12 Times American Football Crossed Over Into Wrestling
8. The WrestleMania 2 Battle Royal
In 1986, the WWF threw six NFL players into the ring with fourteen WWF wrestlers for their second annual “show of shows”. To the modern fan, the match is remembered only for William Perry eliminating a gullible Big John Studd, Andre the Giant winning it all, and for Jim Neidhart suffering the most unconvincing elimination ever off Andre’s boot.
Held during the Chicago portion of the three-city event, the WWF-NFL battle royal capitalized on the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl win that year and allowed two members of that championship team to shine on their home turf: William Perry and Jimbo Covert.
The battle royal also allowed two ageing wrestling legends a chance to suffer a rare blemish on their careers. Not only was the WWF’s first Triple Crown winner Pedro Morales eliminated by the retired footballer Harvey Martin, but the Federation’s longest-ever reigning champion Bruno Sammartino was outlasted by William 'Refrigerator'Perry.
No wonder The Fridge got into the WWE Hall of Fame first.