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TWO UNFORGETTABLE WRESTLING PROMOTIONS IN VEGAS

Sin City has never been a place for understated entertainment, so it’s the perfect match for the elite level of professional wrestling, the WWE (formerly WWF). Countless WWE events have been held in Las Vegas, a town famous not only for its sports entertainment and huge boxing events, but also its iconic casinos, concerts, and myriad other attractions.

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WWE events have brought us drama, excitement, and hilarity in equal measure over the years, many of them in huge events staged in front of thousands of fans on the Las Vegas strip. It's no surprise then, that the promotional campaigns that precede events are usually pretty spectacular too. Let’s look at two unforgettable wrestling moments in Sin City.

Wrestlemania IX

Las Vegas itself is known to most as a Mecca of gambling, portrayed across pop-culture, with a distinct visual identity, and the casinos themselves are masters of marketing, staging these elaborate events, and drawing on their iconic heritage attract more punters and global publicity. The online casino industry is no different, and operators vie for customers by offering the best slots promotions and other bonuses.

One of the biggest and most memorable events of the early 1990s was Wrestlemania IX, held at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas in 1993. In keeping with the casino's theme, the promotional campaign focused heavily on Ancient Roman imagery, describing itself as the "World's Largest Toga Party". The outdoor arena was to be decked out with columns, surrounded by toga-sporting trumpeters, and even wild animals. These marketing techniques are typical of pro-wrestling events, designed to hype up the crowds and develop the storylines that keep fans compelled.

As for the main event, as Mr. Fuji, Yokozuma’s late-great villainous manager, threw salt into Hart’s eyes, enabling the giant to pin him. In an unforgettable moment, an enraged Hulk Hogan suddenly entered the ring during Yokozuna's celebrations, after going backstage to check on the stricken Hart. Mr. Fuji tried the same trick on Hogan, only to miss with the salt, and see his charge pinned within 22 seconds.

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No Way Out 2001

Staged at the Thomas & Mack centre, this event could have sold itself, given the superstars on offer—both Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin headlined (albeit in separate bouts) and have transcended the sport and become pop-culture figures in their own rights. Nonetheless, the OTT TV spots aired constantly, selling the PPV event, and WWF's burgeoning online presence also became a major factor in marketing the promotion.

It was the culmination of a fierce rivalry between legends  Steve Austin and Triple H, in a two-out-of-three-falls match. Austin won the first fall, before defeat in the second two. He managed a career swansong, defeating The Rock in 2003, but his pro wrestling days were numbered. He is, of course, still a major personality on the WWE scene.

No Way Out was also notable for The Rock taking home his sixth WWF title (he retired a ten-time champion), pinning rival Kurt Angle, to crown what many believe to have been one of the best pro wrestling events the city has ever hosted, featuring two of the greatest to ever have done it icons.

Vegas is the best city in the world for WWE events — the word ‘subtle’ isn’t in either of their dictionaries. Many see the 1990s and early 2000s as the heyday of pro wrestling, and both the marketing promotion and pomp of these two events vividly illustrate this. 

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