This Day in Pro Wrestling History

[Baby Shoes]

I feel like we are getting anniversaries of big moments frequently now. The stretch is even moreso since it is Wrestlemania season. Rather than going in the general talk, Twitter or Old School threads, felt this could be its own thread.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1376576028294836225

 

[Valeyard]

Hogan struggling to hook the leg because Andre was just that heavy and thus making the slam cooler is good stuff.

 

[alfdogg]

Was this cool or what?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1376859250811674625

 

[Dandy]

I was there.

 

[Laz]

Ah, Vince McMahon's ladder leg drop...the memories

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1377109648277405697

Still a Top 5 GOAT WrestleMania intro

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1377595396218839044

20 Year Anniversary of the last night of the '90s boom era (and the GOAT WrestleMania)

 

[strummer]

Mick Foley debuted in WWE 25 years ago today

 

[BruiserBrody]

ROH Supercard of Honor IV at George R. Brown Convention Center wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Kamala and Bushwacker Luke in Ring of Honor!

WWE WrestleMania 21 at Crypto.com Arena (fka Staples Center) wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Batista vs HHH, the Cena Curse begins, Orton makes us believe they might put him over Taker, Shawn and Kurt go wild, etc

ECW CyberSlam '99 at 2300 Arena (AKA ECW Arena/Asylum Arena/New Alhambra Arena/Viking Arena) wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

The Triple Threat explodes!

WWF Monday Night Raw Taping at Majed J. Nesheiwat Convention Center (fka Mid-Hudson Civic Center) wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

A fun looking 6 man headlines RAW, plus Shrinkers of heads, and Adam Bomb and Tatanka sleepwalk through a match!

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1378972672969826309

WWE WrestleMania XXV at NRG Stadium (AKA Reliant Stadium) wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Ricky Steamboat makes an impression vs Jericho. JBL retires, HHH batters Orton. HBK vs Taker.

WCW Nitro at MGM Grand Garden Arena wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Nitro is headlined by Flair facing DDP, Goldberg, and Hogan

WWF WrestleMania VIII at Hoosier Dome wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

A tremendous Wrestlemania...well at least half of one.....

 

[strummer]

DDP turns 65(!) years old today.

Meaning he was 40/41 when he got his first real push in wrestling

 

[Gert]

One of the more amazing career arcs that there is. He really busted his ass to go from becoming a manager and borderline job guy to World Champion multiple times.

 

[Dandy]

Yeah, and 100% deserving of that run too. He busted his ass on his body and in the ring. He was crazy over with his Diamondcutter and “People’s Champ” gimmick.

Plus he had those bandaged ribs for 17 years while he wrestled.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Yeah, and 100% deserving of that run too. He busted his ass on his body and in the ring. He was crazy over with his Diamondcutter and “People’s Champ” gimmick.

Plus he had those bandaged ribs for 17 years while he wrestled.

If I can remember our feelings at the time, I think WCW missed the peak of DDP's overness and by this point a lot of people just saw it as a token run for Eric's buddy. This was the beginning of a ping pong of champions with Nash-Savage-Hogan all grabbing it over the next few months. Post-Finger Poke of Doom, Post NWO angle just....ending....with Hogan going out with a knee injury. WCW was entering into a shitty summer period.
The Spring Stampede show itself did excellent at the gate.

 

[King Kamala]

If Goldberg hadn't randomly caught fire, I'm guessing DDP probably would have gotten a transitional title reign in second half of '98, as a reward for helping them with all of the dumb celebrity BS.

 

[BruiserBrody]

If Goldberg hadn't randomly caught fire, I'm guessing DDP probably would have gotten a transitional title reign in second half of '98, as a reward for helping them with all of the dumb celebrity BS.

I guess DDP was trying to get new guys over even in mid 99 as he stepped out of the main event mix to elevate Kanyon in the Jersey Triad team.

New being a subjective term since Kanyon had been there since 1995 under various gimmicks.

 

[Laz]

Bada BING
Bada BOOM
Bada BANG

 

[BruiserBrody]

Looks like a slow news day.

Pampero Firpo was born in 1930.

WWF MSG Show (Apr '81) at Madison Square Garden wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Backlund vs Hansen at MSG

WWE WrestleMania XXX at Mercedes-Benz Superdome (AKA Louisiana Superdome) wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

The Streak ends and Daniel Bryan has his big night.

 

[BruiserBrody]

WRESTLEMANIA 2: WHAT THE WORLD IS COMING TO!!!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1379646364036964355

WWE WrestleMania 35 at MetLife Stadium wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Ronda Rousey gives Becky Lynch the baton, Batista bows out, KOFIMANIA. Kurt Angle retires

WWE WrestleMania 29 at MetLife Stadium wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Fandango inexplicably beats Y2J, Tea Party Jack Swagger faces Alberto Del Rio, HHH THE GAME THE KING OF KINGS THE CEREBRAL ASSASSIN outmuscles Bork. The Rock puts over Cena, Taker punks CM.

WWF Monday Night Raw at Worthen Arena wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Hard to tell from the results alone, but a damn fun edition of RAW aired in 1997.

WCW Nitro at Von Braun Center wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

WCW blinked first and took a secondary title off their young ethnic star

SMW Bluegrass Brawl III at Pikeville College Gym wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

The Undertaker fought the Gangstas in front of Hillbillies.

WWF Wrestling Challenge Taping #293 at Sports Arena wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Papa Shango bested a rapist.

WWF Wrestling Challenge Taping #294 at Sports Arena wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

The Repo Man hung the British Bulldog.

 

[BruiserBrody]

WWE WrestleMania 34 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome (AKA Louisiana Superdome) wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Cena lost to Taker in a shitty built match with a even worse payoff, D-Bry was saddled with the bosses kid, Ronda stole the show and Brock upset(?) Roman.

http://www.profightdb.com/cards/wwe/monday-night-raw-16936.html

2 Hall of Famers teamed with an AEW exec to lose to a fat guy

WWF Monday Night Raw at America West Arena wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Stone Cold in a WM rematch I have zero recall of.

WWF Superstars of Wrestling Taping #290 at Wings Stadium wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Money Inc beat the Rock and Roll Stallions

WWF Superstars of Wrestling Taping #291 at Wings Stadium wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

A day after the Bulldog was hung, the Undertaker was nearly impaled. (IIRC)

WWF Superstars of Wrestling Taping #292 at Wings Stadium wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

The Warrior joined PETA

AWA SuperClash IV at St. Paul Civic Center wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Larryland reopened for business.

 

[Epic Springs]

WWF Monday Night Raw at America West Arena wrestling results - Internet Wrestling Database

Stone Cold in a WM rematch I have zero recall of.

Pretty sure this was Hall's last TV appearance in 2002 before getting fired.

EDIT - Just looked it up and it looks like the May 6th Raw was Hall's last appearance.

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1380008727462477825

No idea there was a (televised) rematch. This was some show where Bret and Andre had their once thought to be lost, only singles match.

 

[Valeyard]

They had to get in touch with Monsoon Classic for that Andre/Bret match. Cruelest of ironies. Miss that channel.

 

[King Kamala]

Happy to report that Former TSM Wrestling Folder Contributor Monsoon Classic recently returned to Twitter!

 

[Valeyard]

YES. Step one.

 

[Dandy]

Get him back here.

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1380210857821487113

8 years ago today...most of us actually liked Dolph Ziggler!

 

[Baby Shoes]

I loved Ziggler going into this and still held out hope even into 2016. Just everything after 2016 felt so stale.

 

[King Kamala]

Weird thing is I'm not even sure if he had a "jump the shark" moment. Closest I can think is when he became #1 Contender for the World Title before SummerSlam 2016 and the IWC collectively had a "Dolph Ziggler? Really!?" reaction. But even then, he had that really good Intercontinental Title feud with Miz afterward.

I think maybe thing is that Ziggler & Miz was Dolph Ziggler trying to prove he wasn't an idiot who kept making the mistakes then afterward, he didn't really change his character much at all. It's like Miz was proved right. "Oh Dolph Ziggler is just a dumb showoff and always chokes when it counts."

 

[Laz]

I think maybe thing is that Ziggler & Miz was Dolph Ziggler trying to prove he wasn't an idiot who kept making the mistakes then afterward, he didn't really change his character much at all. It's like Miz was proved right. "Oh Dolph Ziggler is just a dumb showoff and always chokes when it counts."

I was listening to the latest This Guy Are Sick wrestling episode, and the hosts explained why Rock/HHH was able to happen so many times between 1997 and 2000 and remained so fresh. It was all because of how different they were, as characters, each time they feuded. Dolph hasn't changed as a character since debuting.