| 1 | Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy — The Broken Rib Attack Road to WrestleMania 2's True Main Event The primary feud heading into WrestleMania 2 began building on November 2, 1985, at Saturday Night's Main Event III, where Hogan teamed with Andre the Giant against Bundy and Big John Studd. The decisive moment came on March 1, 1986, during Saturday Night's Main Event V. During Hogan's WWF title defence against Don Muraco, King Kong Bundy interfered and — with Muraco's help — initiated a devastating 2-on-1 assault on the champion. Bundy repeatedly hit Hogan with his signature Avalanche body splash, using his enormous body weight to crush Hogan's ribs. The attack left Hogan with a serious scripted injury. Medical advice warned Hogan not to compete at WrestleMania, but the champion refused to back down and accepted Bundy's WrestleMania challenge. A Steel Cage match was booked — the most extreme environment available — to prevent outside interference. The cage, revenge, and Hogan's injured ribs gave the match all the dramatic ingredients it needed. | Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy | Bundy and Muraco broke Hogan's ribs in 2-on-1 attack | Saturday Night's Main Event V — March 1, 1986 | Steel Cage Match — WWF Championship |
| 2 | Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper — Real Hatred Turned Into a Boxing Match Celebrity Rivalry Fuelled by Genuine Locker Room Animosity The second major feud heading into WrestleMania 2 had its roots in WrestleMania I itself. Piper and Mr. T had been on opposing sides of the main event tag match at the inaugural WrestleMania, with Hogan and Mr. T defeating Piper and Orndorff. The feud restarted in 1986 — significantly because Piper and several WWF locker room members genuinely disliked Mr. T, who was an actor with no wrestling background. To capitalise on this animosity, the WWF positioned Mr. T as a 'special WWE boxer' competing in boxing matches. On the March 1 Saturday Night's Main Event, Mr. T defeated Bob Orton in a boxing match. After the bell, Piper distracted Mr. T and allowed Orton to attack from behind, launching a 2-on-1 assault. Mr. T demanded revenge, specifically in a boxing match against Piper himself. Joe Frazier trained Mr. T for the encounter, lending authentic boxing legitimacy to the celebrity-driven main event. | Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper | — | — | — |
| 3 | British Bulldogs vs. The Dream Team — Tag Team Title Chase Chicago's Most Athletic Feud The British Bulldogs — Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid — had been one of the most exciting tag teams in the WWF for months heading into WrestleMania 2. Their athleticism, speed, and technical excellence contrasted beautifully with the rough-and-tumble power game of WWF Tag Team Champions The Dream Team of Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake, managed by 'Luscious' Johnny Valiant. The Bulldogs were the fan-favourite challengers with enormous support from Captain Lou Albano, and the addition of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne to their corner for WrestleMania further elevated the match's profile and the crowd's enthusiasm. The title change in Chicago was one of the most celebrated moments of the event. | British Bulldogs vs. The Dream Team | — | — | — |
| 4 | Randy Savage vs. George Steele — The Love Triangle Miss Elizabeth at the Centre of the Intercontinental Championship Feud The Savage vs. Steele feud was unique in WWF programming because its central dramatic engine was not hatred between the two competitors — it was love. George 'The Animal' Steele had become completely and genuinely infatuated with the beautiful Miss Elizabeth, Savage's real-life wife and on-screen valet. This obsession made Steele sympathetic to the crowd despite his wild and unpredictable behaviour. Savage, meanwhile, was growing increasingly paranoid and jealous about Steele's attention toward Elizabeth. The feud played out on WWF television throughout early 1986, with Steele repeatedly disrupting Savage's activities in pursuit of Elizabeth's attention. The love triangle gave the Intercontinental Championship match an emotional dimension far beyond standard sports competition. | Randy Savage vs. George Steele | — | — | — |
| 5 | Corporal Kirchner vs. Nikolai Volkoff — Cold War Flag Match American Patriotism vs. Soviet Villainy The Corporal Kirchner vs. Nikolai Volkoff feud was a straightforward but effective product of its time — the height of Cold War tensions in mid-1980s America. Volkoff, managed by the legendary Freddie Blassie, was the quintessential Soviet villain, insisting on singing the Soviet national anthem before matches and taunting American audiences at every opportunity. Kirchner embodied American military virtue and patriotism. Their Flag Match stipulation — in which the winning nation's flag would be raised in the arena — was perfectly designed for maximum crowd heat in the flag-waving atmosphere of 1986 WWF. | Corporal Kirchner vs. Nikolai Volkoff | — | — | — |