52 years ago today in Houston, Texas, NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz defeated Killer Kowalski. Texas was pretty much the last place in the world to recognize Killer Kowalksi as a world champion, but Lou corrected that. Why was Kolwaski recognized as world champion? Like Lou Thesz, he defeated Buddy Rogers in a best of three falls match the previous November in Montreal, but the match ended after one fall when Rogers went down with a broken ankle. Thesz's win over Kowalski came a week after he defeated Rogers in Toronto that would lead to the founding of the WWWF.
22 years ago today on Monday Night RAW (WWE Network link) from New York City, Lex Luger makes his WWF in-ring debut defeating Jason Knight. The next show, airing February 15, was also taped, which saw Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake make his return to the ring for the first time in two years following a parasailing accident. In the show's main event, Beefcake defeated Ted DiBiase by disqualification. The return of Beefcake served as an angle for the eventual return of Hulk Hogan to the WWF.
ECW Crossing The Line Again 1997 Part 1 by WarnersRetroTV
18 years ago today, ECW presented Crossing the Line Again (part 2 here) from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The show opened with the announcement that ECW will make their PPV debut April 13 with Barely Legal, main evented by Taz vs. Sabu.
14 years ago today, WWE airs Smackdown Xtreme (WWE Network link). The show, taped two days earlier from the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, served a dual purpose: sweeps month (Friends aired a longer episode and Survivor: The Australian Outback made its Thursday debut that night), and to promote the debut of the XFL that weekend.
- The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) defeat The Hardy Boyz (Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy) in a table match to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
- Ivory defeated Jacqueline and Lita in a triple threat match to retain the WWF Womens Championship.
- The APA (Bradshaw & Faarooq) defeated Christian & Edge.
- Chris Jericho defeated Tazz to retain the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
- The Big Show defeated Billy Gunn.
- Kane & The Undertaker defeated Haku & Rikishi in a first blood match.
- Kurt Angle defeated The Rock and Triple H in a triple threat match to retain the WWF Championship.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DlStH03xsAI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
5 years ago today, WWE announces puroresu legend Antonio Inoki would enter the WWE Hall of Fame.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ThMEccwzf-k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
5 years ago today, Freddie Joe Brisco, best known to wrestling fans as Jack Brisco, died of complications from open heart surgery. He was 68.