PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

On this day in history in ....

1942 - Tarzan Lopez defeats Black Guzman in Mexico City, Mexico to win the NWA World Middleweight Title. 

1944 - Rolland Kirchmeyer is recognized as the first NWA Florida Champion.  He would lose the belt 15 days later to Ed "Strangler" Lewis, who would hold it for two years before losing it back to Kirchmeyer. 

1969 - Dory Funk, Jr. defeats Gene Kiniski in Tampa, Florida for the NWA World Heavyweight Title. Funk would go on to hold the title for over four years before losing it to Harley Race.

1970 - WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino & Gorilla Monsoon defeated Ernie Ladd & Waldo Von Erich in a Texas Death Match in Boston, Massachusetts with boxing greats Tony Galento & Tom McNeeley as special referees.

1972 - Seiji Sakaguchi defeats King Krow in Los Angeles, California to win the NWA United National Heavyweight Title.  That belt is now part of the All Japan Triple Crown. 

1983 - Giant Baba defeats Harley Race in St. Louis, Missouri for the Pacific Wrestling Federation World Heavyweight Title, starting his third reign as champion.  That belt is now part of the All Japan Triple Crown. 

1983 - WWF World Champion Bob Backlund defeats Intercontinental Champion Magnificent Muraco in a Texas Death Match in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Only the WWF World Title was on the line.

1984 - Tito Santana defeats the Magnificent Muraco with a sunset flip for the WWF Intercontinental Title in Boston, Massachusetts, ending Muraco's second title reign.

1996 - WCW held SuperBrawl VI at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. Here are the results from the show:
- The Road Warriors defeated Dick Slater & Bunkhouse Buck. This match was aired on "The Main Event" on TBS before the PPV began.
- Hugh Morrus defeated Chris Kanyon. This match was aired on "The Main Event" on TBS before the PPV began.
- Big Bubba Rogers & VK Wallstreet defeated Joey Maggs & Sgt. Craig Pittman. This match was aired on "The Main Event" on TBS before the PPV began.
- Hacksaw Duggan defeated Lock Ness by disqualification. This match was aired on "The Main Event" on TBS before the PPV began.
- The Nasty Boys defeated The Public Enemy in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
- Television Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page.
- World Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated Harlem Heat.
- United States Champion Konnan defeated One Man Gang.
- Kevin Sullivan defeated Brian Pillman in a strap match in which the winner could only be declared when the other wrestler said "I respect you". After a minute of fighting, Pillman suddenly stopped, took the mic and said "I respect you, Bookerman" and walked out. This was part of Brian Pillman's shoot-work in WCW to establish him as a "loose cannon", referring to Sullivan's real-life position as booker in WCW, and then walking out of the match. Arn Anderson came out and took Pillman's place in the match, but after a few minutes, Ric Flair came out and convinced the Anderson and Sullivan to stop fighting.
- World Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated The Road Warriors.
- Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage in a steel cage match to win the WCW World Title, ending Savage's second title reign, and beginning Flair's seventeenth World title reign (depending on which records you believe).
- Hulk Hogan defeated The Giant (Big Show) in a steel cage match.

2001 - Mima Shimoda defeats Yoshiko Tamura for the NWA Pacific Women's Title in Tokyo, Japan.

2010 - Vince McMahon announces during a WWE investor conference call that, after 23 years, WWE would be dropping the "Survivor Series" name, the second longest running WWE PPV title in the history of the company.  After being asked about Survivor Series being the only PPV in the fourth quarter of 2009 to show a decrease in buys from the previous year, Vince stated: 

"We think that Survivor Series is obsolete, as far as that title is concerned.  It was something that worked many, many years ago, in terms of a creative standpoint, various teams competing.  That really is not advantageous as the consumer now looks as what actually they are buying.  And it's such a broad ... Survivor Series yes, many years ago, was one of the original four pay-per-views, but it's outlasted its usage and it is one of the things in terms of rebranding, this year and going forward, that will be rebranded.  No longer will we have that title, Survivor Series."

Vince would later rescind this decision, and in a funny twist the Survivor Series would end up being the only PPV event in the fourth quarter of 2010 to show an increase in PPV buys over the previous year.  

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet