This Day In Wrestling History – May 19th

Trivia

1981 – It was officially announced by the American Wrestling Association that, due to Verne Gagne retiring and vacating the AWA World Heavyweight Title, Nick Bockwinkel, the former champion, & current number one contender, was being awarded the belt

1989 – The Patrick Swayze film “Roadhouse”, which featured Terry Funk, was released theatrically.  In its 7 week theatrical run, the film  made $30,050,028.  While not well received critically, the film would go on to become extremely popular via cable television & is considered a cult classic, even spawning a musical theater version

1992 – Nailz made his WWF in-ring debut during a WWF Superstars taping in Lexington, Kentucky

2006 – WWE Studios releases it’s 1st feature film, ‘See No Evil’, starring Kane. It eventually grossed around $18.5 million worldwide

2010 – Randy Savage announced on his official website that he had gotten married

Events

In 1990, NWA Capital Combat: Return of the Robocop was promoted by WCW under the NWA banner, & held at the D.C. Armory, in Washington DC. With an attendance of 7,500. The subtitle was a promo for the upcoming Robocop 2 movie, & an actor in a Robocop suit saved Sting from a beatdown by The Four Horsemen during the event:

– The Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal), & Norman The Lunatic (with Paul Ellering) defeated Kevin Sullivan, Bam Bam Bigelow, & Cactus Jack (with Sir Oliver Humperdink)
– Mark Callous (The Undertaker) defeated Johnny Ace
– The Samoan Swat Team (Fatu & The Samoan Savage) defeated Mike Rotunda & Tommy Rich
– Paul Ellering (with Hawk & Animal) defeated Teddy Long (with Ron Simmons & Butch Reed) in a Hair vs Hair Match
– The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) defeated Brian Pillman & Tom Zenk to win the NWA United States Tag Team Titles
– The Rock n Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) defeated The Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) in a Corporal Punishment Match
– Doom (Butch Reed & Ron Simmons) (with Teddy Long) defeated The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles
– Lex Luger defeated Ric Flair (with Woman) via DQ in a Cage Match (Flair retains the NWA World Title)

In 1991, the 1st WCW SuperBrawl was held at the Bayfront Arena, in St Petersburg, Florida. With an attendance of 6.000:

– The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) defeated The Young Pistols (Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong) to win the vacant WCW United States Tag Team Titles
– Dan Spivey defeated Ricky Morton
– Nikita Koloff defeated Tommy Rich
– Dustin Rhodes defeated Terry Taylor
– Big Josh defeated Black Bart
– Oz (Kevin Nash) defeated Tim Parker
– Barry Windham defeated Brian Pillman in a Taped Fist Match
– El Gigante defeated Sid Vicious in a Stretcher Match
– Ron Simmons defeated Butch Reed (with Teddy Long) in a Cage Match. Teddy Long was locked into a smaller cage that was suspended above the ring)
– The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) defeated Sting & Lex Luger to retain the WCW World Tag Team Titles
– Bobby Eaton defeated Arn Anderson to win the WCW Television Title
– Ric Flair defeated Tatsumi Fujinami to retain the WCW World Title and win the NWA World Title

In 1996, WCW Slamboree, held at the Riverside Centroplex, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was the 1st not to feature a Legends Gathering or any inductions into the WCW Hall of Fame. The event featured the return (& final appearance) of the Battlebowl concept where randomly-formed tag teams compete against each other to qualify for a Battle Royal:

WCW Main Event:
– The American Males (Marcus Bagwell & Scotty Riggs) defeated The Shark (John Tents) & Maxx (with Jimmy Hart)
PPV:
– Road Warrior Animal & Booker T fought Road Warrior Hawk & Lex Luger to a double countout
– The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) defeated The Taskmaster (Kevin Sullivan) & Chris Benoit
– Rick Steiner & The Booty Man (Brutus Beefcake) (with The Booty Babe (Kimberly Page) defeated Scott Steiner & Sgt. Craig Pittman
– Jim Duggan & VK Wallstreet (Mike Rotunda) defeated The Blue Bloods (Squire Dave Taylor & Lord Steven Regal)
– Dick Slater & Earl Robert Eaton defeated Alex Wright & Disco Inferno
– Diamond Dallas Page & The Barbarian defeated Meng & Hugh Morris
– Fire & Ice (Scott Norton & Ice Train) defeated Big Bubba Rogers & Stevie Ray
– Randy Savage & Ric Flair (with Miss Elizabeth & Woman) defeated Eddie Guerrero & Arn Anderson
– Dean Malenko defeated Brad Armstrong to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Title
– Dick Slater & Earl Robert Eaton defeated VK Wallstreet & Jim Duggan
– The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) defeated Randy Savage & Ric Flair (With Woman & Miss Elizabeth) via forfeit
– Diamond Dallas Page & The Barbarian defeated The Booty Man & Rick Steiner (with The Booty Babe)
– Konnan defeated Jushin Liger to retain the WCW United States Title
– Diamond Dallas Page defeated The Barbarian, Earl Robert Eaton, Ice Train, Scott Norton, Rocco Rock, Johnny Grunge, & Dick Slater to win the Lord of the Ring (Battlebowl) Battle Royal
– The Giant (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Sting (with Lex Luger) to retain the WCW World Title

In 1999,  The 2nd annual Brian Pillman Memorial Show was promoted by Les Thatcher’s Heartland Wrestling Association in Cincinnati, OH at the Cincinnati Gardens:

– Shark Boy defeated Matt Stryker
– Terik the Great defeated Jeremy Jeff
– Chip Fairway defeated Chad Collyer
– Tim Horner & Rob Conway defeated Flash Flannagan & Bull Pain
– Shark Boy defeated Terik the Great
– Terry Taylor defeated Tom Pritchard
– Shark Boy defeated Chip Fairway
– Al Snow defeated Road Dogg
– Mankind defeated D-Lo Brown
– Konnan & Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko

In 2002, WWE Judgment Day, held at the Bridgestone Arena, in Nashville, Tennessee, was the first PPV to use the WWE name, though promotional materials (having been produced earlier) still used the WWF logo. With an attendance of 14,521:

Sunday Night Heat:
–  William Regal defeated D’Lo Brown to retain the WWE European Title
PPV:
– Eddie Guerrero defeated Rob Van Dam to retain the WWE Intercontinental Title
– Trish Stratus (with Bubba Ray Dudley) defeated Stacy Keibler (with Deacon Batista & Reverend D-Von) to retain the WWE Women’s Title
– Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman defeated The Hardy Boyz (Matt & Jeff)
– Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated Ric Flair & The Big Show in a Handicap Match
– Edge defeated Kurt Angle in a Hair vs Hair Match
– Triple H defeated Chris Jericho in a Hell In A Cell Match
– Rikishi & Rico defeated Billy & Chuck to win the WWE Tag Team Titles
– The Undertaker defeated Hollywood Hulk Hogan to win the WWE Undisputed Title

In 2013, WWE Extreme Rules was held at the Scottrade Center, in St. Louis, Missouri. With an attendance of 14,500:

Pre-Show:
– The Miz defeated Cody Rhodes
PPV:
– Chris Jericho defeated Fandango (with Summer Rae)
– Dean Ambrose defeated Kofi Kingston to win the WWE United States Title
– Sheamus defeated Mark Henry in a Strap Match
– Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez) defeated Jack Swagger (with Zeb Colter) in an I Quit Match to become the #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Title
– The Shield (Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins) defeated Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) in a Tornado Tag Team Match to win the WWE Tag Team Titles
– Randy Orton defeated The Big Show in an Extreme Rules Match
– WWE Champion John Cena fought Ryback to a no contest in a Last Man Standing Match to retain the title
– Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) defeated Triple H in a Steel Cage Match

Title Changes

1905 – Tom Jenkins defeated Frank Gotch to retain the American Heavyweight Championship in Madison Square Garden in New York City in a bout with a total match time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, 34 seconds

1980 – Gino Hernandez defeated Kevin von Erich to win the WCCW American Heavyweight Title

1984 – The Super Destroyers (1 & 2) defeated The Rock & Soul Connection (Buck Zumhofe & King Parsons) to win the WCCW American Tag Team Titles. Immediately after the match, The Destroyers were unmasked, & revealed as Scott & Bill Irwin, who continued the reign under their real identities

1986 – Nobuhiko Takada defeated Shiro Koshinaka to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title

1989 – Super Zodiac II & Cactus Jack defeated Jeff Jarrett & Kerry von Erich to win the WCCW World Tag Team Titles. Also, Super Zodiac defeated Eric Embry to win the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title

1995 – Razor Ramon defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the WWF Intercontinental Title in a Ladder Match in Montreal, Quebec

1996 – The Godwinns (Henry & Phinneas) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip) to win the WWF Tag Team Titles

1996 – Jesse James Armstrong defeated Tony Falk to win the USWA Television Title

2004 – Ron Killings defeated AJ Styles, Raven, & Chris Harris in a 4-Way Match to win the NWA World Title

2012 – Juventud Guerrera defeated Jack Evans to win the AAA Cruiserweight Title

Birthdays

Happy birthday to one-time WCW Tag Team Champion Dick Slater (63), Dragon Gate star Magnitude Kishiwada (43), & 2-time WCW Cruiserweight Champion Psicosis (43)

Also, today would have been the birthday of the 1st WWE Hall of Famer André The Giant (68), & legendary heel Karl Von Hess (95)