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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: THE LAST WCW THUNDER, SLAMMY AWARDS, NAGATA WINS NEW JAPAN CUP AND MORE

March 21st

On this day in history in ....

1972 - Billy Red Cloud defeats Art Thomas to win the WWA World Heavyweight Title.

1976 - El Audaz defeats Rey Mendoza for the UWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Veracruz, Mexico.

1981 - Tommy Gilbert defeats Medico II to win the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

1986 - Ron Ritchie defeats Kerry Brown to win the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title in Vancouver, British Columbia.

1990 - Lizmark defeats Fabuloso Blondie for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Acapulco, Mexico, ending Blondie's second reign and beginning Lizmark's third.

1991 - Mascara Sagrada defeats Pierroth, Jr. to win the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Title in Cuernavaca, Mexico, ending Pierroth's second reign.

1993 - Xóchitl Hamada defeats Bull Nakano in Mexico City, Mexico to win the CMLL World Women's Title.

1994 - The WWF held a triple-taping of Monday Night RAW at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York. The first show aired live, with the others airing over the next two weeks, on USA Network. The results were:
Dark matches:
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon defeated Diesel (subbing for the injured Ludvig Borga) by disqualification after Shawn Michaels interfered.
- Earthquake and Yokozuna (with Mr. Fuji) fought to a double-countout.
- Lex Luger defeated Bam Bam Bigelow.
March 21:
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre (with Johnny Polo)) defeated The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke), when Pierre pinned Butch after a knee to the back. After the match, Captain Lou Albano came out and issued a challenge to the Quebecers to defend their title against a team of his choice. Albano would return on the episode that aired the following week with his team, The Headshrinkers.
- Tatanka defeated Chris Hamrick after a Samoan Drop.
- Diesel pinned Ken Lucia.
- Jeff Jarrett defeated Koko B. Ware after a DDT.
March 28:
- Lex Luger defeated Rick Martel by submission with the Torture Rack.
- Owen Hart defeated Mike Freeman by submission with the Sharpshooter.
- Doink the Clown (Steve Lombardi) (with Dink) pinned Eric Cody after the Whoopie Cushion.
- The 1-2-3 Kid pinned The Black Phantom (Gangrel).
- Crush pinned Ray Hudson.
April 4:
- Earthquake pinned Adam Bomb (with Harvey Whippleman).
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon pinned Austin Steele to retain the title.
- The Headshrinkers (Fatu and Samu (with Afa and Lou Albano)), Jeff Jarrett, Rick Martel and Irwin R. Schyster defeated The 1-2-3 Kid, The Smoking Gunns (Billy and Bart), Sparky Plugg and Tatanka, when I.R.S. pinned the 1-2-3 Kid after the Kid ran into the corner. This match was originally scheduled to take place at WrestleMania X, but was scrapped due to time constraints.
- Yokozuna (with Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji) pinned Scott Powers after the Banzai Drop.
- This episode of RAW also included the debut of Shawn Michaels' Heartbreak Hotel.

1997 - The Slammy Awards were held at the Weston Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, two nights before WrestleMania 13. The winners were:
- New Sensation of the Squared Circle (presented by Ahmed Johnson): Rocky Maivia. The other nominees were Steve Austin, Flash Funk, Mankind and Marc Mero.
- Best Dressed (presented by The Honky Tonk Man and Cindy Margolis): Sable. The other nominees were Flash Funk, Marlena, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker.
- Best Tattoo (presented by Adam and George): The Undertaker. The other nominees were Drew Barrymore, Crush, Tommy Lee and Shawn Michaels.
- 1996 Match of the Year (presented by Jim Ross): Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII. Other nominees were Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart at Survivor Series, Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega from In Your House: Beware of Dog II, Mankind vs. The Undertaker at SummerSlam, and Mankind vs. Shawn Michaels from In Your House: Mind Games.
- Best Hair (presented by The Legion of Doom): Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The other nominees were: Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Mankind and Shawn Michaels.
- Loose Screw (presented by Lou Albano and Sunny): Mankind. The other nominees were Steve Austin, Bob Backlund, Kosmo Kramer and Sycho Sid.
- Best Bow Tie (presented by Owen Hart): Owen Hart stole the award. The nominees were Bob Backlund, Clarence Mason and Steve Urkel.
- Best Entrance Music (presented by Dok Hendrix and John McNaley): The Undertaker. The other nominees were Faarooq, Flash Funk, "Double J" Jesse James and Sunny.
- Best Finisher (presented by Brian Pillman): Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music. The other nominees were Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner, Bret Hart's Sharpshooter, Marc Mero's Wild Thing, and Sycho Sid's powerbomb.
- Best Couple (presented by Jerry Lawler and Vince McMahon): Goldust and Marlena. The other nominees were Bill and Hillary Clinton, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Chyna, Marc Mero and Sable, and Siegfried and Roy.
- Freedom of Speech (presented by Bob Backlund and Mancow): Steve Austin. The other nominees were Paul E. Dangerously, Faarooq, Jerry Lawler and Howard Stern.
- Star of the Highest Magnitude (presented by Walter Payton): The Undertaker. The other nominees were Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Sycho Sid.
- Lifetime Achievement Award (presented by Gorilla Monsoon and Sycho Sid): Arnold Skaaland.
- Miss Slammy (presented by Todd Pettengill): Sable. The other nominees were Chyna, The Funkettes, Marlena and Sunny.

1998 - Shinobu Kandori defeats Yumiko Hotta for the WWWA World Singles Title in Tokyo, Japan.

1999 - ECW held the second-annual Living Dangerously pay-per-view at the Convention Center in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The results:
- In a dark match, Chris Chetti and Nova defeated Danny Doring and Roadkill.
- Super Crazy pinned Yoshihiro Tajiri.
- Balls Mahoney pinned Steve Corino after hitting him with a chair.
- Little Guido (with Sal E. Graziano) pinned Antifaz del Norte.
- ECW World Television Champion Rob Van Dam (with Bill Alfonso) pinned Jerry Lynn after a Five-Star Frog Splash to retain the title. Lynn originally won by referee's decision after a time-limit draw, but Lynn requested that the match continue for five more minutes.
- New Jack pinned Mustafa.
- Spike Dudley and Nova defeated The Dudley Boyz (Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von), when Spike pinned Buh-Buh Ray after an Acid Drop. During the match, Nova was injured and replaced by Sid Vicious.
- Tommy Dreamer and Shane Douglas (with Francine) defeated The Impact Players (Justin Credible and Lance Storm (with Dawn Marie and Jason Knight)), when Douglas pinned Credible after a Pittsburgh Plunge.
- ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz defeated FTW World Heavyweight Champion Sabu (with Bill Alfonso), after Sabu passed out while locked in the Tazmission, to unify both titles.

2000 - American Dragon (Bryan Danielson) and Spanky (Brian Kendrick) defeat The Board of Education (Ruben Cruz and Jeromy Sage) for the Texas Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Title in San Antonio, Texas.

2001 - The 155th and final edition of WCW Thunder airs on TBS, earning a 1.85 rating. The company was bought out by the WWF two days later. The results of the show, taped the previous night in Gainesville, Florida, were:
- The Jung Dragons (Kaz Hayashi and Jimmy Yang) defeated Air Raid (Air Paris and Air Styles).
- Jason Jett defeated Cash (Kid Kash).
- M.I. Smooth and Ernest Miller (with Ms. Jones) defeated Kanyon and Road Warrior Animal.
- Hugh Morrus defeated Rick Steiner.
- WCW Cruiserweight Champion Shane Helms and The Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman and Rey Misterio, Jr.) defeated Chavo Guerrero, Jr. and WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Champions Kid Romeo and Elix Skipper.
- Chuck Palumbo defeated Mike Awesome.
- Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner (with Midajah) defeated Dustin Rhodes in a handicap match.

2001 - Dan Factor and David Flair defeat Bad Attitude (Rick Michaels and David Young) to win the NWA World Tag Team Title in Athens, Georgia, ending Bad Attitude's third reign.

2002 - Jun Kasai and The W*INGer defeat Daisuke Sekimoto and Men's Teioh for the WEW Hardcore Tag Team Title in Nagoya, Japan.

2002 - Ebessan defeats wins Shu's Osaka Pro Wrestling Battle Royal Title in Osaka, Japan, by last eliminating Takashi Tachibana in a 10-man battle royal. This began Ebessan's second reign.

2004 - Gabe Saint defeats Jimmy Olsen for the NWA Upstate Kayfabe Dojo Title in Rochester, New York.

2004 - Chikayo Nagashima and Sugar Sato win their fourth AAAW Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan, by defeating Toshie Uematsu and Ran YuYu.

2004 - Ray Rowe defeats Chad Collyer for the Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling Unified Heavyweight Title in Cleveland, Ohio.

2004 - Pretty Boy Delgado defeats Gage Octane to win the Steel Domain Wrestling Television Title in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

2005 - WWE held the 617th edition of RAW live and taped the 342th Sunday Night Heat at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. RAW got a 3.9 rating, and Heat a 0.7, on Spike TV. The results:
Heat:
- Gene Snitsky pinned Val Venis after an inverted DDT.
- Chris Masters defeated Russell Simpson by submission with the Masterlock.
- The Hurricane pinned Biohazard (Jaykus Plisken) with a crossbody.
- Muhammad Hassan (with Daivari) defeated Rhyno by submission with the Camel Clutch.
RAW:
- Shawn Michaels pinned Robért Conway (with Sylvain Grenier) after the Sweet Chin Music.
- Christy Hemme (with Lita) and World Tag Team Champions William Regal and Tajiri defeated Simon Dean, Maven and Molly Holly, when Hemme pinned Holly after a reverse Twist of Fate.
- Edge and Christian (with Tyson Tomko) defeated Chris Jericho and WWE Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin, when Edge pinned Benjamin after a spear, after Christian hit Benjamin with the Intercontinental title belt.
- Chris Benoit defeated Tyson Tomko by submission with the Crippler Crossface.
- Batista pinned Kane in a Lumberjack match with the Batista Bomb.

2007 - Yuji Nagata wins the third-annual New Japan Cup tournament, defeating Togi Makabe in the final match in Tokyo, Japan.

2007 - OVW held its weekly television taping at Davis Arena in Louisville, Kentucky. The results were:
Dark matches:
- Victoria Crawford defeated Maryse.
- Tommaso defeated Ramón of Los Locos.
- T.J. Dalton and Jamin Olivencia defeated Alexander and Tank Toland.
- Kassidy James defeated Mike Tolar.
- Terminal Velocity (Chet the Jett and Steve Lewington) defeated Scott Cardinal and Mason Raige.
- The Frat Pack (Mike Mondo and Nick Nemeth) and Johnny Jeter defeated Deuce, Domino and Jacob Duncan.
Televised matches:
- K.C. James defeated Jake Hager.
- 2 Cold Scorpio defeated Mike Kruel (with Roucka).
- OVW Southern Tag Team Champions Cody Runnels and OVW Television Champion Shawn Spears defeated Charles Evans and Justin LaRouche by disqualification to retain the title.
- Pat Buck (with Roni Jonah and Johnny Punch) defeated Chris Rombola in a Rock 'n' Roll Weapons match.
- OVW Heavyweight Champion Idol Stevens defeated Paul Birchill to retain the title.

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