The Forgotten Golden Era WWE Tag Team Of Hercules & Paul Roma, Explained
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The global juggernaut of wrestling, WWE has been the home of some of the most exciting in-ring action. The company has also been instrumental in promoting tag team wrestling from the early days, which saw the rise of many teams. However, there was one team that looked promising but failed to find its place in the list of legendary tag teams. That team was known as 'Power and Glory.'
The duo of wrestlers, Paul Roma and Hercules, were regarded to become a highly successful unit in the future. The combined strength of charisma and being flanked by a manager like Slick made them a top prospect in tag team wrestling. Roma and Hercules had everything to find their place among top teams in the history of WWE, but failed to do so. So let's dive deep and explore the forgotten tag team of WWE's golden era.
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Paul Roma Was The One Who Came Up With The Idea To Form The Tag Team
During year 1990, Paul Roma had begun touring with Hercules Hernandez. As the two grew close and built a relationship, Roma came up with an idea to form a tag team with his close acquaintance. The man behind the creative at the time, Pat Patterson, received the idea from Roma, who wasn't entirely keen on it, but the WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon,approved it. They initially had a televised tryout match as babyfaces on Prime Time Wrestling and won. The two pushed hard to continue this “experiment” and so an angle was built up.
The build-up to forming a tag team started with Hercules facing Rick Martel, and was doused with his "Arrogance" fragrance and saw Paul Roma entering the match to make the save. Similarly, Roma was assaulted by Dino Bravo one time, but the team of Rockers were able to intervene. Roma began shoving and pushing the Rockers as though he didn't want their assistance. It was then that Hercules entered and started attacking the Rockers along with Roma. This led to Hercules and Roma turning heel and forming a tag team in the process.
Power & Glory's Tenure In WWE Came In The Golden Era Of Wrestling
The coming together of these two power athletes marked the beginning of a ruthless force in WWE. The team was then dubbed "Power and Glory," and Slick was unveiled as their new manager. Roma was undoubtedly the team's Glory, and Hercules was its Power. A part of their team gimmick included Paul Roma consistently scoring pinfall victories for the team, hence earning the moniker Glory. Moreover, the team's finishing move was known as the "Power-Plex," and it involved Hercules planting an opponent with a suplex followed by Paul Roma doing a splash from the top rope.
With triumphs over teams like the Rockers and the Bushwhackers, Power and Glory soon ascended the ranks of tag teams. The team began competing for the WWE Tag Team Championships against the Hart Foundation. Bret Hart, who was gradually making the switch to singles wrestling, reportedly gave Vince his seal of approval for Power and Glory as a top team of the future.
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Merchandising & Backstage Issues Led To Vince McMahon Ending Power & Glory
Roma began to gripe to Vince about their team's lack of merchandising prospects in comparison to other tag teams. According to reports, Vince McMahon stated that he couldn't think of any aspect of Power and Glory that would be a good seller. Roma responded by saying that he and Hercules would create and promote their own line, and if any were successful, the team would receive the majority of the proceeds. McMahon said he would think about it and get back to Roma and Hercules, but he never did.
Nevertheless, Paul Roma created the team's own shirts and sunglasses despite the lack of assistance from Vince and company. Roma would constantly take his issues to Vince McMahon leading to Power and Glory and WWE being engaged in a perpetual creative war, so much so that WWE decided to have Legion of Doom, instead of having Power and Glory defeat the Hart Foundation for the tag titles at WrestleMania 7.
It was obvious that Vince McMahon had had enough of the team's persistent complaints and that they were being replaced soon. The actual reason, in Roma's opinion, was Vince's displeasure that Power and Glory were coming together as a team and that they were not his creation. Roma left the business after learning that Vince no longer placed a high focus on the team and Hercules also followed suit some time after his partner's departure.
Therefore, the time for Power and Glory as a tag team came to an end, and it can be said without a doubt that Vince McMahon failed to capitalize on two supremely talented athletes who worked well as a cohesive unit and had all the potential to become top-rated champions in history.
