This Day In Wrestling History – March 23rd
1985 – Magnum T.A. defeats Wahoo McDaniel, to win the NWA United States Championship.
1992 – Brian Christopher defeats Jimmy Valiant, to win the USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship.
1997 – WrestleMania XIII is held at the Rosemont Horizon (now known as Allstate Arena) in Chicago in front of 18,197 fans.
Free For All Match:
– Billy Gunn defeats Flash Funk (with Tracy & Nadine).
PPV:
– In a Four-Way Elimination Match, The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) defeat The New Blackjacks (Blackjack Windham & Blackjack Bradshaw), The Godwinns (with Hillbilly Jim), and Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon, to determine the #1 contenders for the WWF Tag Team Championship.
– Rocky Maivia defeats The Sultan (with Bob Backlund & The Iron Sheik), to retain the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
– Hunter Hearst Helmsley (with Chyna) defeats Goldust (with Marlena).
– Owen Hart & The British Bulldog fought Mankind & Vader (with Paul Bearer) to a double countout, to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
– Bret Hart defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin in a No Disqualification Submission Match, with Ken Shamrock as special guest referee.
– The Legion of Doom (Hawk & Animal) & Ahmed Johnson defeat The Nation Of Domination (Crush, Faarooq & Savio Vega) (with Wolfie D & J.C. Ice, D’Lo Brown, & Clarence Mason) in a Chicago Street Fight.
– The Undertaker becomes the new WWF Champion, after defeating Sycho Sid in a No Disqualification Match.
1998 – In the Monday Night Wars, WCW Monday Nitro (4.6 TV rating) beats WWF RAW IS WAR (3.6 rating).
2000 – Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley retaliates against her mother, Linda McMahon, on this evening’s SmackDown. After Linda reinstated Mick Foley AND changed the WWF Championship match at WrestleMania to a Fatal 4-Way, Stephanie calls Linda a “conniving b****” and slaps her in the face, in the middle of the ring.
Video: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley slaps her Mother
2001 – It is announced that WWF owner Vince McMahon, has bought his competition, World Championship Wrestling. While the sale price wasn’t initially disclosed, it is revealed in July 2001 that WCW had been bought for $2.5 million. WWF bought the rights to WCW’s video library, trademarks, and 24 contracts for selected wrestlers and other properties (talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, rings, and belts).
2008 – Hiroshi Tanahashi defeats Giant Bernard, to win the New Japan Cup for the second time. Tanahashi had also won the New Japan Cup in 2005.
2013 – Kazuchiko Okada defeats Hirooki Goto, to win the 2013 New Japan Cup.
2014 – Shinsuke Nakamura defeats Bad Luck Fale, to win the 2014 New Japan Cup.
2015 – On the Monday Night RAW go-home show before WrestleMania 31, it’s announced that Kevin Nash will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
2016 – El Texano Jr. defeats El Mesias, to win the vacant AAA World Heavyweight Championship.
2016 – In Lucha Underground, Matanza Cueto wins a 21-man Elimination Aztec Warfare Match, and wins the Lucha Underground Championship.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Former WWE wrestler (as Jesse from the Jesse & Festus tag team) Ray Gordy (38 years old); former IWGP & TNA Tag Team Champion Travis Tomko (41 years old); former WCW valet Midajah (47 years old); 7-time WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Villano III (65 years old); 12-time (and current) IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroyoshi Tenzan (46 years old); and NWA World Tag Team Champion (as part of TNA Wrestling) Kevin Northcutt (44 years old).
SOURCES: 5-year Anniversary Article – WWE buys WCW, New Japan Cup on Wikipedia, WrestleView, gerweck.net, wrestlingdata.com,
