This Day In Wrestling History – November 17th
1971 – Jose Lothario defeats Johnny Valentine, to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship.
1978 – Ray Candy defeats Ernie Ladd, to win the NWA (Tri-State) North American Championship.
1986 – Lance Von Erich & The Dingo Warrior defeat Matt Borne & Master Gee (subbing for Buzz Sawyer), to win the WCWA World Tag Team Championship.
1996 – WWF Survivor Series is held in New York City, in front of 18,647 fans. The event featured the in-ring debut of Rocky Maivia (known later on as The Rock).
Airing on ‘Free for All’:
– In a 4-on-4 Survivor Series Elimination Match, Aldo Montoya, Bart Gunn, Bob Holly, & Jesse James defeat Billy Gunn, Justin Bradshaw, Salvatore Sincere, & The Sultan.
Survivor Series PPV:
– In a 4-on-4 Survivor Series Elimination Match, Doug Furnas, Henry O. Godwinn, Phineas I. Godwinn, & Phil Lafon defeat The British Bulldog, Leif Cassidy, Marty Jannetty, & Owen Hart.
– The Undertaker defeats Mankind (with Paul Bearer).
– In a 4-on-4 Survivor Series Elimination Match, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, Marc Mero, Rocky Maivia, & The Stalker defeat Crush, Goldust, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, & Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler.
– Bret Hart defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin.
– A 4-on-4 Survivor Series Elimination Match, between Faarooq, Vader, Fake Diesel, & Fake Razor Ramon, vs. Flash Funk, Savio Vega, Jimmy Snuka, & Yokozuna ends in a no-contest.
– Sycho Sid defeats Shawn Michaels (with Jose Lothario), to win the WWF Championship.
1997 – In the Monday Night Wars, WCW Monday Nitro (4.1 TV rating) defeats WWF RAW IS WAR (3.2 rating). It was this night that Rick Rude appeared on both programs; Rude, who had left the WWF one day earlier, appeared on the live Nitro sporting a mustache, and criticized Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, and D-Generation X. In his appearance on RAW (taped six days earlier), Rude was sporting a full beard while doing a promo for D-Generation X. Rude was not signed to a full-time WWF contract, rather he was performing on a pay-per-appearance basis. Also during RAW, Vince McMahon was interviewed by Jim Ross, regarding Bret Hart & The Montreal Screwjob. When asked by JR if he had screwed Bret Hart, McMahon responded with the infamous statement, “Bret screwed Bret.” During the interview, Vince repeatedly blamed Bret for everything that occurred that led to the Screwjob.
2002 – WWE Survivor Series is held in New York City, in front of 17,930 fans. No traditional Survivor Series matches were on the card, but several elimination-style matches were held, including the first-ever Elimination Chamber Match.
Sunday Night Heat:
– Lance Storm & William Regal defeat Goldust & The Hurricane.
Survivor Series PPV:
– In an Elimination Tables Match, The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & Spike) defeat Jeff Hardy, Rico, and 3-Minute Warning (Jamal & Rosey).
– Billy Kidman defeats Jamie Noble (with Nidia), to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
– In a Hardcore Match, Victoria defeats Trish Stratus, to win the WWE Women’s Championship.
– Big Show defeats Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman), to win the WWE Championship. It was the first time Big Show had won the WWF/E Championship since Survivor Series 1999. He would lose the title to Triple H on RAW on January 3, 2000.
– In a Triple Threat Elimination Match, Los Guerreros (Chavo & Eddie) defeat Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle, and Rey Mysterio & Edge, to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.
– In the first-ever Elimination Chamber Match, Shawn Michaels defeats Booker T, Kane, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, and Triple H, to win the World Heavyweight Championship. This was the first time HBK had won a World Championship since Survivor Series 1997 (the Montreal Screwjob).
2009 – The Hurricane (Mask) defeats Paul Burchill (Career), in a Mask vs. Career Match on this evening’s ECW on Syfy.
2011 – On Impact Wrestling, Crimson & Matt Morgan defeat Mexican America (Anarquia & Hernandez), to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
2014 – On Monday Night RAW, Luke Harper defeats Dolph Ziggler, to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship. ‘Grumpy Cat’ was the guest-star of this evening’s episode.
2016 – Atsushi Aoki & Hikaru Sato defeat Somoa Takao & Yuma Aoyagi, to win the AJPW Junior Tag Battle of Glory.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: WWE creative writer, Ranjin Singh (42 years old); former TNA performer Aiden O’Shea (37 years old); former WWF wrestler Ed Moretti (60 years old); indie wrestler Clay Tawzer (35 years old); the 2017 New Japan Cup winner, Katsuyori Shibata (38 years old); and 2017 WSU Hall of Fame Inductee, Mercedes Martinez (37 years old).
Today would’ve been the 82nd birthday for NWA Mid-Atlantic star, Johnny Weaver. Today would’ve been the 62nd birthday for wrestling legend Ted ‘The Nightmare’ Allen.
