List of WrestleMania VIII Critical Reception and Reviews

Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage — ***3/4 (Meltzer)

Best Match on the Card — Rated Near Five Stars

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter rated the Flair vs. Savage WWF Championship match ***3/4 — the highest rating on the card and one of the highest ratings for a WWF pay-per-view main event match of the era. Multiple retrospective reviews have placed it even higher, with some rating it four stars or above. The match was ranked #19 on Pro Wrestling Illustrated's list of the 100 greatest WrestleMania matches. Virtually every reviewer agrees it should have closed the show.

Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper — ***1/2 (Meltzer)

Technical Match of the Night — Universally Praised

Dave Meltzer rated the Hart vs. Piper Intercontinental Championship match ***1/2 — the second-highest rating on the card and universally praised across all reviewing platforms. The match was TJR Wrestling's favourite of the event, with John Canton noting it 'made me appreciate it even more' on every re-watch. One CageMatch reviewer called the Hart/Flair combination across the entire show 'two of the most brilliantly worked and all-time great storytelling matches of the Golden Era.'

Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice — -2 Stars (Meltzer)

Worst WrestleMania Main Event of All Time — Cultaholic Ranking

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter gave the Hogan vs. Sid main event negative two stars — one of the lowest ratings in WrestleMania history — citing the 'lackluster performance' and 'the late entry of Papa Shango, which necessitated a hastily rewritten ending.' Cultaholic ranked it the worst WrestleMania main event of all time in their 2019 ranking. Cultaholic's 2020 list also named Flair vs. Savage as one of ten WM matches that should have closed the show.

Overall Event Assessment

Two Classics Elevate a Flawed Card — Cagematch 7.0+ Range

The overall WrestleMania VIII event received mixed reviews centred on two exceptional matches surrounded by mediocrity. The best CageMatch reviewer summary captured the consensus: 'Getting the obvious out of the way first, yes: the main event is bad. There are also a few bad filler matches, as every WrestleMania had (at minimum) in this era. However, far more importantly, this card features two of the most brilliantly worked and all-time great storytelling matches of the Golden Era with the IC and World Heavyweight bouts.' The reviewer gave the event 8/10. Another reviewer summarised it as 'a 2-match card from Bret vs Piper and Flair vs Savage' — rating it 4/10.