Fan Arch Guide
WWE & Pro Wrestling: History, WrestleMania & Facts
WWE grew from Capitol Wrestling Corporation, a regional promotion founded in 1953, into a global entertainment company. Its annual WrestleMania, first held in 1985, is professional wrestling's biggest event.
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| Origins | Capitol Wrestling Corporation, founded 1953 |
|---|---|
| Name history | WWWF (1963), WWF (1979), WWE (2002) |
| Monday Night War | Raw vs. WCW Nitro, 1995–2001 |
| First WrestleMania | March 31, 1985, Madison Square Garden |
| Monday Night Raw debut | January 11, 1993 |
| Hall of Fame | Established 1993; André the Giant was the first inductee |
WrestleMania milestones
WrestleMania began in 1985 and grew into wrestling's showcase event. These are some of its landmark moments.
- 1985 (WrestleMania I): Hulk Hogan and Mr. T beat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff at Madison Square Garden
- 1987 (WrestleMania III): Hogan slammed André the Giant at the Pontiac Silverdome before an announced 93,173 fans
- 1990 (WrestleMania VI): the Ultimate Warrior beat Hogan in a title-for-title match at Toronto's SkyDome
- 1994 (WrestleMania X): Razor Ramon beat Shawn Michaels in a landmark ladder match
- 1998 (WrestleMania XIV): Steve Austin won his first WWF Championship from Shawn Michaels, with Mike Tyson as enforcer
- 2014 (WrestleMania XXX): Brock Lesnar ended the Undertaker's 21–0 WrestleMania streak
- 2019 (WrestleMania 35): Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey headlined the first women's main event
- 2020 (WrestleMania 36): held over two nights without fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic
WWE history
- 1953: Capitol Wrestling Corporation was founded.
- 1963: The promotion became the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).
- 1979: The name was shortened to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
- 1982: Vince McMahon bought the company from his father, Vincent J. McMahon.
- 1995–2001: The Monday Night War pitted Raw against WCW's Nitro.
- 2001: WWF bought the assets of rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
- 2002: The company became World Wrestling Entertainment after a trademark dispute with the World Wildlife Fund.
Record holders
| Longest WWE Championship reign | Bruno Sammartino, 2,803 days (May 17, 1963 – January 18, 1971) |
|---|---|
| WrestleMania win streak | The Undertaker, 21 straight wins, ended in 2014 |
| Hulk Hogan's first title reign | 1,474 days, starting with his win over the Iron Sheik on January 23, 1984 |
WWE Hall of Famers
André the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Bret Hart, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Bruno Sammartino, The Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, The Undertaker.
Biggest rivalries
- Raw vs. Nitro: the Monday Night War between WWF and WCW ran from Nitro's debut in September 1995 until WWF bought WCW in 2001.
- The Rock vs. Steve Austin: they met at three WrestleManias; Austin won at XV (1999) and X-Seven (2001), and The Rock won at XIX (2003).
- Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon: the rebel-versus-boss feud of the late 1990s drove the Attitude Era.
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When was the first WrestleMania?
March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T beat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff in the main event.
Why did the WWF change its name to WWE?
After a trademark dispute with the World Wildlife Fund over the WWF initials, the company became World Wrestling Entertainment in 2002.
Who had the longest WWE Championship reign?
Bruno Sammartino, who held the title for 2,803 days from 1963 to 1971.
Who ended the Undertaker's WrestleMania streak?
Brock Lesnar, at WrestleMania XXX on April 6, 2014. The Undertaker had won his first 21 WrestleMania matches.
What was the Montreal Screwjob?
At Survivor Series on November 9, 1997, in Montreal, Vince McMahon had the match ended so that Bret Hart lost the WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels, against Hart's wishes.
Sources
Facts checked September 23, 2026.