History of Wrestlemania - Online Sports Betting

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:29 PM

From http://www.wrestlemaniahistory.com/wm01/index.html

On March 31, 1985, the legacy of WrestleMania was born at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Prior to the event, WWE had held many events, however, none were as successful as WrestleMania. Seen by more than one million fans via closed-circuit television, WrestleMania proved to be the originator of what would come to be know as the greatest spectacular in sports-entertainment history.

The card consisted of a literal who's who of professional wrestling at the time. All the top names competed: Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ricky Steamboat, Big John Studd were just a few of the headliners. Alongside WWE's top talent were some of the entertainment world's biggest names -- Liberace, Billy Martin, Muhammad Ali were just some of the names involved.

The tradition known as WrestleMania was born on March 31, 1985 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The first match in WrestleMania history was Tito Santana against the Executioner. Tito would compete in the first nine WrestleMania events.

The first title change in WrestleMania history saw the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff defeat Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo for the Tag Team Championship. Also at the first WrestleMania, Wendy Richter defeated Leilani Kai for the Women’s Championship.

The main event at the first WrestleMania saw Hulk Hogan and Mr. T team up against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.

King Kong Bundy defeated S.D. Jones in just nine seconds at WrestleMania. That record would stand for almost 10 years, until Diesel defeated Bob Backlund to win the WWE Championship in just six seconds. Coincidentally, both of those matches took place at Madison Square Garden.

Ring announcer Howard Finkel began his WrestleMania iron-man streak at the first WrestleMania. Finkel is the only performer to appear at all 16 WrestleMania events!

At WrestleMania I, Andre the Giant and Big John Studd competed in a $15,000 body slam match. After Andre slammed Studd, he won the $15,000 – which he threw out to the crowd at MSG before Studd’s manager, Bobby Heenan, snuck up behind him and stole the money back.

Rock and roll megastar Cyndi Lauper seconded Wendi Richter to the ring for her Women’s Championship match against Leilani Kai.

Leilani Kai was the Women’s Champion at the very first WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden. Leilani would return to MSG nine years later for WrestleMania X, when she challenged Alundra Blayze for that very same title.

WrestleMania I was the first of three WrestleManias in New York. The following year, WrestleMania II was held at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, and in 1994, WrestleMania X again emanated from Madison Square Garden.

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:30 PM

WM 1 Results:

Tito Santana defeated the Executioner

David Sammartino and Brutus Beefcake wrestled to a double-DQ

Ricky Steamboat defeated Matt Borne

King Kong Bundy defeated S.D. Jones

Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd in a Body Slam Match
Junk Yard Dog defeated Greg Valentine via countout

Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik defeated Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham to capture the Tag Team Championship

Wendi Richter defeated Lelani Kai for the Women's Championship

Hulk Hogan & Mr. T defeated Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:32 PM

Few people thought WWE could recreate the magic of the first WrestleMania. That is, until April 7, 1986, when the WWE mirrored the success of the first WrestleMania with WrestleMania 2. Much like the original, WrestleMania 2 combined World Wrestling Entertainment Superstars with Hollywood's hottest celebrities for an exciting night of sports-entertainment.

While WrestleMania 2 shared the same level of success as the original WrestleMania, the event was also very much different. For instance, the matches at WrestleMania 2 originated from three separate venues, with main events from each -- New York's Nassau Coliseum, the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago and the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

One of the three main events at WrestleMania 2 was a 20-man battle royal, which featured both WWE Superstars and NFL football players. In the end, Andre the Giant emerged victorious in a battle which also involved such football stars as Jim Covert, Ernie Holmes, Bill Fralic, Russ Francis, Harvey Martin, and William "Refrigerator" Perry.

In another one of the three main events at WrestleMania 2, Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy in the only steel cage match in WrestleMania history.

WrestleMania 2 was the first WrestleMania which was actually held on Pay-Per-View television. The first WrestleMania was shown on closed-circuit TV at thousands of theatres and arenas across the country.

WrestleMania 2 was the first of four WrestleManias to take place in California. WrestleMania VII took place at the L.A. Sports Arena, and WrestleManias XII and 2000 emanated from the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim.

WrestleMania 2 was the first of two WrestleManias in Chicago. WrestleMania 13 took place at the Rosemont Horizon, the same arena which hosted WrestleMania 2.

Jake "The Snake" Roberts made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania 2. He would make his final WrestleMania appearance 10 years later, at the 12th annual event.

WWE Hall-of-Famer the Fabulous Moolah competed at WrestleMania 2, pinning Velvet McIntyre. Moolah would also appear 14 years later, at WrestleMania 2000, when she seconded Terri to ringside for Terri’s Cat Fight against The Kat.

Terry Funk teamed up with his brother Dory Funk Jr. – then known as "Hoss Funk" – at WrestleMania 2 to take on the Junk Yard Dog and Tito Santana. Twelve years later, Terry would team up with Mick Foley at WrestleMania XIV to win the Tag Team Championship from the New Age Outlaws – a team which included another dog, the Road Dogg.

Bret Hart made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania 2. In his 12 WrestleMania appearances from WrestleMania 2 to WrestleMania 13, Hart would compete in numerous kinds of matches – battle royals, six-man tags, submission matches, Tag Team Championship matches, Intercontinental Championship matches, and WWE Championship matches. Hart would also compete in the main event of two WrestleManias.

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:32 PM

Paul Orndorff and Don Muraco wrestled to a double-countout
Randy "Macho Man" Savage defeated George " the Animal" Steele via pinfall

Jake "the Snake" Roberts defeated George Wells via pinfall

Mr. T defeated Roddy Piper by DQ in a boxing match

Women's Champion Fabulous Moolah defeated Velvet McIntyre

Cpl. Kirschner defeated Nikolai Volkoff via pinfall

Andre the Giant won a 20 man battle royal

British Bulldogs defeated Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake for the Tag Team Championship

Ricky Steamboat defeated Hercules via pinfall

Adrian Adonis defeated Uncle Elmer via pinfall

Hoss & Terry Funk defeated Junk Yard Dog and Tito Santana

WWE Champion Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy in a cage match

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:33 PM

In front of 93, 173 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome, WWE held its third annual WrestleMania. The event will forever be known for shattering the world's indoor attendance record, previously held by the Rolling Stones.

The event was highlighted by the mega-main event, pitting Andre the Giant against WWE Champion Hulk Hogan. In addition, in one of the greatest matches ever, Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat defeated Randy "Macho Man" Savage for the Intercontinental Championship. Also, Roddy Piper took on Adrian Adonis, Junk Yard Dog battled Harley Race, Billy Jack Haynes faced Hercules and much more.

WrestleMania III was the only WrestleMania which did not have a Tag Team Championship match.

WrestleMania III featured the first time the Intercontinental Championship changed hands at a WrestleMania, as Ricky Steamboat defeated Randy Savage for the title in a classic battle.

Roddy Piper’s match at WrestleMania III was billed as his retirement match – even though Piper would go on to compete in the sports-entertainment business for another decade, including at WrestleMania XII.

One of the more famous matches in WrestleMania history was a WrestleMania III encounter pitting King Kong Bundy and two midgets – Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook – against Hillbilly Jim and two midgets – Little Beaver and the Haiti Kid.

After defeating the Rougeau Brothers, Greg Valentine turned on his partner, Brutus Beefcake, to form an alliance with Dino Bravo.

Harley Race defeated the Junk Yard Dog at WrestleMania III, and as per a pre-match stipulation, JYD was forced to bow down to Race after the match.

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:34 PM

Rick Martel and Tom Zenk defeated Bob Orton & Don Muraco
Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules wrestled to a double-countout

Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid & Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook via DQ

Harley Race defeated Junk Yard Dog via pinfall

Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake defeated the Rougeau Brothers via pinfall

Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis

The Hart Foundation & Danny Davis defeated the British Bulldogs and Tito Santana via pinfall

Butch Reed defeated Koko B. Ware via pinfall

Ricky Steamboat defeated Randy Savage to capture the Intercontinental Championship

Honky Tonk Man defeated Jake the Snake" Roberts via pinfall

Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff defeated the Killer Bees via DQ

WWE Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Andre the Giant via pinfall

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:35 PM

Wrestling fans all around the world converged on Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City to witness WrestleMania IV. Subtitled "What the World is Watching," no truer words were spoken, as millions of people witnessed the event live, via closed circuit television and on Pay-Per-View.

For the first time in WrestleMania's history, there was no champion going into the event. As a a result, then World Wrestling Entertainment President Jack Tunney declared that the new champion would be crowned after an elimination tournament at WrestleMania IV.

WrestleMania IV was truly an event for the ages. From beginning to end, the action was non-stop. Whether it was watching the Hulkster help the Macho Man capture the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship, or Bret Hart destroy Bad News Brown's trophy; the millions who witnessed this mega event live, via closed circuit or PPV knew they were a part of something special.

WrestleMania IV featured a 14-man tournament for the vacant World Wrestling Entertainment Championship – one of only two such championship tournaments in World Wrestling Entertainment history. The other took place over 10 years later, at the 1998 Survivor Series.

WrestleMania IV featured the first time that the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship changed hands at WrestleMania, when Randy Savage was crowned WWE Champion.

WrestleMania IV was the first WrestleMania event – and the only event until WrestleMania X – which did not feature Hulk Hogan competing in the main event.

The opening match of WrestleMania IV was a 20-man battle royal, the second battle royal in WrestleMania history (Andre the Giant won the first one at WrestleMania 2). Bad News Brown emerged victorious from the match.

Hulk Hogan battled Andre the Giant at WrestleMania IV, in a rematch from the year before. This is one of only two matches which took place at consecutive WrestleManias – Bret Hart took on Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX and X.

The WWE Championship was declared vacant in the days leading up to WrestleMania IV – the first time the title had ever been vacant since Buddy Rogers became the first WWE Champion in 1962.

The One Man Gang reached the semi-finals of the championship tournament at WrestleMania IV, but by WrestleMania V he would take on an entirely new persona as the African Dream, Akeem.

WrestleMania IV had 15 matches, the most of any WrestleMania event.

Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth wore different outfits for each of the four matches they were involved in at WrestleMania IV.

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:35 PM

Bad News Brown won a 20-man battle royal
Brutus Beefcake defeated Intercontinental Champion Honky Tonk Man via DQ

The Islanders & Bobby Heenan defeated the British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware via pinfall

Demolition defeated Strike Force for the Tag Team Championship

Round One, Championship Tournament:

Ted DiBiase defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Don Muraco defeated Dino Bravo by DQ

Greg "the Hammer" Valentine defeated Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat via pinfall

Randy "Macho Man" Savage defeated Butch Reed via pinfall

One Man Gang defeated Bam Bam Bigelow via countout

Rick Rude and Jake "the Snake" Roberts wrestled to a 15-minute draw

Round Two, Championship Tournament:

Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan wrestled to a double DQ

Ted DiBiase defeated Don Muraco via pinfall

Randy Savage defeated Greg Valentine via pinfall

Semifinals, Championship Tournament:

Randy Savage defeated One Man Gang by DQ

Finals, Championship Tournament:

Randy Savage defeated Ted DiBiase to capture the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:39 PM

WrestleMania V was held in the same venue as WrestleMania IV – Trump Plaza in Atlantic City.

Both Shawn Michaels and the Big Boss Man made their WrestleMania debuts at WrestleMania V – taking on each other! Shawn and his partner, Marty Janetty, took on the Boss Man and Akeem at the event.

Rap superstars Run D.M.C. performed a special WrestleMania rap at WrestleMania V. Eleven years later, Run D.M.C. would again be featured at WrestleMania – their version of the D-Generation X theme song from the "Aggression" CD accompanied Road Dogg and X-Pac to the ring.

Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage to become World Wrestling Entertainment Champion in the main event of WrestleMania V – the first of three times Hogan would win the title at a WrestleMania. At WrestleMania VII, he defeated Sgt. Slaughter for the title, and at WrestleMania IX, Hogan beat Yokozuna.

After facing off in a body slam match at WrestleMania I, Andre the Giant and Big John Studd were again involved in the same match at WrestleMania V, when Studd served as guest referee for the match between Andre and Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

Bruce Prichard, who currently works for the WWE as vice president of talent relations, assumed his alter ego of "Brother Love" at WrestleMania V. Brother Love was stripped of his kilt in a memorable segment which also involved Roddy Piper and Morton Downey Jr.

When Rick Rude defeated the Ultimate Warrior to win the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania V, it marked the Warrior’s first pinfall loss in WWE.

"Superfly" Jimmy Snuka made a surprise guest appearance at WrestleMania V. It was the first time that Superfly had shown up at WrestleMania since accompanying Hulk Hogan and Mr. T to the ring at the first WrestleMania event.

The tag team of Strike Force – Rick Martel and Tito Santana – broke up at WrestleMania V after losing to the Brain Busters.

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:39 PM

The Twin Towers defeated the Rockers via pinfall

Ted DiBiase and Brutus Beefcake wrestled to a double-countout

Hercules defeated King Haku

The Bushwackers defeated the Rougeau Brothers via pinfall

Mr. Perfect defeated the Blue Blazer via pinfall

Tag Team Champions Demolition defeated the Powers of Pain and Mr. Fuji via pinfall

Dino Bravo defeated Ron Garvin

Jake Roberts defeated Andre the Giant via DQ

The Brain Busters defeated Strike Force via pinfall

The Hart Foundation defeated Greg Valentine and Honky Tonk Man via pinfall

Rick Rude defeated Ultimate Warrior for the Intercontinental Championship

Bad News Brown and Jim Duggan wrestled to a double-DQ

Red Rooster defeated Bobby Heenan via pinfall

Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage for the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship.

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:40 PM

WrestleMania VI was the first Pay-Per-View event held outside the United States.

The event drew 67,678 fans to Toronto’s SkyDome.

The main event of WrestleMania VI was a title-for-title match, as Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior took on World Wrestling Entertainment Champion Hulk Hogan.

Demolition won the Tag Team Championship from Haku and Andre the Giant at WrestleMania VI, becoming just the second team in World Wrestling Entertainment history to have three reigns as Tag Champions. The first team was the 70s combination of Mr. Fuji (who appeared at WrestleMania VI as a manager) and Prof. Toru Tanaka.

WrestleMania VI featured the first mixed tag match in WrestleMania history, when Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire took on Randy Savage and Sensational Sherri.

Prior to the Pay-Per-View, a special "dark match" was held for the fans inside the SkyDome, as World Wrestling Entertainment technicians made final preparations for the broadcast to start. The referee for that match was none other than Shane McMahon.

Ten years before he and Christian captured the Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 2000, Edge sat ringside at WrestleMania VI, proudly wearing a "Hulk Rules" T-shirt!

Hulk Hogan’s loss in the main event of WrestleMania VI was the only loss Hogan ever suffered in 10 WrestleMania matches.

Andre the Giant ended his three-year association with manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan at WrestleMania VI, much to the delight of the fans on hand.

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On a personal note: one of my favorite Wrestlemania's

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:41 PM

The Model Rick Martel defeated Koko B. Ware by submission

Demolition defeated the Colossal Connection for the Tag Team Championship

Earthquake defeated Hercules via pinfall

Brutus Beefcake defeated Mr. Perfect via pinfall

Roddy Piper and Bad News Brown wrestled to a double-countout

The Hart Foundation defeated the Bolsheviks via pinfall

Barbarian defeated Tito Santana via pinfall

Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire defeated Randy Savage & Sherri via pinfall

The Orient Express defeated the Rockers via countout

Jim Duggan defeated Dino Bravo by pinfall

Ted DiBiase defeated Jake "The Snake" Roberts

The Big Boss Man defeated Akeem via pinfall

Rick Rude defeated Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka via pinfall

The Ultimate Warrior defeated Hulk Hogan for the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:42 PM

In terms of raw emotion, there is perhaps no other night in the rich history of World Wrestling Entertainment that can compare to March 24, 1991. The largest audience in the history of Pay-Per-View, as well as many celebrities, including Donald Trump, Regis Philbin and Henry "The Fonz" Winkler, watched as Old Glory took center stage at WrestleMania VII.

With the Persian Gulf War raging in the Middle East, the United States was experiencing a period of intense patriotism. From Maine to Montana and beyond, American were quick to discuss the insatiable love they felt for their country, and were just as quick to utter their disdain for their enemies.

Through Hulk Hogan, WWE fans experienced that undying patriotism, as the Hulkster face Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter.

Millions of fans watching worldwide took a ride that was an emotional roller coaster that was WrestleMania VII

Shawn Michaels competed in the opening match of WrestleMania VII - the first of three consecutive WrestleManias at which the Heartbreak Kid competed first.

WrestleMania VII marked the final WrestleMania appearance of Andre the Giant.

WrestleMania VII was originally supposed to take place at the L.A. Coliseum, which holds over 100,000 people. But due to security concerns related to the Gulf War, the event was moved to the L.A. Arena.

Ted DiBiase and Virgil went one-on-one for the first time at WrestleManai VII.

Country star Willie Nelson sang “American the Beautiful” at WrestleMania VII.

After the Nasty Boys won the Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania VII, they partied all night with Willie Nelson. When they showed up the next day at a TV taping, they only had one title belt with them, because they had given the other one to Nelson as a souvenir!

The British Bulldog competed at seven WrestleMania events, but WrestleMania VII was the only time he ever wrestled in a singles match. He took on the Warlord one-on-one.

Jake Roberts and The Model competed in a “Blindfold Match” at WrestleMania VII, in which both men’s sight was completely blurred by a black cloak!

The Ultimate Warrior defeated Randy Savage in a retirement match at WrestleMania VII. Seven months later, the Warrior had left World Wrestling Entertainment, and Savage had been reinstated. And one year later - at WrestleMania VIII - Savage regained the WWE Championship.

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:43 PM

The Rockers defeated the Barbarian & Haku via pinfall

Texas Tornado defeated Dino Bravo via pinfall

The British Bulldog defeated the Warlord via pinfall

The Nasty Boys defeated The Hart Foundation for the Tag Team Championship

Jake Roberts defeated The Model in a Blindfold Match

Undertaker defeated Jimmy Snuka via pinfall

Ultimate Warrior defeated Randy Savage in a Retirement Match

Genichiro & Koji Kiao defeated Demolition via pinfall

Big Boss Man beat Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect via DQ

Earthquake defeated Greg Valentine via pinfall

Legion of Doom defeated Power & Glory via pinfall

Virgil defeated Ted DiBiase via countout

The Mountie defeated Tito Santana via pinfall

Hulk Hogan defeated Sgt. Slaughter to capture the WWE Championship

Baseball Guru · 04-01-2003, 02:45 PM

There is no doubt that the two greatest emotions are love and hate. Either can motivate a man to do things he never dreamed. As the Macho Man Randy Savage entered the battle at WrestleMania VIII to take on Nature Boy Ric Flair, ha was fueled simultaneously by both emotions. Savage defeated Flair in a brutal match that saw the Macho Man walk away with the two things he loved the most - Miss Elizabeth and the World Wrestling Entertainment Title.

Also at WrestleMania VIII, Hulk Hogan appeared in what was thought by many to be his last match, the Ultimate Warrior made a memorable return and the Undertaker showcased his dark side in a match against Jake Roberts.

The Godfather - then known as “Papa Shango” - made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania VIII, making a run-in during the main event.

Over 60,000 people attended WrestleMania VIII, held at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Ind.

Reba McIntyre sang “America the Beautiful” to open WrestleMania VIII.

WrestleMania VIII marked Ric Flair’s only WrestleMania appearance.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts exited the WWE after his loss to the Undertaker at WrestleMania VIII. He would return at the 1996 Royal Rumble, nearly four years later.

After vanishing several months earlier, the Legion of Doom returned to WWE at WrestleMania VIII.

Lex Luger did an interview at WrestleMania VIII, just weeks after signing with World Wrestling Entertainment.

When Miss Elizabeth tried to run down to ringside during the championship match between Randy Savage and Ric Flair at WrestleMania VIII, several WWE officials tried to stop her. One of those officials was none other than Shane McMahon.

The match between Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice at WrestleMania VIII was billed as Hogan’s retirement match.