This Day In Wrestling History – December 9th
Happy birthday, Kurt Angle!!
1974 – Jack Brisco defeats Giant Baba, to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for the second time.
1988 – Tatsumi Fujinami defeats Kerry Von Erich, to win the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship. The match was stopped by the referee due to excessive bleeding by Von Erich. Unsatisfied with the way he won, Fujinami would return the championship to Von Erich one day later.
1991 – Kamala defeats Jerry Lawler, to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship.
1995 – At ECW’s December to Dismember, The Sandman wins a Three-Way Dance, also involving Steve Austin and Mikey Whipwreck, to become the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
1995 – Tarzan Goto and Mr. Gannosuke defeat Cactus Jack and Tiger Jeet Singh, to win the vacant NWA World Tag Team Championship.
1996 – In the Monday Night Wars, WCW Monday Nitro (3.3 TV rating) beats WWF Monday Night Raw (2.3 rating).
1999 – On this evening’s WCW Thunder, Bill Goldberg and Bret Hart become the new WCW World Tag Team Champions, defeating Creative Control (Gerald and Patrick).
2001 – WWF Vengeance is held in San Diego in front of 11,800 fans. The Undertaker defeats Rob Van Dam to become the new WWF Hardcore Champion. Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats Kurt Angle, to retain the WWF Championship. Chris Jericho wins the (former WCW) World Championship after defeating The Rock. Austin and Jericho meet later on in a title unification match. Booker T interferes during the match by hitting Austin with the WWF Championship belt, allowing Jericho to get the pin, unify both titles, and become the Undisputed WWF Champion.
2004 – On this evening’s WWE SmackDown, Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio defeat Kenzo Suzuki and Rene Dupree, to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.
2006 – In Ohio Valley Wrestling, The Untouchables (Deuce and Domino) defeat Cody Runnels and Shawn Spears, to win the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship.
2010 – The TNA Knockouts’ Tag Team Championship becomes vacant after Hamada, one-half of the tag champs, is released from her TNA contract. Hamada’s partner had been Taylor Wilde.
2012 – TNA Final Resolution is held at the Impact Zone in Orlando in front of 1,100 fans. Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez defeat Matt Morgan and Joey Ryan via disqualification, to retain the Tag Team Championship; Morgan attacked the referee, leading to the DQ. Rob Van Dam retains the X Division Championship after defeating Kenny King. In the main event, Jeff Hardy retains the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Bobby Roode.
2013 – The 2013 WWE Slammy Awards are presented on this evening’s Monday Night Raw.
-Daniel Bryan won Superstar of the Year.
-The Rock vs John Cena for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29 won Match of the Year.
-The Bella Twins (both Nikki AND Brie) won Diva of the Year.
–The Rock’s concert on RAW‘s 20th anniversary show on January 14th won LOL Moment of the Year.
-Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella won Couple of the Year.
-Cody Rhodes & Goldust won Tag Team of the Year.
-Shawn Michaels turning on Daniel Bryan and costing Bryan the WWE Championship at the Hell in a Cell PPV won Double-Cross of the Year.
-CM Punk exacting vengeance on Paul Heyman, at the Hell in a Cell PPV, won Extreme Moment of the Year.
-The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns) won Breakout Star(s) of the Year.
2015 – On this evening’s Impact Wrestling, Matt Hardy, Lashley, Ethan Carter III, and Eric Young advance to the semi-finals, of the TNA World Title Series.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: 4-time WWF/E World Champion & 6-time TNA World Champion Kurt Angle.
SOURCES: Wikipedia, wrestlingdata.com, Gerweck Archives
