BIGGER! BETTER! BADDER!: WRESTLEMANIA III and the Year It All Changed

by Keith Elliot Greenberg

Overview

“A provocative and masterfully told account of an event that made pro wrestling an entertainment mushroom cloud.” — Tim Graham, The Athletic

“A must-read book — an irresistible force of modern wrestling history.” — Tom Fordy, The Telegraph

Greenberg lays bare how WrestleMania III legitimized wrestling as entertainment and reshaped the industry, offering insight and perspective from those closest to the event

On an overcast day in 1987, the pro wrestling landscape was altered forever when a reported 93,173 fans converged on the Pontiac Silverdome outside Detroit to see Hulk Hogan defend his championship against André the Giant.

BIGGER! BETTER! BADDER! is the story behind Wrestlemania III, told from the perspective of company executives, wrestlers who appeared on the card, fans who attended the show, and other wrestling personalities. But Keith Elliot Greenberg also examines the entire industry at the time, including insights from representatives from the rival promotions Vince McMahon was putting out of business as pro wrestling transitioned from a regional phenomenon into the international juggernaut it is today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770417854
Publisher:	ECW Press
Publication date:	03/25/2025
Edition description:	No Edition
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Keith Elliot Greenberg is a New York Times bestselling author, as well as a monthly columnist for Inside the Ropes Magazine. A lifetime New Yorker, he co-authored the autobiographies of “Classy” Freddie Blassie, Ric Flair and “Superstar” Billy Graham, as well as two editions of the WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment. His previous books for ECW Press include Too Sweet: Inside the Indie Wrestling Revolution, Follow the Buzzards: Pro Wrestling in the Age of COVID-19 and Best Seat in the House: My Life in the Jeff Healey Band, co-written with Tom Stephen. He regularly appears as a wrestling historian on A&E’s WWE documentary series.

Editorial Reviews

Whether you experienced the transcendence of WrestleMania III as it unfolded before your eyes or want to study its impact on American pop culture, BIGGER! BETTER! BADDER! is a provocative and masterfully told account of an event that made pro wrestling an entertainment mushroom cloud.” — Tim Graham, The Athletic

“An excellent, extensive account of the event that shaped professional wrestling as it is today. Greenberg sets the scene and tells the story with fascinating insider detail, putting you both ringside and behind the scenes. A must-read book — an irresistible force of modern wrestling history.” — Tom Fordy, The Telegraph

“To understand the United States, you also need to grasp the place that professional wrestling holds in the culture. In his groundbreaking book, BIGGER! BETTER! BADDER!: WRESTLEMANIA III and the Year It All Changed, Keith Greenberg shows us in vivid detail how the 1987 spectacular WrestleMania III cemented a remaking of pro wrestling and how it would be forever consumed. This book is a gift not only to pro wrestling fans but also to anyone who wants to comprehend what goes on behind the curtain, because to really understand the guts of pro wrestling is to understand this country. I haven’t found a work of nonfiction so readable in a long time.” — Dave Zirin, sports editor, The Nation

“A MUST read for diehard pro wrestling fans.” — Derrick T. Lewis

“Be prepared for a good history lesson from Mr. Greenberg and the many people he interviewed.” — Kayfabe Wrestling Radio

“Much like ECW Press’ previous couple of books documenting the lives of Ric Flair and Randy Savage, this is a treasure trove of information for a fan like myself ... Thoroughly recommended.” — Wrestling Headlines

“The passionate, informative but never breathless way this book is written makes it so good to spend time with. An essential book about WMIII? Absolutely. A fabulously informative time? Definitely. A great read? From beginning to end.” — Slam Wrestling

From the Publisher