Steamboat - Savage rule WrestleMania 3
Mr Bo Janglez
WrestleMania History
Date: March 29, 1987.
Place: The Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan.
Attendance: 93,173 (disputed).
WWE Company Line: "The third annual World Wrestling Federation extravagaza
took place on March, 29, 1987, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit,
Michigan and attracted 93,173 fans - a world indoor attendance record that
still stands today for any sports or entertainment event. Wrestlemania III
broke the viewer records set by its predecessors, as nearly one million fans
witnessed the event at more than 160 closed-circuit venues throughout North
America. Several million more fans watched the event in their homes via
pay-per-view cable television. After the event, WrestleMania III was hailed
as the most successful and most widely viewed pay-per-view event in
history."
Celebrity Appearances: Ray Combs (ring announcer), Alice Cooper (Jake "The
Snake" Roberts' supporter), Aretha Franklin (vocalist), Mary Hart
(timekeeper), Bob Uecker (ring announcer).
SLAM! Wrestling Review: By JOHN POWELL
Macho Man and Steamboat put on a legendary match. A masterwork in every
sense of the word. Fourteen years later, a large majority of fans still
consider this the best WrestleMania ever produced by the World Wrestling
Federation. In large part this is due to the classic match Steamboat and
Savage had for the Intercontinental Title. The word "awesome" barely comes
close to describing the thrilling, see-saw battle that unfolded. If you
recall, this bitter feud started when Steamboat made a play for the
Intercontinental title. In a furious Pearl Harbour job, Macho attacked
Steamboat as he greeted fans at ringside. Putting his throat over the
security rail, Savage dropped a flying elbow on Steamboat's throat sending
him to the hospital. Their match at WrestleMania 3 was the pinnacle of a
ingeniously scripted feud.
The Macho - Steamboat bout overshadowed a mammoth main event which saw Hulk
Hogan (Yep, he's still the champ. Sigh.) go one-on-one with his former best
friend, Andre The Giant. With a long-standing grudge against Hogan, Heenan
whispered the right words in Andre's ear convincing him to turn on Hogan.
Though Hogan and Andre has battled before -- with Hogan as the heel and
Andre as the face -- the WWF portrayed it as the two grappling legends had
never sparred before. The rivalry didn't end at WrestleMania 3. Hogan and
Andre continued mixing it up all the way to WrestleMania 4.
Note: The actual attendance record has been disputed in major way over the
years. Though the WWE maintains the 93,173, many say the real attendance for
the show was 73,173.
Favourite Moments: The entire Steamboat - Savage match. King Kong Bundy
splashes a midget. The Bulldogs take it to Danny Davis. Hercules takes a
chain to Billy Jack Haynes' head busting him open. The look and feel of the
domed stadium.
Least Favourite Moments: Master technician, Harley Race, battered around by
the Junkyard Dog. The slow-paced main event.
Rating: Excellent.
WrestleMania 3 Results
Match Winner(s)
1. The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel / Tom Zenk) vs The Magnificent Muraco
/ Cowboy Bob Orton The Can-Am Connection.
2. Billy Jack Haynes vs Hercules Double Countout.
3. Hillbilly Jim / Little Beaver / Haiti Kid vs King Kong Bundy / Little
Tokyo / Lord Littlebrook Hillbilly Jim / Little Beaver / Haiti Kid.
4. King Harley Race vs Junkyard Dog King Harley Race.
5. The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake / Greg Valentine) vs The Rougeau Brothers
The Dream Team.
6. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper vs "Adorable" Adrian Adonis "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
7. The Hart Foundation / "Dangerous" Danny Davis vs The British Bulldogs /
Tito Santana The Hart Foundation / "Dangerous" Danny Davis.
8. "The Natural" Butch Reed vs Koko B. Ware "The Natural" Butch Reed.
9. Randy Machoman Savage vs Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (Intercontinental
Title) Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
10. The Honky Tonk Man vs Jake "The Snake" Roberts The Honky Tonk Man.
11. Nikolai Volkoff / The Iron Sheik vs The Killer Bees Nikolai Volkoff /
The Iron Sheik.
12. Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant (World Title) Hulk Hogan