This Day In History - February 5th
February 5th
On this day in history in ....
1913 - Mike Yokel defeats Henry Gehring to win the World Middleweight Title in Salt Lake City, Utah.
1937 - Ray Steele defeats Everett Marshall by reverse decision for the Ohio Midwest Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title in Columbus, Ohio.
1950 - Sandor Szabo defeats Hans Schnabel for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Title in Honolulu, Hawaii.
1952 - Al Mills wins the Calgary NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title for the fourth time, from Sky-Hi Lee in Edmonton, Alberta, ending Lee's second reign.
1953 - Takashi Ishikawa is born in Yamagata, Japan.
1959 - George and Sandy Scott defeat Maurice and Paul Vachon to win the vacant Stampede International Tag Team Title in Regina, Saskatchewan.
1963 - Rip Hawk and Rock Hunter defeat Bull Curry and Lucas Pertano for the Texas NWA World Tag Team Title in Houston, Texas.
1963 - Don and Luke Fields win their second Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Title in Nashville, Tennessee, ending the fourth reign of The Medics (Tony Gonzales and Donald Lortie).
1965 - The Mysterios Medics win the Georgia NWA Southern Tag Team Title for the second time, by defeating Tony Marino and Joe Scarpa (Chief Jay Strongbow) in a tournament final for the vacant title in Atlanta, Georgia.
1971 - Georgia Championship Wrestling held a 14-man tournament for the vacant NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title in Atlanta, Georgia. The results were:
First round:
- Bob Griffin defeated Skandor Akbar.
- Kubla Kahn defeated Tom DeLynch.
- Dick Steinborn defeated Bobo Brazil.
- Assassin #2 defeated Gene DuBois.
- Jim Wilson defeated Mr. Ito.
- Luke Graham defeated Silento Rodriguez.
Second round:
- Nick Bockwinkel defeated Bob Griffin.
- Dick Steinborn defeated Kubla Khan.
- Assassin #2 defeated Jim Wilson.
- El Mongol defeated Luke Graham.
Semifinals:
- Nick Bockwinkel defeated Dick Steinborn.
- El Mongol defeated Assassin #2.
Finals:
- El Mongol defeated Nick Bockwinkel to win the vacant NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title, beginning his seventh reign.
1972 - Ernie Ladd defeats Bulldog Brower to become the first Buffalo/Ohio NWA North American Heavyweight Champion in Akron, Ohio. The title would later be known as the National Wrestling Federation North American Heavyweight Title.
1974 - The Mysterious Medic defeats Duke Miller to win the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title in Mobile, Alabama, to begin his third reign.
1975 - Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta defeat Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk for the NWA International Tag Team Title in San Antonio, Texas, ending the Funks' third reign.
1975 - Luke Graham defeats Don Kent to win the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title in Nashville, Tennessee, ending Kent's second reign.
1976 - Strong Kobayashi and Seiji Sakaguchi defeat Voodoo Mulumba and Tiger Jeet Sing for the vacant National Wrestling Federation North American Tag Team Title in Sapporo, Japan.
1977 - Mike Dallas defeats Harold Kalevoris in Melbourne, Australia to win the Australian Light Heavyweight Title.
1978 - Ron Bass and Dr. Hiro Ota defeated Chavo and Hector Guerrero for the NWA Americas Tag Team Title.
1980 - Lucy Kayama and Nancy Kumi defeat The Black Pair (Yumi Ikeshita and Mami Kumano) to win the WWWA World Tag Team Title in Osaka, Japan.
1984 - Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, far better known as El Santo (the saint) or El Santo Enmascarado de Plata (the silver-masked saint), dies of a heart attack at age 66. Santo is a legend in Mexico, not only as a wrestler, but as a television and film star as well. Santo wrestled nearly 50 years, and won the World Middleweight and Mexican National Welterweight, Middleweight, Tag Team and Light Heavyweight titles. Santo is typical listed among wrestlers who were never publicly unmasked, but he actually quickly revealed his face about a week before his death on a Mexican morning talk show. He was buried in his trademark silver mask.
1986 - Riki Choshu and Yoshiaki Yatsu win the NWA International Tag Team Title from Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta in Sapporo, Japan.
1987 - Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta defeat Riki Choshu and Yoshiaki Yatsu for the NWA International Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan, to begin their second reign.
1987 - Tarzan Goto and Akio Sato defeat Badd Company (Paul Diamond and Pat Tanaka) in Memphis, Tennessee to win the Continental Wrestling Association International Tag Team Title for the fourth time, ending Badd Company's second reign.
1988 - The WWF held the first of five editions of The Main Event, which aired live on NBC from Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana, earning a 15.2 rating. It was the first time professional wrestling aired on prime-time network television since 1955. The show featured the highly-anticipated WWF Title match between champion Hulk Hogan and André the Giant. The results were:
Dark matches:
- Demolition (Ax and Smash) defeated Billy Jack Haynes and Ken Patera.
- Jake Roberts defeated King Harley Race.
- Ron Bass defeated Koko B. Ware.
- The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) defeated The Islanders (Haku and Tama).
- Jim Duggan defeated One Man Gang by disqualification.
- Don Muraco defeated Butch Reed.
- Ultimate Warrior defeated Sika.
Televised matches:
- Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue) by countout, after Honky Tonk Man hit one of the ringposts. Honky Tonk Man retained the title. After the match, Savage fought off Honky and Jimmy Hart and broke Honky's guitar.
- André the Giant (with Ted DiBiase and Virgil) pinned WWF Champion Hulk Hogan to win the title, ending Hogan's four-year long reign atop the WWF mountain. Hogan's shoulder clearly came up before the three-count, but the referee counted it anyway. DiBiase, according to the storyline, had paid for the referee to get cosmetic surgery to make him look like referee Dave Hebner, and paid off the new referee to take Dave's place. This was, of course, the officiating debut of Dave Hebner's twin brother Earl. André said that he was surrendering the title to Ted DiBiase, then gave him the belt. Dave Hebner ran to the ring and attacked the imposter referee as DiBiase put the belt on left the ring with Virgil. Hogan then threw Earl over the top rope onto DiBiase and Virgil. DiBiase actually was announced as champion at events on February 6 in Boston and Philadelphia and February 8 in Los Angeles, before an announcement by WWF President Jack Tunney aired on the February 13 edition of WWF Superstars, stating the title was vacant and a tournament would be held at WrestleMania IV to fill the vacancy. This marked the first (official) time that the WWF World Title was vacated in its then 25-year history. The title had actually been vacant on three seperate occassions in 1979 and 1982, which WWE doesn't officially recognize.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) to retain the title. Only the beginning of the match was televised due to time constraints.
1991 - Steve Grey defeats Jim Breaks in Croydon, England for the European Lightweight Title. This began Grey's third reign and ended Breaks' 16th reign.
1991 - Lasser defeats El Khalifa in a tournament final in Puebla, Mexico to win the vacant Universal Wrestling Association World Lightweight Title. The title was vacated by El Hijo del Santo in January when he chose to wrestle exclusively as a welterweight.
1993 - Hiroshi Itakura defeats Masayoshi Motegi to win the WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan.
1993 - Stevie Ray defeats Rod Price for the Global Wrestling Federation North American Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas.
1993 - Lucifer (Tim Burke) defeats Max Thrasher in Gaithersburg, Maryland to win the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Title.
1994 - ECW held The Night the Line was Crossed at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, featuring the famous "three-way dance" for the ECW Title. The results were:
- 911 pinned Chad Austin.
- Mr. Hughes pinned Sal Bellomo.
- In a Double Dog Collar match, Tommy Cairo and The Sandman beat Pitbull #1 and Rockin' Rebel, when Cairo pinned Pitbull #1.
- In a No Rules match, The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge) defeated The Bruise Brothers (Ron and Don Harris), when Public Enemy pinned both Bruise Brothers.
- Jimmy Snuka pinned Tommy Dreamer.
- The Sheik and Pat Tanaka defeated ECW Tag Team Champions Kevin Sullivan and The Tazmaniac, when Tanaka pinned Tazmaniac.
- J.T. Smith pinned Mike Awesome.
- In a three-way dance, ECW Heavyweight Champion Terry Funk, ECW Television Champion Sabu and Shane Douglas fought to a 60-minute draw. Funk retained his title.
1995 - Tony Arce, Rocco Valente and Vulcano defeat Los Payasos for the Mexican National Trios Title in Tonala, Mexico, ending their second reign.
1996 - In this week of the Monday Night War, WCW Monday Nitro narrowly defeated WWF Monday Night Raw, 2.9 to 2.7 in the ratings.
WCW Monday Nitro was live from Jenkins Arena in Lakeland, Florida. The results were:
- Konnan defeated Devon Storm.
- Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater defeated The Barrio Brothers.
- WCW World Television Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Randy Savage defeated Chris Benoit by disqualification.
- Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman defeated Hugh Morrus and Kevin Sullivan by disqualification.
- Ric Flair defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell.
- WCW World Tag Team Champions Lex Luger and Sting defeated The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal).
WWF Monday Night RAW was taped on January 22 at the Stockton Civic Autitorium in Stockton, California. The results:
- Diesel and Shawn Michaels defeated The British Bulldog and Yokozuna (with Jim Cornette) by countout, after Yokozuna was knocked out of the ring by Michaels' Sweet Chin Music. Owen Hart came out and tried to help Bulldog revive Yoko and get him back in the ring but failed. Cornette berated Yoko after the match with Yoko finally turning on the three, clearing the ring.
- The 1-2-3 Kid (with Ted DiBiase) pinned Hakushi with a butterfly suplex off the top.
- WWF Champion Bret Hart fought The Undertaker to a no-contest to retain the title, when Diesel, who was on commentary, and while the referee was knocked out, got up and threw Bret into the ringpost before powerbombing him twice.
1996 - Hiroshi Itakura defeats Takashi Okano to win the WWA International Light Heavyweight Title in Chiba, Japan.
1998 - Bobby Collins and Brian Jewel defeat Caveman Broda and Iron Man for the Canadian Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title.
1999 - Negro Casas and El Hijo del Santo defeat Bestia Salvaje and Scorpio, Jr. by disqualification to win the CMLL World Tag Team Title in Mexico City, Mexico. They immediately gave the title up as they wanted to win cleanly. Salvaje and Scorpio won a rematch on February 26.
1999 - Khris Germany defeats Jimmy James in North Richland Hills, Texas to win the vacant NWA Texas Heavyweight Title.
2000 - Big Dick Dudley is awarded the NWA Jersey Heavyweight Title, becoming the first champion.
2000 - El Rockero wins his fifth WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico, defeating El Exotico.
2000 - Johnny Kashmere and Robby Moreno defeat Midknight and Diablos Macabre to win the CZW World Tag Team Title in Sewell, New Jersey.
2000 - Rukkus wins a "Mega Rumble" match in Cornelia, Georgia for the NWA Wildside Heavyweight Title.
2000 - Super Hentai defeats Jimmy Angel to win the Pittsburgh Wrestling League Three Rivers Title in North Versailles, Pennsylvania.
2000 - Pete Christy defeats Chris Vanity for the NWA Michigan Television Title in Bay City, Michigan. At the same event, The Outlaws (Ricky James and Bobby Lee) win their third NWA Michigan Tag Team Title, defeating the Scufflin' Hillbillies (Maynard R. Neck and Big Chuck Wagon) for the vacant title. Also, Gene Austin and Tommy Starr win their fourth and third respective NWA Michigan Hardcore Titles, by both pinning champion Woody Lee.
2001 - The Monday Night War entered its next-to-last month, with WWF RAW is WAR's 5.0 rating defeating WCW Monday Nitro's 2.3 rating.
WCW Monday Nitro was held live from the Tupelo Coliseum in Tupelo, Mississippi. The February 7 edition of Thunder was taped afterwards. The results were:
Nitro:
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Scott Steiner defeated The Jung Dragons (Kaz Hayashi and Yun Yang), Evan Karagias and Jamie Knoble in a handicap match.
- Rick Steiner defeated WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas to win the title.
- Diamond Dallas Page defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Scott Steiner by disqualification.
- El Niño (Rey Misterio, Jr.) defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
- WCW World Tag Team Champions Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo defeated Team Canada (Mike Awesome and Lance Storm).
- Brian Adams and Buff Bagwell fought to a draw.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Scott Steiner defeated Kevin Nash and WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Rick Steiner in a handicap match.
Thunder:
- Kaz Hayashi defeated Shane Helms.
- WCW World Tag Team Champion Sean O'Haire defeated Norman Smiley.
- Ernest Miller defeated Elix Skipper.
- Brian Adams defeated Lex Luger.
- Rey Misterio, Jr. defeated The Wall.
- Kwee Wee defeated Rick Michaels.
- Konnan defeated Mike Sanders.
- Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page defeated Jeff Jarrett and WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Rick Steiner.
WWF RAW is WAR was held live from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The weekend's edition of Jakked was taped as well. The results:
Jakked, which featured several wrestlers from nearby NWA Wildside:
- Billy Gunn defeated David Young.
- K-Kwik defeated Rick Michaels.
- Albert defeated Onyx.
- Essa Rios defeated Kid Romeo.
RAW is WAR:
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho pinned Matt Hardy (with Lita) with the Lionsault to retain the title, after Dean Malenko came out and attacked Hardy while he was on the floor. After the match, Malenko, Perry Saturn and Eddie Guerrero attacked both men. Guerrero hit the frog splash on the Intercontinental belt on top of Jericho's face.
- Edge and Christian defeated Kaientai (Funaki and Taka Michinoku).
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) defeated The Undertaker and Kane by disqualification when the referee thought Undertaker hit Bubba Ray with a chair when it was actually Edge and Christian.
- Rikishi and Haku defeated Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty), when Rikishi pinned Sexay with the Banzai Drop.
- Chris Benoit defeated Al Snow by submission with the Crippler Crossface.
- The Rock and WWF Champion Kurt Angle (with Trish Stratus) defeated Steve Austin and Triple H, when Angle pinned Triple H after a low blow and chairshot.
2002 - The WWF taped the February 7 edition of SmackDown! and the February 10 Sunday Night Heat at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The results were:
Dark matches:
- Val Venis defeated Randy Orton.
- Ron Waterman defeated Rico Constantino.
Heat:
- Lance Storm defeated WWF Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri in a non-title match.
- Test pinned WWF Tag Team Champion Spike Dudley after a big boot.
- Scotty 2 Hotty pinned The Hurricane (with Molly Holly) with a roll-up. The guest referee for the match was Jacqueline.
- Kane pinned Christian after a chokeslam.
SmackDown!:
- The Rock pinned Booker T after the People's Elbow. Before the match, Rock challenged The Undertaker to come out and face him but got Booker instead.
- The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) and WWF Intercontinental Champion William Regal defeated Edge, Rikishi and Rob Van Dam, when Bubba Ray pinned Rikishi after the 3D. After the match, The Dudleys held Edge for Regal to hit with brass knuckles, which he did, busting him open.
- Maven pinned WWF Hardcore Champion The Undertaker to win the title, after The Rock ran in and hit Undertaker with a chair and gave him a Rock Bottom. Later on in the show, Undertaker attacked Rock in the parking lot and Tombstoned him on top of his limo.
- Kurt Angle and WWF Undisputed Champion Chris Jericho defeated Triple H in a handicap match, when Angle pinned Triple H after an Olympic Slam onto a steel chair.
2003 - TNA held its 30th weekly pay-per-view event live from the TNA Asylum in Nashville, Tennessee. The show featured the TNA debut of one-legged wrestling sensation Zach "Tenacious Z" Gowen. The results:
Dark matches:
- Jimmy Rave pinned Matt Sydal.
- Tony Mamaluke and David Young defeated Lex Lovett and Rod Steel, when Young pinned Steel.
- America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm) defeated Rocky Reynolds and Jason Rumble, when Storm pinned Reynolds.
- Kid Kash pinned Shark Boy.
Televised matches:
- Jorge Estrada pinned Glenn Gilberti.
- TNA X Division Champion Sonny Siaki pinned Amazing Red to retain the title.
- Tenacious Z pinned B.G. James.
- Ron Killings defeated David Flair, Jerry Lynn, and Mike Sanders in a four-corners elimination match. Lynn pinned Sanders, Lynn pinned Flair and Killings pinned Lynn.
- Trinity pinned Desire.
- NWA World Tag Team Champions Triple X (Low Ki and Elix Skipper) fought The New Church (Brian Lee and Slash) to a no-contest due to a double pin. Slash pinned Skipper while Low Ki pinned Lee. The title was held up immediately.
2005 - The Ultimate Fighting Championship held UFC 51: Super Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The results were:
Preliminary bouts:
- Nick Diaz defeated Drew Fickett by TKO (strikes) at 4:40 of round one in a welterweight bout.
- Karo Parisyan defeated Chris Lytle by unanimous decision in a welterweight bout. All three judges scored it 30-27.
- David Loiseau defeated Gideon Ray by TKO (doctor stoppage) at the end of the first round in a middleweight bout.
- Mike Kyle defeated James Irvin by knockout (punches) at 1:55 of round one in a heavyweight bout.
Pay-per-view bouts:
- Paul Buentello defeated Justin Eilers by knockout (punches) at 3:34 of round one in a heavyweight bout.
- Evan Tanner defeated David Terrell by TKO (strikes) at 4:35 of round one to win the vacant UFC Middleweight title.
- Andrei Arlovski defeated Tim Sylvia by submission (Achilles lock) at 0:47 of round one to win the interim UFC Heavyweight title. The interim title bout was held due to Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir's September 17 motorcycle accident. Arlovski was later promoted to undisputed champion on August 12. Mir would return from injury in February 2006 at UFC 57.
- Pete Sell defeated Phil Baroni by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:19 of round three in a middleweight bout.
- Tito Ortiz defeated Vitor Belfort by split decision in a light heavyweight bout. The judges scored the bout 29-28 Ortiz, 29-28 Ortiz and 29-28 Belfort.
2005 - Combat Zone Wrestling held Only The Strong: Scarred 4 Life at the New Alhambra Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Derek Frazier defeated The Heretic.
- The Kings Of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli) defeated DJ Hyde and Jon Dahmer.
- Skayde defeated Milanito Collection A.T.
- International Wrestling Syndicate Tag Team Champions The Flying Hurricanes (Kenny the Bastard & Takao) defeated All Money is Legal (K-Murda & K-Pusha), Beef Wellington & El Generico and Ghost Shadow & Spyral to retain the title.
- The BLKOUT (King and Sabian) besiegen SBS (Excalibur and Super Dragon)
- Adam Flash defeated Kaos in a Tables and Ladders match.
- The H8 Club (Nick Gage and Justice Pain) defeated CZW World Tag Team Champions Team Cash (Chris Cash and Nate Webb) to win the title.
- In a double-title match, IWS World Heavyweight Champion Franky the Mobster defeated CZW Iron Man Champion B-Boy to win the CZW title and retain the IWS title.
- Mike Quackenbush defeated CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion Alex Shelley, Sexxxy Eddy and The Arsenal in a four-way match to win the title.
- Ruckus defeated CZW World Heavyweight Champion The Messiah to win the title.
- JC Bailey defeated Necro Butcher in a Barbed Wire Steel Cage match to become the first-ever CZW Ultraviolent Underground Champion. The match actually took place in the "bowels" of the arena in another ring with the Cage of Death cage surrounding it, wrapped in barbed wire.
2005 - Abyss defeats Jimmy Jacobs to win the NWA Iowa Heavyweight Title in Muscatine, Iowa.
2005 - The Solution (Havok and Papadon) defeat America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm) for the NWA Cyberspace Tag Team Title in Wayne, New Jersey.
2005 - Erik Watts defeats Diamond Dallas Page in Tucson, Arizona for the vacant AWA Superstars International Heavyweight Title.
2005 - Kid Regis defeats Ross Jordan for the British Welterweight Title in Chingford, England, ending Jordan's second reign.
2005 - Naughty By Nature (Pokerface and Rude) defeat Blade Boudreaux and Denny Cooley to win the NWA Southern Tag Team Title in Greenville, Mississippi.
2005 - Team Upstate (Spazz, Psykita and Triple X) defeat Jason Atlas, Eric Everlast and Steve Kruz to become the first-ever NWA Upstate Six-Man Tag Team Champions in Webster, New York.
2005 - The Faroh of Phunk defeats Rondale Roosevelt for the NWA Battle Zone Cruiserweight Title in Magee, Mississippi, beginning his second reign. At the same show, Brother Love defeats Calvin Rose for the NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Title, and John Saxon defeats Lord Humoungous to win the vacant NWA New South Heavyweight Title.
2005 - Dan Bidondi defeats Chris Blackheart, Donny Rotten and Don Vega in a four-way match to win the vacant NWA New England Colonial Heavyweight Title in Bellingham, Massachusetts. At that same event, Eddie Edwards defeats Jerrelle Clark in a tournament final to become the first AWA (Superstars) of New England (Millennium Wrestling Federation) Television Champion.
2006 - Fantasma de la Ópera defeats Avisman I to win the IWRG Intercontinental Welterweight Title in Naucalpan, Mexico, ending Avisman's second reign.
2007 - WWE held a live RAW at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. The results:
Heat:
- The Highlanders (Robbie and Rory McAllister) defeated Armor and Jones.
- Eugene defeated Sweet.
- Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch defeated Jim Duggan and Scotty 2 Hotty.
RAW:
- Chris Masters and The World's Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) defeated Carlito (with Torrie Wilson) and Cryme Tyme (JTG and Shad), when Haas pinned Carlito with a roll-over.
- Umaga (with Armando Estrada) pinned Balls Mahoney after the Samoan Spike.
- Super Crazy (with WWE Women's Champion Mickie James) pinned Johnny Nitro (with Melina) after a moonsault.
- WWE Women's Champion Mickie James (with Super Crazy) pinned Melina (with Johnny Nitro) with a roll-up.
- WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy pinned Ric Flair with an inside cradle.
- ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley pinned Kenny Dykstra after a powerslam.
- World Tag Team Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Edge and Randy Orton in a Triple Threat match, by pinning Orton after Edge accidentally speared Orton. With the win, Michaels earned a shot at John Cena's WWE Title at WrestleMania 23.
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