Held on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, WrestleMania I was the groundbreaking event that launched WWE into a new era. Conceived by Vince McMahon as a high-stakes gamble blending professional wrestling with pop culture spectacle, the inaugural WrestleMania featured an unprecedented mix of in-ring action and celebrity involvement. Headlined by Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff, with appearances by Muhammad Ali, Cyndi Lauper, Liberace, and others, the show was a bold attempt to reach a broader audience—and it paid off, creating the template for WWE’s biggest annual event.
Below are the full match results from the night that started it all
March 31, 1985
Madison Square Garden
New York City, New York
GRUDGE MATCH
David Sammartino w/Bruno Sammartino vs. Brutus Beefcake w/Luscious Johnny V. ended in a No Contest:
SINGLES MATCH
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat defeated Matt Borne:
SINGLES MATCH
King Kong Bundy w/Jimmy Hart defeated Special Delivery Jones in 9 seconds
The 9 second record would stand until WrestleMania 24 when Kane defeated Chavo Guerrero in six seconds.
BODY SLAM CHALLENGE
Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd w/Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
After the match, Andre the Giant took Heenan’s bag of money and started throwing it out to the fans. The Brain snatched the bag away from the Giant and bolted backstage..
WWF INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE MATCH
Junk Yard Dog defeated WWF Intercontinental champion Greg “The Hammer” Valentine by Countout
Since championships cannot change hands on a DQ or a Countout, Greg Valentine retained his Intercontinental title.
WWF TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
Nickolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik w/Fred Blassie defeated The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham) to win the WWF Tag Team titles!:
WWF WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH
Wendi Richter w/Cindi Lauper defeated Leilani Kai w/Fabulous Moolah to win the WWF Women’s title!:
MAIN EVENT
Hulk Hogan & Mr. T w/Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka defeated “Rowdy” Roddy Piper & “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff w/”Cowboy” Bob Orton: The legendary Pat Patterson was the special guest referee, and Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was the special outside enforcer for the match.
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