Saturday Night's Main Event
WWE television programs From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WWE television programs From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saturday Night's Main Event is a series of American professional wrestling television specials produced by WWE (originally the World Wrestling Federation or WWF). It was originally broadcast by NBC from 1985 to 1992, replacing Saturday Night Live in its late night timeslot on an occasional basis throughout the year.
| Saturday Night's Main Event | |
|---|---|
Logo for 2024 revival | |
| Genre | Professional wrestling |
| Created by | Vince McMahon |
| Starring | Raw roster SmackDown roster |
| Opening theme | |
| Ending theme |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 36 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Dick Ebersol Paul Levesque Lee Fitting |
| Producer | Paul Levesque |
| Running time | 60 minutes (original run and first revived run) 120 minutes (second revived run) |
| Production companies | Titan Sports Inc. (1985–1992) Once a Month Productions, Inc. (1985–1991) WWE (2006–2008, 2024–present) |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | May 11, 1985 – April 27, 1991 |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | February 8 – November 14, 1992 |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | March 18, 2006 – August 2, 2008 |
| Network | NBC Peacock |
| Release | December 14, 2024 – present |
| Related | |
| WWE Raw WWE NXT WWE SmackDown The Main Event | |
At this time when weekly wrestling programs typically consisted primarily of squash matches featuring established stars dominating enhancement talent, Saturday Night's Main Event consisted almost entirely of star vs. star matches rarely seen on television, including title defenses and specialty matches. It coincided with and contributed to the apogee of the "second golden age" of professional wrestling in the United States; bolstered by regular in-ring appearances by WWF stars such as Hulk Hogan, Saturday Night's Main Event drew large audiences for much of its run, while a spin-off simply titled The Main Event aired annually on a Friday night in February beginning in 1988. Ratings began to fall in the 1990s, leading to NBC dropping the specials in 1991. In 1992, the WWF moved Saturday Night's Main Event to Fox, which aired two editions of the special on the network before being discontinued.
In 2006, Saturday Night's Main Event was briefly revived as a series of prime time specials on NBC, as part of WWE's agreement with NBC Universal to air its weekly program Raw on USA Network. Five episodes aired as part of the revived run before it was discontinued in 2008. In April 2022, WWE repurposed the Saturday Night's Main Event title for house shows held on Saturday nights.[1] In September 2024, as part of an agreement moving WWE SmackDown from Fox to USA, WWE announced that it would revive Saturday Night's Main Event, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
Saturday Night's Main Event debuted on May 11, 1985, in the late-night time slot normally assigned to reruns of the NBC sketch comedy Saturday Night Live. Then-SNL executive producer Dick Ebersol had made a deal with WWF owner Vince McMahon to produce the show, after Ebersol had seen the high ratings that two WWF specials drew on MTV in 1984–85: The Brawl to End It All and The War to Settle the Score.[2] Although the show aired infrequently, it did, starting in 1986, settle into a predictable pattern of airdates: New Year's weekend, an episode in late February/early March, an episode in late April/early May, an episode in late September/early October, and Thanksgiving weekend. 1989 and 1990 both offered episodes in July promoted as "Summertime Bonus Editions", some of the Superstars would come on The Arsenio Hall Show interviewed by Arsenio Hall himself to build up/hype of the event.
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Saturday Night's Main Event was a tremendous rating success for NBC during its heyday, most notably on the March 14, 1987, show, which drew an 11.6 rating, which to this day remains the highest rating any show has ever done in that time slot. That show was headlined by a battle royal involving Hulk Hogan and André the Giant, who were slated to face each other at WrestleMania III. As Hogan rarely wrestled on the WWF syndicated and cable television shows, Saturday Night's Main Event was the program on free television where most viewers were able to see him in action. The success of Saturday Night's Main Event led to several Friday night prime time specials, known as The Main Event. The first of these, on February 5, 1988, included a WrestleMania III rematch between Hogan and André and drew 33 million viewers and a 15.2 rating, which is still the highest-rated television show in American professional wrestling history. While ratings remained strong through 1990, they began to fall shortly thereafter. NBC, who had just acquired the rights to broadcast NBA games nationwide, now started to lose interest in wrestling, and Saturday Night's Main Event was dropped. Its final NBC airing occurred on April 27, 1991. Fox picked up the show in 1992, but it was only shown twice on Fox; on February 8, 1992, and the final Saturday Night's Main Event of the original run was broadcast on November 14, 1992.
For much of its history, Saturday Night's Main Event was hosted by McMahon and Jesse "The Body" Ventura with the occasional use of Bobby Heenan in 1986 and 1987. In 1990, Roddy Piper replaced Ventura as McMahon's broadcast partner when Ventura left the WWF. On the two episodes that aired on Fox, Heenan served as McMahon's partner. From 1985 to 1988, the opening theme song for the NBC version was "Obsession" by Animotion with the closing theme being "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins, and also the beginning of "Take On Me" by a-ha was used for show bumpers. Steve Winwood's "Higher Love" was also used as a closing theme. Starting on the October 4, 1986 edition, each show featured a cold open of short wrestler promos set to a loop of the beginning of Lee Ritenour's "Traveling Music" from the American Flyers soundtrack.[3] In February 1988, the songs were replaced with an original WWF-created instrumental theme. The new instrumental theme was originally used as the theme of the 1987 WWF Slammy Awards. A different opening theme song was used for the February 1992 episode.
Selected episodes were also shown in the UK on ITV in its weekly Saturday lunchtime World Of Sport slot, mainly thanks to the popularity of The British Bulldogs.
When WWE's flagship show, Raw, returned to the USA Network in 2005, Saturday Night's Main Event was revived in 2006 as a "special series" to air on occasion on NBC as part of a deal between WWE and NBC Universal. The Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brand rosters appeared on the show.
Saturday Night's Main Event returned to NBC on March 18, 2006, in a prime-time slot. The first episode aired on a 1-hour time delay, the second episode aired live, with the three remaining episodes airing at a later date.
The series was discontinued after July 2008;[4] in lieu of Saturday Night's Main Event, WWE began to instead produce hour-long WrestleMania highlights specials for NBC, beginning with The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania: The World Television Premiere in August 2009.[5][6]
In 2024, after having moved from USA to Fox in 2019, WWE SmackDown returned to USA Network as part of a five-year agreement with NBCUniversal. As part of the agreement, it was stated that WWE would produce four prime time specials for NBC per-year for the length of the agreement. On September 17, 2024, WWE announced that it would be producing a second revival of Saturday Night's Main Event, with the first episode airing on December 14 from Nassau Coliseum—the site of the first edition of the series.[7]
The new revival features homages to the original run of Saturday Night's Main Event and WWE in the 1980s, including a lack of TitanTron, red, white, and blue ring ropes, referees in formal outfits, some branding elements using the WWE "throwback" logo, and the reinstatement of "Obsession" by Animotion as its theme music (albeit this time not as an instrumental). Cody Rhodes also wore the classic "Winged Eagle" belt introduced in 1988 to represent his Undisputed WWE Championship.[8][9][10][11]
The following table lists the dates and locations of televised events; they do not include the 2022 house shows.
The following lists the match results for Saturday Night's Main Event's televised shows, and do not include results for any of the 2022 house shows.
| Saturday Night's Main Event I | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | May 10, 1985 (aired May 11, 1985) | ||
| City | Uniondale, New York | ||
| Venue | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum | ||
| Attendance | 8,300[12] | ||
| Television special chronology | |||
| |||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event I took place May 10, 1985, from Uniondale, New York, in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and aired May 11, 1985.[25][26] The event aired on NBC and drew an 8.8 rating.[27]
| No. | Results[28] | Stipulations | Times[12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The U.S. Express (Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham) and Ricky Steamboat (with Lou Albano) defeated Nikolai Volkoff, The Iron Sheik, and George Steele (with Freddie Blassie) | Six-man tag team match | 06:30 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan (c) (with Mr. T) defeated Bob Orton (with Roddy Piper) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 06:54 | ||
| 3 | Wendi Richter (c) (with Cyndi Lauper) defeated The Fabulous Moolah | Singles match for the WWF Women's Championship | 04:00 | ||
| 4 | Junkyard Dog (with Bertha Ritter) defeated Pete Doherty | Singles match | 03:15 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event II | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | October 3, 1985 (aired October 5, 1985) | ||
| City | East Rutherford, New Jersey | ||
| Venue | Brendan Byrne Arena | ||
| Attendance | 8,000[12] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event II took place on October 3, 1985, from East Rutherford, New Jersey, at the Brendan Byrne Arena, and aired on October 5, 1985.[26][29] The event aired on NBC and drew an 8.3 rating.[30]
During the broadcast, Uncle Elmer was legitimately married to Joyce Stazko.
| No. | Results[31] | Stipulations | Times[12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Nikolai Volkoff (with Freddie Blassie) | Flag match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 05:17 | ||
| 2 | Uncle Elmer (with Hillbilly Jim and Cousin Junior) defeated Jerry Valiant | Singles match | 00:12 | ||
| 3 | Paul Orndorff vs. Roddy Piper ended in a double countout | Singles match | 04:01 | ||
| 4 | André the Giant and Tony Atlas (with Lou Albano) defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Tag team match | 04:26 | ||
| 5 | The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) (c) (with Johnny Valiant) defeated Lanny Poffo and Tony Garea | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 03:30 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event III | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | October 31, 1985 (aired November 2, 1985) | ||
| City | Hershey, Pennsylvania | ||
| Venue | Hersheypark Arena | ||
| Attendance | 8,000[12] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event III took place on October 31, 1985, from Hershey, Pennsylvania, at the Hersheypark Arena, and aired on November 2, 1985.[26][32] The event aired on NBC and drew a 6.3 rating.[12]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terry Funk (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Junkyard Dog | Singles match | 05:16 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan and André the Giant (with Lou Albano) defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Tag team match | 08:00 | ||
| 3 | Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) vs. Tito Santana (c) ended in a double countout | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 04:08 | ||
| 4 | Ricky Steamboat defeated Mr. Fuji (with The Magnificent Muraco) | Kung Fu Challenge | 03:16 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event IV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | December 19, 1985 (aired January 4, 1986) | ||
| City | Tampa, Florida | ||
| Venue | USF Sun Dome | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event IV took place on December 19, 1985, from Tampa, Florida, at the USF Sun Dome, and aired on January 4, 1986.[26][33] The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.4 rating.[34]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jesse Ventura, Roddy Piper, and Bob Orton defeated Hillbilly Jim, Uncle Elmer, and Cousin Luke | Six-man tag team match | 08:00 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan (c) (with Junkyard Dog) defeated Terry Funk (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 08:30 | ||
| 3 | Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated George Steele (with Lou Albano) | Singles match | 04:06 | ||
| 4 | Nikolai Volkoff (with Freddie Blassie and The Iron Sheik) defeated Corporal Kirchner | Peace Match | 04:32 | ||
| 5 | Junkyard Dog and Ricky Steamboat defeated Mr. Fuji and The Magnificent Muraco | Tag team match | 05:19 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event V | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | February 15, 1986 (aired March 1, 1986) | ||
| City | Phoenix, Arizona | ||
| Venue | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | ||
| Attendance | 12,000[13] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event V took place on February 15, 1986, from Phoenix, Arizona, at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and aired on March 1, 1986.[26][35] The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.0 rating.[36]
Events during three of the matches – The Dream Team vs. The British Bulldogs for the WWF Tag Team Championship; Hulk Hogan vs. The Magnificent Muraco for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship; and Mr. T vs. "Battling" Bob Orton in a boxing match – helped set up three of the four major matches at WrestleMania 2.
The premiere airing of the video for "Real American," Hulk Hogan's entrance theme, took place.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[13] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mr. T defeated Bob Orton (with Roddy Piper) | Boxing match | 5:02 | ||
| 2 | King Kong Bundy (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Steve Gatorwolf | Singles match | 00:41 | ||
| 3 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated The Magnificent Muraco (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 06:53 | ||
| 4 | The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) (c) (with Johnny Valiant) defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid) (with Lou Albano) | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 12:00 | ||
| 5 | Junkyard Dog defeated Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match | 08:45 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event VI | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | May 1, 1986 (aired May 3, 1986) | ||
| City | Providence, Rhode Island | ||
| Venue | Providence Civic Center | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event VI took place on May 1, 1986, from Providence, Rhode Island, at the Providence Civic Center, and aired on May 3, 1986.[26][37] The show aired on NBC and drew a 9.3 rating.[38]
Jake Roberts sneak-attacked Ricky Steamboat and took him out with his finisher, the DDT, on the arena's concrete floor prior to the match starting, helping set up a feud that continued through the summer and early fall of 1986.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[13] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hulk Hogan and Junkyard Dog (with The Haiti Kid) defeated Terry Funk and Hoss Funk (with Jimmy Hart) | Tag team match | 13:30 | ||
| 2 | King Kong Bundy defeated Uncle Elmer | Singles match | 02:35 | ||
| 3 | Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Paul Orndorff by disqualification | Singles match | 12:00 | ||
| 4 | The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid) (c) (with Lou Albano) defeated Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik (with Freddie Blassie) | Two-out-of-three-falls match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 09:10 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event VII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | September 13, 1986 (aired October 4, 1986) | ||
| City | Richfield, Ohio | ||
| Venue | Coliseum at Richfield | ||
| Attendance | 21,000[13] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event VII took place on September 13, 1986, from Richfield, Ohio, at the Coliseum at Richfield, and aired on October 4, 1986.[26][39] The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.4 rating.[40]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[13] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Paul Orndorff (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 10:00 | ||
| 2 | Ricky Steamboat defeated Jake Roberts | Singles match | 06:19 | ||
| 3 | Roddy Piper defeated The Iron Sheik (with Slick) | Singles match | 00:43 | ||
| 4 | The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid) (c) (with Lou Albano) defeated The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) (with Johnny Valiant) | Two-out-of-three-falls match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 13:09 | ||
| 5 | Kamala (with The Wizard and Kim Chee) defeated Lanny Poffo | Singles match | 01:44 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event VIII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | November 15, 1986 (aired November 29, 1986) | ||
| City | Los Angeles, California | ||
| Venue | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | ||
| Attendance | 16,000[13] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event VIII took place on November 15, 1986, from Los Angeles, California, at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, and aired on November 29, 1986.[26][41] The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.7 rating.[42]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[13] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) vs. Jake Roberts ended in a double disqualification | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 09:30 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Hercules Hernandez (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 06:30 | ||
| 3 | Roddy Piper defeated Bob Orton (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match | 03:48 | ||
| 4 | The Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair) defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) (with Jimmy Hart) | Tag team match | 09:00 | ||
| 5 | Koko B. Ware defeated Nikolai Volkoff (with Slick) | Singles match | 02:30 | ||
| 6 | The Magnificent Muraco (with Mr. Fuji) defeated Dick Slater | Singles match | 02:05 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event IX | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | December 14, 1986 (aired January 3, 1987) | ||
| City | Hartford, Connecticut | ||
| Venue | Hartford Civic Center | ||
| Attendance | 10,000[13] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event IX took place on December 14, 1986, from Hartford, Connecticut, at the Hartford Civic Center, and aired on January 3, 1987.[26][43] The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.6 rating.[44]
The steel cage match between Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff was initially declared a draw when both wrestlers escaped the cage at approximately the same time and two referees – Joey Marella and Danny Davis, the latter playing up his crooked referee gimmick – disputing the finish. When footage from the escape spot was deemed "inconclusive," the match was re-started and continued with Hogan gaining a decisive win over Orndorff.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[13] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Paul Orndorff (with Bobby Heenan) by escaping the cage | Steel cage match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 10:42 | ||
| 2 | Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated George Steele (with Ricky Steamboat) | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 08:30 | ||
| 3 | Junkyard Dog defeated Harley Race (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match | 06:00 | ||
| 4 | Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Roddy Piper by countout | Singles match | 03:35 | ||
| 5 | Blackjack Mulligan defeated Jimmy Jack Funk | Singles match | 02:31 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event X | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | February 21, 1987 (aired March 14, 1987) | ||
| City | Detroit, Michigan | ||
| Venue | Joe Louis Arena | ||
| Attendance | 21,000[14] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event X took place on February 21, 1987, from Detroit, Michigan, at the Joe Louis Arena, and aired on March 14, 1987.[26][45] The event aired on NBC and drew an 11.6 rating.[46]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Savage (c) defeated George Steele by countout with Miss Elizabeth in a neutral corner. | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship and the managerial services of Miss Elizabeth | 04:30 | ||
| 2 | Hercules won by last eliminating Billy Jack Haynes[note 1] | Battle Royal | 11:16 | ||
| 3 | King Kong Bundy (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Jake Roberts by disqualification | Singles match | 06:14 | ||
| 4 | The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) (c) (with Jimmy Hart and Danny Davis) defeated Tito Santana and Dan Spivey | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 05:31 | ||
| 5 | Ricky Steamboat defeated The Iron Sheik (with Slick) | Singles match | 03:29 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XI | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | April 28, 1987 (aired May 2, 1987) | ||
| City | Notre Dame, Indiana | ||
| Venue | Edmund P. Joyce Center | ||
| Attendance | 9,345[14] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XI took place on April 28, 1987, from Notre Dame, Indiana, at the Edmund P. Joyce Center, and aired May 2, 1987.[26][47] The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.5 rating.[48]
While a match featuring Hulk Hogan was not included in the show, a pre-taped interview with comments regarding WrestleMania III and a possible future rematch was included. A separate interview with Andre the Giant and Bobby Heenan, also reflecting on WrestleMania III, also aired.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kamala (with The Honky Tonk Man and Mr. Fuji) defeated Jake Roberts | Singles match | 04:18 | ||
| 2 | Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated George Steele | Lumberjack match | 06:44 | ||
| 3 | The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid) (with Tito Santana) defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) (c) (with Jimmy Hart and Danny Davis) by disqualification | Two-out-of-three-falls match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 09:48 | ||
| 4 | Ricky Steamboat (c) defeated Hercules (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 06:42 | ||
| 5 | The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) (with Jim Duggan) defeated Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik (with Slick) | Tag team match | 04:45 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | September 23, 1987 (aired October 3, 1987) | ||
| City | Hershey, Pennsylvania | ||
| Venue | Hersheypark Arena | ||
| Attendance | 9,000[14] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XII took place on September 23, 1987, from Hershey, Pennsylvania, at the Hersheypark Arena, and aired October 3, 1987.[26][49] The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.7 rating.[50]
As the result of events during the Randy Savage vs. The Honky Tonk Man match – a beatdown of Savage by Honky and The Hart Foundation, and Hulk Hogan running in to save Savage – The Mega Powers alliance of Hogan, Savage and Miss Elizabeth was formed. The music video for "Piledriver" (as performed by Koko B. Ware), the title track of the WWF's second album of entrance music and performances by the wrestlers, debuted.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated The Honky Tonk Man (c) (with Jimmy Hart) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 13:00 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Sika (with Mr. Fuji and Kim Chee) | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 07:59 | ||
| 3 | King Kong Bundy (with André the Giant) defeated Paul Orndorff (with Oliver Humperdink) | Singles match | 08:00 | ||
| 4 | The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) (c) defeated The Young Stallions (Paul Roma and Jim Powers) | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 04:35 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XIII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | November 11, 1987 (aired November 28, 1987) | ||
| City | Seattle, Washington | ||
| Venue | Seattle Center Coliseum | ||
| Attendance | 16,000[14] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XIII took place on November 11, 1987, from Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center Coliseum, and aired November 28, 1987[26][51] on NBC.
Andre the Giant accompanied King Kong Bundy and Bobby Heenan to the ring for Bundy's match vs. Hulk Hogan. Midway through the match, Andre was ejected from ringside for attempting to interfere in the match; as he returned to the locker room, he shoved a WWF cameraman to the floor.
Brian Bosworth, linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks, was shown in the audience.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Steele defeated Danny Davis by disqualification | Singles match | 03:49 | ||
| 2 | Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Bret Hart (with Jimmy Hart and Jim Neidhart) | Singles match | 12:03 | ||
| 3 | King Kong Bundy (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Hulk Hogan (c) by countout | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 13:45 | ||
| 4 | Bam Bam Bigelow (with Oliver Humperdink) defeated Hercules | Singles match | 07:00 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XIV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | December 7, 1987 (aired January 2, 1988) | ||
| City | Landover, Maryland | ||
| Venue | Capital Centre | ||
| Attendance | 11,000[14] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XIV took place on December 7, 1987, from Landover, Maryland, at the Capital Centre, and aired on January 2, 1988[26][52] on NBC.
During the Hulk Hogan-King Kong Bundy match, referee Jack Krueger was accidentally caught and knocked out by Bundy in an attempt to avalanche Hogan; the match was briefly interrupted as a new referee, Dave Hebner, took Krueger's place. Following the match, Andre the Giant sneak-attacked Hogan and choked him to the brink of unconsciousness, fighting off several wrestlers who came to aid Hogan; this served as one of the build-ups to the Hogan-Andre match on The Main Event, which aired February 5, 1988.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strike Force (Tito Santana and Rick Martel) (c) defeated The Bolsheviks (Nikolai Volkoff and Boris Zuhkov) (with Slick) | Two-out-of-three-falls match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 07:55 | ||
| 2 | Jake Roberts defeated Sika (with Mr. Fuji) | Singles match | 03:35 | ||
| 3 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated King Kong Bundy (with André the Giant) | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 12:09 | ||
| 4 | Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Koko B. Ware by submission | Singles match | 07:30 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | March 7, 1988 (aired March 12, 1988) | ||
| City | Nashville, Tennessee | ||
| Venue | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | ||
| Attendance | 10,000 | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XV took place on March 7, 1988, from Nashville, Tennessee, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, and aired on March 12, 1988.[53] Although there were 10,000 in attendance, it was reportedly a heavily papered event.[15] The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.0 rating.[54]
During the tapings, Don Muraco vs Butch Reed was taped but aired on Prime Time Wrestling on April 11, 1988.
The match between Hulk Hogan and Harley Race saw Race lay Hogan across a table outside the ring and attempted to hit a diving headbutt from the ring apron, but Hogan moved out of the way and Race crashed through the table, suffering a legitimate injury that would eventually force him into retirement in 1991.[55]
After the Ted DiBiase and André the Giant match, Hogan appeared at ringside to clear the ring of DiBiase and Virgil after they began a post-match beatdown of Randy "Macho Man" Savage.
The match between The Islanders (Haku and Tama) and The Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair) was a two-out-of-three-falls match, however only the first fall was televised.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[15] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brutus Beefcake defeated Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match | 09:02 |
| 2 | Hulk Hogan defeated Harley Race (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match | 06:37 |
| 3 | Ted DiBiase (with Virgil and André the Giant) defeated Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) by countout | Singles match | 11:39 |
| 4 | The Islanders (Haku and Tama) (with Bobby Heenan) defeated The Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair) | Two-out-of-three-falls match | 03:38 |
| 5 | One Man Gang (with Slick) defeated Ken Patera | Singles match | 03:47 |
| Saturday Night's Main Event XVI | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | April 22, 1988 (aired April 30, 1988) | ||
| City | Springfield, Massachusetts | ||
| Venue | Springfield Civic Center | ||
| Attendance | 9,000[15] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XVI took place on April 22, 1988, from Springfield, Massachusetts, at the Springfield Civic Center, and aired April 30, 1988[26][56] on NBC. This was the first Saturday Night's Main Event to not feature Hulk Hogan in any of the televised matches or interviews, as he had taken a leave of absence around this time to begin filming No Holds Barred.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[15] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Duggan defeated Hercules (with Bobby Heenan and André the Giant) by disqualification | Singles match | 08:47 | ||
| 2 | Brutus Beefcake defeated Danny Davis (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match | 03:10 | ||
| 3 | Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated One Man Gang (with Slick) | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 06:03 | ||
| 4 | Demolition (Ax and Smash) (with Mr. Fuji) defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid) by disqualification | Tag team match | 05:05 | ||
| 5 | Ted DiBiase (with Virgil) defeated Don Muraco (with Billy Graham) | Singles match | 04:12 | ||
| 6 | Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Koko B. Ware | Singles match | 03:44 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XVII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | October 25, 1988 (aired October 29, 1988) | ||
| City | Baltimore, Maryland | ||
| Venue | Baltimore Arena | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XVII took place on October 25, 1988, from Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Arena, and aired October 29, 1988.[26][57] The event aired on NBC and drew an 8.7 rating.[15]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[15] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jake Roberts (with Cheryl Roberts) defeated Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match | 07:22 | ||
| 2 | Demolition (Ax and Smash) (c) (with Mr. Fuji and Jimmy Hart) defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 05:58 | ||
| 3 | Hulk Hogan (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated King Haku (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match | 06:16 | ||
| 4 | Dino Bravo (with Frenchy Martin) defeated Ken Patera | Singles match | 03:03 | ||
| 5 | Big Boss Man (with Slick) defeated Jim Powers | Singles match | 02:34 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XVIII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | November 16, 1988 (aired November 26, 1988) | ||
| City | Sacramento, California | ||
| Venue | ARCO Arena | ||
| Attendance | 15,900[15] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XVIII took place on November 16, 1988, from Sacramento, California, at the ARCO Arena, and aired November 26, 1988.[26][58] The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.4 rating.[15]
During the show, Brother Love conducted a special interview with Hulk Hogan and Slick.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[15] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ultimate Warrior (c) defeated Super Ninja (with Mr. Fuji) | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 02:11 | ||
| 2 | Hercules defeated Virgil (with Ted DiBiase) | Singles match | 03:20 | ||
| 3 | Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) vs. André the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) ended in a double disqualification | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 08:51 | ||
| 4 | Jim Duggan defeated Boris Zuhkov | Flag match | 02:27 | ||
| 5 | The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques Rougeau and Raymond Rougeau) (with Jimmy Hart) defeated The Young Stallions (Paul Roma and Jim Powers) | Tag team match | 03:05 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XIX | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | December 7, 1988 (aired January 7, 1989) | ||
| City | Tampa, Florida | ||
| Venue | USF Sun Dome | ||
| Attendance | 9,176[15] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XIX took place on December 7, 1988, from Tampa, Florida, at the USF Sun Dome, and aired January 7, 1989[26][59] on NBC.
Events during and after the Hulk Hogan-Akeem match – Randy Savage declining to make the save and run off Akeem and Big Boss Man while they were beating down Hogan, but Savage immediately running to ringside when the heels were threatening to beat up Miss Elizabeth, and then Savage questioning Elizabeth as she tended to a beaten Hogan – helped foreshadow the later heel turn by Savage at The Main Event II in February.
George Steinbrenner was shown in the front row during this event, and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan at one point remarked about the guy he managed in the ring at the time to Steinbrenner "I've got a ring full of Winfields".
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[15] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brutus Beefcake defeated Ron Bass | Hair vs. Hair match | 07:40 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Akeem (with Big Boss Man and Slick) by disqualification | Singles match | 08:06 | ||
| 3 | The Ultimate Warrior (c) defeated The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 05:07 | ||
| 4 | Tito Santana defeated The Red Rooster (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match | 07:27 | ||
| 5 | Mr. Perfect defeated Koko B. Ware | Singles match | 03:10 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XX | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | February 16, 1989 (aired March 11, 1989) | ||
| City | Hershey, Pennsylvania | ||
| Venue | Hersheypark Arena | ||
| Attendance | 9,000[16] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XX took place on February 16, 1989, from Hershey, Pennsylvania, at the Hersheypark Arena, and aired March 11, 1989.[60] The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.0 rating.[16]
During the event, Mean Gene Okerlund conducted a special interview with Miss Elizabeth to publicly announce whose corner she will be in at WrestleMania V.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[16] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brutus Beefcake defeated Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match | 05:45 |
| 2 | Hulk Hogan (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Bad News Brown | Singles match | 09:44 |
| 3 | Ted DiBiase (with Virgil) defeated The Blue Blazer | Singles match | 03:57 |
| 4 | The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) (with Bobby Heenan) vs. The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) ended in a double countout | Tag team match | 09:19 |
| 5 | The Red Rooster defeated The Brooklyn Brawler (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match | 01:05 |
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXI | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | April 25, 1989 (aired May 27, 1989) | ||
| City | Des Moines, Iowa | ||
| Venue | Veterans Memorial Auditorium | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXI took place on April 25, 1989, from Des Moines, Iowa, at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, and aired May 27, 1989[26][61] on NBC.
During the steel cage match between Hulk Hogan and Big Boss Man, Hogan superplexed Boss Man from over the top of the cage to the mat, briefly knocking both wrestlers out. Prior to the match, Tommy Lister Jr., in-character as his No Holds Barred movie role of Zeus (the movie's villain), came to ringside and stood in front of the cage entrance, beating down Hogan after daring him to "move me!"
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[16] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Duggan defeated Rick Rude (c) (with Bobby Heenan) by countout | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 07:15 | ||
| 2 | Randy Savage (with Sensational Sherri) defeated Jim Neidhart | Singles match | 05:54 | ||
| 3 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Big Boss Man (with Slick) by escaping the cage | Steel cage match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 10:01 | ||
| 4 | The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Demolition (Ax and Smash) (c) by disqualification | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 09:15 | ||
| 5 | Jimmy Snuka defeated Boris Zhukov (with Slick) | Singles match | 01:11 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | July 18, 1989 (aired July 29, 1989) | ||
| City | Worcester, Massachusetts | ||
| Venue | Worcester Centrum | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXII took place on July 18, 1989, from Worcester, Massachusetts, at the Worcester Centrum, and aired July 29, 1989[26][62] on NBC.
During the Randy Savage-Brutus Beefcake match, Zeus appeared at ringside and interfered on Savage's behalf. Hulk Hogan came to aid Beefcake but was unable to hurt Zeus. The events of this match was one of the pieces to help set up the main event of SummerSlam. The show also featured the only title change in the programs history to date.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[16] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 06:14 | ||
| 2 | Jimmy Snuka defeated Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match | 03:14 | ||
| 3 | Brutus Beefcake defeated Randy Savage (with Sensational Sherri) by disqualification | Singles match | 11:30 | ||
| 4 | The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Demolition (Ax and Smash) (c) | Two-out-of-three-falls match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 12:33 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXIII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | September 21, 1989 (aired October 14, 1989) | ||
| City | Cincinnati, Ohio | ||
| Venue | Riverfront Coliseum | ||
| Attendance | 14,000 | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
| Television special chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXIII took place September 21, 1989, from Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Riverfront Coliseum, and aired October 14, 1989.[26][63] The show was attended by 14,000 people, of which 12,000 were paid.[16] The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.5 rating.[16]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[16] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Savage (with Queen Sherri) defeated Jimmy Snuka | Singles match | 05:37 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Ted DiBiase (with Zeus) | Singles match for the WWF Championship | 09:28 | ||
| 3 | Roddy Piper defeated Haku (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match | 03:02 | ||
| 4 | Tito Santana (with The Red Rooster, Brutus Beefcake, and Dusty Rhodes) vs. Rick Martel (with Jimmy Hart, The Honky Tonk Man, Slick, Akeem and Big Boss Man) ended in a double disqualification | Singles match | 09:41 | ||
| 5 | The Bushwhackers (Luke and Butch) defeated The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) (with Jimmy Hart) | Tag team match | 03:15 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXIV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | October 31, 1989 (aired November 25, 1989) | ||
| City | Topeka, Kansas | ||
| Venue | Sunflower State Expocentre | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXIV took place October 31, 1989, from Topeka, Kansas, at the Sunflower State Expocentre, and aired November 25, 1989.[26][64] The event aired on NBC and drew an 8.7 rating.[16]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[16] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ultimate Warrior (c) defeated André the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 07:46 | ||
| 2 | The Genius defeated Hulk Hogan (c) by countout | Singles match for the WWF Championship | 07:34 | ||
| 3 | Dusty Rhodes defeated Big Boss Man (with Slick) | Singles match | 04:47 | ||
| 4 | Mr. Perfect (with The Genius) defeated The Red Rooster | Singles match | 04:13 | ||
| 5 | The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) defeated The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) (with Bobby Heenan) | Two-out-of-three-falls match | 07:32 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | January 3, 1990 (aired January 27, 1990) | ||
| City | Chattanooga, Tennessee | ||
| Venue | UTC Arena | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXV took place January 3, 1990, from Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the UTC Arena, and aired January 27, 1990.[65][66] The event aired on NBC and drew an 11.1 rating.[17]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Savage (with Queen Sherri) defeated Jim Duggan | Singles match | 09:14 |
| 2 | Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior defeated Mr. Perfect and The Genius | Tag team match | 08:02 |
| 3 | Jake Roberts defeated Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) by disqualification | Singles match | 05:16 |
| 4 | Dusty Rhodes (with Sapphire) vs. Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) ended in a double countout | Singles match | 09:04 |
| 5 | Dino Bravo (with Jimmy Hart and Earthquake) defeated Ron Garvin | Singles match | 03:19 |
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXVI | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | April 23, 1990 (aired April 28, 1990) | ||
| City | Austin, Texas | ||
| Venue | Frank Erwin Center | ||
| Attendance | 8,500[17] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
| Television special chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXVI took place on April 23, 1990, from Austin, Texas, at the Frank Erwin Center, and aired April 28, 1990[66][67] on NBC.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[17] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hulk Hogan defeated Mr. Perfect (with The Genius) | Singles match | 08:03 | ||
| 2 | Earthquake (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Hillbilly Jim | Singles match | 01:58 | ||
| 3 | The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) vs. The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) ended in a double disqualification | Tag team match | 09:30 | ||
| 4 | The Ultimate Warrior (c) defeated Haku (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship | 04:49 | ||
| 5 | Big Boss Man defeated Akeem (with Slick) by disqualification | Singles match | 03:18 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | July 16, 1990 (aired July 28, 1990) | ||
| City | Omaha, Nebraska | ||
| Venue | Omaha Civic Auditorium | ||
| Attendance | 10,303[17] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII took place July 16, 1990, from Omaha, Nebraska, at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, and aired July 28, 1990.[66][68] The event aired on NBC and drew a 7.2 rating.[17]
This event saw the debut in WWF of The Texas Tornado.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[17] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ultimate Warrior (c) defeated Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWF Championship | 09:43 | ||
| 2 | Demolition (Smash and Crush) (c) (with Ax) defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 09:31 | ||
| 3 | Mr. Perfect (with Bobby Heenan) (c) defeated Tito Santana | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 10:11 | ||
| 4 | The Texas Tornado defeated Buddy Rose | Singles match | 03:09 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXVIII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | September 18, 1990 (aired October 13, 1990) | ||
| City | Toledo, Ohio | ||
| Venue | Toledo Sports Arena | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXVIII took place September 18, 1990, from Toledo, Ohio, at the Toledo Sports Arena, and aired October 13, 1990[66][69] on NBC.
During the match between Randy Savage and Dusty Rhodes, Ted DiBiase attacked Dusty's son Dustin Rhodes.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[17] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ultimate Warrior and The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) defeated Demolition (Ax, Smash, and Crush) | Six-man tag team match | 04:59 | ||
| 2 | Randy Savage (with Queen Sherri) defeated Dusty Rhodes by countout | Singles match | 09:30 | ||
| 3 | Hulk Hogan and Tugboat defeated Rhythm and Blues (The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine) (with Jimmy Hart) by disqualification | Tag team match | 07:20 | ||
| 4 | Sgt. Slaughter (with Gen. Adnan) defeated Koko B. Ware by submission | Singles match | 05:18 | ||
| 5 | The Texas Tornado (c) defeated Haku (with Bobby Heenan) | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 03:10 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXIX | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | April 15, 1991 (aired April 27, 1991) | ||
| City | Omaha, Nebraska | ||
| Venue | Omaha Civic Auditorium | ||
| Attendance | 9,400 | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXIX took place April 15, 1991, from Omaha, Nebraska, at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, and aired April 27, 1991.[66][70] The event drew 9,400 people of which 7,000 were paid.[18] The event aired on NBC and drew a 7.7 rating.[18] Following this event, Saturday Night's Main Event aired two episodes on FOX in 1992, the series then ended until returning to NBC for 5 additional specials beginning in 2006 with Saturday Night's Main Event XXXII.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[18] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ultimate Warrior defeated Sgt. Slaughter (with General Adnan and Col. Mustafa) by disqualification | Singles match | 08:00 | ||
| 2 | The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) (c) (with Jimmy Hart) defeated The Bushwhackers (Bushwhacker Luke and Bushwhacker Butch) | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 06:48 | ||
| 3 | Mr. Perfect won by last eliminating Greg Valentine[note 1] | Battle Royal | 12:30 | ||
| 4 | Ted DiBiase (with Sensational Sherri) vs. Bret Hart ended in a double countout | Singles match | 09:56 | ||
| 5 | The Mountie (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Tito Santana | Singles match | 04:29 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXX | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | January 27, 1992 (aired February 8, 1992) | ||
| City | Lubbock, Texas | ||
| Venue | Lubbock Municipal Coliseum | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXX took place on January 27, 1992, from Lubbock, Texas, at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum, and aired February 8, 1992.[66][71] The event was the first Saturday Night's Main Event to air on Fox and drew an 8.2 rating and 14.3 million viewers.[72]
Prematch stipulation of the Roddy Piper and The Mountie match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, stated Bret Hart would face the winner at WrestleMania VIII.
The Legion of Doom (Road Warrior Hawk and Road Warrior Animal) were originally scheduled to take on The Beverly Brothers (Blake Beverly and Beau Beverly), however The Legion of Doom were replaced by Sgt. Slaughter and Jim Duggan.
Following the match between Randy Savage and Jake Roberts, the telecast ended with Miss Elizabeth coming to the ring and celebrating with Savage. A week later during Superstars, it was revealed that Roberts prepared to hit Miss Elizabeth with a steel chair as soon as she stepped backstage, only for The Undertaker to prevent the attack and allow Savage to hit Roberts with a chair of his own.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[19] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roddy Piper (c) defeated The Mountie (with Jimmy Hart) | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 03:30 | ||
| 2 | Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice (with Brutus Beefcake) defeated Ric Flair and The Undertaker (with Mr. Perfect and Paul Bearer) by disqualification | Tag team match | 11:42 | ||
| 3 | Sgt. Slaughter and Jim Duggan defeated The Beverly Brothers (Blake Beverly and Beau Beverly) (with The Genius) | Tag team match | 02:39 | ||
| 4 | Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Jake Roberts | Singles match | 05:25 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXI | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Federation | ||
| Date | October 27, 1992 (aired November 14, 1992) | ||
| City | Terre Haute, Indiana | ||
| Venue | Hulman Center | ||
| Attendance | 4,300[19] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXI took place October 27, 1992, from Terre Haute, Indiana, at the Hulman Center, and aired November 14, 1992.[66][73] The event aired on Fox and drew a 6.1 rating and 10.6 million viewers.[74] This event was the second and final Saturday Night's Main Event to air on FOX, and the final Saturday Night's Main Event for almost 14 years, until the series returned in 2006 with Saturday Night's Main Event XXXII.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[19] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ultimate Maniacs (The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage) defeated Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster) (c) (with Jimmy Hart) by countout | Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 06:11 | ||
| 2 | Shawn Michaels defeated The British Bulldog (c) | Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship | 10:28 | ||
| 3 | Bret Hart (c) defeated Papa Shango by submission | Singles match for the WWF Championship | 07:13 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Entertainment | ||
| Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown! | ||
| Date | March 18, 2006 | ||
| City | Detroit, Michigan | ||
| Venue | Cobo Arena | ||
| Attendance | 7,000[20] | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXII took place on March 18, 2006, from Detroit, Michigan, at the Cobo Arena.[75] The event aired on a 1-hour tape delay on NBC in the United States and Citytv in Canada with the former network drawing a 3.1 rating.[20] This marked the first Saturday Night's Main Event since 1992 when Saturday Night's Main Event XXXI aired on FOX, and the first on NBC since Saturday Night's Main Event XXIX in 1991 as well as the first Saturday Night's Main Event to feature wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown! brand divisions during the first brand extension.
Mickie James and Trish Stratus fought over the WWE Women's Championship at New Year's Revolution, with Stratus retaining.[76] In the months that followed, James' obsession with Stratus grew to the point that she confessed to Stratus that she was in love with her.[77][78] James made an attempt to kiss Stratus at Saturday Night's Main Event XXXII, after the duo defeated Candice Michelle and Victoria. After she was rebuffed, James attacked Stratus and later vowed to destroy her.[79]
Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, and Tazz are the commentators.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[20] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1D | Big Show defeated Carlito | Singles match | — | ||
| 2 | John Cena and Triple H defeated Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Orton | Handicap match | 11:40 | ||
| 3 | Mickie James and Trish Stratus defeated Candice Michelle and Victoria | Tag team match | 02:40 | ||
| 4 | Shane McMahon defeated Shawn Michaels by submission | Street Fight | 16:42 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Entertainment | ||
| Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown! ECW | ||
| Date | July 15, 2006 | ||
| City | Dallas, Texas | ||
| Venue | American Airlines Center | ||
| Attendance | 17,343 | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIII took place July 15, 2006, from Dallas, Texas, at the American Airlines Center.[80] The event drew 17,343 people, of which 14,500 were paid.[20] The event aired live on NBC, and drew a 2.6 rating.[81] This was the first series to feature the ECW brand, which was relaunched in June 2006.
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are the commentators for Raw, Michael Cole and John Layfield are the commentators for SmackDown, and Joey Styles and Tazz are the commentators for ECW. Justin Roberts was the ring announcer.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[20] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batista, Rey Mysterio, and Bobby Lashley defeated Mark Henry, Finlay, and King Booker (with Queen Sharmell and William Regal) | Six-man tag team match | 10:07 | ||
| 2 | Carlito and Trish Stratus defeated Johnny Nitro and Melina | Mixed tag team match | 02:36 | ||
| 3 | D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) defeated The Spirit Squad (Kenny, Mitch, Nicky, Johnny, and Mikey) | Handicap Elimination match | 08:52 | ||
| 4 | Michelle McCool defeated Victoria | Diva Bull-Riding Contest | 01:08 | ||
| 5 | Sabu defeated Stevie Richards | Extreme Rules match | 02:02 | ||
| 6 | John Cena defeated Edge (c) (with Lita) by disqualification | Singles match for the WWE Championship | 07:54 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Entertainment | ||
| Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown! ECW | ||
| Date | May 28, 2007 (aired June 2, 2007) | ||
| City | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Venue | Air Canada Centre | ||
| Attendance | 16,176 | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIV took place on May 28, 2007, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Air Canada Centre, and aired June 2, 2007.[82] The event drew 16,176 of which 14,000 were paid.[20] The event aired on NBC and drew a 2.2 rating.[83]
Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler are the commentators. Ashley Massaro, Kristal Marshall, Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle and Michelle McCool are the various guest ring announcers.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[21] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Great Khali (with Ranjin Singh) defeated John Cena | Singles match | 06:20 |
| 2 | Batista and Chris Benoit defeated Edge and Montel Porter | Tag team match | 10:37 |
| 3 | Finlay and Hornswoggle defeated The Boogeyman and Little Boogeyman | Mixed tag team match | 03:49 |
| 4 | Kane, Doink the Clown, and Eugene defeated Kevin Thorn, Viscera, and Umaga | Six-man tag team match | 10:55 |
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Entertainment | ||
| Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown! ECW | ||
| Date | August 13, 2007 (aired August 18, 2007) | ||
| City | New York City, New York | ||
| Venue | Madison Square Garden | ||
| Attendance | 16,827 | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV took place on August 13, 2007, from New York City at Madison Square Garden, and aired August 18, 2007.[84] The event drew 16,827 of which 13,500 were paid.[21] The event aired on NBC and drew a 2.5 rating.[85]
Michael Cole, Jim Ross, and John Layfield are the commentators. Tazz was the guest commentator for the main event.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[21] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batista and Kane defeated Finlay and The Great Khali (with Ranjin Singh) | Tag team match | 08:25 |
| 2 | John Cena defeated Carlito by submission | Singles match | 05:37 |
| 3 | Evander Holyfield vs. Matt Hardy ended in a no contest | Boxing match | 00:44 |
| 4 | CM Punk and The Boogeyman defeated John Morrison and Big Daddy V (with Matt Striker) | Tag team match | 06:40 |
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVI | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | World Wrestling Entertainment | ||
| Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown! ECW | ||
| Date | July 28, 2008 (aired August 2, 2008) | ||
| City | Washington, D.C. | ||
| Venue | Verizon Center | ||
| Attendance | 14,722 | ||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVI took place on July 28, 2008, from Washington, D.C., at the Verizon Center, and aired August 2, 2008.[86] The event aired on NBC as a 1-hour special,[22] and drew a 1.4 rating.[87] The event drew 14,722 of which 12,000 were paid.[22]
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are the commentators. CM Punk was the guest commentator for the first televised match.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[22] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1D | Paul London defeated Charlie Haas | Singles match | 06:00 | ||
| 2 | John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Kane, and The Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase) defeated John Cena, Batista, and Cryme Tyme (Shad Gaspard and JTG) | Eight-man tag team match | 11:00 | ||
| 3 | The Great Khali (with Ranjin Singh) defeated Jimmy Wang Yang | Singles match | 01:30 | ||
| 4 | Edge defeated Jeff Hardy | Singles match | 12:00 | ||
| |||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Promotional poster featuring Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens | |||
| Promotion | WWE | ||
| Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown | ||
| Date | December 14, 2024 | ||
| City | Uniondale, New York | ||
| Venue | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum | ||
| Attendance | 14,186 | ||
| WWE Network event chronology | |||
| |||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII took place on December 14, 2024, from Uniondale, New York, at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the same location as the inaugural event 39 years earlier. The event was broadcast in the United States on NBC and streaming on Peacock as a two-hour special,[23] marking the first Saturday Night's Main Event special since 2008. This special saw the crowning of the inaugural WWE Women's United States Champion.[88]
On December 6, it was announced that WWE Hall of Famer Jesse "The Body" Ventura would provide commentary at the event.[89] ESPN's college football analyst Pat McAfee also returned to provide commentary for all matches at the same event.
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[90] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1D | Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) defeated A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) by pinfall | Tag team match | 8:00 | ||||
| 2 | Drew McIntyre defeated Sami Zayn by pinfall | Singles match[91] | 10:05 | ||||
| 3 | Liv Morgan (c) defeated Iyo Sky by pinfall | Singles match for the Women's World Championship[91] | 9:05 | ||||
| 4 | Gunther (c) defeated Finn Bálor and Damian Priest by pinfall | Triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship[91] | 11:05 | ||||
| 5 | Chelsea Green (with Piper Niven) defeated Michin by pinfall | Tournament final for the inaugural WWE Women's United States Championship[91] | 8:05 | ||||
| 6 | Cody Rhodes (c) defeated Kevin Owens by pinfall | Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Championship[91] | 12:00 | ||||
| |||||||
The tournament to crown the inaugural Women's United States Champion began on November 15, 2024, and was held across episodes of SmackDown, concluding at the Saturday Night's Main Event special on December 14, 2024.
| First round SmackDown November 15 – December 6, 2024 | Semifinals SmackDown December 13, 2024 | Final Saturday Night's Main Event December 14, 2024 | |||||||||||
| Bayley | Pin | ||||||||||||
| Candice LeRae | — | ||||||||||||
| B-Fab | 10:02[92] | ||||||||||||
| Bayley | 12:12[93] | ||||||||||||
| Chelsea Green | Pin | ||||||||||||
| Bianca Belair | — | ||||||||||||
| Chelsea Green | Pin | ||||||||||||
| Blair Davenport | 10:04[94] | ||||||||||||
| Chelsea Green | Pin | ||||||||||||
| Michin | 8:05[95] | ||||||||||||
| Lash Legend[a] | — | ||||||||||||
| Michin | Pin | ||||||||||||
| Piper Niven | 10:34[97] | ||||||||||||
| Michin | Pin | ||||||||||||
| Tiffany Stratton | 8:23[93] | ||||||||||||
| Naomi | — | ||||||||||||
| Tiffany Stratton | Pin | ||||||||||||
| Elektra Lopez | 7:32[98] | ||||||||||||
| Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVIII | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Promotional poster featuring Jey Uso | |||
| Promotion | WWE | ||
| Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown | ||
| Date | January 25, 2025 | ||
| City | San Antonio, Texas | ||
| Venue | Frost Bank Center | ||
| WWE Network event chronology | |||
| |||
| Saturday Night's Main Event chronology | |||
| |||
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVIII will take place on January 25, 2025, from San Antonio, Texas, at the Frost Bank Center, and be broadcast in the United States on NBC and Peacock.[99]
| No. | Matches* | Stipulations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso | Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship[100] | ||||
| 2 | Bron Breakker (c) vs. Sheamus | Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship[101] | ||||
| ||||||
During the original run, Coliseum Video released two cassettes of Saturday Night's Main Event: Saturday Night's Main Event's Greatest Hits[102] which contained six matches from 1985 to 1987 and More Saturday Night's Main Event containing nine matches from 1988 to 1989.[103]
In 1992, the WWF released through Columbia House, Best of Saturday Night's Main Event (Collector's Edition) comprising five matches from 1988 to 1990.[104]
On February 10, 2009, the WWE released a three-disc DVD set on the history of Saturday Night's Main Event. The set includes more than 30 full matches and several non-wrestling segments. Among these are highlights of Uncle Elmer's wedding, Hulk Hogan's "Real American" music video, and Mr. Perfect smashing Hogan's WWF World Heavyweight Championship belt. The first match in the program's history, a six-man tag team match pitting the U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) teaming with Ricky Steamboat defeating the team of WWF Tag Team Champions Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik and their partner George "The Animal" Steele, is included as an extra. Also, two other notable matches are included, both from the program's spinoff The Main Event. The first is a February 1988 rematch from WrestleMania III pitting Hogan against André the Giant, the second a Mega Powers' (Hogan and Randy Savage) bout against the Twin Towers (The Big Boss Man and Akeem) from February 1989. Both had direct implications on each year's WrestleMania: the Hogan-Andre match led to the WWF title being vacated until WrestleMania IV while the Mega Powers-Twin Towers match led to the breakup of the Mega Powers and Hogan eventually defeating Randy Savage to win the WWF title at WrestleMania V.[105]
In the WrestleMania 22 DVD, the XXXII edition was included in the 2nd disc in its entirety.
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