WrestleMania III: A look back, 30 years later

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, flanked by the Killer Bees, B. Brian Blair, left, and Jim Brunzell, right, speaks at a press conference ahead of WrestleMania III.

A young fan makes a goodbye sign for Rowdy Roddy Piper, whose match against Adrian Adonis was billed as Piper's farewell to professional wrestling. He went on to pursue an acting career, but eventually returned to the ring.

A young wrestling fan waits in the parking lot before WrestleMania III, along with his cutout of Hulk Hogan.

Wrestling fans wait outside the Silverdome before WrestleMania III, which began at 4 p.m. local time and was shown nationwide, on closed-circuit and Pay-Per-View.

A fan dons a Hulk Hogan rubber mask, but apparently not the Hulkster's biceps.

Andre the Giant checks out the Silverdome facilities before the main event.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and his wife, Bonnie, arrive at the Silverdome for the big day.

A crowd of more than 90,000 was reported as attending WrestleMania III, though many of the sport's historians dispute that figure.

Motown legend Aretha Franklin sings the national anthem at the beginning of WrestleMania III, March 29, 1987. Traffic was so bad getting to the Silverdome, she arrived just on time, with no time for a sound check.

The Can-Am Connection of Rick Martel and Tom Zenk take on Bob Orton and Don Muraco in the spectacle's opening match.

The Can-Am Connection of Rick Martel and Tom Zenk beat Bob Orton and Don "The Magnificent" Muraco, managed by Mr. Fuji.

A wrestling fan plays with his action figures before WrestleMania III.

WrestleMania III is considered the day that professional wrestling went national, and mainstream. Previously, wrestling was a more regional spectacle.

Hercules enters the ring, chains and all, too many boos before his match against Billy Jack Haynes.

Billy Jack Haynes gets set to bodyslam villain Hercules in the evening's second match.

Billy Jack Haynes sets up Hercules for the atomic drop.

Hercules uses his chains to punish Billy Jack Haynes against the ropes.

King Kong Bundy picks on someone, umm, not quite his own size in a six-man tag-team match.

Christopher Pallies, AKA professional wrestler King Kong Bundy, who performed at WrestleMania III at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1987. March 4. He was 61.

One of the more entertaining matches of WrestleMania III was a six-man tag match that featured two behemoths, in King Kong Bundy and Hillbilly Jim, and four little wrestlers.

WrestleMania III took place just as "Hulkamania" was hitting its fever pitch.

"King" Harley Race enters the ring, accompanied by his manager, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

"King" Harley Race celebrates his victory over the Junkyard Dog.

After losing to "King" Harley Race in a match where the loser had to "bow" to his opponent, the Junkyard Dog decided a smash with a folding chair was more appropriate.

The Rougeau Brothers double-team Greg "The Hammer" Valentine in their tag-team match, which was fifth on the card.

Randy "Macho Man" Savage goes flying off the top rope during his epic match with Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.

While Andre the Giant-Hulk Hogan was the main event, the match between Randy "Macho Man" Savage, left, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, right, was the most action-packed of the night -- and still is considered one of the greatest wrestling matches of all-time.

Hulk Hogan definitely was the main attraction at WrestleMania III, which was a reported $1-million payday for the Hulkster.

Lawrence Gardner III plays with his Hulk Hogan and Junkyard Dog action figures before WrestleMania III.

"Adorable" Adrian Adonis goes after Rowdy Roddy Piper. Piper won his "farewell" match, which really wasn't his farewell match after all.

The announced attendance at the Silverdome for WrestleMania III 93,173, at the time considered the largest crowd ever for an indoor sporting event.

Detroit rock legend Alice Cooper was among the celebrity roster at WrestleMania, in the corner, fittingly, of Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

A young Jake "The Snake" Roberts fan gets his message across with a sign.

Jake "The Snake" Roberts fans get in the spirit before the bell tolls at WrestleMania III.

An unruly wrestling fan is escorted out of the building by Silverdome security.

Mr. Baseball, Bob Uecker, provided some comic relief for WrestleMania III, especially during his pre-match interview with Andre the Giant.

Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant wrestled in the 12th and final match on the card. Most fans were on their feet the entire match.

Andre the Giant makes his way to the ring, along with manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. The villains were pelted by trash from fans, both heading to and from the ring.

Hulk Hogan makes his way down the aisle at WrestleMania III, for his heavyweight-championship bout with Andre the Giant.

While the match is considered a classic, Hulk Hogan-Andre the Giant didn't feature a ton of actual wrestling, because Andre's surgically repaired back was in bad shape.

Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan wrestled many times over the years, around the world, and were good friends. But the storyline for WrestleMania III pitted them as bitter rivals.

Andre the Giant gets the best of Hulk Hogan early in their match, which lasted more than 12 minutes.

Andre the Giants picks up 300-pound Hulk Hogan like a rag doll at WrestleMania III.

Andre the Giant puts Hulk Hogan in a bearhug late in their main-event spectacle.

Hulk Hogan bodyslams Andre the Giant in the most epic moments in wrestling history.

Andre the Giant gets slammed by Hulk Hogan. It was billed as the first time Andre had ever been lifted off his feet, but in reality, he had been slammed many times.

Hulk Hogan clutches his heavyweight championship belt as he takes a ride back to the locker room following his thrilling victory to close out WrestleMania III.