Note: The following story is purely fan fictional and based on an alternate history of events.
In 1986, an invite to a wrestling show would change everything, including the relationships between wrestling companies. Read what happens when one of the most popular tag teams in the National Wrestling Alliance arrives at WrestleMania.
Invasion 1986
—
Part 1 – March-April, 1986
—
-NWA World Championship Wrestling (March, 1986)-
The television studio crowd begins to cheer as the Rock N’ Roll Express make their way to the interview area. Tony Schiavone welcomes them.
Tony: And here they are, Ricky and Robert, the Rock N’ Roll Express!
Ricky: Thank ya very much, Tony and baby I gotta tell ya…woo! The Rock N’ Roll Express is on fire and it’s only a matter of time, Jimmy Cornette, Midnight Express ‘fore we take back those N.W.A. World Tag Team title belts! But we ain’t here to talk about that, believe it or not.
Tony: Yes, there’s been a rumor going around about the Rock N’ Roll Express…
Ricky: That’s right, so let’s go ahead and clear the air, Tony Schiavone. Ya see, the Rock N’ Roll Express are Rock and Roll all the time, daddy! And we’ve met some of coolest rockers out there. And a friend of ours invited us up to Chicago for this show. But it ain’t a rock n’ roll show, it’s a wrestlin’ show. Ya see what happened is that this friend of ours said that he was gonna be in the corner of the best tag team in the world! That friend of ours is Ozzy Osbourne! And that team he’s talkin’ about…they call ’em the British Bulldogs. …Now I know that in this business, ya gotta be careful what ya talk about, but we have accepted Ozzy’s invitation to be at the Rosemont Horizon! We wanna see what these Bulldogs are all about and if they beat these boys they call, “the Dream Team.” Well, lemme tell ya somethin’ daddy, when it comes to a dream team, WOO, you’ lookin’ at it right here!
Many of the younger females in the audience begin screaming in agreement.
Ricky: So Midnight Express! Don’t think we’ve forgotten about you and those belts. But Ozzy Osbourne…we wanna see these boys you call the best first hand. So look out, Chi-Town ’cause the Rock N’ Roll Express, baby is on the way!
Ricky Morton and his tag team partner, Robert Gibson flash the, “I Love You,” handsign towards the camera, then the crowd and depart to cheers. David Crockett joins Tony Schiavone in front of the camera, with the two of them looking at one another, unsure how to react.
Tony: I guess they’re going, David.
David: That’s what they said, Tony…
—
-WWF WrestleMania 2 (April, 1986)-
The crowd at the Rosemont Horizon is at a fever pitch as the big Battle Royal event has just concluded. Andre The Giant is victorious and Bret Hart, the last man eliminated is being consoled by his Hart Foundation tag team partner, Jim Neidhardt, who himself had just been eliminated earlier. As they are about to make their way back up the aisle, they notice the Rock N’ Roll Express, cheering Andre The Giant’s win. Gorilla Monsoon and Mean Gene Okerlund are on commentary.
Gorilla: Look out, Mean Gene. The Hart Foundation have just noticed the two guests of Ozzy Osbourne.
Gene: Gorilla Monsoon, do you know who those two guys are?
Gorilla: I sure do, they’ve been a very popular duo and successful down South. And..uh oh.
Bret begins to mouth off at Ricky and Robert who are standing behind the guard rail. Overheard on camera is Bret.
Bret: Why don’t you go back home to your little rednecks?
Both tag teams now begin to exchange words as W.W.F. officials make their way to the four men. The Hart Foundation are about to leave peacefully, but at the last moment, Bret changes his mind, shoving Robert back. Andre, now noticing the exchange begins to leave the ring. As officials begin to attempt escorting the Hart Foundation from ringside, the Rock N’ Roll Express hop the guardrail, challenging Bret and Jim to a fight. The crowd is eating it up, cheering loudly as both teams begin to shove each other, with only the officials able to get in between.
Gorilla: Here comes big Andre!!!
Andre now personally intervenes, warning the visitors to leave immediately, by wagging his right index finger and shaking his head.
Gene: Doesn’t matter how good you are, if Andre tells you to leave…
Gorilla: You leave!
Now security has been called in to personally escort Ricky and Robert out of the building, neither getting to view the W.W.F. World Tag Team Championship match that is scheduled next. The crowd begins booing, wanting to see the Hart Foundation battle the Southern outsider team.
—
-April, 1986-
On WWF syndicated shows, including Championship Wrestling and the shows on the USA Network, the Hart Foundation videotape their one allowed statement about the incident.
Jimmy Hart: You know, a lot of people are talkin’ about what happened at WrestleMania, baby between my Hart Foundation and these no good outsiders that decided to show up. Well we’re gonna set the record straight, as only the Mouth of the South can give ya!
Bret Hart: You see, the problem is that these little rednecks decided to come up to the big time and check out some big time action! The kind of action they can’t get back home in their little rundown arenas and their no teeth fans! We’re not even going to address you by your names, because to us you’re nameless!
Jim Neidhart laughs.
Jim Neidhart: You should never pick a fight with the Anvil and the Hitman, baby! Because next time, we may have to take you down with the Hart Attack!
Jim laughs once again as Bret smirks.
Jimmy: The Hart Foundation is the best tag team in the world and British Bulldogs, we got our eyes set on you! And those W.W.F. Tag Team titles! So we’re issuin’ a challenge to you!
On NWA World Wide Wrestling and NWA Mid Atlantic Wrestling, the Rock N’ Roll Express spend their time focusing on winning preliminary matches. Doing the same in Atlanta on NWA World Championship Wrestling, no comments are made by Ricky or Robert. However, a statement is finally made by the head of Jim Crockett Promotions, Jim Crockett, Jr.
Jim Crockett: The N.W.A. Board of Directors have reviewed the recent actions of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, known as the Rock N’ Roll Express. Earlier this month, acting without permission from the National Wrestling Alliance, Morton and Gibson chose to attend an event that is seperate from N.W.A. jurisdiction. During this event, they engaged in an altercation with members of this opposing organization’s roster. These actions have caused much strife with the various N.W.A. memberships. As a result, the Rock N’ Roll Express have not been allowed to comment, only being allowed to wrestle their already contracted matches. We have spoken with both Morton and Gibson and they understand the delicate situation that we face at this time in doing business with an entity that in recent years, turned its back on the National Wrestling Alliance. Therefore…it is my duty as head of Jim Crockett Promotions and on behalf of the N.W.A., to inform you that the Rock N’ Roll Express have been suspended from N.W.A. until further notice. Thank you.
-WWF Prime Time Wrestling (April, 1986)-
Leading up to WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event, the Hart Foundation are irate at being passed over for a title shot against the British Bulldogs, with former Champions, Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik getting the shot instead. On Prime Time Wrestling, they are ready to issue a statement.
Jimmy: You know, I’m a little disappointed in the World Wrestling Federation, baby! We stand up for the W.W.F. at WrestleMania and we don’t get a title shot at the British Bulldogs! But the Hart Foundation ain’t about to go away! We’re comin’ to Saturday Night’s Main Event, baby! And we’re puttin’ out a challenge to every tag team in the World Wrestling Federation!
Bret: Any team that wants to face us, show up on Saturday Night’s Main Event! Bulldogs! You can duck us all you want, but sooner or later, you’re going to have to face us!
Jim: That’s right, Hitman! Bulldogs! We still wanna shot at those belts and we’re gonna get ’em! But in the meantime, we’re gonna take out our frustrations on any team willin’ to get in the ring with us! So if you think you’re bad enough to be in the ring with the Hart Foundation, come on down, baby and get the Hart Attack!
-NWA World Championship Wrestling (April, 1986)-
David: Ladies and gentlemen, the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes!
David Crockett announces Dusty Rhodes to the delighted crowd.
Dusty: David Crockett, Tony Schiavone! Y’know, there’s always some crazy happenin’s…goin’ on in the world of wrestlin’… “Nature Boy,” Ric Flair runnin’ around with the World’s title! The Midnight Express and Jim Cornette runnin’ their mouths! The Russians tryin’ to run over ever’body! But David and Tony, there’s somethin’ I gotta talk about and I don’t give a DAMN what happens afterwards! ‘Cause it’s somethin’ that’s gotta be said!
Dusty calmly takes off his sunglasses, tossing them to the nearby podium.
Dusty: I got a message…for the National Wrestlin’ Alliance. I got a message for Jim Crockett! I got a message for ever’body to hear! Rock N’ Roll Express! As far as the American Dream goes, ya did nothin’ wrong, daddy!
The crowd cheers, with many of the younger audience chanting, “rock and roll!”
Dusty: Listen to the fans, Crockett! Listen to the people! The people pay the money that allows us to compete! And right now, Crockett you’ ignorin’ the fans! Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson stood up for the N.W.A! They stood up for Jim Crockett Promotions! They went into enemy territory and didn’t back down when two of their boys decided to start some trouble. So Ricky and Robert! You got the American Dream’s support! You got the support of the fans! So you do what you need to do and if ya need some backup…look to the American Dream.
Dusty picks up his sunglasses and leaves the studio. All eyes are soon to be on WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event.
