This Day In Wrestling History – May 16th

Happy birthday to The Godfather!!

1963 – Brute Bernard & Skull Murphy defeat Great Scott & Buddy Austin, to win the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship.

1964 – Verne Gagne defeats Mad Dog Vachon, to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship for the 7th time.

1967 – Boris Malenko defeats Wahoo McDaniel, to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship.

1972 – Paul Jones defeats Jack Brisco, to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship.

1973 – Johnny Powers defeats Eric the Animal, to win the National Wrestling Federation (NWF) North American Heavyweight Championship for the 9th time.

1977 – Giant Baba wins the AJPW Champion Carnival for the fourth time, defeating Jumbo Tsuruta in the tournament final.

1983 – Bobby Eaton & Duke Myers defeat The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn & Stan Lane), to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship.  Ken Patera defeats Jerry Lawler, to win the AWA/CWA International Heavyweight Championship.  And Bill Dundee defeats Dutch Mantel, to win the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship.

1984 – Andy Kaufman, best known for his feud with Jerry Lawler, passes away after suffering kidney failure. He was 35 years old.

1987 – On a taping of World Championship Wrestling, The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) defeat Ron Garvin & Barry Windham, to win the vacant NWA United States Tag Team Championship.

1991 – Villano III defeats El Signo, to win the UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship.

1998 – Sangre Chicana defeats Mascara Sagrada II, to win the AAA Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship.

1998 – ECW’s supercard, A Matter of Respect, is held at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, in front of 1,600 fans.

– Justin Credible defeats Jerry Lynn in a Two-out-of-Three Falls Match.
– Chris Chetti defeats Jamie Dundee.
– Mikey Whipwreck defeats Mike Lozansky.
– Kronus defeats Danny Doring.
– The Blue Meanie & Super Nova fought The Full Blooded Italians (Little Guido & Tracy Smothers), to a no contest.
– Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Al Snow.
– Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney defeat Tracey Smothers & Little Guido
– Rob Van Dam & Lance Storm fought Chris Candido & Sabu to a no-contest.
– In a Six-Way Stairway to Hell Match, the team of The Sandman, Spike Dudley, and Tommy Dreamer defeat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray, D-Von, and Big Dick Dudley).

1999 – ECW’s Hardcore Heaven pay-per-view is held in Poughkeepsie, NY, in front of 2,800 fans.

– Taz defeats Chris Candido (with Tammy Lynn Sytch), to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
– The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray & D-Von) defeat Balls Mahoney & Spike Dudley, to retain the ECW World Tag Team Championship.
– Super Crazy defeats Taka Michinoku.
– Yoshihiro Tajiri defeats Little Guido (with Big Sal E. Graziano).
– Lance Storm (with Dawn Marie) defeats Tommy Dreamer (with Francine).
– Sid Vicious (with Judge Jeff Jones) fights Justin Credible (with Jason & Jazz) to a no-contest.
– In a No Time Limit Match, Rob Van Dam (with Bill Alfonso) defeats Jerry Lynn, to retain the ECW World Television Match.
– In a Falls Count Anywhere Match, Taz defeats Buh Buh Ray Dudley (with Sign Guy Dudley), to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.

1999 – WWF’s first No Mercy pay-per-view is held in Manchester, England, in front of 18,107 fans.  This was a UK-exclusive pay-per-view.  The first No Mercy event in the U.S. would be held in October 1999.

– Tiger Ali Singh defeats Gillberg.
– In a Six Man Tag Tam Match, The Ministry Of Darkness (Viscera, Faarooq, & Bradshaw) defeat The Brood (Gangrel, Edge, & Christian).
– Steve Blackman defeats Droz.
– Kane defeats Mideon.
– Nicole Bass defeats Tori.
– Shane McMahon defeats X-Pac, to retain the WWF European Championship.
– Mr. Ass defeats Mankind.
– In an Anything Goes Triangle Match, Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer), and Triple H (with Chyna), to retain the WWF Championship.

2002 – On this evening’s SmackDown, The Hurricane defeats Tajiri and Billy Kidman, to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship (Triple Threat Match).

2004 – WWE Judgement Day, a SmackDown-exclusive pay-per-view, is held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, in front of 18,722 fans.

Sunday Night Heat:
– Mark Jindrak (with Teddy Long) defeats Funaki.
PPV:
– Rob Van Dam & Rey Mysterio defeat The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von).
– Torrie Wilson defeats Dawn Marie.
– Mordecai defeats Scotty 2 Hotty.
– Charlie Haas & Rico (with Miss Jackie) defeat Hardcore Holly & Billy Gunn, to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
– Chavo Guerrero, Jr. (with Chavo Classic) defeats Jacqueline, to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
– John Cena defeats Rene Dupree, to retain the WWE United States Championship.
– The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) defeats Booker T.
– John Bradshaw Layfield defeats WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero via disqualification.  Guerrero retains the title.

2006 – Davey Boy Smith’s son, Harry, signs with WWE.  He would eventually debut as David Hart Smith, as one-third of The Hart Dynasty, and would win the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship (with Tyson Kidd) in 2010.

2010 – TNA Sacrifice is held at the Impact Zone in Orlando, in front of 1,100 fans.

– In a Three Way Tag Team #1 Contender Match, The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) defeat Beer Money Inc. (James Storm & Robert Roode), and Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon), to become the #1 contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
– Rob Terry defeats Orlando Jordan, to retain the TNA Global Championship.
– Douglas Williams defeats Kazarian, to win the TNA X Division Championship.
– In a Title vs Career Match, Madison Rayne defeats Tara, to retain the TNA Women’s Knockout Championship.  As a result, Tara is forced to retire.
– The Band (Kevin Nash & Scott Hall) defeat Ink Inc. (Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal), to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
– In a Chelsea vs Ring Match, Abyss defeats Desmond Wolfe (with Chelsea).  Since Abyss won, he received the services of Wolfe’s manager Chelsea for 30 days.  Had Wolfe won the match, he would have received Hulk Hogan’s Hall of Fame ring.
– Jeff Hardy defeats Mr. Anderson.
– Sting defeats Jeff Jarrett.
– Rob Van Dam defeats AJ Styles (with Ric Flair), to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

2015 – In the Lucky Pro Wrestling promotion, Anthony Greene defeats Jason Blade and Randy Shawn, to win the LPW Hard Knox Championship.  This was a Three Way Iron Man Match.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:  WWE Hall of Famers Johnny Rodz (79 years old) and The Godfather (56 years old);  13-time Dragon Gate “Open the Triangle Gate” Champion Gamma (44 years old);  2-time OVW Women’s Champion Mickie Knuckles (33 years old);  former TNA X Division Champion & ROH Tag Team Champion Mike Bennett (32 years old);  and current NJPW wrestler & Fit Finlay’s son David Finlay, Jr. (24 years old).