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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: TAZZ WINS THE ECW WORLD TITLE, STAIRWAY TO HELL, RAW'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY AND MORE

By Ryan Martinez on 2009-01-10 08:00:00

January 10th

On this day in history in ....

1950 - Sandor Szabo wins the San Francisco NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title for the 13th time, defeating Ray Eckert in San Francisco, California, ending his second reign.

1951 - Pez Whatley is born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1957 - Boris and Nicoli Volkoff defeat Reggie and Stan Lisowski for the Chicago NWA World Tag Team Title in Indianapolis, Indiana. This began and ended both team's third reigns.

1958 - Jerry Estrada is born in Monclova, Mexico.

1958 - Ciclon Anaya and Ramon Torres defeat Ben and Mike Sharpe to win the San Francisco NWA World Tag Team Title in Oakland, California. This ended the Sharpes' 16th reign, which lasted one day.

1958 - The Mighty Yankee defeats Ray Gunkel for the Georgia NWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Atlanta, Georgia.

1958 - Nick Kozak defeats Kurt Von Himmler to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title.

1959 - Red Hangman and Ben Sharpe defeat Johnny Barend and Ron Etchison for the San Francisco NWA World Tag Team Title in Fresno, California.

1961 - Buddy Austin defeats Don Curtis for the Florida NWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.

1967 - Bobby Hart defeats Louie Tillet to win the Georgia NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Title in Macon, Georgia.

1968 - Thunder Sugiyama and Toyonobori defeat The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Don Kent) for the Trans-World Wrestling Alliance (International Pro Wrestling) World Tag Team Title in Osaka, Japan.

1969 - Fred Blassie defeats Bobo Brazil to win the NWA Americas Heavyweight Title in Los Angeles, California, beginning his second reign.

1969 - Don Kent defeats Dusty Rhodes in St. Joseph, Missouri for the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title.

1970 - Marcus "Buff" Bagwell is born in Marietta, Georgia.

1972 - Brian Lawler is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

1972 - The Infernos (Frankie Cain and Rocky Smith) defeat The Australians (Ron Miller and Larry O'Day) to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Title in West Palm Beach, Florida, ending The Australians' third reign.

1975 - Mike George and Jerry Oates defeat The Interns (Tom Andrews and Jim Starr) in a Losers Leave Town match to win the Central States NWA World Tag Team Title.

1976 - The Spoilers defeat Carlos Colón and Bob Ellis for the WWC North American Tag Team Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

1977 - Gene Kiniski defeats Don Leo Jonathan in Vancouver, British Columbia to win the Vancouver NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title. This ended Jonathan's fifth reign and began Kiniski's sixth.

1979 - Tully Blanchard defeats Dale Valentine (Buddy Roberts) for the Southwest Championship Wrestling Southwest Television Title, beginning his second reign.

1981 - The WWF holds two events at two of their major northeastern arenas.

At the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts:
- Joe Crugnale defeated Mike Striker.
- Pete Doherty defeated Fred Marzino.
- Jose Estrada and Johnny Rodz defeated Angelo Gomez and Steve King.
- Stan Hansen defeated Bruno Sammartino by countout.
- Baron Mikel Scicluna defeated Dave Darrow.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Pedro Morales defeated The Hangman.
- Killer Khan defeated Rick McGraw.
- Hulk Hogan defeated Dominic DeNucci in nine seconds.

At the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
- Frank Savage and Jim Duggan to a draw.
- Larry Sharpe defeated Rick McGraw.
- Pat Patterson defeated Bulldog Brower.
- The Moondogs defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Tony Garea and Rick Martel by disqualification.
- Tony Atlas defeated Larry Zbyszko by countout.
- Sgt. Slaughter defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund by countout.

1983 - Nick Bockwinkel defeats Jerry Lawler for the held up AWA World Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee. The title was held up after Lawler defeated Bockwinkel for the title on December 27 in Memphis. This began Bockwinkel's fourth reign.

1983 - Robert Gibson defeats Norman Frederick Charles to win the Southeastern NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Title, beginning his second reign.

1983 - Bobby Eaton wins the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title for the seventh time, ending Jacques Rougeau's second reign, in Memphis, Tennessee.

1985 - Mr. Pogo defeats Harley Race to win the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title in Kansas City, Kansas, ending Race's eighth reign.

1987 - The WWF runs an event at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Scott McGhee pinned Terry Gibbs.
- Koko B. Ware and Don Muraco fought to a time-limit draw.
- Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine defeated Mike Rotundo and Dan Spivey, when Beefcake pinned Spivey.
- The Honky Tonk Man defeated George Steele by disqualification.
- Dino Bravo pinned Paul Roma.
- King Kong Bundy and Jake Roberts fought to a double countout.
- The Junkyard Dog (subbing for The Dynamite Kid) and WWF Tag Team Champion Davey Boy Smith defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart), when JYD pinned Neidhart.
- Jose Rivera pinned Barry O.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage defeated Ricky Steamboat (subbing for André the Giant) by disqualification.

1987 - The Sheepherders (Butch Miller and Luke Williams) defeat Badd Company (Paul Diamond and Pat Tanaka) in Memphis, Tennessee for the Continental Wrestling Association International Tag Team Title.

1988 - The WWF holds an event at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. The results were:
- WWF Women's Tag Team Champions The Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai and Judy Martin) defeated The Jumping Bomb Angels (Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki) to retain the title.
- The Conquistadors defeated The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond).
- Danny Davis defeated Sam Houston.
- Dino Bravo defeated Koko B. Ware.
- George Steele and Ron Bass fought to a double disqualification.
- Brutus Beefcake defeated Greg Valentine.
- Ted DiBiase defeated Jake Roberts.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man defeated Randy Savage to retain the title, after interference from The Hart Foundation.

1988 - Rumi Kazama defeats Mayumi Ozaki to win her second Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling Junior Title in Tokyo, Japan.

1992 - Rod Price and John Tatum defeat Black Bart and Bill Irwin for the Global Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas, beginning their second reign.

1994 - The WWF has its "Monday Night RAW" first-anniversary edition, which aired from the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. The next two weeks of RAW were taped as well. The results from the January 10 show:
- In one of the biggest upsets in WWF history, The 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty defeated WWF Tag Team Champions The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre) after a simultaneous Jannetty suplex and crossbody from The Kid, to win the titles.
- Ludvig Borga defeated Brad Anderson by submission with the Torture Rack.
- The Undertaker pinned Ray Hudson after a Tombstone piledriver.
- Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Bastion Booger after a diving headbutt.

1994 - Ron and Don Harris win their fourth USWA Tag Team Title, defeating Far 2 Wild (Chris Michaels and Todd Morton) in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Far 2 Wild's two-day second reign.

1994 - Robbie Eagle defeats Chris Candido to win the SMW Television Title in Chilhowie, Virginia.

1994 - Shinobi the Oriental Assassin (Al Snow) defeats Sean Casey in Lima, Ohio for the World Wide Wrestling Alliance Light Heavyweight Title.

1996 - Jerry Lawler defeats Tex Slazenger for the USWA Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Slazenger's second reign. Also, Lady Satan (Debbie Combs) defeats Miss Texas (Jackie Moore) to win the USWA Women's Title in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning Lady Satan/Combs' second reign and ending Miss Texas' 12th.

1998 - Mike Tyson and the WWF agree to a deal for Tyson to appear at March 29's WrestleMania, as "special enforcer" for the event's WWF Title match.

1998 - The WWF holds an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The results were:
- WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Taka Michinoku pinned Brian Christopher to retain the title.
- The Godwinns (Henry and Phineas) defeated The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) in a Country Whippin' match, when Henry pinned Thrasher.
- Tom Brandi defeated Marc Mero by disqualification.
- Ken Shamrock pinned Faarooq.
- The Undertaker and The Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk) defeated WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) in a steel cage match, when Undertaker pinned Michaels after Owen Hart attacked Michaels as he tried to escape the cage.
- Vader pinned The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust.
- Kane pinned Chainz.
- Steve Austin and Cactus Jack (subbing for Dude Love) defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion The Rock and D'Lo Brown in a falls count anywhere match.

1998 - ECW holds "House Party '98" at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Tommy Dreamer, Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten defeated The Full Blooded Italians (Little Guido, Tommy Rich and Tracy Smothers).
- Jerry Lynn defeated ECW World Tag Team Champion Chris Candido by submission.
- Gran Hamada pinned Gran Naniwa.
- Al Snow pinned Roadkill.
- Justin Credible pinned The Great Sasuke.
- Rob Van Dam pinned Bam Bam Bigelow.
- ECW World Television Champion Taz defeated 2 Cold Scorpio by submission.
- The Dudleys (Big Dick, Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) defeated New Jack, Kronus and Spike Dudley.
- The Sandman pinned Sabu in a Stairway to Hell match, after a shot to the face with a Singapore cane. Just before, Sabu had Bill Alfonso tape shut his apparently broken jaw.

1998 - Wolfie D defeats Terry Golden to win the Music City Wrestling North American Heavyweight Title in Nashville, Tennessee.

1999 - ECW holds the first-annual "Guilty as Charged" pay-per-view before 2,600 fans at the Millennium Theater in Kissimmee, Florida. The results:
- The Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney) defeated The Full-Blooded Italians (Little Guido & Tracy Smothers) and Danny Doring & Roadkill in a three-way dance. The FBI both pinned Doring, and, simultaneously, Rotten pinned Guido and Mahoney pinned Smothers.
- Yoshihiro Tajiri pinned Super Crazy.
- Sid Vicious, in his ECW debut, pinned John Kronus.
- The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von) defeated New Jack and Spike Dudley.
- ECW World Television Champion and World Tag Team Champion Rob Van Dam pinned Lance Storm to retain the Television title.
- Justin Credible pinned Tommy Dreamer in a Stairway to Hell Ladder match, after Terry Funk came ringside and hit Dreamer with a garbage can.
- Taz defeated ECW World Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas by knockout to win the title, ending Douglas' fourth reign, which had lasted just over 13 months.

1999 - Abdullah the Butcher defeats Shadow WX for the BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Title in Fukuoka, Japan.

1999 - Bombero Infernal defeats Mr. Niebla (not the original) for the IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Title in Naucalpan, Mexico.

2000 - WWF RAW is WAR more than doubled WCW Monday Nitro's rating in this week of the Monday Night War.

WCW Monday Nitro, which earned a 3.5 rating, came live from the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
- WCW World Tag Team Champions Crowbar & David Flair defeated Billy Kidman & Konnan and Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn in a three-way falls count anywhere match.
- George "The Animal" Steele defeated WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett in a Bunkhouse Brawl.
- Tito Santana defeated Jeff Jarrett in a Dungeon match.
- Jimmy Snuka pinned Jeff Jarrett in a steel cage match.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart and Kevin Nash fought to a no contest. This would be Bret Hart's last match, as he would have to retire due to injuries suffered in his December 27 Starrcade match with Goldberg.

WWF RAW is WAR gained a 6.8 rating for its show from the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The WWF also taped the January 15 edition of Shotgun Saturday Night. RAW featured The Rock and the entire WWF roster holding the show hostage in the opening segment, demanding that Mankind, who had been fired two weeks prior due to losing a Pink Slip on a Pole match to The Rock, be reinstated. Rock's demands also included that the members of D-Generation X all face eachother in matches throughout the night as well. The Rock said if the demands weren't met, the entire roster would walk out. Naturally, they agreed. The entire event's results were:
In dark matches:
- Papi Chulo defeated Tom Howard.
- Steve Bradley defeated Ali Stevens.
In Shotgun Saturday Night matches:
- Kaientai (Taka Michinoku and Funaki) defeated Danny Holiday (Danny Basham) and Jason Lee
- Jacqueline defeated Ivory.
- Jack Black, Jerry Miller and B.J. Payne defeated The Mean Street Posse (Joey Abs, Pete Gas and Rodney) after interference from Kaientai.
In RAW matches:
- WWF Tag Team Champion Road Dogg pinned WWF Tag Team Champion Billy Gunn after reversing the Fameasser into a pumphandle slam.
- The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff Hardy) defeated Kurt Angle and Steve Blackman, when Matt pinned Blackman.
- WWF European Champion Val Venis pinned Edge with a fisherman suplex. After the match, Edge told Val that although he was the best man that night, he wouldn't be the best man at his sister's (engaged to Edge) wedding, but that Christian would be. Val agreed and the three shared a hug in the ring.
- Crash and Hardcore Holly defeated WWF co-Intercontinental Champions Chris Jericho and Chyna, when Hardcore pinned Chyna after Jericho didn't see Chyna reaching for a tag. He then left with the title belt.
- WWF Champion Triple H pinned X-Pac after Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley caused X-Pac to crotch himself on the top rope.
- Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) and Rikishi defeated Al Snow and The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher), when Rikishi pinned Mosh after the Rikishi Driver.
- D'Lo Brown and The Godfather defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) by countout when the Dudleys tried to take The Godfather's hos.
- Big Show and Test defeated Prince Albert and the Big Bossman, when Test pinned Albert.
- D-Generation X (WWF Champion Triple H, WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) and X-Pac) defeated The Rock, Mankind and The Acolytes (Bradshaw and Faarooq), when Triple H pinned Mankind after a shot with the ring bell, and two Pedigrees, one through the announce table and one in the ring.

2001 - Paul E. Smooth defeats Mark Wolf to win the IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Title in Charlestown, Indiana, ending Wolf's second reign and beginning Smooth's third.

2004 - Jerrelle Clark defeats Chris Draven in St. Petersburg, Florida to win the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title. As a result, the NWA Sunray Pro Wrestling Junior Heavyweight Title, won on November 15 by defeating Justice in a tournament final in Melbourne, Florida, and the NWA Florida X Division Title, won on December 13 in St. Petersburg from Roderick Strong in a four-way match also involving Stron and Naphtali, were both vacated.

2004 - Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa defeat Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NOAH GHC Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan, beginning their second reign.

2004 - Kensuke Sasaki defeats Lopaka for the Hawaii Championship Wrestling Kamehameha Heritage Title in Kaneohe, Hawaii, ending Lopaka's second reign. At the same event, The Nightmarchers (Ahuna and Akua) defeat Hawaiian Blood (Kaimana and Kaniela) to win the HCW

2004 - Charisma defeats Kid Justice to win the Rochester Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Rochester, New York. During his reign, the title changed names along with the promotion, when RPW joined the National Wrestling Alliance and became NWA Upstate.

2005 - TAKA Michinoku defeats Kaz Hayashi in Tokyo, Japan for both the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Title and Kaientai Dojo Strongest-K Title.

2006 - The January 13 edition of "SmackDown!" and January 14 "Velocity" are taped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wachovia Center, and SmackDown! featured Batista surrendering the World Heavyweight Title, due to a a torn right tricep, which he suffered in a match with Mark Henry two days earlier at a house show in Verona, New York. SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long announced that the winner of a 20-man battle royal would be the new champion. JBL and Jillian Hall were guest on Piper's Pit, although originally the guest was to be The Boogeyman. Piper ended up bringing him out anyway, and the segment ended with The Boogeyman biting Jillian Hall's "mole" off her face. Match results from the event:
In Velocity matches:
- Jamie Noble defeated Scotty 2 Hotty by submission with a Dragon sleeper.
- The Gymini (Jake and Jesse), in their wrestling debut, defeated Billy Baxter (the ECWA's Billy Bax) and John Trouski.
- Paul Birchill pinned Nick Burke (CZW's Nick Berk) after the C-4.
- The Mexicools (Psicosis and Super Crazy) defeated The Dicks (Chad and James), when Crazy got the pin after a tornado DDT, after Road Warrior Animal pushed one of The Dicks off the top rope.
In SmackDown! matches:
- Randy Orton (subbing for the injured Booker T) pinned Chris Benoit in the seventh match of Booker and Benoit's best-of-seven series, to win the held up WWE United States Title, beginning Booker's third reign. Orton won the match after Booker hit Benoit with the title belt while Orton was in the Crippler Crossface.
- Kurt Angle, who was still a member of the RAW roster, won the 20-man battle royal for the vacant World Heavyweight Title, last eliminating Mark Henry. The battle royal also included Paul Birchill, Simon Dean, Matt Hardy, Orlando Jordan, Brian Kendrick, Bobby Lashley, JBL, Paul London, Joey Mercury, Rey Mysterio, Johnny Nitro, Nunzio, Psicosis, William Regal, Road Warrior Animal, Super Crazy, Sylvan and Vito. The title change was reported on WWE.com shortly after the event ended, the first case of WWE itself posting show spoilers.

2006 - Canadian Extreme (C.K. Sexx and J.T. Thorn) defeat Kwan Chang and Rip Impact for the vacant Canadian Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title in Mikiwakatasitque, Quebec. The title was vacated on December 31, due to inactivity. The previous champions were The Blood Brothers (Steve Jaworski and Wavell Starr).

You can write Ryan Martinez at freshprinceofatlanta@gmail.com.

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