1884 – In a highly publicized 19th-century encounter, William Muldoon defeated J.H. McLaughlin in St. Louis, Missouri. The match was a “mixed styles” contest consisting of five bouts (falls), with Muldoon winning three of them to claim the victory and a $500 prize.
1963 – The legendary Rikidōzan (Mitsuhiro Momota), considered the “Father of Puroresu” in Japan, died at the age of 39. His death came one week after being stabbed by a member of the Yakuza in a Tokyo nightclub, a tragedy that forever altered the landscape of Japanese professional wrestling.
1996 – WWF In Your House 12: It’s Time took place in West Palm Beach, Florida. In the main event, Sycho Sid retained the WWF Championship against Bret Hart after interference from Shawn Michaels and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
- Earlier in the show, Marc Mero defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley via count-out in an Intercontinental Championship match.
2002 – WWE Armageddon was held at the Office Depot Center in Sunrise, Florida. The event is best remembered for the brutal “Three Stages of Hell” match (Street Fight, Steel Cage, Ladder Match) where Triple H defeated Shawn Michaels to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
- In another major title change, Kurt Angle defeated The Big Show to win the WWE Championship with help from Brock Lesnar.
2013 – WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs took place in Houston, Texas. In a historic main event to unify the titles, WWE Champion Randy Orton defeated World Heavyweight Champion John Cena in a TLC match, becoming the first “WWE World Heavyweight Champion.”
- Also on the card, The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan) defeated Daniel Bryan in a 3-on-1 handicap match.
2019 – WWE TLC was held at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The main event saw The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) defeat Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair in a TLC match to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championship.
- King Corbin defeated Roman Reigns in a TLC match after interference from Dolph Ziggler and The Revival.
- Bray Wyatt defeated The Miz in a non-title match, notable for the post-match return of Daniel Bryan with a new look (short hair and beard).
Notable Wrestling Birthdays:
- René Duprée (1983) – A 2nd generation star and the youngest champion in WWE history (winning the World Tag Team Title at age 19).
- Eric Young (1979) – A versatile veteran known for his time in TNA/Impact Wrestling, where he became a Grand Slam Champion.
- Dakota Kai (1988) – The New Zealand-born star and former member of Damage CTRL, known for her powerful kicks and tag team success.
