This Day in Wrestling History (Apr. 8): Here To Show The World

26 years ago today, the American Wrestling Association presented Superclash IV from the St. Paul Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. About 2,000 fans were in attendance for the event.

Surprisingly, no footage of the event exists, as no television cameras were present for the event. In addition, The Junkyard Dog, who was scheduled to wrestle Col. DeBeers, was injured the night before the event. This was the last major event for the AWA, as the company was facing hard times financially and critically; the company stopped producing television that summer, and would fold the next year after filing for bankruptcy.

• Jake Milliman defeated Todd Becker.
• The Texas Hangmen (Killer & Psycho) defeated Brad Rhenigans and DJ Peterson.
• Baron Von Raschke defeated Col. DeBeers by countout.
• Tully Blanchard defeated Tommy Jammer.
• John Nord defeated Kokina Maximus.
• Larry Zbyszko defeated Mr. Saito to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. Nick Bockwinkel was the special referee.
• The Trooper & Paul Diamond defeated The Destruction Crew (Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom).

21 years ago today in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Eddie Guerrero defeated 2 Cold Scorpio to win the ECW World Television Championship. On the same show, Public Enemy defeated Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko and Rick Steiner & The Tazmaniac in a three-way dance to win the ECW World Tag Team Championship.

20 years ago today, WWF Monday Night RAW (WWE Network link) began airing at 8:57pm in an effort to get a jump on their rival program, WCW Monday Nitro. This week, however, it ran unopposed.

In one of the bouts (taped April 1), Vader defeated Yokozuna via referee stoppage when Vader gave Yokozuna a Vader Bomb on one of his legs. Unable to walk out on his own power, the 600-plus pounder had to be carried from the ring via a forklift. In the show's main event, Shawn Michaels defeated Jerry "The King" Lawler to retain the WWF Championship.

14 years ago today on RAW from Phoenix, Arizona (WWE Network link), Spike Dudley defeated William Regal in just three seconds to win the WWF European Championship.

13 years ago today at a Smackdown taping in Chicago, Illinois (WWE Network link), Rowdy Roddy Piper made his first appearance on WWE television since his Wrestlemania XII match against Goldust.

In the first "Piper's Pit" since Wrestlemania V. Vince McMahon was his guest, but Rikishi interrupted the proceedings. He tried to hit Piper with a coconut as payback for what he did to Jimmy Snuka in 1984, but was attacked by Sean O'Haire, then Piper hit Rikishi with the coconut.

3 years ago today on RAW from East Rutherford, New Jersey (WWE Network link), Wade Barrett defeated The Miz to regain the WWE intercontinental Championship. This came just one day after The Miz defeated Barrett for the title during the Wrestlemania 29 preshow.

It wasn't the only title change on the show: after Alberto Del Rio defeated Jack Swagger by submission to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, Dolph Ziggler cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase and defeated Del Rio to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

3 years ago today, WWE signs Irish wrestler Rebecca Quin to a developmental deal. After spending two years in their developmental program as Becky Lynch, she joined the main roster under the same name last summer.