Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: – Jim Londos defeated Bronco Nagurski for the World Heavyweight Title
1942
Des Moines, Iowa: – Orville Brown defeated Ed “Strangler” Lewis in 2 out of 3 falls – Ken Fenelon beat Nick Elitch 2 falls to 0 – Ronnie Etchison beat Bad Boy Brown
1971
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: – Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens beat AWA Tag Team Champions The Crusher & Red Bastien dq – Billy Robinson beat Lars Anderson – Larry Hennig beat Dr. X – Ivan Koloff beat Bull Bullinski – Don Muraco beat Treach Phillips
1972
Chicago, Illinois: – AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens beat Dick the Bruiser & the Crusher – Wahoo McDaniel beat Ivan Koloff – Superstar Billy Graham beat Moose Cholak – Rene Goulet drew George Scott – Larry Hennig beat Joe Scarpello
1976
St. Louis, Missouri: – Jack Brisco defeated Bob Backlund to win the Missouri State Title
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Attendance was 10,000 – AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel double count out Verne Gagne (Special Referee: Pat O’Connor) – The Crusher beat Baron Von Raschke – Jim Brunzell beat Pierre Poisson – Pedro Morales beat Blackjack Lanza – Pat O’Connor beat Bobby Duncum – Peter Maivia drew Moose Morowski
Kansas City, Kansas: – Akio Sato defeated The Iron Sheik via DQ – Bob Brown defeated Ronnie Etchison – Bob Geigel & The Super Intern defeated Bob Brown & Mitsuo Hata
1983
Cleveland, Ohio: – Ted DiBiase defeated Brett Wayne Sawyer for the Georgia National Heavyweight Title
1992
Macon, Georgia: – Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas defeated Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes to win the NWA & WCW World Tag Team Titles – Sting and Rick Rude wrestled to a 20 minute draw
1995
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: – ECW World Champion Mikey Whipwreck defeated Steve Austin – ECW World Tag Team Champions 2 Cold Scorpio & The Sandman defeated The Public Enemy
2001
Greensboro, North Carolina: – WCW Tag Team Champions The Dudley Boyz defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Matt & Jeff Hardy in a steel cage unification match – The Rock defeated Steve Austin
2007
Miami, Florida: – ECW Champion CM Punk defeated The Miz and John Morrison – WWE Champion Randy Orton defeated Shawn Michaels – World Champion Batista defeated The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match
2012
– WWE Champion CM Punk defeated Ryback and John Cena – United States Champion Antonio Cesaro defeated R Truth
Kansas City, Kansas: – World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz beat Ernie Dusek 2 falls to 0 – Joe Dusek and Mike Sharpe drew – Ben Sharpe beat Ben Morgan – Karl Davis defeated Babe Zaharias
1956
Kansas City, Kansas: – In a match for the Central State title, Richard Brown defeated Dr. Lee Grable to win title – Gene Stanlee defeated Bobby Lane
1972
Denver, Colorado: – Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch beat The Crusher & Billy Robinson in 2 out of 3 falls – Wahoo McDaniel beat Ivan Koloff – Superstar Billy Graham beat George Scott – Lani Kealoha (Jimmy Snuka) beat Larry Hennig by dq
1986
Fort Worth, Texas: – Lance Von Erich & The Dingo Warrior (Ultimate Warrior) defeated Matt Borne & Master Gee (subbing for Buzz Sawyer) to win the World Class Championship Wrestling Tag Team Titles
1996
Madison Square Garden: – Sid Vicious defeated Shawn Michaels to win the WWF World Heavyweight Title – Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin – The Undertaker defeated Mankind
1998
Columbus, Ohio: – Duane Gill defeated Christian for the WWF Light Heavyweight Title
2002
New York City: – Billy Kidman defeated Jamie Noble to capture the Cruiserweight Title – Victoria defeated Trish Stratus in a hardcore match to capture the WWE Women’s Title – Big Show defeated Brock Lesnar to capture the WWE World Title – Eddie & Chavo Guerrero defeated Edge & Rey Mysterio Jr. and Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit in a three way elimination match to capture the Smackdown WWE World Tag Titles – Shawn Michaels defeated Triple H, Chris Jericho, Kane, Booker T and Rob Van Dam in the Elimination Chamber to capture the RAW World Title
2011
Orlando, Florida: – Matt Morgan & Crimson defeated Mexican America to win the TNA World Tag Team Titles
Two weeks ago, a Pennsylvania judge, at the request of the district attorney, issued a gag order in the murder trial of retired wrestling superstar Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka for the 1983 death of his girlfriend Nancy Argentino.
The gag order had its immediate intended effect: Nancy’s sisters were prevented from talking with CBS News about the longest-running cold case in the history of the Lehigh Valley, and 48 Hours decided to put on indefinite hold an hour-long episode in pre-production.
Of course, 48 Hours promises to jump right back in when the gag order expires. But I believe that, by then, the national coverage could be tepid and cookie-cutter: just another story of a well-connected celebrity getting away with something for too long, and the victim’s family’s quest for a measure of justice.
From my perspective, the larger story comes in between now and then, but because of the gag order, is likely to get short shrift. I’m referring to hard-hitting examination of the original police and prosecution work — either botched or downright corrupt — that kept the Snuka case on the back burner for more than 30 years.
And make no mistake: it is the national media, and the national media alone, that would tell that story, certainly not the Allentown Morning Call.
True, it was the Morning Call’s better-late-than-never 2013 front-page package that finally got Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin moving again. But the newspaper also carefully fudged then, and continues not to make clear to its readers today, the aspects calling out an overly incestuous local criminal justice establishment.
Specifically: Martin was first assistant D.A. in ’83 under William Platt, who is now a senior state judge. Several of the same individuals and institutions that let Snuka slide, at the time and for many years now, bear the current burden of delivering to a jury a case of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Almost no one is talking about this disconnect.
Peter L. Pavlovic, a retired police officer in another county township, encapsulated the problem in a letter to the Morning Call. In order to have a truly “fresh look” at the Snuka case, Pavlovic argued, “You need a new investigation team, and that should be the state police, not a county detective who investigated the case as a Whitehall police detective and did not file any charges. This case was not rocket science; this case was a case of conflicting stories by the person involved. This was a case of just bad police work.”
Meanwhile, in a ham-handed attempt to chill the First Amendment rights of one of his constituents, D.A. Martin earlier this year sued Bill Villa, an Allentown advertising man who blogs about local skulduggery at his site “Lehigh Valley Somebody.” Martin sued Villa for defamation for having the audacity to write, among other things, that the D.A. (as a reelection candidate) and the Morning Call have used the services of the same law firm. What had started Villa in his muckraking avocation was the soft-pedaled prosecution of a son of one of the law firm’s partners. The son, Robert LaBarre, was convicted of vehicular homicide in the drunk-driving accident in which Villa’s daughter Sheena was killed.
This is not the place for reviewing the LaBarre case, except to say that almost immediately after the 2006 incident, LaBarre, who had been released without bail, jetted to Belize to party. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas judge who allowed all this, with no consequences, was Robert Steinberg — earlier one of the assistants who sat in with D.A. Platt at the June 1, 1983, meeting with Vince McMahon that culminated in no charges for Snuka.
The upshot of the parallel chilling of national media scrutiny in the Snuka case — via a gag order with neither merit nor constitutional basis — is that Snuka might very well get off the hook. Or he might be allowed, with little scrutiny, to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter (for not calling early enough for emergency medical attention) in return for dropping the felony charge of third degree murder in the traumatic brain injury death of Argentino. Remember that the original coroner’s autopsy report said Argentino had sustained a pattern of bruises throughout her body “consistent with ‘mate abuse.’”
In my estimation, today’s justice calculus goes beyond whether the 72-year-old Snuka, who is recovering from stomach cancer surgery, should do prison time for an incident from three decades ago. His conviction at trial on the felony count is no sure thing, anyway, given how stale prosecutors let the evidence against him become. There is nothing of importance in the September indictment of Snuka not fully known to them in ‘83.
Did garden-variety incompetence, or WWE-greased corruption, derail swift and sure justice? Thanks to the gag order (issued by yet another former assistant D.A., Judge Kelly Banach, who had worked under Martin), we might never have that important public conversation regarding whatever kept the Snuka-Argentino file buried and in suspense for so long.
As is well known, Snuka’s own 2012 autobiography went to the trouble of recounting how his boss McMahon carried a briefcase into his meeting with Platt, Steinberg, and three Whitehall Township police detectives. Whether or not that was true (or whether it mattered even if true), WWF’s tri-weekly syndicated television tapings at the Allentown Fairgrounds and in nearby Hamburg were ongoing shots of Chamber of Commerce steroids for all of Eastern Pennsylvania.
The only arguably new information in the September grand jury presentment was the testimony of Snuka’s ex-wife and of Buddy Rogers’ widow that Snuka had shown a pattern of domestic violence against the ex-wife. In that connection, the gag order eases the pressure on prosecutors to develop additional witnesses who might have come forward subsequent to the grand jury.
Recently a woman, whose bona fides checked out, contacted Concussion Inc. with information about her time as Snuka’s girlfriend in the 1990s. The information included both allegations that Snuka abused her and a claim that he gave her an account of how Nancy Argentino had died. The account purportedly identified the blunt object in the hotel room that Nancy’s head struck.
Unfortunately, instead of advancing on such angles, the national media are in retreat. The gag order has jeopardized the full airing of something more than your average celebrity murder case.
For any longtime wrestling fan over the age of 40, we all have memories of a different time and, quite frankly, a different world. A world with no Internet, 13 TV channels (or less), and where the best video or computer game was Pong or electronic Tiger handheld games.
And no matter where you were in North America, you had the local wrestling company. And as far as you knew, this was the whole wrestling world. The world champion was the true Champion Of The World, and there was no one better. The TV commentators were the only ones you knew, so they were the best as well. You liked the good guys and you hated the bad guys. It wasn’t “cool” to cheer them; they were evil and you wanted to see your heroes beat them.
It was in this environment that I started watching wrestling in my hometown of Winnipeg, right in the middle of AWA territory (well, the far north part of the middle). Every Saturday evening at 6 pm, AWA All-Star Wrestling would come on, and I didn’t know anyone who didn’t watch it. Young and old, male and female….everyone. After that, we switched over to Hockey Night in Canada on CBC at 7 for our only hockey game of the week.
In this environment, two guys stood head and shoulders above everyone else in the wrestling world. Verne Gagne was the old man who wasn’t always around but when he was, we knew that despite his advanced age, if he could get his deadly sleeper on, he could take anyone out. Big brutal Russians, wild Frenchmen, Goose-stepping Nazis, Middle-Eastern shieks….it didn’t matter, Gagne would save the day.
Whenever he wasn’t around, the best in the world was Nick Bockwinkel. In fact, Gagne was pretty much semi-retired by the time I was 9 years old so to me, Bockwinkel was the man. But he wasn’t that big….surely my favorites would be able to take him down. But one by one, they came and went, and for the most part, they couldn’t get the job done. And Bockwinkel, along with his evil manager Bobby “The Weasel” Heenan (sure, he called himself “The Brain”, but we knew differently), would always find a way to get the job done and keep the title. Even Hulk Hogan, larger than life and soon to be a movie star, couldn’t get the job done and eventually left wrestling altogether (as far we knew).
I even recall an “imposter” world champion who showed up on TV, claimed to be the real deal, and said he was coming to Winnipeg to defend “his” title against Bockwinkel. This was the first time I was ever behind Nick as I didn’t want to see this “fake” world champion beat the guy who’d beaten all my favorites. Plus, he could take his title to boot! Well, Bockwinkel and his opponent, a guy named Ric Flair, went to a no-contest on a cold night in mid-January 1986. Bockwinkel didn’t take the NWA title that night, but stood his ground, and went on to continue beating all my heroes.
Eventually, Bockwinkel got older and went from the hated villain to the respected veteran. He still had some tricks up his sleeve, and won the title as late as 1987 before eventually losing it to Curt Hennig. By this point, we had other options. WWF Maple Leaf Wrestling and Superstars of Wrestling had replaced All-Star Wrestling on Saturdays, eventually moving to 11 am. If we wanted to see the stars of the AWA, we had to pay for something called cable, which was not cheap back then. I had a good job in high school so I paid for it myself — specifically so I could continue to follow it.
A few years later, Bockwinkel showed up in WCW as the commissioner. He still had the gift of gab, even if he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) get in the ring anymore. It was a nice remembrance of my childhood to see him again. Eventually, he faded out of the spotlight. Over the years, it was always nice to hear stories of how he was still keeping an eye on the industry and reading about in the Observer. It was also sad to hear how he hadn’t been able to attend Cauliflower Alley the last few years after being such a big part of it in the past.
When I heard on Sunday that he’d passed away, it was another part of my childhood gone and a link to a long-forgotten world that most of the people reading this probably didn’t even know existed. At least we have the memories and the legacy he left behind and for that I’d like to say thank you, Nick Bockwinkel. Rest in peace.
British wrestling is on the up, with some of the bigger promotions drawing huge crowds, some of the smaller ones doing very interesting things with pro-wrestling, and some of our homegrown stars making waves outside their home territory. Here are five things you need to know about the scene this week:
1) ICW drew the biggest British wrestling crowd in over thirty years on Sunday night, when they presented Fear & Loathing VIII at the SECC in Glasgow.
The promotion, formed in Glasgow in 2006 by Mark Dallas, have had a banner year, with two national tours, two documentaries on BBC TV, and a series of sell-out shows in ever bigger halls in their hometown. For Sunday’s show, they booked an almost entirely British crew, with only Rhyno – who is involved in storylines as a regular import – and the Sumerian Death Squad from Holland, flying in. Mick Foley was brought in as host, but it’s clear that the huge majority of the four thousand tickets were sold on ICW’s reputation for a great show. Before the show started, they announced that Fear & Loathing IX would be held at the Hydro, a thirteen thousand capacity venue across the city. It may be a step too far but few would bet against Dallas and his crew making it.
As for the show itself, Grado became the new ICW Heavyweight champion, defeating Drew Galloway after a typically-ICW series of run-ins and surprises, with the whole roster celebrating in the ring with him afterwards. Earlier in the show, Viper became the first ICW Women’s champion, and Davey Boy beat Stevie Boy in the battle of the Buckie Boys to win the ICW Zero G title. The show will be up on ICW On Demand by the time you read this, and is well worth a look.
2) It’s WAR!
Well, it’s not really, but there is a big clash coming up in January, when PROGRESS’ next ENDVR show goes head to head with Revolution Pro-Wrestling’s next TV taping, just three miles away. ENDVR is the middle of three tiers that PROGRESS operate at, and while it’s not the big shows that sell out the 750-seat Electric Ballroom every month, it does sell out the 300-seat Garage in Highbury Corner. RevPro’s tapings, at the perfect-for-TV-wrestling Cockpit theatre in Marylebone, are stacked with talent, and the promotion had advertised Zack Sabre Jr before he was booked by PWG, and have now booked Will Ospreay versus ACH. It will give the hardcore fans a tough choice, but with ENDVR tickets having been on sale a week before RevPro announced their date, PROGRESS have the upper hand. RevPro owner Andy Quildan has gone on record as saying he prefers to work with other promotions rather than against them and this seems to be a case of an unavoidable clash. But WAR makes for a better story…
3) British talent continues to turn heads in the U.S.
Will Ospreay, Marty Scurll, and Mark Andrews – who competed in PWG’s BOLA 2015 – are making a return trip to the Los Angeles promotion next month. While Andrews and Scurll might be known to some from their TNA connections, Ospreay is the real surprise package this year, and it’s been reported that AAA offered him a deal last month. Ospreay is only three years into his career, yet carries himself like a seasoned pro – there are few better babyfaces (“blue eyes” in old school British parlance) out there, with everything he does having meaning and impact. He’s just turned heel (or “villain”!) for IPW:UK and this reporter, for one, is interested to see how he pulls that off. American fans could do worse than get in on the ground floor – the Ospreay bandwagon starts here.
4) As well as our guys going over there, the Americans came here last week, with WWE touring the UK and Ireland (and bits of Europe, too).
While they were here they took a look at some of our talent, with try-outs being held before Raw in Manchester last Monday. Seen trying to impress WWE scouts were Scottish standout Nikki Storm, North East powerhouse Jason Prime, sometime luchadora Nina Samuels, Australian émigré Toni Storm, and the “Beast of Belfast” Big Damo. Damo’s had quite a year already, having faced Tomohiro Ishii, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Hiroshi Tanahashi for RevPro, and he’d certainly be comfortable in NXT.
5) While most of the UK’s attention was understandably focused on the ICW show, there were still a dozen shows on Friday and Saturday, up and down the UK.
Target Wrestling ran both Carlisle and Workington, and drew decent crowds with Grado and Rockstar Spud along for the ride, while NGW left their usual east coast base to run Lancashire’s west coast in Ormskirk, where Nathan Cruz defended his NGW Heavyweight title against CJ Banks. One of the more interesting shows took place in Northwich, where Great Bear Wrestling – sister promotion to RAWlternative standouts (and Chikara-Pro King of Trios entrants) Attack Pro-Wrestling – promoted Teach Me How To Dance With You, featuring teenage phenom Tyler Bate, and a Great Bear Heavyweight title match between Axel Dieter Jr and Jack Gallagher. Also on the card was Chris Brookes, continuing his brilliant heel run of defeating women, this time taking down Alexis Rose. Nixon Newell looms large in his future, I’m sure…
After two fairly quiet weeks – if you count almost 4000 people flocking to an indy show a quiet week! – next weekend hots up, with a TON of shows on offer. Join me again next week for a rundown of the movers, shakers, and headline makers!
Kansas City, Missouri: – Jim Londos beat Darna Ostopavich to retain the World Title – Jim McMillen beat Buck Olson – Fred Peterson beat Everett Kibbons – Cliff Olson drew George Gostopavich
1946
Wichita, Kansas: – Orville Brown beat Ed Virag to unify the MWA & NWA World Heavyweight Titles (Strangler Lewis was referee) – Roy Graham beat Vincent Lopez by dq – Ray Villmer defeated George Temple – Ronnie Etchison beat Red Ryan
1955
Tokyo, Japan: – Tiger Jokinder & King Kong Czaya defeated Rikidozan & Harold Sakata to win a tournament to crowd the first ever All-Asian Tag Team Champions
1961
Rochester, Minnesota: – Dale Lewis & Pat Kennedy defeated Hardboiled Haggerty & Bob Geigel for the AWA World Tag Team Title – Mr. M beat Tex McKenzie – Steve Druk beat Joe Marconi
1963
St. Paul, Minnesota: – The Crusher beat Verne Gagne in 2 out of 3 falls to win AWA Title when Gagne couldn’t answer the bell for the 3rd fall – Larry Hennig double countout with Moose Evans – Tiny Mills beat Johnny Kace – Maurice LaPointe beat Kurt Von Brauner
1972
Kansas City, Kansas: – Omar Atlas defeated Mike Loren – Bobby Whitlock & Les Thornton fought The Destroyer & Billy Howard to a draw – Steve Bolus defeated The Sheik – Harley Race & Roger Kirby defeated Danny Little Bear & Black Angus
1974
St. Paul, Minnesota: – Larry Hennig & Ivan Putski & Chris Taylor beat Baron Von Raschke & Horst Hoffman & Superstar Billy Graham 2 out of 3 falls – Boris Breznikoff & Bobby Heenan beat Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell by countout – Geoff Portz drew Larry Heiniemi – Yugo Babich beat George Gadaski – Rock Riddle beat Kenny Jay
1984
St. Louis, Missouri: – Crusher Blackwell defeated Harley Race for the Missouri State Heavyweight Title
Denver, Colorado: – AWA Tag Team Champions Road Warriors beat Fabulous Ones – Curt Hennig & Larry Hennig beat Nick Bockwinkel & Mr. Saito dq – Jimmy Garvin beat Jim Brunzell – Boom Boom Bundy beat Chris Markoff
1992
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: – The Sandman defeated Don Muraco for the ECW Heavyweight Title
1994
Jacksonville, Florida: – The Patriot & Marcus Bagwell defeated Paul Roma & Paul Orndorff to win the WCW World Tag Team Titles – Vader defeated Dustin Rhodes
1996 Memphis, Tennessee: – Jerry Lawler defeated The Colorado Kid to win the USWA Unified Heavyweight Title
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: – ECW World Heavyweight Champion The Sandman defeated Raven – Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer defeated Shane Douglas & Brian Lee
1998
Wichita, Kansas: – Juventud Guerrera defeated Billy Kidman to win the WCW Cruiserweight Title
2000
Oberhausen, Germany: – General Rection & Alex Wright defeated Mark Jindrak & Sean O’Haire to win the WCW Tag Team Titles
2003
Dallas, Texas: – TEAM ANGLE (Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, John Cena, Bradshaw, and Hardcore Holly) defeated TEAM LESNAR (Brock Lesnar, Big Show, Nathan Jones, Matt Morgan, and A-Train) – TEAM BISCHOFF (Chris Jericho, Scott Steiner, Christian, Mark Henry, and Randy Orton) defeated TEAM AUSTIN (Shawn Michaels, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, and the Dudleys) – Goldberg beat HHH to retain the RAW World Title
2008
Las Vegas, Nevada: – Former WWE champion Brock Lesnar captured the UFC Heavyweight championship, defeating Randy Couture
Kansas City, Kansas: Attendance was 3,200 (sellout) – Buddy Rogers beat Roy Graham in 2 out of 3 falls – Heart of America Champion: Jimmy Coffield and Dennis Clary went to a 45 minute draw
1954
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: – Tex McKenzie & Ilio DiPaolo defeated Tiny & Al Mills to win the NWA Canadian Tag Team Title
1955
Minneapolis, Minnesota: – Verne Gagne beat Kinji Shibuya by countout – Red Bastien beat Duke DeMetri
1962
Kansas City, Kansas: – Bob Orton defeated Roy Collins – Bob Geigel & Lee Henning defeated Matt Jewell & Sonny Myers in three falls – Tiny Mills fought Red Bastien to a no contest – Pat O’Connor fought Bob Ellis to a draw in three falls
1972
Honolulu, Hawaii: – Ed Francis & Billy Robinson beat Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens in 2 out of 3 falls to win AWA Tag Team Title (Title change only recognized in Honolulu) – Dusty Rhodes beat Sam Steamboat in 2 out of 3 falls to win North American title – Giant Baba beat Bulldog Brown dq – Lonnie Mad Dog Mayne beat Jack Carson – Tony Borne drew Ray Glenn
1973
Kansas City, Kansas: – Mike George & Jim Brunzell fought Baron Scicluna & Bob Orton ton a draw – Kit Conway defeated Bob Brown via DQ – Steve Bolus & Gentleman Ben the Wrestling Bear defeated Tokyo Joe & Taro Kabayoshi – Roger Kirby & Lord Alfred Hayes defeated Jose Rivera & Black Angus – Harley Race defeated Dory Funk, Jr. in three falls
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: – No dq Match: Superstar Billy Graham beat the Crusher – Billy Robinson & Geoff Portz beat Larry Heiniemi & Buddy Wolff – Mad Dog Vachon beat Reggie Parks – Rene Goulet drew Billy Red Cloud – Greg Gagne beat Ric Flair
1976
Augusta, Georgia: – Dick Slater defeated Mr. Wrestling #2 to win the Georgia Heavyweight Title
Omaha, Nebraska: – No dq Match: The Crusher beat Baron Von Raschke – Pierre Poisson beat Peter Maivia (sub Greg Gagne) – Jim Brunzell beat Bobby Duncum – Pedro Morales beat Moose Morowski
– Greg Valentine defeated Tim Woods to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title
1977 Macon, Georgia: – Tommy Rich & Tony Atlas defeated Jacques Goulet & Ole Anderson to win the Georgia Tag Team Titles
1983
Allentown, Pennsylvania: – Tony Atlas & Rocky Johnson defeated The Samoans (Afa & Sika) for the WWF World Tag Team Titles
1985
Denver, Colorado: (Attendance was 7,500) – Road Warriors drew Fabulous Freebirds – AWA Champion Rick Martel drew Stan Hansen – AWA Tag Team Champions Jim Garvin & Steve Regal beat Fabulous Ones
1989
Troy, New York: – Ric Flair defeated Terry Funk in an “I Quit” match – The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) defeated The Dynamic Dudes (Johnny Ace & Shane Douglas) – Rick & Scott Steiner defeated The Skyscrapers (Dan Spivey & Sid Vicious) via DQ
1998
St. Louis, Missouri: – The Rock defeated Mankind to win the vacant WWF Championship in the finals of a one night tournament
2009
Orlando, Florida: – TNA Champion AJ Styles defeated Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels to retain the title – Kurt Angle defeated Desmond Wolfe (Nigel McGuinness) – Scott Steiner defeated Bobby Lashley in a no DQ street fight
St. Louis, Missouri: Attendance was 7,534 – Jim Londos beat Leo Numa – Abe Coleman beat Jack League – George Tragos defeated Ellis Bashara
1938
Atlanta, Georgia: – Jack McAdams defeated Eddie Williams to win the Southern Light Heavyweight Title
1957
Toronto, Ontario, Canada: – Dick Hutton defeated Lou Thesz to win the NWA World Title
1963
– Killer Kowalski & Gorilla Monsoon defeated Skull Murphy & Brute Bernard to win the United States (WWWF version) tag team championship
Kansas City, Kansas: – Mongolian Stomper beat Moose Cholak 2 falls to 1 – Larry Hamilton and Enrique Torres beat Rock Hunter and Bulldog Plechas by dq
1972
Tampa, Florida: – Lights Out Match: Jack Brisco beat Paul Jones – Southern Champion Buddy Colt beat Eddie Graham dq – Bobby Shane beat Boris Malenko – AWA Champion Verne Gagne beat Ronnie Garvin – Sputnik Monroe & Norvell Austin beat Frank Hester & Bearcat Wright – Mr Wrestling Tim Woods beat The Professsional – Robert Fuller beat Mike Webster
Macon, Georgia: – Tommy Seigler & Argentina Apollo defeated Rocket Monroe & Skandar Akbar to win the Macon Tag Team Titles
1973
Honolulu, Hawaii: – AWA Champion Verne Gagne beat Ed Francis – AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens drew Neff Maiava & Sam Steamboat – Ripper Collins beat Tosh Togo by countout – Ken Patera beat Masked Executioner – Greg Valentine beat Rick Drasin – Bill Francis beat Betto Castro
Hamburg, Pennsylvania: – Tony Garea & Dean Ho defeated Toru Tanaka & Mr. Fuji to win the WWWF World Tag Team Title
1980
Denver, Colorado: – Greg Gagne & Tito Santana beat AWA Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura by dq – Mad Dog Vachon beat Nick Bockwinkel by dq – John Studd beat Dino Bravo – Handicap Match: Jerry Blackwell beat Buck Zumhofe & Juan Valez
1985
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Attendance was 6,012 – Cage Match: AWA Champion Rick Martel beat Boris Zhukov – Curt Hennig & Scott Hall beat AWA Tag Team Champions Jim Garvin & Steve Regal – Nick Bockwinkel beat Larry Zbyszko by dq – Jerry Blackwell & Kelly Kiniski beat Buddy Roberts & Ray Stevens by dq – Stan Hansen beat Kevin Kelly – Ray Stevens beat Buddy Lane
1986
Kansas City, Kansas: – Mod Squad beat George South & Rocky King – Dave Peterson & Todd Champion beat Thunderfoots – Mod Squad ddq Rufus Jones & Rocky King – Sam Houston beat Bulldog Brown
1988
Memphis, Tennessee: – AWA Champion Jerry Lawler beat Botswana Beast – Brian Lee no contest Phil Hickerson; CWA Title held up – Jeff Jarrett beat World Class Light Heavyweight Champion Eric Embry by dq – Football Match: Gary Young & Cactus Jack beat Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden – Sid Vicious beat Bill Dundee – Brian Adams beat The Executioner – Scott Steiner beat Tommy Lane – Mike Davis beat Brickhouse Brown
1999
Detroit, Michigan: – Big Show (subbing for Steve Austin) defeated Triple H and The Rock in a Triple Threat match to win the WWF World Title
2004
Cleveland, Ohio: – Shelton Benjamin defeated Christian to retain the Intercontinental Title – JBL defeated Booker T to retain the WWE World Title
Kansas City, Kansas: Attendance was 4,200 – MWA Title Match, Orville Brown drew Sonny Myers 1 fall each as Brown retained the title – Yukon Eric (as Eric Holmback) beat Terry McGinnis
1964
Denver, Colorado: – Larry Hennig & Harley Race beat Verne Gagne & Wilbur Snyder – Mad Dog Vachon beat Reggie Parks – Art Neilson vs Pat O’Connor
1965
Omaha, Nebraska: – Nebraska Champion Mad Russian Stan Pulaski beat Billy Red Cloud – Mitsu Arakawa & Haru Sasaki beat Danny Hodge & Reggie Parks to win Nebraska Tag Team title – Non Title: Mr Wrestling beat AWA Champion Mad Dog Vachon – Bulldog Danny Plechas drew Bob Rader
1972
Charlotte, North Carolina: – Johnny Weaver & Art Nelson defeated Ole & Gene Anderson to win the Atlantic Coast Tag Team Titles
1981
Denver, Colorado: – Hulk Hogan & Andre The Giant beat Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura & Jerry Blackwell – Greg Gagne beat Pat Patterson – Tito Santana beat Sheik Adnan dq – Ken Patera beat Jim Brunzell – Bobby Duncum beat Johnny Valiant
1992
Harlan, Kentucky: – The Rock N’ Roll Express defeated The Heavenly Bodies (Stan Lane & Tom Prichard) for the Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Title
1993
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: – Tommy Dreamer & Johnny Gunn defeated Johnny Hotbody & Tony Stetson to win the ECW Tag Team Title – Sabu & Road Warrior Hawk defeated Terry Funk & King Kong Bundy (Sabu won Funk’s ECW TV Title)
1995
Tokyo, Japan: – Kensuke Sasaki defeated Sting for the WCW United States Heavyweight Title
2002
Nashville, Tennessee: – Brian Lee & Slash defeated America’s Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm) for the NWA World Tag Team Title
2005
Eddie Guerrero passed away at the age of 38, found dead in a hotel room in Minneapolis, MN.
2006
Manchester, England: – Edge & Randy Orton defeated Ric Flair & Roddy Piper for the WWE Tag Team Titles
2011
Orlando, Florida: – Robbie E defeated Eric Young to win the TNA TV Title – Gail Kim defeated Velvet Sky to win the TNA Knockout Championship – Rob Van Dam defeated Christopher Daniels in a no DQ match – Bobby Roode defeated AJ Styles to retain the TNA World Title
St. Louis, Missouri: – World Champion Jim Londos beat Rudy Dusek – Milo Steinborn beat Floyd Marshall – George Zaharias beat Jack Washburn – Kola Kwariani beat Marshall Blackstock
1948
Houston, Texas: – Danny McShane defeated Antonino Rocca for the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title
1951
Kansas City, Missouri: – Jimmy Coffield defeated Dennis Clary for the NWA Heart Of America Heavyweight Title (later known as the Central States Title)
1965
Denver, Colorado: – Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon defeated The Crusher to win the AWA World Heavyweight Title – Bob Ellis beat Mitsu Arakawa – Chris Markoff beat Mighty Igor Vodik dq – Tim Woods beat Ivan Kalmikoff
1966
Omaha, Nebraska: – Dick The Bruiser defeated Mad Dog Vachon for the AWA World Heavyweight Title in Omaha, Nebraska (title change only recognized in Omaha) – Verne Gagne beat Mad Russian Stan Pulaski – Ron Reed drew Mr Wrestling Tim Woods
1971
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Attendance was 6,112; sellout – The Crusher beat Nick Bockwinkel – Larry Hennig & Lars Anderson beat Red Bastien & Dr. X in 2 out of 3 falls – Billy Robinson beat Big K – Wilbur Snyder beat Angelo Poffo – Ivan Koloff beat Bill Howard
1979
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Attendance was 5,000 – Billy Robinson defeated Super Destroyer Mark II (Sgt. Slaughter) to win the AWA British Empire Heavyweight Title – AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel dcor Andre The Giant – Mad Dog Vachon beat Lord Alfred Hayes – Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura beat Paul Ellering & Steve Olsonoski – Greg Gagne beat Buddy Wolff – Super Destroyer Mark III beat Peter Sandor Szabo – Ricky Hunter beat Ron Ritchie
1982
Calgary, Alberta, Canada: – Danny Davis defeated Bruce Hart for the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title
1988
Las Vegas, Nevada: – AWA Champion Jerry Lawler beat Wahoo McDaniel dq – AWA Tag Team Champions Badd Company Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond beat John Paul & Ricky Morton dq – Kerry Von Erich beat Colonel DeBeers – Madusa Meceli beat Magnificent Mimi – Jay Strongbow Jr drew Del Wilkes (The Patriot)
2001
Boston Massachusetts: – Matt & Jeff Hardy defeated Booker T & Test for the WWF World Tag Team Title – Edge defeated Kurt Angle for the WCW United States Title
2003
Nashville, Tennessee: – Christopher Daniels defeated Low Ki – Sting & AJ Styles defeated Lex Luger & Jeff Jarrett
2010
Nashville, Tennessee: (Attendance was 1,200) – Jeff Jarrett defeated Samoa Joe – Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) beat Beer Money (James Storm & Robert Roode) and Ink Inc. (Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal) to retain the TNA Tag Team Titles – Jeff Hardy beat Pope D’Angelo Dinero to retain the TNA Heavyweight Title
