1988 was the year Hulk Hogan offered to save Donald Trump from drowning, men bled to try and win a bronze cowboy boot and badly booked tournaments were all the rage. It was also the year Hulk Hogan lost a match, Randy Savage became the champion, Sting became a star and the NWA became WCW.
From the author of "1991: The Year in Pro Wrestling" comes the obvious sequel - 1988!
Corporate takeovers, new superstars, wrestlers not getting paid and Dusty Rhodes being the centre of the universe. 1988 was one of the most interesting, momentous and depressing years in the history of the business.
In this book I'm going to tell the story of the year through every PPV, Clash and Saturday Night's Main Event broadcast (as well as infamous disasters like the AWA's Super Clash III). The matches, the angles, the interviews and the talent - it's all here along with a healthy dose of humour. What would the ultimate 1988 super card look like? Were there 10 good matches on TV all year?
Forget star ratings - this is a lapsed fan enjoying some frequently awful pro wrestling and gaining a new understanding of a year where new faces ostensibly dominated television but behind the scenes nothing had changed.
Should Lex Luger have been NWA champion?
Would a Dusty heel turn have been a success?
Who wrestled for all three major companies in the year (but with very little fanfare)?
What was the greatest gimmick match that never happened?
1988 was a year of firsts - the first Royal Rumble, the first Clash of the Champions, the first SummerSlam and the first live prime time special. It was also the last year Dusty Rhodes booked himself as the bull of the woods, the last time a steel cage battle royal headlined a pay per view and the last time Terry Taylor had an ounce of credibility in the business.
From the author of "1991: The Year in Pro Wrestling" comes the obvious sequel - 1988!
Corporate takeovers, new superstars, wrestlers not getting paid and Dusty Rhodes being the centre of the universe. 1988 was one of the most interesting, momentous and depressing years in the history of the business.
In this book I'm going to tell the story of the year through every PPV, Clash and Saturday Night's Main Event broadcast (as well as infamous disasters like the AWA's Super Clash III). The matches, the angles, the interviews and the talent - it's all here along with a healthy dose of humour. What would the ultimate 1988 super card look like? Were there 10 good matches on TV all year?
Forget star ratings - this is a lapsed fan enjoying some frequently awful pro wrestling and gaining a new understanding of a year where new faces ostensibly dominated television but behind the scenes nothing had changed.
Should Lex Luger have been NWA champion?
Would a Dusty heel turn have been a success?
Who wrestled for all three major companies in the year (but with very little fanfare)?
What was the greatest gimmick match that never happened?
1988 was a year of firsts - the first Royal Rumble, the first Clash of the Champions, the first SummerSlam and the first live prime time special. It was also the last year Dusty Rhodes booked himself as the bull of the woods, the last time a steel cage battle royal headlined a pay per view and the last time Terry Taylor had an ounce of credibility in the business.
