In 1985, after losing and then regaining the title from rival Leilani Kai at the inaugural WrestleMania, Richter was scheduled to defend her title at Madison Square Garden on November 25 of that same year against a mysterious masked opponent known only as The Spider. During the match, The Spider broke from the pre-scripted events and pinned Richter's shoulders to the mat. The referee—who was in on the plan—delivered a swift three count, despite Richter kicking out after a count of one. Richter ignored the bell and continued to attack The Spider, unmasking the new champion to reveal that it was The Fabulous Moolah in disguise. Interviewed for "The Fabulous Moolah" episode of the 2019 documentary series "Dark Side of the Ring", Richter claimed she had no idea that Moolah was The Spider that evening until she unmasked her.