On this day in pro wrestling history: Original Strangler Lewis wins world title, Ric Flair vs Hulk Hogan

by Brain Hoops

1887 – Evan “Strangler” Lewis defeated Joe Acton in Chicago, Illinois to
win the World Catch-as-Catch-Can Heavyweight Title.

1944 – Babe Sharkey defeated Ed “Strangler” Lewis to win the Maryland
World Heavyweight Title in Baltimore, Maryland.

1947 – Vic Christy defeated Orville Brown to win the Midwest Wrestling
Association World Heavyweight Title in St. Joseph, Missouri.

1952 – Hombre Montana and Leo Nomellini defeated Ben and Mike Sharpe for
the San Francisco NWA World Tag Team Title in Oakland, California

1960 – Ivan and Karol Kalmikoff defeated Ilio DaPaolo and Whipper Billy
Watson to win the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Title in Toronto, Ontario

1968 – The Mighty Yankees (Frank Morrell and Eddie Sullivan) defeated
Len Rossi and Tamaya Soto to win the Mid-America NWA World Tag Team
Title in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1968 – Larry Hennig defeated Kurt Von Brauner for the Amarillo NWA Brass
Knuckles Title in Amarillo, Texas.

1970 – Dale Lewis and The Missouri Mauler defeated Bronko Lubich and
Chris Markoff for the NWA Florida Tag Team Title in Tampa, Florida.

1970 – Verne Gagne and Da Crusher went to a no contest with AWA World
Tag Team Champions Butcher and Mad Dog Vachon in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1973 – Tommy Gilbert and Eddie Marlin defeated Bobby Hart and Lorenzo
Parente to win the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title in Nashville, Tennessee,

1975 – Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell defeated AWA World Tag Team Champions
Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens by DQ in Rockford, Illinois

1976 – Andre the Giant and Greg Gagne defeated Nick Bockwinkel and Bobby
Duncum in a 2 out of 3 fall match in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

1977 – Guy Mitchell won the Vancouver NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight
Title in Vancouver, British Columbia,

1977 – Dennis Condrey and Phil Hickerson defeated Ricky and Robert
Gibson in the finals to win the vacant NWA Southern Tag Team Titles at
the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.

1978 – Dino Bravo and Dominic DeNucci defeated Mr. Fuji an Prof. Tanaka
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the WWWF World Tag Team Title

1978 – In Macon, Georgia; AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel defeated
Mr. Wrestling II and Tommy Rich defeated Stan Hansen to win the Macon
title in a one night tournament.

1980 – Tiger Conway, Jr. and Jose Lothario defeated Mr. Hito and Mr.
Sakurada for the World Class American Tag Team Title in Houston, Texas.

1980 – The Junkyard Dog defeated Ernie Ladd to win the Mid-South
Louisiana Heavyweight Title in Shreveport, Louisiana

1980 – Chavo Guerrero defeated The Hood (Johnny Mantell) for the NWA
Americas Heavyweight Title in Los Angeles, California

1980 – Bruiser Brody defeated Mark Lewin to win the NWA Texas Brass
Knuckles Title in Houston, Texas

1981 – Killer Karl Krupp defeated Pierre Martel for the WWC North
American Heavyweight Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico

1981- In Chicago, Illinois; AWA World Champion Verne Gagne defeated
Jerry Blackwell by DQ and AWA World Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis and
Jesse Ventura defeated Dick The Bruiser and Da Crusher by COR.

1982 – At Madison Square Garden, André the Giant and Rick McGraw
defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito in a
two-out-of-three falls match. WWF Intercontinental Champion Pedro
Morales pinned Adrian Adonis to retain the title and WWF Heavyweight
Champion Bob Backlund pinned Jesse Ventura

1982- In St. Paul, Minnesota; AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Tito
Santana; AWA Tag Team Champions Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell beat Jerry
Blackwell & Sheik Adnan dq; Bobby Duncum beat Baron Von Raschke; Ken
Patera drew Brad Rheingans and Buck Zumhofe beat Sgt. Goulet

1982 – Bobby Eaton and Sweet Brown Sugar defeated Ricky and Robert
Gibson in a tournament final in Louisville, Kentucky to win the AWA
Southern Tag Team Title.

1984 – Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham defeated Black Bart and Ron Bass
for the Florida NWA United States Tag Team Title in Miami, Florida.

1986 – Brad Armstrong defeated Robert Fuller to win the NWA Southeast
Continental Heavyweight Title in Mobile, Alabama.

1987 – Ivan Koloff and Dick Murdoch defeated Ron Garvin and Barry
Windham for the NWA United States Tag Team Title in Atlanta, Georgia.

1994 – Eddie Gilbert defeated Brian Christopher to win the USWA
Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee.

1999- In Louisville, Kentucky, Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko defeated
WCW World Tag Team Champions The West Texas Rednecks (Curt Hennig and
Barry Windham) in a Lumberjack match, Booker T pinned WCW World
Television Champion Scott Steiner to win the title and Ric Flair
defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan in a First Blood
Steel Cage match to win the title.

1999 – Naoya Ogawa defeated Dan Severn to win the NWA World Heavyweight
Champion in Yokohama, Japan.

2001 – Ultimate Pro Wrestling held “When Worlds Collide” at the Galaxy
Theatre in Santa Ana, California. At
the show, The Blue Meanie defeated UPW Internet Champion Navajo Warrior
to win the title. Also, Samoa Joe defeated UPW Heavyweight Champion
Christopher Daniels in a Loser Leaves UPW match to win the title.

2003 – A.J. Styles defeated Super Hentai for the International Wrestling
Cartel Super Indy Title in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania.

2004 – WrestleMania XX was held in New York City, headlined by Chris
Benoit defeating Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a three way match for
the World Heavyweight Title. Also, John Cena defeated Big Show to win
the U.S. Title

2007 – Ohio Valley Wrestling held it weekly television taping at Davis
Arena in Louisville, Kentucky- Idol Stevens defeated OVW Heavyweight
Champion Paul Birchill to win the title,

2010 – Adam Pearce regained the NWA championship, defeating Blue Demon
Jr. and Phill Shatter in a three-way bout at the NWA New Beginnings
event in Charlotte, North Carolina.