The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 4

Yokozuna (June 13, 1993 - March 20, 1994)

Yocozuna defended the title against The Undertaker at Royal Rumble 1994

Yokozuna earned a measure of revenge versus Hulk Hogan at King of the Ring 1993 and defeated him in a colossal screwjob to regain the WWE Championship he had lost to the Hulkster two months earlier.

WWE had quickly realized the decision to make Hogan champion had been an error in judgement and plans were made to relieve him of the gold. The reason why Yokozuna was chosen and not someone else, was that Hogan was happy to lose to an opponent who was so much larger as opposed to the smaller Hart or Razor Ramon. Even so, Hogan would only agree to lose after a fireball had been fired into his face.

After a decade, WWE finally moved on from Hulkamania as he departed a couple of months later after a European tour. He never appeared on WWE television again that decade and would sign for rival, WCW, just over a year later.

The new champion's first major title defense was versus Hogan mark 2.0, Lex Luger at SummerSlam. Luger had gotten over as a face with a patriotic gimmick and the WWE paid a fortune for the Lex Express bus to tour the States to garner support for his title bid. All signs pointed to him relieving 'Zuna of the gold at the big show. That never happened.

Instead, 'Zuna would clash with The Undertaker at the 1994 Royal Rumble, wherein he would enlist the help of ten of WWE's heel squad to lock 'Taker in a casket to retain the belt in a Casket Match.

'Zuna's reign would end at WrestleMania X, when after successfully retaining the belt against Luger once again in a mid card encounter, he finally dropped the strap to Bret Hart in a re-match of their WrestleMania IX encounter.

The Pink and Black is back in Part 5 - coming soon!