>>7620967WWF's rating success in 1995, helped open the door for negotiations with FOX to air a series of prime time wrestling specials. This lead to FOX airing a 1 hour special titled "WrestleMania XI: The Special" on September 30th, that year. The FOX Network special airing the top two matches from WrestleMania XI, drew a 3.9 rating (3.7 million homes) making it the most-watched pro wrestling show on television that year. Also interesting to note the show reversed the Diesel/HBK, & LT/Bam Bam match order.
According to WWF figures on the 9/29 MSG show, 3,917 fans paid $146,437.The strange part is it comes just a few months after the WWF set consecutive gate records for non-PPV shows at MSG with legitimate overflow sellouts of the building scaled for 16,227 for pro wrestling on 3/17 (17,000 fans; 14,824 paid; $299,596; Diesel & Michaels vs. Bret Hart & Undertaker main event) and 5/19 (18,800 fans; 16,564 paid; $319,411; Diesel vs. Michaels cage match main event). The two shows were the first non-PPV events to legitimately sellout MSG since the mid-1980s.
4/6 Monday Nitro headlined by Kevin Nash vs. Sting, drew a 5.8 quarter hour rating (4,243 million homes) became the highest rated & most watched pro wrestling match during a competitive Monday night period. making it the single most watched pro wrestling match ever on cable television.
“Page came out & got a very small pop, although his running into the crowd did pick it up to where it wasn't embarrassing. That couldn't be said for the total non-reaction to Hart. Sting got a momentary pop coming in which was the first of the match. Kevin Nash was in next & the place exploded.” - Wrestling Observer Newsletter (September 21, 1998)
