A Major Period Of Turmoil: WWE’s 1992 & 1993 Roster Exodus

At the dawn of 1992, the then-World Wrestling Federation had an embarrassment of riches at their disposal. Of the 50 most prominent talents on the roster, over 26 of them have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Not all was well in the company, however, as WWF became immersed in scandal. 

WWF Surrounded By Scandal 

The previous summer, Pennsylvania-based urologist Dr. George Zahorian was convicted on 12 counts of illegally distributing drugs - eight counts for steroids, four for painkillers. Zahorian had served as ringside physician for WWF events in his home state, where he also sold steroids to the talents.

In Zahorian's testimony, he admitted to selling steroids to Hulk Hogan. Not long after the trial, Hogan appeared on the late night talk show of Arsenio Hall, where the reigning WWF Champion was subjected to questions about his own alleged use. This quickly turned into a PR disaster when Hogan downplayed the use of steroids in his career, saying he only took them three times, solely for rehabilitative purposes. This was the same Hulk Hogan who wielded 24-inch pythons at the time. 

With the evidence plain to see, Hogan’s public image was damaged, as was the entire World Wrestling Federation due to The Hulkster’s status as the top star. While not the sole reason for a decline in WWF business, Hogan's claims earned plenty of blame for the ensuing downturn. The 1991 SummerSlam buyrate fell 20 per cent from the previous year, while Survivor Series dropped 25 per cent. The 1992 Royal Rumble, with the world title up for grabs in the 30-man gauntlet, was down a head-spinning 41 per cent from the 1991 event.

The problems kept coming too. Wrestlers attending a February house show in St. Louis were searched for drugs by local police and the DEA. Nothing was found but the company was reportedly tipped off earlier that day about a possible search. 

The following month, Vince McMahon himself took part in a surreal discussion on Donahue about the WWF's various scandals, attended by a handful of names with personal axes to grind with Vince, while Dave Meltzer in a full mullet was also on the set.

Once the granite jaw of professional wrestling, the WWF now had two black eyes, and some teeth busted off at the gumline. Business slumped. Public interest waned. A lot of guys on the roster boasted physiques that might set off alarms. Others were past their prime. As a result, changes were coming. 

WWE’s Roster At The Beginning Of 1992

In regards to the beginning of 1992, there were 50 wrestlers that were either full-time WWF talents, or something closely resembling that. Many of these stars would be on display at the 1992 Royal Rumble in Albany, New York and 44 of them were originally scheduled to wrestle on that card, in fact.

At the apex of that 50, you had Hulk Hogan, the somewhat-disgraced four-time world champion. Though his living legacy had taken a substantial hit, Hulk still remained the hero to millions of school-age fans, as well as a pro wrestling icon.

Also in the main event mix was Ric Flair, the all-too-recently deposed WCW World Heavyweight Champion that jumped ship following a monumental PR disaster facilitated by WCW head Jim Herd. Flair's ring generalship and particular star aura were an odd contrast to 1991 WWF, but to many, he was a more than welcome presence.

Then there was Randy Savage, freshly returned from an eight-month retirement. Though pushing 40, Savage was still a walking personality cult with dynamic energy, and real credibility with what was now a diminishing fanbase. He was joined by the likes of The Undertaker, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, and Sid Justice in and around WWF’s main event picture. 

On suspension but still signed to the WWF was The Ultimate Warrior. The former WWF Champion had been persona non grata since falling out with Vince McMahon at SummerSlam 1991, and Warrior was at home riding out his contract, although he would soon be back on TV. 

Just beneath that impressive haul of talents was the highly-stacked upper mid-card. Leading the way was Bret Hart, the 34-year-old master technician whose handsome looks and earnest personality had cultivated a major international following. Then there was the likes of Jake Roberts, WWF Tag Team Champions The Legion of Doom, Ted DiBiase, Sgt. Slaughter, The Big Boss Man, Jim Duggan, The Natural Disasters, The Nasty Boys, Shawn Michaels, The British Bulldog, The Mountie, and Irwin R. Schyster, while Mr. Perfect was serving as a manager and commentator. 

The rest of the roster consisted of former IC champions Tito Santana, Greg Valentine, and Kerry Von Erich, duos like The New Foundation, The Beverly Brothers, The Orient Express, and The Bushwhackers, a former WWF Champion in The Iron Sheik (presently Colonel Mustafa), brutes like The Warlord, The Barbarian, Hercules, Repo Man, and The Berserker, an aging Jimmy Snuka, a now-solo Marty Jannetty, former Million Dollar Champion Virgil, the ever-reliable Rick Martel, the beloved Koko B. Ware, veteran Steve Keirn as Skinner, and a new crop of unprovens including "Conan" Chris Walker, Papa Shango, and Tatanka.

By the end of 1992, almost half of those 50 wrestlers would no longer be with the company for a multitude of reasons. 

The Roster Exodus

It began simply enough with the exits of a few veterans. Greg Valentine ended his eight-year WWF tenure after the Royal Rumble, while Snuka, Barbarian, Hercules, and Pat Tanaka of The Orient Express finished up in February, all innocuously enough. Less innocuous was the firing of Jim Neidhart, who was let go for refusing to take a drug test at a house show in Long Island. This left New Foundation partner Owen Hart as an unintended solo for a while.

Of that group, perhaps the only curious release was Barbarian, who at 33 still brought something to the table as a capable powerhouse with a good look. Nonetheless, after a four year run, Barbarian was out.

In March, Marty Jannetty was let go, one of many revolving door exits for the former Rocker. In this case, Jannetty was released due to an altercation outside of an Orlando nightclub in January in which Jannetty allegedly got physical with a cop. Six months of house arrest for Jannetty meant that his revenge against Shawn Michaels would have to wait.

WrestleMania VIII in April was the first of several last hurrahs for Hulk Hogan as Terry Bollea was going away for a while to let the heat on his tarnished name die down. He would still be under WWF contract, but would otherwise be persona non grata for a little while. 

Hogan wasn't the only big name that left after WrestleMania. Roddy Piper finished up after dropping the IC Title to Bret Hart in a classic battle, while Jake Roberts had given his notice, having fallen out with the company after being passed over for a booking position. Roberts even threatened to no-show his WrestleMania match with The Undertaker unless he was given his contractual release that day. He got it, lost as planned, and then he left.

Then, despite looking like the future of the comapny, Sid Justice quit at the end of April, just weeks after headlining WrestleMania against Hogan. Sid claimed his exit was for creative reasons, while other sources have noted it was due to Sid refusing to serve a suspension for failing a drug test.

The Warlord and Chris Walker disappeared after April, with Colonel Mustafa finishing up in May, Beginning in the summer, seven more wrestlers who had previously held titles in the WWF would leave the company, all before American Thanksgiving.

Kerry Von Erich's 1992 was plagued by numerous issues, including an arrest for forging painkiller prescriptions, and a divorce from his wife of nearly nine years. Relegated to the lower card, Von Erich last wrestled for the WWF in July, and was gone by early August. Once the planned SummerSlam opponent for Papa Shango, Von Erich was replaced by Tito Santana.

Road Warrior Hawk quit WWF following SummerSlam, after working the Wembley Stadium show in an inebriated state, dissolving The Legion of Doom/Road Warriors for three and a half years. Animal remained with the company for the time being, but he was sidelined in September with a serious back injury, at which point he too left the WWF.

Sgt. Slaughter didn't leave the WWF entirely, but the 44-year-old former WWF Champion took a backstage position that August, after concluding a house show run with The Mountie, who quit WWF at the end of October after losing to Bret Hart in a matter of seconds at a TV taping.

The following month, two major stars in The British Bulldog and Ultimate Warrior were fired, after they were alleged to have received shipments of human growth hormone. Both men were in the double main event of that year's SummerSlam, and were each let go less than three months later.

WWF did look to replenish the roster. In addition to bringing back Marty Jannetty in the autumn, the company acquired Nailz, Crush, Kamala, The Headshrinkers, Razor Ramon, Bob Backlund, Yokozuna, Lance Cassidy, Doink the Clown, Terry Taylor, Damian Demento, Bam Bam Bigelow, The Steiner Brothers, and Jerry Lawler across 1992. Nails would then be fired in December for strangling Vince McMahon. 

The Exodus Continues In 1993

By the end of 1992, 21 of the 50 wrestlers who began the year with the company were gone. 1993 was almost as wild. Of the remaining 29 wrestlers, 18 more would be gone before the 1993 Survivor Series.

Shortly after the Royal Rumble, Earthquake left the company. The following month, Kato of The Orient Express, now wrestling as Max Moon, departed, as did The Berzerker.

After an 18-month run, Ric Flair also finished up with the WWF, having given his notice all the way back in October, after dropping the WWF Title to Bret Hart.

It was more of the same in March, as three long-lasting veterans in Big Boss Man, Koko B. Ware, and Repo Man all left. Then in April, The Nasty Boys were suspended during the European tour and subsequently let go. Beau Beverly of The Beverly Brothers also parted ways with the WWF, leaving Blake to flounder among the enhancement crew.

By early summer, Typhoon was gone, off to fulfill his destiny of being the driving force behind the most infamous WCW debut of all time that August as The Shockmaster. Skinner also finished up with the WWF, having extended his stay playing playing the "illusion" version of Doink that backed up Matt Borne.

By August, it felt like the end of an era. Hulk Hogan officially wrestled his last match for over eight years with the WWF on a European tour, and some of his longtime associates weren't long for the company either. Eternal mainstay Tito Santana left mid-month, as did Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Ted DiBiase ended his six-year run after SummerSlam, bolting for All Japan. Blake Beverly and Papa Shango were both deep in the undercard at the time of their exits.

Before the end of October, Mr. Perfect, who had returned to the ring a year earlier, briefly departed from the organisation, before temporarily resurfacing at WrestleMania X in 1994.

What On Earth Just Happened?

Of the 50 wrestlers that began 1992 in the WWF, 39 of them had their in-ring activity cease at some point before the end of 1993. While Jannetty and The Mountie (as Quebecer Jacques) did come back before the end of 1993, that was still a mere 11 wrestlers that were consistently employed and (mostly) actively wrestling during that two year stretch in Randy Savage, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, IRS, Rick Martel, Virgil, The Bushwhackers, Tatanka, and Owen Hart.

To binge watch WWF in this not-even two-year time period is to see drastic, wholesale changes for a promotion that went from the dying vestiges of a once-booming Hulkamania era to a wrestling entity struggling to find a new identity amid legal troubles, and an audience and roster aging out.

A severe bloodletting took place within McMahon's empire, as many WWE Hall of Fame-bound stars left for one reason or another. Back then, with the metamorphosis of the top-to-bottom roster, the company greatly changed along with it.