TWIWH: April 16 – April 22

Written by Cory Morrow

A few notable events from This Week In Wrestling History:

Apr 16, 1937 – George “The Animal” Steele was born William Myers in Detroit, Michigan.

Apr 16, 1968 – Vickie Guerrero was born in El Paso, Texas.

Apr 16, 1980 – Paul London was born in Austin, Texas.

Apr 16, 2000 – ECW held Wrestlepalooza 2000 in St. Charles, Missouri. In the main event, the team of Tommy Dreamer, New Jack, The Sandman and Dusty Rhodes defeated the team of Rhino, Jack Victory, Steve Corino and Tajiri in a 4 on 4 Street Fight.

Apr 16, 1962 – Korakuen Hall was built in Tokyo. In the world of pro wrestling, it is considered the Madison Square Garden of Japan.

Apr 17, 1954 – “Rowdy” Roddy Piper was born Roderick George Toombs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Apr 17, 1994 – WCW held the first Spring Stampede in Rosemont, Illinois. In the main event, WCW Champion Ric Flair wrestled Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat to a draw, after a controversial double pin count.

Apr 18, 1990 – Patriarch of the world famous Guerrero wrestling family Gory Guerrero passed away at the age of 69, due to complications stemming from hepatitis.

Apr 18, 2002 – Wahoo McDaniel passed away at the age of 63 from complications with diabetes.

Apr 19, 1998 – Spring Stampede 1998 took place in Denver, Colorado. In the main event, “Macho Man” Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Sting in a No Disqualification Match to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

Apr 20, 1986 – “For his willingness to take on all the villains of pro wrestling,” Minnesota proclaimed Sunday April 20, 1986, “Verne Gagne Day”.

Apr 20, 1986 – AWA held it’s infamous WrestleRock show in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the shows main event, The Road Warriors defeated The Fabulous Freebirds in a Steel Cage Match.

Apr 20, 1996 – ECW held Hostile City Showdown at the ECW Arena. In the main event, Raven defended his ECW Championship against Shane Douglas.

Apr 20, 1999 – Rick Rude passed away at the age of 40 after suffering and overdose.

Apr 21, 1985 – Jay Lethal was born Jamar Shipman in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Apr 21, 2002 – WWE held Backlash ’02 in Kansas City, Missouri. In the main event, Hulk Hogan defeated Triple H for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Apr 22, 1978 – Ezekiel Jackson was born Rycklon Stephens in Linden, Guyana.

Sources: multiple websites

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TWIWH: April 9 – April 15

Written by Cory Morrow

A few notable events from This Week In Wrestling History:

Apr 9, 1917 – Joe Stecher forfeits the World championship to Earl Caddock after refusing to finish a match in Omaha, NE. Caddock would go on to serve in the US Infantry during World War I, while Stecher would serve in the Navy. The World Title would lay vacant for much of the Great War.

Apr 10, 1925 – John Angelo Poffo, father of “Macho Man” Randy Savage, was born in Downers Green, Illinois.

Apr 10, 1954 – William Alvin Moody, better know by the moniker Paul Bearer, was born in Mobile, Alabama.

Apr 10, 1984 – The origins of modern shoot-style pro wrestling can arguably be traced back to this date, when a group of pro wrestlers led by Akira Maeda formed the UWF (Universal Wrestling Federation). A couple of months after that, Satoru Sayama, who had already gained immense success as the original Tiger Mask in New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Kazuo Yamazaki also joined the newly formed UWF.

Apr 11, 1943 – Harley Race was born in Quitman, Missouri.

Apr 11, 1969 – Virgil Runnels III, better known to most fans as Goldust, was born in Austin, Texas.

Apr 11, 1999 – WCW held Spring Stampede ’99 in Tacoma, Washington. In the main event, Diamond Dallas Page defeated Hulk Hogan, Sting and Ric Flair in a Four Corners Match for the WCW Championship.

Apr 13, 1927 – Antonino Rocca was born Antonino Biasetton in Treviso, Italy.

Apr 13, 1990 – Hulk Hogan defeated Stan Hansen on a huge New Japan Pro Wrestling vs All Japan Pro Wrestling show.

Apr 13, 1997 – ECW held its very first PPV, Barely Legal, at the ECW Arena. In the double main event, Terry Funk defeated The Sandman and Stevie Richards in a Three Way Dance, then immediately went on to capture the ECW Championship from Raven.

Apr 14, 1967 – Jeff Jarrett was born in Nashville, Tennessee.

Apr 14, 1975 – Lita was born Amy Dumas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Apr 15, 1925 – Stanislaus Zbyszko was allegedly scripted to lose to Wayne Munn in Philadelphia, but was too proud to allow Munn to defeat him, resulting in a shoot – and, from Munn’s standpoint at least, a screwjob – giving the 47 year old veteran a World Title win.

Apr 15, 1978 – Austin Aries was born Daniel Solwold in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Apr 15, 2007 – TNA held the third annual Lockdown in St. Charles, Missouri. In the main event, the team of Sting, Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, Rhino and Samoa Joe defeated the team of AJ Styles, Abyss, Christian, Tomko and Scott Steiner in a Lethal Lockdown Match.

It was the final TNA PPV to officially feature National Wrestling Alliance Championships. It also holds the record for the largest attendance for any TNA PPV.

Sources: multiple websites

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TWIWH: April 2 – April 8

Written by Cory Morrow

A few notable events from This Week In Wrestling History:

Apr 2, 1889 – Frank Gotch makes his wrestling debut.

Apr 2, 1989 – WrestleMania V took place for the second straight year at the Trump Plaza, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The main event saw Hulk Hogan defeat Randy Savage for the WWF Championship.

Apr 2, 1995 – WWF held WrestleMania XI in Hartford, Connecticut. In the main event, NFL star Lawrence Taylor defeated Bam Bam Bigelow.

Apr 2, 2000 – WWF held WrestleMania 2000 in Anaheim, California. In the main event, Triple H defended his WWF championship in a Fatal Fourway Match against The Rock, Mick Foley and The Big Show.

April 2, 2006 – WWE held WrestleMania 22 in Chicago, Illinois. In the shows finale, John Cena defended the WWE Championship against Triple H.

Apr 3, 1908 – Frank Gotch pulls off his historic victory over George Hackenschmidt. The outcome was considered virtually impossible at the time, and changed the style of pro wrestling from the slower, classic Greco-Roman style to the more wide-open catch style.

April 3, 1969 – Lance Storm was born Lance Evers in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

April 3, 2005 – WWE held WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles, California. In the shows main event, Batista defeated Triple H to capture his first World Heavyweight Championship.

Apr 4, 1915 – “Jess” McMahon, Grandfather of Vince McMahon Jr., promotes a boxing “extravaganza” in Havana, Cuba.

Apr 4, 1993 – WWF held WrestleMania IX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the main event, Hulk Hogan took the WWF Championship from Yokozuna, just moments after the behemoth had bested Bret Hart for the Title.

April 4, 2001 – HHG Corporation, parent company of ECW, filed for bankruptcy.

Apr 5, 1956 – “Diamond” Dallas Page was born Page Falkinburn in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.

Apr 5, 1982 – Comedian Andy Kaufman and Jerry “The King” Lawler met in a match at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, TN – which saw Lawler pile-drive the comic straight into the hospital with an “injured cervical vertebrae”. This of course, would all be revealed as a work decades later.

Apr 5, 1992 – WWF held WrestleMania VIII in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the shows main event, Hulk Hogan defeated Sid Justice by DQ, after an interference by Papa Shango .

April 6, 1937 – High Chief Fanene “Peter” Maivia was born in American Samoa.

Apr 6, 1997 – WCW held Spring Stampede in Tulepo, Mississippi. In the main event, “Diamond” Dallas Page defeated Randy Savage in a No DQ Match.

Apr 7, 1986 – WWF held WrestleMania 2 from 3 seperate locations; Uniondale, New York; Rosemont, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. The show was headlined by Hulk Hogan defending his WWF Championship against King Kong Bundy in a Steel Cage Match.

Apr 8, 1995 – Paul Heyman publicly fired Sabu from ECW, after he opted to work a New Japan Pro Wrestling event overseas for more money, rather than honor a verbal commitment to work in the main event at the ECW Arena that same night.

Sources: multiple websites

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PW 24/7 Presents: WrestleMania XXVIII Think Tank – LIVE Following the PPV!

Written by Cory Morrow

When the bright lights of Wrestlemania XXVIII go off the air this Sunday, join us LIVE as we bring you the WrestleMania XVIII Think Tank!

Immediately following the big event, log onto PW24/7Radio.com and join representatives from every show in the diverse PW 24/7 Radio family, as they break down the entire show from top to bottom with YOU, the fans!!

We’ll also be giving away some really fun prizes – including a WrestleMania throwback t-shirt for the caller with the best “Macho Man” Randy Savage impression! So start practicing your favorite Savage promo now for a chance to win!

Contact the LIVE “Think Tank” on Skype @ PWR247

By phone at (702) 605-0247

Or join the worldwide interactive discussions in the PW 24/7 chat!

That’s LIVE and FREE, this Sunday night RIGHT AFTER WRESTLEMANIA XXVIII, on PW 24/7 Radio!

www.PW247Radio.com
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TWIWH: April 16 – April 22

TWIWH: April 9 – April 15

TWIWH: April 2 – April 8

PW 24/7 Presents: WrestleMania XXVIII Think Tank – LIVE Following the PPV!

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