Wrestling

List of WrestleMania III Superstars Making Their WrestleMania Debut

Every WWE superstar who competed at WrestleMania for the very first time at WrestleMania III.

5 itemsUpdated Mar 18, 2026

WrestleMania III's 12-match format brought several important superstars to the WrestleMania stage for the first time — many of whom would go on to become cornerstones of the WWF's late 1980s golden era.

#	Name	Match	Result	Debut year
1	Bret 'Hitman' Hart WrestleMania III Debut — Six-Man Tag as WWF Tag Team Champion Bret Hart's WrestleMania III appearance was his first as an active performing competitor in a featured match — his WM2 Battle Royal appearance had been a cameo. At WrestleMania III, Hart was WWF Tag Team Champion as part of The Hart Foundation and competed in the six-man tag match against the British Bulldogs and Tito Santana. The WM3 performance gave Hart a WrestleMania victory, beginning his record of WrestleMania excellence that would eventually include legendary singles matches at WM10 and WM13.	Six-man tag — Hart Foundation and Davis vs. Bulldogs and ...	Won	WrestleMania III (1987)
2	The Honky Tonk Man WrestleMania III Debut — Singles Match vs. Jake Roberts The Honky Tonk Man made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania III — a debut that immediately established him as one of the WWF's premier cowardly heels. His victory over Jake Roberts with Jimmy Hart's assistance began one of the most controversial championship reigns in WWF history — he would win the Intercontinental Championship from Ricky Steamboat on June 2, 1987, just 65 days after WM3, and hold it for a record 454 days.	vs. Jake Roberts — singles	Won	WrestleMania III (1987)
3	Brutus 'The Barber' Beefcake WrestleMania III Debut — Dream Team Tag Match and Piper's Corner Brutus Beefcake had a pivotal WrestleMania III — competing as one-half of The Dream Team in the tag match against the Rougeau Brothers, but more importantly, serving as the man who revived Roddy Piper with smelling salts during the Hair vs. Hair match. The latter act was his first significant babyface moment — the beginning of his transformation from villain to the fan-favourite 'Barber' character that would define his subsequent career.	—	—	WrestleMania III (1987)
4	Jim Neidhart WrestleMania III Debut — Six-Man Tag as WWF Tag Team Champion Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart made his WrestleMania debut as one-half of The Hart Foundation, competing in the six-man tag alongside Bret Hart and Danny Davis. Neidhart's power game and physical intimidation were central to The Hart Foundation's identity as one of the 1980s' most effective heel tag teams.	Six-man tag — Hart Foundation and Davis vs. Bulldogs and ...	Won	WrestleMania III (1987)
5	Rick Martel WrestleMania III Debut — Can-Am Connection Opening Tag Rick Martel made his WrestleMania debut as one-half of The Can-Am Connection in the event's opening tag match. Martel's career in the WWF would evolve significantly — his Can-Am Connection partnership dissolved when Tom Zenk walked out on his contract, and Martel eventually found his greatest WWF success as 'The Model' with Slick as his manager in the early 1990s.	Can-Am Connection tag vs. Orton and Muraco	Won	WrestleMania III (1987)

This list is compiled from verified public records and reference sources. Last verified: March 18, 2026.

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