This Day In Wrestling History – May 15th

Happy birthday, Ron Simmons!! (Photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.)

1958 – Verne Gagne & Leo Nomellini defeat Doc & Mike Gallagher, to win the Minneapolis NWA World Tag Team Championship.

1965 – Mighty Igor Vodic defeats Mad Dog Vachon, to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.  Incidentally, this was the first time in the five year history of the AWA World Title, that a title change did not involve Verne Gagne.

1970 – Donna Christantello & Kathy O’Day defeat The Fabulous Moolah & Toni Rose, to win the NWA Women’s World Tag Team Championship.

1971 – Red Bastien & Hercules Cortez defeat Butcher & Mad Dog Vachon, to win the AWA World Tag Team Championship.

1976 – The Sheik defeats Bobo Brazil, to win the Detroit NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.

1986 – The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) defeat The Batten Twins (Bart & Brad), to win the NWA Central States Tag Team Championship.

1993 – In a Loser Leaves Town Match, for the Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Championship, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton) defeat The Heavenly Bodies (Stan Lane & Tom Prichard), to become the new SMW Tag Team Champions. Stan Lane was pinned and is forced to leave SMW, and opts to retire.

1993 – On a Hardcore TV taping, The Super Destroyers (AJ Petrucci & Doug Stahl) defeat The Suicide Blondes (Chris Michaels & Johnny Hotbody), to win the NWA-ECW World Tag Team Championship.  However The Super Destroyers would lose the titles back to The Suicide Blondes later in the night.  The title change aired on TV July 6th.

1995 – The induction of Ernie Ladd, Ivan Putski, and Antonina Rocca into the WWF Hall of Fame are announced, for the June 1995 induction ceremony in Philadelphia, PA.

1996 – Karis la Momia defeats Blue Demon, Jr., to win the AAA Mexican National Cruiserweight Championship.

1999 – Lady Apache defeats La Diabolica, to win the CMLL World Women’s Championship.

2000 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (6.1 TV rating) beats WCW Monday Nitro (3.1 rating).  On RAW, Bobcat (one of Godfather’s “hos”), pinned Crash Holly, to become the first female to win the WWF Hardcore Championship;  this occurred during Crash’s title defense against The Godfather.  Bobcat’s title reign only lasts 15 seconds, as Crash pins her, to reclaim the title.

Three titles change hands over on Nitro.  Crowbar and Daffney become the new WCW Cruiserweight co-champions, after winning a Mixed Tag Team Match against Chris Candido (previous champion) and Tammy Lynn Sytch.  KroniK (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) defeat Buff Bagwell & Shane Douglas, to win the World Tag Team Championship.  In the main event, Ric Flair defeats Jeff Jarrett, to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.  It was the fifth time since the April 10th “reboot,” that the World Heavyweight Championship had changed hands.

2002 – The new TNA Wrestling promotion announces that Ken Shamrock has signed a contract with the company;  it’s also announced that Shamrock will be competing in NWA-TNA’s first pay-per-view, on June 19th.

2004 – The ROH World Tag Team Championship changes hands three times, during Round Robin Challenge III.  Each counts as a separate title reign / title change.

– The Prophecy (BJ Whitmer & Dan Maff) defeat The Second City Saints (CM Punk & Colt Cabana).
– The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark) defeat The Prophecy.
– The Second City Saints (CM Punk & Colt Cabana) defeat The Briscoe Brothers, to reclaim the titles.

2005 – TNA Hard Justice is held at the Impact Zone in Orlando, in front of 775 fans.   The event opened with a tribute to Chris Candido, who had died on April 28th.

Pre-Show:
– Shark Boy defeats David Young, to earn an entry into the Gauntlet For The Gold.
PPV:
– Team Canada (Petey Williams & Eric Young) defeat Sonny Siaki & Apolo.

– In a Mixed Tag Team Match, Michael Shane & Trinity defeat Chris Sabin & Traci Brooks.
– Raven defeats Sean Waltman, in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match.  Waltman replaced Jeff Hardy, who no-showed the event after missing several flights to Orlando, out of North Carolina.  Jeff did not show up until after the pay-per-view was over.  He would be suspended by TNA a couple days later.
– Monty Brown & The Outlaw defeat Diamond Dallas Page & Ron Killings
– The Naturals (Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas) defeat America’s Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm), to retain the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
– Christopher Daniels defeats Shocker to retain the TNA X Division Championship.
– Abyss wins a 20-Man Gauntlet For The Gold Match, last eliminating BG James, and becomes the #1 contender for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.  Also in the match were: Eric Young, Mikey Batts, The Outlaw, Jerrelle Clark, Elix Skipper, Cassidy Riley, Zach Gowen, Apolo, Trytan, A-1, Shark Boy, Ron Killings, Michael Shane, Lance Hoyt, Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, Sonny Siaki, and Chris Sabin.
– AJ Styles defeats Jeff Jarrett, to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.  Tito Ortiz served as special guest referee.

2006 – In a Three-on-Two Texas Tornado Handicap Match on RAW, with the WWE Championship AND Intercontinental Championship on the line, the team of Triple H, Shelton Benjamin, & Chris Masters defeat the team of John Cena (WWE Champion) and Rob Van Dam (Intercontinental Champion).  Anyone who pinned Cena or RVD would win their respective title.  Shelton Benjamin pinned RVD, to become the new Intercontinental Champion.

2007 – Vito is released from his WWE contract.  Vito had rejoined WWE in 2004 after competing in other promotions the previous eleven years.  He was used as a jobber, under the name Von Krus, in the WWF from 1991-1993.

2011 – At New Japan’s Invasion Tour, Kenny Omega defeats Jushin Thunder Liger, to win the Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) Light Heavyweight Championship.  Also, MVP defeats Toru Yano, in a tournament final, to become the inaugural IWGP Intercontinental Champion.

2011 – TNA Sacrifice is held at the Impact Zone in Orlando, in front of 1,100 fans.

– Mexican America (Hernandez & Anarquia) defeat Ink Inc. (Jesse Neal & Shannon Moore).
– Brian Kendrick defeats Robbie E.
– Mickie James defeats Madison Rayne, to retain the TNA Women’s Knockout Championship.  Per match stipulation, Tara’s contract with Rayne is nullified, allowing Tara to compete in TNA once again.
– Kazarian defeats Max Buck, to retain the TNA X Division Championship.
– Crimson defeats Abyss.
– Beer Money Inc. (Robert Roode & James Storm) defeat Immortal (Matt Hardy & Chris Harris), to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
– Tommy Dreamer defeats AJ Styles, in a No Disqualification Match.
– In a Mixed Tag Team Match, Kurt Angle & Chyna defeat Jeff & Karen Jarrett.
– Sting defeats Rob Van Dam, to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:  WWE Hall of Famers Kevin Von Erich (60 years old) and Ron Simmons (59 years old);  indy wrestler Heather McQuinn aka Miss Natural (37 years old);  former GHC Tag Team Champion & AAW Heavyweight Champion Keith Walker aka ‘Mike Venom’ (39 years old).

Today would’ve been the 97th birthday for NWA Mid-America wrestler Frank Hewitt, and the 42nd birthday for former AAA/CHIKARA wrestler La Parkita.