Which Year Did This Happen in the WWE? - 1980s Quiz

Bruno Sammartino defeated Larry Zbyszko in a Steel Cage Match at WWE's 1980 "Showdown at Shea" event. The "Showdown at Shea" event was held at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. The Steel Cage Match culminated an eight-month teacher versus student feud.

In early 1981, Sergeant Slaughter offered anyone $5,000 to anyone who could break the drill instructor's Cobra Clutch. After each failed attempt, Slaughter was interviewed by Pat Patterson. Slaughter offered $10,000 to Patterson if he could break the Cobra Clutch. Patterson accepted Slaughter's challenge and broke the Cobra Clutch.

The incident led to an Alley Fight Match between Slaughter and Patterson. This match occurred on May 4, 1981, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY. This was one of the early hardcore style matches in WWE History.

In 1980, Vincent Kennedy McMahon founded Titan Sports. On June 6, 1982, Vincent Kennedy McMahon and Titan Sports purchased the Capitol Wrestling Corporation from his father. Capitol Wrestling Corporation was the parent company of the WWE. After the purchase, McMahon the moved this company to Connecticut.

In 1983, Titan Sports withdrew the WWE from the NWA. With this move, WWE became an independent wrestling company and began expanding throughout the country.

Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka faced Don Muraco in a Steel Cage Match on October 17th, 1983. This WWE Intercontinental Championship match was held at was held at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. Don Moraco won the match. After the match, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka climbed to the top of the steel cage and nailed Muraco with a "Superfly Splash". Future wrestlers the Sandman, Mick Foley, Tommy Dreamer, and Bubba Ray Dudley attended this show and were inspired by this move.

On January 23, 1984, Hulk Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik to win the WWE Championship. After the match, the play-by-play announcer Gorilla Monsoon declared that "Hulkamania is here". Hulk Hogan and "Hulkamania" launched WWE into becoming a financial global juggernaut and a pop-cultural phenomenon.

WWE hosted its first "Wrestlemania" event on March 31, 1985. This nine-match card was held at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. The show was broadcast on closed-circuit television.

WWE also premiered its "Saturday Night's Main Event" program on NBC. The first episode was taped at Uniondale, New York and aired on May 11, 1985.

The WWE's 1986 "Wrestlemania II" event featured a Battle Royal Match at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois. This Battle Royal Match featured both NFL players and some of the top WWE superstars of that era. The match was won by the legendary wrestler André the Giant.

WWE's 1987 "Wrestlemania III" was held at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan on March 29, 1987. The main event saw Hulk Hogan defeat André the Giant to retain the WWE Championship.

On the show's undercard, Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat defeated "Macho Man" Randy Savage for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. There were approximately 20 near falls during this seventeen-minute match. "Pro Wrestling Illustrated" magazine and "Wrestling Observer Newsletter" named this classic as Match of the Year for 1987.

Bobby "the Brain" Heenan introduced Bother Love on the June 19, 1988 episode of WWE's "Wrestling Challenge". Bruce Prichard played this boisterous preacher character. Brother Love would preach "the word of love" with his thick Southern accent. He would berate the fan favorites and support heel wrestlers.

Brother Love would have a recurring interview segment on syndicated WWE programming. His benefactor, Ted DiBiase, unveiled his Million Dollar Championship belt on "The Brother Love Show".

The team of the Mega Powers consisted of Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The Mega Powers had their first official televised match as a tag team at WWE's 1988 "Summerslam" event.

The Mega Powers split on February 3, 1989, on WWE's "The Main Event II". The Mega Powers "exploded" at the WWE's 1989 "Wrestlemania V" event. Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage for the WWE Heavyweight Championship on this show. The duo feuded in WWE for another year.