This Day in Wrestling History (September 20)

29 years ago today at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York, Captain Lou Albano, age 52, defeated 67-year old Fred Blassie in a steel cage match. It would be Blassie's final match.

Beulah McGillicutty vs Bill Alfonso by sir-roddick

New Jack Kronus vs Dudley Boyz c Tag Team... by W_C_W

New Jack Kronus vs Dudley Boyz c Tag Team... by W_C_W

17 years ago today, ECW presented As Good As It Gets from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In one of the featured bouts, Beulah McGillicutty and Tommy Dreamer defeated Rob Van Dam and Bill Alfonso. The bulk of the match was done by Beulah and Bill, as Dreamer was injured early on by Van Dam and Van Dam himself bailing. The match is noted for Alfonso profusely bleeding for much of the bout. According to ECW owner Paul Heyman, Alfonso may have lost as much of a third of the blood in his body in that match. The bout is featured on Blood Sport: ECW's Most Violent Matches DVD. In the show's main event, New Jack and John Kronus, aka the Gangastanators (a combination of the Gangstas and The Eliminators) defeated The Dudley Boyz to win the ECW World Tag Team Championship. WARNING: VIDEOS MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL VIEWERS.

17 years ago today, WWF presented One Night Only (WWE Network link) from the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England. About 11,000 were in attendance, with just 20,000 homes watching on PPV. The reason for such a low number: the PPV was only made available in the UK and Canada. In kayfabe, WWF Champion at the time Bret Hart used a clause in his contract to exclude US viewers from being able to see the event. The event was eventually made available on WWF Home Video in the US, but with three matches removed (including the WWF title match) to fit the video in a two-hour window. The full show is included on the DVD release.

• Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Dude Love.
• Tiger Ali Singh defeated Leif Cassidy.
• The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) defeated Los Boricuas (Savio Vega and Miguel Pérez, Jr.) to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
• The Patriot defeated Flash Funk.
• The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) defeated The Godwinns (Henry and Phineas).
• Vader defeated Owen Hart.
• Bret Hart defeated The Undertaker by disqualification to retain the WWF Championship.
• Shawn Michaels defeated The British Bulldog to win the WWF European Championship. The win made Michaels the first grand slam champion in WWF history, winning all four available championships.

15 years ago today on RAW is WAR from Houston, Texas, The Rock ‘n Sock Connection defeated The Unholy Alliance (The Undertaker & Big Show) to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. It was their second tag title win as a team, and the sixth tag title reign overall for Mankind. On the same episode, Vince McMahon vacates the WWF Championship just six days after defeating Triple H for the title. But wait, there's more! Stephanie McMahon makes her professional wrestling debut in an intergender tag team match... and wins. Stephanie McMahon and Test defeat WWF Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett and Debra.

11 years ago today in Madison Square Garden in New York City, Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker in a steel cage match to retain the WWE Championship.

11 years ago today, Ring of Honor presented Glory by Honor II from the Murphy Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event would be the last ROH show to be held in their original home.

• Jimmy Jacobs defeated Alex Shelley, Josh Daniels, and Roderick Strong in a Four Way Dance.
• BJ Whitmer defeated Jimmy Rave in a Field Of Honor Block B match.
• Xavier defeated John Walters in a Field Of Honor Block A match.
• Ted Hart defeated TJ Wilson.
• Steve Corino defeated Raven.
• Colt Cabana defeated AJ Styles, Chris Sabin, and Matt Stryker in a Four Corner Survival Match.
• The Backseat Boyz (Johnny Kashmere & Trent Acid) defeat Special K (Deranged & Hydro), Dunn & Marcos, Special K (Dixie & Izzy), The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe), and The Carnage Crew (DeVito & Loc) in a Gauntlet Match to win the vacant ROH Tag Team Championship.
  • Special K (Deranged & Hydro) beat Justin Credible & The Carnage Crew (DeVito & Loc).
  • The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) beat Special K (Deranged & Hydro).
  • The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) beat Dunn & Marcos.
  • Special K (Dixie & Izzy) beat The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe).
  • The Backseat Boyz (Johnny Kashmere & Trent Acid) beat Special K (Dixie & Izzy).
• Alexis Laree defeated Hijinx.
• Terry Funk defeated CM Punk by disqualification.
• Samoa Joe defeated Christopher Daniels to retain the ROH World Championship.

9.20.04 Diva Search Winner is Announced - Trish... by nitro_07

10 years ago today on RAW from Tuscon, Arizona, future pressure cooker pitchman Gene Snitsky delivers a signature line that would become a part of WWE nomenclature: "It wasn't my fault." The line stems from Snitsky knocking Lita off the apron during a match against Kane, causing a "miscarriage" and Lita to lose her expected child. On the same episode, Christy Hemme wins the 2004 RAW Diva Search and $250,000. Carmella DeCesare was the runner-up and, albeit briefly, was a part of the WWE roster. Joy Giovanni, Amy Weber, Maria Kanellis, and Michelle McCool would also receive contracts.

9 years ago today at a Smackdown taping in Lubbock, Texas, Bobby Lashley made his WWE television debut, defeating Simon Dean in less than three minutes. It was only the second fastest match on that show. Chris Benoit successfully defended the United States Championship against Orlando Jordan again, this time submitting him in just 50 seconds.

6 years ago today, ROH presented Glory by Honor VII from the New Alhambra Arena (aka the ECW Arena) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• Jerry Lynn defeated Kenny King.
• Adam Pearce defeated Brent Albright via submission to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
• Go Shiozaki defeated Kevin Steen to retain the FIP World Heavyweight Championship.
• Bryan Danielson defeated Katsuhiko Nakajima by submission to retain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.
• Erick Stevens defeated Rhett Titus.
• Kensuke Sasaki defeated Claudio Castagnoli.
• Austin Aries & the Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark Briscoe) defeated The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs, Tyler Black & Delirious) and Necro Butcher in a Steel Cage Warfare match.
  • Necro Butcher was eliminated by Aries.
  • Aries was eliminated by Jacobs after submitting to The End Time.
  • Delirious was eliminated by the Briscoes after being pinned following a springboard Doomsday Device.
  • Jacobs and Black were simultaneously eliminated by the Briscoes after a tandem J-Driller/Cut-Throat Driver.

5 years ago today, TNA presented No Surrender (pay link) from the Impact Zone at Universal Orlando. In a side note, Ed Ferrara, D'Lo Brown, and Pat Kenney all returned to the company in backstage roles. Only Kenney remains today.

• Sarita & Taylor Wilde defeated The Beautiful People (Madison Rayne & Velvet Sky) to become the new TNA Knockout Tag Team Champions).
• Hernandez defeated Eric Young in just 48 seconds.
• Samoa Joe defeated Daniels to retain the TNA X-Division Championship.
• D'Angelo Dinero defeated Suicide in a falls count anywhere match.
• ODB defeated Cody Deaner to become the new TNA Knockouts Champion.
• Kevin Nash defeated Abyss to retain the TNA Legends Championship and collect the $50,000 Bounty.
• Beer Money Inc. (James Storm & Robert Roode) & Team 3D (Brother Devon & Brother Ray) defeated Booker T, Scott Steiner & The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams) in a Lethal Lockdown match.
• Bobby Lashley defeated Rhino.
• AJ Styles defeated Kurt Angle , Hernandez, Matt Morgan & Sting in a five way match to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

2 years ago today, TNA announces via press release that Impact would be a live show through the remainder of the year. Disappointing ratings would in part lead to huge budget cuts and talent releases that are still being felt to this day.

One year ago today, ROH presented Death Before Dishonor XI from the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The show centered on the final four of a tournament to crown the new ROH World Champion after Jay Briscoe was stripped of the title earlier that summer.

• Jay Lethal defeated Silas Young.
• Adam Cole defeated Tommaso Ciampa in a ROH World Title Tournament Semi Final Match.
• Michael Elgin defeated Kevin Steen in a ROH World Title Tournament Semi Final Match.
• Forever Hooligans (Alex Koslov & Rocky Romero) defeated The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
• Adam Page defeated RD Evans.
• Roderick Strong defeated Ricky Marvin.
• Adrenaline RUSH (ACH & Tadarius Thomas) & C&C Wrestle Factory (Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander) defeated Matt Taven, Michael Bennett & reDRagon (Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly).
• Adam Cole defeated Michael Elgin to win the vacant ROH World Championship.