King of the Ring (1986)

The matches resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results were predetermined by World Wrestling Federation's writers.[3]

During the first round of the tournament, there was a total of six matches. Billy Jack Haynes pinned The Iron Sheik after a small package Harley Race beat George Steele by disqualification after Steele rammed Race into one of the golf carts at ringside. Don Muraco and Roddy Piper wrestled to a twenty minute time limit draw. Nikolai Volkoff pinned Dan Spivey. Junkyard Dog beat Paul Orndorff by disqualification for attacking the referee. Pedro Morales pinned Rudy Diamond who was substituting for Bob Orton.

During the quarterfinal round of the tournament, there were three matches. Harley Race received a bye due to the Muraco and Piper match reaching the time limit in the first round. Billy Jack Haynes beat Mr. X with a full nelson. Mr X was a substitute for Hercules Hernandez. Nikolai Volkoff beat Junkyard Dog after Dog submitted to a bearhug. In the final quarterfinal match, Pedro Morales pinned Mike Rotunda after Rotunda performed a back suplex From The Top Rope on Morales but Rotunda's shoulders were on the mat.

During the first match of the semifinals, Race beat Haynes, when Haynes was counted out while Haynes applied the full nelson on Race while on the outside of the ring on the apron. Pedro Morales beat Nikolai Volkoff after Morales broke free and reversed a bearhug into a small package for the pin.

In the final Race pinned Morales after he superplexed Morales back into the ring.

Following the event, Race referred to himself as "King" Harley Race, coming to the ring in a royal crown and cape, to the ceremonial accompaniment of the tenth movement (known as "The Great Gates of Kiev") of Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky. After winning a match, Race would make his defeated opponent "bow and kneel" before him. Usually Heenan would assist the defeated opponent to "bow and kneel" by grabbing their hair and forcing them to bow before Race.[4][5]