This Day In Wrestling History – March 12th
1983 – In a Tag Team Steel Cage Match, Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood defeat Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle, to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
1989 – Jeff Jarrett & Kerry Von Erich defeat The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden), to win the WCWA World Tag Team Championship.
1994 – In an unfortunate incident that would make both men famous, Mick Foley lost his ear while wrestling Big Van Vader on a WCW event in Dresden, Germany. The stage was set for the incident when the ring crew, who were not WCW’s normal crew, were asked to tighten the ropes by a wrestler earlier in the night when they were loose. The ropes, actually elevator cable wrapped in rubber, were tightened to the maximum possible. During the bout, Foley did a spot where he trapped his neck in the ropes, only he was legitimately trapped. He pulled himself free, tearing his ear in the process. The match continued, with neither man realizing the severity of the damage, and Foley’s eat fell off after absorbing a Vader blow. The ear was rushed backstage and put on ice. The cartilage was surgically inserted under Foley’s other ear so he could eventually have reconstructive surgery and get it fixed. Foley opted not to have the surgery and returned to the ring. He eventually filed suit against WCW for the incident (and an internal memo mocking it shortly after) but under Georgia law, could not sue the company. The entire incident would go on to serve as the opening chapter for “Have A Nice Day”, Foley’s first autobiography, which was a massive hit.
1995 – Bryan “Crush” Adams is arrested after narcotics officers found anabolic steroids, unregistered semi-automatic weapons, a stun gun, and marijuana inside his home. As a result of the arrest, Adams is fired from the WWF; he would be rehired in August 1996.
2000 – ECW Living Dangerously is held in Danbury, Connecticut in front of 5,000 fans. Mike Awesome retains the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Kid Kash. In a Three-Way Dance, The Impact Players (Lance Storm & Justin Credible) win the ECW World Tag Team Championship; Storm & Credible defeat the teams of Tommy Dreamer & Masato Tanaka and previous champions Raven & Mike Awesome. Super Crazy defeats Rhino, to win the vacant ECW World Television Championship.
2001 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (4.9 TV rating) beats WCW Monday Nitro (2.1 rating).
2003 – At the NWA-TNA weekly pay-per-view, Triple X (Low Ki & Christopher Daniels) defeat America’s Most Wanted (James Storm & Chris Harris), to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship. In a dark match, Leilani Kai defeats Madison, to become the new NWA World Women’s Champion.
2004 – American Dragon (Daniel Bryan) & Curry Man defeat Gedo & Jado, to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Also, Kensuke Sasaki defeats Hiroyoshi Tenzan, to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
2006 – TNA Destination X is held in Orlando in front of 900 fans. In an Ultimate X Match, Christopher Daniels defeats Samoa Joe and AJ Styles, to win the TNA X Division Championship. In the main event, Christian Cage defeats Monty Brown, to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
2008 – WWE announces that Jeff Hardy had failed a WWE Wellness Policy test for the second time; he would be suspended for 60 days. Hardy, who was slated to win the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 24, was pulled from the show.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: 3-time NWA World Tag Team Champion Vito DeNucci (46 years old); 2-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion Little Guido (45 years old); 2-time Full Impact Pro (FIP) Heavyweight Champion Erick Stevens (35 years old); WWF’s first Tough Enough winner Nidia (38 years old); former TNA World Tag Team Champion Anarquia (43 years old); and current NXT wrestler Hideo Itami (36 years old).
Today would’ve been the 94th birthday for WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young.
SOURCES: wrestlingdata.com, gerweck.net
