Today In Wrestling History- May 15th

Trivia

1983 – Roddy Piper & Terry Funk faced off for the 1st time in Toronto, Ontario at Maple Leaf Garden with Piper winning via countout

1995 – Ernie Ladd, Ivan Putski, & Antonina Rocca’s inductions into the WWF Hall of Fame were announced for the June 1995 induction ceremony in Philadelphia, PA

2000 – The Monday Night War continued: WWF Monday Night Raw defeated WCW Monday Nitro: 6.1 to 3.2 in the ratings

2002 – NWA-TNA announced that Ken Shamrock was announced for their debut PPV, where he would win the NWA title in the main event

2007 – WWE announced Vito had been released from the company

Events

In 1994, AAA TripleMania II-B was held in Zapopan, Mexico:

– Misterioso, Fuerza Guerrera & Juventud Guerrera defeat Volador, Rey Misterio & Rey Misterio Jr
– Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask III, El Hijo Del Santo & Octagon defeat La Parka, Psicosis, Blue Panther & Eddy Guerrero
– Mascara Sagrada defeats Black Cat in a Mask vs Mask Match
– Konnan, Perro Aguayo & Cien Caras defeat Jake Roberts, Love Machine & Miguel Perez Jr

In 2005, TNA Hard Justice was held at the Impact Zone, in Orlando, Florida. The event opened with a tribute to Chris Candido, who had died around 2 weeks earlier. With an attendance of 775:

Pre-Show:
– Shark Boy defeated David Young to earn an entry into the Gauntlet For The Gold
PPV:
– Team Canada (Petey Williams & Eric Young) (with Coach D’Amore) defeated Sonny Siaki & Apolo– Michael Shane & Trinity defeated Chris Sabin & Traci in a mixed tag team match
– Raven defeated Sean Waltman in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match
– Monty Brown & The Outlaw (Billy Gunn) defeated Diamond Dallas Page & Ron Killings
– The Naturals (Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas) defeated America’s Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm) to retain the NWA World Tag Team Titles
– Christopher Daniels defeated Shocker to retain the TNA X-Division Title
– Abyss won a 20-Man Gauntlet For The Gold Match, last eliminating BG James (also in the match was: Eric Young, Mikey Batts, The Outlaw, Jerrelle Clark, Elix Skipper, Cassidy Riley, Zach Gowen, Apolo, Trytan, A-1, Shark Boy, Ron Killings, Michael Shane, Lance Hoyt, Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, Sonny Siaki, & Chris Sabin)
– AJ Styles defeated Jeff Jarrett with Tito Ortiz as special guest referee to win the NWA World Title

In 2005, AAA TripleMania XIII was held in Guadalajara, Mexico:

– CIMA, Electroshock, & El Intocable defeated Mr. Aguila, Charly Manson & Hator
– Psicosis fought Psicosis II to a no contest in Cage Match for the rights to the Psicosis name
– Juventud Guerrera, Luzbel, & El Zorro defeated Al Katrazz, Predator & Acopalypse via DQ
– Konnan defeated Vampiro via TKO
– Latin Lover, La Parka, & Octagon defeated Los Hell Brothers (Chessman & Cibernetico), & Fuerza Guerrera

In 2011, TNA Sacrifice was held at the Impact Zone, in Orlando, Florida. With an attendance of 1.100:

– Mexican America (Hernandez & Anarquia) (with Sarita & Rosita) defeated Ink Inc. (Jesse Neal & Shannon Moore)
– Brian Kendrick defeated Robbie E. (with Cookie)
– Mickie James defeated Madison Rayne to retain the TNA Knockout’s Title, & free Tara from her contract with Rayne
– Kazarian defeated Max Buck to retain the TNA X-Division Title
– Crimson defeated Abyss
– Beer Money Inc. (Robert Roode & James Storm) defeated Immortal (Matt Hardy & Chris Harris) to retain the TNA Tag Team Titles
– Tommy Dreamer defeated AJ Styles in a No-DQ Match
– Kurt Angle & Chyna defeated Jeff & Karen Jarrett in a mixed tag team match
– Sting defeated Rob Van Dam to retain the TNA World Title

Title Changes

1953 – Frankie Talaber defeated Joe Scarpello to win the Midwest Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Title in Columbus, Ohio in a tournament final

1955 – George Dussette & Luther Lindsay defeated Bulldog Curtis & Tommy Martinez to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title

1958 – Verne Gagne & Leo Nomellini defeated Doc & Mike Gallagher to win the Minneapolis NWA World Tag Team Title in Minneapolis, Minnesota

1963 – Rocket Monroe (Bill Fletcher) defeated Joe Scarpa (Jay Strongbow), & Pancho Villa in a three-way match to win the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title in Mobile, Alabama

1965 – Mighty Igor Vodic defeated Mad Dog Vachon to win the AWA World Title. Incidentally, this was the 1st time in the 5-year history of the AWA World Title that a title change did not involve Verne Gagne

1970 – Mark Lewin & Antonio Pugliese defeated Swede Hanson & Rip Hawk to win the International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title in Sydney, Australia

1970 – Donna Christantello & Kathy O’Day defeated The Fabulous Moolah & Toni Rose to win the NWA World Women’s Tag Team Title in Los Angeles, California

1971 – Red Bastien & Hercules Cortez defeated Butcher & Mad Dog Vachon to win the AWA World Tag Team Title in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1972 – Boris Malenko defeated Bearcat Wright to win the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title in Orlando, Florida

1976 – The Sheik defeated Bobo Brazil to win the Detroit NWA United States Heavyweight Title in Detroit, Michigan

1976 – Tony Garea & Pat Patterson defeated Invader I & Don Muraco to win the San Francisco NWA World Tag Team Title in San Francisco, California

1986 – The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) defeated The Batten Twins (Bart & Brad) to win the NWA Central States Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas

1993 – The Super Destroyers defeated The Suicide Blondes to win the ECW Tag Team Titles, but lose them back to The Blondes later in the night

1993 – The Rock n Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) defeated The Heavenly Bodies (Stan Lane & Tom Prichard) in a Loser Leaves Town Match to win the SMW Tag Team Titles. As Lane was pinned, he was forced to leave the promotion

1995 – Reggie Bennett defeated Manami Toyota to win the IWA Women’s World Title in Niigata, Japan

1996 – Karis la Momia defeated Blue Demon, Jr. to win the Mexican National Cruiserweight Title in Naucalpan, Mexico

1999 – Lady Apache defeated La Diabolica to win the CMLL World Women’s Title in Naucalpan, Mexico

2000 – on Nitro, Ric Flair defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the WCW World Title. Also, KroniK (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) defeated Shane Douglas & Buff Bagwell to win the WCW Tag Team Titles & Crowbar & Daffney defeated Chris Candido & Tammy Lynn Sytch to become co-holders of the WCW Cruiserweight Title

2000 – on Raw, Cynthia ‘Bobcat’ Lynch (posing as 1 of The Godfather’s Ho Train) pins Crash Holly to win the WWF Hardcore Title. Crash would quickly regain the belt

2001 – The Minnesota Stretching Crew (Shelton Benjamin & Brock Lesnar) defeated The Disciples of Synn (Damian & Payne) to win the OVW Southern Tag Team Title in Louisville, Kentucky.  The match took place at a WWF house show at Freedom Hall

2002 – Nova defeated The Prototype (John Cena) to win the OVW Heavyweight Title in Jeffersonville, Indiana

2004 – The ROH Tag Team Titles are passed from The Second City Saints (Colt Cabana & CM Punk) to The Prophecy (BJ Whitmer & Dan Maff), to The Briscoe Brothers (Mark & Jay), & back to the Saints in a Round Robin Challenge

2006 – on Raw, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Masters & Triple H defeated John Cena & Rob Van Dam. Benjamin pinned Van Dam to win the WWE Intercontinental Title

2011 – MVP defeated Toru Yano in the final of a tournament to become the 1st IWGP Intercontinental Champion

Birthdays

Happy birthday to WWE Hall of Famers Ron Simmons (56), & Kevin von Erich (57)