This Day In Wrestling History – October 4th
1975 – A plane carrying Ric Flair, David Crockett, Bob Bruggers, Tim Woods and Johnny Valentine crashes near Wilmington, North Carolina. The pilot was the only fatality, but all men suffered serious injuries. Crockett, Flair, and Woods were able to return to pro wrestling after their injuries healed. Bruggers regained his health, but chose to retire; the plane crash would immediately end Valentine’s career.
1981 – In a tournament final, Sgt. Slaughter defeats Ricky Steamboat, to win the vacant NWA United States Championship.
1987 – The WWF holds a Royal Rumble match at an arena show in St Louis. The event failed to draw fans, so the concept was shelved for a brief time. One Man Gang won the match, last eliminating The Junkyard Dog.
1993 – On a taping of Saturday Night, Marcus Alexander Bagwell & 2 Cold Scorpio defeat The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags), to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship (aired on TV October 23rd).
1993 – Tim Horner defeats Juicy Johnny, to win the vacant Smoky Mountain Wrestling Television Championship (aired on TV November 6th).
1996 – The Colorado Kid defeats Jerry Lawler, to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship.
1997 – Johnny Ace & Kenta Kobashi defeat Gary Albright & Steve Williams, to win the AJPW World Tag Team Championship.
1999 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (5.9 TV rating) beats WCW Monday Nitro (2.9 rating). On Nitro, Psychosis is awarded the vacant WCW Cruiserweight Championship, but would lose it later in the show to Disco Inferno.
2007 – TNA Impact! is expanded to two hours.
2009 – WWE’s inaugural Hell in a Cell pay-per-view is held in Newark, NJ, in front of 12,356 fans.
Dark Match:
– Matt Hardy defeats Mike Knox.
Hell In A Cell PPV:
– In a Hell in a Cell Match, The Undertaker defeats CM Punk, to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
– John Morrison defeats Dolph Ziggler, to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
– Mickie James defeats Alicia Fox, to retain the WWE Divas Championship.
– Jeri-Show (Chris Jericho & The Big Show) defeat Batista & Rey Mysterio, to retain the WWE Unified Tag Team Championship.
– In a Hell in a Cell Match, Randy Orton defeats John Cena, to win the WWE Championship.
– Drew McIntyre defeats R-Truth.
– In a Triple Threat Match, Kofi Kingston defeats Jack Swagger and The Miz, to retain the WWE United States Championship.
– D-Generation X (Triple H & Shawn Michaels) defeat The Legacy (Ted DiBiase Jr & Cody Rhodes), in a Hell in a Cell Tag Team Match.
2015 – In a Three-Way Match, Angelico & Jack Evans defeat Joe Lider & Pentagon Jr., and Daga & Steve Pain, to win the AAA World Tag Team Championship.
2015 – Atsushi Kotege & Daisuke Harada defeat El Desperado & Taka Michinoku, to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
2015 – TNA Bound For Glory is held in Concord, NC in front of 1,800 fans.
Dark Match:
– Shawn Shultz defeats John Skyler.
Bound For Glory PPV:
– In an Ultimate X Match, Tigre Uno defeats Manik, DJ Z, and Andrew Everett, to retain the X Division Championship.
– Tyrus wins the Bound For Gold Gauntlet Match; Tyrus gets to choose any championship match he wants.
– The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) defeat Brian Myers & Trevor Lee, to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
– Bobby Roode defeats Lashley, to retain the King of the Mountain Championship.
– Gail Kim defeats Awesome Kong, to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship.
– In a No Disqualification Match, Kurt Angle defeats Eric Young via submission.
– In a Triple Threat Match, Matt Hardy defeats Ethan Carter III and Drew Galloway, to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Jeff Hardy served as special guest referee.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: 7-time Blue Collar Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Champion Bill Martel (31 years old); TNA ‘Grand Slam’ Champion Abyss (44 years old); 2-time NWA United States Tag Champion Bobby Fulton (57 years old); former AAA Campeon de Campeones Heavy Metal (47 years old); current ‘Open the Triangle Gate’ Champion Naruki Doi (37 years old); and former WWF/E CEO Linda McMahon (69 years old).
Today would’ve been the 89th birthday for WWE Hall of Famer Chief Jay Strongbow.
