12 One-Time WWE Pay-Per-Views

12. The Wrestling Classic (1985)

Before King of the Ring became a PPV in 1993, the WWF experimented with the tournament show concept with The Wrestling Classic, their second-ever PPV. The tournament was purely for bragging rights, but still, it was a stacked card featuring the likes of Randy Savage, Junkyard Dog, Dynamite Kid, Terry Funk, Adrian Adonis, Paul Orndorff, and Bob Orton.

Unfortunately, that’s the most positive quality about the show, as none of the matches are worth watching. None of them get to ten minutes (the longest is the main event, clocking in at nine). The only title defended on the show is the WWF Championship, with Hulk Hogan facing Roddy Piper. That match ends in seven minutes on a DQ.

Yes, folks: in the very first WWF Championship match on pay-per-view, Hulk Hogan defeated Roddy Piper via DQ in seven minutes. Truly setting the bar high for future title matches.

What’s funny is that that’s not even the main event, which is the tournament final between Randy Savage and JYD. Yes, Junkyard Dog was a pay-per-view main eventer in the WWF, go figure. He of course defeated Savage via countout, because the '80s were absolutely allergic to having a clean finish (just look at Crockett Promotions at the same time and their infamous overuse of the “Dusty Finish”).

The Wrestling Classic is an interesting historical curiosity, but otherwise, it’s clear why WWE have never gone back to it.