THIS DAY IN HISTORY: WWWF BECOMES WWF, WRESTLEMANIAS III AND XIV, BENJAMIN DEFEATS THE GAME AND MORE
By Ryan Martinez on 2008-03-29 08:30:49
1933 - Ray Steele wins his second California Heavyweight Title in Los Angeles,
California, defeating Jim McMillen.
1934 - Abe Kaufman defeats Louie Miller for the California Light Heavyweight
Title in San Francisco, California.
1939 - Steve Casey wins his second American Wrestling Association World
Heavyweight Title in Boston, Massachusetts, ending Gus Sonnenberg's second
reign.
1945 - Frankie Talaber defeats Pierre Labelle to win the Midwest Wrestling
Association World Junior Heavyweight Title in Columbus, Ohio, beginning his
fifth reign.
1947 - Hans Schnabel is awarded the vacant Illinois Midwest Heavyweight Title.
He would be later recognized as world champion in Illinois.
1955 - Bulldog Curtis and Tommy Martinez defeat Kurt Von Poppenheim and Leo
Wallick to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title.
1956 - Pat O'Connor defeats Lord Athol Layton for the vacant Toronto NWA
British Empire Heavyweight Title in Toronto, Ontario. The title was vacated
after Whipper Billy Watson won the NWA World Heavyweight Title on March 15.
1959 - Michael Hayes is born in Marietta, Georgia.
1960 - Karl and Kurt Von Brauner defeat Tex Riley and Len Rossi for the
Mid-America NWA World Tag Team Title in Nashville, Tennessee, ending their
second reign.
1961 - Guy Mitchell defeats Skull Murphy in Columbus, Georgia for the Georgia
NWA Southern Heavyweight Title, ending Murphy's second reign.
1962 - Don Curtis and Joe Scarpa (Chief Jay Strongbow) defeat Karl and Kurt
Von Brauner to win the Florida NWA World Tag Team Title in Jacksonville,
Florida, ending the Von Brauner's third reign.
1965 - The WWWF held an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New
York. The results:
- Miguel Perez defeated The Golden Terror by disqualification.
- Argentina Apollo defeated Smasher Sloan.
- Gorilla Monsoon defeated Don McClarity
- Wahoo McDaniel defeated Dr. Jerry Graham.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated Bill Watts by
disqualification.
- Sonny Boy Cassidy and Pancho Lopez defeated Billy the Kid and Fuzzy Cupid.
- WWWF United States Tag Team Champions Gene Kiniski and Waldo Von Erich
fought Bobo Brazil and Haystacks Calhoun to a draw.
1969 - The WWWF held an event at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
The results were:
- Duke Savage defeated Pete Sanchez.
- John L. Sullivan (Johnny Valiant) defeated Carlos Colón.
- Bulldog Brower defeated Ricky Sexton.
- World Women's Champion The Fabulous Moolah and Patty Neilson defeated Peggy
O'Neill and Vivian Vachon.
- Victor Rivera defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna.
- Killer Kowalski defeated Haystacks Calhoun.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated The Sheik in a
steel cage match.
1972 - Jim Barnett's Mid-South Sports changes its name to Georgia Championship
Wrestling.
1973 - Ben Justice and Tojo Yamamoto win the Mid-America NWA World Tag Team
Title from The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Don Kent) in Chattanooga,
Tennessee.
1973 - The Brute (Bugsy McGraw) defeats Gene Kiniski to win the Vancouver NWA
Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title in Vancouver, British Columbia, ending
Kiniski's third reign.
1976 - Serge Dumont defeats Johnny Rougeau in Montreal, Quebec to become the
first International Wrestling International Heavyweight Champion.
1976 - Buck Robley and Bob Slaughter (Sgt. Slaughter) defeat The Hollywood
Blonds (Jerry Brown and Buddy Roberts) for the Tri-State NWA United States Tag
Team Title in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ending the Blonds' fourth reign.
1977 - Mr. Wrestling II defeats James Dillon for the NWA Macon Heavyweight
Title in Macon, Georgia.
1978 - Championship Wrestling from Florida held an event at the Convention
Hall in Miami, Florida. The results:
- Don Serrano defeated Terry Gibbs.
- Porkchop Cash defeated Len Denton.
- NWA Florida Television Champion Pedro Morales defeated Carl Cook to retain
the title.
- NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion Dick Slater defeated Rocky Johnson
to retain the title.
- NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco defeated Bob Roop to retain the
title.
- NWA Florida United States Tag Team Champions Mike Graham and Steve Keirn
defeated NWA Florida Tag Team Champions Mr. Saito and Mr. Sato (The Great
Kabuki) by countout to retain their title.
- Dusty Rhodes defeated Killer Karl Kox in a steel cage match. The guest
referee was Ivan Putski.
1979 - The World Wide Wrestling Federation drops a W from its name and becomes
the World Wrestling Federation.
1979 - Salvatore Martino (Bellomo) defeats Gene Kiniski to win the Vancouver
NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title in Vancouver, British Columbia, ending
Kiniski's seventh reign.
1980 - Ray Stevens and Greg Valentine defeat Ricky Steamboat and Jay
Youngblood for the NWA World Tag Team Title in Charlotte, North Carolina.
1980 - Austin Idol ends Mr. Wrestling II's 10th reign as NWA Georgia
Heavyweight Champion in Atlanta, Georgia.
1980 - Americo Rocca wins his second Mexican National Welterweight Title in
Mexico City, Mexico, defeating Lizmark.
1982 - Championship Wrestling from Florida held an event at the City
Auditorium in West Palm Beach, Florida. The results:
- Terry Allen and Jerry Brisco defeated Derek Draper and Hiro Matsuda.
- Bubba Douglas pinned Bob Russell after a headbutt.
- Brian Blair and Avalanche Tyler fought to a 15-minute time-limit draw.
- Mike Graham defeated NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion David Von
Erich by disqualification, after Von Erich threw Graham over the top rope. Von
Erich retained the title.
- Kendo Nagasaki pinned Sweet Brown Sugar after a throat thrust.
- Gran Apolo pinned Ciclon Negro in a brass knuckles match with a sunset flip.
- Hacksaw Reed defeated NWA International Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk, Jr.
by reverse disqualification. Funk retained the title.
1982 - Bugsy McGraw defeats José Lothario to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles
Title in Fort Worth, Texas, ending Lothario's third reign and beginning
McGraw's second.
1984 - Billy Jack (Haynes) defeats Kendo Nagasaki (Kazuo Sakurada) for the NWA
Florida Heavyweight Title in Lakeland, Florida.
1984 - A 10-team tournament was held by Central States Wrestling in Kansas
City, Kansas for the vacant NWA Central States Tag Team Title. The title was
vacated in December after Bob Brown, who held it with Buzz Tyler, was injured.
Tyler teamed with King Cobra to face Tully Blanchard and Ron Starr for the
vacant title on January 5, but that match ended in a double-disqualification,
so the tournament was made. The results were:
First round:
- Wahoo McDaniel and Butch Reed defeated The Mongols.
- Jim Duggan and Scott Ferris defeated T.G. Stone and Dan White.
- The Grapplers (Len Denton and Tony Anthony) defeated Ron Ritchie and Buzz
Tyler to advance to the semifinal round.
- Jerry and Ted Oates defeated Roger Kirby and Les Thornton.
- Luke Graham and One Man Gang defeated Tommy Rogers and Dale Wolfe.
Quarterfinals:
- Wahoo McDaniel and Butch Reed defeated Jim Duggan and Scott Ferris.
- Jerry and Ted Oates defeated Luke Graham and One Man Gang to advance to the
final match.
Semifinals:
- The Grapplers defeated Wahoo McDaniel and Butch Reed.
Finals:
- The Grapplers defeated Jerry and Ted Oates to win the vacant NWA Central
States Tag Team Title. However, the title was immediately held up because The
Grapplers used a loaded boot. A rematch between The Grapplers and Jerry and
Ted Oates was then scheduled for the following week.
1985 - Americo Rocca wins his third Mexican National Welterweight Title in
Mexico City, Mexico, ending El Talisman's second reign.
1986 - Rick Davis and Rocky Dellaserra defeat Buddy Austin and Mike Stone in
Vancouver, British Columbia to become the last holders of the Vancouver NWA
Canadian Tag Team Title.
1987 - The WWF held WrestleMania III before a reported world record crowd of
93,173 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. The event got a
8.0 buyrate. The results were:
- The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) defeated The Magnificent
Muraco and Bob Orton (with Mr. Fuji), when Martel pinned Muraco after a
crossbody as Zenk tripped Muraco from behind.
- Billy Jack Haynes fought Hercules to a double-countout. After the match,
Hercules hit Haynes with a chain-wrapped fist.
- Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid and Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy,
Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook by disqualification in a Mixed Tag Team
match, after Bundy attacked Little Beaver. After the match, all the Hillbilly
Jim and all the other competitors made the save against Bundy. Bundy's attack
on Beaver caused him a legitimate back injury, ending his 37-year career.
- King Harley Race (with Bobby Heenan and WWF Women's Champion The Fabulous
Moolah) pinned The Junkyard Dog in a Loser Must Bow match, after a
belly-to-belly suplex. After the match, JYD did bow to Race, but then attacked
him and stole his robe.
- The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine (with Dino Bravo and
Johnny V) defeated The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond), when
Valentine pinned Raymond. After the match, Valentine, Johnny V, and Bravo
abandoned Beefcake in the ring.
- Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) in a Hair vs. Hair
match, with a sleeper hold. Adonis had Piper in a sleeper prior, but let it go
and Brutus Beefcake revived Piper. Piper and Beefcake shaved Adonis' head,
which led to Beefcake's nickname, "The Barber".
- The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) and Danny Davis (with Jimmy
Hart) defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) and
Tito Santana, when Davis pinned Smith after hitting him with Jimmy Hart's
megaphone.
- Butch Reed (with Slick) pinned Koko B. Ware with a roll-up.
- Ricky Steamboat (with George Steele) pinned WWF Intercontinental Champion
Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth), by countering a scoop slam into a small
package, to win the title.
- The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) pinned Jake Roberts (with Alice Cooper)
while holding the ropes. After the match, Roberts and Cooper attacked Jimmy
Hart with Jake's snake.
- The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (with Slick) defeated The Killer Bees (B.
Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell) by disqualification, after Jim Duggan interfered
and hit the Sheik with his 2x4.
- WWF Champion Hulk Hogan pinned André the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) after a
scoop slam and a leg drop to retain the title.
1990 - The Superflys (Ricky Knight and Jimmy Ocean) defeat King Ben and Kid
McCoy for the British Tag Team Title in Bristol, England.
1993 - The USWA held an event at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
The results were:
- Lauren Davenport defeated USWA Women's Champion Miss Texas to win the title.
This began Davenport's fourth reign and ended Miss Texas' fifth.
- The Rock 'n' Roll Phantom defeated Tony Williams.
- Danny Davis and Frank Morrell defeated PG-13 (JC Ice and Wolfie D), when
Morrell pinned Wolfe. Miss Texas was the guest referee.
- The Moondogs (Splat and Spot) defeated USWA Tag Team Champions Brian
Christopher and Scotty Flamingo, when Spot pinned Christopher, to win the
title and begin their fourth reign.
- The Harlem Knights (Bobby and Nelson Knight) defeated USWA Southern
Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett and USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion
Jerry Lawler by disqualification.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeated USWA Southern
Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett.
1994 - Men on a Mission (Mabel and Mo) defeat The Quebecers (Jacques and
Pierre) at a house show at London, England's Royal Albert Hall to win the WWF
Tag Team Title. Mabel accidentally fell on top of Pierre and the referee
counted the pin, causing an unplanned title change, ending the Quebecers'
second reign.
1996 - Frankie DeFalco and Johnny Mercedes defeat Chad Love and Eric Love to
win the Mid-American Wrestling Tag Team Title in West Allis, Wisconsin.
1997 - Brian Christopher defeats Elijah to win the USWA Heavyweight Title for
the 25th time in Memphis, Tennessee. At the same event, Flash Flanagan and
Billy Travis win their second USWA Tag Team Title from The Truth Commission
(The Interrogator and Recon).
1997 - Huracán Castillo, Jr. defeats Ray Gonzalez for the WWC Puerto Rico
Heavyweight Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, ending Gonzalez's second reign and
beginning Castillo's third.
1997 - Gene Miller defeats Bo Lewis for the Border City Wrestling Television
Title in Windsor, Ontario.
1998 - 19,028 fans packed the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts for the
WWF's WrestleMania XIV. The event got a 2.3 buyrate, the highest for a
WrestleMania in seven years. The results were:
- L.O.D. 2000 (Animal and Hawk (with Sunny)) won a 15-team battle royal, last
eliminating The New Midnight Express (Bodacious Bart and Bombastic Bob), to
earn a WWF Tag Team Title match at the next month's Unforgiven pay-per-view.
The other teams in the match were: Los Boricuas (Miguel and Savio on one team,
José and Jesús on another), Bradshaw and Chainz, Steve Blackman and Flash
Funk, The Disciples of Apocalypse (8-Ball and Skull), The Godwinns (Henry and
Phineas), The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher), The Nation of Domination (D'Lo
Brown and Mark Henry on one team, Faarooq and Kama Mustafa on another), The
Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre), The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Robert Gibson and
Ricky Morton), The Truth Commission (Recon & Sniper) and Too Much (Brian
Christopher and Scott Taylor).
- WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Taka Michinoku pinned Ãguila after the
Michinoku Driver to retain the title.
- WWF European Champion Triple H pinned Owen Hart after the Pedigree to retain
the title. During the match, Chyna was handcuffed to WWF Commissioner Sgt.
Slaughter to prevent her from interfering.
- Marc Mero and Sable defeated The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust and Luna
in a Mixed Tag Team match, when Sable pinned Luna after the TKO.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion The Rock defeated Ken Shamrock by reverse
disqualification to retain the title. Shamrock had originally won the match by
submission with the ankle lock, but he wouldn't release the hold after the
match. The referee forcibly broke the hold, with Shamrock attacking him and
several other officials, after which the decision was reversed.
- Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie defeated WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age
Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) in a Dumpster match to win the title.
- Pete Rose then came to the ring as guest ring announcer for the next match.
Rose began to put down the Boston crowd, making numerous references to the Red
Sox's World Series drought, which then stood at 79 years. Kane came out, and
gave Rose a Tombstone piledriver.
- The Undertaker pinned Kane (with Paul Bearer) after a Tombstone piledriver.
After the match, Kane Tombstoned Undertaker on a chair.
- Steve Austin pinned WWF Champion Shawn Michaels, after countering Michaels'
Sweet Chin Music into a Stone Cold Stunner, to win the title. Mike Tyson, the
ringside enforcer and "teammate" of Michaels, counted the fall after
the referee was knocked out. After the match, Michaels confronted Tyson about
his actions, tried to punch him, with Tyson knocking out Michaels with a right
hook, and draped an Austin 3:16 shirt over Michaels body. This ended Michaels'
third WWF Title reign.
1998 - Kodo Fuyuki and Hido defeat Mr. Gannosuke and Yukihiro Kanemura for the
FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Title in Sanjo, Japan.
1998 - Nene defeats Ray Gonzalez to win the WWC Universal Heavyweight Title in
Gurabo, Puerto Rico, ending Gonzalez's third reign and beginning Nene's
second.
1998 - Chikayo Nagashima and Sugar Sato defeat Sonoko Kato and Meiko Satomura
to win the AAAW Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title in Osaka, Japan.
1999 - The Monday Night War continued, with WWF RAW is WAR beating WCW Monday
Nitro, 6.5 to 3.6, in the ratings.
The 185th WCW Monday Nitro took place live from the Air Canada Centre in
Toronto, Ontario. 16,195 fans attended. The results were:
- Konnan defeated Vincent by submission with the Tequila Sunrise.
- Wrath pinned Kenny Kaos after the Meltdown.
- Rick Steiner pinned Scott Norton after a top-rope bulldog.
- WCW World Television Champion Booker T pinned Chris Adams after a missile
dropkick to retain the title.
- Chris Jericho pinned Jerry Flynn while holding the ropes.
- Buff Bagwell pinned Norman Smiley after the Blockbuster.
- Billy Kidman and WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Misterio, Jr. defeated WCW
World Tag Team Champions Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko to win the title, when
Misterio pinned Malenko after Raven DDT'd Malenko as he had Misterio in the
Texas Cloverleaf.
- Hollywood Hulk Hogan pinned Diamond Dallas Page.
WWF RAW is WAR's 305th show was live from Continental Airlines Arena in East
Rutherford, New Jersey. Also taped beforehand were the 101st and 19th
respective editions of Shotgun Saturday Night and Super Astros. 15,213 fans
attended. The results were:
In a dark match, Malia Hosaka defeated Brandi Alexander.
Shotgun Saturday Night:
- Too Much (Brian Christopher and Scott Taylor) defeated The Disciples of
Apocalypse (8-Ball and Skull), The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt) and Public Enemy
(Johnny Grunge and Rocco Rock in a four-way match.
- Al Snow defeated WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Gillberg.
- Droz defeated Kevin Starr.
- Tiger Ali Singh defeated Lance Diamond.
Super Astros:
- El Merenguero (Jesús Castillo, Jr.) defeated Apolo Dantes and Miguel Pérez,
Jr. in a handicap match.
- El Hijo del Santo and Negro Casas defeated Pantera and Taka Michinoku.
RAW is WAR:
- Ivory and Tori defeated Jacqueline (with Terri Runnels) and WWF Women's
Champion Sable, when Tori pinned Jacqueline with a backslide after Sable hit
Jacqueline in the back with her title belt.
- Big Show defeated Test after a chokeslam.
- WWF Hardcore Champion Hardcore Holly pinned Steve Williams (with Jim Ross)
to retain the title after Al Snow hit Williams with a frying pan and put Holly
on top for the cover.
- The Rock (with Shane McMahon) pinned Billy Gunn after the Rock Bottom and
People's Elbow..
- Ken Shamrock defeated Gangrel by submission with the ankle lock. After the
match, Shamrock got a bloodbath from The Brood, but Shamrock put Christian in
the ankle lock.
- Goldust (with The Blue Meanie) pinned WWF Intercontinental Champion Road
Dogg after the Curtain Call to win the title after The Blue Meanie hit Road
Dogg with the title belt. After the match, Goldust said on the mic that he now
knew who he was and soon everyone else would, too.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett (with Debra) defeated The
Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk (with Paul Ellering)), when Owen pinned Animal
after Jarrett hit Animal with his guitar, to retain the title.
- X-Pac defeated Triple H (with Chyna and Shane McMahon) by disqualification
after Chyna clotheslined X-Pac.
1999 - FMW held a pay-per-view event at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The
results were:
- Naohiro Yamazaki defeated Ryuji Hijkata.
- Hideki Hosaka defeated Yoshinori Sasaki.
- Takeshi Ono and Masao Orihara defeated Ricky Fuji and Gedo, when Orihara
pinned Fuji.
- Koji Nakagawa defeated Super Leather.
- Armageddon defeated Hido and Yukihiro Kanemura, when Armageddon I pinned
Hido.
- Daisuke Ikeda and Muhammad Yone defeated Mr. Gannosuke and Hisakatsu Oya,
when Ikeda pinned Oya.
- Hayabusa and Kodo Fuyuki fought Tetsuhiro Kuroda and Masato Tanaka to a
30-minute draw.
2000 - Three UPW titles change hands in San Diego, California. The Enterprise
wins a battle royal, last eliminating Frankie Dee, to win the UPW Lightweight
Title, beginning his second reign, Samoa Joe wins the UPW No Holds Barred
Title from J.D. Dempsey, and Smelly wins the UPW Heavyweight Title from Bad
Boy Basil.
2000 - The Suicide Blondes (Derrick King and Jason Lee) defeat B.J. Payne and
Scotty Sabre for the OVW Southern Tag Team Title in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
2000 - Gene Austin wins his fifth NWA Michigan Hardcore Title in Carleton,
Michigan, ending Woody Lee's second reign.
2002 - Nick Berk and Z-Barr defeat Wrongful Death (Dagon Briggs and Naphtali)
for the NWA Florida Tag Team Title in St. Petersburg, Florida.
2003 - J.C. Bailey defeats Nate Webb to win the IWA Mid-South Light
Heavyweight Title in Clarksville, Indiana, ending Webb's second reign.
2003 - 3PW held "Legends Collide" at the Electric Factory in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Josh Daniels defeated Damian Adams.
- Da Hit Squad (Mafia and Monsta Mack) defeated The Blue Meanie and Roadkill.
- Matt Stryker defeated Rockin' Rebel.
- Balls Mahoney defeated NOSAWA in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
- Homicide defeated Xavier.
- 3PW Heavyweight Champion Gary Wolfe defeated Joey Matthews to retain the
title.
- Jasmin St. Claire defeated Missy Hyatt in a Panties and Pasties match. Tod
Gordon was the guest referee.
- Terry Funk defeated Abdullah the Butcher and Dusty Rhodes in a three-way
Last Man Standing match.
2003 - Pero defeats Ebessan for the Osaka Pro Wrestling World's Best
Attraction Title in Osaka, Japan.
2004 - WWE held a live RAW, the 566th episode, live from the U.S. Bank Arena
in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show got a 4.3 rating on Spike TV. The 292nd episode
of Sunday Night Heat was taped as well, which got a 0.9 rating on Spike TV on
April 4. The results were:
Sunday Night Heat:
- Garrison Cade pinned Rosey after a flying elbowsmash.
- La Résistance (Rob Conway and Sylvain Grenier) defeated Brent Albright and
Mike Mondo, when Grenier pinned Mondo with a spinning spike DDT.
- Val Venis defeated Steven Richards by submission with the Figure Four
Leglock.
RAW:
- Nidia pinned Molly Holly with a roll-up.
- Rhyno pinned Lance Storm after the Gore.
- World Tag Team Champions Batista and Ric Flair defeated World Heavyweight
Champion Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels by disqualification to retain the
title, after guest referee Johnny Nitro called for the bell after Michaels hit
him, because he fast-counted Michaels. Benoit and Michaels had won after
Michaels pinned Flair after the Sweet Chin Music, but the match continued
because Flair wasn't the legal man in the ring.
- Tajiri defeated Kane by countout by countout in a no-disqualification match
after spitting green mist in Kane's eyes.
- Shelton Benjamin pinned Triple H (with Ric Flair) after a Stinger splash and
roll-up, after Triple H was distracted by Chris Benoit confronting Ric Flair
at ringside.
2005 - WWE taped the 294th edition of SmackDown! at Reliant Arena in Houston,
Texas. The show aired on UPN on March 31 and got a 3.5 rating. Also, the 147th
episode of Velocity was taped, but it aired only internationally, due to the
Saturday broadcast of the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The results were:
- In a dark match, Brent Albright and ??? defeated Eddie Craven and Mike Fox.
Velocity:
- Akio pinned Nunzio with a roll-up.
- Charlie Haas and Hardcore Holly defeated Russell Simpson and Jared Steele,
when Holly pinned Steele after the Alabamaslam.
- Luther Reigns pinned John Blitzen after an inverted DDT.
- Mark Jindrak pinned Billy Kidman after a punch.
SmackDown!:
- Danny Basham (with Doug Basham) pinned WWE Tag Team Champion Eddie Guerrero
with a roll-up after Doug backdropped Rey Mysterio on the floor, with Mysterio
accidentally kicking Guerrero in the head.
- Paul London won an eight-man battle royal, last eliminating Billy Kidman, to
win Chavo Guerrero's WWE Cruiserweight Title, ending Guerrero's fifth reign.
The order of elimination was: Chavo Guerrero by everyone else in the match,
Funaki by Nunzio, Nunzio by Billy Kidman, Spike Dudley by Scotty 2 Hotty,
Scotty 2 Hotty by Akio, Akio by Kidman, and Kidman by London.
- Booker T pinned Luther Reigns after the scissors kick.
- Doug Basham (with Danny Basham) defeated WWE Tag Team Champion Rey Mysterio
after Eddie Guerrero came out to stop Danny from interfering, pulling him off
the ring apron, but causing Mysterio to crotch himself on the top turnbuckle.
- Akebono defeated Eddie Vegas after throwing him into the corner. Before the
match was the weigh-in for the Big Show-Akebono sumo match at WrestleMania 21.
The weights were 493 pounds for Big Show, and 504 for Akebono.
- Carlito vs. John Cena ended in a no-contest after WWE Champion JBL came out
and had police arrest Cena for vandalizing his limousine.
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