WWF Matches and Angles Worth Watching in 1986

Matches Worth Watching

While 1984 and 1985 were slim pickings for WWF in-ring content on the WWE Network, the year of 1986 has all kinds of great in-ring stuff. Prime Time Wrestling provides a ton of full matches, while the WWF’s in-ring work in general gets a bump as their midcard starts to up the pace: Ricky Steamboat, Jake Roberts, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Bret Hart are all there to take you on a quality journey whether it’s on a big show or a house show only aired in the local market. Hulk Hogan was still pretty great too.

• WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] w/ Junkyard Dog vs. Terry Funk w/ Jimmy Hart (SNME 1/4/86)
• WWE Intercontinental Title: Tito Santana [c] vs. Macho Man Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth (Boston Garden 1/11/86)
• Bruno Sammartino & Paul Orndorff vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper & Cowboy Bob Orton (Boston Garden 1/11/86)
• Pedro Morales vs. Terry Funk w/ Jimmy Hart (Boston Garden 1/11/86)
• The British Bulldogs w/ Captain Lou Albano vs. The Dream Team w/ Johnny Valiant (TNT 2/7/86)
• WWF Intercontinental Title: Tito Santana [c] vs. Macho Man Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth (Boston Garden 2/8/86)
• Steel Cage Match: Bruno Sammartino vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper (Boston Garden 2/8/86)
• Lumberjack Match – WWF World Heavyweight Title: Macho Man Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth vs. Hulk Hogan [c] (MSG 2/17/86)
• Junkyard Dog vs. Terry Funk w/ Jimmy Hart (TNT 2/21/86)
• WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Magnificent Muraco w/ Bobby Heenan (SNME 3/1/86)
• Jake Roberts vs. Jose Luis Rivera (Boston Garden 3/8/86)
• Ricky Steamboat vs. Bret Hart w/ Jimmy Hart (Boston Garden 3/8/86)
• WWF Intercontinental Title: Macho Man Randy Savage [c] w/ Elizabeth vs. Tito Santana (Boston Garden 3/8/86)
• Velvet McIntyre & Dawn Marie vs. The Devils of Japan (Dump Matsumoto & Bull Nakano) (Boston Garden 3/8/86)
• Hulk Hogan & Junkyard Dog vs. The Funk Brothers (Terry Funk & Hoss Funk) w/ Jimmy Hart (Boston Garden 3/8/86)
• 20-Man WWF vs. NFL Battle Royal (WrestleMania 2 4/7/86)
• WWF World Tag Team Title: The Dream Team [c] w/ Johnny Valiant vs. The British Bulldogs w/ Captain Lou Albano and Ozzy Osbourne (WrestleMania 2 4/7/86)
• Ricky Steamboat vs. Hercules Hernandez (WrestleMania 2 4/7/86)
• Junkyard Dog & Tito Santana vs. Terry Funk & Hoss Funk w/ Jimmy Hart (WrestleMania 2 4/7/86)
• Steel Cage Match – WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] vs. King Kong Bundy w/ Bobby Heenan (WrestleMania 2 4/7/86)
• No DQ Match – WWF Intercontinental Title: Macho Man Randy Savage [c] w/ Elizabeth vs. Tito Santana (MSG 4/22/86)
• Leaping Lanny Poffo vs. Rene Goulet (Prime Time 4/28/86)
• Hulk Hogan & Junkyard Dog w/ Haiti Kid vs. The Funk Brothers (Terry Funk & Hoss Funk) w/ Jimmy Hart (SNME 5/3/86)
• Paul Orndorff vs. Adrian Adonis w/ Jimmy Hart (SNME 5/3/86)
• WWF Intercontinental Title: Macho Man Randy Savage [c] w/ Elizabeth vs. Tito Santana (Special Guest Ref: Bruno Sammartino) (MSG 5/19/86)
• WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Macho Man Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth (Boston Garden 5/24/86)
• WWF World Tag Team Title: The British Bulldogs [c] vs. The Hart Foundation w/ Jimmy Hart (Prime Time 6/2/86)
• Ricky Steamboat vs. Jake Roberts (Boston Garden 6/27/86)
• Pedro Morales vs. Cowboy Bob Orton (Prime Time 6/30/86)
• Paul Orndorff vs. Big John Studd w/ Bobby Heenan (Prime Time 6/30/86)
• Steel Cage Match: Bruno Sammartino & Tito Santana vs. Macho Man Randy Savage & Adrian Adonis (Prime Time 7/28/86)
• Ricky Steamboat vs. Jake Roberts (Boston Garden 8/9/86)
• Hulk Hogan & George “The Animal” Steele vs. Macho Man Randy Savage & Adrian Adonis w/ Elizabeth (Boston Garden 8/9/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage & Adrian Adonis vs. Bruno Sammartino & Tito Santana (MSG 6/14/86)
• Snake Pit Match: Ricky Steamboat vs. Jake Roberts (The Big Event 8/28/86)
• WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Paul Orndorff w/ Bobby Heenan (The Big Event 8/28/86)
• Sivi Afi vs. Jake Roberts (Prime Time 9/8/86)
• WWF Intercontinental Title: Macho Man Randy Savage [c] w/ Elizabeth vs. Pedro Morales (Prime Time 9/15/86)
• WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Paul Orndorff w/ Bobby Heenan (SNME 10/4/86)
• Mike Rotundo vs. Iron Sheik w/ Slick and Nikolai Volkoff (Prime Time 10/14/86)
• WWE Intercontinental Title: Macho Man Randy Savage [c] w/ Elizabeth vs. Ricky Steamboat (Boston Garden 11/1/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper vs. Magnificent Muraco w/ Mr. Fuji (Boston Garden 11/1/86)
• WWF World Tag Team Title: The British Bulldogs [c] vs. The Hart Foundation w/ Jimmy Hart (Boston Garden 11/1/86)
• WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Hercules Hernandez w/ Bobby Heenan (SNME 11/29/86)
• The Islanders vs. The Dream Team w/ Johnny Valiant (Boston Garden 12/6/86)
• WWF World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Kamala w/ The Wizard and Kim Chee (Boston Garden 12/6/86)
• Tito Santana vs. Hercules Hernandez w/ Bobby Heenan (Prime Time 12/29/86)

Squashes Worth Watching

Not all matches are created equal.

• Macho Man Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth vs. Gary Starr (TNT 1/10/86)
• The British Bulldogs w/ Captain Lou Albano vs. Mr. X & The Menace (TNT 1/17/86)
• B. Brian Blair vs. Barry O (TNT 1/24/86)
• Handicap Match: King Kong Bundy w/ Bobby Heenan and Big John Studd vs. Two Competitors (TNT 1/31/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Tony Stetson (TNT 2/14/86)
• Jake Roberts vs. Scott McGhee (MSG 4/22/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth vs. Bob Marcus (TNT 4/23/86)
• Hercules Hernandez w/ Freddie Blassie vs. George Wells (TNT 4/23/86)
• Jake Roberts vs. Scott McGhee (Prime Time 4/28/86)
• Jake Roberts vs. Scott McGhee (Prime Time 5/12/86)
• Harley Race (return) vs. S.D. Jones (Prime Time 5/19/86)
• Hulk Hogan & Paul Orndorff vs. The Moondogs (Prime Time 7/14/86)
• Harley Race w/ Bobby Heenan vs. Tony Garea (Prime Time 7/28/86)
• Hercules Hernandez vs. Scott McGhee (Prime Time 8/4/86)
• The British Bulldogs w/ Captain Lou Albano vs. Les Thornton & Jack Foley (Mick Foley) (Prime Time 9/22/86)
• Honky Tonk Man vs. Mr. X (Danny Davis) (Prime Time 12/11/86)
• Adrian Adonis w/ Jimmy Hart vs. S.D. Jones (Prime Time 12/17/86)

Angles Worth Watching

As in 1985, the sports entertainment machine continued to increase its productivity in 1986. King Tonga bodyslamming Big John Studd in June was a great one I hadn’t heard of, while the Paul Orndorff turn on Hulk Hogan and all the build around it is here in all its’ glory. Piper’s Pit and Adrian Adonis’ The Flower Shop carried a lot of stories too.

• Piper’s Pit w/ Jimmy Hart and The New Adrian Adonis (TNT 1/17/86)
• A Doctor visits Piper’s Pit to examine Bob Orton’s Cast (TNT 1/24/86)
• Dory Funk Debuts and Helps Terry Funk (TNT 2/21/86)
• Piper’s Pit w/ Jose Luis Rivera (TNT 2/21/86)
• Piper’s Pit w/ Boxing Bob Orton and Hulk Hogan (TNT 2/28/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper and Bob Orton Attack Mr. T (SNME 3/1/86)
• King Kong Bundy Injures Hulk Hogan (SNME 3/1/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper and Cowboy Bob Orton Shave Haiti Kid’s Head (SNME 3/1/86)
• Junkyard Dog Drags Jimmy Hart at the Slammys (TNT 3/7/86)
• Jake Roberts uses Damien on Nelson Veilleux (TNT 3/14/86)
• George “The Animal” Steele Gives Elizabeth Flowers (TNT 3/21/86)
• Jake Roberts DDT’s Ricky Steamboat on the Floor (SNME 5/3/86)
• Ricky Steamboat Goes After Jake Roberts (TNT 6/4/86)
• King Tonga Slams Big John Studd (Prime Time 6/16/86)
• Hulk Hogan/Paul Orndorff Feud Recap (Prime Time 7/21/86)
• Paul Orndorff turns on Hulk Hogan (Prime Time 7/21/86)
• The Flower Shop w/ Paul Orndorff (Prime Time 7/28/86)
• Jake Roberts Refuses to Wrestle Sivi Afi (Prime Time 8/4/86)
• The Flower Shop w/ Rowdy Roddy Piper (return) (Prime Time 8/18/86)
• The Flower Shop w/ Paul Orndorff and Bobby Heenan (TNT 8/20/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper Interrupts the The Flower Shop w/ Freddie Blassie, Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Hercules Hernandez and Slick (Prime Time 8/25/86)
• The Flower Shop w/ Bobby Heenan, Captain Lou Albano and The Machines (TNT 9/10/86)
• Adrian Adonis with Jimmy Hart and Bob Orton invade Piper’s Pit (Prime Time 9/15/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper’s Pit vs. Adrian Adonis’ The Flower Shop (Prime Time 9/30/68)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper Saves Hulk Hogan from Paul Orndorff and Adrian Adonis (SNME 10/4/86)
• Jake Roberts Snake/Ricky Steamboat Dragon showdown (SNME 10/4/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper Replaces Pedro Morales (SNME 10/4/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper destroys The Flower Shop set (Prime Time 10/9/86)
• Live Piper’s Pit w/ Bobby Heenan and Paul Orndorff (MSG 10/20/86)
• Piper’s Pit w/ Jimmy Hart (Prime Time 10/21/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage Injures Ricky Steamboat’s Throat with the Ring Bell (Prime Time 12/2/86)
• Jimmy Hart and Adrian Adonis crash Piper’s Pit (Prime Time 12/2/86)
• Honkey Tonk Man Receives his Approval Poll Results (Prime Time 12/11/86)
• Ricky Steamboat Visits a Speech Pathologist (Prime Time 12/23/86)
• Honky Tonk Man Celebrates and Attacks Tito Santana (Prime Time 11/29/86)

Promos Worth Watching

Matches are cool, but it’s really all about the talking. Lots of good talking in 1986: Hulk Hogan, Jake the Snake, and Macho Man are all in their microphone primes, while Mean Gene Okerlund absolutely carries this company on his back.

• Terry Funk and Jimmy Hart get interviewed in hay (TNT 1/3/86)
• Jesse Ventura interviews Macho Man Randy Savage and Elizabeth poolside (SNME 1/4/86)
• Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura interview Macho Man Randy Savage with Elizabeth (Boston Garden 2/8/86)
• Captain Lou Albano promo on his MS Charity (TNT 2/14/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund tries to interview Mr. T at a boxing gym (SNME 3/1/86)
• Bobby Heenan and King Kong Bundy pre-match interview on fighting Hulk Hogan (SNME 3/1/86)
• Hulk Hogan and Mr. T promo on King Kong Bundy (TNT 3/7/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund interviews Dr. Robert Paunovich on Hulk Hogan’s condition (TNT 3/7/86)
• WrestleMania 2 Press Conference with Rowdy Roddy Piper, Cowboy Bob Orton and Lou Duva (TNT 3/14/86)
• WrestleMania 2 Press Conference with King Kong Bundy and Hulk Hogan (TNT 3/21/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper Training Montage and Press Interviews (TNT 3/28/86)
• Mr. T Training Montage and promo on Rowdy Roddy Piper (TNT 4/2/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund interviews Hulk Hogan as he trains for WrestleMania 2 (TNT 4/2/86)
• Vince McMahon and Susan St. James interview Rowdy Roddy Piper on his Boxing Match (WrestleMania 2 4/7/86)
• Jimbo Covert and Iron Sheik interview on the WWF vs. NFL Battle Royal (WrestleMania 2 4/7/86)
• Captain Lou Albano and Ozzy Osbourne post-match promo (WrestleMania 4/7/86)
• Paul Orndorff interview in a sauna (SNME 5/3/86)
• Hulk Hogan interview in an empty arena (SNME 5/3/86)
• Jake Roberts talks to Damien in the locker room (SNME 5/3/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage and Elizabeth interview on Macho Madness (Prime Time 5/5/86)
• Jake Roberts interview on Scott McGhee (Prime Time 5/12/86)
• Ricky Steamboat and Mean Gene Okerlund visit Koalas (TNT 5/21/86)
• King Kong Bundy and Bobby Heenan interrupt a Dave Winfield and Dave Righetti interview (Prime Time 5/26/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund in Australia with Ricky Steamboat, S.D. Jones and Paul Roma (TNT 6/18/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund looks for The Machines (Prime Time 6/23/86 & 7/7/86, TNT 7/9/86 & 7/16/86)
• Hulk Hogan interview on his Hit List and Russia (Prime Time 6/23/86)
• Vince McMahon interviews Hulk Hogan on Paul Orndorff (Prime Time 8/11/86)
• Bobby Heenan promo on Hulk Hogan (Prime Time 8/11/86)
  – Hulk Hogan promo on Paul Orndorff (TNT 8/13/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage interview on cleaning up pro wrestling and Hulk Hogan (Prime Time 8/18/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund on the Hogan/Orndorff feud (Prime Time 8/18/86)
• Macho Lifestyles: At Home with Randy Savage and Elizabeth (Prime Time 9/8/86)
• George “The Animal” Steele interview (Prime Time 9/22/86)
• Jake Roberts interview on The Snake Pit and Hulk Hogan (Prime Time 9/30/86)
• Intro Promos w/ Jesse Ventura, Jake Roberts, The Dream Team, The Wizard and Kamala, Paul Orndorff and Hulk Hogan (SNME 10/4/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper interview on his injury and not competing (SNME 10/4/86)
• Hulk Hogan promo on Paul Orndorff (SNME 10/4/86)
• Paul Orndorff and Bobby Heenan pre-match interview (SNME 10/4/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund interviews Jake Roberts in the shower (SNME 10/4/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper promo on Adrian Adonis (SNME 10/4/86)
• Honky Tonk Man interview on Prime Time Wrestling (Prime Time 10/14/86)
• The Bulldog Workout (Coliseum Home Video Classics: The Britsh Bulldogs 10/15/86)
• The Killer Bees interview on their masks (Prime Time 10/21/86)
• Paul Orndorff training session (Prime Time 10/21/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper interview on Magnificent Muraco, Bob Orton and Jimmy Hart (Prime Time 10/28/86)
• The Hart Foundation interview on The British Bulldogs (Prime Time 11/11/86)
• Intro Promos w/ Jake Roberts, Randy Savage, Koko B. Ware, Roddy Piper, The Hart Foundation and Hulk Hogan (SNME 11/29/86)
• Jake Roberts pre-match interview on Randy Savage (SNME 11/29/86)
• Hulk Hogan interview on Hercules Hernandez (“This is where the power lies!”) (SNME 11/29/86)
• Magnificent Muraco and Mr. Fuji pre-match interview on Rowdy Roddy Piper and Dick Slater (SNME 11/29/86)
• Gary Davis interviews Andre the Giant from London on his return (Prime Time 12/2/86)
• Mean Gene Okerlund interviews referee Danny Davis on Ricky Steamboat (Prime Time 12/11/86)
• Jesse Ventura interviews Andre the Giant on his reinstatement (Prime Time 12/23/86)
• Randy Savage promo on Ricky Steamboat’s injury (Prime Time 12/17/86)
• Ricky Steamboat promo on Randy Savage (Prime Time 12/29/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper interview on Adrian Adonis (Prime Time 12/29/86)

TNT Segments Worth Watching

TNT had long since phased out the silly cultural skits, instead opting for Q&A’s with the WWF’s heels and a lot of shtick from Magnificent Muraco and Mr. Fuji.

• Audience Q&A with Terry Funk and Jimmy Hart (TNT 1/3/86)
• Audience Q&A with Big John Studd (TNT 1/10/86)
• Candice Pardue Arm Wrestling Contest (TNT 1/17/86)
• Terry Funk and Jimmy Hart visit the Double Cross Ranch (TNT 2/21/86)
• Audience Q&A with Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Hart (TNT 2/28/86)
• Adrian Adonis gets a Beauty Treatment (TNT 5/7/86)
• Fuji Vice with Magnificent Muraco and Mr. Fuji (TNT 5/7/86)
• Texas-style BBQ with Jimmy Hart & The Funks; Lord Alfred gets hung from a tree (TNT 5/14/86)
• The Mating Game with The Hart Foundation (TNT 5/28/86)
• Jake Roberts shows off his snakes(TNT 6/4/86)
• Audience Q&A with Macho Man Randy Savage (TNT 6/4/86)
• Beatrice Connelly presents Dog Training Demonstrations (TNT 6/11/86)
• Magnificent Muraco and Mr. Fuji Stand-Up Comedy (TNT 6/25/86)
• Hercules Hernandez does Tests of Strength (TNT 6/25/86)
• Adrian Adonis Fashion Show (TNT 6/25/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage Sits with a Therapist (TNT 7/2/86)
• The Mating Game with Jim Neidhart (TNT 7/9/86)
• Lord Alfred Hayes Impersonates Macho Man Randy Savage (TNT 7/23/86)
• Mr. Fuji introduces Little Tokyo (TNT 8/20/86)
• Audience Q&A with Macho Man Randy Savage and Elizabeth (TNT 9/10/86)
• Audience Q&A with Jake Roberts and his snake (TNT 9/24/86)
• Nikolai Volkoff brings a bear to the set (TNT 9/24/86)

TNT Interviews Worth Watching

Lots of couch, tons of character.

• Macho Man Randy Savage and Elizabeth on Elizabeth on George Steele (TNT 1/10/86)
• Junkyard Dog on an action figure match with Rowdy Roddy Piper (TNT 1/10/86)
• Adrian Adonis and Jimmy Hart on Adonis Being Gay (TNT 1/17/86)
• Rowdy Roddy Piper and Cowboy Bob Orton on The Hillbillies (TNT 1/24/86)
• Bobby Heenan plays Baffle the Brain (TNT 1/24/86)
• King Kong Bundy and Bobby Heenan on Dirty Tricks (TNT 1/31/86)
• King Kong Bundy and Bobby Heenan on Bundy’s socks (TNT 3/7/86)
• Junkyard Dog on The Slammys (TNT 3/7/86)
• Jimmy Hart on Junkyard Dog (TNT 3/7/86)
• Rowddy Roddy Piper on The Slammys (TNT 3/7/86)
• The Funk Brothers and Jimmy Hart on Hoss Funk (TNT 3/14/86)
• Jake Roberts on Speaking Softly (TNT 3/14/86)
• Hulk Hogan on the WWF World Heavyweight Title (TNT 3/21/86)
• Mr. Fuji on Paul Orndorff (TNT 3/28/86)
• Magnificent Muraco and Mr. Fuji on Paul Orndorff on Fuji’s leadership (TNT 4/16/86)
• Freddie Blassie on his bathroom (TNT 4/16/86)
• Macho Man Randy Savage and Elizabeth on Elizabeth being interviewed alone (TNT 4/23/86)
• Paul Christy on Sex, Money and Power (TNT 5/21/86)
• Jake Roberts on Ricky Steamboat and the DDT (TNT 6/4/86)
• Dr. Alfred R. Kissenbaum, Macho Man Randy Savage and Elizabeth on Savage’s insecurity (TNT 7/2/86)
• King Kong Bundy on The Machines Identity (TNT 7/16/86)
• Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan on Giant Machines’ identity (TNT 7/23/86)
• Bobby Heenan and Big John Studd on Andre the Giant (TNT 7/30/86)
• Harley Race on Hulk Hogan (TNT 7/30/86)
• Hulk Hogan on Paul Orndorff (TNT 8/6/86)
• Paul Orndorff and Bobby Heenan on Hulk Hogan (TNT 9/10/86)