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Today In Pro Wrestling History

Today In Pro Wrestling History: April 8th

Welcome to the most diverse day of pro wrestling history so far!

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Well now, April 8th is a fairly light day for Mania events. There was some real digging going on here. In typical fashion, this isn’t everything, just things I found and thought were notable history:

  • AJPW Champion Carnival Day 1: Abdullah the Butcher vs Giant Baba (1977)

Some may be confused how a first day tournament match matters, so let me get to it. This is a rematch of the 1976 Finals, one where Abdullah won because the referee disqualified Baba because the match got too intense and Baba wouldn’t relent on Stomps and strikes. That was the first time, since the Carnival started in 1973, that Baba did not win. So this was a continuation of the blood feud. This was a fantastic catalyst match because it ended in a Double Countout, which feeds towards their rematch in the Semi-Finals. Blood, solid brawling, and classic 70s violence kept the fires burning while both men were still legit forces in wrestling.

  • AWA SuperClash IV: World Heavyweight Championship: Mr. Saito (c) vs Larry Zbyszko (1990)

One of the last fleeting moments of a WWF rival. This was the final major event of AWA, and it was a rematch after Zbyszko lost to Saito in Japan. In an attempt to tie significance back to their glory days, Nick Bockwinkel was brought in as Special Guest Referee. While Zbyszko goes over, and the match itself was solid work…it was more an indication of the last few dying gasps of a company that was wrung dry of talent and creative. Bittersweet history.

  • ECW Three Way Dance: Television Championship: 2 Cold Scorpio (c) vs Eddy Guerrero(1995)

Honestly, the only match worth watching and the history comes from the fact it was Eddy’s debut match in ECW. So while he and Scorpio traded victories after this, he came out of the box hot. A really good match, Eddy winning the Television title and dedicating the win to Art Barr aka Love Machine, his former tag team partner who passed away in 1994. This is just another feather in the cap of Eddy being one of the best to ever do it.

  • WWE Raw: Dolph Ziggler Cashes In (2013)

While not on a major event, everyone has seen the clips or watched this live. Dolph coming out after Del Rio manages to overcome Jack Swagger & Zeb Colter. Del Rio getting hope spots with a kick out, timely dodge, Gamengiri and Cross Armbreaker, all played well into the story of Dolph coming up short. But when he didn’t fail, hits the Zig Zag and has a successful cash in, its a huge pop and towards the top of most people’s All Time Cash Ins.

  • WrestleMania 34: Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Stephanie McMahon & Triple H (2018)

As has become something I’ve said a few times, we have to look at the match in a vacuum of the moment and not if the moment sustained the hype. The Authority trying to dictate things to Ronda while embarrassing Kurt was the perfect maelstrom of disrespect, legit players and fan momentum. Ronda was still beloved at this point as well as Kurt. So even if Kurt lost a step or two, the match was paced and built well, everyone played their part well and Ronda tapping out Steph might have been her biggest babyface moment ever. This was fun, and with all the players, how could it not be considered historic?

  • GCW Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 6: Josh Barnett vs Jon Moxley (2021)

The match we had to wait two years for because Mox got a staph infection. This was everything we expect from Bloodsport, violence, blood, legit looking strikes and the show that really blurs lines. Barnett won this one and that makes sense. Mox may be a brawler but Josh is a legit MMA fighter. Moxley did get the win back in 2024, so you’d have to anticipate a rubber match at some point. But Bloodsports are such a great concept and usually good for a couple memorable moments. Can’t wait for more of these to align with article dates.

  • NJPW Sakura Genesis: IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs SANADA (2023)

This is historic because SANADA finally won the damn belt! Granted, it was 5 years too late. The match was still very good, but not as good as many of their previous encounters. SANADA started off with a few solid defenses, his match with Hiromu Takahashi being especially fun, but the reign was marred in the fact that NJPW’s roster was stripped of many real challengers and House of Torture existing in the main event picture is always a negative. So most people were happy that SANADA finally overcame Okada and got the IWGP Championship, and that’s the main celebration of this event. But one can’t overlook the way NJPW stagnated once it became the AEW farm system. More bittersweet history.


I think this was the most diverse article yet with the oldest addition being the 1977 Champion Carnival moment. Hopefully we can get more days with less bittersweet moments and more spectacular fun. But to find out, you’ll have to keep following along.

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!

Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Nefarious Means

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)


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Today In Pro Wrestling History

Today In Pro Wrestling History: April 28th

One really major historical event, one fairly modern re-establishment and some fun stuff sprinkled in between. Get your history!

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A weird group of things, but definitely fairly obvious why they’re on here. We do hit a weird choke point with this article having nothing significant in the last 6 years. Companies really need to start feeling froggy during April, mental gymnastics are exhausting. I should call a congressman or something…

  • WWF In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies (1996)

We’re starting off with the most cut and dry thing I’ve ever put on one of these article, “The Curtain Call”. We all know what that is, and with the KLIQ embracing in the cage at the end, Diesel and Razor heading to WCW, we got the inception of the Monday Night Wars, Attitude Era, peak Millennial and Gen X core memory. The title of the show was even more fitting if you think about the domino effect.

  • CMLL 50th Anniversary De Arena Mexico (2006)

The name nearly speaks for itself, but wait, there’s more. Aside from being the 50th anniversary of the largest arena for Pro Wrestling in Mexico, we saw significance in stories. The rivalry of Perros del Mal and Los Guerreros de la Atlantida hit a pivotal chapter when Ray Bucanero & Tarzan Boy defeated Damian 666 & Mr Aguila in a Lucha de Apuestas Hair vs Hair match. We also saw Mistico & Negro Casas defend their tag titles against Averno & Mephisto, during the huge wave of popularity that Mistico was garnering. The popularity eventually lead him to becoming Sin Cara in WWE and well…remember, not all history is positive, but it’s positively historic.

  • Pro Wrestling NOAH Spring Navigation: GHC Heavyweight Championship: Mitsuharu Misawa (c) vs Takuma Sano (2007)

This was a tenuous period for NOAH since KENTA, Naomichi Marufuji, Go Shiozaki and Taiji Ishimori were still up and coming ready to ascend while Kenta Kobashi was on hiatus after his cancer diagnosis. Misawa was the rock and the founder, so this match was a clash of styles but also a clash of legends. Takuma Sano, used to be known as Naoki Sano, Jushin Thunder Liger’s first and greatest rival. Sano was proficient in more of a Shoot Style from his early NJPW, his UWF-I and Pride experience. Where Misawa was the classic AJPW King’s Road mixed with Junior elements from his Tiger Mask days. A great match, that continued to lay the groundwork for Kobashi’s return and the younger talent taking the reins.

  • WWE King of the Ring (2015)

King of the Ring is a special event for many wrestling fans, so while this one probably had some of the least fanfare and talked about the least, it’s proper to give it flowers. Wade Barrett won the crown and donned the cliche “King” arrogant persona for about a year prior to his retirement. Wade is probably one of the bigger “What Ifs” in WWE history. He can talk, had a look, just too injury prone and well…Corre. But let’s focus on the fact he did etch his name into the legacy of the King of the Ring, at the very least.

  • Impact Wrestling Rebellion (2019)

So this had a lot of memorable content, which is why I couldn’t just pick a match. We saw Gail Kim come out of retirement in a “passing of the torch” to Tessa Blanchard. The Lucha Bros and LAX had a Full Metal Mayhem, which is still heralded as one of the best tag team matches in TNA history and also proved to be the Lucha Bros last match before jumping to AEW. Brian Cage finally got the World title off of Johnny Impact before he was attacked by a debuting Michael Elgin, fresh off a hot NJPW run. Let’s also not overlook this was the inaugural Rebellion, which has become a tent pole PPV for TNA. Impact did a good job sustaining through COVID and it was partially because of their roster, their Twitch presence and the good faith the D’Amore and Callis combo accrued during this year.


Curtain Call, TNA coming out of the darkness, CMLL celebrating a milestone and Wade Barrett existing for more than Bad News and color commentary is all solid history. We just really need more fun stuff in April, someone tell all of wrestling to get cooler in April.

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!

Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Nefarious Means

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)


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Today In Pro Wrestling History

Today In Pro Wrestling History: April 27th

An article filled with history all since 2008! This may be unprecedented so far, check it out!

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Today is definitely a combination of companies I didn’t have on my BINGO card for this series of articles. Also, because I’m lazy and don’t feel like combing through my previous articles, my magical rubber ducky tells me this is the first time NWA has been on the list in their Billy Corgan era. So I believe the duck, now let’s see the list!

  • NJPW Circuit 2008 New Japan Brave: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs Keiji Mutoh (2008)

This was a turning point in New Japan, Shinsuke was the Super Rookie who just unified the new 4th Belt and the third belt after defeating Kurt Angle. Mutoh was the sitting president of AJPW, and this began the AJPW and NJPW rivalry angle that played through a few Wrestle Kingdoms and allowed for Tanahashi to eventually win back the title and begin the Tanahashi era that many of us know and love for 18 years.

  • TNA Sacrifice (2014)

This was the last monthly Sacrifice for 6 years when TNA went into their quarterly PPV era and then into the dark period once they were bouncing around Destination America and Pop TV. The Wolves won their second tag team title in a 2 on 3 Handicap match against the BroMans. We also saw another defense from Eric Young who was in the midst of his own parallel underdog Daniel Bryan-esque storyline.

  • WWE Greatest Royal Rumble (2018)

Even if people don’t care for this history, there was still a lot of moments. Daniel Bryan’s endurance record, Braun Strowman’s elimination record (at the time) and of course the largest royal rumble ever. The whole Saudi arrangement is a sticking point for many, but the fact that it counts as history can’t be avoided.

  • NWA The Crockett Cup (2019)

Billy Corgan’s NWA revived the Crockett Cup, and this was when they still had a lot of good faith from the wrestling fans. Villain Inc won this tournament, and remember it was before Marty’s scandal, so everything was looking up. We even got a showing from the Rock ‘n Roll Express and the Briscoes. While the ring work wasn’t overly significant, and many were annoyed with the Briscoes getting screwed, it’s still historic to revive a beloved tournament after 31 years.

  • STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom (2024)

This was the first flagship event after the departure of Rossy Ogawa. The Taro Okada era began officially with a bang. Maika vs Momo Watanabe was the first ever 3 Stages of Hell match. Aja Kong made her Stardom debut. Sareee and Mayu Iwatani had a great match for the IWGP Women’s Title about a year after Sareee was released from NXT purgatory. And the most notable (for Joshi fans) was the “thawing” of the Ice Ribbon, when Tsukasa Fujimoto appeared to challenge Mayu. Ice Ribbon and Stardom have never collaborated before, so this was a big moment. Turning points and thawing tensions are always good for history.

  • TNA Rebellion (2025)

Many overlapping things helped to make this event noteworthy. The NXT involvement was pretty high on this show, where we saw Joe Hendry defend the TNA World Championship against Ethan Page and Frankie Kazarian, capped off with Trick Williams showing up at the end to lay out Hendry and stake his claim. Mustafa Ali and Mike Santana had a great match that went across the entire arena. The Nemeth Brothers defeated The Hardyz for the tag team titles, and lastly, Indi Hartwell debuted for TNA. Things have been on the rise for TNA since this event, so it deserves a little historical credit.


TNA with a bittersweet historic show and a good one helping them turn a corner. New Japan and Stardom both get pivotal shows that helped usher in a new era, WWE also ushering in a new era…too a mixed reception (I’m being generous), and NWA revived a wrasslin classic. Again, not exactly a list of companies I thought would ever occupy an article together, but I’m not too mad.

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!

Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Nefarious Means

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)


Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand


Powered by RedCircle


Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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