Last night, the WWE (formerly the WWF) celebrated the 25thWrestlemania. The very first one was held on March 31, 1985 and I don't think anybody had any idea back then how big the popularity of Professional Wrestling was going to grow in the coming years.
Somewhat surprising, one of my more popular issues of Kickin' it Old School is the one which includes my Favorite and Most Hated Professional Wrestlers from the 80s. If you missed that one, you should certainly check that out and feel welcome to leave your personal picks in the comments there. I thought this year I would take the opportunity to go re-visit the five Wrestlemanias from the 80s.
I came across an article on metalmisfit.com that discussed that very subject. I recommend you checking out his take on the topic. As for my coverage, I will give you a quick recap of all of the matches that were included in each event. There will be a few video links added to help refresh your memory as well. Hulk Hogan was always my favorite and, as you will notice, he was the heart and soul of Wrestlemania back then.
Wrestlemania March 31, 1985 Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
1. Tito Santana defeated The Executioner 2. King Kong Bundy (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Special Delivery Jones - in just 23 seconds! 3. Ricky Steamboat defeated Matt Borne 4. David Sammartino (with Bruno Sammartino) fought Brutus Beefcake (with Johnny Valiant) to a double disqualification 5. The Junkyard Dog defeated Greg Valentine (c) (with Jimmy Hart) by countout - Intercontinental Title Match 6. Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik (with Freddie Blassie) defeated The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) (c) (with Lou Albano) - to win the Tag Team Championship 7. Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd (with Bobby Heenan) - in a $15,000 Body Slam challenge where Andre would have to retire if he did not body slam Studd 8. Wendi Richter (with Cyndi Lauper) defeated Leilani Kai (c) (with The Fabulous Moolah) - for the Women's Championship 9. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T (with Jimmy Snuka) defeated Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff (with Cowboy Bob Orton) - with special guest referee Muhammad Ali
Here is a video which touches on the last 25 years of Wrestlemania while paying tribute to the first one which started it all:
Wrestlemania 2 April 7, 1986 3 locations: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, NY, Rosemont Horizon - Rosemont, IL, and Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena - Los Angeles, CA
1. Paul Orndorff and The Magnificent Muraco (with Mr. Fuji) fought to a double countout 2. Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated George Steele. - Intercontinental Title Match 3. Jake Roberts defeated George Wells. - ending with a DDT (which is one of my all time favorite finishing moves) 4. Mr. T (with Joe Frazier and Kid) defeated Roddy Piper (with Bob Orton and Lou Duva) by disqualification - in a Boxing match 5. The Fabulous Moolah (c) defeated Velvet McIntyre. - in a Women's Title Match 6. Corporal Kirchner defeated Nikolai Volkoff (with Freddie Blassie) - in a Flag Match 7. Andre the Giant defeated 19 other participants by last eliminating Bret Hart. - 20 man battle royal of NFL players and wrestlers included Jimbo Covert (NFL player - Chicago Bears), Pedro Morales, Tony Atlas, Ted Arcidi, Harvey Martin (Former NFL player - Dallas Cowboys), Danny Spivey, Hillbilly Jim, King Tonga, The Iron Sheik, Ernie Holmes (Former NFL player - Pittsburgh Steelers), B. Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, Big John Studd, Bill Fralic (NFL player - Atlanta Falcons), Jim Neidhart, Russ Francis (NFL player - San Francisco 49ers), Bruno Sammartino, and William "Refrigerator" Perry (NFL player - Chicago Bears) 8. The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) (with Ozzy Osbourne and Lou Albano) defeated The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) (c) (with Johnny Valiant) - to win the Tag Team Title 9. Ricky Steamboat defeated Hercules Hernandez 10. Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Uncle Elmer 11. Terry Funk and Hoss Funk (with Jimmy Hart) defeated The Junkyard Dog and Tito Santana. 12. Hulk Hogan (c) defeated King Kong Bundy (with Bobby Heenan) - in a steel cage match for the WWF Title
Here is a video which gives you a quick recap of Wrestlemania 2 including the exciting main event:
Wrestlemania III March 29, 1987 Pontiac Silverdome - Pontiac, MI reported attendance of 93,173 (disputed)
1. The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) defeated Bob Orton and The Magnificent Muraco (with Mr. Fuji) 2. Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules (with Bobby Heenan) fought to a double countout 3. Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid and Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook by disqualification 4. Harley Race (with Bobby Heenan and The Fabulous Moolah) defeated The Junkyard Dog - in a "Loser Must Bow" match 5. The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) (with Johnny Valiant and Dino Bravo) defeated The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) 6. Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) - in a "Loser Gets His Hair Shaved" match 7. The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) and Danny Davis (with Jimmy Hart) defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) and Tito Santana 8. Butch Reed (with Slick) defeated Koko B. Ware 9. Ricky Steamboat (with George Steele) defeated Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) - to win the Intercontinental Title with a match lasting 14:35 - This match is generally considered one of the best of all time and certainly of the 80s, so here are videos showing the match:
10. The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Jake Roberts (with Alice Cooper) 11. The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (with Slick) defeated The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell) by disqualification 12. Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) - defending his WWF Title - This match is generally considered where Andre passed the proverbial torch to Hogan, so here is a video with highlights of the match including the big body slam which completes the moment:
Wrestlemania IV March 27, 1988 Trump Plaza - Atlantic City, NJ Featured a 14-man tournament for the vacant WWF Championship
Wrestlemania V April 2, 1989 Trump Plaza - Atlantic City, NJ
1. Hercules defeated King Haku (with Bobby Heenan) 2. The Twin Towers (Akeem and The Big Boss Man) (with Slick) defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) 3. Brutus Beefcake and Ted DiBiase (with Virgil) fought to a double countout 4. The Bushwhackers (Luke Williams and Butch Miller) defeated The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) (with Jimmy Hart) 5. Mr. Perfect Curt Henig defeated The Blue Blazer 6. Demolition (Ax and Smash) (c) defeated The Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian) and Mr. Fuji - in a Tag Team Title match 7. Dino Bravo (with Frenchy Martin) defeated Ronnie Garvin 8. The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) 9. Jake Roberts defeated Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification - in a match refereed by Big John Studd 10. The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) defeated The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) 11. Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) defeated The Ultimate Warrior (c). - to win the Intercontinental Championship 12. Jim Duggan and Bad News Brown fought to a double disqualification 13. The Red Rooster defeated Bobby Heenan (with The Brooklyn Brawler) - in 32 seconds 14. Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage (c). - to win the WWF Championship
Highlights from Wrestlemania V:
I was a Hulkamaniac and as big of a Wrestling fan back in the 80s as anybody, but gradually watched less and less over the years. I will always have a fondness for Pro Wrestling because it was a part of my childhood. I still will stop and watch for a bit when I am channel surfing and come across it. I had fun taking a trip down memory lane and recalling the Wrestlemanias from the 80s and I hope you did too.
That will do it for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "LIKE". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: If you read Kickin' it enough, you know I enjoy a humorous or ironic sign and share them with you here often. Here is a sign for a new drink of some sort, but based on its name I don't think it will sell that well. If I was thirsty, I don't think I would want an ice cold glass of that to help quench my thirst. They are going to need one heck of a marketing campaign to help sell this stuff. Maybe more disturbing is that this is the "original" and that that implies there are some imposters out there.
Quote of the day: "Each person has inside a basic decency and goodness. If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most. It is not complicated but it takes courage. It takes courage for a person to listen to his own goodness and act on it." -Pablo Casals
posted by: tampi (reply)
post date: 04.07.09 (7:46 am)
reminds me of slick well marketed product .i never was a fan of wrestle mania pro wrestle the only name i remember is that of dynamite kid
I dont wacth wrestleing that much but when I do it is always neat...it usually comes on at the time I go to bed...I can't beilive it has been that long....wow time flies fast when your having fun...
posted by: bawdy (reply)
post date: 04.08.09 (1:27 am)
I loved wrestling back in the eighties. Now I can't stand it.
posted by: mrxskull (reply)
post date: 07.14.10 (5:51 am)
It's too bad none of you kids ever saw wrestling in the 50's 60's and 70's, where the real stuff was at. I couldn't stand the WWF in the 80's. Became far too commercialised for my liking.
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Back to the 80s: Wrestlemania in the 80s - Kickin' it Old School
25th Wrestlemania. The very first one was held on March 31, 1985 and I don't think anybody had any idea back then how big the popularity of Professional Wrestling was going to grow in the coming years. 
