Roddy Piper’s Greatest Career Highlights

Headlining WrestleMania I

As the standout heel in the Rock’n’Roll Era of wrestling, Roddy Piper often found himself at the throat of the WWE’s top babyface, Hulk Hogan, in matches over the WWE Championship. Piper would never capture the coveted belt, but his role as the main antagonist to company’s most celebrated hero. They would engage in a significant rivalry in early 1985 over the belt, including a clash on the Wrestling Classic, which is recognized as WWE’s first ever PPV. And due to their lofty status in both the wrestling world and popular culture in general, they were the ideal pair to headline the event which would bind those two universes together for decades to come.

WrestleMania is considered the professional wrestling equivalent of the Superbowl, and the grandest stage’s first outing was a glorious occasion that propelled the WWE to its greatest heights. And Piper would occupy one of the spots in the first main event of this global phenomenon. Teaming with Paul Ornforff and supported at ringside by Cowboy Bob Orton, Piper would suffer defeat at the hands of Hogan, Mr. T and Jimmy Snuka. With Mr. T in the ring, Muhammed Ali a guest referee and Liberace as ring announcer, it was an outstanding moment that has endured the passage of time.