The WWE Rewind: WrestleMania III (3.29.87)

When I covered 1986’s The Big Event in the previous edition of the WWE Rewind, the event had a crowd of somewhere between 64,000 and 70,000 people. Commentator Gorilla Monsoon quipped that it was highly unlike we’d see a crowd of that size at a wrestling event again. It would take less than a year to prove Gorilla wrong.

THIS is the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan. Opened in 1975, the Silverdome would be the home to the Detroit Lions and the Detroit Pistons. It hosted Super Bowl XVI, NBA Finals games, World Cup games, and a record-setting Mass with Pope John Paul II. The Pope drew 93,682 in the Silverdome.

WrestleMania’s attendance number is much more debated with people still arguing today. WWE claims 93,178, just a smidge below the Pope. Others claim it to be around 78,000. I project that it is somewhere between 78,000 and 93,178. No matter how many butts were in seats, it is one of the most notable shows in wrestling history.

Vince McMahon, mid-ring, welcomes us to WRETLEMANIAAAAAA III. He introduces Aretha Franklin to perform “America the Beautiful” which is intertwined with video of various American things like a child with a flag, an old man waving on a stoop, a traffic cop, a woman working a power line, and welders. America!

Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Bob Uecker, and Mary Hart greet us from the announce table. You could cut the electricity in the air with a knife, notes Gorilla. Bob and Mary aren’t sticking around for the whole show, but we’ll see them again later.

The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) vs Bob Orton and Magnificent Muraco (with Mr. Fuji)

Howard Finkel is on the ring mic tonight. All four participants are already in the ring for this one. This would be the sole WrestleMania appearance for the future Z-Man. Can-Am start strong before Orton and Muraco get with Fuji to regroup. Zenk controls Orton for a while with armbars until they trade full nelsons. Muraco swings for Zenk and nails Orton instead, giving Zenk a two count. Martel tags in as does Muraco who is slammed by Martel. Orton knees Martel in the back and Ace drops a headbutt for a two count. Chaos breaks lose and Can-An whip Orton and Muraco into each other. Martel catches Muraco with a crossbody and holds him down for the pin.

The Can-Am Connection defeats Bob Orton and Magnificent Muraco when Martel pins Muraco. A good, short little opening match that got the crowd into it. I liked it.

Mean Gene Okerlund is with Hercules and Bobby Heenan. Hercules tells us about how he pulled down the pillars of Rome thousands of years ago and he’s going to show Billy Jack Haynes he is the master of the full nelson. I’m not sure what Hercules is saying is historically accurate, but I’m sure he would not lie to us.

Billy Jack Haynes vs Hercules (with Bobby Heenan)

We get the entrance carts starting with this match, including the Federettes to help with the dismount. We saw this matchup on The Big Event and it was boring, so let’s see if they’ve found a groove half a year later. Billy Jack press slams Hercules and tries for the full nelson, Herc scurrying to the corner. Hercules works some slow offense on Billy Jack and slams him before hooking the full nelson. Haynes fades and then powers back before the arm drops a third time. Billy Jack drops a fist from the second rope and hooks the full nelson. Hercules reaches the ropes and both men tumble outside where Billy Jack hooks it again and they both get counted out because they’re dummies.

Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules wrestle to a double countout. Pretty boring match, but at least it was fairly short. Getting yourself counted out is not a big brain move.

Post-match, Hercules wraps the chain around his fist and decks Billy Jack, busting him open.

Mean Gene is with King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook. Bundy promises to squash all three opponents if they get in his way. Then we go to Mean Gene from earlier, where Hillbilly Jim promises to protect his partners and carries them off.

Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid and Little Beaver vs King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook

Uecker has rejoined the commentary crew for this one. This would be the only Mania match for four of the six men. Gorilla explains that the rules specify big guys against big guys and little guys against little guys. Haiti and Tokyo start it off before Beaver and Littlebrook come in to add some chaos. Ventura says the little guys move so fast that the referee can’t catch them. As Littlebrook and Beaver face off, Gorilla declares it a battle between two of the greatest of all time. Bundy tags in and Beaver ducks under, dropkicking and running to tag Hillbilly Jim. Bundy works over Jim and Beaver comes in to break it. “I think there’s a lot of beaver all over this place,” notes Uecker. Beaver tries to attack again and Bundy bodyslams him and drops the elbow. Hey, he deserved that. He was being a nuisance. Littlebrook and Tokyo turn on Bundy to protect their fallen opponent.

Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid and Little Beaver defeat King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook by disqualification. Goofy stuff, but the crowd liked it.

Mary Hart is with Miss Elizabeth. Randy Savage interrupts immediately and sends Liz away.

Mean Gene catches up with King Harley Race, Fabulous Moolah and Heenan. They don’t say anything important. He also catches up with Junkyard Dog. He says he’s winning the crown.

Loser Must Bow Match: King Harley Race (with Bobby Heenan and WWE Women’s Champion Fabulous Moolah) vs Junkyard Dog

Uecker leaves, in love with Moolah. Terrible taste. The loser must bow before the winner. Heenan immediately tries to grab JYD’s leg and JYD chases, running back into an attack by Race. JYD headbutts Race down, Race headbutts Dog in the stomach and they fight outside where Race drops a head from the apron and misses. JYD clotheslines Race back into the ring and 360s Race back outside, Race again knocking his head on the way out. Some great selling by Race here. JYD slams Race back in again and tries an abdominal stretch that Race hiplocks out of. Race goes for a headbutt but JYD’s head doesn’t feel pain, hurting Race instead. Race is flipped into the corner and out again. JYD headbutts Race around the ring and the Brain distracts, Race hitting a belly-to-belly for a three.

King Harley Race pins Junkyard Dog. Race’s goofy overselling really made this one. There wasn’t a lot to it, but I enjoyed the goofiness.

King Race gets his robe back on and sits in a chair for the bowing. JYD gives him a bow and then grabs the chair, crowning Race with it and stealing the robe.

Vince is backstage with Hulk Hogan. Hulk was hangin’ and bangin’ and some of the non-believers in the gym told him this was his last ride. The sun beamed off his cross and he realized you have to face the truth, brother. All he has to do is merely beat a 7’4”, 550 lb giant while Andre has to face the truth of beating every Hulkamaniac in the world. “If the dirty air don’t get you, the politicians will but in this case it’ll be Hulkamania.” Whatcha gonna do, etc etc.

Mean Gene catches up with the Dream Team along with Dino Bravo. I’ve been told that Dino is the worst.

The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake with Johnny V and Dino Bravo) vs The Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond Rougeau)

The Rougeaus get the already in the ring intro, while the Dream Team get their theme music and the cart ride with their company. Dino is in full ring gear as Gorilla bemoans this not being fair. Raymond and Bruti start it off, Ray hitting an atomic drop and tagging in Jacques for a nice double dropkick. The Hammer tags in and trades blows with Jacques, who keeps the hot tags with Raymond going. Bobby Heenan joins the broadcast team as Hammer locks a figure four on Jacques to brag about how he is 2-2 tonight, explaining the math behind that statement. Jacques nails a flying legdrop from the corner, the ref tries to break up the others and Dino Bravo attacks, the Hammer being on top and the ref counting the three.

The Dream Team defeats The Rougeau Brothers when Greg Valentine pins Raymond Rougeau. A little short tag team showcase with some good teamwork from the faces and good heel stuff from the other team. Nothing wrong with this.

Beefcake is upset with the others and gets left behind. Don’t worry, he’ll be okay.

Mean Gene gets some words with Adrian Adonis and Jimmy Hart. Adonis is ready to trim.

Hair vs Hair Match: Roddy Piper vs Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart)

Adonis has hedge clippers and Hart has as mirror with him. Piper makes the long walk, not taking the ring cart as Ventura tells us this is the last hurrah for Piper as he has announced his retirement. The fans are hot for Hot Rod. The men trade blows and Piper yanks off his belt, nailing Adonis with it and choking Hart. Adonis attacks during the choke and whips Piper with the belt as Monsoon yells for the referee to do his job. Piper flips Adonis into the corner and drags him back in, dragging Hart along with him and knocking their noggins together. Piper tosses Hart into Adonis and they both tumble outside, the fans HOT for all of this. Back in, Piper unloads on Adonis again and tosses Hart from the top rope onto Adonis. Hart is taking the BUMPS for this one.

Hart trips up Piper and Adonis attacks, smacking Piper to the mat with a clothesline. Adonis knocks Piper outside and slams him into the timekeeper’s table, Roddy stumbling around until Hart cheap shots him to the ground. Hart sprays the fragrance into Piper’s eyes and Adonis hooks a sleeper (Good Night Irene), Piper trying to roll out but just putting them on the mat. With Piper almost out, Adonis gets up to celebrate. Brutus Beefcake returns to wake up Piper who nails Hart out, ducks Adonis trying to hit him with the clippers and hooks his own sleeper. Adonis goes down quick and the lights go out.

Roddy Piper defeats Adrian Adonis by submission. A hell of a deal here. The crowd was more alive than they have been for anything else tonight, and Adonis and especially Hart did some wild bumps for Piper. This was a lot of fun.

Brutus starts the haircut while Piper holds Hart down. After some tussling, Adonis heads down ramp with his head under Jimmy’s jacket as the Fink announces Piper the winner in his farewell match. And we never saw him again!

Monsoon, Mary Hart and Uecker discuss Ventura disappearing, Monsoon telling us that Ventura demanded his own in-ring intro. Then we go to the Fink who does indeed give The Body an intro.

Mean Gene catches up with the Hart Foundation and Jimmy Hart. Jimmy Hart says the Bulldogs have a war in front of them and there will be nothing left of them.

The Hart Foundation (Danny Davis and WWF World Tag Team Champions Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart with Jimmy Hart) vs Tito Santana and the British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid with Matilda)

Despite all he just went through, Jimmy has changed to a new jacket and is ready to go. Matilda chases Jimmy out of the ring and the brawl starts on the outside. Santana and Bret officially start it off and Jesse rides off on the cart holding Matilda). The Bulldogs work over Bret for a bit, Bret taking his full-speed chest-first bump into the corner. Gorilla tells us how much Bret has advanced in the last few years. Neidhart and Hart switch places to work over Dynamite. Davis tags in just to deliver two stomps and tags bag out, the fans upset. Bret lays in the punches to Dynamite and Anvil comes in to keep it going .

Davis tags in again for two kicks and tags back out. The Harts try to send Davis soaring onto Dynamite, but Kid gets the knees up and Santana gets the hot tag, unloading on Davis. Tito hits the flying forearm and pounds away at Davis before trying for a figure-four, Anvil attacking to break the move. Davey Boy hits a spike piledriver on Davis and a nice suplex. Bulldog gets the running power slam and Anvil breaks the count. Pandemonium breaks loose and Davis covers Smith, getting the pin to the horror of the fans.

The Hart Foundation defeats The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana when Danny Davis pins Davey Boy Smith. I wouldn’t say this was wrestling excellence, but it was a lot of fun with Danny’s antics and the crowd just hating him. I’d watch it again.

Mean Gene talks with Andre the Giant and Bobby Heenan. Heenan tells us that Andre is undefeated and Hulk has never met a man like Andre in the ring. He declares Hulkamania dead and tells us that Andre is the odds-on favorite.

Butch Reed (with Slick) vs Koko B. Ware (with Frankie)

Ventura suggests that Frankie would make good soup. Koko’s “The Bird” theme from The Time is included in the Netflix edit, for the record. I’m starting a petition for Morris Day to replace Def Rebel. It starts slow until Koko dropkicks Reed to the outside. Reed boots down Koko as Gorilla tells us how much watching is upsetting Frankie. Koko crossbodies Reed, Reed rolls it into a cover, grabs the tights and gets the pin. Slick attacks JYD after the match with his cane, Tito Santana returns to attack and them attempt to strip Slick. A weird thing to do, but sure.

Butch Reed pins Koko B. Ware. Not much to this one. I do appreciate that they’ve set up future angles at the ends of a few matches.

Randy Savage tells us he will embarrass Steamboat and put him out of wrestling for good because he is the lord and master of the ring. “History becomes the Macho Man, yeah!”

Ricky Steamboat is with Mean Gene. “I will come away with the championship belt and see new horizons!”

WWF Intercontinental Championship: WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) vs Ricky Steamboat (with George Steele)

I’m sure this won’t be anything special, right? This stems from Savage destroying Steamboat’s throat with a ring bell as well as a side mission of George Steele running off with Miss Elizabeth. Hot crowd for this one. Dragon starts off with some deep armdrags and lifts Savage up in a choke. Savage gets Steamboat to chase him and attacks, choking Steamboat across the ropes. After Savage lays in some knees, Steamboat hits a chop and Savage gets tied in the ropes. Steamboat attacks and runs into a boot, the men trade reversals and Steamboat hits another armdrag. Savage nails Steamboat in the back with a knee and tosses him out, Steamboat pulls himself back in and Savage clotheslines him back outside.

Savage leaps from the top onto Savage with the double ax handle to the outside. Macho pulls Steamboat in and hits the ax handle on the inside. Excellent stuff here. Savage suplexes Steamboat and continually tries to cover Steamboat for the three but can’t get it. Steamboat tries to fight back but Savage hits a gut wrench suplex for another two as Ventura yells about the referee. Dragon backdrops Savage to the outside and follows out, slamming Savage into the ring apron and back in. Dragon goes up top and leaps over referee Dave Hebner with a chop, covering and Savage getting his foot on the rope. The crowd is starting to explode. Steamboat tries a chop for a pin, Savage kicks out. Steamboat chases Savage outside and back in, shoulder blocking and sunset flipping for a two. Steamboat tries numerous pin variations and none of them can hold Macho down for three. Steamboat slingshots Savage into the ring post and rolls him up again, still only getting a two.

Savage pulls Steamboat into the ring post. Steamboat is inadvertently run into Hebner. With Hebner down, Macho goes up and nails his beautiful elbow but there is no Hebner to count. Savage goes out for the ring bell but Steele hops up to grab it. Savage nails him and grab the bell, going up top and Steele shoving him off into the ring. Savage tries for a slam, Steamboat rolls him into a three count and we have a new champion.

Ricky Steamboat pins Randy Savage to become the new WWF Intercontinental Champion. I’m not a star ratings person, but it is easy to see why this gets five stars across the board from every writer. It is one of the most beautiful, well-paced matches you’ll ever see. The image of Savage and Liz riding off on the cart as fans throw trash at Savage is a hell of an ending for the segment. Yes, of course watch this one.

Mean Gene is with Jake Roberts and Alice Cooper. The Snake says Honky Tonk took a shot and he didn’t make it count because he is still walking. Cooper says he’ll be watching Jimmy Hart. We also go to “earlier today” Mean Gene with Honky Tonk Man and Jimmy Hart. Honky Tonk says 90,000 people want to hear Honky Tonk Man sing and they’re going to get to hear it.

The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) vs Jake Roberts (with Alice Cooper and Damien)

Roberts attacks Honky Tonk during his entrance. Roberts strips Honky Tonk’s entrance gear off and slams him on the mat outside the ring. Roberts runs into a knee in the corner. They fight outside and HTM whips Roberts into the ring post and the barricade. Honky Tonk scoop slams Roberts inside and drops the fist from the corner. HTM throws some right hands and taunts Alice. He tries for Shake Rattle and Roll but Roberts backdrops him. Roberts atomic drops Honky Tonk and peppers him with punches. Honky Tonk begs for a timeout, Roberts backdrops him instead. Snake calls for the DDT, Hart grabs his foot and Honky Tonk rolls up Roberts while holding the ropes for a three. Gorilla, as you’d expect, declares it a miscarriage of justice. Roberts swings and misses with the guitar shot as Honky Tonk runs to the bank. Hart, however, was left behind and Alice Cooper puts Damien on him. Jimmy sells it as wonderfully as you’d expect.

Honky Tonk Man pins Jake Roberts. A much slower match after the last huge one. Nothing notable to this one, but Jimmy and the snake is worth it.

The Fink introduces Mean Gene in the ring with a special announcement. Mean Gene is proud to tell us that we are part of history in the making with an official attendance count of 93,173, a new world indoor attendance record.

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (with Slick) vs The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell with Hacksaw Jim Duggan)

Slick is still wearing his torn shirt from earlier, nipple out and all. Volkoff performs the Soviet National Anthem and Hacksaw Jim Duggan comes running down the aisle, attacking the both with the 2×4. America! Duggan grabs a mic and says Volkoff is never singing that anthem again because this is AMERICA. The Bees come down for the match which doesn’t seem fair. Sheik and Volkoff attack but are reversed into the corner. The referee has no control. Finally we get down to two men in the ring as the Bees use that good tag teamwork to overpower Sheik. Volkoff tags in and bearhugs Brunzell who claps his way out. Sheik tags in and Ventura wonders why President Tunney allows Duggan to run around with a large piece of wood which is a fair question. The ref misses Brunzell tagging out, giving Sheik and Volkoff a chance to double team their opponent. Duggan chases Volkoff around the ring as Sheik hooks a camel clutch. Duggan chases Volkoff through the ring and nails Sheik with the 2×4, ending the match.

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff defeat the Killer Bees by disqualification. This was fine. Cheating never pays, kids.

Mean Gene talks with Andre and Heenan. Andre says it won’t take him long to come back with the World Championship. After we go through a video package, Okerlund is with Hulk. When he gets his hands on the big nasty giant, the whole earth is going to shake. We could blow the roof off the great facility, Gene tells us.

WWF Championship: WWF Champion Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan)

You might’ve heard of this one. Our guest ring announcer is Mr. Baseball Bob Uecker. Our timekeeper is Mary Hart. Fans toss trash at Andre and Bobby as they ride to the ring. The place explodes for Hogan who marches down the long entrance to “Real American.” Ventura declares it the biggest match in the history of professional wrestling.

Hogan and Andre stare down in the center of the ring. They shove each other and Hulk unloads, trying for a slam but Andre collapsing on top of him for a two count. Andre attacks the back, slamming Hogan as the fans are LOUD. Andre slams Hogan again and steps across Hogan’s back. Andre whips Hogan into multiple corners and taunts him before shoulderblocking him numerous times. Hogan sneaks under an attack and lays in the right hands, Andre stumbling. Hogan chops him in the corner and rams his head into the turnbuckle ten times. Hogan runs into a boot and Andre is back in it.

Andre works a bearhug for a while. Hogan finally punches his way out before rocking Andre with running charges and then running into a chop. Andre boots Hogan outside and follows, Andre headbutting the post when Hogan moves. I can’t imagine that feels good. Hogan rolls back the canvas mat because he is a cheater and tries to piledrive Andre. Andre is a big man though and backdrops Hogan instead. Back in, Hulk dodges a boot and drops Andre for the first time all match. Hulk Hulks up and slams Andre, the Silverdome exploding as he drops the big leg and covers for the three count.

Hulk Hogan pins Andre the Giant to retain the WWF Championship. While not the technical classic that Steamboat-Savage gave us earlier, this was your sports entertainment classic. Hulk at his best is Hulk taking a beating and then overcoming the odds. There’s nothing bigger than Hulk overcoming Andre in front of 93,000 people (or any other figure that might be named). A classic.

Listen, if you’ve been a wrestling fan for any extended amount of time, you don’t need me to tell you to watch WrestleMania III. It is one of those feel-good, all-timer shows. Not everything is great on it, but it is still a lot of fun to watch in front of an incredible crowd.

Recommendations to watch: Piper vs Adonis, Hart Foundation vs Santana & British Bulldogs, Savage vs Steamboat, Hogan vs Andre