This Day In Wrestling History – November 16th

1963 – The Crusher defeats Verne Gagne, to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.

1982 – El Faraon defeats Mascara Ano 2000, to win the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship.

1987 – The WWF holds a Legends Battle Royal in East Rutherford, NJ.  Lou Thesz, age 71, is the winner.

1992 – The Sandman defeats Don Muraco, to win the ECW Heavyweight Championship;  it was not referred to as the NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship until 1993.

1994 – WCW Clash of the Champions XXIX is held in Jacksonville, FL in front of 4,000 fans.

– Stars and Stripes (The Patriot & Marcus Alexander Bagwell) defeat Pretty Wonderful (Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma), to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship.
– Johnny B. Badd defeats The Honky Tonk Man, via disqualification, to retain the WCW World Television Championship.
– Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) defeat The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags).
– Vader (with Harley Race) defeats Dustin Rhodes.
– ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan defeats Steve Austin, via disqualification, to retain the United States Championship.
– In a Six-Man Tag Team Match, Sting, Hulk Hogan, & Dave Sullivan defeat The Avalanche, Kevin Sullivan, & The Butcher).  Mr. T served as special guest referee.

1996 – ECW November to Remember is held at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, in front of a sellout crowd of 1,500 fans.  It was 2 Cold Scorpio’s final ECW appearance before he moved on to the WWF.

– Stevie Richards (with The Blue Meanie & Super Nova) defeats David Tyler Morton Jericho (known later in his career as Kid Kash).
– Axl Rotten defeats Hack Meyers.
– Buh Buh Ray Dudley (with Sign Guy) defeats D-Von Dudley.
– The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) fought Sabu & Rob Van Dam to a time-limit draw.
– Chris Candido defeats Mikey Whipwreck.
– In a Three-Way Dance, The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa Saed) defeat The Eliminators (Saturn & Kronus) and Sabu & RVD, to retain the ECW World Tag Team Championship.
– 2 Cold Scorpio competes in four straight ‘Loser Leaves Town’ Matches.  Scorpio defeats Devon Storm, JT Smith, and Hack Meyers, before losing to Louie Spicolli.
– The Sandman defeats Raven (with The Blue Meanie, Stevie Richards, Super Nova, Lori Fullington, & Tyler Fullington), to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
– Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer defeat Shane Douglas & Brian Lee.

1996 – The WWF Hall Of Fame Ceremony is held in New York City.  These would be the last inductions until 2004.  The Class of 1996 included:
– Baron Mikel Scicluna
– Captain Lou Albano
– The Valiant Brothers (Jimmy & Johnny)
– Jimmy Snuka
– Johnny Rodz
– Killer Kowalski
– Pat Patterson
– Vince McMahon, Sr.

1996 – Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler defeats The Colorado Kid, to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship for the 26th time.

1998 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (5.5 TV rating) beats WCW Monday Nitro (4.3 rating).  On Nitro, Juventud Guerrera defeats Billy Kidman, to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.

2000 – WCW Millennium Final is held in Oberhausen, Germany in front of 9,800 fans.  This is one of the five WCW pay-per-views, not made available for viewing, on WWE Network.

– KroniK (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) defeat The Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman & Rey Mysterio, Jr.).
– Mike Awesome wins a 17-man Battle Royal.  I believe it was 17;  I counted twice & I still don’t know if I counted right.
– Kwee Wee (with Paisley) defeats Elix Skipper.
– Ernest Miller defeats Mike Sanders, to win the position of WCW Commissioner.
– Gen. Rection defeats United States Champion Lance Storm, via disqualification;  Storm retains the championship.
– Norman Smiley defeats Fit Finlay, in an Octoberfest Hardcore Match.
– The Boogie Knights (Disqo & Alex Wright) defeat Sean O’Haire & Mark Jindrak, to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship.  Gen. Rection actually filled in for Disqo, but Disqo is recognized by WWE as rightful champion.
– Kevin Nash defeats Mike Awesome and Alex Wright, in a European Cup Qualifying Match.
– Booker T defeats Scott Steiner, to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
– Sting defeats Kevin Nash, to win the WCW European Cup.  Axel Schulz served as special guest referee.

2002 – Hallowicked defeats Mister Zero, to become the inaugural CHIKARA Young Lions Cup Champion.

2003 – WWE Survivor Series is held in Dallas, in front of 13,487 fans.

– On Sunday Night Heat, Tajiri (with Akio & Sakoda) defeats Jamie Noble, to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
– In a 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination Match, Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, John Cena, Hardcore Holly, & Bradshaw) defeat Team Lesnar (Brock Lesnar, The Big Show, Matt Morgan, Nathan Jones, & A-Train).
– Molly Holly defeats Lita, to retain the WWE Women’s Championship.
– Kane defeats Shane McMahon, in an Ambulance Match.
– The Basham Brothers (Doug & Danny) defeat Los Guerreros (Eddie & Chavo), to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
– In a 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination Match, Team Bischoff (Chris Jericho, Christian, Randy Orton, Scott Steiner & Mark Henry) defeat Team Austin (Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley).  Because his team lost, Stone Cold Steve Austin lost his position as Co-General Manager of RAW.
– Vince McMahon defeats The Undertaker, in a Buried Alive Match, thanks to interference from Kane.
– Goldberg defeats Triple H (with Ric Flair), to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

2006 – In a Three-Way Dance on Impact!, Christopher Daniels defeats AJ Styles and Chris Sabin, to win the TNA X Division Championship.  This was the first episode of Impact! to air at 9pm ET on Spike TV, after spending the previous seven months airing at 11pm ET.

2007 – On SmackDown, John Morrison & The Miz defeat Matt Hardy & MVP, to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.

2007 – La Amapola defeats Lady Apache, to win the CMLL World Women’s Championship.

2009 – Monday Night RAW is guest-hosted by ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper.

2014 – In Beijing, China, Mia Yim defeats Ivellise, to win the SHINE Championship.   Also occurring in China, Johnny Gargano defeats Ricochet, to win Dragon Gate’s ‘Open the Freedom Gate’ Championship.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:  CMLL regular Starman (43 years old);  WWE referee John Cone (43 years old);  former NWA Florida Heavyweight & Tag Team Champion, Lou Perez (age unknown);  and former indie wrestler Charles Mercury (35 years old).

Today would’ve been the 67th birthday for WrestleMania II participant, in the WWF vs. NFL Battle Royal, Harvey Martin.