This Day In History - December 22nd
December 22nd
On this day in history in ....
1917 - Wladek Zbyszko defeats Ed "Strangler" Lewis in a tournament final to stake his unrightful claim as the World Heavyweight Champion in New York City, New York. He would lose to the rightful champion, Earl Caddock on February 8, 1918 in Des Moines, Iowa.
1941 - Wild Red Berry defeats Billy Varga to win the NWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Hollywood, California, beginning his fourth reign.
1950 - Frank Stojack defeats Leo Wallick in Tacoma, Washington to win the Pacific Northwest Junior Heavyweight Title for the third time.
1954 - Rikidozan becomes the first and only Japanese Heavyweight Champion in Tokyo, Japan, defeating Masahiko Kimura. The title would be abandoned on August 27, 1958 when Rikidozan defeats Lou Thesz for the NWA International Heavyweight Title in Los Angeles, California.
1956 - Enrique Torres and Ronnie Etchison defeat Ben and Mike Sharpe for the San Francisco version of the NWA World Tag Team Title in Fresno, California, ending the Sharpes' 12th reign.
1959 - The Red Raider (Pedro Godoy) defeats Ray Villmer to win the Florida version of the NWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida, ending Villmer's second reign.
1960 - Bill Monroe defeats Mike Clancy for the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
1969 - Mr. Saito defeats Dale Lewis to win the Florida Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.
1970 - Tarzan Tyler defeats Dusty Rhodes for the Florida Brass Knuckles Title in Tampa, Florida.
1971 - The Australians (Larry O'Day and Ron Miller) defeat The Alaskans (Mike York and Frank Monte) to win the Florida Tag Team Title in Miami, Florida, beginning the Australians' third reign.
1972 - Tarzan Tyler wins a tournament to win the vacant Florida Brass Knuckles Title in Tampa, Florida. The title had been stripped from champion Dusty Rhodes for his violence towards NWA President Sam Muchnick.
1979 - Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk defeat Invaders I and II for the WWC Tag Team Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, beginning and ending both team's second reigns.
1980 - Bill Dundee and Tommy Rich defeat Guy Mitchell and Roger Kirby for the AWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
1984 - Tony St. Clair wins a tournament to become the first Catch Wrestling Association World Middleweight Title in Bremen, Germany.
1990 - Bull Power defeats Otto Wanz to win the Catch Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title in Bremen, Germany, ending Wanz's fourth reign and begin Power's third.
1991 - Ricky Rice defeats The Lightning Kid (Sean Waltman) for the Pro Wrestling America Light Heavyweight Title in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ending The Kid's second reign.
1996 - Buddy Wayne defeats Bart Sawyer to win the Championship Wrestling USA Television Title in Vancouver, Washington, beginning and ending each man's fourth reign.
1997 - Long before Kevin Nash let Hulk Hogan pin him with the push of a finger, WWF did a similar angle during an edition of Raw (show was taped on December 11th). Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter, at the start of the show, ordered Shawn Michaels to defend the WWF European Title against DX partner Triple H. During the show, tensions seemed to rise between the two, with Michaels calling Helmsley a loser and saying he could never beat him in a match. When the bout took place at the end of the show, Michaels simply laid down in the ring and let Triple H pin him for the title, showing the argument to all be an act.
The rest of the show, which scored a 3.1 rating, saw the following results: The Headbangers defeated The Godwinns via DQ. ... Undertaker defeated Intercontinental Champion Rocky Maivia via DQ. ... Marc Mero defeated Scott Taylor. ... Kurrgan defeated Eight Ball. ... Ken Shamrock defeated D'Lo Brown.
However, Nitro beat out Raw, scoring a 3.5 for a show that featured the following: Randy Savage defeated Lex Luger. ... Buff Bagwell defeated Chris Jericho. ... Harlem Heat defeated Scotty Riggs & Lodi. ... U.S. Champion Curt Hennig defeated Television Champion Disco Inferno. The TV belt was not on the line. ... Rick Steiner defeated Scott Norton via DQ. ... Chris Benoit defeated Van Hammer via DQ. ... Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrera & Hector Garza defeated La Parka, Psicosis & Silver King. ... Steve McMichael defeated Meng. ... Fit Finlay defeated Cruiserweight Champion Eddie Guerrero via countout.
1997 - Gedo and Jado defeat Ryuji Yamakawa and Yoshihiro Tajiri to win the Big Japan Pro Wrestling Tag Team Title in Isezaki, Japan.
1998 - New Jersey Devil defeats Fumar for the House of Pain Wrestling Federation Cruiserweight Title in Hagerstown, Maryland.
2000 - In Nashville, Tennessee, Mike Rapada defeats Sabu to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title for the second time. Also, Bad Attitude (Rick Michaels and David Young) defeat Air Paris and Rob Williams to gain recognition in Nashville as the NWA World Tag Team Champions. They had recognition elsewhere previously.
2000 - A Christmas Day edition of Raw was taped in Chattanooga, Tennessee, featuring Raven winning the Hardcore Title. Champion Steve Blackman pinned Hardcore Holly on the hood of a car in a three way match with Raven to retain the title, but Raven then hit him with a 2x4 and pinned him for the belt, taking advantage of the "24/7" rule for the belt. This was the first of an eventual 27 Hardcore Title wins for Raven and ended Blackman's fourth reign.
2001 - A.J. Styles defeats Rick Michaels for the NWA Wildside Heavyweight Title in Cornelia, Georgia.
2001 - Sasuke and Sasuke the Great defeat Dick Togo and Gedo to win the Universal Wrestling Association/Universal Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
2002 - Reina Takase defeats Mika Nishio to win the All Japan Women's Junior Title in Kawasaki, Japan. At the same event, Kayo Noumi defeats noki-A for the All Japan Women's All-Pacific Title.
2002 - Smackdown was taped in Tulsa, Oklahoma with Chris Benoit defeating The Big Show with a diving headbutt to earn a World Title match with Kurt Angle at the Royal Rumble.
2002 - Taro (Kevin Lyon) defeats Super Dragon to win the Revolution Pro Wrestling Junior Heavyweight Title in City of Industry, California.
2005 - Derrick Neikirk defeats Mike (The Miz) Mizanin for the Deep South Heavyweight Title in McDonough, Georgia.
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