This Day In History - February 14th
February 14th
On this day in history in ....
1982 - Dutch Mantell defeats Jerry Lawler in Memphis, Tennessee to win the AWA Southern Heavyweight Title for the second time, ending Lawler's ninth reign with the title.
1982 - UWA held their 7th Anniversary Show at El Toreo (a famous bullfighting arena) in Naulcalpan, Mexico. The show was headlined by a two out of three falls match where Abdullah The Butcher & Perro Aguayo defeated Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami. In order two win a fall, both members of a team had to be defeated. In the first fall, Fujinami pinned Aguayo and Abdullah was counted out. In the second fall, Aguayo pinned Fujinami and Inoki was counted out. In the final fall, both Inoki and Fujinami were disqualified.
1984 - At a WWF television taping in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the long-awaited singles match between Sgt. Slaughter and The Iron Sheik never began as Sheik attacked Slaughter before the bell and whipped him with a belt. During the taping for the next episode, Slaughter attacked The Iron Sheik after Sheik began insulting Slaughter and the U.S. after defeating Eddie Gilbert. Slaughter ran off the Sheik and then vowed to defeat him and defend the United States.
1988 - John Tatum & Jack Victory won back the World Class Championship Wrestling Texas Tag Team Title in unusual fashion in Ft. Worth, Texas. The belts had been held up following a controversial match with the Fantastics on January 28th. To decide the championship, the teams drew from a deck of cards. Tatum & Victory drew the high card and got the belts back.
1994 - Eddie Gilbert defeated Jerry Lawler for the USWA Unified Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee ending Lawler's 18th reign after only a week. This also started Gilbert's own fourth run with the belt. On the same card, Brian Christopher defeated Doug Gilbert for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title, ending a one week reign for Doug, and starting his tenth run with that title.
1996 - Brian Christopher defeated Tommy Rich for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title, starting his 21st reign with the belt. On the same card, Jesse James Armstrong & Tracey Smothers defeated PG-13 for the USWA Tag Team Title.
1999 - WWF held the St. Valentine's Massacre Pay-per-view at The Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee. It featured the debut of Paul Wight, now known as the Big Show. Wight had jumped from WCW (where he was known as the Giant) and signed a long term deal with the WWF. Here are the results of the show:
- Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor defeated Matt & Jeff Hardy. This match was shown on Sunday Night Heat.
- Viscera defeated Test via disqualification. This match was shown on Sunday Night Heat.
- Billy Gunn vs. Tiger Ali Singh ended in a no-contest. This match was shown on Sunday Night Heat.
- Goldust defeated Bluedust (Blue Meanie) with the Curtain Call.
- Hardcore Holly defeated Al Snow to win the vacant Hardcore Title by wrapping Snow in a length of chain link fence outside the arena and pinning him.
- Big Boss Man defeated Mideon with a side slam. After the match, the Ministry attacked Boss Man and carried him out.
- World Tag Team Champions Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett defeated Mark Henry & D'Lo Brown when Jarrett beat Henry with a figure four after Owen hit his leg with a guitar.
- Val Venis defeated Ken Shamrock to win the Intercontinental Title after Billy Gunn knocked out Shamrock.
- Kane & Chyna defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley & X-Pac when Chyna pinned Helmsley after Kane chokeslammed him.
- WWF World Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs. Rocky Maivia in a "Last Man Standing" match ended in a draw when neither man could answer the ten count after hitting each other simultaneously with chairshots.
- Steve Austin defeated Vince McMahon in a steel cage match when Paul Wight attacked Austin and threw him into the wall of the cage. The cage broke, and Austin fell to the floor. Since Austin made it to the floor before Vince, he was declared the winner.
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