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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: BACKLASH, MSG SUPERSHOW, HOGAN (SORT OF) WINS THE AWA TITLE AND MORE

April 18th

On this day in history in ....

1939 - Ed Don George defeats Steve Casey for the Boston AWA World Heavyweight Title in Albany, New York, ending Casey's second reign and beginning George's third.

1958 - Karl Heinkler and Kurt Von Brauner defeat Don Lee and The Mighty Yankee to win the Georgia NWA International Tag Team Title in Atlanta, Georgia.

1959 - Debbie Combs is born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

1961 - Steve Lombardi is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1962 - René Guajardo defeats Antonio Posa for the NWA World Middleweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico, beginning Guajardo's second reign.

1962 - Tex Riley and Gus Taylor win the Gulf Coast NWA Southern Tag Team Title from The Mysterious Medics in Mobile, Alabama, ending their fourth reign.

1966 - Buddy Austin and El Mongol defeat Thunderbolt Patterson and Alberto Torres to win the World Wrestling Association World Tag Team Title in Los Angeles, California

1969 - Rayo de Jalisco defeats René Guajardo to win the NWA World Middleweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico, beginning Jalisco's third reign and ending Guajardo's fifth.

1969 - El Mongol defeats Assassin #1 for the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title in Atlanta, Georgia, to begin his sixth reign.

1969 - Bud and Ray Osborne defeat Bob and Fred Sweetan for the Stampede International Tag Team Title in Calgary, Alberta.

1972 - Championship Wrestling from Florida held an eight-man tournament for the vacant NWA Florida Television Title in Tampa, Florida. The results:
Quarterfinals:
- Paul Jones defeated Hiro Matsuda.
- Bob Roop defeated The Professional.
- The Challenger defeated Johnny Grey.
- Johnny Walker defeated The Great Mephisto.
Semifinals:
- Paul Jones defeated Bob Roop.
- Johnny Walker defeated The Challenger.
Finals:
- Paul Jones defeated Johnny Walker to win the vacant NWA Florida Television Title.

1972 - Dory Dixon and Raúl Mata defeat Goliath and Kinji Shibuya for the NWA Americas Tag Team Title in Costa Mesa, California.

1973 - Killer Karl Krupp and Fritz Von Erich defeat Kintaro Ohki and Umanosuke Ueda to win the NWA International Tag Team Title in Yaizu, Japan.

1973 - Jackie Fargo and Jerry Jarrett win their second Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Title in Nashville, Tennessee, defeating Jerry Lawler and Jim White.

1974 - Fritz Von Erich defeats The Texan (Blackjack Mulligan) for the NWA American Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas, beginning his 12th reign.

1977 - Bill Dundee and Tommy Rich defeat Karl and Kurt Von Steiger to win the NWA Southeastern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending the Von Steigers' second reign.

1978 - The Iron Sheik and Bull Ramos defeat Jerry Oates and Jesse Ventura for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title.

1979 - Lizmark defeats Américo Rocca for the Mexican National Welterweight Title in Acapulco, Mexico.

1981 - The WWF held two events in two of their major northeastern venues.

In the afternoon, an event was held at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Larry Sharpe defeated Tony Altimore.
- Dominic DeNucci defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna.
- Johnny Rodz defeated Fred Savage.
- The Fabulous Moolah and Leilani Kai defeated Jill Fontaine and Suzette Ferrera.
- Tony Atlas defeated Hulk Hogan.
- Pat Patterson defeated Sgt. Slaughter by disqualification.
- WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund (with Arnold Skaaland) defeated Killer Khan.
- The Great Yatsu fought The Hangman to a 20-minute time-limit draw.
- André the Giant and Tony Garea defeated Moondog Rex and Sgt. Slaughter (subbing for Moondog King) by disqualification.

That evening, the focus shifted 130 miles down Interstate 95 to Landover, Maryland's Capital Centre. The results were:
- Larry Sharpe defeated Tony Altimore.
- Special Delivery Jones defeated The Hangmen.
- Moondog Rex defeated Johnny Rodz.
- Tony Garea defeated Moondog Rex by disqualification.
- The Fabulous Moolah and Leilani Kai defeated Jill Fontaine and Suzette Ferrera.
- Pat Patterson defeated Sgt. Slaughter by disqualification.
- Tony Atlas defeated Hulk Hogan.
- Killer Khan defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund by disqualification.

1981 - Mid-South Wrestling held its ninth Superdome Extravaganza event at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, which featured a nine-team tournament for the vacant Mid-South Tag Team Title. The results were:
- Luke Graham defeated Chic Donovan.
- Carl Fergie defeated Kelly Kiniski.
- King Cobra defeated Bull Ramos.
- Cowboy Lang defeated Little Tokyo.
- Cocoa Samoa defeated Larry Booker.
Mid-South Tag Team Title tournament:
First round:
- The Grappler and Super Destoyer defeated Jimmy Garvin and Jake Roberts.
- André the Giant and Dusty Rhodes defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika).
- Leroy Brown and Ernie Ladd defeated Tony Charles and Don Diamond to advance to the semifinals.
- The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy and Michael Hayes) defeated Killer Karl Kox and Buck Robley.
Quarterfinal:
- The Grappler and Super Destoyer defeated André the Giant and Dusty Rhodes to advance to the finals.
- Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy and Michael Hayes).
Semifinals:
- Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch defeated Leroy Brown and Ernie Ladd.
Finals:
- The Grappler and Super Destoyer defeated Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch to win the vacant Mid-South Tag Team Title.

1981 - Brett and Buzz Sawyer defeat The Destoyer and Rip Oliver to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title.

1982 - The first of Hulk Hogan's two unrecognized AWA World Heavyweight Title victories takes place in St. Paul, Minnesota, as Hogan wins the title from Nick Bockwinkel. Both men used foreign objects during the match, with the referee declaring Hogan the winner and new champion. However, AWA President Stanley Blackburn voided the title change and returned the title to Bockwinkel because of said foreign object use.

1985 - Bruiser Brody wrestled Antonio Inoki in his first singles match for New Japan Pro Wrestling at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

1987 - Rip Oliver wins his 11th NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title in Portland, Oregon, defeating Ricky Santana.

1987 - Invader I defeats Jason the Terrible for the WWC Television Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico, beginning his second reign. At the same event, Frankie Lancaster defeats Super Medic in a rematch from their April 11 match in Caguas to win the held up WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title, beginning his second reign.

1989 - NWA International Heavyweight Champion Jumbo Tsuruta defeats NWA United National Heavyweight and PWF Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen in Tokyo, Japan to unify all the titles, and become the first AJPW Triple Crown Champion. This ended Hansen's fourth PWF title reign, as well as Tsuruta's third NWA International and sixth NWA United National title reigns.

1990 - Gory Guerrero, one of the premier wrestlers in the early days of lucha libre, passes away at age 69 in El Paso, Texas.

1991 - Stan Hansen and Dan Spivey defeat Terry Gordy and Steve Williams for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team TItle in Tokyo, Japan, ending Gordy and Williams' second reign.

1992 - Super World of Sports held an joint event with the WWF at Tokyo Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. The results were:
- Chris Walker pinned Tetsuya Yamanaka.
- Shinji Takano pinned Kendo Nagasaki.
- Yoshiaki Fujiwara and Ishinriki defeated Tatsumi Kitahara and Shinichi Nakano.
- Satánico defeated The Dragon by countout.
- Samson Fuyuki and Takashi Ishikawa defeated The Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake).
- SWS Light Heavyweight Champion Naoki Sano pinned Chavo Guerrero to retain the title.
- Haku and Yoshiaki Yatsu defeat SWS Tag Team Champions The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) to win the title, beginning their second reign.
- Genichiro Tenryu defeated Ric Flair in a best-of-three falls match. Flair made Tenryu submit with the figure-four to win the first fall, and Tenryu pinned Flair after the second and third falls after powerbombs.

1992 - Moondog Moretti defeats Ole Olsen for the West Coast Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Cloverdale, British Columbia, beginning his second reign.

1997 - Steel (Val Venis) defeats Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. to win the CMLL World Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico.

1998 - Mitsuharu Misawa defeats Jun Akiyama to win AJPW's annual Champion's Carnival tournament.

1998 - Skull Ganz wins a tournament in Monroe, Michigan to become the first Southern Michigan Championship Wrestling Television Champion. SMCW joined the NWA two weeks later and became NWA of Michigan.

1999 - Los Juniors (Perro Aguayo, Jr., Blue Demon, Jr., La Parka, Jr. and Mascara Sagrada, Jr.) defeat Los Vatos Locos (May Flowers, Charly Manson, Nygma and Picudo) in Zapopan to win the Mexican National Atómicos Title.

1999 - Nick Dinsmore defeats Rod Steele in Jeffersonville, Indiana to win his second OVW Heavyweight Title.

1999 - Brandi Alexander defeats Malia Hosaka for the World League Wrestling Women's Title in Springfield, Missouri.

2001 - Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE held True Century Creation, the company's second-ever pay-per-view event, at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. The results were:
- Tatsuhito Takaiwa pinned Naomichi Marufuji.
- Naohiro Hoshikawa defeated The Cobra by submission.
- Alexander Otsuka defeated Takashi Seguira by submission.
- Sean McCully defeated Shinjiro Otani by submission.
- Shinya Hashimoto and Tadao Yasuda defeated Tamon Honda and Masao Inoue, when Yasuda TKO'd Honda.
- Mitsuharu Misawa and Takeshi Rikio defeated Kazunari Murakami and Naoya Ogawa, when Misawa pinned Murakami.

2001 - Scott D'Amore defeats Tommy Dreamer to win the Border City Wrestling Can-Am Heavyweight Title in Oldcastle, Ontario, beginning his fifth reign. This reign would be short-lived, as D'Amore lost the title on the same day to Mikey Whipwreck.

2002 - Wahoo McDaniel dies of complications from diabetes in the city where he had his great success, Houston, Texas, at age 63.

2003 - Mr. Niebla defeats Universo 2000 in Mexico City, Mexico for the CMLL World Heavyweight Title.

2003 - Justice defeats Naphtali to win the NWA Florida X Division Title in Pinellas Park, Florida.

2003 - Deadly Impact (Killer Cox and Brian Jewel) defeats The Kamikaze Boyz (Casanova Kid and Mickey Miracle), The Redneck Rebels, Zach Mercury & Rick Matthews and Zero Tolerance (T.J. Bratt and Rob Stardom) in a five-team battle royal to win the vacant NWA Canadian Tag Team Title in Winnipeg, Manitoba. At the same event, The Big Machine defeats The Mini Machine for the Canadian Wrestling Federation Hardcore Title.

2004 - WWE held the sixth-annual Backlash pay-per-view at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta. The event got a 0.55 buyrate. The results:
- In a match airing on Sunday Night Heat, Val Venis pinned Matt Hardy with the Money Shot.
- Shelton Benjamin pinned World Tag Team Champion Ric Flair after a clothesline from the top rope.
- Jonathan Coachman pinned Tajiri with a roll-up after Garrison Cade hit Tajiri in the face.
- Chris Jericho defeated Christian and Trish Stratus in a handicap match, by pinning Christian after a running enzuigiri.
- WWE Women's Champion Victoria pinned Lita with an inside cradle to retain the title. After the match, Gail Kim and Molly Holly came out and attacked Lita and Victoria.
- WWE Intercontinental Champion Randy Orton pinned Cactus Jack in a hardcore match, after an RKO on a barbed-wire baseball bat, to retain the title.
- The Hurricane and Rosey defeated La Résistance (Robért Conway and Sylvain Grenier), when Hurricane pinned Conway after the Eye of the Hurricane.
- Edge pinned Kane after a spear.
- World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit defeated Shawn Michaels and Triple H in a triple threat match, by making Michaels submit with the Sharpshooter, to retain the title.

2005 - WWE held a Supershow, taping the April 21 SmackDown! and airing RAW live, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. RAW got a 3.9 rating on Spike TV, and SmackDown! got a 3.3 on UPN. The results were:
- In a dark match, Paul London and Nunzio defeated Spike Dudley and Billy Kidman, when London pinned Kidman after a DDT off the top rope.
SmackDown!:
- The Big Show and Booker T (with Sharmell) fought to a double-disqualification in a WWE Title #1 contender's tournament first round match, when Kurt Angle and JBL, who were on commentary, attacked Show and Booker on the floor. After the match, SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long said that later in the show the four men would square off in a tag team match, and the following week, the four would have a fatal four-way match to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Title.
- Matt Morgan pinned Brett Matthews (Brett Major/Zack Ryder) with a suplex into a sidewalk slam.
- The Big Show and Booker T defeated Kurt Angle and JBL.
- MNM (Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro (with Melina)) defeated WWE Tag Team Champions Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, when Mercury pinned Mysterio after the Snapshot, to win the title.
- WWE Champion John Cena defeated Orlando Jordan (with Doug Basham) after the FU.
RAW:
- Chris Benoit fought Edge to a no-contest when they fought backstage.
- World Tag Team Champions William Regal and Tajiri defeated The Heart Throbs (Romeo and Antonio), when Tajiri pinned Romeo with a sunset flip.
- Shawn Michaels defeated Muhammad Hassan (with Daivari) by disqualification when Daivari attacked Michaels. Hulk Hogan made a surprise appearance to make the save.
- WWE Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin pinned Simon Dean with the Exploder suplex.
- Jim Ross pinned Triple H (with Ric Flair) in a no-disqualification match after Batista interfered, beat down Flair, hit Triple H with a chair and put Ross on top for the cover.

2005 - Psycho Sickness (Psycho Mike and Sick Eric) defeat Forza Bruta (Darkness and Raiss) to win the Italian Championship Wrestling Italian Tag Team Title in Belluno, Italy.

2007 - WWE ends its developmental relationship with Jody Hamilton's Deep South Wrestling. All DSW talent was moved to OVW, until DSW was eventually replaced by Steve Keirn's Florida Championship Wrestling. The final title holders in DSW under WWE were Deep South Heavyweight Champion Bradley Jay and Deep South Tag Team Champions Team Elite (Mike Knox and Derrick Neikirk).

2007 - Tony Santerelli and Mike Taylor defeat Hale Collins and Vik Dalishus for the Great Championship Wrestling Tag Team Title in Phenix City, Alabama. At the same event, Johnny Swinger wins his third GCW Heavyweight Title, defeating Raven.

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