May 12th 2026 03:36pm

Sign Up / Sign In|Help

 

WWE celebrates 45th anniversary of Slaughter vs. Patterson Alley Fight

WWE celebrates 45th anniversary of Slaughter vs. Patterson Alley Fight

Posted: May 5th 2026 By: Joseph Currier

On its 45th anniversary, WWE took some time to remember Sgt. Slaughter and Pat Patterson’s legendary Alley Fight from 1981.

The WWE Vault YouTube channel made a new upload today with complete video of the Slaughter vs. Patterson match. Along with the footage, there is an introduction with Slaughter speaking about the matchup. It took place at Madison Square Garden on May 4, 1981 and is one of WWE’s best-remembered and most influential matches of the pre-Hulkamania era, holding significance for being an early example of WWE presenting hardcore wrestling.

Slaughter details the set-up in his introduction, explaining the story of how his rivalry with Patterson began while Patterson was working as an announcer and wrestler. Slaughter and The Grand Wizard bullied Patterson into the feud by getting him to accept a $10,000 Cobra Clutch challenge. When Patterson was about to break the hold, Slaughter gave him a knee strike and bloodied him during a beatdown.

Their issues ultimately culminated in the Alley Fight, where the heel Slaughter lost when Grand Wizard threw in the towel. Slaughter credits the match for establishing his toughness with the audience. Though Grand Wizard threw the towel in, it was clear that Slaughter wanted to continue.

The Alley Fight was recognized as the 1981 Match of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Slaughter said the bout helped inspire Mick Foley to get into pro wrestling, and WWE has held it up as an example of how to tell a good story through in-ring work. The match was contested without a referee and had no rules.

“I always wondered why they never had another one, but I guess out of respect for Pat and I, that they never had another Alley Fight,” Slaughter said. “I keep waiting for two guys that can’t get the job done and they’re going to announce an Alley Fight, but they never do

“But I always remember Mick Foley coming to me and going, ‘Sarge, I was in the third row during that match.’ And he said, ‘That excited me so much that I wanted to be a professional wrestler.’ They would always make the boys watch that match and say, ‘This is a professional wrestling match. This is what we want you to learn how to tell a story.’ Because without a referee, pretty tough to have a match without a referee. But we did it. It’s a classic, definitely a classic.”

 

Printable version Email to a friend

Supplemental Information

Latest News

1
Deja View: Before Dustin Rhodes Was Fired By WCW for Blading, There was Dusty Rhodes

Deja View: Before Dustin Rhodes Was Fired By WCW for Blading, There was Dusty Rhodes

Professional wrestling can be a very cyclical business. Many times you could be wat... Read More

All Columns

Upcoming Events

There are currently no upcoming appearences.

Complete Calendar

1

Spotlight in History

  • 2002 Rocco Valentino became the OCW Oklahoma Television Champion
  • 2012 The New Era [2nd] (Richie Adams & Goldeneye) def. The Dramatic Athletes (Jake McCoy & X-Cal) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 2012 Venus became the IZW Queens Champion
  • 2013 The Canadian Red Devil def. Bobby Starr for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 2013 Impact, Inc. (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Shawn Sanders & Tyson Jaymes (substituting for Scott Sanders) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2018 Garrett Murphy became the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 2018 Big Smooth def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 2018 Brayden def. Kareem Sadat for the BCW Independent Hardcore Title
  • 2018 Gavin Dixon def. Mikey [2nd] for the BCW Heavyweight Title
  • 2023 Ronnie Morton def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Title

Week of Sun 05-10 to Sat: 05-16

  • 05-10 2008 Jerry Bostic became the 3DW Violent Division Champion
  • 05-10 2014 Billy Ray [1st] def. Running Wolf for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 05-10 2014 American Made def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE United States Title
  • 05-10 2019 Kody Lane def. Latrell Upton for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 05-10 2023 Leo Fox def. The Wolf of War for the RDW Iron Man Title
  • 05-10 2025 Montego Seeka def. K. J. Gold for the RDW Iron Man Title
  • 05-10 2025 Sam Stackhouse def. Jack Talos for the EPW All-American Title
  • 05-10 2025 Sgt. Todd became the NAW Openweight Champion
  • 05-10 2025 Military Express (Sgt. Todd & Sgt. Hartman) became the NAW Openweight Champion
  • 05-11 1962 Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres def. Jan Madrid & Louie Tillet for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 05-11 1976 Karl Kox & Bob Sweetan def. Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 05-11 1981 Ernie Ladd def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-11 2008 The Midnite Rider def. Outlaw for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 05-11 2008 Limited Edition (Les Mayne & Dane Griffin) def. The South Side Soul Assassins (Tyson Jaymes & 3rd Rail) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-11 2013 Billy Ray [1st] became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-11 2013 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. Pretty In Pink (Mike Rose & Michael Duplanti) for the NAW Tag Team Titles
  • 05-11 2019 Drake Gallows became the KCW National Champion
  • 05-11 2024 Drake Gallows def. Ronnie Morton for the XDWF New GenX Title
  • 05-11 2024 J. R. Orullian def. Marlboro Slim for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 05-12 2002 Rocco Valentino became the OCW Oklahoma Television Champion
  • 05-12 2012 The New Era [2nd] (Richie Adams & Goldeneye) def. The Dramatic Athletes (Jake McCoy & X-Cal) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 05-12 2012 Venus became the IZW Queens Champion
  • 05-12 2013 The Canadian Red Devil def. Bobby Starr for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 05-12 2013 Impact, Inc. (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Shawn Sanders & Tyson Jaymes (substituting for Scott Sanders) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-12 2018 Garrett Murphy became the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Big Smooth def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 05-12 2018 Brayden def. Kareem Sadat for the BCW Independent Hardcore Title
  • 05-12 2018 Gavin Dixon def. Mikey [2nd] for the BCW Heavyweight Title
  • 05-12 2023 Ronnie Morton def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Title
  • 05-13 1979 Wahoo McDaniel def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-13 1984 Magnum T. A. def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-13 2006 Justin Lee def. Gary Gram for the NWA-U X Division Title
  • 05-13 2012 Les Mayne became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-13 2016 Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse def. Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 05-13 2017 Sam Stackhouse def. Drake Gallows for the BCW Buzzsaw Title
  • 05-13 2017 Garrett Murphy def. Anarchy [2nd] for the NAW Lightweight Title
  • 05-13 2023 Lunchador def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 05-13 2023 Rush Freeman became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 2023 The Psychotic Messengers (Tank Bryson & Malachi) def. Dark Forces (San La Muerte & Reese) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 05-14 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 05-14 1975 Danny Miller def. Skandor Akbar for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-14 2004 Butch Dalton def. Jon Davis for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 05-14 2004 Devon Monroe def. Mitch Carter for the TPW Light Heavyweight Title
  • 05-14 2005 John O'Malley became the IZW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-14 2005 Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-15 1959 Mike DiBiase def. Dory Funk for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 05-15 1962 Bull Curry def. Jack Dalton [1st] for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-15 1972 Dale Lewis def. Bill Watts for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-15 2010 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & Bobby Star) def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
  • 05-15 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-15 2015 Charlie Haas def. Jerome Daniels for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Title
  • 05-15 2021 Killbane def. The Canadian Red Devil for the NCWO Oklahoma Title
  • 05-16 1981 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton def. Akbar Army (Jerry Brown & Ron McFarlane) for the TSW Tag Team Titles
  • 05-16 1983 Chris Adams def. Terry Gordy for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-16 2009 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. Team Bull (Aaron Neil & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 05-16 2015 Clint Cassidy def. Mr. Nasty for the UWE United States Title
  • 05-16 2015 Brett Stopp def. Fuel for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-16 2015 Anarchy [2nd] def. Brett Stopp for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-16 2025 K. J. Gold def. Montego Seeka for the RDW Iron Man Title
  • 05-16 2025 Drake Gallows & became the RDW Tag Team Champions
05-12
  • Sol Yang May 12th Today!
  • Sensei Jamo May 12th Today!
  • Bill Howard May 12th Today!
  • Brock Baker May 12th Today!
  • Prince Mahalli May 13th
  • Payton Scott May 13th
  • Danny Hodge May 13th
  • Maggie Rae May 13th
  • Stan Kowalski May 13th
  • Little Boy Blue May 13th
  • Karl Krupp May 13th
  • Pete Maguire May 13th
  • Lars Manderson May 13th
  • Dave Ryda May 13th
  • C. M. Burnham May 14th
  • Big Van Vader May 14th
  • Shawn Bragan May 14th
  • Scott Irwin May 14th
  • Steve Williams May 14th
  • Tommy Rogers May 14th
  • Robert Fuller May 14th
  • Oscar Amazing May 15th
  • Remy Devereaux May 15th
  • Tigre Dos May 15th
  • Joe Cuedo May 15th
  • Kevin Von Erich May 15th
  • Andrew Bridge May 15th
  • Koko May 15th
  • Buddy Roberts May 16th
  • Alan Jefferson May 16th
  • Ryan Martin May 16th
  • Buddy Knox May 16th
  • Ryker James May 16th
  • Dan Maestro May 17th
  • Mike Pappas May 17th
  • Kyle Hawk May 17th
  • Billy Red Lyons May 17th
  • J. B. Pain May 17th
  • Wage May 17th
  • J. R. Wind May 18th
  • Gajo May 18th
  • Luna Nightshade May 18th
  • Jimmy Snuka May 18th
  • Kristopher Haiden May 18th
  • Akuma Jones May 18th
  • Matt Riviera May 18th
  • Will Chambers May 19th
  • Dick Slater May 19th
  • Andre the Giant May 19th
  • Mongol May 19th
  • Bateman May 19th
  • Buzz Markley May 19th
  • Dale Veasey May 20th
  • Ivan Kalmikoff May 21st
  • MAGA Chuey May 21st
  • Zach Delt May 22nd
  • Silento Rodriguez May 23rd
  • Donna Christanello May 23rd
  • Santana Jackson May 23rd
  • Kyra May 23rd
  • Babyface D'Amanti May 23rd
  • Slash May 23rd
  • Shane Rawls May 24th
  • Ricky Romero May 24th
  • Lucas May 24th
  • Gemini [2nd] May 24th
  • Paul Walker May 25th
  • Quarky Storm May 25th
  • Guy Atticus May 25th
  • Michael York May 25th
  • Dark Journey May 25th
  • Dominique Lereaux May 25th

More Look Back In History

Top Viewed Bios

Stan Pulaski Kendo Nagasaki Pat Rose Fantastics Jim Barnett