This Day in Wrestling History (October 3)

23 years ago today, WWF presented The Battle Royal at the Albert Hall. The UK-exclusive PPV was later released on VHS and DVD. The hook of the show was, as you probably guessed it, a 20-man over-the-top rope battle royal.

• The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags) defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty).
• Ric Flair defeated Tito Santana.
• Earthquake defeated Big Boss Man.
• The Mountie defeated Texas Tornado.
• The Undertaker defeated Jim Duggan by disqualification.
• Legion of Doom (Hawk & Animal) defeated Power & Glory (Paul Roma & Hercules) to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
• British Bulldog defeated The Barbarian.
• The British Bulldog won a twenty-man battle royal. Other participants included The Barbarian, Big Boss Man, Jim Duggan, Earthquake, Ric Flair, Hercules, Marty Jannetty, Brian Knobbs, The Legion of Doom, Shawn Michaels, The Mountie, Roddy Piper, Paul Roma, Jerry Sags, Tito Santana, Typhoon, The Undertaker, and Texas Tornado.

15 years ago today, WWF via press release on their website announced that writers Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara were leaving for WCW following a secret meeting over the weekend in Atlanta. Neither Russo nor Ferrara at the time of the meeting was under contract to the WWF, and Russo called with the news to Vince McMahon late that evening. The news was a blow to the WWF, as it came just two weeks before their IPO into the stock market. In the end, Russo to WCW would essentially be a killing blow to the company.

10 years ago, WWE presented No Mercy (WWE Network link) from the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. About 10,000 were in attendance, with 240,000 homes watching on PPV.

• In a preshow Sunday Night Heat match, Mark Jindrak defeated Scotty 2 Hotty.
• Eddie Guerrero defeated Luther Reigns.
• Spike Dudley defeated Nunzio to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
• Billy Kidman defeated Paul London.
• Kenzo Suzuki and René Duprée defeated Rey Mysterio and Rob Van Dam to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
• The Big Show defeated Kurt Angle.
• John Cena defeated Booker T to win their Best of Five Series 3-2 and the WWE United States Championship.
• Charlie Haas, Rico and Miss Jackie defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von) and Dawn Marie.
• John "Bradshaw" Layfield defeated The Undertaker in a Last Ride Match to retain the WWE Championship.

9 years ago today, WWE presented RAW: Homecoming from the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas. After five years on Spike TV, RAW returned to its original home on the USA Network, where it's been ever since.

• Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels fought to a 2-2 time limit draw in a 30-minute Ironman match. Angle was offered a sudden death overtime to determine the winner, but refused.
  • Kurt Angle defeated Shawn Michaels (8:10).
  • Shawn Michaels defeated Kurt Angle (14:52).
  • Kurt Angle defeated Shawn Michaels by submission (18:49).
  • Shawn Michaels defeated Kurt Angle (22:30).
• Edge defeated Matt Hardy in a Money in the Bank ladder match. As a result of the loss, Matt Hardy was kicked from the RAW roster.
• Ric Flair & Triple H defeated Carlito & Chris Masters. Post-match, Triple H turned on Ric Flair, shattering the last ties of Evolution.
• Ashley & Trish Stratus defeated Candice Michelle, Torrie Wilson & Victoria in a Three On Two Handicap Bra & Panties match.
• John Cena (c) defeated Eric Bischoff in a no disqualification match to retain the WWE Championship.

6 years ago today, Smackdown debuts on MyNetworkTV. In the featured bout, WWE Champion Triple H defeated World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho and ECW Champion Matt Hardy in a triple threat non-title match.

4 years ago today, WWE presented Hell in a Cell (WWE Network link) from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. About 7,500 were in attendance, with 210,000 homes watching on PPV. That's down from 283,000 for the 2009 event.

• In a preshow dark match, Goldust, R-Truth and Kofi Kingston defeated "Dashing" Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler.
• Daniel Bryan defeated The Miz and John Morrison in a Triple Threat Submissions Count Anywhere Match to retain the United States Championship.
• Randy Orton defeated Sheamus in a Hell in a Cell match to retain the WWE Championship.
• Edge defeated Jack Swagger.
• Wade Barrett defeated John Cena. As a result of the loss, Cena was forced to join Nexus. Had Cena won the match or if any member of Nexus interfered, then the group would have been forced to disband.
• Natalya defeated Michelle McCool by disqualification in a WWE Divas Championship match.
• Kane defeated The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

1 year ago today, WWE signed Leah Van Dale to a WWE developmental contract. Van Dale was a former cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers and New England Patriots. She is a second generation wrestler, as her father Paul Van Dale was enhancement talent for the WWF in the 1990s. Today, you may know Leah as NXT's Carmella.