7 WrestleMania Matches That Weren’t All Bad
5. Roddy Piper vs. Mr. T - WrestleMania 2 (1986)
When it comes to combat sport exhibitions, the worked boxing encounter is usually comically bad. We all know what a legitimate fight between boxers looks like. It is extremely difficult to replicate this in a staged environment.
True to form, Roddy Piper and Mr. T failed to provide much in the way of realism when they donned the gloves for their boxing match at WrestleMania 2 on April 7, 1986.
Why, then, is this bout from the Uniondale, New York leg of the second WrestleMania on the list? For the effect it had on Pipers status and career.
Had this been a legitimate fight, Piper would have defeated T handily. That was evident from rounds one and two: Piper had superior technique, punching power and cardiovascular endurance. Frankly, it was no contest. By the time The A-Team and Rocky III actor received the signal to make his comeback in round three, he had been so humbled by his opponent and was so exhausted that spectators lining the Nassau Coliseum had sided with Piper, the so-called heel. Piper! Piper! Piper! they yelled.
It is probably worth noting, however, that many onlookers had defected to Team Piper before battle commenced at WM 2 because T had long outstayed his welcome in the World Wrestling Federation.
The worked fight was a stature-enhancer for Piper at the time. Silly as it reads now, many believed T was a genuine tough guy. Inside two rounds at WrestleMania 2, Piper dispelled that myth.
It mattered not that Piper lost via disqualification when he bodyslammed the actor in round four: he was the clear favourite on the night. The strength of this performance and the vocal support he received contributed to the success of Pipers babyface turn later that year.