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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: GOTCH VS. HACKENSCHMIDT, WRESTLEMANIA 21, HBK LOSES ANOTHER BODYGUARD AND MORE

April 3rd

On this day in history in ....

1903 - Tom Jenkins wins his second American Heavyweight Title, ending Dan McLeod's third reign in Buffalo, New York.

1908 - Frank Gotch defeats Georg Hackenschmidt in Chicago, Illinois to win the World Heavyweight Title, ending Hackenschmidt's near-three-year-long reign. Gotch's American Heavyweight Title, which he had won on December 17, 1906 from Fred Beell, was vacated. Gotch held the title until retiring in August 1912.

1933 - Steve Strelich defeats P.A. Mullikan to win the California Light Heavyweight Title in Pasadena, California.

1954 - Mr. X (Percy Hall) defeats Willie Liebenberg in Johannesburg, South Africa for the South African Heavyweight Title.

1961 - Don Leo Jonathan defeats Dr. X (Bill Miller) for the Omaha World Heavyweight Title in Omaha, Nebraska. This began and ended both's second reigns.

1964 - The Destroyer and Art Michalik defeat Nick Bockwinkel and Nick Kozak to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title in Salem, Oregon, beginning their third reign.

1964 - Don Duffy defeats Dick Dunn to win the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title in Dothan, Alabama, ending Dunn's second reign.

1965 - Huracán Ramírez defeats Rizado Ruiz to win the Mexican National Welterweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico.

1965 - Red McKin defeats Treach Phillips to become the first NWA Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion in St. Joseph, Missouri.

1967 - Rocky Johnson and Don Leo Jonathan defeat Chris and John Tolos for the Vancouver NWA Canadian Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia.

1967 - Rocket and Sputnik Monroe defeat Don Curtis and José Lothario to win the Florida NWA Southern Tag Team Title in Orlando, Florida.

1968 - Mario Galento defeats Eduardo Pérez for the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title in Mobile, Alabama. This began Galento's sixth reign and ended Pérez's third.

1969 - Lance Storm is born in Sarnia, Ontario.

1969 - The Gladiator (Rick Hunter) defeats Boris Malenko to win the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title in Jacksonville, Florida.

1969 - The Love Brothers (Hartford and Reginald) defeat Moose Cholak and Johnny Powers for the Buffalo NWA World Tag Team Title in Cleveland, Ohio. The Buffalo/Cleveland office left the NWA in 1970 and the National Wrestling Federation was founded.

1970 - Roger Kirby defeats Danny Little Bear to win the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title in St. Joseph, Missouri, beginning his second reign.

1971 - Kinji Shibuya defeats Suni War Cloud for the NWA Beat the Champ Television Title.

1975 - Lola Garcia and Rena Manani defeat Mariko Akagi and Jumbo Miyamoto to win the WWWA World Tag Team Title in Fukui, Japan, ending Akagi and Miyamoto's ninth reign.

1976 - Dutch Savage defeats Jesse Ventura to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title in Portland, Oregon, to begin his sixth reign.

1979 - Adrian Adonis and Ron Starr defeat Killer Tim Brooks and Roddy Piper for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title.

1980 - Antonio Inoki defeats Stan Hansen for the NWF Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan, to begin his third reign.

1981 - At an EMLL event in Mexico City, Mexico, Tony Salazar wins the NWA World Light Heavyweight Title from Alfonso Dantés, ending Dantés' third reign. Also, Ringo Mendoza wins his fifth NWA World Middleweight Title, defeating Sangre Chicana, ending his second reign.

1982 - The Canadian Wrecking Crew (Terry Adonis and Bruiser Costa) defeat Dean Ho and Sonny Myers for the Vancouver NWA International Tag Team Title in Cloverdale, British Columbia.

1983 - Dick Slater wins his second NWA Television Title in Greensboro, North Carolina, ending Roddy Piper's second reign.

1983 - Riki Choshu defeats Tatsumi Fujinami in Tokyo, Japan to win the WWF International Heavyweight Title.

1992 - Villano V defeats El Signo for the UWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Netzahualcoyótl, Mexico, ending Signo's second reign.

1992 - Sam Houston wins a 15-man battle royal to win the vacant Global Wrestling Federation Television Title in Dallas, Texas. The title was stripped from Eddie Gilbert on March 20 after he attacked a referee. At the same event, Danny Davis won the GWF Light Heavyweight Title from Barry Horowitz, ending his second reign.

1993 - ECW held an television taping at Cabrini College in Radnor, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Eddie Gilbert and ECW Television Champion Jimmy Snuka defeated J.T. Smith and Max Thrasher to retain the title.
- ECW Tag Team Champions Tony Stetson and Larry Winters defeated The Suicide Blondes (Chris Candido and Johnny Hotbody).
- Don Muraco defeated Glenn Osbourne.
- The Suicide Blondes (Chris Candido and Johnny Hotbody) defeated ECW Tag Team Champions Tony Stetson and Larry Winters to win the title.
- ECW Heavyweight Champion The Sandman and Rockin' Rebel fought to a double-disqualification to retain the title.
- Super Destroyer III (Salvatore Bellomo) defeated The Death Rider.
- Don Muraco defeated Ernesto Benifica.
- Tommy Cairo and J.T. Smith defeated The Canadian Wolfman and Max Thrasher, when Smith pinned Wolfman.
- ECW Television Champion Jimmy Snuka defeated Glenn Osbourne to retain the title.
- Salvatore Bellomo defeated Super Destroyer I by disqualification.
- Eddie Gilbert and ECW Television Champion Jimmy Snuka defeated Tommy Cairo and Glenn Osbourne, when Gilbert pinned Cairo.
- J.T. Smith defeated Max Thrasher.
- Don Muraco defeated ECW Heavyweight Champion The Sandman to win the title, beginning his second reign.

1993 - Miss Texas (Jacqueline) ends Lauren Davenport's fourth USWA Women's Title reign in Memphis, Tennessee, and begins her own sixth reign.

1993 - Yukihiro Kanemura and Mitsuhiro Matsunaga defeat Freddy Kreuger and Leatherface to win the W*ING World Tag Team Title in Kagoshima, Japan.

1995 - The WWF held the 104th, 105th and 106th Monday Night RAWs, one airing live and two taped, at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, on the heels of WrestleMania XI. The results were:
Dark matches:
- Bret Hart defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett.
- The Allied Powers (The British Bulldog and Lex Luger) defeated King Kong Bundy and Tatanka.
- The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) defeated Jean-Pierre LaFitte.
- WWF Champion Diesel defeated Bam Bam Bigelow.
April 3:
- Hakushi (with Shinja) pinned Bob Holly (with The 1-2-3 Kid) with a running senton, after Yokozuna tripped Holly.
- The Allied Powers (The British Bulldog and Lex Luger) defeated Well Dunn (Steven Dunn and Timothy Well (with Harvey Whippleman)), when Luger got the pin after a diving forearm.
- Alundra Blayze pinned WWF Women's Champion Bull Nakano with a bridging German suplex to win the title after Nakano missed a moonsault. This began Blayze's second reign. During that match, Jim Cornette announced that on the following week's show there would be a six-man tag match with The 1-2-3 Kid, Bret Hart and Bob Holly facing Hakushi, Owen Hart and Yokozuna. After the match an unknown woman attacked the new champion and broke her nose, causing her to have to get plastic surgery to repair the damage. This was the debut of Bertha Faye.
- Men on a Mission (Mabel and Mo) defeated Ben Jordan and Tony Roy.
- The show closed with
April 10:
- Adam Bomb fought Tatanka (with Ted DiBiase) to a double-countout.
- The Headshrinkers (Fatu and Sione) defeated Mike Bell and Tony DeVito.
- Kama (with Ted DiBiase) pinned Scott Taylor. Before the match, Kama debuted his new gold chain, which was made from The Undertaker's melted urn, which he stole at WrestleMania.
- The 1-2-3 Kid, Bret Hart and Bob Holly defeated Hakushi and WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna, when Holly pinned Owen with a roll-up after a dropkick from Bret, after Bret blind-tagged holly.
April 17:
- Jean-Pierre LaFitte pinned Duke Droese after the Cannonball.
- Doink the Clown (Steve Lombardi) (with Dink the Clown) pinned Raymond Roy after Whoopie Cushions from both clowns.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna (with Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji) defeated The 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly to retain the title, when Yokozuna pinned The Kid after he caught the Kid coming off the top rope and delivered a belly-to-belly suplex.
- Henry Godwinn pinned Rich Myers after the Slop Drop.

1995 - Razor Ramon defeats Bill Dundee to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee. At the same event, Brian Lee ends Brian Christopher's 14th reign as USWA Heavyweight Champion.

1996 - Vance Nevada wins his third Canadian Junior Heavyweight Title, defeating Bobby Collins in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

1997 - Tower of Doom defeated Ox Harley and Bull Pain in a three-way tournament final to become the first IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion in Louisville, Kentucky.

1998 - The Brooklyn Brawler defeats Bobby Clancy for the vacant Border City Wrestling Television Title in LaSalle, Ontario. The title was stripped from Gene Miller on June 21.

1998 - Tarek the Great wins his 10th IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Title in Scottsburg, Indiana, defeating The Suicide Kid.

1999 - ECW held the fourth-annual Cyberslam event at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Jerry Lynn pinned Yoshihiro Tajiri.
- Nova and Chris Chetti defeated Rod Price and Skull Von Krush, when Nova pinned Price.
- Super Crazy pinned Mosco de la Merced.
- Taka Michinoku pinned Papi Chulo.
- ECW World Tag Team and Television Champion Rob Van Dam pinned 2 Cold Scorpio to retain the Television title.
- ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz defeated Chris Candido by submission to retain the title.
- Shane Douglas pinned Justin Credible.
- The Dudley Boyz (Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von) and Mustapha Saed defeated The Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten) and New Jack in an Ultimate Jeopardy Steel Cage (WarGames) match, when Mahoney was pinned.

1999 - Ray Gonzalez defeats Pierroth, Jr. to win the vacant WWC Universal Heavyweight Title in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, beginning his eighth reign. The title was held up after their March 27 match, also in Guaynabo.

1999 - Jay Jaillet defeat Luis Ortiz for the NWA New England Junior Heavyweight Title in Milford, Connecticut.

1999 - Kid Wikkid and Derrick King defeat Vic Grimes and Erin O'Grady (Crash Holly) to win the Power Pro Wrestling Tag Team Title in Jonesboro, Arkansas, beginning his second reign.

1999 - The Ringlords (Speedy Gonzales and Dan Slagel) defeat The Border Patrol (Chris and Mike Cannon) to win the NWA Northern Continental Tag Team Title in Joliet, Illinois.

2000 - Basically unopposed by WCW's 1.8-rated "History of Nitro" show, the WWF held the post-WrestleMania RAW is WAR at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Also taped beforehand was the weekend's WWF Jakked. The results:
Dark matches:
- D'Lo Brown defeated Scott Vick.
- The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) defeated The Dupps (Bo and Jack).
Jakked:
- Al Snow pinned Viscera after two Head shots while Steve Blackman had the referee distracted.
- Bull Buchanan (with the Big Bossman) defeated Bradshaw (with Faarooq) by disqualification after Faarooq interfered. All four brawled after the match.
- D'Lo Brown and The Godfather defeated The Mean Street Posse (Joey Abs and Rodney (with Pete Gas)), when D'Lo pinned Rodney after the Lo Down following Godfather's Ho Train.
- Val Venis pinned WWF Hardcore Champion Hardcore Holly with a fisherman suplex.
RAW is WAR:
- Eddie Guerrero pinned WWF European Champion Chris Jericho (with Chyna) to win the title after Chyna interfered, turned on Jericho and DDT'd him.
- Road Dogg and X-Pac (with Tori) defeated T&A (Test and Albert (with Trish Stratus)), when X-Pac pinned Albert after the X-Factor after Road Dogg gave Albert a low blow.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Chris Benoit pinned Tazz with a bridging German suplex to retain the title.
- The Big Show defeated Rikishi (with Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty)) by disqualification when Too Cool interfered.
- Crash Holly pinned WWF Hardcore Champion Hardcore Holly, after the Acolytes, whom Crash paid off before the match, gave the champion a double spinebuster, to win the title. This ended Hardcore's third reign and beginning Crash's fourth.
- Kurt Angle defeated Val Venis by submission with the crossface chickenwing.
- Kane (with Paul Bearer) pinned Bull Buchanan (with the Big Bossman) after a chokeslam.
- The Rock defeated Shane McMahon (with Vince McMahon) by pinning WWF Champion Triple H, who interfered, after the Rock Bottom.

2001 - The WWF taped the April 5 SmackDown! and April 8 Sunday Night Heat at the Myriad Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. SmackDown! got a 4.3 rating on UPN. The results were:
Sunday Night Heat:
- Haku defeated Raven.
- The A.P.A. (Bradshaw and Faarooq) defeated Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn.
- WWF European Champion Eddie Guerrero defeated Test to retain the title.
- Lita defeated Spike Dudley.
SmackDown!:
- Kane and The Undertaker defeated The Right To Censor (Bull Buchanan, The Goodfather and Steven Richards) in a handicap match, when Undertaker pinned Richards after the Last Ride.
- Rhyno pinned K-Kwik after the Gore.
- Kurt Angle and William Regal defeated Chris Benoit in a handicap match, when Benoit submitted while locked in both the ankle lock and Regal Stretch.
- Jeff Hardy (with Matt Hardy and Lita) defeated The Big Show after the Swanton Bomb and a fast count.
- X-Factor (Albert, Justin Credible and X-Pac) defeated Steve Blackman, Billy Gunn and Grandmaster Sexay, when Credible pinned Gunn after X-Pac's X-Factor.
- Triple H (with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) pinned WWF Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho after the Pedigree to win the title, after knocking Jericho out with a chair as he had Stephanie in the Walls of Jericho. This began HHH's third reign and ended Jericho's fourth.

2004 - The East Coast Wrestling Association held its eighth-annual Super 8 Tournament at Saint Matthews Parish Hall in Wilmington, Delaware. The results:
- Austin Aries defeated Shawn Daivari in a Super 8 Tournament first round match.
- ECWA Heavyweight Champion Mike Kruel defeated Ricky Reyes in a Super 8 Tournament first round match to retain the title.
- Christopher Daniels defeated Rocky Romero in a Super 8 Tournament first round match.
- John Walters defeated Nicho el Milionario (Psicosis) in a Super 8 Tournament first round match.
- Christopher Daniels defeated ECWA Heavyweight Champion Mike Kruel in a Super 8 Tournament semifinal match to win the title, beginning his second reign.
- Austin Aries defeated John Walters in a Super 8 Tournament semifinal match.
- Matt Striker and ECWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Ace Darling won a Tag Team Summit battle royal to earn an immediate ECWA Tag Team Title match.
- ECWA Tag Team Champions The Valedictorians (Billy Bax and Rob Eckos) defeated Matt Striker and ECWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Ace Darling to retain the title.
- ECWA Heavyweight Champion Christopher Daniels defeated Austin Aries to retain the title and win the Super 8 Tournament, and become the first two-time winner of the tournament.

2004 - Agente Bruno and Rico Suave defeat Brent Dail (subbing for Vengador Boricua) and Super Gladiador for the WWC World Tag Team Title in Nagüabo, Puerto Rico.

2004 - Tommy Capone defeats Lonestar to win the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title in Columbia, Tennessee.

2004 - Blitz defeats Cynuxx, Tommy Diablo and Misawa in a four-way match for the IWA World Junior Heavyweight Title in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

2005 - WWE held WrestleMania 21 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It was the third WrestleMania held in Los Angeles (II and VII at the Sports Arena) and the fifth such to be held in the L.A. area (XII and 2000 at the Arrowhead Pond (now Honda Center) in Anaheim). 20,193 fans attended the show, which got a 1.68 buyrate, and had these results:
- In a 30-man interpromotional battle royal held prior to the pay-per-view broadcast, the match came down to two RAW superstars, Booker T and Chris Masters. Booker eliminated Masters to win the match. Also in the match were, from RAW, Rob Conway, Simon Dean, Sylvain Grenier, The Hurricane, Maven, William Regal, Rhyno, Rosey, Snitsky, Tajiri, Tyson Tomko, Val Venis and Viscera. SmackDown! represenatives were Akio, Danny Basham, Doug Basham, Spike Dudley, Funaki, Charlie Haas, Hardcore Holly, Heidenreich, Mark Jindrak, Billy Kidman, Orlando Jordan, Paul London, Nunzio, Luther Reigns and Scotty 2 Hotty. This match was later included on the DVD of the event.
- WWE Tag Team Champion Rey Mysterio pinned WWE Tag Team Champion Eddie Guerrero with a Hurricanrana.
- Edge defeated Shelton Benjamin, Chris Benoit, Christian (with Tyson Tomko) Chris Jericho and Kane in the first-ever Money in the Bank Ladder match.
- Eugene then came to the ring and said he was happy to be at WrestleMania, only to be interrupted by Muhammad Hassan and Daivari, who expressed their disgust in being left out of the event. They then attacked Eugene, who was saved by Hulk Hogan.
- The Undertaker pinned Randy Orton after a Tombstone Piledriver.
- WWE Women's Champion Trish Stratus pinned Christy Hemme (with Lita) after a Chick Kick to retain the title.
- Kurt Angle defeated Shawn Michaels by submission with the Ankle Lock. This was just the first match of an impressive trilogy the two would have throughout 2005.
- Steve Austin was the guest on Piper's Pit. Roddy Piper welcomed Austin to the Pit with a slap, with Austin returning the gesture. Carlito interrupted the two and said that they were has-beens and now he what is "cool". Austin gave Carlito a Stone Cold Stunner and Piper threw him out of the ring. Austin and Piper celebrated with beer before, in typical fashion, Piper got a Stunner as well from Austin.
- Akebono defeated The Big Show in a Sumo match.
- John Cena pinned WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield after the FU to win the title.
- The 2005 WWE Hall of Fame class was introduced by Gene Okerlund. The inductees were Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik, Jimmy Hart, Paul Orndorff, Bob Orton, Roddy Piper and Nikolai Volkoff.
- Batista pinned World Heavyweight Champion TripleH after the Batista Bomb to win the title, ending Triple H's fifth reign.

2005 - Aja Kong wins her third AAAW Singles Title from Meiko Satomura in Yokohama, Japan, ending Satomura's second reign. At the same event, Toshie Uematsu and Ran YuYu win their second AAAW Tag Team Title from Carlos Amano and Manami Toyota. They were the last champions, as the GAEA Japan promotion closed one week later.

2005 - Goro Tsurumi wins his third IWA Japan World Heavyweight Title in Kanagawa, Japan, from Iron Hercule I.

2006 - WWE held its post-WrestleMania 22 RAW live from the same arena, Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Heat was also taped before RAW. RAW got a 4.1 rating on USA Network. The results were:
- In a dark match, The Highlanders (Robbie and Rory McAllister) defeated La Résistance (Robért Conway and René Duprée), when Duprée was pinned with an inside cradle.
Heat:
- Goldust and Snitsky defeated Colt Cabana and Brad James, when Snitsky pinned Cabana after a double-team wheelbarrow suplex.
- Lance Cade pinned Viscera with his feet on the ropes.
- Matt Striker pinned Chandler McClure.
- Trevor Murdoch pinned Eugene after a DDT.
RAW:
- The Spirit Squad (Kenny and Mikey (with Johnny, Mitch and Nicky)) defeated World Tag Team Champions The Big Show and Kane to win the title, when Kenny pinned Show after a legdrop off the top, after all five members of the Spirit Squad hit the High Spirits on Show.
- Chris Masters defeated Eric Priest by submission with the Masterlock. After the match, Carlito came out, spat apple in Priest's face and raised Masters' hand, but then gave Masters a back-cracker and spat apple in Masters' face.
- WWE Women's Champion Mickie James and Candice Michelle defeated Trish Stratus and Torrie Wilson, when Mickie pinned Torrie after the Chick Kick. Mickie was dressed like Trish Stratus for the match.
- WWE Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin pinned Chavo Guerrero after an Exploder suplex to retain the title. Before the match Chavo dedicated the match to Eddie Guerrero, since he didn't get a title match at WrestleMania. After the match, in a segment which aired on WWE.com Unlimited, Todd Grisham interviewed Chavo and asked him about his loss, in which Chavo simply said he let everyone down, including Eddie, and said that he quit.
- Edge (with Lita) and Triple H defeated WWE Champion John Cena in a handicap match, when Triple H got the pin after the Pedigree as Cena was going for the Five-Knuckle Shuffle on Edge.

2007 - WWE taped the April 6 edition of Friday Night SmackDown! and aired a live ECW from the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. SmackDown! got a 2.7 rating on The CW and ECW got a 1.7 rating on Sci Fi.
- In a dark match, Kofi Kingston and Jamie Noble defeated La Résistance (Robért Conway and Sylvain Grenier).
SmackDown!:
- Mr. Kennedy pinned World Tag Team Champion Jeff Hardy after a DDT after Jeff missed the Swanton.
- The Miz pinned WWE United States Champion Chris Benoit after MVP interfered and pulled The Miz out from under Benoit's diving headbutt.
- World Tag Team Champion Matt Hardy pinned King Booker with an inside cradle.
- Dave Taylor (with William Regal) vs. Kane never got underway because Kane attacked both Regal and Taylor outside the ring before the match could get started.
- WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London and Brian Kendrick (with Ashley) defeated WWE Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero and Gregory Helms, when London pinned Helms after a Sliced Bread/powerbomb double-team move.
ECW:
- CM Punk pinned Stevie Richards after the GTS.
- Snitsky pinned Hardcore Holly after a big boot. After the match, Snitsky repeatedly hit Holly in the arm with a chair, then slammed the ring steps with his arm under them. This was Holly being written off television so he could have surgery for a nerve entrapment in his elbow.
- The New Breed (Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker and Kevin Thorn) defeated The ECW Originals (Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, The Sandman and Rob Van Dam) in an Extreme Rules match, when Burke pinned Sabu after hitting the Elijah Express through a table in the corner.

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