1985 in professional wrestling

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1985 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable events in 1985.

Promotion Name Abbreviation
All Japan Pro Wrestling AJPW
All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling
 AJW
American Wrestling Association AWA
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre EMLL
Florida Championship Wrestling FCW
Lutte Internationale Lutte
National Wrestling Alliance NWA
New Japan Pro-Wrestling NJPW
Pacific Northwest Wrestling PNW
World Class Championship Wrestling WCCW
World Wrestling Council WWC
World Wrestling Federation
 		WWF

Calendar of notable shows

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
February 18
WWF
 The War to Settle the Score New York City, New York
WWF World Heavyweight Championship[1]
February 24 AWA / NWA Star Wars East Rutherford, New Jersey
Masked Superstar, Nick Bockwinkel and Dory Funk Jr., Jimmy Garvin and Larry Zbyszko, and Steve Keirn and Jerry Oski
March 1 – April 18 NJPW Young Lion Cup Tokyo, Japan Shunji Kosugi defeated Keiichi Yamada in the tournament final[2]
March 31
WWF
 WrestleMania New York City, New York
special guest referees[3]
April 5
EMLL
 29. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico
Lucha de Apuestas hair vs. hair match[4]
April 21 AWA StarCage 1985
St. Paul, Minnesota
 Sgt. Slaughter & Jerry Blackwell beat Masked Superstar, King Tonga, & Adnan Al-Kassie in a Handicap Steel Cage match
May 5 WCCW 2nd Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions Irving, Texas Kerry Von Erich (with Fritz Von Erich) defeated One Man Gang (with Gary Hart) in a Hair vs. One Man Gang facing Fritz Von Erich match[5]
May 10
WWF
Saturday Night's Main Event
 Uniondale, New York Hulk Hogan (c) (with Mr. T) defeated Bob Orton (with Roddy Piper) by disqualification to retain the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
May 10 – June 15 NJPW IWGP League Matsumoto, Japan André the Giant defeated Tatsumi Fujinami in a tournament final[6]
May 21 PNW Wrestling Extravaganza Portland, Oregon Roddy Piper defeated Buddy Rose in a singles match
June 25
AJW
 Japan Grand Prix Finals
Tokyo, Japan
 Lioness Asuka defeated Dump Matsumoto in the finals
July 6 NWA The Great American Bash Charlotte, North Carolina
Steel cage match for the NWA World Television Championship[7][8]
July 8
WWF
 King of the Ring
Foxboro, Massachusetts
WWF World Heavyweight Championship[9]
July 27 Mid-South Wrestlefest Tulsa, Oklahoma
Kareem Muhammad, Kamala & Skandar Akbar
August 3
PPP
 A Hot Summer Night
Honolulu, Hawaii
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
August 16 AWA / NWA Star Wars East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts
) by disqualification in a six-man tag team match
August 26
WWF
 Lutte vs. WWF
Montreal, Quebec
, Canada 		Dino Bravo and King Tonga defeated Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik in a tag team match
September 2 FCW Battle of the Belts Tampa, Florida
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
September 20 EMLL EMLL 52nd Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico Event was cancelled due to the 1985 Mexico City earthquake[10]
September 21 CSP CSP 12th Anniversary Show San Juan, Puerto Rico Jimmy Valiant defeated Kamala in a singles match by disqualification
September 28 AWA SuperClash Chicago, Illinois
singles match for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship[11]
October 3
WWF
Saturday Night's Main Event
 East Rutherford, New Jersey Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Nikolai Volkoff (with Freddie Blassie) to retain the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
October 6 WCCW Cotton Bowl Extravaganza
Dallas, Texas
 Kerry and Kevin Von Erich defeated The Dynamic Duo (Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez) in a Hair vs. Hair match[12]
October 6
AJW
 Tag League The Best Finals
Tokyo, Japan
 The Crush Gals (Chigusa Nagayo and Lioness Asuka) defeated Gokuaku Domei (Bull Nakano and Dump Matsumoto) in the finals
October 19 WWC Battle of the Gladiators San Juan, Puerto Rico Carlos Colón defeated Abdullah the Butcher to win the WWC Universal Championship
October 31
WWF
Saturday Night's Main Event
 Hershey, Pennsylvania Hulk Hogan and André the Giant (with Lou Albano) defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification
November 7
WWF
The Wrestling Classic
 Rosemont, Illinois Junkyard Dog defeated Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) by count-out in a tournament finals match[13]
November 15 – December 12 NJPW
IWGP Tag Title League
 Sendai, Japan Tatsumi Fujinami and Kengo Kimura defeated Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi in a tournament final
November 23 – December 12 AJPW AJPW Real World Tag League Tokyo, Japan Ted DiBiase and Stan Hansen won the tournament
November 28 NWA
Starcade
Atlanta, Georgia
NWA World Heavyweight Championship[14]
December 6 EMLL Juicio Final Mexico City, Mexico El Solar II vs. Belcebu in a
Lucha de Apuestas, mask vs. mask match[15][16]
December 19
WWF
Saturday Night's Main Event
 Tampa, Florida Hulk Hogan (c) (with Junkyard Dog) defeated Terry Funk (with Jimmy Hart) to retain the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
December 29 AWA / NWA Night of Champions II East Rutherford, New Jersey Stan Hansen defeated Rick Martel (c) by submission in a singles match for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Tournaments and accomplishments

AJW

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Japan Grand Prix 1985 Lioness Asuka June 25
Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament Akemi Sakamoto
Tag League the Best 1985 Bull Nakano and Dump Matsumoto October 10

JCP

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Bunkhouse Stampede Dusty Rhodes[17][7] December 28

WWF

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
King of the Ring Don Muraco July 8
The Wrestling Classic Junkyard Dog November 7

Awards and honors

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

Main article: List of Pro Wrestling Illustrated awards
Category Winner
PWI Wrestler of the Year
 Ric Flair
PWI Tag Team of the Year
The Road Warriors
(Hawk and Animal
)
PWI Match of the Year
WrestleMania
)
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year
 Hulk Hogan
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year
 Roddy Piper
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year
Steve Williams
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year
 Mike Von Erich
PWI Rookie of the Year
 Nord the Barbarian
PWI Manager of the Year
 Jim Cornette
PWI Editor's Award
 Dan Shocket

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Main article: List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Category Winner
Wrestler of the Year Ric Flair
Feud of the Year Ted DiBiase vs. Jim Duggan
Tag Team of the Year The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith)
Most Improved
Steve Williams
Best on Interviews Jim Cornette

Title changes

WWF

WWF World Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Hulk Hogan
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
No title changes
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Incoming champion – Greg Valentine
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
July 6 Tito Santana House show It was a steel cage match
WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Antonio Inoki
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
No title changes
WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – The Cobra
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
May 20 Hiro Saito House show
July 28 The Cobra House show
October 31 Abandoned N/A
WWF International Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Tatsumi Fujinami
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
July 19 Vacant N/A
October 31 Vacant N/A
WWF International Tag Team Championship
(Title reactivated)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
May 24 Tatsumi Fujinami and Kengo Kimura House show
October 31 Deactivated N/A
WWF Canadian Championship
(Title created)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
August 18 Dino Bravo House show
WWF Women's Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – Velvet McIntyre and Desiree Petersen
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
August 1 The Glamour Girls
(Leilani Kai and Judy Martin)
Live event
WWF Women's Championship
Incoming champion – Wendi Richter
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February 18 Leilani Kai The War to Settle the Score
March 31 Wendi Richter WrestleMania I
November 25 The Masked Spider Lady (Fabulous Moolah) Live event
WWF Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – The North-South Connection (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 21
Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham
) 		House show
March 31 The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff WrestleMania I
June 17
Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham
) 		Championship Wrestling It aired on tape delay on July 13.
August 24
The Dream Team
(Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine
) 		House show

Spinoff media

  • Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n Wrestling premiered on CBS
    .
  • Lizy, is released. The film is noted for the special appearance of Indian actor-wrestler Dara Singh
    as himself.
  • British wrestler "Mr. TV" Jackie Pallo's autobiography "You Grunt, I'll Groan" is published.
  • Welsh wrestler-promoter Orig Williams's autobiography "Cario'r Ddraig: Stori El Bandito" is published.
  • World Wrestling Federation
    . It is the first album released by the WWF and featuring mostly theme music of wrestlers on the roster at the time.

Births

Debuts

  • Uncertain debut date
  • January 22 - Nick Kiniski
  • March 3 - Masakatsu Funaki
  • April 29 - Miguel Pérez Jr.
  • May 16 - Drill Nakamae (All Japan Women's)
  • May 27 - Mitsuko Nishiwaki (All Japan Women's)
  • June 5 - Yumiko Hotta and Kyoko Aso (All Japan Women's)
  • June 6 - Grizzly Iwamoto (All Japan Women's)
  • June 12 - Akira Hokuto and Suzuka Minami (All Japan Women's)
  • June 14 - Fumie Kanzaki (All Japan Women's) and Sayuri Nakajima (All Japan Women's)
  • July 8 - Yoji Anjo
  • July 23 - Yasuko Ishiguro (All Japan Women's)
  • July 25 - Rie Okabyashi (All Japan Women's) and Akemi Sakamoto (All Japan Women's)
  • July 30 - Miss Elizabeth
  • August 28 - Kahoru Kage (All Japan Women's)
  • August 30 - Scorpio Jr.
  • October 31 - Lex Luger
  • November 22 Chris Benoit
  • November 28

Retirements

Deaths

External links

References

  1. ^ Hoops, Brian (February 18, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (February 18): WWF War to settle the score". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  2. ^ "NJPW "Super Powers Clash", 4/24/89 (WPW)". Strong Style Spirit. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  3. ^ Shields, Brian. Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s, p.150.
  4. D.F.
    pp. 26–28. 302.
  5. ^ "2nd Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions". Pro Wrestling History. May 5, 1985. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  6. ^ "IWGP League1985". ProWrestlingHistory.com. May 10 – June 11, 1985. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  7. ^
    ISBN 149480347X
    .
  8. ^ "2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts: Great American Bash 1985". Wrestling's Historical Cards. Kappa Publishing. 2007. p. 129.
  9. ^ WWF King Of The Ring 1985
  10. ^ "52nd Anniversary Show". ProWrestlingHistory. September 19, 1986. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  11. ^ "SuperClash I". Pro Wrestling History. September 28, 1985. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  12. ^ "2nd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza". Pro Wrestling History. October 6, 1985. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  13. ^ "The Wrestling Classic results". Wrestling Supercards and Tournaments. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  14. ^ Adamson, Matt (January 28, 2008). "Going Old School: Starrcade '85". 411mania. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
  15. ^ "EMLL Super Viernes – Juicio Final 1985". Wrestling Data. December 6, 1985. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  16. ISSN 2007-0896
    . 17080.
  17. ^ "Bunkhouse Stampedes". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  18. ^ "Brian Myers". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2016-09-20. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  19. ^ "Tommaso Ciampa – Online World of Wrestling ("Birthday: May 8, 1985")". www.onlineworldofwrestling.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  20. ^ Wolcott, David (September 10, 2010). "Carver native signs with Ring of Honor wrestling; Mike Bennett gets his big break". Wicked Local Kingston. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  21. ^ "Kader". wXw – more than Wrestling. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016.
  22. Georgia Institute of Technology. Archived from the original
    on October 9, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  23. Dragon Gate
     (in Japanese). Gaora. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  24. ^ "Mikey Nicholls". Pro Wrestling Noah (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2013-06-24. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  25. ^ "Anthony Nese". Gerweck.net. Retrieved 2016-12-23.
  26. ^ "Mikey Nicholls". Cagematch. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  27. ^ a b "The Uso Brothers – Online World of Wrestling". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  28. ^ "Shane Haste". Pro Wrestling Noah (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  29. ^ "Oney Lorcan | WWE.com". wwe.com. 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
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