Today In Pro Wrestling History: April 15th

You know, thankfully April is also normally Champion Carnival month. So even when there’s no Manias to come out an play, the Carnival is around, and I feel like this is gonna be a weird day. Let’s see what was found!

• Champion Carnival: Akira Taue vs Mitsuharu Misawa (1995)

This was the finals match after the brutal Kawada vs Misawa match that was highlighted previously. Kawada broke Misawa’s orbital bone, and Taue did some of his best heel work going after it. Taue had the size advantage and Misawa was injured, so the full blown babyface underdog energy was palpable. In a fantastic match, Misawa overcomes the odds and wins his very first Champion Carnival! After failing against Stan Hansen in ’92 & ’93, Misawa finally won the trophy.

• ECW Hostile City Showdown: Cactus Jack vs Terry Funk (1995)

This match was yet another chapter in the hardcore war saga between the Funker and Cactus. Be it in IWA Japan, Bridge of Dreams or ECW, these two found ways to either work together or try to kill each other. The match was a spectacle with interference for both men, weapons galore and even a post match brawl. While Cactus won the match, fans of wrestling got yet another treat between two legends.

• Champion Carnival: Takao Omori vs Kenta Kobashi (2000)

It’s only fitting that an article with a solid amount of Misawa would also need some Kobashi. Those two are considered the top of the Puro Legends list. And thankfully, in the last year he could win, since he left AJPW with Misawa for the NOAH exodus. Kobashi FINALLY won the Champion Carnival. After competing in 10 straight, making 3 finals, this year, was finally his year.

• Pro Wrestling NOAH Navigation for the Victory: Inaugural GHC Heavyweight Championship: Yoshihiro Takayama vs Mitsuharu Misawa (2001)

Misawa making a lot of history that also had allusions in past articles. After overcoming the restart with Akiyama, Takayama was looking to take Misawa’s head off. Takayama is well known for his clip of him and Don Frye just punching each other in the face repeatedly for like two minutes. That PRIDE fight, actually happened after this match. This was a solid match filled with Misawa Elbows and the Emerald Flowsion, for the poetic inaugural champion to be the man who left AJPW to bet on himself, just like Giant Baba did with AJPW when he left JWA.

• TNA Lockdown: TNA World Championship: Bobby Roode (c) vs James Storm (2012)

The break up of Beer Money was arguably a bigger deal than the break of America’s Most Wanted (plus there wasn’t a dumb blind fold match). Bobby Roode being jealous of James Storm, so he cracked him with his own beer bottle to win the title off of him. Lockdown was in Nashville this year, it was the hometown blue collar cowboy against the rich selfish backstabbing piece of…well you get it. A surprisingly clever finish caused James to connect on the Last Call Superkick, but the kick propelled Bobby out of the cage door and to the floor. So, because Bobby’s feet were outside, he retained his title. Great match, great rivalry, and still around the height of TNA’s popularity.

• NJPW Capital Collison: NJPW Strong Tag Titles: Motor City Machine Guns (c) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada vs Aussie Open (2023)

There was a lot to consider history here. Tanahashi and Okada had their short lived Mega Powers moment, which was a big deal given their impact on the pro wrestling landscape the last decade. Aussie Open were the hot newer tag team at the time with a few run ins with The Guns. After some posturing, the 3 Way became a thing and Aussie Open got one hell of a feather in their cap with this win. Aussie Open were also IWGP Tag Team Champions, so this cemented reasons why they were signed to AEW a month later.

Two of the most fabled Pillars of Heaven, TNA, ECW and a little bit of modern everything with the Strong match. While WWE fans won’t care about this, I just find it neat that you can’t have significant Misawa history with Kobashi, and vice versa. Rivals even over the calendar.

Which significant events did I miss? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments. And if you don’t do anything else today, remember, Always Use Your Head!