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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: KOLOFF DETHRONES SAMMARTINO, AUSTIN WINS THE ROYAL RUMBLE AND MORE

January 18th

On this day in history in ....

1944 - Herb Welch defeats The Yellow Scorpion in Nashville, Tennessee for the Tennessee World Junior Heavyweight Title.

1957 - Kurt Von Poppenheim defeats Red Bastien to win the Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Title for the fourth time.

1961 - Dick Hutton defeats Al Lolotai for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Title in Honolulu, Hawaii, ending Lolotai's third reign.

1962 - Bill Soloweyko and Whipper Billy Watson defeat Chris and John Tolos to win the Toronto NWA International Tag Team Title in Toronto, Ontario, ending the Tolos' second reign.

1963 - Dominic Bravo and Ron Etchison defeat Mike Sharpe and Jim Wright for the Stampede International Tag Team Title in Calgary, Alberta.

1966 - Alex Perez defeats Rocky Smith for the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title in Nashville, Tennessee, ending and starting both men's third reigns.

1967 - Billy Robinson defeats Billy Joyce to win the British Heavyweight Title in Manchester, England, ending Joyce's sixth reign. The title was vacated in February 1970 when Robinson left the country for North America.

1969 - Ben Justice and Rocky Johnson defeat The Hell's Angels (Paul and Ron Dupree) to win the Detroit NWA World Tag Team Title in Detroit, Michigan.

1969 - Dennis Hall and Ken Lucas win their fourth Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Title, defeating The Mighty Yankees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, ending the Yankees' second reign.

1970 - Monster Rousimoff (André the Giant) and Michael Nader defeat Great Kusatsu and Thunder Sugiyama in Fukuoka, Japan for the vacant International Pro Wrestling World Tag Team Title. The title was vacated when Toyonobori, who had held the title with Strong Kobayashi, retired on January 9.

1971 - The WWWF holds an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The results were:
- Jean DuBois defeated Joe Turco.
- Vincenti Pometti defeated The Black Demon.
- Manuel Soto defeated Mike Conrad.
- Blackjack Mulligan defeated Jose Rivera.
- Bulldog Brower defeated Tony Marino.
- Pedro Morales defeated The Wolfman.
- Gorilla Monsoon and Chief Jay Strongbow fought WWWF International Tag Team Champions The Mongols (Bepo and Geto) to a draw in a two out of three falls match. The Mongols retained the title.
- Ivan Koloff pinned WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino after a top-rope kneedrop, following a bodyslam, to win the title. This ended Sammartino's legendary reign as champion, a record which still stands and probably will never be broken.

1973 - The Mysterious Medic defeats Bob Kelly for the NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Title in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This ended Kelly's 10th reign and began the Medic's second.

1974 - Ron and Terry Garvin defeat Bob Armstrong and Robert Fuller to win the vacant NWA Georgia Tag Team Title in Atlanta, Georgia. The title was held up after a match between Armstrong and Fuller and champions Gorgeous George, Jr. and Bobby Shane two weeks earlier.

1974 - Black Gordman and Goliath defeat Raul Mata and Victor Rivera for the NWA Americas Tag Team Title, beginning their sixth reign.

1975 - Dardo Aguilar ends Tauro's second reign as Mexican National Lightweight Champion in Mexico City, Mexico.

1980 - Superstar Billy Graham wins the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title from Mark Lewin in Houston, Texas. This began Graham's third run with the belt and ended Lewin's fourth.

1980 - Ernie Ladd defeat Mike Sharpe for the Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Title in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1981 - Tony Salazar defeats Sangre Chicana to win the NWA World Middleweight Title in Monterrey, Mexico, to begin his second reign.

1982 - The WWF holds an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The results were:
- Davey O'Hannon pinned Manuel Soto after a neckbreaker.
- Larry Sharpe pinned Jose Estrada after holding the ropes to avoid a dropkick.
- Charlie Fulton pinned Johnny Rodz.
- Greg Valentine defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Pedro Morales by disqualification.
- Jesse Ventura pinned Dominic DeNucci after an elbow drop.
- Adrian Adonis defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund by referee stoppage to excessive bleeding.
- Tony Garea and Rick Martel defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito by disqualification, when Fuji threw salt in guest referee Pat Patterson's face as Martel had Saito in a sleeper hold.
- Tony Atlas pinned The Masked Executioner (Hans Schroeder) after a splash.
- Ivan Putski defeated Killer Khan by referee's decision after MSG's 11:00pm curfew came.

1982 - Jerry Lawler wins his 19th AWA Southern Heavyweight Title, defeating Dutch Mantel in Memphis, Tennessee.

1983 - Terry Allen and Scott McGhee defeat The Fabulous Kangaroos (Johnny Heffernan and Don Kent) to win the NWA Florida Global Tag Team Title in Tampa, Florida.

1986 - Scott Hall and Curt Hennig defeat Jimmy Garvin and Steve Regal for the AWA World Tag Team Title in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1986 - Invader III defeats Eric Embry for the WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to begin his third reign.

1987 - The WWF holds an event at Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. The results were:
- Ron Bass defeated Special Delivery Jones.
- Hercules defeated Lanny Poffo.
- George Steele defeated The Iron Sheik.
- Dino Bravo defeated Billy Jack Haynes by countout.
- The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell) defeated Don Muraco and Bob Orton, Jr.
- The Junkyard Dog and King Harley Race fought to a double countout.
- Blackjack Mulligan (subbing for The Dynamite Kid) and WWF Tag Team Champion Davey Boy Smith defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart).
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage defeated Ricky Steamboat by disqualification to retain the title.

1988 - Tatsumi Fujinami and Kengo Kimura defeat Yoshiaki Fujiwara and Kazuo Yamazaki to win the IWGP World Tag Team Title in Takuyama, Japan, to begin their third reign.

1990 - Javier Cruz defeats El Dandy for the Mexican National Middleweight Title in Acapulco, Mexico.

1992 - The WWF holds an event at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The results:
- Repo Man pinned Virgil with his feet on the ropes.
- The New Foundation (Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart) defeated The Powers of Pain (The Barbarian and The Warlord), when Hart pinned Warlord after Barbarian accidentally clotheslined his partner.
- Ted DiBiase and Tito Santana fought to a time-limit draw.
- Hulk Hogan defeated Ric Flair by countout, after sending Flair into the ringpost on the floor.
- The British Bulldog pinned The Berzerker with a roll-up.
- Chris Walker pinned Kato with a flying bodypress.
- Roddy Piper (subbing for Bret Hart) and WWF Tag Team Champions The Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk) defeated The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) and WWF Intercontinental Champion The Mountie, when Piper pinned The Mountie.

1992 - Ron Harris defeats Demolition Crush to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title in Portland, Oregon, ending Crush's second reign.

1992 - Ricky Blues defeats Agent Orange to become the first Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion in Odenton, Maryland.

1993 - The second edition of WWF Monday Night RAW airs live from the Manhattan Center in New York City, New York. The results were:
- Mr. Perfect pinned Terry Taylor (subbing for Papa Shango) with the Perfectplex. Ric Flair came out during the match and attacked Perfect on the floor.
- Marty Jannetty pinned Glen Ruth after the Rocker Dropper.
- Ric Flair and Tito Santana fought to a no contest after Mr. Perfect came out and fought with Flair, leading Flair to challenge Perfect to a match the following week, in which the loser must leave the WWF.

1994 - Big Titan (Rick Bogner) and The Gladiator (Mike Awesome) defeat Katsutoshi Niiyama and Atsushi Onita in Saitama, Japan to become the first FMW World Brass Knuckles Tag Team Champions.

1994 - La Sirenita defeats Maria del Angel to win the vacant Mexican National Women's Title in Mexico City, Mexico, to begin her second reign. The title had been vacated in October when La Diabolica won the CMLL World Women's Title.

1996 - Ultraman 2000 defeats Psicosis for the Mexican National Welterweight Title in Tijuana, Mexico.

1998 - The WWF holds the 11th-annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view at the San Jose Arena in San Jose, California. The results were:
- Vader pinned The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust (with Luna) after a Vaderbomb with Luna hanging on his back.
- Max Mini, Mosaic and Nova defeated Battalion, El Torito and Tarantula, when Max pinned Torito with a cradle.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion The Rock defeated Ken Shamrock by disqualification to retain the title. Shamrock originally pinned Rock after a belly-to-belly suplex. However, after persuasion from The Rock, the referee found a pair of brass knuckles The Rock had placed in Shamrock's trunks and Rock was given the win by DQ.
- The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) by disqualification, after Road Dogg hit Animal with a steel chair while Animal was pinning Gunn.
- Steve Austin, who entered from the #24 spot, won his second straight Royal Rumble match, last eliminating The Rock. Mick Foley competed in the Royal Rumble match as all three of his aliases: Cactus Jack (#1), Mankind (#16) and Dude Love (#28). In a skybox, Mike Tyson was interviewed by Michael Cole after the Rumble match where Tyson expressed his happiness that Austin won the Rumble and put over the upcoming main event. Little did we know what would transpire between Tyson and "his man" Austin the next night on RAW.
- WWF Champion Shawn Michaels defeated The Undertaker in a Casket match to retain the title, after Kane chokeslammed Undertaker into the casket and closed it. During the match, Michaels took a back body drop to the outside, smashing his lower back on the edge of the casket, causing two herniated disks and crushing one completely, leading to his four-year hiatus as an active wrestler. After the match, Kane and Paul Bearer padlocked the casket with Undertaker inside it. They then poured gasoline on the casket and set it on fire. The fire was extinguished after the show went off the air, and the casket pried open with a crowbar, to reveal no one inside.

1999 - In this week of the Monday Night War, WCW Monday Nitro's 4.4 rating couldn't beat WWF RAW is WAR's 5.6 rating.

WCW Monday Nitro was live from Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The results were:
- Booker T pinned Chris Jericho.
- David Flair pinned Eric Bischoff.
- The Faces of Fear (The Barbarian and Meng) defeated Mike Enos and Bobby Duncum, Jr.
- Disco Inferno pinned Wrath.
- WCW World Television Champion Scott Steiner defeated Perry Saturn.
- Psychosis pinned Juventud Guerrera.
- Lex Luger defeated Rey Misterio, Jr.
- Goldberg defeated Scott Hall and Bam Bam Bigelow by disqualification.

WWF RAW is WAR was taped on January 12 at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas, along with the January 17 Sunday Night Heat. The results were:
In dark matches:
- Steve Williams defeated Bob Holly.
- The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff Hardy) defeated Too Much (Brian Christopher and Scott Taylor).
Sunday Night Heat:
- Tiger Ali Singh pinned WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Gillberg in a non-title match.
- Scorpio pinned Mark Henry after Henry was distracted by Chyna at ringside.
- Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett defeated The New Brood (Edge and Gangrel), when Owen pinned Edge.
- The Godfather pinned Goldust, after Al Snow interfered.
- Chyna defeated Vince McMahon in an arm wrestling match, Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson got into a shoving match and bumped into McMahon, causing him to lose. Chyna accepted a challenge from Patterson and Brisco for a match on RAW.
RAW is WAR:
- WWF Hardcore Champion Road Dogg pinned Gangrel outside the ring after a chair shot to retain the title.
- Test pinned Billy Gunn.
- Steve Blackman defeated Dan Severn by disqualification after Severn hit a low blow.
- WWF Champion Mankind defeated The Big Bossman by disqualification after the Rock interfered, hit Mankind with a chair, and hit a Rock Bottom onto the chair.
- Al Snow pinned Goldust by reversing a small package.
- Chyna defeated Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson in a handicap match after pinning both men after DDTs, to retain her #30 entry in the coming Sunday's Royal Rumble match.
- Kane defeated The Rock by disqualification.

2000 - WCW taped the January 19 edition of Thunder in Evansville, Indiana at Roberts Municipal Stadium. The show earned a 2.3 rating on TBS. The results were:
- The Mamalukes (Big Vito and Johnny the Bull) defeated WCW World Tag Team Champions Crowbar and David Flair to win the title.
- Jim Duggan and Curt Hennig fought to a no contest.
- Psychosis defeated Lash LeRoux and Chavo Guerrero, Jr. in a three-way match.
- Billy Kidman pinned The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea.
- The Wall pinned Berlyn.
- Madusa pinned Sherri Martel.
- Jerry Flynn pinned Fit Finlay.
- Diamond Dallas Page pinned Chris Kanyon.
- Sid Vicious and Lex Luger defeated Booker T in a handicap match.

2003 - Ed Farhat, better known as The Sheik, died at age 76 from heart failure at his home in Williamston, Michigan. Sheik was the owner of the Big Time Wrestling promotion, the National Wrestling Alliance's Detroit office. He had a legendary feud with Bobo Brazil, which went all over the country, even in the WWWF for short time. He held the NWA United States Heavyweight Title in the Detroit promotion 12 times, as well as titles in Toronto, Los Angeles, Texas, Hawaii amd Japan. Some of the wrestlers that Sheik trained include his nephew Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Scott Steiner, Raven and Greg Valentine. Van Dam and Sabu inducted The Sheik into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007, an award which his wife, Joyce Farhat, who also was his valet in Detroit, accepted on his behalf.

2003 - XPW runs an event at Viking Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results were:
- Chris Candido defeated Julio Dinero.
- Danny Doring defeated Sonny Siaki.
- Youthanazia (M-Dogg20 and Josh Prohibition) defeated XPW Tag Team Champions Mexico's Most Wanted (Halloween and Damien 666) in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match to win the title, beginning their second reign and ending Mexico's Most Wanted's second reign. MMW had just won the title from Youthanazia the previous night.
- XPW King of the Deathmatch Champion Supreme defeated Justice Pain in an I Quit match to retain the title.
- Angel defeated Chris Hamrick.
- Shark Boy defeated Tracy Smothers.
- Malice defeated Judas.
- Jerry Lynn defeated Psicosis and Juventud Guerrera in a three-way match.
- XPW Television Champion Kaos defeated Jonny Storm to retain the title.
- XPW World Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas defeated Vic Grimes to retain the title.

2003 - Chicky Starr defeats Carly Colón for the WWC Universal Heavyweight Title in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. The title had been held up a week earlier after a match between Starr and champion Colón in Morovis, Puerto Rico. Also, at the same show, Alex Montalvo defeats champion Tommy Diablo and Brent Dail in a three-way match to win the WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title, and El Nene wins his third WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title, defeating Fidel Sierra.

2003 - Combat Zone Wrestling held "Live Again" at Viking Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results were:
- Sonjay Dutt defeated Chris Cash to become #1 contender to the CZW Junior Heavyweight Title.
- Greg Matthews and Z-Barr defeated Rick Feinberg and Hurricane Kidd.
- Ian Knoxx defeated Adam Flash.
- Nick Berk defeated Derek Frazier, Eric Coddle, The Insomniac, Cory Kastle, J-Crew and Jude in a submission gauntlet match.
- Nick Berk defeated Jon Dahmer in a submission match.
- Ric Blade defeated GQ (subbing for Johnny Kashmere).
- Ruckus defeated CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion Trent Acid to win the title.
- CZW World Heavyweight Champion The Messiah defeated Nick Gage to retain the title.
- Nate Hatred defeated CZW Deathmatch Champion The Wifebeater and John Zandig in a three-way Fans Bring the Weapons match to win the title. This title change, as well as one before this, with Wifebeater defeating Nick Mondo on August 31, 2002, are not recognized by Big Japan Pro Wrestling as their prior working relationship with CZW was ended and the title was vacated in Japan. John Zandig still had possession of the physical BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Title belt, and took it back to the United States and defended it as the CZW Deathmatch Title. Hatred was the final champion in CZW. Kintaro Kanemura defeated Shadow WX on March 30 in Kanagawa, Japan to become official champion in Big Japan.

2003 - Rain defeats Dixie to win the Jersey All-Pro Wrestling Light Heavyweight Title in Woodbridge, New Jersey. He would vacate the title upon his retirement on July 1.

2003 - Christopher Daniels defeats champion Mike Kruel, The Amazing Red, Low Ki, American Dragon and Amazing Red in a five-way match to win the ECWA Heavyweight Title in Wilmington, Delaware.

2003 - Brother Love defeats Jimmy Rave in Greenville, Mississippi for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title, ending Rave's second reign.

2004 - Dory Funk, Jr. defeated Adam Windsor in Ocala, Florida for the NWA North Florida Heavyweight Title.

2004 - Kaz Hayashi and Satoshi Kojima defeat Arashi and Keiji Muto to win the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Title in Osaka, Japan.

2004 - The Bloody and Yumi Ouka defeat Crow and Fang for the JDStar TWWF World Women's Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan, beginning their second reign. The title was vacated three months later when The Bloody left the promotion.

2005 - Pez Whatley dies of a heart attack while awaiting a heart transplant in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the age of 54. Whatley was perhaps best known for a feud he had in Tennessee with Jimmy Valiant.

2005 - WWE tapes the January 20 edition of SmackDown! at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The show got a 3.6 rating on UPN. Also taped was the January 22 Velocity. The results:
- Spike Dudley defeated Tyson Dux in a dark match.
Velocity:
- Paul London and WWE Cruiserweight Champion Funaki defeated Shannon Moore and Nunzio, when Funaki pinned Moore after the Rising Sun.
- Hardcore Holly pinned Robbie McAllister after the Alabamaslam.
- Kenzo Suzuki pinned Charlie Haas after an STO.
SmackDown!:
- WWE Tag Team Champions The Basham Brothers (Doug and Danny Basham) defeated Booker T and Eddie Guerrero by disqualification to retain the title.
- Scotty 2 Hotty pinned Akio after the Worm in a Royal Rumble Qualifying match.
- WWE United States Champion John Cena pinned René Duprée after the FU in a Royal Rumble Qualifying match.
- Rey Mysterio pinned Chavo Guerrero in a Royal Rumble Qualifying match.
- In a dark match after the show, The Undertaker defeated Orlando Jordan and WWE Champion JBL in a handicap casket match.

2005 - Quinten Lee defeats Chad Collyer for the Heartland Wrestling Association Television Title in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2006 - Johnny Kealoha defeats Akua to win the Action Zone Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Waianae, Hawaii.

2007 - WWE releases several talents. Those released were C.W. Anderson, Doug Basham, Danny Basham, Gangrel, The Gymini (Mike and Todd Shane), Jazz, Rodney Mack, Al Snow and Sylvester Terkay. Snow was only released as an active talent, and remained with the company as a trainer in Ohio Valley Wrestling.

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