On this day in pro wrestling history: First GHC champ, Thesz battles boxing world champion

By Brian Hoops

1925 – Stainslaus Zbyszko defeated Wayne Munn to win the World
Heavyweight Title in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Munn was expected to win this match to set up a lucrative rematch with Strangler Lewis, but a rival promotion led to the Stechers convinced Zbyszko to shoot on Munn, beat him by submission, and have him then drop the title to Stecher.  This took the power away from the Lewis camp beacuse they no longer controlled the title.

1933 – Billy Meeske defeated Joe Dawson to win the Australian
Heavyweight Title in Brisbane, Australia

1943 – John Katan defeated Yvon Robért for the Montreal World
Heavyweight Title in Montreal, Quebec.

1946 – Danny McShain defeated Ernie Piluso in Hollywood, California to
win the World Light Heavyweight Title

1958 – Fritz Von Erich defeated Bull Curry for the NWA Texas Brass
Knuckles Title in Dallas, Texas. At the same event, Omaya Kato won the
NWA Texas Junior Heavyweight Title from Larry Chene

1959 – Joe Blanchard and Lord James Blears defeated Koukichi Endo and
Rikidozan to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii

1960 – Fred Blassie defeated Dick Gunkel (subbing for Ray Gunkel) in
Atlanta, Georgia for the Georgia NWA Southern Heavyweight Title.

1960 – Oattem Fisher and Luther Lindsay defeated John Foti and Don
Kindred for the Stampede International Tag Team Title in Calgary, Alberta.

1961 – Luigi Macera defeated Sam Steamboat to win the NWA Hawaii
Heavyweight Title in Honolulu, Hawaii.

1963 – NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz defeated “Jersey” Joe
Walcott in the fifth round of a wrestler vs. boxer match.

1968 – The Assassins (Jody Hamilton and Tom Renesto) defeated Don Leo
Jonathan and Sky Hi Jones (Grizzly Smith) for the Vancouver NWA Canadian
Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia.

1969 – Ciclón Negro defeated Hans Mortier to win the NWA Florida
Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.

1974 – Jerry Lawler defeated Tommy Gilbert for the NWA Southern Junior
Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee

1974 – Siegfried Steinke and Bob Sweetan defeated Bob Kelly and Rocket
Monroe for the Gulf Coast NWA United States Tag Team Title in
Shreveport, Louisiana.

1977 – The Executioner defeated Ken Lucas for the NWA Mid-America
Heavyweight Title in Huntsville, Alabama.

1983 – Jerry Blackwell defeated Kerry Von Erich to win the NWA Missouri
Heavyweight Title in St. Louis, Missouri.

1983 – Adrian Adonis defeated Bob Sweetan for the Southwest Championship
Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Austin, Texas.

1985 – Takashi Ishikawa and Akio Sato defeated Animal Hamaguchi and
Masanobu Kurisu to win the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Title in Nagasaki, Japan

1985 – The PYT Express (Norvell Austin and Koko Ware) won the AWA
Southern Tag Team Title by defeating The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and
Stan Lane)

1989 – Invader I defeated Abdullah the Butcher for the WWC North
American Heavyweight Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico

1989 – The Grappler (Len Denton) defeated Carl Styles to win his sixth
NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title in Portland, Oregon.

1995 – In Philadelphia, PA, The Sandman pinned ECW World Heavyweight
Champion Shane Douglas (with Woman) to win the title

1995 – Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Akira Taue to win the annual AJPW
Champion’s Carnival.

1995 – Rey Misterio, Jr., Super Muñeco and Octagón defeated Tony Arce,
Rocco Valente and Vulcano to win the Mexican National Trios Title in
Mexico City, Mexico.

1996- In San Bernardino, CA;  Savio Vega defeated WWF Intercontinental
Champion Goldust (with Marlena) to win the title after hitting him with
the title belt. After the match, a second referee disputed the result,
prompting WWF President Gorilla Monsoon to hold the title up and
schedule a rematch to be held the following week.

1996 – Samantha defeated Miss Texas (Jackie Moore) to win the USWA
Women’s Title in Memphis, Tennessee,

2001 – Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in the finals of a
16-man tournament in Tokyo, Japan to become Pro Wrestling NOAH’s first
GHC Heavyweight Champion.

2006 – Tracy Smothers defeated Stan Lee to win the NWA All-Star
Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Cleveland, Virginia.

2006 – Romeo Roselli defeated El Bronco for the WWC Puerto Rico
Heavyweight Title in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

2006 – Mr. Big and Cruzz defeated Thunder and Lightning to win the IWA
World Tag Team Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico

2007 – At the Lockdown PPV held in St. Charles, Missouri; Team 3D
defeated NWA World Tag Team Champions The Latin American Exchange to win
the title.