This Day In History - May 16th

May 16th

On this day in history in ....

1952 - Roger Mackay defeats The Masked Marvel (Buddy Knox) for the Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Title in Tacoma, Washington.

1961 - Charles "The Godfather" Wright is born in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1963 - Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy defeat Buddy Austin and The Great Scott in Washington, DC to win the WWWF United States Tag Team Title.

1963 - Bull Curry defeats Jack Dalton in Houston, Texas for the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title, beginning his 13th reign.

1964 - Verne Gagne wins his seventh AWA World Heavyweight Title in Omaha, Nebraska by defeating Mad Dog Vachon.

1967 - Togo Shikuma and Chati Yokouchi defeat Jack Brisco and Gorgeous George, Jr. to win the Tri-State NWA United States Tag Team Title in Little Rock, Arkansas.

1967 - Boris Malenko defeats Wahoo McDaniel for the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.

1969 - Antonio Inoki defeats Chris Markoff to win the 11th-annual JWA World League tournament.

1969 - Archie Gouldie defeats Angelo Mosca for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title in Calgary, Alberta, to begin his fourth reign. This was a rematch from May 2 in Calgary.

1969 - The Professional (Doug Gilbert) defeats El Mongol to win the vacant NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title in Atlanta, Georgia, beginning Professional's third reign.

1970 - The Claw defeats Moondog Mayne for the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title, ending Mayne's ninth reign.

1972 - Paul Jones defeats Jack Brisco to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida, ending Brisco's third reign.

1972 - Georgia Championship Wrestling held an event at the Macon Coliseuk in Macon, Georgia. The results:
- Bepo Mongol (with Macon Tag Team Champion Assassin #1) and Mr. X defeated Tim Geohagen and John Sullivan.
- Oki Shikina defeated Mike Burns.
- Buddy Colt and Dick Steinborn fought to a 45-minute draw.
- Bob Armstrong and Koa Tiki defeated Macon Tag Team Champions The Assassins (#1 and #2) by disqualification to win the title, after Assassin #1 ran in illegally and dropkicked Tiki, who was trying to unmask Assassin #2.

1973 - Johnny Powers defeats Eric the Animal to win the NWF North American Heavyweight Title in Buffalo, New York, beginning his sixth reign.

1974 - Jean Antoine and Sandy Parker defeat Peggy Kuroda and Junko Sasaki for the WWWA World Tag Team Title in Shizuoka, Japan.

1975 - Antonio Inoki defeats Killer Karl Krupp by submission to win the annual NJPW World League tournament.

1977 - The WWWF held an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The results:
- Carlos Rocha defeated Jan Nelson.
- Ron Mickolajoka defeated Doug Gilbert.
- Baron Mikel Scicluna fought Ivan Putski to a draw.
- Ken Patera fought WWWF Tag Team Champion Chief Jay Strongbow to a draw.
- WWWF Tag Team Champion Billy White Wolf defeated Rocky Tamoyo.
- Tony Garea and Larry Zbyzsko defeated Stan Stasiak and Nikolai Volkoff.
- Bruno Sammartino defeated George Steele by referee stoppage due to blood.
- WWWF Heavyweight Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Gorilla Monsoon to retain the title.

1977 - Giant Baba defeats Jumbo Tsuruta to win the annual AJPW Champion's Carnival tournament.

1980 - Al Madril and Tom Prichard defeat Jack Evans and Pampero Firpo to win the NWA Americas Tag Team Title.

1981 - Eddie Gilbert and Ricky Morton defeat The Akbar Army (Jerry Brown and Ron McFarlane) for the NWA Tri-State Tag Team Title in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1981 - Kim Song defeats Tommy Gilbert for the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1981 - Ashura Hara and Mighty Inoue defeat Paul Ellering and Larry Latham for the International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan. They were the final champions as the promotion closed on August 9.

1983 - In Memphis, Tennessee, Bobby Eaton and Duke Myers defeat The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) for the AWA Southern Tag Team Title, ending the Fabs' fifth reign and beginning Eaton and Myers' second. At the same event, Ken Patera won the CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Title from Jerry Lawler, and Bill Dundee wins his seventh AWA Southern Heavyweight Title, ending Dutch Mantel's fourth reign.

1984 - Andy Kaufman dies of kidney failure due to large cell carcinoma in Los Angeles, California. Kaufman is best known in the wrestling world for his 1982 match with Jerry Lawler at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee, and subsequent expletive-laden appearance with Lawler on the Late Show with David Letterman.

1984 - Mickie Knuckles is born in Clarksville, Indiana.

1984 - Wojo Yawrenko defeats Al Tomko to win the Vancouver NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title in Abbotsford, British Columbia, ending Tomko's third reign.

1987 - The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane) defeat Ron Garvin and Barry Windham in the finals of a six-team tournament for the NWA United States Tag Team Title in Atlanta, Georgia.

1991 - Villano III defeats El Signo for the UWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico, beginning his second reign. At the same event, Los Cowboys (Silver King and El Texano) won a tournament to become the first UWA World Tag Team Champions.

1992 - A joint event between Japan's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling and Mexico's World Wrestling Association was held in Los Angeles, California at the Gymnasium on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. The results:
- Piloto Suicida and Superstar, Jr. defeated Estampa Brava and Chamaco Rebelde.
- Akihito Ichihara defeated American Eagle.
- Billy Anderson, Jesse Hernandez and Louie Spicolli defeated Eiji Ezaki, Mr. Gannosuke and Ultrataro, when Spicolli pinned Ezaki.
- Super Muñeco, Ultra Tiger and Ultraman 2000 defeated Bull Rider, Ghengis Khan and The Shooter, when Muneco and Ultraman pinned Khan and Rider.
- Megumi Kudo, Yuki Morimatsu and Miwa Sato defeated Yoshika Maedomari, Combat Toyoda and Erika Tsuchiya.
- Ricky Fuji, Tinieblas, Jr. and Tinieblas, Sr. defeated Sambo Asako, Giant Warrior and Mando Guerrero by disqualification.
- Atsushi Onita, Tarzan Goto and El Hijo del Santo defeated WWA World Martial Arts Tag Team Champion Horace Boulder, Negro Casas and Tim Patterson in a best-of-three falls match, 2-1. Goto pinned Patterson, Casas pinned Santo and Onita pinned Boulder.

1994 - The USWA held an event at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee. The results:
- Ken Wayne defeated The Colorado Kid.
- Spellbinder defeated Reggie B. Fine.
- Spike Huber defeated Bull Pain.
- The Moondogs (Rex and Spot) fought The Bad Breed (Axl and Ian Rotten) to a double-disqualification.
- USWA Women's Champion Debbie Combs defeated Robbie Rage.
- USWA Tag Team Champions The Eliminators (Kronus and Saturn) defeated The Spiders (The Headbangers).
- USWA Heavyweight Champion Brian Christopher defeated Doug Gilbert in a Singapore cane match.
- Jeff Jarrett and USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler defeated Eddie Gilbert and Dream Machine by disqualification.

1997 - The Championship Wrestling Federation held an event at Athens High School in Troy, Michigan. The results:
- Total Annihilation (Gene Austin & Scott Stevens) defeated CWF Tag Team Champions Mike Kelly (subbing for Woody Lee) & Bobby Lee and Killer Kanareck & Bill Skullion in a three-way match to win the title.
- Mike Murphy defeated CWF Cruiserweight Champion Bobby Clancy to win the title.
- Rob Avram defeated El Diablo Rojo.
- Kamikaze Calhoun defeated Skull Ganz.
- CWF Television Champion Tommy Starr fought Madman Pondo to a double-countout. Starr retained the title.
- CWF Heavyweight Champion Knighthawk defeated Abdul Mustafa to retain the title.
- Brian Fury and Alexis Machine defeated Larry Destiny and Rico Rodriguez.
- NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dan Severn defeated Johnny Paradise by submission to retain the title.

1998 - ECW held "A Matter of Respect" at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results were:
- Justin Credible (with Chastity and Jason) defeated Jerry Lynn in a best-of-three falls match, 2-1. Lynn pinned Credible with a cradle piledriver, Credible pinned Lynn with That's Incredible, and Credible pinned Lynn with an inside cradle after Chastity low-blowed Lynn.
- Chris Chetti pinned Jamie Dundee after a double-springboard moonsault.
- Mikey Whipwreck pinned Mike Lozansky after the Whippersnapper.
- Kronus pinned Danny Doring (with The Equalizer, Ulf Herman and Lance Wright) after a 450 splash.
- The Blue Meanie and Super Nova fought The Full-Blooded Italians (Little Guido and Tracy Smothers (with Tommy Rich)) to a no-contest when the FBI attacked Meanie and Nova with chairs and the Italian flag. Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten then came out, and a match began.
- Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten defeated The Full-Blooded Italians (Little Guido and Tracy Smothers (with Tommy Rich)), when Axl pinned Guido and Balls pinned Smothers after stereo chair shots.
- ECW World Tag Team Champion Chris Candido and Sabu fought ECW World Tag Team Champion Lance Storm and ECW World Television Champion Rob Van Dam to a no-contest.
- Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Al Snow (with Head) after Greetings from Asbury Park.

1998 - Sangre Chicana defeats Máscara Sagrada in Torreon, Mexico to win the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Title, ending Sagrada's second reign.

1998 - The Inferno Kid and Mike Quackenbush are awarded the Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling Tag Team Title in Reading, Pennsylvania.

1998 - Paul Atlas defeats J.B. Destiny for the Pro Wrestling eXpress Television Title in North Versailles, Pennsylvania.

1999 - The WWF held its first "No Mercy" pay-per-view, exclusive to the United Kingdom, at the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England, with 18,407 fans attending. The results were:
- Tiger Ali Singh pinned WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Gillberg after a reverse neckbreaker.
- The Acolytes (Bradshaw and Faarooq) and Viscera defeated The Brood (Christian, Edge and Gangrel), when Bradshaw pinned Gangrel after the Clothesline from Hell, after Shane McMahon sent Mideon to the ring, who DDT'd Gangrel on the floor before rolling him back inside.
- Steve Blackman defeated Droz by submission with a triangle choke.
- WWF Tag Team Champion Kane defeated Mideon by disqualification when The Acolytes, Shane McMahon and Viscera interfered after Kane had chokeslammed Mideon. Kane's partner X-Pac made the save with a kendo stick.
- Nicole Bass (subbing for Sable, who said she had a chest cold) pinned Tori with one foot after a chokeslam. This was Sable's last WWF appearance until returning in April 2003.
- WWF European Champion Shane McMahon pinned WWF Tag Team Champion X-Pac to retain the title, after Triple H Pedigreed X-Pac while the referee was knocked out.
- Billy Gunn pinned Mankind after a Fameasser on a steel chair.
- WWF Champion Steve Austin defeated Triple H (with Chyna) and The Undertaker in a no-holds-barred triple threat match to retain the title, by pinning Triple H after a Stone Cold Stunner.

1999 - ECW held its fifth "Hardcore Heaven" pay-per-view at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, which got a 0.23 buyrate. The results:
- In a dark match, Skull Von Krush (Big Vito) pinned Danny Doring.
- ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz defeated Chris Candido by submission with the Tazmission to retain the title.
- ECW World Tag Team Champions The Dudley Boyz (Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von) defeated Spike Dudley and Balls Mahoney, when D-Von pinned Mahoney after the 3D, to retain the title.
- Super Crazy pinned Taka Michinoku after a sitting powerbomb.
- Yoshihiro Tajiri pinned Little Guido after a brainbuster.
- Lance Storm (with Dawn Marie) pinned Tommy Dreamer (with Francine) after a spinkick from the top rope.
- ECW World Television Champion Rob Van Dam pinned Jerry Lynn in a no time-limit match after a Five-star Frog Splash to retain the title. This match was also shown on the first episode of ECW on TNN.
- Sid Vicious fought Justin Credible to a no-contest.
- ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz defeated ECW World Tag Team Champions Buh-Buh Ray Dudley in a falls count anywhere match by submission with the Tazmission to retain the title.

1999 - The Ghetto Mafia (2-Dope and Sydeswype) defeat The Bruiser and Danny Rose in Glen Burnie, Maryland to win their second Maryland Championship Wrestling Tag Team Title.

2000 - The WWF taped the May 18 edition of SmackDown! and matches for the May 21 Sunday Night Heat at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Heat:
- The British Bulldog pinned Joey Abs (with Pete Gas and Rodney) after a powerslam.
- Essa Rios and Lita defeated Kaientai (Funaki and Taka Michinoku), when both members of Kaientai were pinned after stereo moonsaults from Lita and Rios.
- The Godfather pinned D-Lo Brown after the Ho Train and a clothesline. After the match, Brown gave The Godfather, as well as one of The Godfather's ho's, Sky Highs, and hit the Lo Down on the ho.
SmackDown!:
- Kurt Angle pinned Scotty 2 Hotty by blocking a victory roll.
- Perry Saturn fought WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Dean Malenko to a no-contest when guest referee Eddie Guerrero hit Malenko with the Light Heavyweight title belt, just after Malenko had done the same to Saturn.
- Grandmaster Sexay pinned WWF Tag Team Champion Christian with a roll-over and a handful of tights.
- Chris Jericho and Val Venis defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Chris Benoit and Hardcore Holly by disqualification when Holly hit Venis with a chair.
- Rikishi (with Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty)) defeated WWF Tag Team Champion Edge (with Kurt Angle and WWF Tag Team Champion Christian) by disqualification when Angle and Christian interfered.
- Shane McMahon pinned The Big Show in a gauntlet match after an assisted chokeslam while standing on a chair. The match was originally set to be Shane one-on-one with Big Show, but Shane said he forgot his gear, and made the gauntlet match. Big Show went through three tag teams, T&A (Test and Albert (with Trish Stratus)), The Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan, and Road Dogg and X-Pac (with Tori) beforehand.
- Crash Holly had paid off the A.P.A. (Bradshaw and Faarooq) for them to let him sleep in their office to hide from defending his WWF Hardcore Title. The A.P.A. left the office with Crash still inside, which Gerald Brisco took advantage and pinned the sleeping Crash to win the title, ending Crash's eighth reign.
- WWF Champion The Rock fought The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) to a no-contest in a handicap lumberjack tables match, when all three men began fighting all the lumberjacks. The lumberjacks were: Albert, The Big Bossman, WWF Hardcore Champion Gerald Brisco, Bull Buchanan, Shane McMahon, Vince McMahon, Road Dogg, Trish Stratus, Test, Tori, X-Pac. The Dudleys were put through tables by Road Dogg and X-Pac after the match, and Triple H gave The Rock a Rock Bottom through a table as well.

2000 - WCW taped the May 17 edition of Thunder in Lafayette, Louisiana at the Cajundome, which got a 2.6 rating on TBS. The results were:
- The Misfits in Action (Captain Rection, Corporal Cajun, Lieutenant Loco and Major Stash (with Major Gunns)) defeated The Filthy Animals (Disco Inferno, Juventud Guerrera, Konnan and Rey Misterio, Jr.) by disqualification.
- Hulk Hogan defeated Horace Hogan (with Torrie Wilson).
- WCW Hardcore Champion Terry Funk defeated Ernest Miller to retain the title.
- WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Scott Steiner defeated Mike Awesome in an ambulance match.
- WCW World Tag Team Champions KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark) defeated Shane Douglas in a handicap match.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Crowbar, Daffney, David Flair and Jeff Jarrett in a handicap match.

2002 - FMW President Shoichi Arai committed suicide by hanging himself in a park in Tokyo, Japan. Arai was 36 years old. He took the company over from Atsushi Onita in 1995 and ran FMW until it closed in 2002.

2002 - Alex Rizzo, better known as ECW's Big Dick Dudley, was found dead in his apartment in Copiague, New York at age 34. It has been speculated, though not confirmed, that Rizzo died of kidney failure because of a small dependency on painkillers due to injuries.

2003 - Justin Credible defeats Steve Corino in Queens, New York to win the Premier Wrestling Federation Universal Heavyweight Title, ending Corino's fourth reign and beginning Credible's second. Also, Veronica Stevens defeats Alexis Laree for the PWF World Women's Title.

2003 - Genki Horiguchi, Ryo Saito and Susumu Yokosuka defeat CIMA, Don Fujii and SUWA for the UWA World Trios Title in Kobe, Japan.

2003 - Independent Pro Wrestling and NWA Florida held the first night of the first Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup at the Florida WrestlePlex in St. Petersburg, Florida, which featured the first round of the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup Tournament. The results:
- CHAOS defeated Havoc and Kubiak in a three-way hardcore match.
- Naturally Marvelous (Scoot Andrews and Mike Sullivan) defeated Danny Doring and Mikey Tenderfoot.
- Lex Lovett defeated Agent Steele.
Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup Tournament first round:
- Naphtali defeated Seijin Akki.
- Jason Cross defeated CM Punk.
- Tony Mamaluke defeated Jerelle Clark.
- B-Boy defeated Steve Madison.
- Sedrick Strong defeated David Babylon.
- Reckless Youth defeated Sonjay Dutt.
- Ruckus defeated Roderick Strong.
- NWA Florida X Division and IPW Cruiserweight Champion Justice defeated Colt Cabana.

2003 - Tommy Suede defeats Havoc for the World Xtreme Wrestling Television Title in Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania.

2003 - Horace the Psychopath defeats Dino Bambino and champion Adrian Lynch in a three-way match in Green Bay, Wisconsin to win the NWA Wisconsin Heavyweight Title.

2003 - NxN Rude defeats Bulldog Raines for the NWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title in Humboldt, Tennessee, ending Raines' third reign.

2004 - WWE held its sixth-annual "Judgment Day" pay-per-view at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The show got a 0.42 buyrate and 18,722 fans attended. The results were:
- In a match airing on Sunday Night Heat, Mark Jindrak (with Theodore Long) pinned Funaki after the Mark of Excellence.
- Rey Mysterio and Rob Van Dam defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von), when RVD pinned D-Von after the Five Star Frog Splash, after Mysterio hit a double-619.
- Torrie Wilson pinned Dawn Marie with a backslide. Before the match, SmackDown! General Manager Kurt Angle told Torrie that if she lost the match, she would be fired.
- Mordecai, in his debut, pinned Scotty 2 Hotty after a crucifix powerbomb.
- WWE Tag Tag Team Champions Charlie Haas and Rico (with Miss Jackie) defeated Billy Gunn and Hardcore Holly to retain the title, when Haas pinned Holly with a sunset flip after Rico superkicked Holly as he had Rico up for the Alabamaslam.
- Chavo Guerrero (with Chavo Classic) pinned WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jacqueline to win the title after a Gory Bomb. Guerrero had one arm tied behind his back for the match, but during, Chavo Classic untied his son's hand, enabling to hit the Gory Bomb behind the referee's back. This began Chavo's second reign in WWE, and fourth overall including WCW.
- WWE United States Champion John Cena pinned René Duprée after an FU to retain the title.
- The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) pinned Booker T after a Tombstone piledriver.
- John "Bradshaw" Layfield defeated WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero by disqualification, after Guerrero hit JBL with his title belt. Guerrero retained the title.

2004 - Tatsuhito Takaiwa defeats Tony Stradlin for the vacant ZERO-ONE International Junior Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan.

2004 - Mason Hunter and Mark Sterling defeat Griz and Krow in a tournament final in Topeka, Kansas to win the vacant NWA Midwest Tag Team Title.

2005 - WWE held a live RAW and taped the May 22 Sunday Night Heat at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska, which got a 4.3 rating on Spike TV.
- In a dark match, Bobby Lashley defeated ?.
Heat:
- Robért Conway defeated Trevor Murdoch by submission with an armbar.
- William Regal (with Tajiri) defeated Romeo (with Antonio) by disqualification, when Antonio broke the cover after Regal hit a knee to the head.
- Val Venis pinned Sylvian Grenier with the Money Shot.
RAW:
- Muhammad Hassan and Daivari defeated WWE Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin and Chris Jericho, when Hassan pinned Jericho with the Flatliner.
- Ric Flair pinned Christian (with Tyson Tomko) with a roll-over and holding the ropes.
- Chris Benoit fought Tajiri to a no-contest in an ECW rules match when RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff and Jonathan Coachman came out, and Bischoff stopped the match since he never sanctioned it.
- Christy Hemme pinned Candice Michelle in a lingerie pillow fight with a roll-up. After the match, Viscera came out and hit on Lilian Garcia, inviting her into the ring to sit on the bed with him. Viscera then gave Lilian a key to his hotel room.
- World Tag Team Champions The Hurricane and Rosey defeated Simon Dean and Maven, when Rosey pinned Maven, to retain the title.
- Edge pinned Kane (with Lita), after hitting Kane in the face with his Money in the Bank briefcase as he attempted a diving clothesline. Lita had slid the briefcase in the ring to Edge beforehand, and Edge and Lita hugged and kissed on the stage after the match. By winning the Gold Rush Tournament, Edge earned a World Heavyweight Title match for the following week.

2005 - Misae Genki defeats Amazing Kong in the finals of the annual NEO Japan Cup tournament.

2006 - WWE taped the May 19 and May 20 editions of Friday Night SmackDown! and Velocity at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. SmackDown! got a 1.9 rating on UPN. The results were:
Velocity:
- Paul Burchill defeated Simon Dean.
- The Pitbulls (Kid Kash and Jamie Noble) defeated Russell Simpson and Chris Wellman.
- The F.B.I. (Nunzio and Vito) defeated Funaki and Scotty 2 Hotty.
- WWE Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms defeated Funaki.
SmackDown!:
- Jillian Hall, Brian Kendrick and Paul London defeated MNM (Melina and WWE Tag Team Champions Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro), when Jillian pinned Melina with a crossbody off the top.
- Bobby Lashley pinned Jared Steel after a spear.
- Chris Benoit and Gunner Scott defeated Booker T (with Sharmell) and Finlay, when Scott pinned Booker with a crucifix.
- Mark Henry pinned Matt Hardy after a powerslam.
- World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio fought Kane to a no-contest.
- In a dark match after the show, World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio defeated Mark Henry and WWE United States Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield in a triple threat match by pinning JBL after the 619.

2006 - Brad Smith defeats Matt Stryker to win the Heartland Wrestling Association Television Title in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2007 - Megumi Grace Asano, a referee, defeats Coloco, a miniature dachsund, for the DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Title in Tokyo, Japan.


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