This Day In Wrestling History – December 7th
1976 – Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf win the vacant WWWF Tag Team Championship after winning a three-team tournament; the other participants were The Executioners and the team of Nikolai Volkoff and Tor Kamata.
1981 – The Junkyard Dog defeats The Great Kabuki, to win the Mid South Wrestling (MSW) Louisiana Heavyweight Championship.
1988 – NWA Clash of the Champions IV: Season’s Beatings is held in Chattanooga in front of 8,000 fans. While still under the NWA banner, this is the first Clash of the Champions event promoted by World Championship Wrestling. The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) win the vacant NWA United States Tag Team Championship, defeating Ron Simmons and Eddie Gilbert in a tournament final. Full results can be found here.
1990 – Terry Gordy and Steve Williams the All Japan Pro Wrestling “World’s Strongest Tag Determination League,” and are awarded the vacant AJPW World Tag Team Championship.
1992 – In the United States Wrestling Association, Leslie Belanger defeats Miss Texas, to become the new USWA Women’s Champion.
1996 – At ECW Holiday Hell, Raven becomes the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion; Raven defeats The Sandman in a Barbed Wired Match to win the title.
1997 – WWF D-Generation X: In Your House is held in Springfield, Massachusetts in front of 6,358 fans. Taka Michinoku becomes the inaugural WWF Light Heavyweight Champion, after defeating Brian Christopher in a tournament final. Stone Cold Steve Austin retains the Intercontinental Championship after defeating The Rock. In the main event for the WWF Championship, challenger Ken Shamrock defeats champion Shawn Michaels via disqualification; members of D-Generation X interfered when Shamrock had Michaels in an ankle submission move. Michaels retains the title due to the disqualification.
1998 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF Raw Is War (5.15 TV rating) edges out WCW Monday Nitro (4.2 rating).
2008 – TNA Final Resolution is held at the Impact! Zone in front of 1,200 fans. The decision to move Final Resolution from January to December made this the second Final Resolution PPV of 2008. Eric Young becomes the new TNA X Division Champion after defeating Sheik Abdul Bashir. Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode) retain the Tag Team Championship after defeating Abyss and Matt Morgan. Sting retains the World Heavyweight Championship, after he and The Main Event Mafia (Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, and Booker T) win an 8-man tag team match over The TNA Front Line (A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe, Brother Ray, and Brother Devon).
2008 – Averno and Mephisto defeat Hector Garza and Mistico, to win the CMLL World Tag Team Championship.
2010 – The fourth season of the WWE NXT reality series begins, airing only on wwe.com. Notable participants include Brodus Clay and Byron Saxton.
2010 – Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban guest hosts WWE RAW, and serves as the special guest referee in a match between Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton (Kofi wins the match). On the same show, The Miz retains the Intercontinental Championship after defeating Mark Henry.
2013 – Three titles change hands at Ohio Valley Wrestling’s Saturday Night Special – A Very Merry Special. The Bodyguy becomes the first male to win the OVW Women’s Championship, after he defeats Lei’D Tapa. The Mobile Homers (Adam Revolver and Ted McNaler) win the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship after defeating Michael Hayes and Mohammed Ali Vaez. And Jamin Olivenica wins the vacant OVW Heavyweight Championship, defeating Johnny Spade.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: former WWF performer Mr. Curtis Hughes (52 years old); 16-time USWA Tag Team Champion Wolfie D (43 years old); WWE Hall of Fame 2011 Inductee Tammy “Sunny” Sytch (43 years old); and former WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose (31 years old).
Today would’ve been the 43rd birthday for former ECW wrestler Hack Meyers, who passed away December 5, 2015. Today would’ve been the 58th birthday for former WCW International World Champion & WWF Intercontinental Champion Rick Rude.
SOURCES: The Internet Wrestling Database, wrestlingdata.com, Gerweck Archives
