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Match Card:
Main Event:
Brass Knuckles on a Pole match
WWF World Heavyweight Championship
Hulk Hogan (c) vs Paul Orndorff
Semi Main: Roddy Piper vs Mr T
WWF Women's Championship match
Wendi Richter w/ Cyndi Lauper vs Leilani Kai(c) w/ The Fabulous Moolah
Career vs $15,000 Body Slam Challenge
If Andre slams Studd, he wins $15,000. If he doesn't, his career is over!
Andre the Giant vs Big John Studd w/ Bobby Heenan
WWF Tag Team Championship match
The Iron Shiek & Nikolai Volkoff w/ Freddie Blassie vs The U.S. Express(c) w/ Lou Albino
WWF Intercontinental Championship match
Junkyard Dog vs Greg Valentine(c) w/ Jimmy Hart
Ricky Steamboat vs Matt Borne
King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart vs SD Jones
Tito Santana vs The Executioner
WWF Women's Tag Team Championship match
Velvet McIntyre & Desiree Peterson (c) vs Mad Maxine & Judy Martin
30 Man Battle Royal
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Storylines
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 Mr T. In February 1985, the Hogan faced Piper 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.[18]
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.[19] Belzer later sued Hogan for $5 million, but they eventually settled out of court.[20] The night before WrestleMania, Hogan and Mr. T hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live to help promote the event.[21]
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Gene Okerlund opened the event by singing
the national anthem. The originally intended singer, a celebrity guest that Okerlund and Vince McMahon refused to name, failed to appear.
[22]
The main points that came out of this match was Mr. T & Tony Atlas being in the last 4. These were 2 monsters of men in that ring. It's also worth noting that Mr. T eliminated Andre the Giant & ending his undefeated streak in the process.
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Women's wrestling wasn't very interesting to watch in the 80's & as a result, the crowd really didn't get into this match. The attires were bland & the moves were sloppy. Pretty sure this match was the restroom & bathroom break section of the night.
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This match was between Tito Santana and The Executioner (
Buddy Rose). Santana won the match after applying a
figure four leglock on The Executioner, which was a shot at current Intercontinental
Champion Greg Valentine, as the figure four was his finishing move.
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After the match ended,
David Sammartino, accompanied by his father
Bruno Sammartino, and
Brutus Beefcake, accompanied by
Johnny Valiant,
made their way to the ring. The action favoured both contestants, as
each wrestler alternated having the advantage. After Beefcake threw
David Sammartino out of the ring, Valiant lifted him up and slammed him
to the cement floor. He then pushed Sammartino back into the ring before
being attacked by Bruno. A short while later, all four men began
fighting in the ring, and the match ended in a no-contest.
[4][24]________________________________________________________
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King Kong Bundy (accompanied by
Jimmy Hart) and
Special Delivery Jones made their way to the ring. After crushing his opponent against the
turnbuckle and landing on him stomach-first, Bundy pinned Jones. The WWF's
official time for the match is a then-record time of nine seconds,
[4] although the match actually lasted 25 seconds.
[23] ________________________________________________________
The first championship defense of WrestleMania was between
Junkyard Dog and the reigning
WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion Greg Valentine, who was accompanied to the ring by his manager
Jimmy Hart. Junkyard Dog began the match in the offensive position, performing
headbutts and punches on Valentine. As the action went back and forth, Hart
climbed on the ring apron, where Valentine accidentally hit him. Later,
Valentine pinned Junkyard Dog with his feet on the ropes for leverage,
which is an illegal maneuver. As a result, Tito Santana ran down to the
ring and explained to the referee what had happened and the match was
restarted. Junkyard Dog eventually won the match by pin-fall, winning the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
Note: In the original WrestleMania, Junkyard Dog won by Count-out, the title never changed hands.
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The following match was for the
WWF Tag Team Championship.
Nikolai Volkoff and
The Iron Sheik, accompanied to the ring by
Freddie Blassie, challenged the reigning champions,
The U.S. Express (
Mike Rotundo and
Barry Windham), who were accompanied by
Lou Albano.
The U.S. Express dominated the early part of the match until Volkoff
and The Sheik began to gain the offensive advantage over Rotundo.
Rotundo then tagged in Windham, who performed a
bulldog on The Sheik. After nearly being pinned, The Sheik hit Windham in the
head with Blassie's cane as the referee had his back turned. After
Volkoff got the pin, Volkoff and The Sheik were crowned as the new tag
champions, becoming the second people to win a championship at
WrestleMania.
[24]________________________________________________________
The next match on the card was a
$15,000 Body Slam Challenge between
André the Giant and
Big John Studd, who was accompanied by
Bobby Heenan.
The stipulation of the match was that André the Giant had to body slam
Studd to win $15,000, and if he failed, he would be forced to retire.
After beginning the match in the defensive position, André countered
with chops and a headbutt. From then on André controlled the match and
after weakening Studd's knees with multiple kicks, André was able to
lift Studd over his shoulders and execute a body slam to win the match.
After André collected his prize money, he started throwing the money out
to the audience. Heenan, however, grabbed the bag holding the remainder
of the winnings and ran from ringside. As a result of the match, André
was able to continue his career.
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After all the men had left ringside, it was time for the
WWF Women's Championship match between
Wendi Richter, managed by singer
Cyndi Lauper , and
Leilani Kai, managed by former champion
The Fabulous Moolah.
Shortly after the match began, Moolah grabbed Richter as she was
outside on the floor, but Lauper saved her from an attack. Kai then
performed a flying crossbody from the top rope, but Richter used Kai's
momentum to
roll-up Kai in a pinning position. With this pin, Richter became the new Women's Champion.
[7]________________________________________________________
The next match was
Mr. T, accompanied by
Jimmy Snuka, against
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper. First, Piper and Orton made their
way to the ring as drums and bagpipes played, causing the crowd to boo.
Crowd favorite Mr. T, and Snuka made their way to the ring
next. The match began with Mr. T and Piper in the ring and the two
traded blows. Midway through the match, all four men began brawling in
the ring. After the match's order was restored, Piper had the
offensive advantage. Orton climbed the top rope to attempt to knock out Mr. T. Instead,
Orton mistakenly hit Piper, and Mr. T pinned him to win the match.
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The main event and last match of the night pitted
Hulk Hogan, the reigning
WWF World Heavyweight Champion, against
"Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, accompanied by
"Cowboy" Bob Orton. Professional
boxer Muhammad Ali was the
special guest referee (on the outside of the ring),
New York Yankees manager
Billy Martin was the guest ring announcer while
Liberace (accompanied by
The Rockettes)
was the guest time keeper. First, Orndorff, and Orton made their
way to the ring as the crowd to booed.
Crowd favorites Hogan made his way to the ring
next. The match began with Hogan and Orndorff in the ring and the two
traded blows. Midway through the match, all three men began brawling in
the ring, and Muhammad Ali punched Orndorff in an attempt to restore order.
After the match's order was restored, Orndorff had the
offensive advantage. As Orndorff locked Hogan into a
full nelson,
Orton climbed the top rope to attempt to knock out Hogan. Instead,
Orton mistakenly hit Orndorff, and Hogan grabs the brass knuckles & lays both Orton & Orndorff out to win the match. In
frustration, Orndorff knocked out the in-ring official,
Pat Patterson before he and Orton retreated backstage leaving Hogan in the ring to celebrate.
[7][25]________________________________________________________
