-Hulk Hogan on RAW in 1993 still saying Multi-Million Dollar Man.
-Today we look at the first WrestleMania from the WWF.
-WrestleMania was shown on closed circuit and limited PPV on March 31, 1985 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. There were 19,121 in attendance. The event was seen by over one million viewers through closed-circuit television, making it the largest pay-per-view showing of a wrestling event on closed-circuit television in the United States at the time. A technical glitch ended the closed circuit broadcast early into the showing at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. To appease angry fans who pelted the screen with garbage, WrestleMania was broadcast in its entirety on local ABC affiliate WTAE-TV two weeks later.
-During the 1980s, World Wrestling Federation's (WWF, now WWE) main competition in the professional wrestling industry was from Jim Crockett Promotions. Vince McMahon countered Jim Crockett's successful Starrcade annual events, which began airing in 1983, by creating the WrestleMania franchise.
-For the first WrestleMania, McMahon began cross promoting with MTV, which aired two wrestling specials. The first one was The Brawl to End It All, aired on July 23, 1984, in which a match from a live Madison Square Garden broadcast was shown on MTV. Wendi Richter, allied with Cyndi Lauper, defeated The Fabulous Moolah, backed by Lou Albano, to win the WWF Women's Championship on the card. At The War to Settle the Score, which aired on February 18, 1985, Leilani Kai, accompanied by Moolah, defeated Richter, again accompanied by Lauper, to win the Women's Championship. Aside from Lauper, other celebrities also appeared during the buildup to and at the event; most notably Muhammad Ali, Liberace (with The Rockettes), and Major League Baseball manager Billy Martin all appeared during the main event.
-WrestleMania would become considered the WWF's flagship event. It has since become the longest-running professional wrestling event in history and is held annually between mid-March to mid-April. WrestleMania would eventually be described as the Super Bowl of sports entertainment.
-The card consisted of nine matches. Three championships were defended at WrestleMania: the WWF Women's Championship, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship and the WWF World Tag Team Championship. Prior to the event, Greg Valentine had feuded with Tito Santana over the Intercontinental belt. Valentine defeated Santana on September 24, 1984 for the championship. Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham won the WWF Tag Team Championship three months before WrestleMania from the team of Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch.
-In the months leading up to the first WrestleMania, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper began a talk-show segment on WWF television entitled "Piper's Pit". On one episode of the show, he hit Jimmy Snuka over the head with a coconut, leading to a feud between the two men. As part of the storyline, Piper recruited Bob Orton to be his bodyguard. On another episode of Piper's Pit, Piper spoke out against the burgeoning Rock 'n' Wrestling connection, which led to a confrontation with Hulk Hogan. In February 1985, the two men faced each other at The War to Settle the Score, where Hogan won by disqualification after interference by Paul Orndorff and Mr. T. Their on-going feud led to their match at WrestleMania.
-As part of the promotion for the event, Hogan appeared on Hot Properties four days prior to WrestleMania, where he put host Richard Belzer into a front chinlock —a move that cuts off the flow of blood to the brain. Belzer, however, fell to the floor unconscious and began to bleed profusely. His injury required eight stitches. Belzer later sued Hogan for $5 million, but they eventually settled out of court. The night before WrestleMania, Hogan and Mr. T hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live to help promote the event.
-Opening Credits. Very low key compared to today.
-Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura welcome us to WrestleMania. Monsoon said later that Ventura was so nervous that Monsoon held him up by the back of his jacket for this stand up. They say a few words before throwing it to Howard Finkel. He introduces Mean Gene Okerlund, who sings the National Anthem. Vince McMahon would change to America the Beautiful in future years just to be different. Jesse compares Mean Gene to Robert Goulet.
-Lord Alfred Hayes is at the entrance to the aisle and he previews the first match. You can tell that he is nervous.
-Mean Gene interviews Tito Santana. Santana says he doesn’t know much about The Executioner, but he respects every opponent, but nobody is going to stop him.
-Mean Gene then interviews The Executioner. He says after he beats Santana, everyone is going to know who he is.
-Tito Santana VS. The Executioner: Executioner is actually Buddy Rose. They do a crisscross running the ropes to start. Santana hits a back body drop and a dropkick. Executioner goes outside. He slowly comes back in. Santana working a side headlock. Executioner comes back and hits a knee to Santana’s stomach. Back and Forth. Executioner goes up top, but gets caught and slammed off. Executioner gets his knees up on a Santana splash. Executioner goes to work on Santana’s leg and Santana pushes him off and over the ropes. Santana body slams Executioner back in. Santana hits the flying forearm. Santana then puts the figure four on and the Executioner gives up.
-Lord Alfred Hayes previews the next match.
-Mean Gene interviews SD Jones. He says that this is what he has been waiting for. Then Jimmy Hart and King Kong Bundy come in. They say they are ready for SD Jones and will get the 5 count.
-King Kong Bundy with Jimmy Hart VS. SD Jones: They badly mangle what is supposed to be the quickest match. It goes about 25 seconds and Bundy wins with the Avalanche. They announce it as 9 seconds. Your Mileage May Vary.
-Mean Gene talks to Matt Borne, who will be taking on Ricky Steamboat. He says Steamboat is too nice to win. He is missing that instinct to win.
-Mean Gene then talks to Ricky Steamboat. He says it’s the biggest event ever and he came to the WWF to develop that meanness and he is going to start with Matt Borne.
-Gorilla and Jesse talk about the upcoming match.
-Ricky Steamboat VS. Matt Borne: They talk about Borne’s dad, Tough Tony Borne. Steamboat does some nice leap frogs. He then hits a knife edge on Borne. Then a snap mare. The then puts a chin lock on Borne. It is all Steamboat to start. Steamboat hits an atomic drop. Back to the side headlock. Borne then hits a high knee. Borne gets a couple of corner whips, but Steamboat is coming back. Steamboat then goes back to the side headlock. Borne goes with some knees to the gut. Then Borne hits a belly to belly suplex. Then he hits a snap suplex. They trade blows after Borne gets a two count. Steamboat knocks Borne down. Steamboat then hits a neckbreaker and a throat chop. A knee to the sternum gets two for Steamboat. Borne tries a comeback, but misses a clothesline. Steamboat knocks Borne down and goes up top. Steamboat hits a high crossbody for the pin.
-Lord Alfred previews Brutus Beefcake VS. David Sammartino.
-Johnny Valiant and Brutus Beefcake just walk in front of the camera headed to the ring as Lord Alfred is talking and Borne almost does the same thing coming back from the ring.
-Prerecorded comments as Mean Gene talks to David and Bruno Sammartino. David says he is ready for Brutus Beefcake.
-Mean Gene then talks to Brutus Beefcake and Johnny Valiant. This is a total train wreck of an interview. Valiant says he will interfere if he wants to.
-David Sammartino with Bruno Sammartino VS. Brutus Beefcake with Johnny Valiant: Jesse wonders if Beefcake is Valiant’s son, which gets a laugh from Gorilla. You get a shot of the crowd before they start. It takes a while to start as Beefcake and Valiant stall taking Beefcake’s stuff off. They have a feeling out process. Power moves by David. Then some chain wrestling. Valiant complaining that David has grease on him and is hard to grip. David gets a front face lock on. Beefcake gets to the ropes. Beefcake with a body slam, but David holds on to the arm and gets an arm bar on. Back up, Beefcake with a side headlock and a takedown. Beefcake then hits a shoulder block and a hip toss. David with a leg takedown and a toe hold. Beefcake breaks the hold. David goes back to a leg hold. Beefcake again breaks the hold. David goes right back to the hold. Beefcake up and hitting some stiff forearms. Beefcake hits a back body drop. Beefcake with some kicks to David while he is down. Beefcake with an elbow to David’s throat in the corner. Beefcake with a corner whip onto David, who sells his back being hurt. David reverses another corner whip and hits a back body drop on Beefcake. Some big shots and a suplex on Beefcake by David. That gets a two count. Beefcake throws David outside where he is attacked by Valiant. He slams David on the concrete which brings Bruno over. Bruno throws Valiant into the ring, bringing the crowd to life. He gets a few shots in, but gets jumped by Beefcake. All four going at it as the bell rings over and over. The crowd absolutely loves Bruno Sammartino. The referee disqualifies both men. The crowd doesn’t like it at all.
-Jesse and Gorilla recap some of the matches that we have already seen.
-Lord Alfred Hayes previews the Intercontinental Championship title match as Jimmy Hart and Greg Valentine again walk in front of the camera.
-Prerecorded comments: Mean Gene interviews Jimmy Hart and Greg Valentine. Valentine says he is going to prove he is the greatest IC champion and the master of the figure four leg lock. Mean Gene then brings in The Junk Yard Dog. He is second to none else in the charisma department at this time and he is ready to win the Intercontinental Championship.
-Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship Match: Greg Valentine with Jimmy Hart VS. The Junk Yard Dog: Before the match begins, Gorilla Monsoon calls JYD “The Juker” and I am so embarrassed. Music Dub City as JYD comes out as they have dubbed Grab Them Cakes for Another One Bites the Dust. Hart bails out of the ring when JYD comes in with his chain. Slow to lock up but a lot of movement by both men. JYD gets an arm twist and a hard right hand in. Valentine with an Irish whip, but JYD catches hit foot and spins him around then hits him with another shot. Valentine gets a big knee in and an elbow. He misses the elbow and JYD hits him with two thump head butts. Then another one and Valentine rolls outside. Back in, test of strength. Valentine with a shot to JYD and a shoulder to his upper body. JYD trying to power out. Valentine with a couple of big shots that knock JYD down. Valentine drops an elbow on JYD’s leg. Valentine setting up for the figure four. Softening up the leg. JYD trying to get away. Valentine hits a head butt on JYD’s crotch. He goes for the figure four, but JYD pushes him off. They trade blows, but JYD is selling that his right leg is severely hurt. Valentine with some heavy forearm shots. JYD knocks Valentine around and head butts him several times. Valentine goes down face first. JYD still selling the leg injury. Hart jumps up on the apron. JYD grabs Hart by the lapels. Valentine goes to hit JYD from behind, but hits Hart when JYD moves. The crowd loves that. JYD with some stiff shots to Valentine. Back and forth. Valentine gets JYD down and pins him while having his feet on the ropes. The bell rings and the crowd boos. Tito Santana comes out. He explains to the referee what really happened. The bell rings again and the referee restarts the match. He starts counting Valentine out. JYD wins by count out. Valentine is irate. A Tito chant goes out. The crowd loves the Dog though.
-Lord Alfred Hayes previews the Tag Team Championship Match coming up as wouldn’t you know it, the heels yet again walk in front of the camera.
-Prerecorded comments. Mean Gene talks to The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, and Freddie Blassie. Sheik says it’s the best time of his life in his own Iron Sheik way. Blassie says that his team is going to be the next tag team champions.
-Mean Gene talks to Lou Albano, Barry Windham, and Mike Rotundo. They say the time for talk is done, it’s time for action.
-WWF Tag Team Championship Match: The US Express Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham with Lou Albano VS. The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff with Freddie Blassie: Volkoff does the Soviet National Anthem gimmick to begin. The ring is pelted with garbage and people are visibly pissed and cursing at Volkoff. Music Dub City as the US Express comes out. They do get a nice ovation though. Rotundo and Sheik start. Sheik with a headlock then Rotundo with a hip toss and a dropkick. Rotundo goes to a headlock. Windham tagged in and he’s in control. Heels get Windham in their corner and Sheik goes for a dropkick but Windham ducks and Volkoff gets hit instead. Volkoff tagged in. Rotundo in and he gets Volkoff down but only gets a one count. Windham tagged back in. Constant tagging by the champions. Volkoff runs Rotundo into Sheik’s boot. Sheik gets a back drop and a knee in for a two count. A gut wrench suplex gets another two count. Rotundo reverses a suplex. Volkoff tagged in and hits a big clothesline. Rotundo gets a sunset flip for a two count. Volkoff attacks and Sheik tagged in and gets an abdominal stretch. Rotundo hip tosses out Volkoff and Windham tagged in. Windham hits a big dropkick. Windham hits a bulldog. All four men in and brawling. Sheik knocked outside. Referee trying to get Rotundo out and Sheik nails Windham with Blassie’s cane and Volkoff gets the pin. New Tag Team Champions. People are pissed.
-Mean Gene interviews the new champions. Fred Blassie says he didn’t have a cane at all. Sheik says they have proved that they’re the best.
-Lord Alfred Hayes previews the Body Slam Challenge.
-Mean Gene interviews Big John Studd and Bobby Heenan. Studd says he’s the only giant in wrestling. Heenan says Andre is done.
-Body Slam Challenge. Andre the Giant VS. Big John Studd with Bobby Heenan: $15,000 VS. Andre’s career. Andre comes out to a nice ovation. A weasel chant goes out. Studd attacks early. Andre comes back with some stiff chops. Studd goes to the outside. Back in, Andre chokes Studd in the corner. He then squashes him in the corner. Studd goes for a slam but can’t get Andre up. Andre gets a bear hug. A Slam chant goes out. Studd tries to fight out of the hold. Andre with a big head butt. Irish whip by Andre and Studd tries to get a big boot in but Andre catches his boot and hits Studd. Big chops by Andre and then big kicks by Andre to Studd. Andre then slams Studd and the crowd loves it. Andre gets the sack of money and starts throwing it to the crowd. Heenan sneaks up behind Andre and grabs the money and runs.
-Mena Gene interviews Andre. Andre says he doesn’t care about the money, he proved he could slam Studd and doesn’t have to retire.
-Lord Alfred Hayes previews the Women’s Title Match and gets a kiss from the Fabulous Moolah and Leilani Kai.
-Prerecorded comments: Mean Gene interviews Cyndi Lauper and Wendi Richter. Lauper calls Moolah Schmoolah and Leilani Lanny Kai. Richter says she is dead set on getting her title back.
-Mean Gene then interviews the Fabulous Moolah and Leilani Kai. Moolah has special glasses on for the match and Kai is ready.
-WWF Ladies Championship Match: Leilani Kai with the Fabulous Moolah VS. Wendi Richter with Cyndi Lauper and Dave Wolfe: Music Dub City as Richter, Wolfe, and Lauper come out as I’m sure they originally played Girls Just Want to Have Fun. It takes a while to get started. Richter with the early advantage. She had a hammerlock on Kai. Kai gets a handful of hair for a one count. Kai with an arm lock. Kai goes after Richter’s hand. They trade blows. Kai with a choke hold while Richter has a leg scissors on. Richter gets a couple of two counts. They go over by the ropes and Moolah grabs Richter and roughs her face up which brings Lauper over. Kai gets a boot on Richter who counters with a modified attitude adjustment. She gets a two count. Kai gets a double knee lift for a two count. A backbreaker gets another two count. Kai goes off the top rope with a crossbody but Richter awkwardly rolls through to pin Kai. New Champion! Crowd goes crazy.
-Mean Gene interviews Richter and Lauper. They are ecstatic, but this is an awkward interview.
-Howard Finkel introduces guest ring announcer Billy Martin. He announces Liberace as guest timekeeper, who comes down with four Rockettes. They do the famous leg kicks in the ring. Muhammed Ali comes out. He will be the outside referee. Jose Torres is shown in the crowd. Pat Patterson will be the inside referee.
-Main Event. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff with Bob Orton Jr. VS. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T with Jimmy Snuka: Piper and company come down played by a bagpipe group. The look on Piper’s face is classic. Music Dub City of Real American plays as Hogan and company come out as I’m sure they used Eye of the Tiger. The teams size each other up. Liberace rings a crystal bell to start. Hogan and Orndorff start in the ring. Piper wants in and tags. T wants in and the crowd wants it too. T tagged in and he and Piper are nose to nose, then they slap each other. Piper gets a cheap shot in and does a takedown of T. Chain wrestling. T picks up Piper and slams him. Then everyone including the seconds and the referees are in the ring. It takes a few minutes to maintain order. The heels go to leave. They start a count, but Hogan stops it and the heels are made to come back. Hogan corner whips Piper and clotheslines him. Hogan rams the heels heads together. T tagged in and clotheslines Piper and then slams Piper and hip locks Orndorff. Hogan tagged back in. A big boot knocks Piper outside. Orndorff nails Hogan from behind and knocks him outside. Back in, Hogan punished by the heels. T comes in and is dragged back outside by Patterson. Double atomic drop on Hogan. Orndorff dropping knees on Hogan. Follows that up with a big suplex. Piper tagged in. He hits some big shots and gets a two count. Orndorff tagged in and hits a backbreaker. Orndorff goes up top but Hogan moves. T tagged in and cleans house. He and Orndorff scrambling around. Piper tagged in and he gets a front face lock on T. Hogan tagged in. Hogan rams the heels heads together again. Orton comes in, but gets caught and cut off by Snuka. Orton then sneaks up top and Orndorff holds Hogan for Orton to blast him with his cast, but Hogan moves and Orndorff gets hit and Hogan covers him for the pin. The crowd is so loud for the finish. Orndorff is knocked out. Piper hits Patterson and he and Orton leave. Orndorff recovers and wonders what happened. The crowd gives the faces a huge ovation. Hogan must pose. All the celebrities take ovations.
-Mean Gene interviews the faces. T says that it was rough out there. He is blown up and sucking wind. Hogan says everyone was fired up and that they reigned supreme. Snuka says it was a pleasure for him to be there.
-Gorilla and Jesse recap the main event and WrestleMania as a whole and thank everyone before signing off from MSG.
-Approximately three months after WrestleMania, on July 6, 1985, Greg Valentine lost the Intercontinental Championship back to Tito Santana in a cage match. At about the same time, Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik lost the WWF Tag Team Championship back to The U.S. Express. They held the title until August, when the team of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine, later known as the Dream Team, became the new champions. On July 8, 1985, Don Muraco won the inaugural King of The Ring tournament by defeating the Iron Sheik in the finals. After André the Giant defeated Big John Studd at the event, Studd formed a tag team with King Kong Bundy, and the duo faced André and Hulk Hogan on a number of occasions. Later, the team of Studd and Bundy teamed up in Handicap matches—a two against one wrestling match—against André, which renewed the feud between André and Studd.
-In late 1985, Wendi Richter lost her WWF Women's Championship in controversial fashion. She wrestled a masked female wrestler known as The Spider Lady, who pinned Richter to win the title. After the match, the Spider Lady was revealed as the Fabulous Moolah. This finish was a screw job, i.e. one participant (in this case Richter) was unaware of the planned title change. Richter left the WWF shortly after, and Moolah held the title for approximately two years.
-In a new storyline after WrestleMania, Roddy Piper began training Bob Orton as a boxer. Hulk Hogan accepted a challenge on the behalf of Mr. T to face Orton in a match on the February 15, 1986 Saturday Night's Main Event V. After Mr. T won the match, Orton and Piper attacked him, leading to a boxing match at WrestleMania 2 between Piper and Mr. T.