The colors of a home country can run real deep. After all, it’s where you’re from. Sometimes due to tragedy or war, pride in one country can run even more passionately. Even heel heat can garner enough pressure to get fans chanting for their heroes to overcome the foreign menace bad guys.
While those kinds of stories come down the pipeline often in wrestling, sometimes, entire shows get crafted around the immeasurable amount of patriotism of the host country for the events. While they could happen in any country, plenty of these events bleed red, white and blue.
9 WrestleMania 7
Dubbed 'Stars And Stripes Forever', WrestleMania 7 was centered all around the conflict in The Persian Gulf and rooting challenger Hulk Hogan on in his quest to once again become WWE champion against Iraqi turncoat Sgt. Slaughter.
While the real war was all but over, it had raged on in WWE. Thankfully, Hulkamania was here to save the day.
8 Great American Bash 1990
Innovated by The American Dream Dusty Rhodes, The Great American Bash began as a huge tour for the NWA.
By the time the 1990 show rolled around, the show was firmly one of NWA / WCW stalwart shows. The event was centered around The Stinger ascending to the mountaintop. He came out wearing his most iconic gear not designed after The Crow the classic red, white, and blue gear.
7 Tribute To The Troops
Originally pitched by JBL, The Tribute To The Troops shows that WWE have done every year since 2003 have been nothing but patriotic. The WWE has flown to active military bases and put on shows for the U.S. Armed Forces, much like the USO shows of yesteryear.
For the men and women who proudly serve, it’s a nice reprieve from the reasons they are stationed and a small taste of home.
6 In Your House: Canadian Stampede
Canadian fans are always proud of and happy to cheer their fellow countrymen on. But they were seemingly never prouder of their home country when The Hart Foundation stood on guard for the Maple Leaf.
At Canadian Stampede, the Canucks brought their true patriot love as The Pink And Black Attack laid waste the American forces, led by Stone Cold and then celebrated in the ring with all of their brethren.
5 SummerSlam 1992
Prior to the upcoming Clash At The Castle, this was the huge event for the United Kingdom. The Union Jack was waiving high at Wembley Stadium for SunmerSlam 1992.
Bret Hart lobbied for and received he and brother-in-law, Davey Boy Smith’s IC title match to go on last. With The British Bulldog in his home country, there wasn’t going to be any topping their match. The event closed with the Bulldog walked out by fellow Brit, Lennox Lewis and capture the IC title for the world to see.
4 Unforgiven 2001
Not even two weeks after America endured its greatest tragedy, a real life American hero returned home to win the WWE world title. Olympic gold medalist had not only taken up the mantle for Team WWE against the Alliance, he’d been hunting down their leader, Stone Cold Steve Austin for months.
He rode into Pittsburgh with the love of the WWE Universe, his hometown fans, and all of America firmly behind him. Quite frankly there was no stopping The Wrestling Machine on this night.
3 SummerSlam 1993
On July 4, 1993, The Narcissist Lex Luger came off a helicopter on the USS Intrepid and was able to bodyslam Yokozuna. That kicked off a chain of events that put Luger on an All-American bus tour campaigning for and receiving a WWE championship shot at SummerSlam 1993.
The match had all of the makings of a Rocky Balboa type of victory. Aaron Neville showed up to sing the National Anthem. Unfortunately, despite the celebration in the ring, Luger was only able to win by countout.
2 Royal Rumble 1991
As if the Ultimate Warrior defending his WWE title against Sgt Slaughter, now an Iraqi sympathizer wasn’t enough to get your red, white, and blue blood boiling, how about the fact that the 1991 Royal Rumble began several hours after President George H.W. Bush announced the country was going to war with Iraq.
Unfortunately, The Macho King didn’t have any fealty to his home country and cost Warrior the title, igniting their classic rivalry.
1 SmackDown After 9/11
Tuesday morning September 11, 2001 started out beautiful. If you lived in New York, the sky was blue and the air was crisp with a light breeze on a late summer morning. The WWE, which has always called New York home was gearing up for that night’s Smack Down taping in Houston, Texas. Then everything changed. Rather than buckle under fear, Vince McMahon and WWE stood up and put on a huge live episode of SmackDown.
The WWE superstars gave their tributes and thoughts on the tragedy of two days prior. Just in doing what the company always strive to do, which is entertain, they were able to help some people heel and take their minds off of the constant news coverage of the horrors that happened in New York.