This day in history - 17th March
March 17th
On this day in history in ....
1981 - The Moondogs (Rex & King) defeat Tony Garea & Rick Martel for the WWF World Tag Team Title in Allentown, Pennsylvania.? This would end Garea & Martel's first tag title reign.? Two months later, when King was unable to enter the country from Canada due to legal problems, Moondog Spot took him place in the championship team.
1982 - Bob Roop defeats Ted DiBiase for the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Title in Shreveport, Louisiana, ending DiBiase's third run with the belt.
1993 - Big Van Vader defeats Sting for the WCW World Heavyweight Title in Dublin, Ireland.? Vader had lost the title to Sting six days earlier in London, England. This would mark the beginning of Vader's third WCW title reign, and the end of Sting's second (third if you count the NWA World Title).
1999 - Johnny Spade defeats Jason Lee for the Ohio Valley Light Heavyweight Title.
2000 - Beyond The Mat, a documentary on professional wrestling put together by Hollywood screenwriter Barry W. Blaustein, opens in theaters.? The film focuses on Jake Roberts, Terry Funk, and Mick Foley, and also includes sections on Vince McMahon, Droz, New Jack, Koko B. Ware, and ECW's first Pay-per-view, Barely Legal.
2002 - Wrestlemania X8 takes place.
Wrestlemania X8
March 17, 2002
Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada
Arena: Skydome
Announced Attendance: 68,237
*Rob Van Dam pinned William Regal with the five star frog splash to win the WWF Intercontinental championship.
*WWF European Champ Diamond Dallas Page pinned Christian. This was Page's only Wrestlemania appearance before he retired.
*In his Wrestlemania debut, WWF Hardcore Champ Maven fought Goldust, which ended with several others running in and Spike Dudley pinning Maven to win the title. The Hurricane later pinned Spike to win the belt and spent the rest of the PPV running around in the back in a series of vignettes trying not to be pinned, only to be attacked and pinned by his sidekick Molly Holly. Holly was then hit by a door as she was walking through it and pinned by Christian. Christian attempted to flee the building but was rolled up and pinned by Maven, who then stole Christian's taxi to boot, exiting as Hardcore champion. Maven would also be the first Tough Enough winner to make it to Mania.
*Kurt Angle pinned Kane
*The Undertaker pinned Ric Flair in a great street fight with a tombstone. Flair used a steel bar from the Undertaker's motorcycle on him. Arn Anderson hit the ring and hit Taker with a spinebuster at one point as well.
*In a grudge match over a fictional shampoo commercial in Japan, Edge pinned Booker T.
*Steve Austin pinned Scott Hall (with Kevin Nash) with several stone cold stunners. This would be the first and only appearance of the New World Order gimmick in the WWE, which quickly stalled and died out. Austin would walk out of the company the next day over unhappiness with the promotion and his own health issues, which began the build to his retirement the next year.
*WWF Tag Champs Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo beat The Acolytes, The Hardy Boyz, and The Dudley Boys in a Four-Way Elimination bout which saw D-Von pin Bradhsaw, Jeff Hardy pin Bubba Dudley, and Billy Gunn pin Jeff. It was Jeff Hardy's last Wrestlemania appearance to date.
*The Rock pinned Hulk Hogan with a rock bottom in a tremendously heated match that saw the Toronto crowd just go wild for Hogan. This is really entertaining to watch on video just for the crowd reactions as just like last year, the crowd turned on Rocky for his opponent. Hall and Nash turned on Hogan after the bout with Rocky making the save. Rock and Hogan posed to end the segment. Much like the Hogan vs. Warrior match at Wrestlemania VI, Hogan was supposed to pass the torch but made himself so sympathetic, he was more over walking out. This would set up his babyface run here.
*WWF Women's Champ Jazz beat Trish Stratus and Lita in a Triple Threat Match when she pinned Lita. OK match that saw them in the death slot after the Hogan match.
*Triple H pinned Chris Jericho (with Stephanie McMahon) to win the Undisputed WWF championship with the Pedigree.
Celebrities: Bands Drowning Pool and Saliva were brought in to play live during the PPV, including "telling the story" of Jericho vs. HHH which was more based around Stephanie and HHH.
Notes: The attendance was another Skydome record....The promotion did another round of AXXESS events, although the first one was marred by a fan pulling a fire alarm and having to end the session early?. Rikishi, Scotty Too Hotty, & Albert beat Mr. Perfect, Test, & Lance Storm (3:06) when Rikishi pinned Perfect during Sunday Night Heat. It would be the final Wrestlemania appearance for Curt Hennig prior to his passing.
2003 - During an edition of Raw from St. Louis, Missouri, Steve Austin defeated Eric Bischoff in a No DQ match after hitting Stunners on Bischoff, Chief Morley (Val Venis) and The Rock.
