Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura are on commentary for this match. Before the match, Lelani Kai and Fabulous Moolah walk past Lord Alfred Hayes in his awkward near entrance position and each plant a kiss on his cheek before he sends us to the prerecorded interviews Cyndi Lauper is with Wendi Ritcher, Lauper says Kai needs to watch out, Wendi says she only lost the title because Moolah interfered. Moolah even has special glasses, made for the event by her jeweler. Leilani Kai says she'll do what it takes to win, Mean Gene asks for it to be within reason. Also, at this point it was known as the `Ladies' Championship' – I am aware of that, but purely for continuity I will keep it as Women's.
LEILAINI KAI © VS. WENDI RICHTER (WWF Women's Championship)
WW Wrestlemania 2016 (31st March 1985)
The bell finally rings as Moolah leaves and they lock up, they both use each others' hair to jockey for position Wendi Richter blocks a right hand in the corner and sends Kai back with a forearm shot. Richter takes her over with an arm drag and Leilani Kai kicks out and takes Richter down, Wendi Richter counters into a hammerlock on the mat. Kai gets to her feet, but is swung around and ends up back on the mat, still in the hammerlock. Leilani Kai gets to her feet again, but Richter brings her back down. Leilani Kai is able to snapmare Richter to break the hold as she rises again, then another snapmare with Richter's hair. Cyndi Lauper complains about the hair-pulling as Leilani Kai gets a 2 count. Leilani Kai puts on an arm wringer and uses Wendi Richter's hair to bring her down to the mat, but denies it to the referee whilst hyperextending Richter's elbow. She lets the challenger back up, cranks it again, and brings her back down before stomping the left arm. Wendi Richter fights back with a right hand but gets one in return. Leilani Kai sends Richter into the turnbuckle with “a little bit a handful of hair” as Ventura says on commentary.
Leilani Kai snapmares Wendi Richter down again and the referee starts counting for her to get off the hair, she breaks it at 3 and Richter starts fighting back again until Leilani Kai chokes her on the mat. The referee started counting for a pin. Richter counters the choke with a body scissors on the mat. Leilani Kai brings Richter to her feet by the hair but Richter takes her down for a nearfall. Wendi Richter gets another nearfall with a front facelock takeover but Kai brings her down to the mat with a hairmare, she sends Richter into the corner but Wendi lifts both legs and shoves her across the ring, then pins for 2. Richter forces Leilani Kai into the corner but she's next to Moolah who grabs Richter by the hair. Cyndi Lauper rushes over to help and if that was in modern-day wrestling they'd have her cut it off with a phoenix splash or something instead. Kai brings Richter to her feet and sends her across the ring into a boot, which Richter took a back bump for, for some reason. Wendi Richter fights back to her feet and backs Leilani Kai into the ropes with forearms then sends her across the ring. Richter lifts Kai into the fireman's carry and flips her over (the FU but the opposite way) which got a huge reaction and I must admit, I was quite impressed with it. Richter follows it with a jumping splash to get a nearfall.
Leilani Kai is sent into the corner but she gets her knees up, so Richter flies into them. Kai stomps on Richter and covers for 2, a backbreaker gets another nearfall, she slams Wendi Richter and goes to the top rope, she hits a crossbody but Richter reverses the momentum and pins her to win the match.
WINNER: WENDI RICHTER (NEW WWF Women's Champion)
This was pretty clunky, until the last decade (to be generous) women's wrestling wasn't taken particularly seriously in mainstream wrestling (is that an oxymoron or what?) It was the basic hair pulling added to moves and they seemed to be going through the motions, there wasn't much that kept me interested and I was hoping for the finish for most of the match..– As a match, it's * but personally, I'd rate it 1.5/10
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