This Day in Wrestling History (February 17)

29 years ago today in New York City, Hulk Hogan defeated "Macho Man" Randy Savage in a lumberjack match to retain the WWF Championship. In an interesting bit of trivia, this was the third consecutive Madison Square Garden meeting between the two future Mega-Powers.

19 years ago today in Baltimore, Maryland, Lex Luger defeated Johnny B. Badd for the WCW World Television Championship. Luger's reign would last just one day; Johnny would win it back the next night.

An ECW promo at ECW cyberslam 1996 by swantom-bomb

19 years ago today, ECW presented Cyberslam from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event combined wrestling with an Internet fan convention. Of note, Brian Pillman, last seen respecting "bookerman" Kevin Sullivan, made his ECW debut, berating his soon-to-be-former bosses in WCW, nearly urinating in the ring, and stabbing a man with a fork. This was part of a worked shoot for Pillman to hone his "loose cannon" persona. He eventually convinced WCW to release him, giving him the out to join the WWF.

• Judge Dredd & The Bad Crew (Dog & Rose) defeated Dino Sandoff, Don E. Allen & The Dirtbike Kid.
• Spiros Gekko defeated El Puerto Ricano.
• Taz defeated Joel Hartgood.
• Buh Buh Ray Dudley defeated Mr. Hughes in just 36 seconds.
• The Bruise Brothers (Don Harris & Ron Harris) defeat The Headhunters (Headhunter A & Headhunter B).
• JT Smith defeats Axl Rotten.
• Francine & The Pitbulls (Pitbull 1 & Pitbull 2) defeated Stevie Richards & The Eliminators (John Kronus & Perry Saturn) in a triple dog collar match.
• Too Cold Scorpio and Sabu fought to a 30-minute time limit draw for the ECW World Television Championship.
• Shane Douglas defeats Cactus Jack.
• Raven defeated The Sandman to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.

18 years ago today on RAW from Nashville, Tennessee, Sycho Sid defeated Bret Hart to win the WWF Championship just one night after Hart won the WWF title in a four-man elimination match at In Your House 13: Final Four. The win also shut Hart out of the title picture for the interim, as The Undertaker was announced as the #1 contender for the championship at Wrestlemania 13.

18 years ago today on Nitro from Tampa, Florida, Prince Iaukea defeated Lord Steven Regal to win the WCW World Television Championship.

17 years ago today, Harvard University's Harvard Lampoon Magazine awards its annual "Real Man of the Year" to WWF and WCW world champion "Macho Man' Randy Savage.

17 years ago today at a RAW is WAR taping in Waco, Texas, The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) defeated The Rock ‘n Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship.

14 years ago today in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Steve Blackman defeated-then loses to-Raven to win-and lose-the WWF Hardcore Championship.

13 years ago today, WWF presented No Way Out (WWE Network link) from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The show is noted for the WWF debut of the New World Order and the return of its three founding members to the WWF: Kevin Nash and Scott Hall since 1996, and Hulk Hogan since 1993. The trio would interfere in the main event. 15,291 were in attendance, with 575,000 homes watching on PPV. That's down slightly from the 2001 edition with 590,000 buys.

• In a Sunday Night Heat preshow match, Diamond Dallas Page defeated The Big Boss Man by disqualification to retain the WWF European Championship.
• The APA defeated Lance Storm and Christian, Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert, The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff), The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von), and Billy and Chuck in a Tag Team Turmoil match to earn a WWF Tag Team Championship match at Wrestlemania.
• Rob Van Dam defeated Goldust.
• Tazz & Spike Dudley defeated Booker T & Test to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
• William Regal defeated Edge in a "Brass Knuckles on a Pole" match to retain the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
• The Rock defeated The Undertaker.
• Kurt Angle defeated Triple H. Stephanie McMahon was the special referee. With the win, Angle became the #1 contender for the Undisputed WWF Championship at Wrestlemania.
• Chris Jericho defeated Steve Austin to retain the Undisputed WWF Championship.

7 years ago today, WWE presented No Way Out (WWE Network link) from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 15,120 were in attendance, with 329,000 homes watching on PPV. That's up from 218,000 for the 2007 edition.

• In a dark match, Kane defeated Shelton Benjamin.
• Chavo Guerrero defeated CM Punk to retain the ECW Championship.
• The Undertaker defeated Batista, The Great Khali (with Ranjin Singh), Finlay, Montel Vontavious Porter, and Big Daddy V (with Matt Striker in an Elimination Chamber match to earn a World Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestlemania.
• Ric Flair defeated Mr. Kennedy. Had Flair lost, he would have been forced to retire.
• Edge defeated Rey Mysterio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
• John Cena defeated Randy Orton by disqualification in a WWE Championship match.
• Triple H defeated Shawn Michaels, John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Umaga, Chris Jericho, and Jeff Hardy in and Elimination Chamber match to earn a WWE Championship match at Wrestlemania.

2 years ago today, WWE presented Elimination Chamber (No Escape for German audiences) from the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. 15,669 were in attendance, with 213,000 homes watching on PPV. That's up from 178,000 for the 2012 event.

• In a preshow match, Brodus Clay & Tensai defeated Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes).
• Alberto Del Rio defeated The Big Show by submission to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
• Antonio Cesaro defeated The Miz to retain the WWE United States Championship.
• Jack Swagger defeated Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry, Chris Jericho & Kane in a Elimination Chamber Match to determine the #1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXIX.
• The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose) defeated John Cena, Ryback & Sheamus.
• Dolph Ziggler defeated Kofi Kingston.
• Kaitlyn defeated Tamina to retain the WWE Divas Championship.
• The Rock defeated CM Punk to retain the WWE Championship. Had The Rock been disqualified or counted out, he would have lost the championship.