This Day In Wrestling History – March 4th
Happy birthday, Sarah Stock!!
1983 – Kevin Von Erich defeats Terry Gordy, to win the NWA American Heavyweight Championship.
1984 – Wahoo McDaniel & Mark Youngblood win the NWA World Tag Team Championship, defeating Don Kernodle & Bob Orton, Jr.
1986 – Tully Blanchard defeats Dusty Rhodes, to win the NWA National Heavyweight Championship.
1987 – The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) defeat Brian Adias & Al Madril, to win the WCWA World Tag Team Championship.
1991 – At Day 2 of NJPW’s Big Fight Series 1991, Tatsumi Fujinami defeats Big Van Vader, to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
1992 – At Day 10 of AJPW’s Excite Series 1992, Akira Taue & Jumbo Tsuruta defeat Terry Gordy & Steve Williams, to win the AJPW World Tag Team Championship.
1995 – In Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Billy Black defeats Boo Bradley, to win the SMW Television Championship.
1995 – At Day 12 of AJPW’s Excite Series 1995, Stan Hansen defeats Toshiaki Kawada, to win the AJPW Triple Crown Championship.
1996 – In the United States Wrestling Association, Jerry Lawler defeats King Mabel in a tournament final, to become USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion for the 22nd time.
2000 – After suffering a broken ankle, Rob Van Dam is forced to relinquish the ECW World Television Championship. RVD had held the title for exactly 23 months (700 days).
2005 – At Day 1 of NJPW’s Big Fight Series 2005, Koji Kanemoto & Wataru Inoue defeat Gedo & Jado, to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
2006 – In Ohio Valley Wrestling, Brent Albright becomes new OVW Heavyweight Champion; Albright defeats CM Punk in a tournament final to win the vacant title.
2006 – One Pro Wrestling (1PW) holds its first event, All or Nothing – Day 1, in Doncaster, England in front of 1,500 fans. In the main event, Abyss defeats AJ Styles in a tournament final, to become the inaugural 1PW Heavyweight Champion.
2008 – WWE officially retires its Cruiserweight Championship. It had been listed as vacant since it was stripped from Hornswoggle September 28, 2007. The Cruiserweight Championship was originally defended in WCW starting in 1991. When WWE bought out WCW, the title remained active along with WWE’s own Light Heavyweight Championship. The two championships were unified at Survivor Series 2001; the Cruiserweight Championship remained active while the Light Heavyweight Championship was retired. The Cruiserweight Championship was exclusively on SmackDown from March 25, 2002 until September 28, 2007.
2010 – Hulk Hogan announces that TNA Wrestling had signed Rob Van Dam. RVD had been on the independent circuit since leaving WWE in 2007.
2012 – In Florida Championship Wrestling, Mike Dalton defeats Leo Kruger, to win the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship.
2012 – Ring of Honor’s 10th Anniversary Show is held in New York City in front of 1,300 fans. Two titles matches were on the card. ROH Television Champion Jay Lethal and Tommaso Ciampa wrestle to a time limit draw; Lethal retains the ROH World Television Championship. And The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark) defeat The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), to retain the ROH World Television Championship.
2013 – In the main event of Old School RAW, CM Punk wins a Fatal 4-Way Match (with Randy Orton, Big Show, & Sheamus), for the right to face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29. Past WWE stars appearing on the show were “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, “Mean” Gene Okerlund, Sgt. Slaughter, Dusty Rhodes, The Honky Tonk Man, Ric Flair, Ted DiBiase, and Mae Young.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Current WWE head women’s trainer (and 2-time TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion) Sarah Stock aka “Sarita” (38 years old); former WCW Hardcore, Tag Team, & Cruiserweight Champion Crowbar (43 years old); WWE referee Scott Armstrong (59 years old); former TNA World Tag Team Champion (with Decay) Crazzy Steve (33 years old); and ROH wrestler Dalton Castle (31 years old).
And it may or may not be “Nightmare” Danny Davis’ birthday. He was either born today or June 30th, depending on what you read. Either way he’s turning 65.
SOURCES: WrestleView, wrestlingdata.com, The Internet Wrestling Database, gerweck.net
