History of Saturday Night's Main Event in Timeline
Saturday Night's Main Event was a series of professional wrestling television specials produced by WWE. These specials aired on NBC from 1985 to 1991. They filled the Saturday Night Live timeslot periodically throughout the year.
1984: High Ratings on MTV
In 1984, two WWF specials on MTV, The Brawl to End It All and The War to Settle the Score, achieved high ratings, which led to the creation of Saturday Night's Main Event.
May 10, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event I
Saturday Night's Main Event I took place May 10, 1985, from Uniondale, New York, in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
May 11, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event Debut
On May 11, 1985, Saturday Night's Main Event debuted on NBC, replacing reruns of Saturday Night Live.
October 3, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event II
Saturday Night's Main Event II took place on October 3, 1985, from East Rutherford, New Jersey, at the Brendan Byrne Arena.
October 5, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event II Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event II aired on October 5, 1985. The event aired on NBC and drew an 8.3 rating.
October 31, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event III
Saturday Night's Main Event III took place on October 31, 1985, from Hershey, Pennsylvania, at the Hersheypark Arena.
November 2, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event III Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event III aired on November 2, 1985. The event aired on NBC and drew a 6.3 rating.
December 19, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event IV
Saturday Night's Main Event IV took place on December 19, 1985, from Tampa, Florida, at the USF Sun Dome.
1985: Original Theme Songs
From 1985 to 1988, the opening theme song for the NBC version was "Obsession" by Animotion with the closing theme being "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins, and also the beginning of "Take On Me" by a-ha was used for show bumpers. Steve Winwood's "Higher Love" was also used as a closing theme.
1985: Cassette Release
In 1985, Coliseum Video released a cassette titled "Saturday Night's Main Event's Greatest Hits" which contained six matches.
1985: Saturday Night's Main Event Launch
In 1985, Saturday Night's Main Event began airing on NBC, replacing Saturday Night Live occasionally.
January 4, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event IV Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event IV aired on January 4, 1986. The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.4 rating.
February 15, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event V
Saturday Night's Main Event V took place on February 15, 1986, from Phoenix, Arizona, at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
March 1, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event V Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event V aired on March 1, 1986. The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.0 rating.
May 1, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VI
Saturday Night's Main Event VI took place on May 1, 1986, from Providence, Rhode Island, at the Providence Civic Center.
May 3, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VI Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event VI aired on May 3, 1986. The show aired on NBC and drew a 9.3 rating.
September 13, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VII
Saturday Night's Main Event VII took place on September 13, 1986, from Richfield, Ohio, at the Coliseum at Richfield.
October 4, 1986: Cold Open
Starting on the October 4, 1986 edition, each show featured a cold open of short wrestler promos set to a loop of the beginning of Lee Ritenour's "Traveling Music" from the American Flyers soundtrack.
November 15, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VIII
Saturday Night's Main Event VIII took place on November 15, 1986, from Los Angeles, California, at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
November 29, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VIII Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event VIII aired on November 29, 1986. The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.7 rating.
December 14, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event IX
Saturday Night's Main Event IX took place on December 14, 1986, from Hartford, Connecticut, at the Hartford Civic Center.
1986: Jake Roberts attack on Ricky Steamboat
In 1986, Jake Roberts sneak-attacked Ricky Steamboat and took him out with his finisher, the DDT, on the arena's concrete floor prior to the match starting, helping set up a feud that continued through the summer and early fall.
1986: Airdates Pattern
Starting in 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event settled into a predictable pattern of air dates.
January 3, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event IX Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event IX aired on January 3, 1987. The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.6 rating.
February 21, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event X
Saturday Night's Main Event X took place on February 21, 1987, from Detroit, Michigan, at the Joe Louis Arena.
March 14, 1987: Highest Rating Show
On March 14, 1987, Saturday Night's Main Event drew an 11.6 rating, the highest in its time slot, headlined by a battle royal with Hulk Hogan and André the Giant.
April 28, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XI
Saturday Night's Main Event XI took place on April 28, 1987, from Notre Dame, Indiana, at the Edmund P. Joyce Center.
May 2, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XI Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event XI aired May 2, 1987. The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.5 rating.
September 23, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XII
Saturday Night's Main Event XII took place on September 23, 1987, from Hershey, Pennsylvania, at the Hersheypark Arena.
October 3, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XII Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event XII aired October 3, 1987. The event aired on NBC and drew a 9.7 rating.
November 11, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XIII
Saturday Night's Main Event XIII took place on November 11, 1987, from Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center Coliseum.
November 28, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XIII Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event XIII aired November 28, 1987 on NBC.
December 7, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XIV
Saturday Night's Main Event XIV took place on December 7, 1987, from Landover, Maryland, at the Capital Centre.
1987: Bobby Heenan Hosting
In 1986 and 1987, Bobby Heenan occasionally co-hosted Saturday Night's Main Event.
1987: Cassette Release
The matches on the "Saturday Night's Main Event's Greatest Hits" cassette were from the years 1985 to 1987.
January 2, 1988: Saturday Night's Main Event XIV Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event XIV aired on January 2, 1988 on NBC.
February 5, 1988: Highest Rated Wrestling Show
On February 5, 1988, The Main Event included a WrestleMania III rematch between Hogan and André, drawing 33 million viewers and a 15.2 rating, the highest-rated wrestling show ever.
February 1988: Hogan vs. Andre Rematch
A February 1988 rematch from WrestleMania III pitting Hulk Hogan against André the Giant had direct implications on that year's WrestleMania.
February 1988: Theme Song Change
In February 1988, the songs were replaced with an original WWF-created instrumental theme. The new instrumental theme was originally used as the theme of the 1987 WWF Slammy Awards.
March 7, 1988: Saturday Night's Main Event XV
Saturday Night's Main Event XV took place on March 7, 1988, from Nashville, Tennessee, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
March 12, 1988: Saturday Night's Main Event XV Air Date
Saturday Night's Main Event XV aired on March 12, 1988. Although there were 10,000 in attendance, it was reportedly a heavily papered event. The event aired on NBC and drew a 10.0 rating.
April 11, 1988: Don Muraco vs Butch Reed
During the tapings, Don Muraco vs Butch Reed was taped but aired on Prime Time Wrestling on April 11, 1988.
April 22, 1988: Saturday Night's Main Event XVI
On April 22, 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event XVI took place in Springfield, Massachusetts. Notably, this was the first event to not feature Hulk Hogan due to his leave of absence to film "No Holds Barred".
April 30, 1988: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XVI
On April 30, 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event XVI, which was filmed on April 22, aired on NBC.
October 25, 1988: Saturday Night's Main Event XVII
On October 25, 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event XVII was held in Baltimore, Maryland.
October 29, 1988: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XVII
On October 29, 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event XVII, filmed on October 25, aired on NBC, drawing an 8.7 rating.
November 16, 1988: Saturday Night's Main Event XVIII
On November 16, 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event XVIII took place in Sacramento, California.
November 26, 1988: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XVIII
On November 26, 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event XVIII, filmed on November 16, aired on NBC, drawing a 9.4 rating.
December 7, 1988: Saturday Night's Main Event XIX
On December 7, 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event XIX was held in Tampa, Florida.
1988: Cassette Release
In 1988, Coliseum Video released a cassette titled "More Saturday Night's Main Event" which contained nine matches.
1988: The Main Event spin-off
In 1988, a spin-off of Saturday Night's Main Event titled The Main Event, aired annually on a Friday night in February.
1988: Matches Included in Release
The "Best of Saturday Night's Main Event (Collector's Edition)" release included five matches from 1988.
1988: "Winged Eagle" Belt
The new revival features homages to the original run of Saturday Night's Main Event and WWE in the 1980s. Cody Rhodes also wore the "Winged Eagle" belt (first introduced in 1988 for the then-WWF World Heavyweight Championship) to represent his Undisputed WWE Championship.
January 7, 1989: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XIX
On January 7, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XIX, filmed on December 7, 1988, aired on NBC.
February 1989: Mega Powers vs. Twin Towers
A February 1989 Mega Powers (Hogan and Randy Savage) bout against the Twin Towers (The Big Boss Man and Akeem) had direct implications on that year's WrestleMania.
February 16, 1989: Saturday Night's Main Event XX
On February 16, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XX took place in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
March 11, 1989: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XX
On March 11, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XX, filmed on February 16, aired on NBC, drawing a 10.0 rating.
April 25, 1989: Saturday Night's Main Event XXI
On April 25, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXI was held in Des Moines, Iowa.
May 27, 1989: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXI
On May 27, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXI, filmed on April 25, aired on NBC.
July 18, 1989: Saturday Night's Main Event XXII
On July 18, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXII was held in Worcester, Massachusetts.
July 29, 1989: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXII
On July 29, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXII, filmed on July 18, aired on NBC.
September 21, 1989: Saturday Night's Main Event XXIII
On September 21, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXIII took place in Cincinnati, Ohio, with an attendance of 14,000 people.
October 14, 1989: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXIII
On October 14, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXIII, filmed on September 21, aired on NBC, drawing a 9.5 rating.
October 31, 1989: Saturday Night's Main Event XXIV
On October 31, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXIV was held in Topeka, Kansas.
November 25, 1989: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXIV
On November 25, 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event XXIV, filmed on October 31, aired on NBC, drawing an 8.7 rating.
1989: "Summertime Bonus Editions"
In 1989, Saturday Night's Main Event started offering episodes in July promoted as "Summertime Bonus Editions".
1989: Cassette Release
The matches on the "More Saturday Night's Main Event" cassette were from the years 1988 to 1989.
January 3, 1990: Saturday Night's Main Event XXV
On January 3, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXV was held in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
January 27, 1990: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXV
On January 27, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXV, filmed on January 3, aired on NBC, drawing an 11.1 rating.
April 23, 1990: Saturday Night's Main Event XXVI
On April 23, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXVI took place in Austin, Texas.
April 28, 1990: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXVI
On April 28, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXVI, filmed on April 23, aired on NBC.
July 16, 1990: Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII
On July 16, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII was held in Omaha, Nebraska.
July 28, 1990: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII
On July 28, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII, filmed on July 16, aired on NBC, drawing a 7.2 rating.
September 18, 1990: Saturday Night's Main Event XXVIII
On September 18, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXVIII took place in Toledo, Ohio.
October 13, 1990: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXVIII
On October 13, 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event XXVIII, filmed on September 18, aired on NBC.
1990: Roddy Piper Hosting
In 1990, Roddy Piper replaced Jesse "The Body" Ventura as McMahon's broadcast partner on Saturday Night's Main Event.
1990: "Summertime Bonus Editions"
In 1990, Saturday Night's Main Event offered episodes in July promoted as "Summertime Bonus Editions". Some of the Superstars would come on The Arsenio Hall Show interviewed by Arsenio Hall himself to build up/hype of the event.
1990: Ratings Decline
In 1990, the ratings for Saturday Night's Main Event began to fall.
1990: Matches Included in Release
The "Best of Saturday Night's Main Event (Collector's Edition)" release included five matches from 1990.
April 15, 1991: Saturday Night's Main Event XXIX
On April 15, 1991, Saturday Night's Main Event XXIX took place in Omaha, Nebraska. The event drew 9,400 people.
April 27, 1991: Final NBC Airing
On April 27, 1991, Saturday Night's Main Event had its final airing on NBC.
1991: Harley Race Retirement
In 1991, Harley Race suffered a legitimate injury during a match with Hulk Hogan when he crashed through a table, leading to his eventual retirement.
1991: NBC Drops Saturday Night's Main Event
In 1991, NBC dropped Saturday Night's Main Event due to falling ratings.
1991: End of NBC Broadcast
In 1991, NBC stopped broadcasting Saturday Night's Main Event.
1991: Last SNME on NBC
Saturday Night's Main Event had not been on NBC since 1991, until the show in 2006.
January 27, 1992: Saturday Night's Main Event XXX
On January 27, 1992, Saturday Night's Main Event XXX took place in Lubbock, Texas. It was the first to air on Fox.
February 8, 1992: Fox Airing
On February 8, 1992, Saturday Night's Main Event was shown on Fox.
February 1992: Theme Song Change
In February 1992, a different opening theme song was used for Saturday Night's Main Event episode.
October 27, 1992: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXI
On October 27, 1992, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXI was held in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was the second and final Saturday Night's Main Event to air on FOX until the series returned in 2006.
November 14, 1992: Final Show of Original Run
On November 14, 1992, the final Saturday Night's Main Event of the original run was broadcast on Fox.
1992: Saturday Night's Main Event on FOX
In 1992, Saturday Night's Main Event aired two episodes on FOX.
1992: Move to Fox
In 1992, Saturday Night's Main Event moved to Fox, airing two editions before being discontinued.
1992: Release of Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
In 1992, the WWF released "Best of Saturday Night's Main Event (Collector's Edition)" through Columbia House.
2005: Raw Returns to USA Network
In 2005, WWE's flagship show, Raw, returned to the USA Network.
March 18, 2006: Return to NBC
On March 18, 2006, Saturday Night's Main Event returned to NBC in a prime-time slot. The first episode aired on a 1-hour time delay, the second episode aired live, with the three remaining episodes airing at a later date.
2006: Return to NBC
In 2006, Saturday Night's Main Event returned to NBC for 5 additional specials.
May 28, 2007: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIV
On May 28, 2007, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIV was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
June 2, 2007: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIV
On June 2, 2007, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIV, filmed on May 28, aired on NBC, drawing a 2.2 rating.
August 13, 2007: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV
On August 13, 2007, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV took place in New York City at Madison Square Garden.
August 18, 2007: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV
On August 18, 2007, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV, filmed on August 13, aired on NBC, drawing a 2.5 rating.
July 2008: Series Discontinued
In July 2008, Saturday Night's Main Event series was discontinued.
July 28, 2008: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVI
On July 28, 2008, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVI was held in Washington, D.C.
August 2, 2008: Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVI
On August 2, 2008, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVI, filmed on July 28, aired on NBC, drawing a 1.4 rating.
2008: Discontinuation of Revival
In 2008, the revived Saturday Night's Main Event series was discontinued.
2008: Previous SNME Special
The show on December 14, 2024, was the first Saturday Night's Main Event special since 2008.
February 10, 2009: WWE Releases DVD Set
On February 10, 2009, the WWE released a three-disc DVD set on the history of Saturday Night's Main Event.
2009: WrestleMania Highlight Specials
In 2009, in lieu of Saturday Night's Main Event, WWE began producing hour-long WrestleMania highlights specials for NBC, starting with The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania: The World Television Premiere.
April 2022: Repurposed Title
In April 2022, WWE repurposed the Saturday Night's Main Event title for house shows held on Saturday nights.
2022: Goldberg's last match
Goldberg has not wrestled since 2022, making the July 12, 2025, match his first in three years.
2022: Exclusion of House Shows
The dates and locations listed do not include the 2022 house shows.
September 17, 2024: Revival Announcement
On September 17, 2024, WWE announced that it would be producing a second revival of Saturday Night's Main Event, with the first episode airing on December 14 from Nassau Coliseum.
November 15, 2024: Tournament Beginning
On November 15, 2024, the tournament to crown the inaugural Women's United States Champion began, spanning episodes of SmackDown and concluding on December 14, 2024.
November 2024: Bronson Reed Injury
Bronson Reed had been out with a broken ankle since Survivor Series: WarGames in November 2024.
December 14, 2024: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII & Crowning of Inaugural Champion
On December 14, 2024, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII took place in Uniondale, New York, marking the first special since 2008 and featured the crowning of the inaugural WWE Women's United States Champion.
2024: SmackDown Return
In 2024, WWE SmackDown returned to USA Network as part of a five-year agreement with NBCUniversal, after having moved from USA Network to Fox in 2019.
May 24, 2025: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIX
On May 24, 2025, Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIX was broadcast from Tampa, Florida. The event featured the return of Cody Rhodes and Bronson Reed, and Jesse "The Body" Ventura on commentary.
July 12, 2025: Saturday Night's Main Event XL
On July 12, 2025, Saturday Night's Main Event XL will be broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia, and will feature Goldberg's first match since 2022.
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