Prime Time Six Man Match

[tlyne]

I'm watching episode 111 from April 20, 1987. They are showing a six man from the Boston Garden with Paul Orndorff, Adrian Adonis and Hercules vs. Billy Jack Haynes, Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan, three out of five falls, elimination rule (which may be a bit of overbooking). This is something you weren't accustomed to seeing on TV at the time.

[Mickey Yarber]

I believe I've read that this match is what inspired the Survivor Series Concept. I've heard it two different ways though. The first was that the crowd reception and heat for the match caused Patterson to take notice and foster the idea of a show with a series of these type matches. The other was that the concept came first and they ran a few of these matches to test to the audience.

[tlyne]

That makes sense. The Boston crowd went crazy. They also played it up as Piper's last appearance in the Garden.