This Day in Wrestling History (January 20)

18 years ago today on RAW is WAR, Bret Hart goes on a tirade and "quit" the WWF following his getting screwed at the Royal Rumble event one night earlier. Hart ultimately did not quit, but the tirades would only escalate through the year until November when Bret Hart left the company for WCW.

17 years ago today, wrestling legend Bobo Brazil dies of complications due to complications from a series of strokes at Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph, Michigan. He was 74. Born Houston Harris on July 10, 1924 in Little Rock, Arkansas, Harris played baseball and worked in a steel mill in his younger years before giving pro wrestling a shot.

After being trained by Joe Savoldi, Harris would take on fellow African-American wrestlers including Ernie Ladd and Abdullah the Butcher as Bobo Brazil. He was originally to be known as Boo-Boo Brazil, but the typographical error on an advertisement led to the Bobo name sticking. As Brazil's popularity grew, fans wanted him to take on anybody regardless of race, and Brazil would eventually face many of the top stars of the time, including Killer Kowalski, Dick the Bruiser, Johnny Valentine, Bruno Sammartino, Bill Miller, and The Sheik (whom he would feud with for many years in Detroit's Big Time Wrestling).

In October 1962, Brazil became the first African-American world heavyweight champion in NWA history when he defeated "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. Though Roberts claimed a groin injury, Bobo was awarded the title when doctors found Buddy to be healthy at the time of the match. The title change today is not recognized by NWA.

Brazil is credited with being one of the most influential talents in professional wrestling history. In 1970, Brazil was involved in the first racially integrated match in the Atlanta territory. He was a mentor to "Soulman" Rocky Johnson, father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Brazil, a seven-time WWWF United States Champion, finally called it a career in 1993 following a match with Gene Kinski's son Kelly. The next year, he would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. In 1995, Ernie Ladd, the man that inducted Bobo Brazil, would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Bobo would return the favor. Brazil was also a member of the inaugural Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame class in 1996.

17 years ago today at a RAW is WAR taping in Davis, California, Owen Hart defeated Goldust, who was dressed as Triple H, to win the WWF European Championship. Commissioner Slaughter considered Goldust a suitable substitute for the injured Triple H, and despite his protests, the decision stood.

13 years ago today, WWF presented Royal Rumble (WWE Network link) from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 12,915 were in attendance, with an event record 670,000 homes watching on PPV. That's up from 625,000 in 2001.

• Spike Dudley & Tazz defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley) to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
• William Regal defeated Edge to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
• Trish Stratus defeated Jazz to retain the WWF Women's Championship. Jacqueline was the special referee.
• Ric Flair defeated Vince McMahon by submission in a street fight.
• Chris Jericho defeated The Rock to retain the WWF Undisputed Championship.
• Triple H last eliminated Kurt Angle to win the Royal Rumble match.

2002 Royal Rumble Results

Notes:

• At 69 minutes, 22 seconds, this is the longest Royal Rumble match in WWE history.
• Stone Cold Steve Austin recorded seven eliminations in the match to bring his career total to 36, the most in Royal Rumble history. The mark would stand until 2010.
• Though it is hotly debated, Maven actually was eliminated from the Royal Rumble match. Following Undertaker's elimination, he returned to the ring beat on Maven some, then threw him over the top rope.
• Part of the show's hook was the return of a few stars who had their peak in the just-ended Attitude Era, including Goldust, Godfather, and Val Venis.

12 years ago today on RAW from Providence, Rhode Island, William Regal and Lance Storm defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) to win the World Tag Team Championship.

1 year ago today on RAW, Dave Batista made his first appearance in WWE since quitting the company in 2010 after his loss at Over the Limit in an I Quit match. On the same show, CM Punk defeated Billy Gunn. To date, this is his final televised singles match in WWE, as he would walk out on the company before the next week's RAW.