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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: THE FIRST WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH, THE WWF BECOMES WWE, VON ERICH MEMORIAL AND MORE

May 5th

On this day in history in ....

1905 - At Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, World Greco-Roman Champion George Hackenschmidt defeated American Heavyweight Champion Tom Jenkins in two straight falls, to become the World Catch-as-Catch Can Heavyweight Champion. This match is the origin of the first World Heavyweight Title in America.

1937 - Floyd Hanson defeats Abdul Khan for the Montana State Middleweight Title in Great Falls, Montana.

1939 - Bill Watts is born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

1940 - Bobby Bonales defeats Jack O'Brien to win the Mexican National Lightweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico, ending O'Brien's second reign.

1947 - Danny McShain defeats Martino Angelo for the World Light Heavyweight Title in Hollywood, California, ending Angelo's third reign and beginning McShain's ninth.

1948 - Johnny Demchuk defeats Billy Weidner to win the Midwest Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Title in Columbus, Ohio. This began Demchuk's fourth reign and ended Weidner's fourth reign.

1950 - Danny McShain defeats Miguel Guzmán for the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title in Houston, Texas. This began and ended both wrestlers' sixth reign.

1958 - Jim Larock defeats Sandor Kovacs to become the first Tri-State NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Champion in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1961 - Hiroshi Hase is born in Oyabe, Japan.

1961 - Dory Dixon and Rito Romero defeat The Corsicans (Jean and Joe) to win the Texas NWA World Tag Team Title in Houston, Texas.

1962 - Bill Howes defeats Jacques Lageat in London, England to win the European Mid-Heavyweight Title.

1964 - Don Curtis and Abe Jacobs defeat Duke Keomuka and Hiro Matsuda for the Florida NWA World Tag Team Title in Tampa, Florida, ending Keomuka and Matsuda's fourth reign.

1965 - Alfonso Dantés defeats Raul Reyes for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Title.

1971 - Dale Lewis defeats The Champion (Tarzan Tyler) for the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title in Miami, Florida, ending Tyler's second reign and beginning Lewis' second.

1972 - Roberto Soto defeats Buddy Colt to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title in Atlanta, Georgia, ending Colt's fourth reign.

1972 - Raul Mata and Rey Mendoza defeat Killer Kowalski and Kinji Shibuya for the NWA Americas Tag Team Title in Los Angeles, California.

1976 - Dino Bravo and Mr. Wrestling defeat Gene and Ole Andersno to win the NWA World Tag Team Title in Raleigh, North Carolina, ending the Andersons' third reign.

1978 - Bruno Sammartino defeats Gorilla Monsoon for the WWC North American Heavyweight Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1978 - Jerry Brown and Bobby Jaggers defeat Ray Candy and Steven Little Bear to win the Tri-State NWA United States Tag Team Title in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, ending Candy and Little Bear's second reign.

1979 - Hurácan Castillo and Carlos Colón defeat Frankie Laine and Dutch Mantel for the WWC North American Tag Team Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1981 - Salvatore Bellomo and Victor Rivera defeat John and Rick Davidson to win the NWA Americas Tag Team Title.

1982 - King Kong Bundy defeats Kerry Von Erich for the World Class American Heavyweight Title in Lawton, Oklahoma, ending Von Erich's third reign.

1982 - The Junkyard Dog and Mr. Olympia (Jerry Stubbs) defeat The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) to win the Mid-South Tag Team Title in Jackson, Mississippi, ending the Samoans' third reign.

1983 - Jerry Brown defeats Roger Kirby for the NWA Central States Television Title in Kansas City, Kansas.

1984 - Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood defeat Jack and Jerry Brisco for the NWA World Tag Team Title in Greensboro, North Carolina. This ended the Briscos' third reign and began McDaniel and Youngblood's second.

1984 - Blackjack Mulligan wins his second NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title in St. Petersburg, Florida, defeating Black Bart.

1985 - World Class' second-annual Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions was held before 26,153 fans at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The results:
- Johnny Mantell and Skip Young fought to a draw.
- Brian Adias and WCCW Television Champion Scott Casey defeated Kelly and Nick Kiniski.
- Terry Gordy defeated Kamala by disqualification.
- Mike Von Erich defeated Rip Oliver.
- WCCW American Heavyweight Champion Chris Adams and WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion Gino Hernandez defeated WCCW Television Champion Scott Casey and The Great Kabuki, when Adams pinned Casey.
- Kerry Von Erich defeated One Man Gang in a Kerry's hair vs. Gary Hart's hair match.
- In a two-ring no-disqualification match, The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) defeated The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton), when Rogers pinned Eaton, to win the WCCW American Tag Team Title. The title had been held up since Jim Cornette interfered in a match against the teams on March 8 in Dallas.
- The Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts) and WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Champions Kevin, Kerry and Mike Von Erich defeated Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez, Kamala, Rip Oliver, One Man Gang and Steve Williams in a two-ring best-of-five falls match, 3-2. Adams pinned Roberts, Hernandez pinned Hayes, Kerry pinned Oliver, Roberts pinned Hernandez and Kevin pinned Williams.
- NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair fought WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Champion Kevin Von Erich to a double-countout to retain the title.

1986 - Rick Rude defeats Lance Von Erich to win the World Class Television Title in Fort Worth, Texas.

1986 - Steve DiSalvo defeats Ron Ritchie for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title in Vancouver, British Columbia, ending Ritchie's second reign.

1988 - Canek defeats Perro Aguayo for the UWA World Heavyweight Title, ending Canek's ninth reign.

1989 - At a Continental Wrestling Federation event in Knoxville, Tennessee, Kevin Dillinger defeats Danny Davis to win the Southeast NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Title, ending Davis' fourth reign. Also at that show, Masahiro Chono and Mike Davis won the CWF Tag Team Title from Davey and Johnny Rich.

1990 - Jerry Lawler defeats Jimmy Valiant to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee. This ended Valiant's second reign and began Lawler's sixth.

1990 - Invaders I and IV win their second WWC Caribbean Tag Team Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico, by defeating Leo Burke and Chicky Starr.

1993 - FMW held its Fourth Anniversary Show at Kawasaki Stadium in Kawasaki, Japan before 41,000 fans. The results:
- Eiji Ezaki defeated Koji Nakagawa.
- Rie Nakamura defeated Keiko Iwame.
- Mikiko Futagami, Yasha Kurenai, Utako Ozumi, Midori Saito and Eagle Sawai defeated Yoshika Maedomari, Kumiko Matsuda, Yukie Nabeno, Miwa Sato and Erica Tsuchiya.
- Sabu and The Sheik defeated Dr. Hannibal and Dr. Looser, when Sabu pinned Looser.
- Battle Ranger, The Great Sasuke and Kendo defeated Super Delfin and Espantos IV and V, when Kendo pinned Espanto V.
- Shinobu Kandori defeated Victoria Kazumiya by submission.
- WWA World Women's Champion Megumi Kudo and Combat Toyoda defeated Manami Toyota and Toshiyo Yamada, when Kudo pinned Toyota.
- Big Titan, Ricky Fuji and The Gladiator defeated Great Punk, FMW World Martial Arts Tag Team Champion Tarzan Goto and Katsuji Ueda in a Loser Leaves Town, No Rope, Barbed Wire Street Fight Death match, when Fuji pinned Punk.
- FMW World Martial Arts Tag Team Champion Gregori Veritchev defeated Leon Spinks by submission.
- FMW World Martial Arts Champion Atsushi Onita defeated Terry Funk in an Exploding Ring Barbed Wire Land Mine match.

1995 - Megumi Kudo defeats Bad Nurse Nakamura to win the World Wrestling Association and Independent World Women's Titles in Kawasaki, Japan. This began Kudo's fourth and second respective reigns. At the same event, Ricky Fuji and Hisakatsu Oya win the FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Title from Yukihiro Kanemura and Mr. Pogo. Also, Atsushi Onita defeated Hayabusa, and then retired.

1996 - The Head Hunters and Super Leather (Corporal Kirchner) defeat Horace Boulder (Horace Hogan), The Gladiator (Mike Awesome) and Hisakatsu Oya in Kawasaki, Japan to become the first FMW World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team Champions. At the same event, Megumi Kudo defeats Combat Toyoda to win the WWA and Independent World Women's Titles, ending Toyota's fifth and second reigns and beginning Kudo's fifth and third reigns.

1996 - Danny Collins defeats The Great Sasuke in Sendai, Japan to win the British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Title.

1998 - Kodo Fuyuki, Hido and Yukihiro Kanemura defeat Tetsuhiro Kuroda, Koji Nakagawa and Atsushi Onita for the FMW World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team Title in Wakayama, Japan.

1998 - Kumiko Maekawa defeats Zap T (Tomoko Watanabe) for the All Pacific Title in Tokyo, Japan. At the same event, Tomezo Tsunokake defeats Little Frankie to win the WWWA World Midgets' Title.

1998 - ARSION held the ARS Tournament in Kawasaki, Japan. The winner of the ARS Tournament would face the winner of the ZION tournament to be held in August to determine the first Queen of ARSION Champion. The results were:
Quarterfinals:
- Candy Okutsu defeated Yumi Fukawa.
- Rie Tamada defeated Michiko Ohmukai.
- Mariko Yoshida defeated Mikiko Futagami.
- Reggie Bennett defeated Aja Kong.
Semifinals:
- Candy Okutsu defeated Rie Tamada.
- Mariko Yoshida defeated Reggie Bennett.
Finals:
- Candy Okutsu defeated Mariko Yoshida to win the ARS Tournament.

1999 - Minoru Tanaka defeats Ricky Fuji in Yokohama, Japan to become the first FMW Junior Heavyweight Champion.

1999 - Chaparita Asari defeats Sumie Sakai in a six-woman tournament final to win the WWWA World Super Lightweight Title in Kawasaki, Japan. Asari had vacated the title on June 1, 1997 due to an illness. The tournament results were:
Quarterfinals:
- Kayo Noumi defeated Acute Sae.
- Chaparita Asari defeated Morimatsu.
Semifinals:
- Sumie Sakai defeated Kayo Noumi.
- Chaparita Asari defeated Commando Bolshoi.
Finals:
- Chaparita Asari defeated Sumie Sakai.

1999 - Octagóncito defeats Mini Abismo Negro to win the Mexican National Mini-Estralla Title in Tecámac, Mexico, beginning his second reign.

2000 - Kodo Fuyuki defeats Tetsuhiro Kuroda for the WEW Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan, beginning his second reign.

2000 - Mark Southern defeats Joey Venture for the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title in Dyersburg, Tennessee, ending Venture's second reign.

2000 - Tony Hunter defeats Jeff Justice and Madd Maxx in a three-way match in Pendleton, South Carolina to become the first NWA Mid-Atlantic Hardcore Champion.

2001 - The WWF held its second-annual Insurrextion pay-per-view event, which aired exclusively in the United Kingdom, at Earls Court in London, England. The results:
- Eddie Guerrero pinned Grandmaster Sexay with a roll-up and holding the ropes.
- Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn defeated Crash Holly and Hardcore Holly, when Saturn pinned Crash after a three-handled credenza.
- Bradshaw pinned The Big Show after a Clothesline from Hell. Test was originally scheduled to face The Big Show, but was injured.
- Edge and Christian defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von), The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and WWF European Champion Matt) and X-Factor (Justin Credible and X-Pac) in a fatal four-way elimination match. Jeff pinned X-Pac after a Swanton, Christian pinned Jeff after an Unprettier, and Edge pinned Bubba Ray after a Gore from WWF Hardcore Champion Rhyno.
- Chris Benoit defeated Kurt Angle in a Two out of three falls match, 2-0. Benoit pinned Angle after a diving headbutt and after a roll-up.
- Chris Jericho defeated William Regal by submission with the Walls of Jericho to win the Queen's Cup.
- The Undertaker defeated WWF Tag Team Champions - WWF Champion Steve Austin and WWF Intercontinental Champion Triple H in a Handicap match, by pinning Triple H after a chokeslam. Had Austin been pinned, he would have lost his title.

2001 - Randy Orton becomes the final and only two-time OVW Hardcore Champion in Jeffersonville, Indiana by defeating Flash Flanagan. Sometime after this win, the title was retired.

2001 - Prince Justice (Abyss) defeats Stone Mountain to win the NWA Wildside Heavyweight Title in Cornelia, Georgia.

2001 - The L.A. Connection (Gunny Marvelous and Shane Somers) defeat Tony Luza and Jake Steel in Plato, Missouri to become the first, and only, NWA Missouri Tag Team Champions.

2001 - Che Physique defeats Heather Savage for the World League Wrestling Women's Title in Forsythe, Missouri.

2002 - World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc., after losing a case a British court to the World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly the World Wildlife Fund) in October 2001 over the use of the WWF initials, officially changes its name to World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

2002 - C.W. Anderson defeats Chris Hamrick for the vacant Premier Wrestling Federation Universal Heavyweight Title in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Steve Corino had vacated the title due to injury.

2002 - Héctor Garza defeats Latin Lover for the Mexican National Heavyweight Title in Monterrey, Mexico, ending Latin Lover's second reign.

2002 - El Zorro defeats Héctor Garza to win the Mexican National Heavyweight Title in Monterrey, Mexico. At the same event, Lady Apache wins the Mexican National Women's Title from Tiffany.

2003 - World Entertainment Wrestling holds its last event before shutting down. The promotion was founded by Kodo Fuyuki shortly after the closing of FMW.

2003 - Ultimo Dragon defeats The Great Sasuke for the NWA World Middleweight Title in Sendai, Japan. Dragon vacated the title later that same month after signing with WWE.

2003 - Yoshiko Tamura defeats Azumi Hyuga in Tokyo, Japan to win her fourth NWA Pacific Women's Title. At the same event, Misae Genki defeats Etsuko Mita for the AWF Women's Title.

2004 - Aja Kong and Amazing Kong defeat The Crush Gals (Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo) for the AAAW Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.

2006 - Canek defeats Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. for the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Title in Nezahualcoyótl, Mexico.

2006 - Black Listed (Marco Cordova and Jayson Reign) defeat Tyler Black and Marek Brave for the NWA Midwest Tag Team Title in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

2007 - NWA Midwest held "No Gimmicks Needed" at the Streamwood Park District Recreation Center in Streamwood, Illinois. The show featured a four-man tournament to fill the NWA Midwest Heavyweight Title vacancy left by Johnny Candido, as well as the debut of the new NWA Midwest Heavyweight Title belt, the design of which is based on the NWA World Heavyweight Title belt of the 1960s. The results were:
- Jay Ryan defeated Michael Strider in an NWA Midwest Heavyweight Title tournament semifinal match.
- Marek Brave defeated Skull Crusher in an NWA Midwest Heavyweight Title tournament semifinal match.
- NWA Midwest X Division Champion Jason Dukes defeated Jay Lethal and Jaysin Strife to retain the title.
- Team Underground (Chandler McClure and Eric Priest) defeated The Phoenix Twins (Dash and Tweek).
- TNA X Division Champion Chris Sabin defeated Jerry Lynn to retain the title.
- AWA World Women's Champion Amazing Kong defeated NWA World Women's Champion MsChif to leave with both titles.
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Tiger Mask IV defeated Low Ki to retain the title.
- Jay Ryan defeated Marek Brave to win the vacant NWA Midwest Heavyweight Title. Tyler Black was the guest referee.
- The Extreme Dream Team (Hardcore Craig and Corporal Robinson) defeated NWA Midwest Tag Team Champions Black Listed (Marco Cordova and Jayson Reign) in a falls count anywhere loser leaves town match to win the title. This ended Black Listed's third reign.

2007 - Chance Prophet defeats Kory Williams to win the NWA National Heavyweight Title in Salyersville, Kentucky. Prophet held the title until being stripped by the NWA Board of Directors on October 12, due to breaking his leg in a match on September 9.

2007 - Blade Boudreaux defeats Steve Anthony for the NWA New South Heavyweight Title in Greenville, Mississippi. At the same event, Brother Love ends Joe Cain's second NWA New South Cruiserweight Title reign.

2007 - Josh Daniels defeats Papadon for the NWA Shockwave Internet Title in Clifton, New Jersey, to begin his second reign.

2007 - The Masked Dudes of Doom (Amazing Halo and El Phantasmo) defeat Chill Town (Scotty Mac and D.K. Roc) to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia, ending Chill Town's third reign.

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