By 1986, Vince McMahon had successfully used 1985 to overhaul the WWF's roster to now allow the company to have enough top performers from enough places nationwide to allow the WWF to be a nationally touring (meaning cross-territory) promotion. Headling into Wrestlemania II, WWF featured AWA superstar Hulk Hogan as champ working against World Class' King Kong Bundy. The IC Championship scene had Memphis' Randy Savage wrestling Detroit's George Steele and Mid-Atlantic's Ricky Steamboat. The tag scene had Calgary's British Bulldogs wrestling multiple territory stalwart Brutus Beefcake and Mid-Atlantic's Greg Valentine. Mid-South's Junkyard Dog and Jake Roberts, Knoxville's Hillbilly Jim and numerous others were also included. In 2015, watch WWE and see Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, CZW, Dragon Gate and New Japan's influence everywhere as from Seth Rollins to Kevin Owens, as well as Cesaro, Sami Zayn, Dean Ambrose, Finn Balor, Neville, Apollo Crews and more. In the modern day, WWE has scoured the independent scene just as they signed significant territory stalwarts 30 years prior.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
