1986 in professional wrestling

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1986 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

Contents

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable events in 1986.

Promotion NameAbbreviation
American Wrestling Association AWA
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre EMLL
Jim Crockett Promotions JCP
Pacific Northwest Wrestling PNW
World Class Championship Wrestling WCCW
World Wrestling Council WWC
World Wrestling Federation WWF

Calendar of notable shows

DatePromotion(s)EventLocationMain Event
January 21 PNW Superstar Extravaganza Portland, Oregon Ric Flair (c) defeated Dusty Rhodes by disqualification in a singles match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
February 7 JCP Superstars on the Superstation Atlanta, Georgia Ric Flair (c) defeated Ron Garvin in a singles match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship [1]
February 14 CWF Battle of the Belts II Orlando, Florida Ric Flair (c) fought Barry Windham to a double count-out in a match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
February 15 WWF Saturday Night's Main Event Phoenix, Arizona Hulk Hogan (c) defeated The Magnificent Muraco (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
AJW All Japan Women's event at Kawasaki-shi Taiikukan Kawasaki, Japan Jaguar Yokota has her retirement match in a 5-minute exhibition match against Devil Masami [2]
April 5 AJW All Japan Women's event at Ryōgoku Kokugikan Tokyo, Japan Jaguar Yokota vs Devil Masami in a WWWA World Title Match, Chigusa Nagayo vs Dump Matsumoto in a All Pacific Title match [3]
April 7 WWF WrestleMania 2 Uniondale, New York
Rosemont, Illinois
Los Angeles, California
Hulk Hogan (c) defeated King Kong Bundy in a steel Cage match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship [4] [5] [6]
April 19 JCP 1st Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament Louisiana Superdome The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) defeated Ron Garvin and Magnum T. A. in a tournament final [7]
April 20 AWA WrestleRock 86 East Rutherford, New Jersey Nick Bockwinkel defeated Stan Hansen (c) by disqualification in a singles match for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship
April 28 AWA / NWA Rage in a Cage Minneapolis, Minnesota The Road Warriors (Road Warrior Hawk & Road Warrior Animal) defeated Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff in a Steel Cage Match
June 19 NJPW G1 Climax Tokyo, Japan Antonio Inoki defeated Dick Murdoch in the finals
June 22 AJW Japan Grand Prix Tokyo, Japan Chigusa Nagayo defeated Yukari Omori in the finals
June 28 AWA Battle By The Bay Oakland, California Larry Zbyszko fought Scott LeDoux to a double count-out
May 1 WWF Saturday Night's Main Event Providence, Rhode Island Hulk Hogan and Junkyard Dog (with The Haiti Kid) defeated Terry Funk and Hoss Funk (with Jimmy Hart)
May 4 WCCW 3rd Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions Irving, Texas Steve Simpson, Kerry Von Erich and Lance Von Erich defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts) (c) in a Lumberjack elimination match for the WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship [8]
July 1 August 2 JCP The Great American Bash (1986) MultipleVarious [9] [ page needed ]
July 14 WWF King of the Ring (1986) Foxborough, Massachusetts British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) (c) defeated The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) in a steel cage match for the WWF World Tag Team Championship [10]
August 9 PPP A Hot Summer Night II Honolulu, Hawaii Superfly Tui fought Lars Anderson in a Steel Cage Match for the NWA Polynesian Pacific Heavyweight Championship
August 23 AJW All Japan Women's event at Kawasaki-shi Taiikukan Kawasaki, Japan Devil Masami defeats Yukari Omori in a WWWA World Title match [11]
August 28 WWF The Big Event Toronto, Ontario Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Paul Orndorff via disqualification in a singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship [12]
August 29 WWF Sam Muchnick Memorial Tournament St. Louis, Missouri Hulk Hogan (c) and Paul Orndorff fought to a double-disqualification in a singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship [13] [14]
September 13 WWF Saturday Night's Main Event Richfield, Ohio Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Paul Orndorff (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification in a singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
September 19 EMLL EMLL 53rd Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico Américo Rocca, Tony Salazar and Ringo Mendoza defeated Los Misioneros de la Muerte (El Signo, Negro Navarro and El Texano) in a Lucha de Apuestas triple hair vs. triple hair match [15]
WWC WWC 13th Aniversario Ponce, Puerto Rico Tony Atlas vs. Hiroshi Wajima in a singles match (result unknown)
September 20 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Ric Flair (c) defeated Miguel Perez, Jr. in a singles match for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
October 12 WCCW 3rd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza Dallas, Texas Bruiser Brody defeated Abdullah the Butcher in a steel cage match with guest referee Fritz Von Erich [16] [17]
October 10 AJW Tag League the Best Tokyo, Japan The Crush Gals defeated Dump Matsumoto & Bull Nakano in the finals
November 7 AJW All Japan Women's at Osaka Jo Hall Osaka, Japan Chigusa Nagayo defeats Dump Matsumoto in a hair vs hair rematch.
November 15 WWF Saturday Night's Main Event Los Angeles, California Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Hercules Hernandez (with Bobby Heenan) in a singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
November 27 JCP Starrcade Greensboro, North Carolina
Atlanta, Georgia
Ric Flair (c) wrestled Nikita Koloff to a double disqualification in a singles match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship [9] [ page needed ]
December 12 NJPW World Tag League Tokyo, Japan Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi defeated Kengo Kimura & Tatsumi Fujinami in the finals
December 14 WWF Saturday Night's Main Event Hartford, Connecticut Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Paul Orndorff (with Bobby Heenan) in a Steel cage match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
December 25 AWA Brawl in St. Paul St. Paul, Minnesota The Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) defeated Buddy Rose & Doug Somers in a Steel Cage Match
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Notable events

Tournaments and accomplishments

AJW

AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotes
Japan Grand Prix 1986 Yukari OmoriJune 28
Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament Kiyo Toyoda
Tag League the Best 1986 Chigusa Nagayo and Yumiko Hotta October 10

JCP

AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotes
Bunkhouse Stampede Dusty Rhodes [18] [9] [ page needed ]
NWA World Television Championship Tournament Arn Anderson January 4
Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal)April 19

WWF

AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotes
King of the Ring Harley Race July 14
Sam Muchnick Memorial Tournament Harley Race August 29

Slammy Awards

PollWinner
Best Personality in Land of a Thousand Dances "Rowdy" Roddy Piper [19] [20] [21]
Best ProducerMona Flambe aka Cyndi Lauper [19] [20] [21]
Best Commentator Gene Okerlund [19] [20] [21]
Most Ignominious Nikolai Volkoff [19] [20] [21]
Best Single Performer Junkyard Dog [19] [20] [21]

Awards and honors

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

CategoryWinner
PWI Wrestler of the Year Ric Flair
PWI Tag Team of the Year The Rock 'n' Roll Express
(Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson)
PWI Match of the Year Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes (The Great American Bash)
PWI Feud of the Year Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Roddy Piper
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Paul Orndorff
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year Terry Gordy
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Chris Adams
PWI Rookie of the Year Lex Luger
PWI Lifetime Achievement Verne Gagne
PWI Editor's Award Lou Albano

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

CategoryWinner
Wrestler of the Year Ric Flair
Most Outstanding Ric Flair
Feud of the Year Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff
Tag Team of the Year The Midnight Express
(Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton)
Most Improved Steve Williams
Best on Interviews Jim Cornette

Title changes

WWF

Incoming champion – Hulk Hogan
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)
No title changes
Incoming champion – Tito Santana
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)
February 8 Randy Savage House show
Incoming champion – Antonio Inoki
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)
No title changes
Incoming champion – Dino Bravo
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)
January 22VacantN/A
Incoming champions – The Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai and Judy Martin)
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)
No title changes
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)
July 3 Velvet McIntyre Live event
July 9 The Fabulous Moolah Live event
Incoming champions – The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine)
DateWinnerEvent/ShowNote(s)
April 7 The British Bulldogs
(The British Bulldog and Dynamite Kid)
WrestleMania 2

Births

Seth Rollins Seth Rollins Photo Op GalaxyCon Raleigh 2019.jpg
Seth Rollins

Debuts

Unknown date

Retirements

Deaths

See also


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