The War to Settle the Score
Encyclopedia
The War to Settle the Score was a professional wrestling
event produced by the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) and broadcast live on MTV
. It took place at Madison Square Garden
in New York, New York
on February 18, 1985. The main event featured Hulk Hogan
defending the WWF Championship
against Roddy Piper
. Hogan retained the title after Piper got disqualified in the only match of the event that was shown on MTV.
at the event dated back to 1983, when Captain Lou Albano, a wrestling manager
, appeared in Cyndi Lauper
's music video for "Girls Just Want to Have Fun
" as Lauper's father. The WWF capitalized on his appearance by creating a storyline feud between the two, in which Albano was portrayed as a sexist
. As Lauper was too busy to make extensive appearances at WWF events, another storyline was developed between Albano and David Wolff, Lauper's manager. Albano, hyping his association with the band NRBQ
, portrayed himself as an up and coming star in music management, with Wolff coming along to steal his thunder. This created the background for the first WWF special on MTV, The Brawl to End it All
. Albano managed WWF Women's Champion The Fabulous Moolah
, while Lauper managed challenger Wendi Richter
. Richter won the match, and Albano and Lauper reconciled their differences. Moolah, however, remained upset and challenged Richter to a match on behalf of Leilani Kai
, another women's wrestler.
Lauper's involvement with the WWF also helped set up the other major feud at The War to Settle the Score. On December 28, 1984, she presented Albano with an award. Roddy Piper, who was angered by the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection that saw the WWF and MTV use cross-promotion to attract viewers, attacked Lauper and Albano; Hogan's defense of Lauper led to a match for Hogan's WWF Championship.
and Mike Rotundo
defeated The Spoiler
and The Assassin to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
In the main event match, Hulk Hogan defeated Roddy Piper by disqualification to defend the WWF Championship. Paul Orndorff
and Bob Orton, Jr.
interfered in the match on Piper's behalf. Hogan's friend Mr. T
was sitting at ringside; at the end of the match, he and Lauper entered the ring after the match but were attacked by Piper and his friends. During the brawl, Piper kicked Lauper in the head.
event promoted by the WWF, which took place on March 31, 1985. Hogan and Mr. T faced the team of Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Orton attempted to interfere on his friends' behalf but hit Orndorff instead. As a result, Hogan pinned Orndorff to win the match for his team. The feud between Mr. T and Piper remained unresolved, and they faced each other the following year at WrestleMania 2
in a boxing match, which Mr. T won by disqualification.
Richter and Kai also faced each other at the first WrestleMania. Richter defeated Kai to regain the WWF Women's Championship.
In an unexpected consequence, pop-artist Andy Warhol
, a long-time wrestling fan who was in attendance, accidentally walked into a room at the end of the event that had been set up for an interview with Hogan, Cindi Lauper, Mr T and Captain Lou Albano. As this was being broadcast live to end the show, Warhol had to improvise a short promo praising the rock n' wrestling connection.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
event produced by the World Wrestling Federation
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) and broadcast live on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. It took place at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on February 18, 1985. The main event featured Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance 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 ....
defending the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The 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...
against Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
. Hogan retained the title after Piper got disqualified in the only match of the event that was shown on MTV.
Background
One of the feudsFeud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
at the event dated back to 1983, when Captain Lou Albano, a wrestling manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
, appeared in Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
's music video for "Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Girls Just Want to Have Fun may refer to:In music:* "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", the first major single released by singer Cyndi Lauper on She's So UnusualIn film:...
" as Lauper's father. The WWF capitalized on his appearance by creating a storyline feud between the two, in which Albano was portrayed as a sexist
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
. As Lauper was too busy to make extensive appearances at WWF events, another storyline was developed between Albano and David Wolff, Lauper's manager. Albano, hyping his association with the band NRBQ
NRBQ
NRBQ is an American rock band founded in 1967. It is known for its live performances, containing a high degree of spontaneity and levity, and blending rock, pop, jazz, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles. Its best known line-up is the 1974–1994 quartet of pianist Terry Adams, bassist Joey Spampinato,...
, portrayed himself as an up and coming star in music management, with Wolff coming along to steal his thunder. This created the background for the first WWF special on MTV, The Brawl to End it All
The Brawl to End it All
The Brawl to End It All was a professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation and broadcast live on MTV. It took place at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on July 23, 1984. The show was a major event in the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection in the mid-1980s WWF...
. Albano managed WWF Women's Champion The Fabulous Moolah
The Fabulous Moolah
Mary Lillian Ellison , better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah, was an American female professional wrestler. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildred Burke, as well as working alongside professional wrestler "Nature Boy" Buddy...
, while Lauper managed challenger Wendi Richter
Wendi Richter
Wendi Richter is a retired American professional wrestler. She began her professional wrestling career in companies such as the National Wrestling Alliance, where she teamed with Joyce Grable, with whom she held the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice. In the 1980s, she joined the World...
. Richter won the match, and Albano and Lauper reconciled their differences. Moolah, however, remained upset and challenged Richter to a match on behalf of Leilani Kai
Leilani Kai
Patricia Schroeder , better known by her stage name Leilani Kai, is a semi-retired professional wrestler. She began training with The Fabulous Moolah right after finishing high school...
, another women's wrestler.
Lauper's involvement with the WWF also helped set up the other major feud at The War to Settle the Score. On December 28, 1984, she presented Albano with an award. Roddy Piper, who was angered by the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection that saw the WWF and MTV use cross-promotion to attract viewers, attacked Lauper and Albano; Hogan's defense of Lauper led to a match for Hogan's WWF Championship.
Event
As with The Brawl to End it All, only the final match on the card was televised on MTV. The undercard featured two title matches, however. The first featured Richter, accompanied by Lauper, defending her title against Kai, who was managed by Moolah. Kai defeated Richter to win the title belt. In the following match, Barry WindhamBarry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
and Mike Rotundo
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
defeated The Spoiler
Don Jardine
Don Jardine was a Canadian professional wrestler best known for his masked gimmick as "The Spoiler".-Career:Jardine began wrestling in the mid-1950s,making his wrestling debut in 1955 at the age of 15...
and The Assassin to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
In the main event match, Hulk Hogan defeated Roddy Piper by disqualification to defend the WWF Championship. Paul Orndorff
Paul Orndorff
Paul 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...
and Bob Orton, Jr.
Bob Orton, Jr.
Robert Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Cowboy" Bob Orton. He is the father of wrestler Randy Orton, who is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment...
interfered in the match on Piper's behalf. Hogan's friend Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
was sitting at ringside; at the end of the match, he and Lauper entered the ring after the match but were attacked by Piper and his friends. During the brawl, Piper kicked Lauper in the head.
Aftermath
The fight at the end of the Hogan vs. Piper match set up the main event for the first WrestleManiaWrestleMania (1985)
WrestleMania was the first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The attendance for the event was 19,121 fans...
event promoted by the WWF, which took place on March 31, 1985. Hogan and Mr. T faced the team of Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Orton attempted to interfere on his friends' behalf but hit Orndorff instead. As a result, Hogan pinned Orndorff to win the match for his team. The feud between Mr. T and Piper remained unresolved, and they faced each other the following year at WrestleMania 2
WrestleMania 2
WrestleMania 2 was the second annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
in a boxing match, which Mr. T won by disqualification.
Richter and Kai also faced each other at the first WrestleMania. Richter defeated Kai to regain the WWF Women's Championship.
In an unexpected consequence, pop-artist Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
, a long-time wrestling fan who was in attendance, accidentally walked into a room at the end of the event that had been set up for an interview with Hogan, Cindi Lauper, Mr T and Captain Lou Albano. As this was being broadcast live to end the show, Warhol had to improvise a short promo praising the rock n' wrestling connection.
Results
| # | Results | Stipulations |
|---|---|---|
| Johnny Rodz Johnny Rodz Johnny Rodriguez is a retired American professional wrestler. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Rodz.-World Wide Wrestling Federation:... defeated Jose Luis Rivera |
Singles match | |
| Hillbilly Jim Hillbilly Jim Jim Morris , best known to fans as Hillbilly Jim, is an American professional wrestler and disc jockey. He was one of the World Wrestling Federation's most popular wrestlers of the mid-to-late 1980s.-Career:... defeated Rene Goulet Robert Bedard Robert Bédard is a retired professional wrestler better known as the #1 Frenchman Rene Goulet. He began his career in Quebec City, QC in 1957 with his first match being against Gerard Dugas.... |
Singles match | |
| Don Muraco Don Muraco Donald Muraco , better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler... defeated Salvatore Bellomo Salvatore Bellomo Salvatore Bellomo is a retired Belgian-Italian professional wrestler with a career spanning more than three decades.-Career:... |
Singles match | |
| Moondog Spot Larry Latham (wrestler) Larry Booker was a professional wrestler best known as Larry Latham, Iss Spot and Moondog Spot.-Career:... wrestled Rick McGraw to a draw |
Singles match | |
| David Sammartino David Sammartino David Lugogo Sammartino is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for being the son of former World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino.-Career:... defeated Moondog Rex Randy Colley Randy Colley is a retired professional wrestler better known as Moondog Rex.-Professional wrestlling career:Colley competed in the World Wrestling Federation, where in 1981 he won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Moondog King as the Moondogs... |
Singles match | |
| Nikolai Volkoff Nikolai Volkoff Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation... defeated Swede Hanson Swede Hanson (wrestler) Robert Fort Hanson was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Swede Hanson. He spent much of his career wrestling as part of a tag team with Rip Hawk... |
Singles match | |
| Leilani Kai Leilani Kai Patricia Schroeder , better known by her stage name Leilani Kai, is a semi-retired professional wrestler. She began training with The Fabulous Moolah right after finishing high school... (with The Fabulous Moolah The Fabulous Moolah Mary Lillian Ellison , better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah, was an American female professional wrestler. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildred Burke, as well as working alongside professional wrestler "Nature Boy" Buddy... ) defeated Wendi Richter Wendi Richter Wendi Richter is a retired American professional wrestler. She began her professional wrestling career in companies such as the National Wrestling Alliance, where she teamed with Joyce Grable, with whom she held the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice. In the 1980s, she joined the World... (c) (with Cyndi Lauper Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album... ) |
Singles match for the WWF Women's Championship WWE Women's Championship The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification... |
|
| Barry Windham Barry Windham Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling .... and Mike Rotundo Mike Rotunda Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R... defeated The Spoiler Don Jardine Don Jardine was a Canadian professional wrestler best known for his masked gimmick as "The Spoiler".-Career:Jardine began wrestling in the mid-1950s,making his wrestling debut in 1955 at the age of 15... and The Assassin |
Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | |
| Paul Orndorff Paul Orndorff Paul 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... defeated Tony Atlas Tony Atlas Anthony 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... |
Singles match | |
| Jimmy Snuka Jimmy Snuka James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a... defeated Bob Orton, Jr. Bob Orton, Jr. Robert Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Cowboy" Bob Orton. He is the father of wrestler Randy Orton, who is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment... |
Singles match | |
| 1 | Hulk Hogan Hulk Hogan Terrance 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 .... (c) (with Cyndi Lauper Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album... and Captain Lou Albano Lou Albano Louis 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.... ) defeated Roddy Piper Roddy Piper Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE... (with Bob Orton, Jr. Bob Orton, Jr. Robert Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Cowboy" Bob Orton. He is the father of wrestler Randy Orton, who is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment... ) by disqualification |
Singles match for the WWF Championship WWE Championship The 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... |