This Day In Wrestling History: December 9th

Another fun fact filled day! Today we are highlighted by several title changes, including the unification of the WCW and WWE Championship and a Tribute to the Troops which heralded the return of Daniel Bryan.

Born On This Day

• 1959 – Doug Furnas
• 1964 – Steve Doll
• 1968 – Kurt Steven Angle

This Day In Wrestling History

1974 – Jack Brisco defeated Giant Baba to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

1986 – Ronnie Garvin & Barry Windham defeat Ivan Koloff & Krusher Khrushchev in Spartansburg, South Carolina to win the NWA United States Tag Team Championship.

1988 – Tatsumi Fujinami defeats Kerry Von Erich for the World Class Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan when Von Erich cannot continue due to blood loss. However, Fujinami refused to accept the belt, and returned the championship to Von Erich the next day.

1991 – Atsushi Onita & Tarzan Goto defeat Gregory Veritchev & Koba Krutanize in the finals of a tournament to win the FMW-based WWA World Martial Arts Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.

1995 – Tarzan Goto & Mr. Gannosuke defeat Cactus Jack & Tiger Jeet Singh in the finals of a tournament in Saitama, Japan to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which was being revived by the IWA promotion. However, the belts would be vacated when Goto & Gannosuke left the promotion.

1995 – ECW held their “December To Dismember” event at the ECW Arena in South Philadelphia, Pennsulvania. The show was headlined by an “Ultimate Jeopardy” cage match, but the big news out of the event was The Sandman winning the ECW World Heavyweight Title by defeating Steve Austin and Mikey Whipwreck in a Three Way Dance.

1997 – Bull Pain defeats Paul Diamond in Louisville, Kentucky to become IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion for the fourth time. The belt had been held up after a match between champion Pain and challenger Diamond ended in a double pin on November 11th. On the same show, Chip Fairway defeats Cash Flo to win the IWA Mid-South Television Title.

2001 – Two championships changed hands on the Pro Wrestling Noah event in Tokyo, Japan. Yoshihiro Takayama & Takao Omori defeat Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa to win the Global Honored Crown Tag Team Title, while Naomichi Marufuji defeats Tatsuhito Takaiwa for the Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Title.

2001 – WWE held their first Vengeance Pay-per-view in San Diego, California, headlined by Chris Jericho winning a mini-tournament to become the “Undisputed” World Champion.

• In a preshow Sunday Night Heat match, The Acolyte Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) defeated Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo.
• Albert & Scotty 2 Hotty defeated Christian & Test.
• Edge defeated William Regal to retain the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
• Jeff Hardy defeated Matt Hardy. Lita was the special referee.
• The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) defeated Kane & The Big Show to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
• The Undertaker defeated Rob Van Dam to win the WWF Hardcore Championship.
• Trish Stratus defeated Jacqueline to retain the WWF Women’s Championship.
• Steve Austin defeated Kurt Angle to retain the WWF Championship.
• Chris Jericho defeated The Rock to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
• Chris Jericho defeated Steve Austin to unify the WWF and World Heavyweight Championships and become the first WWF Undisputed Champion.

2004 –  Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

2007 – Former NWA champion Ron Killings announced he had left TNA.  Killings would later sign with WWE as R-Truth.

2008 – PWInsider.com broke word that WWE Diva Victoria was preparing to retire and leave the company.  After she did, she later returned to the business and now wrestles as Tara for TNA.

2009 – ESPN‘s website featured an article on concussions in professional wrestling, using the death of Andrew “Test” Martin as the focus.

2010 –  At an Impact taping at Universal Orlando, Angelina Love and Winter defeated Madison Rayne and Tara in a tournament final to win the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship.

2012 – TNA presented Final Resolution from the Impact Zone at Universal Orlando.

• James Storm defeated Kazarian.
• Rob Van Dam defeated Kenny King to retain the TNA X-Division Championship.
• Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez defeated Joey Ryan & Matt Morgan by disqualification to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
• Austin Aries defeated Bully Ray.
• Tara defeated Mickie James to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship.
• Garett Bischoff, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe & Wes Brisco defeated Aces & Eights (Devon & DOC, and two players to be named later).
• Christopher Daniels defeated AJ Styles.
• Jeff Hardy defeated Bobby Roode to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

2013 – The Slammy Awards were presented on a special edition of RAW from Seattle, Washington.

• “What A Maneuver” of the Year: Roman Reigns’ Spear
• Faction of the Year: The Shield
• “You Still Got It” of the Year (Best Return): Goldust
• Couple of the Year: Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella
• Tag Team of the Year: Cody Rhodes and Goldust
• Feat of Strength of the Year: Mark Henry pulls two trucks with his bare hands
• “Say What?” of the Year (Best Quote): Dusty Rhodes for “One stipulation: I’m in my boys’ corner and I’ll be your huckleberry all night long.”
• Best Dance Moves of the Year: The Funkadactyls
• Favorite Web Show: The JBL and Cole Show
• Best Crowd of the Year: Smarkamania 2 (East Rutherford, NJ)
• Catchphrase of the Year: Daniel Bryan’s “YES! YES! YES!”
• Trending Now Hashtag of the Year: The Shield’s #BelieveInTheShield
• “This is awesome!” Moment of the Year: Big Show knocks out Triple H on RAW
• Breakout Star of the Year: The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns)
• Beard of the Year: Daniel Bryan
• LOL Moment of the Year: The Rock Concert on the January 14 RAW 20^th Anniversary Special
• Double Cross of the Year: Shawn Michaels costs Daniel Bryan the WWE Championship at Hell in a Cell
• Diva of the Year: The Bella Twins
• Superstar of the Year: Daniel Bryan
• Fan Participation of the Year: YES! YES! YES!
• Insult of the Year: Stephanie McMahon insults Big Show
• Extreme Moment of the Year: CM Punk’s vengeance on Paul Heyman at Hell in a Cell
• Match of the Year: John Cena vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 29

2014 – WWE presented Tribute to the Troops  from the Columbus Civic Center in Columbus, Georgia. Daniel Bryan made his first appearance on WWE programming since forfeiting the WWE Championship in June.

Died On This Day

• 2017 – Thomas Erwin Zenk