10 shocking moments from WWF (WWE) 1995

#4 Lawrence Taylor main events Wrestlemania

NFL meets Wrestlemania

Despite owning the largest professional wrestling company on the planet, Vince McMahon has always liked to portray himself as more than a wrestling promoter. Over the years, Vince has attempted to merge his company with wider popular culture, treating it more like a movie studio than a wrestling conglomerate.

As a result, we have seen numerous celebrity involvement over the years, starting with the ‘Rock and Wrestling’ connection in the mid-80s, with stars like Cindy Lauper, Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper appearing at Wrestlemanias.

Occasionally the celebrity involvement goes beyond making mere appearances or accompanying wrestlers to the ring. Sometimes, figures from the world of sport and entertainment end up stepping into the squared circle itself. The most extreme example of this came in 1995 when Wrestlemania was headlined by Bam Bam Bigelow and former New York Giants linebacker, Lawrence Taylor.

The animosity between Bam Bam and Taylor began at the Royal Rumble when the two came to blows at ringside. After much speculation, it was finally announced that Taylor would be facing Bam Bam in a match, leapfrogging the WWF Championship match between Shawn Michaels and Diesel into the main event. The match also featured other NFL players, and much to the dismay of many wrestling fans, the NFL player actually ended up going over.

While Wrestlemania 11 isn’t considered the strongest show the company has ever had, the main event will always remain the subject of controversy. It did help the WWF get some much-needed exposure at a time when interest in wrestling, in general, was on the decline. For that, at least, the gamble did almost pay off.