1963 – In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Verne Gagne defeated The Crusher to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. This victory marked the beginning of Gagne’s sixth reign with the title, further cementing his legacy as the cornerstone of the American Wrestling Association.
1993 – At a taping for ECW Hardcore TV in Philadelphia, the unlikely duo of Kevin Sullivan and The Tazmaniac (Taz) defeated Shane Douglas and Tommy Dreamer to become the new ECW Tag Team Champions.
1998 – WCW Monday Nitro aired live from the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida. The show is legendary for the emotional return of Ric Flair after a three-month absence due to real-life legal disputes with Eric Bischoff. Flair delivered an impassioned promo (“You fire me?! I’m already fired!”) and reunited the Four Horsemen, creating one of the most memorable moments of the Nitro era.
2003 – WWE Armageddon took place at the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando, Florida. This night is best remembered as the peak of the Evolution faction, as they ended the night holding every male championship on the Raw brand.
- Triple H defeated Goldberg and Kane in a Triple Threat match to regain the World Heavyweight Championship.
- Randy Orton defeated Rob Van Dam to win the Intercontinental Championship.
- Batista and Ric Flair won a Tag Team Turmoil match to capture the World Tag Team Championship.
2008 – WWE Armageddon was held at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York. In a career-defining moment, Jeff Hardy finally won “the big one,” defeating Edge and Triple H in a Triple Threat match to win his first WWE Championship.
- Also on the card, John Cena retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Chris Jericho via submission.
2014 – WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs took place in Cleveland, Ohio.
- In the opener, Dolph Ziggler defeated Luke Harper in a Ladder match to win the Intercontinental Championship, a bout widely considered one of the best of the year.
- In the main event, Bray Wyatt defeated Dean Ambrose in a TLC match.
- John Cena defeated Seth Rollins in a Tables match to retain his status as the number one contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
2015 – On Monday Night Raw from Philadelphia, Roman Reigns defeated Sheamus in a “Title vs. Career” match to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The match was made by Mr. McMahon, who stipulated that Reigns would be fired if he failed to win the title.
Notable Wrestling Birthdays:
- Al Costello (1919) – One half of the legendary Fabulous Kangaroos, arguably the most influential tag team in wrestling history.
