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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: THE FIRST WWF DRAFT, BACKLUND VS. BOCKWINKEL AND MORE

March 25th

On this day in history in ....

1924 - Joe Parelli defeats Johnny Meyers for the World Middleweight Title in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1936 - Frank Sexton defeats George McCloud in Columbus, Ohio to become the first Ohio Heavyweight Champion.

1947 - Ruffy Silverstein defeats Midwest Heavyweight Champion Walter Palmer for the title in Rockford, Illinois due to Palmer breaking his leg, but Silverstein doesn't accept the title, and it was vacated.

1951 - Jumbo Tsuruta is born in Makioka, Japan.

1954 - Tim White is born in Cumberland, Rhode Island.

1960 - Jim Bernard defeats Al Warshawski for the Wolverine Wrestling Michigan Heavyweight Title in Flint, Michigan.

1963 - The WWWF held an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, the WWWF's second-ever show at the Garden. The results were:
- Tim Woods fought Pat Barrett to a 15-minute time-limit draw.
- WWWF United States Tag Team Champion The Great Scott defeated Karl Steif.
- Dory Dixon defeated Magnificent Maurice.
- The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) defeated Bobby and Jerry Colt in two straight falls in a best-of-three falls match.
- Chris and John Tolos fought Argentina Apollo and Pedro Morales to a 30-minute time-limit draw.
- Hans Mortier defeated Sailor Art Thomas.
- Bobo Brazil and Bruno Sammartino defeated Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Buddy Rogers defeated Johnny Barend.

1965 - Buddy Gilbert and Ron Reed defeat Rocky Hamilton and Dutch Savage to win the Central States NWA North American Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas.

1968 - Don Leo Jonathan and Ski-Hi Jones (Grizzly Smith) defeat The Assassins for the Vancouver NWA Canadian Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia.

1971 - Jumbo Miyamoto and Maxie Murata defeat Irma Asebedo and Masked Killer in Yokohama, Japan for the American Girls' Wrestling Association International Tag Team Title.

1972 - The WWWF held an event at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The results:
- Akim Hamuka defeated Rugged Russian Igor.
- Joe Nova defeated Juan Caruso.
- Sonny King defeated Bull Pometti.
- Jimmy Valiant defeated Thomas Marin.
- Victor Rivera defeated Rugged Russian Ivan.
- WWWF World Tag Team Champions King Curtis Iaukea and Baron Mikel Scicluna defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Chief Jay Strongbow to retain the title.
- Ernie Ladd defeated Rene Goulet.
- Bruno Sammartino defeated Smasher Sloan.

1972 - Don Carson defeats Masa Saito for the NWA Beat the Champ Television Title in Los Angeles, California.

1978 - The WWWF held an event at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results were:
- Joe Turco defeated Pete Reeves.
- Gypsy Rodriguez defeated Pete Austin.
- Dominic DeNucci defeated Davey O'Hannon by countout.
- WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund fought Spiros Arion to a double-disqualification to retain the title.
- Bruno Sammartino fought Ken Patera to a double-countout.
- Peter Maivia and Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna and Stan Stasiak.
- Gorilla Monsoon defeated The Golden Terror. This match aired on All American Wrestling on December 18, 1983.
- Haystacks Calhoun defeated Nikolai Volkoff.

1979 - Maple Leaf Wrestling held an event at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. The results:
- John Yachetti defeated Terry Yorkston.
- Dewey Robertson defeated Al Costello.
- Moose Morowski defeated Steve Bolus.
- NWA World Tag Team Champions Paul Orndorff and Jimmy Snuka defeated Ken Patera and Big John Studd.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund and AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel fought to a double-countout. This was the first time that the WWWF and AWA champions met one-on-one.
- Greg Valentine defeated NWA Toronto Canadian Heavyweight Champion Dino Bravo by disqualification.
- NWA United States Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat defeated Ric Flair.

1982 - Roger Kirby and Jerry Valiant win their second NWA Central States Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas, defeating Steve Regal and Dewey Robertson.

1983 - Terry Gordy defeats The Great Kabuki for the World Class Texas Brass Knuckles Title in Dallas, Texas.

1983 - Terry Gibbs and Buddy Landel defeat Gran Apolo and King Tonga to win the WWC North American Tag Team Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The title had been vacated a week earlier when Apolo's former partner Enrique Vera left the WWC.

1984 - The WWF held an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 26,092 fans, with an addition 4,000 downstairs in Felt Forum, attended. The results:
- Special Delivery Jones defeated René Goulet.
- Brian Blair defeated Charlie Fulton.
- Akira Maeda defeated Pierre Lefebvre. Hisashi Shinma, after forming the Universal Wrestling Federation in Japan, awarded Maeda a disputed version of the WWF International Heavyweight Title for the win.
- The Iron Sheik defeated Ivan Putski.
- Sgt. Slaughter defeated Mr. Fuji and Tiger Chung Lee in a handicap match.
- Roddy Piper and David Schultz defeated André the Giant and Jimmy Snuka by disqualification.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson fought The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) to a double-disqualification to retain the title.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Tito Santana fought Paul Orndorff to a 20-minute time-limit draw to retain the title.
- Bob Backlund fought Greg Valentine to a double-countout.

1984 - Steve Regal defeats Buck Zumhofe to win the AWA World Light Heavyweight Title in St. Paul, Minnesota.

1988 - Iceman King Parsons defeats Kerry Von Erich for the World Class World Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas.

1988 - King Ben defeats Alan Kilby in Keighley, England to win the British Light Heavyweight Title.

1989 - The Olympians (Ken Patera and Brad Rheingans) defeat Badd Company (Paul Diamond and Pat Tanaka) to win the AWA World Tag Team Title in Rochester, Minnesota.

1992 - Eriko Tsuchiya defeats Miwa Sato to win the FMW World Women's Title in Tokyo, Japan.

1993 - Jacques Mate defeats Apolo Dantes for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

1994 - Ray Odyssey and Vic Steamboat defeat Double Trouble (Tony and Val Puccio) for the Century Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Title in Wakefield, Massachusetts.

1995 - The WWF held an event at USAir Arena in Landover, Maryland. The results were:
- Aldo Montoya defeated Kwang.
- Henry Godwinn defeated Duke Droese.
- Hakushi defeated Bob Holly.
- The British Bulldog and Bret Hart defeated Owen Hart and Jerry Lawler, when Bulldog pinned Lawler.
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns (Billy and Bart) defeated The Heavenly Bodies (Jimmy Del Ray and Tom Prichard), when Billy pinned Prichard, to retain the title.
- The Undertaker defeated Bam Bam Bigelow by countout.
- Razor Ramon and WWF Champion Diesel defeated Shawn Michaels and WWF Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett, when Diesel pinned Jarrett.

1996 - The Monday Night War continued, with WCW Monday Nitro defeating WWF Monday Night RAW, 3.1 to 2.5 in the ratings.

The 29th WCW Monday Nitro was live from the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The results:
- Randy Savage pinned The Belfast Bruiser.
- WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Konnan pinned Mr. JL to retain the title.
- The Booty Man (with The Booty Babe) pinned Disco Inferno.
- WCW Tag Team Champions Sting and WCW World Television Champion Lex Luger defeated The American Males (Mark Bagwell and Scott Riggs).
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair (with Miss Elizabeth and Woman) fought The Giant to a no-contest to retain the title.

WWF Monday Night RAW, the 151st edition and go-home show for WrestleMania XII, was taped two weeks earlier at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas. The results were:
- Shawn Michaels (with José Lothario, for the first time) pinned Leif Cassidy (with Marty Jannetty) after the Sweet Chin Music, after Bret Hart stopped Jannetty from interfering.
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned Aldo Montoya after the Pedigree.
- Ahmed Johnson defeated Owen Hart by disqualification when The British Bulldog interfered. Johnson, Jake Roberts and Yokozuna fought off Hart, Bulldog and Vader after the match ended.

1996 - The Cyberpunks (PG-13 (JC Ice and Wolfie D) masked) defeat Doug Gilbert and Tommy Rich for the USWA Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee. This began PG-13's 12th reign and ended Gilbert and Rich's fourth.

1999 - The Tennessee Volunteers (Steven Dunn and Reno Riggins) defeat Brian Christopher and Spellbinder for the NWA North American Tag Team Title in Nashville, Tennessee.

2000 - Jerry Lawler defeats Bull Pain in a tournament final to become the first Memphis Championship Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Champion in Tunica, Mississippi.

2000 - Lee Wang-Pyou defeats Kurrgan in Seoul, South Korea for the World Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title. The WWA was the predecessor to NWA Hollywood Wrestling in the 1960s, and the title was revived by the Korean Pro Wrestling Association.

2000 - Blaze defeats 2 Tuff Tony to win the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title in Charlestown, Indiana.

2000 - Blade wins a battle royal in Memphis, Tennessee, last eliminating Scott Raines, to become the first Power Pro Wrestling Television Champion.

2001 - The PRIDE Fighting Championships held PRIDE 13: Collision Course at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, before 27,000 fans. The results were:
- Vitor Belfort defeated Bobby Southworth by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:09 of round one.
- Guy Mezger defeated Egan Inoue by knockout at 2:25 of round one.
- Heath Herring defeated Denis Sobolev by submission (keylock) at 0:22 of round one.
- Dan Henderson defeated Renzo Gracie by knockout (punch) at 1:40 of round one.
- Mark Coleman defeated Allan Goes by TKO (knees) at 1:19 of round one.
- Tadao Yasuda defeated Masaaki Satake by split decision after three rounds.
- Tra Telligman defeated Igor Vovchanchyn by unanimous decision after three rounds.
- Wanderlei Silva defeated Kazushi Sakuraba by TKO (strikes) at 1:38 of round one.

2001 - Último Vampiro wins his second IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Title in Naucalpan, Mexico, defeating Bombero Infernal.

2002 - The WWF held a live RAW, featuring the first WWF Brand Extension Draft, at the Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. The results:
Dark matches:
- Albert and Scotty 2 hotty defeated Hugh Morrus and Perry Saturn.
- Randy Orton defeated Justin Credible.
Jakked:
- Lance Storm defeated Val Venis.
- Tommy Dreamer defeated Raven.
- Test defeated Spike Dudley.
- Funaki and WWF Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri defeated The Hurricane and Billy Kidman.
RAW:
- Tazz defeated Mr. Perfect by submission with the Tazzmission.
- Booker T and Christian defeated Edge and Diamond Dallas Page, when Booker pinned Page after a scissors kick.
- Trish Stratus pinned Ivory.
- The nWo (Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and X-Pac) defeated Hulk Hogan and The Rock by disqualification in a handicap match, after Kane interfered and attacked the nWo.
- Jeff Hardy pinned WWF Tag Team Champion Billy.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam defeated Kurt Angle by disqualification.
- WWF Undisputed Champion Triple H defeated Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon in a handicap match to retain the title, by pinning Stephanie after a spinebuster. Due to being pinned, Stephanie had to leave the WWF.
Draft:
- RAW: The Undertaker, The nWo (Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and X-Pac), Kane, WWF Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Big Show, Bubba Ray Dudley, Brock Lesnar, WWF European Champion William Regal, Lita, WWF Hardcore Champion Bradshaw, Steven Richards, Matt Hardy, Raven, Jeff Hardy, Mr. Perfect, Spike Dudley, D'Lo Brown, Shawn Stasiak, Terri, Jacqueline, Goldust, Trish Stratus, Justin Credible, Big Bossman, Tommy Dreamer, Crash Holly and Molly Holly.
- SmackDown!: The Rock, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Hulk Hogan, WWF Tag Team Champions Billy and Chuck, Edge, Rikishi, D-Von Dudley, Mark Henry, Maven, Billy Kidman, WWF Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri, Chris Jericho, Ivory, Albert, The Hurricane, Al Snow, Lance Storm, Diamond Dallas Page, Torrie Wilson, Scotty 2 Hotty, Stacy Keibler, Christian, Test, Faarooq, Tazz, Hardcore Holly, Val Venis and Perry Saturn.
- WWF Undisputed Champion Triple H and WWF Women's Champion Jazz were uneligible to be drafted and would wrestle on both shows. Steve Austin was also uneligible to be drafted and would make the decision as to which brand he wanted to be on the following week.

2002 - Daron Smythe is awarded the NWA Tri-State Television Title in Harrisville, West Virginia, when Fabulous Fredrick fails to defend, beginning his second reign.

2003 - WWE taped the March 27 SmackDown! and March 29 Velocity, the last shows before Sunday's WrestleMania XIX, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The results were:
Dark matches:
- Sean O'Haire pinned Tommy Drake after the Prophecy.
- Chris Kanyon pinned Chad Collyer after the Flatliner.
Velocity:
- Funaki pinned Jamie Noble after a tornado DDT.
- Bill DeMott defeated Apollo Khan when the referee stopped the match because Khan couldn't continue. After the match, DeMott powerbombed Khan.
- Johnny Stamboli (with Nunzio) pinned Tajiri after a powerslam and interference from Nunzio.
SmackDown!:
- Shannon Moore and WWE Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy defeated Brian Kendrick and Rey Mysterio, when Hardy pinned Kendrick after the Twist of Fate.
- Eddie Guerrero (with Chavo Guerrero) pinned WWE Tag Team Champion Charlie Haas (with WWE Tag Team Champion Shelton Benjamin) with a victory roll.
- Torrie Wilson pinned Nidia (with Jamie Noble) after a DDT.
- Albert and Big Show defeated Chris Benoit and Rhyno by disqualification when Nathan Jones ran in and attacked Albert and Show, with the Undertaker making the save for Jones.
- Chavo Guerrero (with Eddie Guerrero) pinned WWE Tag Team Champion Shelton Benjamin (with WWE Tag Team Champion Charlie Haas) with a La Magistral crabdle. After the match Team Angle hit the Guerreros with their title belts, and Chris Benoit and Rhyno ran in and hit their finishers on Team Angle.
- John Cena pinned Rikishi after hitting him with his chain and the FU. After the match, Cena and Brock Lesnar fought backstage before Kurt Angle broke a 2x4 over Lesnar's back.

2005 - The Extreme Horsemen (C.W. Anderson and Steve Corino) defeat Minoru Fujita and Ikuto Hidaka for the Premier Wrestling Federation Universal Tag Team Title at a Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX event in Hakodate, Japan, beginning their second reign.

2005 - Nitro, Sangre Azteca and Dr. X defeat Felino, Safari and Volador, Jr. for the Mexican National Trios Title in Mexico City, Mexico.

2006 - The World Wrestling Council held Honor vs. Tradicion III at Guillermo Angulo Coliseum in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The results were:
- Los Adorables (Love and Rick Adonis) defeated The SWAT Team (#1 and #2) in a Humiliation match.
- Eli Rodriguez defeated Disciple and Hammett in a three-way match.
- Ash and Joe Bravo defeated Brent Dail and Gama Singh, Jr.
- Genesis defeated La Bella Carmen, Black Rose, Ivy, Katrina and Lady Demonique in a battle royal to win the vacant WWC Women's Title.
- Tim Arson defeated Abbad.
- Cassidy Riley and James Storm defeated WWC World Tag Team Champions Chris Joel and Alex Montalvo, ending Joel and Montalvo's third reign.
- El Bronco defeated WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Champion Julio Estrada in a Street Fight to win the title, ending Estrada's second reign and beginning Bronco's fourth.
- Lance Hoyt defeated WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion Amenazá Bryan by forfeit to win the title.
- Black Pain defeated WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion Lance Hoyt to win the title.
- Eddie Colón defeated Matt Morgan.

2006 - Scotty Blaze defeats Brandon Day for the NWA Virginia Alpha Title in Saluda, Virginia.

2006 - Calvin Rose wins his second NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Title from Mike Carter in Magee, Mississippi, then loses the title to Jesse Dalton.

2006 - Nikita Allanov and Bigg defeat Devin Devine and Chris Taylor to win the vacant NWA Pro Wrestling eXpress Tag Team Title in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

2007 - Dragon Gate held Memorial Gate 2007 at the Tsu City Gymnasium in Tsu, Japan. The results were:
- Atsushi Aoki, BxB Hulk, Dragon Kid and Anthony W. Mori defeated Kenichiro Arai, Taku Iwasa, Yuki Ono and Akira Tozawa.
- Yasushi Kanda and Kintaro Kanemura defeated Magnitude Kishiwada and Kengo Takai.
- Genki Horiguchi defeated Open the Brave Gate Champion Matt Sydal to win the title.
- Jun Akiyama defeated Stalker Ichikawa Z in the first match of a 10-match series.
- Masaaki Mochizuki defeated Cyber Kong.
- CIMA, Ryo Saito and Susumu Yokosuka defeated Open the Triangle Gate Champions Naruki Doi, Gamma and Masato Yoshino to win the title, ending their second reign.
- Jushin Liger defeated Open the Dream Gate Champion Don Fujii to win the title.

2007 - The Frontier Wrestling Alliance, along with International Pro Wrestling, held the FWA's final event, FWA vs. IPW:UK Final Frontiers, at the Orpington Halls in Orpington, England. The results:
- Johnny Phere defeated Dave Moralez.
- Sam Slam defeated FWA All-England Champion Iceman to win the title.
- Team FWA (FWA British Flyweight Champion Ross Jordan, Paul Travell and Zebra Kid) defeated Team IPW:UK (Dragon Phoenix, Paul Robinson and Max Voltage).
- Hade Vansen defeated Spud.
- IPW:UK Champion Andy Boy Simmonz and FWA British Heavyweight Champion Robbie Brookside fought to a double-countout.
- James Tighe defeated Doug Williams.
- IPW:UK's Martin Stone defeated the FWA's Flash Barker in a match in which the losing company had to close.

2007 - Derek Frazier defeats Alex Shelley in Dundalk, Maryland to begin his second Maryland Championship Wrestling Cruiserweight Title reign.

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