On March 31, 1985, the World Wrestling Federation staged an event that redefined sports entertainment: the inaugural WrestleMania. Held at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City, this groundbreaking show aimed to cement the WWF as the preeminent force in professional wrestling while thrusting the industry into the American mainstream with larger-than-life personalities, dazzling spectacles, and a sprinkle of celebrity star power.
Though WrestleMania 41 marks the 41st edition in 2025, this year also celebrates the event’s 40th anniversary—a milestone muddled by WWE’s past marketing quirks, like branding WrestleMania 25 as the “25th anniversary” despite it being the 24th show.
Semantics aside, the 40-year mark has sparked renewed nostalgia for WrestleMania 1, an event shrouded in mystique as footage and photos fade into obscurity. For millions of WWE fans—many of whom have never seen it, even with access via Netflix—the first WrestleMania remains a historical enigma worth revisiting.
Join us as we travel back to 1985 Manhattan to explore the buildup, the spectacle, and the seismic impact of WrestleMania 1 on WWE, Vince McMahon, and wrestling itself—plus a peek at what might have happened if it had flopped.
The Pop Culture Pulse of 1985
The 1980s still captivate today’s imagination, with its bold fashion, infectious music, and cinematic flair shaping modern trends. On March 31, 1985, a New Yorker might have kicked off the day with Phil Collins’ “One More Night,” the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper that week, edging out Madonna’s “Material Girl” and REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”
After WrestleMania, moviegoers could catch Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, which dethroned Friday the 13th Part V to claim the box office crown with a then-record-breaking March opening weekend—though its $55 million haul now ranks 185th, dwarfed by 2017’s Beauty and the Beast ($174 million).
On TV, primetime giants like Dallas, The Cosby Show, and the season’s ratings champ Dynasty ruled, with Saturday Night Live earning a nod for its role in WrestleMania’s orbit.
In the Headlines
A week after Amadeus swept eight Oscars at the 57th Academy Awards, WrestleMania stole the spotlight as the weekend’s biggest story from March 29–31, 1985. Elsewhere, sports made waves: golfer Calvin Peete etched his name in history as the most successful African-American player by winning the Tournament Players Championship, while Old Dominion University topped Georgia 70-65 in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final.
In the fleeting United States Football League, the Baltimore Stars snapped the Houston Gamblers’ unbeaten run, a prelude to their July championship before the league folded in 1986. Locally, The New York Times mourned Dr. Luther L. Terry, the former Surgeon General who died March 29, celebrated for his pioneering anti-smoking crusade.
The MTV Boost
By 1985, MTV—launched in 1981—had become a cultural juggernaut, amplifying music and youth trends. Vince McMahon tapped its power, securing specials to hype WrestleMania featuring Wendi Richter and Cyndi Lauper. Clips of Richter’s 1984 win over The Fabulous Moolah and her loss to Leilani Kai in 1985 aired on MTV, with Lauper in her corner, catapulting their Women’s Championship clash to WrestleMania’s semi-main event.
Meanwhile, Hulk Hogan stirred headlines: a disastrous Hot Properties interview saw him choke out host Richard Belzer (sparking a lawsuit), but he and Mr. T redeemed the buzz by hosting SNL the night before WrestleMania—a feat only matched by The Rock in 2000.
The High-Stakes Gamble
WrestleMania was a colossal risk—nearly dubbed “The Colossal Tussle,” a clunker of a name. McMahon poured everything into it, and failure could have bankrupted WWE. Bret Hart once recalled peers fearing wrestling’s demise if it flopped, with the NWA and AWA as shaky fallback options.
Jim Cornette, however, argued McMahon’s finances—bolstered by loans from Ted Turner and Giant Baba—might have kept WWE limping along in the Northeast. Either way, the stakes were existential.
An Afternoon Affair
Unlike today’s evening wrestling extravaganzas, WrestleMania 1 kicked off at 1 p.m. and wrapped by 3:30 p.m., per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Broadcast via closed-circuit TV, this timing synced with venues hosting basketball later that day. Madison Square Garden itself dodged a tight turnaround, though the Knicks played the prior night, and U2 followed the next. WWE returned there three weeks later for an MSG Network taping.
Mean Gene’s Anthem Moment
At WrestleMania 40, Coco Jones sang the national anthem, but in 1985, “Mean” Gene Okerlund took the mic—a rare choice given Vince McMahon’s disdain for “The Star-Spangled Banner” (he preferred “America the Beautiful”). Okerlund’s baritone earned cheers, though lyrics scribbled on his hand steadied his nerves. Two years later, Aretha Franklin’s rendition reset the bar.
Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper
Two matches stole the spotlight: Richter vs. Kai and the main event—Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Piper bristled at Mr. T’s in-ring role, preferring celebs like Lauper stay sidelined, but their kayfabe feud fueled the “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling” era, peaking with a dismal WrestleMania 2 boxing match. Off-screen, they respected each other, reuniting amicably at WrestleMania 30 before Piper’s 2015 passing.
Mixed Reviews
Billed as “The Greatest Wrestling Event of All Time,” WrestleMania 1 fell short for many. Cagematch.net rates it a middling 4.85/10, and Dave Meltzer gave only Ricky Steamboat vs. Matt Borne a notable 3.25 stars. Dated finishes and the lackluster Andre the Giant vs. Big John Studd “Body Slam Challenge” don’t hold up, making it a historical curiosity over a timeless classic.
A Legacy Secured
Reviews aside, WrestleMania 1 was a triumph, locking in WWE’s dominance and peaking the 1980s “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling” era. Its success greenlit Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC, a staple for nearly seven years, now reborn on Peacock. Today, with Netflix amplifying WrestleMania 41, WWE’s sellout streak echoes 1985’s magic—proof that without that first leap, the empire might never have risen.
FAQs
When did the first WrestleMania take place and where?
The first WrestleMania took place on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was WWE’s first major event that changed the wrestling business forever.
Who were the main event stars of WrestleMania 1?
The main event of WrestleMania 1 featured Hulk Hogan and Mr. T teaming up to face Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Muhammad Ali served as a special guest enforcer, and Cyndi Lauper was also part of the event.
Was WrestleMania 1 a success for WWE?
Yes, WrestleMania 1 was a major success. Although it was a huge financial risk for Vince McMahon, the event’s popularity and celebrity involvement helped WWE become the top wrestling company in the world.
Who sang the National Anthem at WrestleMania 1?
WWE Hall of Famer ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund sang the United States National Anthem at WrestleMania 1. Although WWE later preferred ‘America the Beautiful’ for future events, Okerlund’s performance remains memorable.
What role did MTV play in promoting WrestleMania 1?
MTV partnered with WWE to promote WrestleMania 1 by airing wrestling specials like ‘The Brawl to End It All’ and ‘The War to Settle the Score,’ featuring Wendi Richter and Cyndi Lauper. This brought young audiences to WWE.
