10 Shocking Moments from Wrestlemania 1

#7 Greg Valentine and Junkyard Dog's rivalry gets personal

An ugly war of words.

In many ways, Wrestlemania I did prove to be a solid wrestling card, despite that not being its primary purpose. The opening bout between Tito Santana and 'The Executioner', as well as the terrific showdown involving Ricky Steamboat and Matt Borne both easily contributed to the overall enjoyment of the event just as much as the glitz and the spectacle.

Another match worthy of note was the bout between Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine and The Junkyard Dog. While not possessing the technical wrestling abilities of a Santana or Steamboat, both men were experts at playing up to a particular gimmick and working the crowd.

Their match worked so well because both of them represented such contrasting sections of American culture, with Valentine playing the privileged, upper-class white male and Dog the hardworking, black American role model.

Unfortunately, this match has always been tainted by the backstage promos and interview segments designed to promote it. In the weeks leading up to Wrestlemania I, as well as those following its conclusion, Valentine would throw out racist slurs at his opponent much to the disgust of his interviewer Mean Gene.

Despite Valentine playing the heel, a lot of the language was seen as overtly offensive, even back in 1985. When going back and watching this one, bare in mind just how personal things had gotten between the two men.