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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: THESZ ENDS KOWALSKI'S WORLD TITLE CLAIM, THE FIRST-EVER DUDLEY DEATH DROP AND MORE

February 1st

On this day in history in ....

1938 - Sandor Szabo defeats Cy Williams in San Francisco, California to win the San Francisco Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title, beginning his second reign.

1938 - Sandor Szabo defeats Pantaleon Manlapig in Salinas, California for the San Francisco Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title, beginning his seventh reign.

1950 - Bobby Managoff wins the Montreal World Heavyweight Title for the fourth time, ending Yvon Robert's 12th reign, in Montreal, Quebec.

1952 - Dennis Condrey is born in Florence, Alabama.

1952 - Ray Gunkel and Miguel Guzman defeat Ivan Kalmikoff and Duke Keomuka to win the NWA Texas Tag Team Title in Houston, Texas.

1956 - Mighty Ursus and Bob Wagner defeat Ken Kenneth and Lu Kim (Rube Wright) for the vacant Northwest Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia.

1961 - Mario Galento wins the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title for the fourth time, ending Pancho Villa's second reign in Mobile, Alabama.

1963 - NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz ends Killer Kowalski's claim to the title by defeating him in Houston, Texas. Kowalski was indeed recognized as champion in Texas, but not by the NWA. Kowalski had defeated Buddy Rogers in a three fall match on November 21 in Montreal, Quebec after only one fall, after Rogers' suffered a broken ankle. Thesz had defeated Rogers, who was still NWA champion, on January 24 in Toronto, Ontario, in the match which led to the founding of the World Wide Wrestling Federation. The win over Kowalski gave Thesz universal recognition as NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

1965 - The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) defeat Don Leo Jonathan and Gene Kiniski for the Vancouver NWA Canadian Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia, to begin their third reign.

1967 - Johnny Barend and Hans Mortier defeat Pampero Firpo and Neff Maivia for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii.

1968 - Bob Brown and Bob Geigel win their fourth NWA North American Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas, by defeating Ron Etchison and Klondike Bill.

1969 - Stan Pulaski defeats Mike DiBiase to win the AWA Midwest Heavyweight Title in Omaha, Nebraska, ending DiBiase's third reign.

1970 - Luke Brown and Dutch Savage defeat Tarzan Baxter and Karl Karlson for the Tri-State NWA United States Tag Team Title in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1972 - King Curtis Iaukea and Baron Mikel Scicluna defeat Karl Gotch and Rene Goulet to win the WWWF World Tag Team Title in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1973 - Bob Geigel and Rufus R. Jones defeat Roger Kirby and Harley Race in Kansas City, Kansas to win the NWA North American Tag Team Title.

1974 - Killer Karl Krupp and Kurt Von Steiger defeat Dutch Savage and Jimmy Snuka for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title.

1980 - Tatsumi Fujinami defeats Steve Keirn in Sapporo, Japan for the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title.

1980 - Ted DiBiase wins the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Title for the second time, defeating Mike George in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1980 - Jack and Ray Evans defeat Mando Guerrero and Al Madril to win the NWA Americas Tag Team Title.

1981 - Leroy Brown and Ernie Ladd defeat The Junkyard Dog and Killer Karl Kox for the Mid-South Tag Team Title in Lake Charles, Louisiana, beginning their second reign.

1981 - El Supremo defeats Franco Columbo to win the Mexican National Welterweight Title in Guadalajara, Mexico.

1987 - The WWF held an event at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. The results were:
- Brad Rheingans pinned Iron Mike Sharpe.
- Tama pinned Jimmy Jack Funk.
- Sika pinned Haku.
- Dino Bravo pinned Lanny Poffo.
- Adrian Adonis pinned Dick Slater.
- The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) defeated The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff.
- Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules fought to a double-disqualification.
- Ricky Steamboat and George Steele defeated The Honky Tonk Man and WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage, when Steamboat pinned Savage.

1988 - Max Pain (Daryl Peterson) and Gary Young defeat Manny Fernandez and Jeff Jarrett in a tournament final to become the first Championship (formerly Continental) Wrestling Association Tag Team Champiins in Memphis, Tennessee.

1991 - The WWF airs the fifth and final edition of The Main Event on NBC, earning a 6.7 rating. The show was taped on January 28 at the Macon Coliseum in Macon, Georgia. The results were:
- Hulk Hogan and Tugboat defeated Dino Bravo and Earthquake (with Jimmy Hart), when Hogan pinned Bravo. Later on in the show, it was announced that Hogan was #1 contender for the WWF Title and that he would get a title match at WrestleMania VII.
- Jim Duggan defeated WWF Champion Sgt. Slaughter (with Gen. Adnan) by disqualification, when Slaughter hit Duggan with a chair on the floor. Hulk Hogan tried to make the save but was attacked by Slaughter as well.
- The Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk) defeated The Orient Express (Kato and Tanaka (with Mr. Fuji)), when Hawk pinned Kato after the Doomsday Device.

1992 - Ron Garvin defeats Carlos Colón for the WWC Universal Heavyweight Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico. This began Garvin's second reign and ended Colón's 13th.

1993 - The WWF aired the night's edition of Monday Night RAW live from New York City, New York's Manhattan Center. After the live show, the February 15 edition was taped as well. The event's results were:
- Jim Powers defeated Mike Bell in a dark match.
February 1:
- Tatanka pinned Damien Demento after a Samoan drop.
- High Energy (Owen Hart and Koko B. Ware) defeated Iron Mike Sharpe and Skull Von Krush (Big Vito), when Owen pinned Krush after a missile dropkick from Koko.
- Doink the Clown pinned Typhoon, after a shoulder block from the middle turnbuckle and grabbing the tights.
- Yokozuna (with Mr. Fuji) pinned Bobby DeVito with the Banzai Drop.
- Lex Luger (with Bobby Heenan), making his WWF in-ring debut, pinned Jason Knight after a running forearm.
February 15:
- The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) defeated Glen Ruth and Bobby Who, when Scott pinned Who after Rick's bulldog of the top rope.
- Yokozuna (with Mr. Fuji) pinned Ross Greenberg with the Banzai Drop.
- Razor Ramon won a 16-man battle royal, after Giant Gonzalez (with Harvey Whippleman) interfered and threw out Tatanka and Tito Santana, the other remaining participants in the ring. The other participants were: Bob Backlund, The Berzerker, Damien Demento, Owen Hart, Kamala (with Slick), Kimchee, Iron Mike Sharpe, Skinner, Terry Taylor, Typhoon and Koko B. Ware.
- Brutus Beefcake defeated WWF Tag Team Champion Ted DiBiase (with Jimmy Hart) by disqualification, when Irwin R. Schyster hit Beefcake in the back with his briefcase while he was running the ropes.

1993 - The Moondogs (Splat and Spot) defeat The Harris Brothers (Ron and Don) in Memphis, Tennessee for the USWA Tag Team Title, ending the Harris' second reign.

1995 - Eddie Bruiser and Danny Christian defeat Beau James and The Hornet to win the Southern States Wrestling Tag Team Title in Duffield, Virginia.

1996 - Peter Collins and Marty Jones defeat The Liverpool Lads (Robbie Brookside and Doc Dean) to win the vacant British Tag Team Title in Bristol, England.

1997 - ECW held Crossing the Line Again at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results were:
- Louie Spicolli pinned Mike Awesome.
- Lance Storm pinned Balls Mahoney.
- Stevie Richards pinned Ricky Morton.
- Steve Williams pinned Axl Rotten.
- ECW World Heavyweight Champion Raven pinned Steve Williams to retain the title.
- The Sandman pinned D-Von Dudley with a legdrop off the top on top of a steel chair on D-Von's head. After the match, Joel Gertner got in the ring, announced D-Von as the winner, and was taken out by Sandman. Buh-Buh Ray and Spike Dudley ran in, with Buh-Buh Ray hitting Sandman with a chair. Spike tried to fight off Buh-Buh and D-Von, but was given the Dudley Death Drop, the first time the move was used. The Gangstas came out and tried to make the save, but they too got taken out.
- ECW Tag Team Champions The Eliminators (Kronus and Saturn) defeated Sabu and Rob Van Dam to retain the title, when Saturn pinned RVD after the Total Elimination.
- Terry Funk pinned Tommy Rich.
- Tommy Dreamer and The Pitbulls defeated The Triple Threat (Chris Candido, ECW World Television Champion Shane Douglas and Brian Lee).

1997 - Vance Nevada and E.Z. Ryder defeats Caveman Broda and Steve Stryker for the Canadian Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title.

1998 - Glenn Osbourne defeats Salvatore Sincere to win the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Title in Baltimore, Maryland, ending Sincere's second reign. At the same show, The Bad Crew defeat Jimmy Jannetty and Rich Myers in a tournament final to win the vacant MEWF Tag Team Title, beginning their second reign.

2000 - The WWF tapes the February 3 edition of SmackDown! and the February 6 Sunday Night Heat at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Sunday Night Heat:
- Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) defeated The Mean Street Posse (Joey Abs and Rodney (with Pete Gas)), when Grandmaster Sexay pinned Rodney after the Hip Hop Drop.
- Christian pinned Funaki after the Unprettier.
- The Big Bossman defeated WWF European Champion Val Venis by disqualification after The Acolytes interfered and attacked Bossman, being paid to do so by Albert.
- The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) defeated The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher), when Jeff pinned Thrasher after the Swanton, following Matt's Twist of Fate.
- Albert pinned Viscera after a bicycle kick.
SmackDown!:
- The show opened with Cactus Jack and The Radicalz (Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn) coming to the ring, with Cactus saying that the Radicalz wanted to face the best wrestlers and perform for the fans in the WWF, and the reason they couldn't succeed in WCW was that they weren't old enough. Cactus then called for Triple H to come out and sign all their contracts, or they would all hold the show hostage. Triple H, along with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and the rest of D-Generation X came out and Triple H said all the men would have a chance at earning contracts by facing members of DX on the show. Triple H would face Benoit, X-Pac would take on Dean Malenko and The New Age Outlaws would face Guerrero and Saturn. Also during the show, Big Show showed Triple H footage proving that The Rock did not win the previous Sunday's Royal Rumble match, with Triple H giving Show a match against The Rock at No Way Out on February 27, with the WrestleMania 2000 WWF Title shot on the line.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho (with Chyna) defeated Gangrel (with Luna) by submission with the Walls of Jericho, after Chyna crotched Luna on the top rope when she tried to interfere.
- X-Pac (with Tori) pinned Dean Malenko after a low blow while Tori distracted the referee.
- Jacqueline pinned WWF Women's Champion Harvey Whippleman after a bodyslam and elbow drop to win the title, beginning her second reign.
- Kurt Angle defeated The Rock and Tazz in a Triple Threat match after both Angle and Tazz were both Rock Bottomed, but Rock was pulled out of the ring by Big Show, who then chokeslammed Rock on the floor.
- WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) defeated Eddie Guerrero and Perry Saturn, when Road Dogg pinned Guerrero after he suffered a legit injury, a dislocated elbow, which occurred when he frog splashed Gunn. This gave D-Generation X a victory in the best-of-three series with the Radicalz, and they were denied WWF contracts. However, Triple H said he would still face Benoit later.
- Al Snow and Steve Blackman defeated Crash and Hardcore Holly, when Snow pinned Hardcore.
- Rikishi (with Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty)) defeated Big Show by disqualification when Show hit Rikishi with a chair. Too Cool attempted to make the save but Show fought them off. The Rock then ran in and hit Show with the chair, and gave him a Rock Bottom.
- WWF Champion Triple H (with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) pinned Chris Benoit after a low blow and Pedigree.

2000 - WCW taped the February 2 edition of Thunder at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, New York. The results were:
- Norman Smiley defeated The Demon.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sid Vicious defeated Mike Rotunda in a submission match.
- In a WCW Cruiserweight Title Tournament match, Shannon Moore pinned Shane Helms.
- The Wall defeated Vampiro and Billy Kidman in a three-way match.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sid Vicious defeated Rick Steiner in a hardcore match.
- Diamond Dallas Page pinned The Machine.
- Tank Abbott defeated Villanos IV and V in a handicap match.
- Crowbar and David Flair defeated WCW World Tag Team Champions The Mamalukes (Big Vito and Johnny the Bull) in a non-title match.

2001 - The WWF airs SmackDown! Xtreme, a special edition of SmackDown!, emphasized to compete in the ratings with that week's episode of Friends on NBC (January 31), and the premiere episode of Survivor: The Australian Outback (January 28) on CBS. The show was taped on January 30 at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, and scored a 4.0 rating on UPN, which was actually down from the previous week's 4.9. The results were:
Dark matches:
- Scott Vick pinned Steve Bradley.
- B.J. Payne pinned Chad Collyer.
Sunday Night Heat, which aired on February 4 on MTV:
- WWF European Champion Test pinned Perry Saturn (with Terri) after a big boot.
- Hardcore Holly and Steve Blackman defeated The Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather) in a hardcore match, when Holly pinned Goodfather after a dropkick.
- Albert pinned K-Kwik after the Baldo Bomb.
- Chris Benoit defeated Crash Holly (with Molly Holly) by submission with the Crippler Crossface.
SmackDown! Xtreme:
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) defeated The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt) in a Tables match to retain the title, after Bubba Ray powerbombed Jeff off the stage through two tables.
- WWF Women's Champion Ivory defeated Jacqueline and Lita in a Triple Threat match to retain the title, by pinning Jacqueline after Lita hit a moonsault on her but was thrown out of the ring before being able to make the cover.
- The Acolytes (Bradshaw and Faarooq) defeated Edge and Christian, when Faarooq pinned Edge after a spinebuster.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho pinned Tazz after the Lionsault to retain the title.
- Big Show pinned Billy Gunn after a chokeslam.
- The Undertaker and Kane defeated Rikishi and Haku in a First Blood match, when Undertaker hit Haku with a steel chair and Kane hit Rikishi in the head with the ring steps, busting them both open.
- WWF Champion Kurt Angle defeated The Rock and Triple H (with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) in a Triple Threat match to retain the title, by pinning Triple H after a low blow. Steve Austin, who was watching from ringside, counted the pinfall by slapping the hand of the unconscious Earl Hebner on the mat for three.

2001 - Mr. Black and Bull Buchanan defeat Jebediah Blackhawk and Trailer Park Trash for the OVW Southern Tag Team Title in Louisville, Kentucky.

2002 - The NWA East Women's Title changes three times in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Katerina Heiss lost the title to Stacy Hunter, ending her second reign. Then, Grace Devine defeated Hunter, and Devine lost the title back to Heiss, to begin her third reign.

2002 - Ulf Hermann and Drew McDonald defeat The New Breed (Ashe and Curve) for the Frontier Wrestling Alliance British Tag Team Title in Hoddesdon, England.

2002 - Kurt Krueger defeats Cuefa in a tournament final to win the vacant IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Title in Charlestown, Indiana. CM Punk had been stripped of the title for not defending, which ended his second reign. At that same event, Rollin' Hard and Mitch Page win the IWA Mid-South Tag Team Title, revived after over four years of inactivity, by defeating Todd Morton and Mitch Ryder in a tournament final.

2002 - The Flatliner defeats Karl Kramer to win the European Heavyweight Title in Exmouth, England. At the same event, Justin Starr wins the British Heavyweight Title, which had been relinquished by Robbie Brookside earlier in the night, by winning a battle royal. This began Starr's third reign.

2002 - Cory Diamond defeats Scotty Styles in Winnipeg, Manitoba to win his second Canadian Wrestling Federation Junior Heavyweight Title.

2003 - WWE held a RAW house show at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The results:
- Steven Richards pinned Spike Dudley after the Steven Kick.
- Sean O'Haire pinned Rico after the Prophecy.
- Rob Van Dam pinned D'Lo Brown after the Five-Star Frog Splash.
- Booker T pinned Christian after a scissors kick onto a chair.
- Scott Steiner pinned Batista after a powerbomb.
- WWE Women's Champion Victoria defeated Jacqueline and Molly Holly to retain the title, by pinning Jacqueline after Steven Richards interfered.
- Chris Jericho (with Christian) defeated Test, after Christian interfered.
- World Tag Team Champions William Regal and Lance Storm defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von), when Regal pinned Bubba Ray after hitting him with brass knuckles while Chief Morley had the referee distracted.
- Brock Lesnar defeated Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin) (subbing for World Heavyweight Champion Triple H) in a Gauntlet match. Lesnar pinned Benjamin after an F5, pinned Haas after an F5, and defeated Angle by disqualification after Haas and Benjamin interfered. Lesnar F5ed all three men after the match.

2003 - Jushin Liger and Takehiro Murahama defeat Black Buffalo and Tsubasa for the Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Title in Osaka, Japan, ending their second reign.

2003 - Carly Colon wins his seventh WWC Universal Heavyweight Title in Humacao, Puerto Rico, defeating Chicky Starr.

2003 - Paparazzi wins the IWA World Junior Heavyweight Title for the second time, by defeating Diabólico in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

2003 - Matt Stryker defeats Chet Jablonski to win the Heartland Wrestling Association Heavyweight Title in Batavia, Ohio, beginning his second reign. Also, Rory Fox wins his third HWA Cruiserweight Title, by defeating The Hussla.

2003 - Big Lenny defeats Sheik Abdul Hassan in Altoona, Pennsylvania to win the Keystone Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Title, beginning his second reign.

2004 - Minoru Suzuki and Yoshihiro Takayama defeat Osamu Nishimura and Hiroyoshi Tenzan for the IWGP World Tag Team Title in Sapporo, Japan.

2004 - Three titles change hands, two in one match, at a AAA event in Zapopan, Mexico. Mini Abismo Negro defeats Mascarita Sagrada 2000 for the Mexican National Mini-Estrella (Mini-Star) Title, beginning his second reign. Also, Lady Apache defeats Tiffany to win both the Mexican National Women's Title and the AAA Reina de Reinas (Queen of Queens) Title. This began Apache's second Mexican National title reign and ended Tiffany's second.

2004 - Hi69 defeats Tomoya Adachi to win the Wrestling Marvelous Future Junior Heavyweight Title in Chiba, Japan, then lost the title to GENTARO.

2005 - Train (formerly A-Train in WWE) defeats Peter Goodman for the Impact Zone Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Tempe, Arizona. At the same event, Lil' Nate defeats G.Q. Gallo to win the IZW Western States Title.

2007 - Deep South Wrestling held an event in McDonough, Georgia at the DSW Arena. The results were:
- Heath Miller defeated Johnny Curtis.
- Henry Godwinn and Ray Gordy defeated Robert Anthony and Bob Hopkins.
- Keith Samson Walker defeated Brian Cage.
- Ryan O'Reilly defeated Jason Jones.
- Frankie Coverdale defeated Kofi Nahaje Kingston.
- Team Elite (Mike Knox and Derrick Neikirk) defeated The Headliners (Shawn Schulz and Chris Thomas).
- The Freakin' Deacon and G-Rilla defeated The Samoan Fight Club (Afa, Jr. and Sonny Siaki).
- Deep South Heavyweight Champion Vito defeated Bradley Jay to retain the title.

You can write Ryan Martinez at freshprinceofatlanta@gmail.com.

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