This Day in Wrestling History (January 8)

49 years ago today in Omaha, Nebraska, Tim Woods defeated Mad Dog Vachon to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. However, AWA President Stanley Blackburn overturns the decision a week later when replay shows Woods had his feet on the ropes during the fall. The match was ruled a no contest and the title returned to Vachon. He defeats Woods in the return bout the same day.

20 years ago today from Atlanta, Georgia on a live edition of WCW Main Event, Arn Anderson defeated Johnny B. Badd to win the WCW World Television Championship.

17 years ago today, WCW presented the debut episode of Thunder from the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. The episode, lasting nearly two and a half hours, is highlighted by Sting being stripped of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship following two controversial matches taking place during the last week of 1997 between Sting and Hollywood Hogan (Starrcade and Nitro the night after).

• Randy Savage defeated Chris Adams.
• Rick Martel defeated Louie Spicolli.
• Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Michiyoshi Ohara.
• Ric Flair defeated Chris Jericho.
• The Giant defeated Meng.
• Bill Goldberg defeated Steve McMichael.
• The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner) defeated Buff Bagwell & Konnan.
• Ray Traylor defeated Scott Hall.
• Juventud Guerrera defeated Ultimo Dragon to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.
• Lex Luger defeated Scott Norton.
• Diamond Dallas Page defeated Kevin Nash by disqualification to retain the WCW United States Championship.

12 years ago today at an NWA-TNA weekly PPV taping in Nashville, America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm) defeated the Disciples of the New Church (Brian Lee & Slash) to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship.

9 years ago today, WWE presented New Year's Revolution (WWE Network link) from the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York. About 11,000 were in attendance with 294,000 homes watching on PPV.

• In a preshow dark match, Chavo Guerrero defeated Snitsky.
• Ric Flair defeated Edge by disqualification to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
• Trish Stratus defeated Mickie James to retain the WWE Women's Championship.
• Jerry Lawler defeated Gregory Helms.
• Triple H defeated The Big Show.
• Shelton Benjamin defeated Viscera.
• Ashley Massaro defeated Maria Kanellis, Torrie Wilson, Victoria, and Candice Michelle in a Gauntlet & Bra & Panties match.
• John Cena defeated Kurt Angle, Chris Masters, Carlito, Shawn Michaels and Kane in a Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship.
  • Shawn Michaels eliminated Kurt Angle.
  • Carlito and Chris Masters co-eliminated Kane.
  • Carlito eliminated Shawn Michaels.
  • Carlito eliminated Chris Masters.
  • John Cena eliminated Carlito.
• Edge defeated John Cena to win the WWE Championship. Edge cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase he won at Wrestlemania 21 for the title opportunity.

3 years ago today, TNA presented Genesis from the Impact Zone at Universal Orlando.

• Austin Aries defeated Jesse Sorensen and Kid Kash and Zema Ion in an elimination match to retain the TNA X-Division Championship.
  • Zema Ion eliminated Kid Kash.
  • Jesse Sorensen eliminated Zema Ion.
  • Austin Aries eliminated Jesse Sorensen.
• Devon defeated D'Angelo Dinero.
• Gunner defeated Rob Van Dam.
• Gail Kim defeated Mickie James by disqualification to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship.
• Abyss defeated Bully Ray in a Monster's Ball match.
• Crimson & Matt Morgan defeated Magnus & Samoa Joe to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
• Kurt Angle defeated James Storm.
• Jeff Hardy defeated Bobby Roode by disqualification in a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match.

2 years ago today at a Smackdown taping in Miami, Florida, Alberto Del Rio defeated The Big Show in a last man standing match to win the World Heavyweight Championship. It's the last time the title changes hands on Smackdown. The WWE's Big Gold Belt would be retired at the end of the year.

2 years ago today, Elijah Burke, aka "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero announced via Twitter that his TNA contract had expired and would not re-sign with the company.

2 years ago today, WWE announces via press release that John Cena would appear on boxes of Post Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles in the runup to Wrestlemania 29. This would not be the first time Cena appeared on the cereal boxes-he did so as well in the runup to Wrestlemania XXVIII. This stems from The Rock's return promo in 2011 that Cena's bright shirts "made him look like he was running around like a big bowl of Fruity Pebbles".

1 year ago and one day ago today, Celeste Bonin, best known to wrestling fans as NXT Volume 3 winner Kaitlyn, asked for and was granted her release from WWE. She had one last match on the night of her release, against fellow Chickbuster (and second runner-up of NXT Volume 3) AJ Lee. Wednesday, on the anniversary of her release, she opened up for the first time about it, which you can read right here.