Today In Wrestling History- April 21st

Trivia

1973 – Giant Baba wins the AJPW Champion’s Carnival, defeating Mark Lewin in the final

1993 – This year’s AJPW Champion’s Carnival returned to the single-block format. Stan Hansen defeats Mitsuharu Misawa in the final after both men tied on 20 points

1998 – Scott Steiner was arrested for threatening an Atlanta Department Of Transportation Worker, & then hitting him twice with his Ford pickup truck when the worker, who was directing traffic, wouldn’t let Steiner drive down a lane that was being worked on in Cherokee County. The worker was not seriously injured

2007 – Ric Flair filed a lawsuit alleging that his former business manager & several partners bilked both he & ex-wife Beth out of $500,000 when they made an investment in The Forum at Ballantyne Commons office building in Charlotte

2008 – World Wrestling Entertainment cut developmental talents Chris Gray, Tommy Taylor, & Ryan Bishop

Events

In 2002, WWF Backlash was held at Kemper Arena, in Kansas City, Missouri. This was the 1st PPV following the Brand Extension, but remained a dual-brand show. With an attendance of 12,489:

Sunday Night Heat:
– The Big Show defeated Justin Credible & Stevie Richards in a handicap match
PPV:
– Tajiri (with Torrie Wilson) defeated Billy Kidman to win the WWF Cruiserweight Title
– Scott Hall (with X-Pac) defeated Bradshaw (with Farooq)
– Jazz defeated Trish Stratus to retain the WWF Women’s Title
– Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) defeated Jeff Hardy (with Lita) via referee stoppage
– Kurt Angle defeated Edge
– Eddie Guerrero defeated Rob Van Dam to win the WWF Intercontinental Title
– The Undertaker defeated Steve Austin with Ric Flair as special guest referee
– Billy & Chuck (with Rico) defeated Maven & Al Snow to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles
– Hollywood Hogan defeated Triple H to win the WWF Undisputed Title

In 2008, WWE held a live Monday Night Raw, with a 1 night King of The Ring Tournament at the Bi-Lo Center, in Greenville, South Carolina:

Dark Match:
– Ron Killings (R-Truth) defeated Trevor Murdoch
Raw:
– Chris Jericho defeated MVP in a King of the Ring Quarter-Final match
– CM Punk defeated Matt Hardy in a King of the Ring Quarter-Final match
– Finlay (with Hornswoggle) defeated The Great Khali via DQ in a King of the Ring Quarter-Final match
– Raw GM William Regal defeated Hornswoggle in a King of the Ring Quarter-Final match
– Carlito (with Santino Marella) defeated Hardcore Holly (with Cody Rhodes)
– CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho in a King of the Ring Semi-Final match
– William Regal defeated Finlay via knockout in a King of the Ring Semi-Final match
– Barak Obama (Imposter) fought Hillary Clinton (Imposter) (with Imposter Bill Clinton) to a no contest when Umaga ran in & attacked both imposters
– William Regal defeated CM Punk in the finals to win the 2008 WWE King of the Ring Tournament
– Randy Orton, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, Edge & Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated The Undertaker, Triple H, Kane, & John Cena in a 8-man tag team match

Title Changes

1967 – The Assassins (1 & 2) defeated The Red Raiders (Dick Dunn & Billy Garrett) to win the vacant TSW United States Tag Team Titles

1979 – Mike George defeated Jerry Stubbs to win the TSW Louisiana Title. This would be the final reign before MSWA took control of the title

1980 – Ken Patera defeated Pat Patterson to win the WWF Intercontinental Title at Madison Square Garden, in New York City

1982 – Bruiser Brody defeated Dory Funk Jr. to win the NWA International Heavyweight Title

1984 – Ricky Steamboat defeated Dick Slater to win the NWA United States Title

1994 – Ric Flair defeated Ricky Steamboat to win the vacant WCW World Title

2004 – AJ Styles defeated Jeff Jarrett in a Cage Match to win the NWA World Title

Birthdays

Happy birthday to one-time WWF Tag Team Champion Ed ‘Brutus Beefcake’ Leslie (57), 6-time TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal (29), one-time WWE United States Champion Orlando Jordan (40), former ECW wrestler Axl Rotten (43), & Dragon Gate regular KAGETORA (32)

Happy Birthday also to the late NWA Hall of Famer Angelo Savoldi (100)