anyway. "Your 'champion' will face Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania IV!"

The Road To WrestleMania IV, Part 1:

The month in between The Main Event and the final Saturday Night's Main Event on March 7th brings more dire news for the Brain Trust: announced for WrestleMania IV, Randy Savage will finally get a piece of Ted DiBiase, Jake Roberts will look to take out the "Beast From The East" Bam Bam Bigelow, and Ricky Steamboat will do battle with Rick Rude. To prepare for that, the final SNME before WrestleMania is booked with teaser showdowns: Steamboat faces off against Bigelow, Rude against Roberts, and DiBiase and Paul Orndorff team up against Hulk Hogan and Savage.

All of this is just more grist for the mill in Bobby Heenan's mind, as he takes to the WWF airwaves every chance he gets--even invading the announce booth on one occasion--to decry what he sees as a vast conspiracy, stretching from the referees to the executives and everyone in between, aimed at the Brain Trust. For Rude and Bigelow, they're being saddled with athletes below their caliber; for DiBiase, management is conspiring to keep him from reaching the pinnacle of the business, all the way to putting a dangerous lunatic in his way. And for Paul Orndorff, it's the usual cries of bias and favoritism for Hulk Hogan and a conspiracy to shove Orndorff into obscurity.

Never mentioned, however, is the biggest member of the Brain Trust, Andre The Giant. On an episode of Wrestling Challenge in late February, as Heenan and his troops commandeer an interview with Lord Alfred Hayes meant for Tito Santana, Andre cuts in and addresses the oversight.

"Bobby, what about me?" he says in the middle of Heenan's list of complaints.

Heenan brushes Andre away without even looking at him. "Not now. I'm talking."

Andre puts a hand on Heenan's shoulder and turns him around. "No, now. Where's my title shot, Bobby? Where's what you promised me? Where's--"

Heenan shoves Andre's hand off. "We can talk business and what's best for the Brain Trust later, Andre. Right now, I'm busy, okay?"

Andre grabs Heenan, spins him around and lifts him off the ground by his lapels until they're nose to nose. "We will talk about it right now, Bobby Heenan! You promised me many things, and I'm tired of waiting! I--"

DiBiase tries to make Andre break his hold on Heenan; when Andre piefaces DiBiase away, Virgil tries to avenge his employer by smashing the metal briefcase over Andre's back; Andre barely even flinches. He dumps Heenan unceremoniously on his butt, reaches out, snatches the briefcase and hurls it to the arena floor, where it breaks on the hinges. The look on Andre's face is enough to send everyone leaping off the interview dais ... everyone, save for Alfred Hayes and Bobby Heenan, who is trapped with Andre standing in front of the stairs. Andre reaches down and pulls Heenan up from his position on the floor, all the way up to eye level and laughs. "Well, Bobby Heenan," Andre says with a chuckle. "are you ready to talk about your promises now?"

Heenan is so frightened, he can barely form a syllable, let alone a word or sentence. "P-p-p-put me, put me down, put me down!"

"Oh, no, I've got you right where I want you, and now you're gonna talk!"

"I can't, I can't do anything until after WrestleMania! Paul, he's booked up fighting Hogan, and he's got the tag match in a couple weeks! Why don't we--" Heenan wriggles until he's too hard to hold; Andre, again, dumps him. Heenan takes a minute to stand up, straight out his jacket and tie, clears his throat and says; "Why don't we talk about this after WrestleMania, after all this is behi--"

But Andre is down the stairs already, waving Heenan's words away without even looking back. For a moment, Heenan is paralyzed with confusion. Heenan breaks it with a shake of his head and runs after Andre, who won't even look in Heenan's direction as they disappear behind the curtain.

Saturday Night's Main Event--Mar. 7, 1988:

Right before Bam Bam Bigelow heads to the ring to face Ricky Steamboat, the Brain Trust cuts a quick interview with Gene Okerlund. Conspicuous by his absence is Andre The Giant, whom Heenan says is home in France, tending to some family business and that tonight, the Brain Trust will prevent WrestleMania from being "blighted" by Hulk Hogan and his friends when they take out the whole lot of them.

The campaign begins with Ricky Steamboat's fight against Bam Bam Bigelow. Initially, Steamboat's strategy of speed and quick strikes pays off in rattling the tattooed monster, but Bigelow manages to ground Steamboat on an aerial attack gone awry. From there, Steamboat spends the next several minutes being bounced around like a pinball as Bigelow has his way with the former Intercontinental Champ. But an attempt at a headbutt from the top rope comes up short when Steamboat rolls out of the way, giving the Dragon the time to recover and mount a comeback. But his path to victory comes to an abrupt halt when Rick Rude comes down to the ring, and while Bigelow occupies the ref, nails the Rude Awakening. Bigelow covers and gets the tainted three-count.

Ring attendants bring a plush red carpet to cover the mat in the ring, as well as two leather-backed chairs and a nice table. WWF President Jack Tunney stands at the head of the table and asks to be joined by the two men scheduled to wrestle in the main event at WrestleMania IV. Paul Orndorff comes with Bobby Heenan and Ted DiBiase alongside, while Hulk Hogan only has his wife escorting him. Once seated, Tunney addresses the two.

"Tonight, we will sign the contract to make official the main event of WrestleMania IV on March 27th," Tunney says with a fair bit of boasting in his voice. "And that will be Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff defending the World Wrestling Federation Championship against the challenger Hulk Hogan. This match is being billed as The Final Encounter, and per the stipulations of this contract, it will be just that; should you, Hulk Hogan, fail to defeat Paul Orndorff for any reason or under any circumstances, there will be no rematch. Similarly, should you, Paul Orndorff, lose the WWF Title, there will be no former champion's right of return match clause. This will truly be the final encounter between you, gentlemen, so I suggest that you do everything in your power to bring about a satisfactory conclusion to the match for yourself." Heenan pulls the contract over and urges Orndorff to sign it, which he does with great glee. As he does so, Tunney continues. "I should mention that, after considering the long history between you, and certain circumstances that have come to pass, there is an additional stipulation on the match; and that is that the piledriver shall be an illegal maneuver for the match. Mr. Orndorff, should you use it at any time, the match will end immediately, and the WWF Championship will be awarded to Hulk Hogan."

Orndorff is on his feet so quickly, his chair flies back and hits the ropes; Heenan and DiBiase are right there beside him, all yelling on top of each other at Tunney, who betrays not a hint of emotion. It is Tunney looking to his right that stops the voices; Hogan rises from his chair, holding the contract in front of him. Hogan looks right in Tunney's eyes as he turns the contract to confetti. An attendant brings Hogan a microphone when he demands one; when he speaks, Hogan's voice is calm and collected, not at all the histrionic Hulkster everyone knows.

"I didn't come here tonight to sign a contract on a match that'll give that no-good snake in the grass a reason to complain about how he didn't have it fair when I beat him from here to China," says Hogan, talking to Tunney but looking at Orndorff. "And I didn't go through weeks and months of therapy and training and workouts so I could be treated like I'm an egg about to break." Hogan stands stock still a moment, then suddenly tears his shirt off, his breathing rapid and loud. When he speaks, it is the old Hulk Hogan ... but with a twinge of anger. "I'm Hulk Hogan, not some curtain-jerker in a flea market! The largest arms in the world! Hulkamania, running wilder then ever! I trained and I went through therapy and I worked out and said my prayers and took my vitamins and did everything I had to, brother, so I could get back here, take everything that this chump, this paper tiger, could dish out, and show that his best doesn't measure up to my worst!" Hogan looks to Tunney now, who has taken a step back and looks like a deer in headlights. "So you go back to the lawyers, you go back to your little boardrooms, and you get a new contract! One that doesn't have the piledriver barred. In fact ... you get the lawyers to draw up a contract that has no holds barred!" Linda Hogan hangs on her husband's arm, begging him to reconsider, but Hogan shakes his head. "No, Linda.       There's a reason this chump, this hack, was behind me his whole career, looking at me in the spotlight; it's because he was never good enough to get in it on his own. He had to stab a buddy in the back and put him on the shelf to get a piece, and look at him; he still hasn't been able to handle it. I need to send him back where he belongs, back with all the two-bit jokes who don't have what it takes to get it done like a man!"

"Fine, you want no-holds-barred?" Heenan thrusts his hand across the table. "We can live with that! You got yourself a deal!"

Hogan takes Heenan's hand, shakes it once, then squeezes until Heenan is literally hanging on the table, his face twisted in a mask of pain. Hogan shakes hands with Tunney and stops to pose once for the crowd before leaving the ring to prepare for his match later on. Orndorff, DiBiase and Heenan watch Hogan leave, all with lips curled up in revulsion.

Rick Rude makes a beeline out of the ring when Jake Roberts comes in with Damien in his sack, but once the snake is secured in a corner, Rude shows no fear of Roberts. While Rude's no-trick-too-dirty approach is normally an advantage over your average white-clad hero, he finds Roberts, whose own moral center seems to reside in the shadows, not so easily put off. As the minutes quickly tick by and Rude finds himself more on the defensive then the offensive, he calls in reinforcements in the form of Bigelow. The ref calls for the DQ, but the plan quickly backfires anyway, as Steamboat comes charging back out and sends Rude packing for the safety of the back. Bigelow, meanwhile, makes the mistake of whipping Roberts into the ropes and going for a back body drop; Roberts grabs his head and sticks the DDT, rendering the flamed behemoth unconscious.

Even if Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan aren't excited about partnering with one another, the crowd is, and gives them a king's reception. But their tenuousness about partnering shows its effects on their in-ring work fast, as an initial flurry of offense by them gets short-circuited by Ted DiBiase and Paul Orndorff, who cut the ring in half and use lots of double-teaming. When Savage is in the ring, he is merely beaten and humiliated by both of his opponents; but when Savage manages to tag to Hogan, DiBiase and the champ target Hogan's fragile neck. Every clubbing blow, headlock or neck vice erodes the confidence in Hogan to overcome this critical handicap at WrestleMania just a little bit more. When Hogan manages to capitalize on some miscommunication between DiBiase and Orndorff and tags in Savage, the tide finally starts turning; Hogan fights off DiBiase, while Savage takes it to Orndorff, the legal man. As Hogan brawls with DiBiase on the outside, Savage manages to drop the elbow on Orndorff and scores the stunning victory for his team.

But Bobby Heenan calls out his troops, who turn the proud moment into a debacle, overwhelming Hogan and Savage and beating them into submission. Heenan tosses in a steel chair and the WWF Championship belt. DiBiase grabs the chair and presses the edge of it against the prone Savage, crushing his windpipe. When he tires of this, DiBiase drags Savage to his feet and locks on the Million Dollar Dream, refusing to break the hold even as Savage hangs in his arms, dead weight. Orndorff, meanwhile, with help from Bigelow and Rude, batter Hogan until he's limp and unable to fight back; Orndorff puts Hogan into position and, re-enacting a moment from a year prior, used the WWF Championship belt as a prop with which to piledrive Hogan into. Officials, paramedics and other WWF Superstars swarm the ring, sending the Brain Trust running, but the damage is done; Savage and Hogan are carted off on stretchers.

The Road To WrestleMania IV, Pt. 2:

For the weeks following Saturday Night's Main Event, the WWF takes an odd position regarding their two top stars and their roles in WrestleMania IV: on the one hand, every mention of the upcoming event, or a rundown of the card, still has Savage vs. DiBiase and Hogan vs. Orndorff (with the updated no-holds-barred stipulation, final-encounter stipulations) listed as happening. But commentators also readily admit on every show that there are no updates concerning the condition of Hogan or Savage. Neither is seen in any active capacity on WWF television, not even a pre-taped interview. No one will acknowledge the elephant in the room, but with every passing minute without a health update, with every moment of seeming denial by the WWF to answer questions, the elephant stampedes over the expectations of fans.

The one group of people willing to bring it up, however, is the last group the audience wants to hear from: the Brain Trust. Every week, the Trust invades interviews, tapes their own, and even sits in (uninvited) with the commentary crew, proudly proclaiming Savage and Hogan are finished. After weeks of it, coupled with the contradictory message coming from the WWF, the idea that Hogan and Savage won't be at WrestleMania IV starts to sound plausible. And with only one week to go before the event, Heenan comes out on Wrestling Challenge in an interview with Gene Okerlund to address the obvious concern if they can't show.

"Okerlund," says Heenan with a grin, "it's real simple. It's obvious the management around here is jerking you and all the other humanoids around. Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan are done. Finished. Crippled. They aren't gonna be at WrestleMania. We took care of them at Saturday Night's Main Event. We showed the world, one more time, just why men like Paul Orndorff and Ted DiBiase should be leading this company instead of being stuck on the sidelines while chumps like Savage and Hogan are sucking up all the spotlight. WrestleMania needs to be about new blood, new leadership, new faces. Men like you and Tunney can cling to your Hulksters all you want, but even the WWF can't say he'll be there. So I'm asking--no, Tunney, I'm telling you, I'm demanding you come out here right now, and do the right thing; admit to all these humanoids that Hogan and Savage won't be at WrestleMania, and make the only replacement match that makes sense: the WWF Champion Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff defending against the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase!"

Heenan and his troops all turn to the curtain, waiting. When nothing happens for a few seconds, Okerlund begins to deride Heenan's demanding Tunney come out as preposterous; Heenan tells him to shut up and wait. "Any minute now, Tunney's gonna come through and kiss my feet for saving WrestleMania with my brilliant idea!" he proclaims.

Heenan and his friends turn to the curtains again. But instead of a middle-aged man in a suit, the music of "Real American" hits, ushering in Hulk Hogan and, right alongside him, Randy Savage. Heenan's jaw hits the floor; before he can direct his troops, a third man comes through the curtain and stands behind Savage and Hogan, arms crossed, eyes wide with malicious glee. It is Andre The Giant, who claps Hogan on the shoulder; Hogan turns and shakes Andre's hand. Hogan tears his shirt off and poses, alongside Savage who poses as well, neither showing any sign of being crippled or broken. Heenan and the Brain Trust can do nothing but stare, frozen in place with fear, at their two main enemies, flanked by a former comrade-in-arms, their grand design once again undone, and all they have schemed and plotted to accomplish, now threatened to the marrow.

WrestleMania IV--March 27, 1988:

As WrestleMania IV gets underway, the four opponents for the Brain Trust, along with Andre The Giant, all converge on the backstage interview area. Gene Okerlund wastes no time in getting to the most intriguing, confusing matter at hand, and asks Andre what's going on with him and the Brain Trust.

"I made a mistake listening to that weasel, Bobby Heenan," says Andre, wringing his hands together as he talks. "He made promises and he talked big. But all I ever was to him was an obstacle he needed out of the way. Well, Bobby Heenan, tonight, I'm gonna be right in your way." Andre smiles big; their is a murderous, mad glint in his eyes. "I will be standing in that aisleway for each of these men's matches. And if your men so much as come near the ring when they shouldn't, I will wrap my hands around their throat and squeeze until their eyes pop out. And if you get near me, Bobby Heenan ..." Andre punches one Thanksgiving-turkey-sized fist into the other and laughs.

Okerlund moves on to Hogan and asks him his thoughts and if he has any last words for Paul Orndorff. "Ya know something, Mean Gene," he begins, "the time for talkin' is through! Tonight's the night that all the Hulkamaniacs all around the world have been waiting for. Tonight's the night that all my friends and all the guys here in the World Wrestling Federation who got an ounce of class have been beggin' for, brother! And that is that tonight, Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff is gonna pay for all the sins he's done, all the crimes he's committed. And when it's all said and done, and all the smoke is cleared, all the dust is settled, it's gonna be the Hulkster who stands tall as the new WWF World's Champion!" Hogan pauses, then adds, "But you know something, dude, there's one guy who ain't so happy about this. The Hulkster isn't talking about Bobby 'The Weasel' Heenan, or Mr. Megabucks Ted DiBiase, or even Jack Tunney. No, the dude who ain't happy about all this ..." Hogan turns and points a finger at Randy Savage. "It's you, brother. I know you think you deserve the title shot tonight, dude, especially after you beat Paul Orndorff again. I know you think you got the shaft, dude, and that you're bitter about me getting the shot, but I'm here to tell you, to promise you, this, brother: once I get done beatin' Paul Orndorff for the WWF Title 1-2-3 tonight, once that's done and out of the way ..." Hogan stabs a finger in Savage's chest. "I'll see to it you get the shot you deserve." Hogan offers an open hand; Savage looks at it. For a few long, tense moments, everyone holds their breath--the audience, the announcers, Gene Okerlund, even the other wrestlers around them. Finally, Savage takes the hand and shakes it wordlessly.

The first of the Brain Trust's test on the evening is Rick Rude's battle against Ricky Steamboat. While Steamboat has an edge on being more well-rounded of a competitor, Rude has something Steamboat doesn't: a willingness to break the rules. After Steamboat's initial burst of offense, Rude gets the upper hand and uses cheats whenever Steamboat begins to regain momentum. When Steamboat manages to capitalize on a mistake by Rude and nails the top rope crossbody, the crowd jumps up in anticipation of the three-count; instead, Bobby Heenan reaches in and pulls Rude's foot under the ropes, stopping the count. When Steamboat gets up to yell at Heenan, Rude gets up, grabs Steamboat from behind and nails the Rude Awakening for the three-count.

At first, Bam Bam Bigelow's face-off with Jake Roberts looks to be another victory for the Brain Trust, and a quick mop-up at that. But Roberts' refusal to lie down and occasional dip into the grey area of the rulebook to stymie Bigelow keeps the match going longer then anyone expects, and throws off Bigelow's gameplan. Time and again, Bigelow gets Roberts in a pinning combination, only for Roberts to stubbornly kick out, and that begins to wear on Bigelow's nerves. Bigelow's frustrations finally get the better of him; he rips off the turnbuckle pad in one corner and sets to whip Roberts into it. Roberts stops himself before he makes impact, then sidesteps to allow the freight train of Bigelow to crash into the exposed steel. Roberts grabs Bigelow by the head and spikes the monster with a DDT for the three-count. Heenan stands in his man's corner, jaw on the floor, but is prompted to run for the hills when Roberts reaches for the bag containing Damien.

Before Ted DiBiase can even get to the ring, Randy Savage ambushes him in the aisle. Virgil can only stand and watch, blocked by Andre The Giant, as his boss gets tossed into the guard rails and the steel steps, all still in his suit, and all before the bell rings. Once finally in the ring (and with the match now officially begun), Savage hammers on DiBiase with jabs, looking to make short work of his nemesis. But before Savage can polish him off with an elbow drop, Virgil grabs Savage's leg. Andre comes over and, when Virgil tries to use the metal briefcase as a shield, the world's largest athlete punches the briefcase itself, right into Virgil's face, knocking the manservant out cold. The distraction is enough for DiBiase to stop Savage's momentum by shaking the ropes, causing Savage to crotch himself on the turnbuckle. From there, DiBiase sketches out a methodical dissection of Savage, focusing on one of the high flyer's knees to ground him. Through the use of precision attacks and submission moves, Savage is left hobbled and limping, unable to run or climb, and certainly not to fly. But as none of DiBiase's efforts pay off with a victory, he becomes frustrated and leaves the ring. His eyes happen upon the discarded (and dented) briefcase, which he goes for ... until Andre steps on it. DiBiase forgets who he is speaking to and starts denigrating Andre. Andre just smiles as DiBiase blathers on; when he finally asks why Andre isn't bothered, Savage, from behind, wraps a camera cord around DiBiase's throat and squeezes. At four-and-three-quarters on the ref's count, DiBiase, slumped down on the ground, almost unconscious, finds the metal briefcase in front of him, grabs it and swings it up and backwards. The metal case smacks Savage right between the eyes; he immediately lets go of the cable and falls backwards, while DiBiase crumples forwards. The ref has no choice but to administer the out-of-ring count, but neither man has so much as twitched by the time the ref reaches the end, and he has no choice but to throw the contest out as a double count-out, putting the Brain Trust at 1-1-1 on the evening.

Finally, the main event, the Final Encounter, arrives; Hulk Hogan comes to the ring in the unfamiliar role of challenger, but welcomed as a conquering hero anyway. While waiting for Paul Orndorff, he converses with the assigned referee, Dave Hebner, whom has been double-checked as being both honest and the proper Hebner brother for the job. Orndorff is welcomed like a war criminal in a hostile country; when he passes by Andre, the giant smiles maliciously, making both Orndorff and Heenan back up a step. Once the match begins, Hogan presses his strength advantage over Orndorff, and even busts out some surprising technical skills. It is an unorthodox strategy (which the commentators mention), but quickly it pays off, as Orndorff, the more technical of the two, becomes frustrated quickly by Hogan's gameplan. Orndorff manages to get in some shots on Hogan, but Hogan's strength becomes more and more a problem for the champ. When Hogan's offensive tactics shift from neutralizing and humiliating the champ to pure dominance and power, Orndorff finds the first opportunity he can to bail to the floor. When Hogan gives chase, Orndorff surprises him by pulling a handful of white powder out of his trunks and blinds Hogan with it. Orndorff quickly hits a drop toehold, sending Hogan face-first into the steel steps, opening up a gash on Hogan's forehead. From there, Orndorff utilizes the no-holds-barred stipulation to his fullest extent; whether it is scraping his boot or tearing at the wound with his bare hands, blasting Hogan across the back with a steel chair, or just taking him outside and throwing him into the guard rail, Orndorff shows there is nothing too low for him to stoop to. Once Hogan is exhausted and bleeding, Orndorff sets to work punishing Hogan's neck; with every blow, Hogan winces and screams like he's being shot with a rifle. Hogan manages to reverse a piledriver attempt, but is unable to capitalize. Heenan uses the moment to slide his man the WWF Title belt, which Orndorff uses to put a dent in Hogan's bloodied forehead. With Heenan screaming from the sidelines to finish him off, Orndorff positions Hogan over the belt and sticks the piledriver picture-perfect on the title belt. The crowd is almost silent when Orndorff makes the cover ... but when Hogan kicks out with authority at 2 and rises to a knee, the audience explodes. Hogan goes through his Hulking-up motion, but Orndorff knows better then to punch; he grabs the belt again and plasters Hogan, then gets off another piledriver, only for Hogan to spring right back up before Orndorff can even cover. Orndorff tries the belt shot again, but Hogan catches it, rips it out of Orndorff's hands and tosses it aside. Hogan unloads with rights, then, when Orndorff is reeling, introduces the champ's head to the four turnbuckles, the fourth one 10 times in a row. Hogan poses for the crowd with his hand cupped to his ear, feeding the challenger their support. He points to Orndorff and makes a motion like a piledriver, which the crowd goes nuts for. Hogan nods, drags Orndorff to his feet and bounces Orndorff's head off the mat with his own finisher; then, for good measure, Hogan adds his own big leg drop across the throat. When the ref's hand hits the mat three times, the arena virtually explodes; confetti drops from the ceiling and fireworks go off. The locker room empties of friends and well-wishers, all congratulating Hogan on his victory; Andre embraces Hogan and raises his arm in the air.

But the celebration pauses when Randy Savage ends up face to face with the new champ. The crowd, the wrestlers in the ring and Hogan himself all hold their breath as Savage eyes up the new champ. Then, Savage extends a hand; Hogan wastes no time in grasping it. Savage raises Hogan's arm; another night, down the line, they will be opponents. Right now, however, there is no place for jealousy or bitterness or rivalry; the champ ... the real champ ... is back where he belongs.

The End