History of Saturday Night's Main Event in Timeline
Saturday Night's Main Event is a long-running professional wrestling television program originally produced by WWE (then WWF) in the 1980s. Designed as a prime-time spectacle to complement the weekly syndicated shows, it served as a platform for high-profile matches, championship defenses, and major storylines that helped propel the professional wrestling boom of the era. The show was notable for its shift away from standard arena recordings, offering a big-event atmosphere that featured top superstars like Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. After a long hiatus, the brand was sporadically revived, most recently returning under the modern WWE banner. It remains a historic staple of sports entertainment, recognized for bridging the gap between weekly television and major pay-per-view events.
1984: WWF Specials on MTV
During 1984, the WWF aired wrestling specials on MTV that generated high ratings, leading to the creation of Saturday Night's Main Event.
May 10, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event I
On May 10, 1985, the inaugural Saturday Night's Main Event took place at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The event, which aired on May 11, 1985, achieved an 8.8 rating on NBC and introduced the tradition of local police escorting Superstars to the ring.
May 11, 1985: Debut of Saturday Night's Main Event
On May 11, 1985, Saturday Night's Main Event officially debuted on NBC, occupying the late-night time slot previously reserved for Saturday Night Live reruns.
October 3, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event II
On October 3, 1985, Saturday Night's Main Event II was held at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
October 5, 1985: Broadcast of Saturday Night's Main Event II
The recorded event, Saturday Night's Main Event II, was broadcast on NBC on October 5, 1985, achieving an 8.3 rating.
October 31, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event III Live Recording
On October 31, 1985, the wrestling event Saturday Night's Main Event III was filmed live at the Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
November 2, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event III Broadcast
On November 2, 1985, Saturday Night's Main Event III was broadcast on the NBC network, achieving a television rating of 6.3.
December 19, 1985: Saturday Night's Main Event IV Taping
On December 19, 1985, the wrestling event Saturday Night's Main Event IV was recorded at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida.
1985: Inaugural theme music usage
Beginning in 1985 and continuing through 1988, Saturday Night's Main Event utilized "Obsession" by Animotion as its opening theme and "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins as its closing theme, with "Take On Me" by a-ha used for show bumpers.
1985: Premiere of Saturday Night's Main Event
In 1985, the professional wrestling television series Saturday Night's Main Event made its debut as a broadcast special produced by the World Wrestling Federation.
January 4, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event IV Broadcast
On January 4, 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event IV was broadcast on NBC and achieved a 10.4 television rating.
February 15, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event V Live Taping
On February 15, 1986, the professional wrestling event Saturday Night's Main Event V was recorded live at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona.
March 1, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event V Broadcast
On March 1, 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event V was broadcast on television, achieving a 10.0 rating for the network.
May 1, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VI Taping
On May 1, 1986, the professional wrestling program Saturday Night's Main Event VI was filmed live at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
May 3, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VI Broadcast
On May 3, 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event VI was broadcast on NBC, achieving a significant 9.3 rating.
September 13, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VII
On September 13, 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event VII was held at the Coliseum at Richfield in Richfield, Ohio. The wrestling event was later broadcast on NBC on October 4, 1986, where it achieved a 9.4 rating.
October 4, 1986: Introduction of cold open promos
On October 4, 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event introduced a new cold open format featuring short wrestler promos set to a loop of Lee Ritenour's "Traveling Music".
November 15, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VIII Live Taping
On November 15, 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event VIII was recorded live at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California.
November 29, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event VIII Television Airing
On November 29, 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event VIII was broadcast on NBC, achieving a 9.7 television rating.
December 14, 1986: Saturday Night's Main Event IX Taping
On December 14, 1986, the professional wrestling event Saturday Night's Main Event IX was held at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
1986: Jake Roberts Attacks Ricky Steamboat
In 1986, Jake 'The Snake' Roberts initiated a long-standing feud with Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat by ambushing him before their match, delivering a DDT on the concrete floor.
1986: Establishment of Airdate Schedule
In 1986, Saturday Night's Main Event began following a predictable seasonal airing schedule, occurring around holidays and specific months throughout the year.
January 3, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event IX Broadcast
On January 3, 1987, the previously recorded Saturday Night's Main Event IX was broadcast on NBC and achieved a 10.6 television rating.
February 21, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event X
On February 21, 1987, Saturday Night's Main Event X was held at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The event was later broadcast on NBC on March 14, 1987, and achieved a notable 11.6 television rating.
March 14, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event Record Ratings
On March 14, 1987, Saturday Night's Main Event achieved an 11.6 rating, the highest rating for that time slot in history, headlined by a battle royal featuring Hulk Hogan and André the Giant.
April 28, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XI Taping
On April 28, 1987, Saturday Night's Main Event XI was filmed live at the Edmund P. Joyce Center located in Notre Dame, Indiana.
May 2, 1987: Saturday Night's Main Event XI Broadcast
On May 2, 1987, Saturday Night's Main Event XI was broadcast on the NBC network, achieving a 9.5 television rating.
1987: WWF Slammy Awards
In 1987, the WWF Slammy Awards utilized an original instrumental theme that would later become the standard theme for Saturday Night's Main Event in early 1988.
February 5, 1988: The Main Event Premiere
The first Friday night prime time special, The Main Event, aired on February 5, 1988, featuring a WrestleMania III rematch between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant, setting a record with a 15.2 rating and 33 million viewers.
February 1988: Adoption of original WWF instrumental theme
In February 1988, the show transitioned away from licensed music to an original WWF-created instrumental theme that had previously been used for the 1987 Slammy Awards.
1988: The Main Event spin-off premiere
In 1988, a spin-off program titled The Main Event began airing annually on Friday nights, expanding the reach of the wrestling franchise.
1988: Introduction of the Winged Eagle Championship Belt
In 1988, the WWF introduced the iconic 'Winged Eagle' belt design, which served as the WWF World Heavyweight Championship title. This classic design was later referenced in modern programming as a tribute to that era.
1989: Introduction of Summertime Bonus Editions
In 1989, the program expanded its typical schedule by introducing special 'Summertime Bonus Editions' in July to maintain audience interest.
1990: Summertime Bonus Editions and Promotion
During 1990, the show continued its 'Summertime Bonus Editions' and utilized appearances on The Arsenio Hall Show to generate hype for the events.
1990: Broadcasting partnership change
In 1990, Roddy Piper stepped into the role of color commentator alongside Vince McMahon following Jesse Ventura's departure from the WWF.
April 27, 1991: Final NBC Airing of Saturday Night's Main Event
On April 27, 1991, Saturday Night's Main Event was broadcast for the final time on NBC as the network shifted its focus toward NBA game coverage.
1991: End of NBC Broadcast Run
In 1991, the series concluded its long-standing broadcast relationship with the NBC network.
February 8, 1992: Saturday Night's Main Event Fox Debut
On February 8, 1992, the first of two episodes of Saturday Night's Main Event was aired following the show's transition to the Fox network.
February 1992: New opening theme debut
For the February 1992 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, a distinct new opening theme song was utilized to introduce the broadcast.
November 14, 1992: Final Original Run of Saturday Night's Main Event
The final episode of the original run of Saturday Night's Main Event was broadcast on November 14, 1992, on the Fox network.
1992: Cancellation of Saturday Night's Main Event on Fox
Following a decline in ratings and a move to the Fox network, Saturday Night's Main Event was officially canceled in 1992 after airing two final editions.
1992: Original Series Conclusion
The initial run of the Saturday Night's Main Event television specials, which began on NBC and moved briefly to Fox, concluded in 1992.
2005: WWE Raw Returns to USA Network
In 2005, the WWE's flagship television program, Raw, successfully returned to the USA Network as its primary broadcast home.
March 18, 2006: Saturday Night's Main Event Returns to NBC
On March 18, 2006, the professional wrestling program Saturday Night's Main Event made its highly anticipated return to NBC during a prime-time slot, marking the first of five scheduled episodes.
2006: Revival on NBC
In 2006, the Saturday Night's Main Event series was officially revived, returning to the NBC network for a new set of specials.
July 2008: Discontinuation of Saturday Night's Main Event
In July 2008, the long-running series Saturday Night's Main Event was officially discontinued by the WWE.
2008: Discontinuation of Saturday Night's Main Event
After airing five episodes during its revival run, Saturday Night's Main Event was discontinued in 2008.
2008: Conclusion of Second Run
The revival series of Saturday Night's Main Event, which had been airing on NBC since 2006, came to an end in 2008.
2009: The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania: The World Television Premiere
In 2009, the WWE began producing hour-long WrestleMania highlights specials for NBC, starting with the broadcast of The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania: The World Television Premiere.
2019: WWE SmackDown moves to Fox
In 2019, the professional wrestling program WWE SmackDown concluded its run on the USA Network and transitioned to the Fox broadcast network as part of a major media rights shift.
April 2022: Saturday Night's Main Event House Show Branding
In April 2022, WWE began using the Saturday Night's Main Event title specifically for their Saturday night house show events.
2022: Televised Events of 2022
During the year 2022, the list of televised events was compiled, specifically excluding any house shows that occurred throughout that year.
2022: Saturday Night's Main Event televised match results excluding 2022 house shows
In 2022, the historical records for Saturday Night's Main Event focused exclusively on televised shows, with all results from house shows held during the year 2022 being explicitly excluded from the documentation.
September 17, 2024: Announcement of the second revival of Saturday Night's Main Event
On September 17, 2024, WWE officially announced the revival of the Saturday Night's Main Event series, confirming that the first episode of this new run would be broadcast on December 14 from the Nassau Coliseum, which is historically significant as the venue for the original series premiere.
2024: Modern Revival
In 2024, Saturday Night's Main Event was revived once again, featuring professional wrestling talent from the modern-day WWE Raw and SmackDown brands.
August 2025: Exclusive Peacock Distribution
In August 2025, WWE announced that Saturday Night's Main Event would transition to being broadcast exclusively on the Peacock platform in the United States.
August 2025: Saturday Night's Main Event Move to Peacock
In August 2025, it was announced that Saturday Night's Main Event would transition to NBC's sister streaming platform, Peacock, within the United States. This strategic shift occurred after the platform lost live main roster event rights to ESPN, and it was also noted that the upcoming December broadcast would host the retirement match of John Cena.
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