The Big Event
Encyclopedia
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) show which took place on August 28, 1986 at the Exhibition Stadium
Exhibition Stadium
Canadian National Exhibition Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The show drew a legitimate crowd of 61,470 fans (despite claims of over 74,000) which was an outdoor attendance record at the time. The event set an attendance record for a wrestling show that would not be beaten until WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
. The event was later released on VHS tape by Coliseum Home Video. Commentary for the event was done by Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
, Johnny Valiant
John L. Sullivan (wrestler)
John L. Sullivan is a retired professional wrestler better known as Johnny Valiant. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation , which became the World Wrestling Federation during his time with the promotion. He won the World Tag Team Championship two times...
, and Ernie Ladd
Ernie Ladd
Ernest "Ernie" Ladd , nicknamed "The Big Cat" was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler.-Pro Football career:...
.
Results
- The Killer Bees (Jim BrunzellJames BrunzellJames "Jumping Jim" Brunzell is a retired professional wrestler. Best known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions during his 21 year career.-American Wrestling Association:...
& B. Brian BlairBrian BlairBrian Leslie Blair is a local politician in Florida, who gained fame as a professional wrestler especially as a part of the Killer Bees.-Career:...
) defeated Jimmy Jack Funk & Hoss FunkDory Funk, Jr.Dory Ernest Funk Jr. known professionally as Dory Funk, Jr. is a professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is the son of Dory Funk Sr. and brother of Terry Funk. He is credited with the invention of the Texas cloverleaf submission hold and runs the Funking Conservatory, a professional...
(w/Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
) (6:53) - Brunzell pinned Jimmy Jack Funk with an inside cradle.
- Moments earlier Brunzell and Blair had put on their “bee masks” and switched places.
- The Magnificent MuracoDon MuracoDonald Muraco , better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler...
(w/Mr. FujiHarry FujiwaraHarry Fujiwara is an American former professional wrestler and manager, best known by his ring name Mr. Fuji. He was infamous for often throwing salt in the eyes of face wrestlers...
) fought King Tonga to a time-limit draw (20:00) - The bell rang as King Tonga had Muraco covered after a top rope crossbody splash.
- The match was later shown on WWF Prime Time Wrestling on September 16, 1986.
- Ted ArcidiTed ArcidiTheodore "Ted" Arcidi is an American former professional wrestler, actor and powerlifter.-Early life:The son of a nurse and doctor and one of seven children, Ted was born in Buffalo, New York, and took a different route from the family's academia tradition...
defeated Tony Garea via submission (2:41) - Arcidi forced Garea to submit to a bearhug.
- Garea was a substitute for an injured Tony AtlasTony AtlasAnthony White better known by his ring name "Tony Atlas" is an American bodybuilder, powerlifter, and professional wrestler who has held multiple titles and championships in each sport. He is also known by his bodybuilding title, "Mr...
. - The match was later shown on WWF Prime Time Wrestling on September 16, 1986.
- The Junkyard DogJunkyard DogSylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog...
defeated Adrian Adonis (w/Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
) via count-out (4:15) - Adonis collided with his manager who was on the apron and fell out of the ring to be counted out.
- "The Rebel" Dick SlaterDick SlaterRichard Van Slater , better known by his ring name "Dirty" Dick Slater, is a retired American professional wrestler who wrestled in the 1970s, 1980s, and mid 1990s for various promotions including Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling .Slater began wrestling with Mike...
defeated "Iron" Mike SharpeMike SharpeMichael "Mike" Sharpe is a Canadian professional wrestler better known as Iron Mike Sharpe.-Career:Sharpe comes from a family legacy of wrestling, as his father and uncle were a successful tag team in the 1950s, recognized as champions from San Francisco to Japan. He grew up in California, but...
(6:24) - Slater pinned Sharpe after a standing elbow from the top rope
- Bobby HeenanBobby HeenanRaymond Louis "Ray" Heenan , better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
, King Kong BundyKing Kong BundyChristopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
, & Big John StuddBig John StuddJohn William Minton was an American professional wrestler and actor who was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd.-Career:...
defeated Lou AlbanoLou AlbanoLouis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
& The Machines (Super MachineBill EadieBill Eadie is a professional wrestler who has competed under the names of Ax as part of Demolition and The Masked Superstar...
& Big MachineBlackjack MulliganRobert Jack Windham , better known by his ring name Blackjack Mulligan is a former professional wrestler and a former American football player...
) (w/Giant MachineAndré the GiantAndré René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
) via disqualification (7:49) - Giant Machine caused his team to get disqualified when he entered the ring and attacked all three opponents who were illegally triple-teaming Albano in the ring.
- After the bell rang Giant Machine cleared the ring of the heelsHeel (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
(bad guys).
- Ricky SteamboatRicky SteamboatRichard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
defeated Jake RobertsJake RobertsAurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
in a Snake Pit Match (10:17) - Steamboat pinned Roberts with a roll up as Roberts made an arrogant cover.
- This match was included on the WWE DVD release Jake "The Snake": Pick Your Poison
- Although it was said the officials ruled that neither Roberts or Steamboat could bring their animals (Steamboat's Komodo dragonKomodo dragonThe Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
and Roberts's pythonBurmese PythonThe Burmese Python is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest snakes in the world, native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of Southern- and Southeast Asia. They are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees...
) to the ring due to safety reasons, the real reason neither animal was there was because neither animal was allowed across the border.
- Billy Jack HaynesBilly Jack HaynesWilliam Albert Haynes, III is a retired American professional wrestler better known as Billy Jack Haynes.-Early career :...
defeated Hercules HernandezRay FernandezRaymond Fernandez was a professional wrestler who primarily wrestled in Florida and Texas before joining the World Wrestling Federation. He was best known by the ring name Hercules Hernandez or simply Hercules...
(6:08) - Haynes pinned Hercules after countering a neckbreaker into a backslide.
- 'The Fabulous RougeausThe Fabulous RougeausThe Fabulous Rougeaus was the professional wrestling tag team of real-life brothers, Jacques Rougeau and Raymond Rougeau, best known from their time in the World Wrestling Federation , from 1986 to 1990....
(JacquesJacques RougeauJacques Rougeau Jr. is a retired French-Canadian professional wrestler from Saint-Sulpice, Quebec, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s with the World Wrestling Federation under his own name, and as The Mountie. Rougeau has held fifteen championships during his career...
& RaymondRaymond RougeauRaymond "Ray" Rougeau is a former Canadian professional wrestler and French language television presenter and commentator.-Career:...
) defeated The Dream TeamThe Dream Team (professional wrestling)The Dream Team was a World Wrestling Federation tag team from 1985 to March 29, 1987 consisting of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine managed by ”Lucious” Johnny Valiant...
(Greg ValentineGreg ValentineJohn Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
& Brutus BeefcakeEdward LeslieEdward Harrison "Ed" Leslie is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Brutus The Barber Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship Wrestling under a variety of names, mainly as "The Disciple" of real-life best friend...
) (14:51) - Raymond pinned Valentine as he was trying to apply the figure four on Jacques.
- Raymond was not the legal man in the ring.
- The match was later shown on WWF Prime Time Wrestling on September 16, 1986.
- King Harley RaceHarley RaceHarley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
defeated Pedro MoralesPedro MoralesPedro Morales is a retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began his wrestling career as a teenager in 1959 and continued through to the late 1980s...
(3:23) - Race pinned Morales after putting his feet on the ropes.
- Hulk HoganHulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
defeated Paul OrndorffPaul OrndorffPaul Parlette Orndorff, Jr. is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling as "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff...
(w/Bobby HeenanBobby HeenanRaymond Louis "Ray" Heenan , better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
) via disqualification to retain the WWF ChampionshipWWE ChampionshipThe WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
(11:05) - Orndorff was disqualified after the referee went down and Heenan entered the ring and hit Hogan with a wooden stool as Hogan was about to piledrive Orndorff.
- This match was included on the WWE DVD release Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology