By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

We're debuting a new feature on PWTorch.com counting down to WrestleMania 25 in Houston on April 5. Every day, we'll post a new story looking at a historically-significant moment, event, person, statistic, or "did you know?" from the previous 24 editions.

Going back to the very first WrestleMania in New York City on March 31, 1985, one of the featured matches on the card was Wendi Richter vs. Leilani Kai for the Women's Title. It was the semi-main event of Vince McMahon's major gamble with the first WrestleMania card and one of the catalysts for the company's national expansion success, along with the Hulk Hogan and Mr. T program.

"Wrestling wasn't truly mainstream. It was pretending it was," said Torch editor Wade Keller in a WrestleMania VIP audio retrospective recorded in March 2006.

In the build-up to WrestleMania, WWE tapped into the booming MTV audience with a few specials involving recording artist Cyndi Lauper, whose full-fledged involvement in wrestling along with a smash hit, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," brought wrestling to the mainstream.

"At this time, Wendi Richter was being pushed - not at Hulk Hogan's level, but about as close as a woman has been," said Keller.

On MTV and NBC's Saturday Night's Main Event, Wendi Richter was featured with Lauper in her corner as the white-meat babyface feuding against the old veteran, Fabulous Moolah, who was in the corner of Leilani Kai at the first Mania.

"It really was the most important women's match in WWE history," said Torch columnist Bruce Mitchell. "With Cyndi Lauper, it gave this celebrity stuff and glitz to get them in the mainstream."

Richter was riding the momentum of the "Rock 'n Wrestling" era and felt she was worth more than what some of the prelim male wrestlers were earning. This led to plenty of "discussions" with Vince McMahon about paydays, which McMahon eventually grew tired of.

About six months later on November 25, 1985, Richter lost the Women's Title to Moolah when the referee counted a three count for Moolah when Richter kicked out of a small package several times. (Moolah was dressed as the Spider Lady and Richter ripped off the mask post-match to reveal Moolah.)

Today, it's considered the "Original Screwjob," as Richter stormed out of the ring and left New York, never to be heard from again in WWE. In her autobiography, Moolah wrote that she warned Richter against discussing paydays with McMahon and told her to be grateful for having a national TV opportunity when Richter wasn't considered that great of a wrestler to begin with.

"That girl didn't take my advice," Moolah wrote about Richter approaching McMahon shortly before the November MSG show. "She stormed in on Vince and told him she wanted the rest of her money. He looked at her like she was crazy, and then she demanded her fifty thousand. Now, I told you Vince is the sweetest man I've ever met, but not if you cross him."

VIP Audio selection: WrestleMania I Audio roundtable discussion with Keller, Mitchell, McNeill.

VIDEO selections: Video 1: Wendi Richter shoot interview discussing WrestleMania I and her lack of payoffs. Video 2: Wendi Richter discussing the "Original Screwjob." Video 3: The last time Wendi Richter was seen in a WWE ring when "Spider" Fabulous Moolah scored a pinfall when Richter kicked out several times. (6:50 mark.)







Torch readers: if you have a suggestion for a particular "moment" that might be beneath the surface or forgotten, but still significant, send an email to pwtorch@gmail.com.

WRESTLEMANIA COUNTDOWN INDEX
-- Moment #58 - Razor vs. HBK ladder match (WM X)
WRESTLEMANIA COUNTDOWN INDEX
-- Moment #59 - Austin vs. Rock at WM 17
-- Intro to Countdown series

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