This Day In History - April 15th
April 15th
On this day in history in ....
1925 - Stainslaus Zbyszko defeats Wayne Munn to win the World Heavyweight Title in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, beginning his third reign. Munn was still recognized as champion in Michigan and Illinois, however. At that same Chicago event, Johnny Meyers defeats Len Talaber for the World Middleweight Title, beginning Meyers' second reign.
1933 - Billy Meeske defeats Joe Dawson to win the Australian Heavyweight Title in Brisbane, Australia, beginning his third reign.
1943 - John Katan defeats Yvon Robért for the Montreal World Heavyweight Title in Montreal, Quebec.
1946 - Danny McShain defeats Ernie Piluso in Hollywood, California to win his sixth World Light Heavyweight Title.
1958 - Fritz Von Erich defeats Bull Curry for the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title in Dallas, Texas, ending Curry's fifth reign. At the same event, Omaya Kato wins the NWA Texas Junior Heavyweight Title from Larry Chene, ending Chene's second reign.
1958 - Billy Joyce defeats Gordon Nelson to win the British Heavyweight Title in London, England. Bert Assirati had been stripped of the title earlier in the year.
1959 - Joe Blanchard and Lord James Blears defeats Koukichi Endo and Rikidozan to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii, beginning their second reign.
1960 - Fred Blassie defeats Dick Gunkel (subbing for Ray Gunkel) in Atlanta, Georgia for the Georgia NWA Southern Heavyweight Title. This began Blassie's 13th reign and ended Ray Gunkel's fifth.
1960 - Oattem Fisher and Luther Lindsay defeat John Foti and Don Kindred for the Stampede International Tag Team Title in Calgary, Alberta.
1961 - Luigi Macera defeats Sam Steamboat to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Title in Honolulu, Hawaii.
1963 - NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz defeated "Jersey" Joe Walcott in the fifth round of a wrestler vs. boxer match.
1963 - Ken Lucas and Hans Steiner defeat Jerry Miller and Tony Montez for the Western States Tag Team Title in Phoenix, Arizona.
1967 - The WWWF held an event at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The results:
- Johnny Rougeau defeated Smasher Sloan.
- Gorilla Monsoon defeated Louis Cerdan.
- Ricky Sexton defeated Arnold Skaaland.
- The Ox defeated Tony Nero.
- Baron Mikel Scicluna defeated Tony Parisi.
- Édouard Carpentier defeated Tank Morgan.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated Luke Graham.
1968 - The Assassins (Jody Hamilton and Tom Renesto) defeat Don Leo Jonathan and Sky Hi Jones (Grizzly Smith) for the Vancouver NWA Canadian Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia, ending the Assassins' second reign.
1969 - Ciclón Negro defeats Hans Mortier to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.
1974 - Jerry Lawler defeats Tommy Gilbert for the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Gilbert's fourth reign.
1974 - Siegfried Steinke and Bob Sweetan defeat Bob Kelly and Rocket Monroe for the Gulf Coast NWA United States Tag Team Title in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1975 - Mariko Akagi and Mach Fumiake defeat Lola Garcia and Rena Manani in Fukui, Japan to win the WWWA World Tag Team Title.
1977 - José Luis Mendieta defeats Rubi Ruvalcaba in a tournament final in Mexico City, Mexico for the Mexican National Middleweight Title. The title was vacated after Perro Aguayo won the NWA World Middleweight Title from El Faraon on March 11.
1977 - The Executioner defeats Ken Lucas for the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title in Huntsville, Alabama.
1983 - Jerry Blackwell defeats Kerry Von Erich to win the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title in St. Louis, Missouri.
1983 - Adrian Adonis defeats Bob Sweetan for the Southwest Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Austin, Texas.
1985 - Takashi Ishikawa and Akio Sato defeat Animal Hamaguchi and Masanobu Kurisu to win the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Title in Nagasaki, Japan, beginning her second reign.
1985 - The PYT Express (Norvell Austin and Koko Ware) win their second AWA Southern Tag Team Title by defeating The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane), ending their ninth reign.
1987 - Yumiko Hotta and Hisako Uno (Akira Hokuto) defeat The Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai and Judy Martin) in Tokyo, Japan to win the WWWA World Tag Team Title, which had been vacated earlier in the year by Dump Matsumoto and Bull Nakano.
1989 - Invader I defeats Abdullah the Butcher for the WWC North American Heavyweight Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico, ending Abdullah's second reign.
1989 - The Grappler (Len Denton) defeats Carl Styles to win his sixth NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title in Portland, Oregon.
1991 - The WWF taped the 29th edition of Saturday Night's Main Event at the Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska. The show aired on April 27 on NBC and earned a 7.7 rating. This was the final SNME before the move to FOX in early 1992, and SNME did not air on NBC again until the revival of the show in March 2006. The results were:
- The Ultimate Warrior defeated Sgt. Slaughter by disqualification after Gen. Adnan, Col. Mustafa and The Undertaker interfered, with Hulk Hogan making the save.
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) defeated The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke) to retain the title.
- Ted DiBiase (with Sensational Sherri) and Bret Hart fought to a double-countout.
- The Mountie (with Jimmy Hart) pinned Tito Santana after using his shock stick as Hart distracted the referee.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect won a 20-man battle royal, last eliminating Greg Valentine. The other participants were: The Barbarian, Big Boss Man, The British Bulldog, Jim Duggan, Earthquake, Haku, Hercules, Hulk Hogan, Marty Jannetty, Kato, Shawn Michaels, Jake Roberts, Paul Roma, Jimmy Snuka, Tanaka, Tugboat, Kerry Von Erich, and The Warlord.
1994 - CMLL held the first of five annual Gran Prix Tournaments at Arena Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. The results were:
First round:
- Haku defeated Ultimo Dragon.
- Yamato defeated Vampiro.
- Miguel Pérez, Jr. defeated Silver King.
- Atlantis defeated Corázon de León (Chris Jericho).
- Brazo de Plata defeated Killer.
- Dr. Wagner, Jr. defeated Gran Markus, Jr.
- Pierroth, Jr. defeated Black Magic.
- Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. defeated Popetikus.
Quarterfinals:
- Haku defeated Yamato.
- Miguel Pérez, Jr. defeated Atlantis.
- Brazo de Plata defeated Dr. Wagner, Jr.
- Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. defeated Pierroth, Jr.
Semifinals:
- Haku defeated Miguel Pérez, Jr.
- Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. defeated Brazo de Plata.
Finals:
- Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. defeated Haku.
1995 - ECW held its second-annual Hostile City Showdown event at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Mikey Whipwreck pinned Stevie Richards (with Raven) with a hurricanrana.
- Tsubo Genjin pinned Tony Stetson after a standing kneedrop and legdrop.
- Ian Rotten pinned Axl Rotten in a Bad Breed Death match after hitting Axl with in the head with a chair after wrapping him in barbed wire.
- Tommy Dreamer fought Raven (with Beulah McGillicutty and Stevie Richards) to a no-contest after Dreamer took everyone else around the ringside area out with three DDTs and a piledriver. Dreamer gave Raven a DDT on the floor, and in the ring, gave one to Richards and to referee John Finnegan, before piledriving Beulah.
- ECW World Television Champion Eddie Guerrero fought Dean Malenko to a 30-minute time-limit draw to retain the title.
- The Sandman pinned ECW World Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas (with Woman) to win the title, ending Douglas' second reign and beginning Sandman's second reign. Douglas had Sandman locked in a crossface chickenwing, when Woman turned on Douglas and hit him in the leg with Sandman's cane, causing Douglas to fall back with Sandman on top, and Sandman getting the pin. After the match, Douglas put on a Monday Night RAW shirt and left through the crowd.
1995 - Mitsuharu Misawa defeats Akira Taue to win the annual AJPW Champion's Carnival.
1995 - Rey Misterio, Jr., Super Muñeco and Octagón defeat Tony Arce, Rocco Valente and Vulcano to win the Mexican National Trios Title in Mexico City, Mexico.
1996 - Brian Pillman was severely injured after falling asleep while driving his Hummer H1 in Kentucky and driving into a tree trunk, flipping the vehicle. He was in a coma for a week and suffered a shattered ankle, forcing doctors to fuse it together in a fixed position.
1996 - The Monday Night War continued, with WWF Monday Night RAW's 3.1 rating beating WCW Monday Nitro's 2.8.
WWF Monday Night RAW was taped on April 1 at Orange Pavilion in San Bernardino, California. The results:
- Marc Mero defeated Leif Cassidy.
- Steve Austin defeated Bart Gunn.
- Savio Vega defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Goldust (with Marlena) to win the title after hitting him with the title belt. After the match, a second referee disputed the result, prompting WWF President Gorilla Monsoon to hold the title up and schedule a rematch to be held the following week.
WCW Monday Nitro was live from the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia. The results were:
- Hulk Hogan (with The Booty Babe) defeated Arn Anderson and Kevin Sullivan (with Miss Elizabeth and Woman) in a handicap match.
- The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) defeated Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and Rocco Rock) in a street fight.
- Randy Savage defeated Earl Robert Eaton (with Jeeves).
- WCW World Tag Team Champions - WCW World Television Champion Lex Luger and Sting defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and The Giant (with Jimmy Hart) by disqualification. All three titles were on the line.
1996 - Samantha defeats Miss Texas (Jackie Moore) to win the USWA Women's Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Miss Texas' 13th reign.
1999 - WCW held a live Thunder at Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida, which got a 3.2 rating on TBS. The results were:
- Buff Bagwell defeated Vampiro.
- Jerry Flynn and Wrath fought to a double-countout.
- Meng defeated Horace.
- Raven and Saturn defeated Disorderly Conduct (Mean Mike and Tough Tom).
- WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Rey Misterio, Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera to retain the title.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Diamond Dallas Page (with Kimberly) defeated Stevie Ray (with Vincent) to retain the title title.
2000 - The WWF held an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The results:
- WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Scotty 2 Hotty to retain the title.
- WWF European Champion Eddie Guerrero defeated Tazz to retain the title.
- The Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan defeated The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher).
- WWF Hardcore Champion Crash Holly defeated Perry Saturn to retain the title.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Edge and Christian defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) and The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt) in a triple threat match to retain the title.
- Kurt Angle defeated Val Venis.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Chris Benoit defeated Chris Jericho to retain the title.
- The Big Show and Rikishi fought to a double-countout.
- WWF Champion Triple H, Road Dogg and X-Pac defeated The Acolytes (Bradshaw and Faarooq) and The Rock.
2000 - Stone Mountain defeats Mark E. Mark (subbing for Rukkus) for the NWA Wildside Heavyweight Title in Cornelia, Georgia.
2000 - The Top Gunz (Ricky Hayes and Tim White) defeat Naughty by Nature (Rude and Tully) in Newbern, Tennessee to win the NWA Mid-South Tag Team Title, ending Naughty by Nature's fourth reign.
2000 - Brandon K. defeats Cory K. to win the Pittsburgh Wrestling League Heavyweight Title in North Versailles, Pennsylvania.
2001 - Mitsuharu Misawa defeats Yoshihiro Takayama in the finals of a 16-man tournament in Tokyo, Japan to become Pro Wrestling NOAH's first GHC Heavyweight Champion. The tournament was held over the course of NOAH's month-long, 18-event Navigation for the Victory GHC tour. Takayama defeated Jun Izumida, Kentaro Shiga and Vader on his road to the finals, and Misawa beat Akitoshi Saito, Yoshinari Ogawa and Jun Akiyama before defeating Takayama in the finals. Also in the tournament were Tamon Honda, Daisuke Ikeda, Masao Inoue, Takeshi Morishima, Takao Omori, Takeshi Rikio, (2 Cold) Scorpio and Akira Taue.
2001 - NWA Southwest discontinues its hardcore division, retiring the NWA Texas Hardcore Title. The final champion was Convict #00187. The title had its roots as the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title, created in 1953 by Paul Boesch's Southwest Sports. It was retired first in 1987 by the World Class Wrestling Association, and was revived by NWA Southwest in 1998.
2002 - The WWF held a live RAW at Reed Arena, on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Taped before RAW was an international-only Sunday Night Heat, due to the coming Sunday's Backlash pay-per-view. The results were:
Heat:
- D-Lo Brown pinned Justin Credible with the Sky High.
- Tommy Dreamer pinned The Big Bossman with a roll-up after the referee pushed Bossman.
- Mr. Perfect pinned Steven Richards with the Perfect-Plex.
RAW:
- Raven defeated WWF Hardcore Champion Bubba Ray Dudley to win the title, ending Bubba Ray's sixth reign and beginning Raven's 15th reign.
- Tommy Dreamer defeated WWF Hardcore Champion Raven to win the title, ending Raven's 15th reign.
- Steven Richards defeated WWF Hardcore Champion Tommy Dreamer to win the title.
- Bubba Ray Dudley defeated WWF Hardcore Champion Steven Richards to win the title, beginning Bubba Ray's seventh reign.
- The Big Show pinned Shawn Stasiak after a chokeslam.
- Jacqueline pinned Crash Holly with a sunset flip.
- Eddie Gurrero and William Regal defeated WWF European Champion Spike Dudley and WWF Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam, when Guerrero pinned Spike after a frog splash.
- Trish Stratus pinned Molly Holly with a roll-over to become #1 contender for the WWF Women's Title.
- Steve Austin and Bradshaw defeated Scott Hall, The Undertaker and X-Pac in a handicap match, when Bradshaw pinned X-Pac after the Clothesline from Hell.
2003 - Big Al defeats Chet Jablonski in Cincinnati, Ohio to win the Heartland Wrestling Association Heavyweight Title.
2006 - All Pro Wrestling held the fourth ChickFight tournament at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco, California. The results:
First round:
- MsChif defeated Candice LaRae.
- Lacey defeated Hailey Hatred.
- Cheerleader Melissa defeated Rain.
- Mercedes Martinez defeated Carla.
Semifinals:
- MsChif defeated Lacey.
- Mercedes Martinez defeated Cheerleader Melissa.
Finals:
- MsChif defeated Mercedes Martinez.
2006 - The Ultimate Fighting Championship held UFC 59: Reality Check at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The results were:
Preliminary card:
- Thiago Alves defeated Derrick Noble (replacing Drew Fickett) by TKO (strikes) at 2:54 of round one in a welterweight bout.
- Jason Lambert defeated Terry Martin by TKO (strikes) at 2:37 of round two in a light heavyweight bout.
- David Terrell defeated Scott Smith by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:08 of round one of a middleweight bout. Smith appealed to the California State Athletic Commission that the fight should be ruled a no-contest due to referee Marco Lopez not seperating the fighters, as the rules state he should do, after calling for a break while they were in the clinch. Lopez didn't seperate them, and Terrell took Smith down and got the choke. Despite the appeal, the decision was upheld by the CSAC.
- Karo Parisyan defeated Nick Thompson by TKO (strikes) at 4:44 of round one in a welterweight bout.
Main card:
- Jeff Monson defeated Marcio Cruz by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28) after three rounds in a heavyweight bout.
- Evan Tanner defeated Justin Levens (replacing Jeremy Horn) by submission (triangle choke) at 3:14 of round one in a middleweight bout.
- Tito Ortiz defeated Forrest Griffin by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-27) after three rounds in a light heavyweight bout.
- Sean Sherk defeated Nick Diaz by unanimous decision after three rounds in a welterweight bout.
- Tim Sylvia defeated UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski by KO (punch) at 2:43 of round one to win the title.
2006 - Tracy Smothers defeats Stan Lee to win the NWA All-Star Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Cleveland, Virginia, ending Lee's second reign.
2006 - Romeo Roselli defeats El Bronco for the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title in Carolina, Puerto Rico, ending Bronco's fourth reign.
2006 - Mr. Big and Cruzz defeat Thunder and Lightning to win the IWA World Tag Team Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, ending their sixth reign. At the same show, Blitz defeats Hammet for the IWA World Junior Heavyweight Title, beginning his fifth reign, and Chicano wins his second IWA World Hardcore Title from Balls Mahoney.
2006 - The Urban Assault Squad (Shadow Jackson and Nemesis) win the NWA Anarchy Tag Team Title for the second time by defeating Jason Blackman and Jeremy V. in Cornelia, Georgia.
2006 - Sam Slej loses the NWA Pro Wrestling eXpress Brass Knuckles Title to Scott Venom in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, beginning Venom's second reign. The reign was short-lived, as Slej won the title right back, beginning his second reign.
2006 - Wade Chism defeats Jason Bates for the World League Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Harrisonville, Missouri, beginning Chism's fourth reign.
2006 - Seth Knight defeats Rockin' Randy to win the vacant NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title in Ripley, Tennessee.
2007 - TNA held the third-annual Lockdown pay-per-view, the second monthly pay-per-view held outside Orlando, Florida, at the Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. All matches were contested inside the Six Sides of Steel. The results were:
- In a pre-show match, The Voodoo Kin Mafia (B.G. and Kip James (with Lance Hoyt)) defeated Serotonin (Kaz and Havok (with Martyr and Christy Hemme)), when Kip pinned Havok after a cobra clutch slam.
- TNA X Division Champion Chris Sabin defeated Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal (with Kevin Nash), Shark Boy and Alex Shelley in an Xscape match to retain the title. Shelley pinned Shark Boy after a tandem leg drop and splash by Sabin and Shelley, Sabin pinned Dutt after the Cradle Shock, Lethal pinned Shelley after a diving elbow drop and Sabin escaped the cage to win.
- Robert Roode (with Ms. Brooks and Eric Young) pinned Petey Williams with the Payoff.
- Gail Kim pinned Jackie Moore after a crossbody from the top of the cage.
- Senshi pinned Austin Starr with a roll-up after guest referee Bob Backlund pushed Starr.
- James Storm pinned Chris Harris in a blindfold match after a superkick.
- Christopher Daniels pinned Jerry Lynn after the Last Rites.
- Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray) defeated NWA World Tag Team Champions The Latin American Exchange (Hernandez and Homicide), when Devon pinned Homicide after the 3D, to win the title. The cage was "electrified" for this match.
- Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, Rhino, Samoa Joe and Sting) defeated Team Cage (NWA World Heavyweight Champion Christian Cage, Abyss (with James Mitchell), Scott Steiner, A.J. Styles and Tomko) in a Lethal Lockdown match, when Sting pinned Abyss after Jarrett hit Abyss over the head with a thumbtack-filled guitar. Sting earned an NWA World Heavyweight Title match at May's Sacrifice event with the win. The gatekeeper for the match was Harley Race.
2007 - CIMA, Ryo Saito and Susumu Yokosuka win their second Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate Title in Yokkaichi, Japan, defeating Naruki Doi, Gamma and Magnitude Kishiwada.
2007 - El Diamante defeats Lightning for the IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Title in Isabela, Puerto Rico.
2007 - Vangelis defeats El Dandy to win the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico, ending El Dandy's second reign.
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