WWF WrestleMania II

WrestleMania II took place on April 7, 1986, with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) presenting one event from three separate venues. Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, the Rosemont Horizon near Chicago, and the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena each hosted four matches. The broadcast moved from New York to Chicago and then Los Angeles, with each location having its own main attraction.

The New York portion opened with Paul Orndorff against The Magnificent Muraco, who was accompanied by manager Mr. Fuji. Orndorff had competed in the main event of the first WrestleMania, while Muraco was a former Intercontinental Champion.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage then defended the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship against George “The Animal” Steele. Steele played an unpredictable, childlike character who had developed a crush on Savage’s manager, Miss Elizabeth.

His affection angered the jealous Savage and became the source of their rivalry. Savage’s recent championship victory added a title to their dispute. The third match featured Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who brought a python named Damian to ringside, against George Wells.

Actor Mr. T and Roddy Piper closed the New York card with a Boxing Match. Their conflict had begun before WrestleMania I, when Piper objected to the television and film star entering wrestling. They had faced each other in that event’s tag team main event, but their hostility continued. After Mr. T boxed Piper’s ally Bob Orton Jr. on Saturday Night’s Main Event, Piper and Orton attacked him together. Mr. T returned to face Piper under boxing rules, with former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier in his corner.

The broadcast then moved to the Chicago area, where veteran champion The Fabulous Moolah defended the WWF Women’s Championship against Velvet McIntyre. Next came a Flag Match between Corporal Kirchner and Nikolai Volkoff. Kirchner portrayed an American soldier, while Volkoff represented the Soviet Union, making their rivalry a wrestling version of the political tensions between the two countries. The winner earned the right to display his country’s flag.

A 20-man Battle Royal brought WWF wrestlers and NFL players into the same ring. Competitors were eliminated by going over the top rope and landing with both feet on the floor, with the last remaining participant winning. Wrestling entrants included André the Giant, Big John Studd, and former WWF champion Bruno Sammartino.

Chicago Bears defensive lineman William “The Refrigerator” Perry represented the NFL alongside players including Atlanta Falcons lineman Bill Fralic. Studd’s claim that football players didn’t belong in a wrestling ring added a rivalry between the two sports.

The Chicago card ended with The Dream Team, Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake, defending the WWF Tag Team Championship against The British Bulldogs. The English team of Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid had repeatedly challenged the champions without taking their titles. WrestleMania gave them another opportunity, with manager Captain Lou Albano and rock singer Ozzy Osbourne accompanying them.

Los Angeles opened with Ricky Steamboat against the muscular Hercules Hernandez. “Adorable” Adrian Adonis then faced Uncle Elmer, a much larger wrestler presented as a country character from Mississippi. Adonis was accompanied by manager Jimmy Hart.

Hart also managed The Funk Brothers, who faced Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog in the next match. Terry Funk had been feuding with Junkyard Dog before his older brother, Hoss Funk, joined him. Hoss, better known as Dory Funk Jr., had helped Terry attack Junkyard Dog during an earlier televised match. Santana teamed with Junkyard Dog to face both brothers at WrestleMania.

The final match featured Hulk Hogan defending the WWF World Heavyweight Championship against King Kong Bundy inside a Steel Cage. Hogan was the WWF’s leading fan favorite, while Bundy was a heavyweight challenger managed by Bobby Heenan. During a televised title match between Hogan and Muraco, Bundy attacked Hogan and repeatedly crushed him beneath his weight.

The storyline left Hogan with injured ribs, but he accepted Bundy’s challenge despite warnings about returning too soon. The cage match required a wrestler to escape over the top or through the door and reach the floor to win. It was the first WWF world championship defense at WrestleMania.

WrestleMania II’s reported combined attendance was 40,085 across the three venues. Its format was an early experiment in presenting WrestleMania on a national scale, with separate crowds, commentary teams, and celebrity guests contributing to one broadcast. The WWF returned to a single venue for the following year’s WrestleMania III.