WWE: An 'Unofficial' History - SNME I!

July 16th 1985 – October 4th 1985

The big story leading into the second edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event was the debut of the King of the Ring tournament, a sixteen man round robin tournament where the winner would be crowned the ‘King of the WWF’, complete with royal coronation. The first and second rounds would be contested at live shows throughout the months leading into Saturday Night’s Main Event, where the semi-finals and finals would take place.

In the first round Randy Savage continued his good run of form since his debut, overcoming Tony Atlas and booking his quarter final place against Tito Santana following his disqualification victory over Terry Funk, who attacked Santana with his branding iron. When it came time for the two to meet Santana’s injuries caused by Funk’s attack left him unable to fight and Savage got a bye into the semi finals. Davey Boy Smith would book his quarter final spot by scoring a huge upset victory over Greg Valentine. Smith would face off with Bret Hart, who defeated Barry Windham in the first round, and pick up another victory to advance to the semi finals.

On the other side of the brackets new WWF Intercontinental Champion Ricky Steamboat got a victory over The Missing Link while Adrian Adonis made a return to action showing off a new psychopathic edge in his first round victory over Mike Rotunda. Steamboat would go on to defeat Adonis in the quarter finals, narrowly avoiding a post match beating in the process. In the final first round matches David Sammartino scored another victory over Brutus Beefcake thanks to a little involvement by Bruno Sammartino while Don Muraco defeated Junkyard Dog. Muraco would put on a dominating performance in victory over David Sammartino to advance to the semi finals.

Heading into the second Saturday Night’s Main Event it comes down to Don Muraco, Ricky Steamboat, Randy Savage and Davey Boy Smith to fight it out to become the King of the Ring.

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Don Muraco, who had dominated the WWF midcard since aligning himself with Mr. Fuji, had now set his sights on the WWF Champion Hulk Hogan. On their first encounter Muraco attacked Hogan inflicting so much damage that Hogan was not seen on television for several weeks. When he did return he had some strong words for ‘Magnificent’ Don Muraco. Hogan said that many men have attacked him before and all have come and gone and that Don Muraco was no different to any of them.

However, it seemed like Muraco was very much different. He was strong enough to match Hogan every time they met inside the ring, albeit mainly in tag team and six man tag matches, and with the manipulative Mr. Fuji at his side this was a man who didn’t just have brawn but brains as well. Hogan challenged Muraco to face him at the second Saturday Night’s Main Event but Muraco turned him down, citing his spot in the King of the Ring tournament as more valuable and arrogantly claiming that he could defeat Hogan at any time he wanted. Instead Hogan found himself once again drawn into things with Roddy Piper.

After being turned on by his former allies Paul Orndorff went to war with Roddy Piper and Bob Orton Jr. after firing his manager Bobby Heenan. Orndorff initially had Jimmy Snuka to work alongside in order to keep things even between the two teams however in late August Snuka departed the World Wrestling Federation following an argument regarding his drug use. Ornorff found himself once again at a distinct disadvantage as displayed when Piper and Orton beat him down following Orndorff’s victory over Bob Orton Jr. at Madison Square Garden. It wasn’t until Hulk Hogan made the save that things got even once again. So it was booked – Hulk Hogan & Paul Orndorff vs. Roddy Piper & Bob Orton Jr. as Saturday Night’s Main Event!

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After defeating Terry Funk at Madison Square Garden Andre The Giant’s sights were now firmly focused on Bobby Heenan’s other client, the man that injured him several months prior, Big John Studd. Bobby Heenan eventually agreed to the match on one condition – if Big John Studd was victorious then Andre would retire from wrestling indefinitely. Andre agreed, but got another stipulation added, the two would face off inside of a steel cage match to keep Bobby Heenan uninvolved.

The match took place in the main event at World Wrestling Federation’s September Madison Square Garden show. In the end Andre came out on top by escaping the cage. To add to the victory Andre choked out Bobby Heenan while Studd watched from inside the ring, locked inside of the cage. Finally Andre was victorious over ‘The Brain’.

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In Other Events...

Following his elimination from the King of the Ring tournament Greg Valentine would find himself faced with a man who he had injured at the start of the year, Tito Santana. Santana was still looking for revenge from that night and saw this as the perfect opportunity. The big problem was the man Valentine had backing him, fellow Jimmy Hart client King Kong Bundy. When Santana finally got his match with Valentine he had not just one, but three opponents as Hart and Bundy were at ringside. Just when it looked like things were done for the fan favourite a new face in the WWF appeared to assist him. English grappler ‘Gentleman’ Chris Adams distracted Bundy and Hart and allowed Tito Santana to get the win, finally gaining his long awaited revenge over Greg Valentine.

The recently crowned WWF Tag Team Champions Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff had their hands full in the months following their title win, first off with the British Bulldogs. The team of Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid had already proved themselves worthy of the title shot and were just as impressive when they got their first shot at the new tag team champions in August. The British Bulldogs would come close to winning the titles but would come up short thanks to a distraction by ‘Classy’ Freddie Blassie. The second time the two teams clashed, in Madison Square Garden, it was miscommunication by The British Bulldogs that would lose them the match. For the time being the titles remained with Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff and with Blassie in their corner it didn’t look like anyone could stop them.

Following their loss of the WWF Tag Team Championships the problems escalated for the U.S. Express. Following a loss to The Hart Foundation Barry Windham seemed to get frustrated with tag team partner Mike Rotunda. As the weeks went on the losses just seemed to build up for the former tag team champions. Matters weren’t helped when the weasel Bobby Heenan stuck his nose into matters, trying to convince Windham to abandon the ‘sinking ship’ that was the U.S. Express and ally himself with Heenan. Windham rebuffed Heenan as it was announced that the U.S. Express would get another shot at the tag team titles. They would come up short to Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff and following the match Barry Windham would snap, attacking Mike Rotunda and turning up the following week with a new attitude and a new manager – Bobby Heenan.

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WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event II Card
October 5th 1985; Meadowlands Arena (East Rutherford, New Jersey)