Today In Wrestling History – February 26th

Trivia

1996 – In the early months of the Monday Night Wars: WCW Monday Nitro defeated WWF Monday Night Raw: 3.2 to 3.1 in the ratings

2010 – WWE released a lot of talents, including Charlie Haas, Paul Burchill, referee Scott Armstrong, Shane Helms & Maria Kanellis.  though Armstrong would return almost exactly one year later to the company

Events

1973 – The WWWF held an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The show featured AWA World Champion Verne Gagne, as well as Dory Funk, Sr. & his son Terry:

– Susan Green & Lily Thomas defeated Paula Kaye & Peggy Patterson
– Tony Garea defeated Mike Conrad
– Mike Graham defeated Joe Turco
– Terry Funk defeated Chuck Richards
– Victor Rivera defeated Dory Funk, Sr
– Mil Mascaras defeated Buddy Wolfe
– AWA World Heavyweight Champion Verne Gagne defeated Eddie Graham (subbing for Ray Stevens)
– WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Pedro Morales defeated King Curtis Iaukea

In 1996, WCW Monday Nitro aired live from Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee. The results:

In dark matches:

– The Blue Bloods (Earl Robert Eaton & Lord Steven Regal) defeated Dick Slater in a handicap match
– Brad Armstrong defeated Disco Inferno
– WCW World Television Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page to retain the title
In televised matches:
– WCW World Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Big Bubba
– Lex Luger defeated The Renegade.
– The Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) besiege Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray).
– The Booty Man, Hulk Hogan & WCW World Heavyweight Champion Randy Savage defeated Arn Anderson, Ric Flair & Kevin Sullivan (with Miss Elizabeth & Woman)

In 2000 – The East Coast Wrestling Association held the 4th-annual Super 8 Tournament in Newark, Delaware at the Greater Newark Boys & Girls Club:

– Scoot Andrews defeated Trent Acid in a Super 8 Tournament first round match
– Chad Collyer defeated Shark Boy in a Super 8 Tournament first round match
– Jet Jaguar defeated Jeff Peterson in a Super 8 Tournament first round match
– Christopher Daniels defeated Vic Capri in a Super 8 Tournament first round match
– ECWA Mid-Atlantic Champion Ty Street defeated Glen Osbourne in a Lumberjack match to retain the title
– Christopher Daniels defeated Ace Darling (subbing for the injured Jet Jaguar) in a Super 8 Tournament semifinal match
– Scoot Andrews defeated Chad Collyer in a Super 8 Tournament semifinal match
– Cheetah Master and ECWA Heavyweight Champion J.J. the Ring Crew Guy defeated ECWA Tag Team Champions The Inferno Kid & J.R. Ryder by disqualification. Inferno & Ryder retained the title
– Christopher Daniels defeated Scoot Andrews to win the Super 8 Tournament

In 2007 – WWE held a live Monday Night Raw at the Save Mart Center, in Fresno, California. RAW earned a 4.3 rating on USA Network:

– Jim Duggan defeated Bradley Jay in a dark match.
Heat:
– Eugene defeated Tony Jones.
– The Highlanders (Robbie & Rory McAlister) defeated Kabu (Kafu) & Oliver Stone (Oliver John)
– Val Venis defeated Charlie Haas
– Cryme Tyme (JTG & Shad) defeated Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
RAW:
– Jeff Hardy defeated Shelton Benjamin in a Money in the Bank qualifying match.
– Johnny Nitro vs. Super Crazy never got underway, after Nitro attacked Crazy before the match & threw him into the ring steps.
– WWE Women’s Champion Melina defeated Maria
– Carlito (with Torrie Wilson) pinned Kenny Dykstra
– World Tag Team Champions John Cena & Shawn Michaels defeated Rated-RKO (Edge & Randy Orton) to retain the title, when Cena pinned Orton after the FU after Michaels’ Sweet Chin Music. Edge had walked out on Orton after he thought Orton hit him with 1 of the title belts, which was actually Michaels. Edge suffered a broken jaw during the match & wouldn’t be in the ring again until WrestleMania 23

In 2011, ROH 9th Anniversary Show was held at the Frontier Park Field House, in Chicago, Illinois:

– Davey Richards defeated Colt Cabana
– Mike Bennett (with “Brutal” Bob Evans) defeated Steve Corino, Grizzly Redwood, & Kyle O’Reilly in a 4-way match
– El Generico defeated Michael Elgin (with Truth Martini)
– Roderick Strong (with Truth Martini) defeated Homicide in a No Holds Barred Match to retain the ROH World Title
– Sara Del Rey (with Shane Hagadorn) defeated MsChif
– The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) (with Shane Hagadorn) defeated The All Night Express (Kenny King & Rhett Titus) to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles
– Christopher Daniels fought Eddie Edwards to a time limit draw in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match (Daniels retains the ROH Television Title)
– Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) defeated The Briscoe Brothers (Mark & Jay)

Title Changes

1920 – Mike Yokel defeated Waino Ketonen to win the World Middleweight Title in Boston, Massachusetts

1942 – Ali Pasha defeated Billy Thom to win the Midwest Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Title in Columbus, Ohio

1951 – Sky Hi Lee defeated Al Mills to win the Calgary NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title in Edmonton, Alberta

1958 – Don & Jackie Fargo defeated Lee Fields & Lester Welch to win the Mid-America NWA World Tag Team Title in Mobile, Alabama

1967 – Verne Gagne defeated Mad Dog Vachon to win the AWA World Title

1971 – Vivian Vachon defeated Betty Nicoli to win the NWA California Women’s Title in Los Angeles, California

1978 – Dick Murdoch defeated Ted DiBiase to win the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title in St. Louis, Missouri

1984 – Dos Caras defeated Enrique Vera to win the UWA World Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico

1988 – Terry Taylor defeated Matt Borne to win the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title

1989 – Angel Azteca defeated Bestia Salvaje to win the Mexican National Welterweight Title

1990 – Jimmy Valiant defeated Jerry Lawler to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title

1993 – Heavy Metal defeated Rey Misterio, Jr. to win the Mexican National Welterweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico

1993 – The Ebony Experience (Stevie Ray & Booker T) defeated The Bad Breed (Axl & Ian Rotten) to win the Global Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas

1995 – Bobby Blaze defeated Jerry Lawler to win the SMW Heavyweight Title in Knoxville, Tennessee

1997 – on Raw, The British Bulldog defeated Owen Hart in the final of a tournament to become the first WWF European Champion

1999 – Kumiko Maekawa defeated Yasha Kurenai to win the AJW All Pacific Title in Tokyo, Japan

2000 – Tommy Dreamer & Masato Tanaka defeated The Impact Players (Lance Storm & Justin Credible) to win the ECW Tag Team Titles

2000 – The New Foundation (The Blue Meanie & Jim Neidhart) win separate battle royals to become the 1st Memphis Championship Wrestling Tag Team Champions in Memphis, Tennessee

2002 – on Smackdown, Goldust defeated Maven to win the WWF Hardcore Title

2005 – Manuel Majoli defeated Puck to win the Italian Championship Wrestling Interregional Heavyweight Title in Pavia, Italy

Birthdays

Happy birthday to AWA founder Verne Gagne (87), & famed manager ‘Father’ James Mitchell (48)

Also today would have been the birthday of former Lucha Libre USA talent Reid Flair (25)