Wrestler Yukon Eric, a popular Canadian wrestler who performed throughout North America, died on this date. A former NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Champion and NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion, Eric Holmback was best known for…
Category: 1960s-1970s
World Wrestling Association was formed in Indianapolis by Dick Afflis (Dick the Bruiser) and Wilber Snyder (through their company Championship Wrestling of Indiana, Inc.). Dick the Bruiser served as the company’s first champion and would hold…
The World Wide Wrestling Federation is formed on April 1, 1963. Promoters Vince McMahon, Sr., Toots Mondt and Willie Gilzenberg withdraw their Northeastern promotion, Capitol Wrestling, from the National Wrestling Alliance in response to Lou Thesz gaining a victory to…
Women’s Wrestling was legalized in California on November 19, 1965. By a 3-2 vote, the California Athletic Commission ended a 20 year ban on female wrestlers performing in the state. Aileen Eaton, a west coast…
Verne Gagne is awarded the newly-created American Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight championship. Having withdrawn from the National Wrestling Alliance, the Minnesota-based group of promoters issued a fictitious public challenge to NWA champion Pat O’Connor, and,…
Lou Thesz wins NWA championship, The World Wide Wrestling Federation established, Bruno Sammartino defeats Buddy Rogers for the WWWF belt, Japanese legend Rikidozan stabbed and killed and more.
Indianapolis promoter William Afflis (Dick the Bruiser) and partner Wilber Snyder promote the first World Wrestling Association event in Detroit, Michigan, beginning a two-year promotional war with Michigan wrestling czar (and NWA member) Ed “The…
The Destroyer (Dick Beyer) defeats Japanese great Rikidozan in Osaka, Japan. Rikidozan, who was considered by most to be the father of Japanese Professional Wrestling, was a huge international star and draw. The win, thus…
A mere nine months after the debut of Antonio Inoki’s New Japan Pro Wrestling, Shohei “Giant” Baba establishes All-Japan Pro Wrestling with the support of Nippon Television. In the main event of AJPW’s first show,…
Japanese star Rikidozan defeated former NWA World champion Lou Thesz in the finals of the fourth annual Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance World League Tournament. Rikidozan had won the tournament the previous three years, but defeating an…
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