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30 years ago today in Long Island, New York, Captain Lou Albano, age 52, defeated 67-year old Freddie Blassie in a steel cage match. It would be Blassie's final match.
22 years ago today in Nagoya, Japan, Shinya Hashimoto defeated The Great Muta to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
18 years ago today, ECW presented As Good As It Gets from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- The FBI (Little Guido & Tracy Smothers) defeated Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney.
- Justin Credible defeated Jerry Lynn.
- Chris Candido defeated Lance Storm.
- Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Spike Dudley.
- Shane Douglas defeated Philip Lafon to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
- Taz defeated Pitbull #2 in just 30 seconds to retain the ECW World Television Championship
- Sabu and The Sandman fought to a no contest.
- Beulah McGillicutty & Tommy Dreamer versus Bill Alfonso & Rob Van Dam went to a no contest when Dreamer was injured in the early moments of the match.
- Beulah McGillicutty defeated Bill Alfonso. The bout is noted for Alfonso profusely bleeding; so much so, Alfonso had to be hospitalized for several days following the event. ECW owner Paul Heyman once noted that Bill may have lost as much as a third of the blood in his body.
- The Gangstanators (John Kronus & New Jack) defeated The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) to win the ECW World Tag Team Championship. The makeshift duo was formed when both Kronus' and New Jack's partners (Perry Saturn and Mustafa Saeed, respectively) left the company.
18 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.
18 years ago today in Kawaski, Japan, Devil Masami defeated Yoshiko Tamura to win the WCW Womens Championship. She would be the promotion's final women's champion as the title was abandoned when the WCW-GAEA Japan working relationship ended.
16 years ago today on RAW is WAR from Houston, Texas (WWE Network link), The Rock ‘n Sock Connection (The Rock and Mankind) 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, as she and Test defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett and Debra.
12 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.
12 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. In an interesting note, the show almost didn't happen at all, as a complaint was lodged against the promotion and the building about the crowd's size violating fire codes.
- 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 match.
- Xavier defeated John Walters in a Field Of Honor match.
- Teddy 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. Julius Smokes was the special referee.
- 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
11 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.
10 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.
9 years ago today, WWE releases Marty Wright, who wrestled under the gimmick The Boogeyman. Wright, who came into WWE after initially lying about his age when he tried out for the Million Dollar Tough Enough in 2004 (he was 40 at the time when he claimed to be 30), was let go when he fell behind in his rehab for his biceps injury, including missing several doctor's appointments.
Wright wouldn't be unemployed long; he was rehired at the request of Booker T, then sent to his wrestling school for training. He would remain with the company until March 2009. He's made sporadic appearances for the company since 2012.
7 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.
6 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.
- Sarita & Taylor Wilde defeated The Beautiful People (Madison Rayne & Velvet Sky) to win the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship.
- 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 win the TNA Knockouts Championship.
- 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.
4 years ago today, Matt Hardy is arrested by the Moore County, North Carolina Sheriff's Office after a search warrant executed on his house found that he was in possession of anabolic steroids and ecstasy. Hardy was charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to sell or deliver said substance, maintaining a place to keep the substances and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hardy, who wasn't home at the time of the raid on the house, turned himself in.
It's his third arrest in a month (he was arrested on DWI charges in late August that led to his release from TNA, then arrested on reckless driving a week prior to the drug arrest). After Matt is released, he posts a video on Youtube announcing he will enter a three-month WWE-sponsored rehab program, a program he would be kicked out of after only two months.
3 years ago today, TNA announces via press release that Impact would be a live show through the remainder of the year. Disappointing ratings on top of the added expense of doing live telecasts would in part lead to huge budget cuts and talent releases that are still being felt to this day.
2 years 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 semifinal match.
- Michael Elgin defeated Kevin Steen in a ROH World Title Tournament semifinal 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.