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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: RHODES VS. GRAHAM SELLS OUT MSG, KENNEL FROM HELL, WWE SAYS GOODBYE TO SPIKETV

By Buck Woodward on 2008-09-26 08:00:00

September 26th

On this day in history in ....

1885 - William Miller defeats Clarence Royal in what is believed to be the first ever professional wrestling match in Australia, held at the Royal Theatre in Melbourne.

1935 - CMLL holds their second anniversary show at Arena Mexico in Mexico City, headlined by Carlos Meza defeating Sammy Levine.

1949 - Danny Dusek defeats Pedro Godoy in a tournament final in Tampa, Florida to win the NWA Southern Heavyweight Title.

1952 - El Santo defeats Bobby Bonales to win the NWA World Welterweight Title for the second time in his career.

1977 - Dusty Rhodes defeats WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via countout at New York's Madison Square Garden.  The grudge match between the two rivals not only sold out the Garden, but drew several thousand to the adjacent Felt Forum to watch the match on closed circuit TV.

1982 - El Canek defeats Riki Choshu in Mexico City, Mexico to win the UWA World Heavyweight Title, beginning his third reign as champion.

1984 - Adrian Street defeats Terry Taylor in Shreveport, Louisiana to win the Mid-South Wrestling Television Title.

1995 - The Gladiator, Mike Awesome, defeats Hayabusa in the finals of a tournament to crown a new FMW World Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion in Tokyo, Japan.

1999 - WWF held their Unforgiven Pay-per-view in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Here are the results: 
- Val Venis defeated Steve Blackman with the Money Shot.  After the match, Blackman knocked out Venis with a kendo stick, and Blackman wouldn't leave the ring until he was removed by WWF Head Of Security Jim Dotson.
- D'Lo Brown defeated Mark Henry with a powerbomb out of the corner to win the WWF European Title.
- Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett defeated Chyna after the referee saw that Debra had hit Jeff Jarrett with a guitar to allow Chyna to get the pin. 
- The Acolytes defeated The Dudley Bouyz when Stevie Richards interfered and superkicked D-Von, allowing Faarooq to get the pin.
- WWE Women's Champion Ivory defeated Luna Vachon.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Billy Gunn & Road Dogg defeated Edge & Christian when Gunn pinned Edge with a fameasser after the Brood interfered.
- WWF Hardcore Champion Al Snow defeated The Big Bossman in a Kennel From Hell match when he escaped the cage.  The structure was a standard steel cage surrounded by the Hell In A Cell cage, with dogs patrolling ringside.  The match was a disaster, the dogs hardly ferocious (they were accompanied by handlers) and the bout is considered one of the worst PPV matches in wrestling history.  If you're brave enough, you can see the match (with special commentary by Mick Foley and Kevin Kelly) on the Mick Foley: Hard Knocks & Cheap Pops DVD.
- X-Pac defeated Chris Jericho when Mr. Hughes interfered on behalf of Jericho.
- Triple H defeated The Rock, Mankind, Big Show, Davey Boy Smith and Kane to win the vacant WWF World Title in a Six-Pack challenge when he pinned Rock with a Pedigree after Smith had hit Rock with a chair.

2000 - WCW Commissioner Mike Sanders strips Norman Smiley of the WCW Hardcore Title, ending his second reign.

2002 - Major League Wrestling holds their second ever event, "Reload", at the Manhattan Center in New York City. The show sees participation from Mexico's Shocker, La Parka and Super Crazy, as well as rare U.S. appearances by All Japan's Satoshi Kojima and Taiyo Kea. Here are the results:
- Super Crazy defeated Fuego Guerrero (Amazing Red).
- Steve Williams & P.J. Friedman defeated Afterburn & Eric Adams.
- La Parka defeated Shocker.
- Christopher Daniels, Dick Togo, & Ikuto Hidaka defeated Jose & Joel Maximo & Quiet Storm.
- C.W. Anderson defeated Devon Storm.
- Terry Funk defeated Chris Candido.
- Steve Corino defeated Vampiro and The Sandman in a three way dance.
- Taiyo Kea defeated Sabu.
- Satoshi Kojima defeated Jerry Lynn to win the vacant MLW Heavyweight Title.

2005 - The final episode of Raw to air on SpikeTV took place in Waco, Texas, as the show would be moving back to it's former (and current) home, USA Network.  The show would earn a 3.2 rating. In the main event, Carlito & Chris Masters, with help from Kurt Angle, defeat Shawn Michaels & John Cena in a Tables match.

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