This Day In Wrestling History – March 30th

1985 – On this evening’s JCP Worldwide, Magnum T.A. defeats Wahoo McDaniel, to win the NWA United States Championship.

1986 – The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) defeat The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams), to win the UWF Tag Tam Championship.

1994 – El Felino defeats Cicion Ramirez, to win the CMLL World Welterweight Championship.

1996 – The WWF Slammy Awards Show is held in Anaheim, California.

– Sunny wins Best Buns.
– Shawn Michaels wins Best Slammin’ Jammin’ Entrance.
– Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter wins Best Finisher.
– Vader’s attack on Gorilla Monsoon wins Crime of the Century.
– Ahmed Johnson wins the ‘New Sensation’ award.
– Jerry Lawler wins Biggest Mouth.
– Jim Cornette wins for Worst Dresser.
– The Undertaker wins for WWF’s Greatest Hit for dragging Diesel into the abyss.
– Bret Hart wins for Best Music Video.
– Sunny wins Manager of the Year.
– Freddie Blassie wins the Lifetime Achievement Award.
– Bret Hart wins for Most Likely Past or Present Champion to be Hall of Fame Bound.
– Shawn Michaels & Razor Ramon’s Ladder Match from SummerSlam ’95 wins the Match of the Year Award.
– Shawn Michaels wins for Leader of The New Generation.

1998 – In the Monday Night Wars, WCW Monday Nitro (4.2 TV rating) beats WWF RAW IS WAR (3.8 rating).  On RAW, The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg & Billy Gunn) reclaim the WWF Tag Team Championship.  The Outlaws defeat Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie in a Steel Cage Match.  Cactus and Charlie had just won the titles the night before, at WrestleMania XIV.

2000 – On this evening’s SmackDown, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley defeats Jacqueline, to win the WWF Women’s Championship.  This was Stephanie’s first singles match in the WWF.  She wins the title with a little help from Tori and D-Generation X.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZD7Q3vG7nY

2000 – At a WCW house show in Baltimore, Billy Kidman defeats The Artist, to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.  Only 1,733 fans were in attendance.

2003 – In Pro Wrestling NOAH, Michael Modest defeats Yoshinobu Kanemaru, to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.

2003 – WrestleMania XIX is held at Safeco Field in Seattle in front of 54,097 fans.  This is the first WrestleMania held under the WWE banner, and was also the first to be held after the Brand Extension.

Sunday Night Heat:
–  Lance Storm & Chief Morley (with The Dudley Boyz) defeat Kane & Rob Van Dam, to retain the World Tag Team Championship.
PPV:
– Matt Hardy (with Shannon Moore) defeats Rey Mysterio, to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
– The Undertaker defeats The Big Show & A-Train, in a Handicap Match.  Nathan Jones was supposed to be Undertaker’s tag partner, but was attacked on Sunday Night Heat by Big Show and A-Train.  Jones would eventually enter the match and attack Big Show, allowing Undertaker to deliver a tombstone piledriver to A-Train and win the match.
– In a Triple Threat Match, Trish Stratus defeats Jazz and Victoria (with Stevie Richards), to win the WWE Women’s Championship for the 4th time (this ties the record set by The Fabulous Moolah).
– In a Triple Threat Match, Team Angle (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) defeat Los Guerreros (Eddie & Chavo), and the team of Chris Benoit & Rhyno, to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
– Shawn Michaels defeats Chris Jericho.
– Triple H (with Ric Flair) defeats Booker T, to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
– Hulk Hogan defeats Vince McMahon, in a Street Fight.
– The Rock defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin.
– Brock Lesnar defeats Kurt Angle, to win the WWE Championship.

2007 – The Briscoe Brothers (Mark & Jay) defeat Naruki Doi & Shingo, to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship.  Elsewhere, Keiji Mutoh defeats Toshiaki Kawada, in the tournament, to win the 2007 AJPW Champion Carnival.

2008 – WrestleMania XXIV is held at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, in front of 74,635 fans.  This is the first WrestleMania to be held outdoors since WrestleMania IX.  For those interested, it was also the first WWE event to be released on Blu-Ray.

Pre-Show:
– Kane wins a 24-Man Battle Royal, to earn an ECW Championship Match on the PPV, last eliminating Mark Henry.
PPV:
– John “Bradshaw” Layfield defeats Finlay (with Hornswoggle), in a Belfast Brawl.
– CM Punk wins the Money In The Bank Ladder Match, defeating Shelton Benjamin, MVP, Carlito, Mr. Kennedy, Chris Jericho, and John Morrison.
– Batista (SmackDown) defeats Umaga (RAW) in a Brand Split Bragging Rights Match.
– Kane defeats Chavo Guerrero Jr., to win the ECW Championship.
– Shawn Michaels defeats Ric Flair, forcing Flair to retire.
– Beth Phoenix & Melina (with Santino Marella) defeat Maria & Ashley Massaro in a Playboy BunnyMania Lumberjill Match.  Snoop Dogg served as the Master of Ceremonies for this match.
– In a Triple Threat Match, Randy Orton defeats Triple H and John Cena, to retain the WWE Championship.
– In a No Disqualification Match, Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats The Big Show, via knockout.
– The Undertaker defeats Edge (with Vickie Guerrero, Zack Ryder, & Curt Hawkins), to win the World Heavyweight Championship AND remain undefeated at WrestleMania.

2012 – Ring of Honor’s Showdown in the Sun is held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  This is day one of the two-day event.

– The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark) defeat TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste), in a Proving Ground Match, to retain the ROH World Tag Team Championship.
– Adam Cole defeats NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce.
– The All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King) defeat The Young Bucks (Matt & Jeremy Jackson), in a Tornado Tag Team Match.
– Jay Lethal defeats Kyle O’Reilly, to retain the ROH Television Championship.
– Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas) defeats Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman.
– Mike Bennett (with Maria Kanellis) defeats Lance Storm
– Kevin Steen defeats El Generico in a Last Man Standing Match
– In a Three-Way Elimination Match, Davey Richards defeats Eddie Edwards and Roderick Strong (with Truth Martini), to retain the ROH World Championship.

2015 – Brock Lesnar demands his rematch for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  Lesnar lost the title, in a Triple Threat Match, to Seth Rollins the night before at WrestleMania 31.  Rollins had pinned Roman Reigns to win the title.  When Rollins opted not to put his title on the line, Lensar proceeds to attack Rollins, Jamie Noble, and Joey Mercury.  Lesnar then proceeds to flip over the RAW announcers’ table, injuring Booker T and JBL.  Lesnar then delivers an F5 to Michael Cole in the middle of the ring.  After delivering an F5 to a cameraman, Stephanie McMahon suspends Lesnar indefinitely.  Lesnar delivers another F5 to the same cameraman, before leaving the ring.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Indy wrestlers Nikki Addams (29 years old) and Maxx Testosterone (36 years old);  former WWE, TNA, & ROH wrestler Zach Gowen (34 years old);  current ROH & NJPW wrestler Trent Barreta (30 years old);  5-time WWF Tag Team Champion Mike Rotunda (59 years old);  former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ron Garvin (72 years old);  current CMLL wrestler Disturbio (38 years old);  2-time AAA World Tag Team Champion Crazy Boy (39 years old);  former AAA & CMLL performer La Magnifica (28 years old);  3-time IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion Reed Bentley (26 years old);  and German wrestler Christian Jakobi (32 years old).

Today would’ve been the 72nd birthday for former NWA, Jim Crockett Promotions, & WWF wrestler SD Jones.

SOURCES: wrestlingdata.com, gerweck.net, The Internet Wrestling Database

Follow me on Twitter at @Bill_Fenbers.