On April 19 and 20, WWE will host its largest event, WrestleMania, in Las Vegas for the second time. The inaugural event, WrestleMania IX in 1993, is notorious for one of the most controversial endings in the history of the event. An exclusive trailer for Peacock’s WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle features WWE Hall of Famers Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan discussing this disputed conclusion.
For those who may not recall, Hogan — WWE’s standout star during the 1980s and early 90s — left WWE after WrestleMania VIII but made his return just ahead of WrestleMania IX. During his absence, Bret Hart captured his first WWE championship, which he successfully defended until WrestleMania IX, where he faced Yokozuna, the winner of the Royal Rumble.
In the trailer, Hart reminisced about being informed that Hogan’s return would not concern him or the championship. “When Hulk Hogan surfaced, I was told that he was only there to promote a movie and had nothing to do with the world title — and for me not to worry about him at all.” Hogan recounted his perspective, acknowledging that while he was aware the company was focusing on other talents, he felt the need for a star power boost was crucial. “I was very aware that they were pushing other talent… but perception’s reality. They’d worked all year to get Bret and Yoko in that position, and once they did, they realized they didn’t have that hot sauce they needed for box office buzz.”
“When I came in, I remember several pieces of talent saying, ‘Hogan, be careful champ. Things have changed around here.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t think so.’
Hulk Hogan talks about the WrestleMania IX finish in this exclusive trailer for “WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle.” pic.twitter.com/1cERjniuZB
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 11, 2025
Despite not being involved in the main match or storyline, Hogan walked away from WrestleMania IX as the champion. During the final moments of Hart’s match with Yokozuna, Hart locked in the sharpshooter, his finishing move. However, Yoko’s manager, Mr. Fuji, threw salt into Hart’s eyes, temporarily blinding him and allowing Yokozuna to pin Hart and win the championship.
It seemed Yokozuna would become the first heel to leave WrestleMania as champion. Yet, after competing in a tag match earlier that night, Hogan returned to ringside to check on Hart. Mr. Fuji then challenged Hogan to face Yokozuna in an unscheduled title defense, which Hogan accepted. Yokozuna attempted to use the same salt tactic again, but Hogan dodged, causing Yokozuna to be blinded instead. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Hogan delivered a clothesline and secured victory with his signature leg drop, earning his fifth championship.
Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan have both extensively discussed the decisions made regarding Hogan’s championship win. It will be intriguing to see if either of them, or any others, provide fresh perspectives on the event.
