This Day In Wrestling History – March 13th
2000 – On RAW, the WWF Hardcore Championship changes hands twice via the 24/7 Rule, at the Newark Airport. Pete Gas pins Crash Holly, to win the Hardcore title for the first time. Crash would later pin Pete, to become a 2-time Champion. Inside the ring, Dean Malenko defeats Essa Rios, to win the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship. In the main event, Vince McMahon returns for the first time in three months, in the middle of a match between Big Show and The Rock. With a victory The Rock would be added to the WWF Championship match at WrestleMania with Big Show and Triple H. However special guest referee Shane McMahon kept trying to screw over The Rock (fast counts, hitting The Rock with a steel chair). Vince interferes, and HE would become the referee; The Rock is able to pin Big Show, to get his title shot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-cpgvSa9D0
2000 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (6.3 TV rating) beats WCW Monday Nitro (2.5 rating)
2005 – At Day 4 of the Brave Gate Tour, Naruki Doi defeats YOSSINO, to become Dragon Gate’s inaugural Open the Brave Gate Champion.
2005 – TNA’s first Destination X pay-per-view is held in Orlando in front of 775 fans. Jeff Hardy defeats Abyss in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. Tommy Dreamer defeats Bully Ray in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. The Outlaw defeats Kevin Nash in a First Blood Match. In an Ultimate X Challenge, Christopher Daniels defeats AJ Styles, Ron Killings, and Elix Skipper; Daniels becomes the new TNA X Division Champion. In the main event, Jeff Jarrett defeats Diamond Dallas Page, to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship; this was a Ringside Revenge Match, similar to a Lumberjack Match.
2009 – WWE airs its 500th episode of SmackDown.
2009 – Four days before his birthday, Andrew Martin, who wrestled as Test in the WWF, is found dead inside is condominium. The death was ruled an accidental overdose of oxycodone. It was later revealed that Test had an Alzheimer’s like form of brain damage. He was only 33 years old at the time of his death. In his time in the WWF, Test was a Hardcore, European, Intercontinental, and Tag Team Champion. He also won the WCW Tag Team Championship (with Booker T), during the WCW Invasion in 2001.
2011 – WWE announces that Drew Carey will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
2011 – In Florida Championship Wrestling, Bo Rotundo defeats Mason Ryan, to win the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship; Norman Smiley served as special guest referee. Rotundo’s title reign as short-lived; Lucky Cannon would defeat Rotundo later in the night, to become the new Florida Heavyweight Champion. Brett DiBiase served as special guest referee in the Rotundo vs Cannon title match.
2011 – TNA Victory Road is held in Orlando in front of 1,100 fans. Rosita & Sarita become the new Knockouts Tag Team Champions, defeating Angelina Love & Winter. Hernandez defeats Matt Morgan in a First Blood Match. In a match to determine the #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Rob Van Dam and Mr. Anderson fight to a double count-out. In the main event, Sting defeats Jeff Hardy, to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (No Disqualification Match).
2015 – During a taping for a future Impact Wrestling episode, The Wolves are forced to vacate the TNA World Tag Team Championship, after Eddie Edwards suffers a broken heel. The titles are vacated on television on the April 3rd episode.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: 2-time ROH Tag Team Champion, from The Young Bucks Matt Jackson (32 years old); former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Akira Nogami (51 years old); and past RAW guest star Danny Masterson (41 years old).
SOURCES: Andrew Martin on Wikipedia, gerweck.net, The Internet Wrestling Database, wrestlingdata.com
