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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: KOWALSKI VS. TOLOS, ERNIE LADD PASSES AWAY AND MORE

By Buck Woodward & Ryan Martinez on 2011-03-10 08:00:00
March 10th

On this day in history in ....

1870 - James H. McLaughlin wins a tournament in Detroit, Michigan to become American Collar-and-Elbow Champion.

1908 - Orville Brown is born in Sharon, Kansas.

1950 - Tommy O'Toole defeats Sonny Myers in a tournament final in St. Joseph, Missouri to win the vacant NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title.

1952 - Ann LaVerne defeats Betty Hawkins for the NWA Florida Women's Title in Tampa, Florida.

1959 - Mighty Ursus and Shag Thomas defeat Maurice and Paul Vachon to win the Calgary NWA Canadian Tag Team Title in Edmonton, Alberta, ending the Vachons' second reign.

1959 - Andre Bollet and Frank Valois defeat Johnny Walker and The Amazing Zuma for the NWA Texas Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas, beginning their second reign.

1960 - Bob Ellis wins his second NWA Central States Heavyweight Title from Kinji Shibuya in Kansas City, Kansas.

1960 - Mighty Ortega and Alex Perez defeat Dory Funk, Sr. and Dick Hutton for the Amarillo NWA North American Tag Team Title in Amarillo, Texas.

1967 - The Assassins (Jody Hamilton and Tom Renesto) defeat Skandor Akbar and Swede Karlson to win the Tri-State NWA United States Tag Team Title in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

1968 - Yukiko Tomoe defeats The Fabulous Moolah for the NWA World Women's Title in Osaka, Japan, ending Moolah's second reign.

1970 - The WWWF held an event at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The results were:
- Joe Turco defeated Eric the Red.
- Waldo Von Erich defeated The Masked Demon.
- Little Brutus and Sky Low Low defeated Sonny Boy Hayes and Joey Russell.
- Prof. Toru Tanaka defeated Jean DuBois.
- Mario Milano and Victor Rivera defeated Karl Kovacs and Killer Kowalski.
- Gorilla Monsoon defeated Ernie Ladd.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino and Ivan Koloff fought to a draw.

1972 - John Tolos defeats Killer Kowalski in Los Angeles, California to win the NWA Americas Heavyweight Title for the third time.

1975 - George Barnes and Bill Dundee defeat Eddie Marlin and Tojo Yamamoto in Memphis, Tennessee for the Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Title.

1978 - Ron Bass and Moondog Lonnie Mayne defeat Chavo Guerrero and El Halcón for the NWA Americas Tag Team Title.

1980 - Jack Brisco and Jimmy Garvin defeat Stanley Lane and Bryan St. John to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Title in West Palm Beach, Florida, ending Lane and St. John's second reign.

1983 - Billy Jack Haynes and Stan Stasiak defeat The Assassin (David Sierra) and Rip Hamilton for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title in Salem, Oregon, ending their second reign.

1985 - The WWF held an event at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. The results:
- Bret Hart defeated Goldie Rogers.
- Jesse Ventura defeated Jim Young.
- The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) defeated Terry Gibbs and Mr. X.
- Ricky Steamboat defeated Matt Borne.
- Ken Patera defeated Tony Atlas.
- WWF Women's Champion Leilani Kai defeated Wendi Richter.
- WWF Tag Team Champions The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) defeated The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff in a no-disqualification match.
- André the Giant defeated Big John Studd by disqualification.

1985 - MS-1, Pirata Morgan and Santanico defeat Los Brazos (El Brazo, Brazo de Oro and Brazo de Plata) in Mexico City, Mexico to become the first Mexican National Trios Champions.

1986 - Brian Adias defeats The Grappler to win the World Class Texas Heavyweight Title in Fort Worth, Texas.

1988 - Peter Bainbridge defeats Jim Breaks for the European Lightweight Title in Bristol, England. This began Bainbridge's third reign and ended Breaks' 12th.

1990 - Invaders I and IV defeat The New Mercenaries (Cuban Assassin and Ron Starr) for the WWC Caribbean Tag Team Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

1991 - Brazo de Oro and Brazo de Plata defeat Perro Aguayo and Gran Hamada to win the UWA World Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.

1992 - Dr. Death defeats Tom Prichard to win the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Louisville, Kentucky, ending Prichard's fourth reign.

1995 - Scott D'Amore defeats Mickey Doyle for the Border City Wrestling Can-Am Heavyweight Title in Oldcastle, Ontario. This began D'Amore's third reign and ended Doyle's second.

1998 - Black Warrior defeats Shocker to win the NWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico, beginning his second reign.

1999 - Yumiko Hotta wins her second WWWA World Singles Title from Shinobu Kandori in Tokyo, Japan.

2000 - The Ultimate Fighting Championship held UFC 24: First Defense at the Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The results were:
Preliminary bouts:
- Scott Adams defeated Ian Freeman by submission (heel hook) at 3:09 of round one in a Middleweight bout.
- Shonie Carter defeated Brad Gumm by unanimous decision after three rounds in a Lightweight bout.
Pay-per-view bouts:
- Jens Pulver defeated David Velasquez by TKO (strikes) at 2:41 of round two in a Lightweight bout.
- Bob Cook defeated Tiki Ghosen by submission (rear naked choke) at 1:29 of round two in a Lightweight bout.
- Dave Menne defeated Fabiano Iha by unanimous decision after three rounds in a Lightweight bout.
- Lance Gibson defeated Jermaine Andre by knockout (knee) at 3:37 of round three in a Middleweight bout.
- Tedd Williams defeated Steve Judson by TKO (strikes) at 3:24 of round one in a Heavyweight bout. Kevin Randleman was originally scheduled to defend his UFC Heavyweight title against Pedro Rizzo, but Randleman slipped on the concrete floor and hit his head, knocking himself out completely. Randleman was taken by ambulance to the hospital, and diagnosed with a concussion. The fight took place at UFC 26 in June, with Randleman retaining the title.

2000 - The Equalizer defeats Rocko Dorsey, Big Dick Dudley and Kronus in a four-way match for the NWA Jersey Heavyweight Title in South Amboy, New Jersey. The title was stripped from Chris Candido on that same day, due to his signing with WCW.

2000 - Jeremy Jett defeats Zane Morris in North Richland Hills, Texas to win the NWA Texas Junior Heavyweight Title.

2001 - Eddie Colón defeats Damien Steel to win the WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title in Morovis, Puerto Rico. This ended and began both men's second reigns.

2001 - Masaaki Mochizuki defeats Tiger Mask IV for the Michinoku Pro Wrestling British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan, ending Tiger Mask's second reign.

2001 - Qenaan Creed defeats Gregory Martin to win the Maryland Championship Wrestling Cruiserweight Title in Paw Paw, West Virginia, beginning his second reign.

2001 - Jeff Daniels and Tim Renesto defeat Sweet-n-Sassy (Quinton Charisma and Farren Foxx) for the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title in Nashville, Tennessee.

2001 - Naughty by Nature (Rude and Tully) win their seventh NWA Mid-South Tag Team Title in Dyersburg, Tennessee, defeating the Pink Flamingos.

2001 - Slayer defeats Dave Misterio to become the first NWA Jersey Junior Heavyweight Champion in Middletown, New Jersey.

2002 - Bobby Collins wins a battle royal for the vacant Canadian Wrestling Federation Hardcore Title in Winnipeg, Manitoba. At the same event, Spyder defeats Brian Sylver to win his second NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title, and The Big Kahuna and Overkill defeat The Mad Bomber and JC Owens for the CWF Tag Team Title.

2005 - Canadian Extreme (C.K. Sexx and J.T. Thorn) defeat Kerry Brown and Kwang Chang for the vacant CWF Tag Team Title in Black Rat Lake, Saskatchewan.

2006 - Apocalypse wins a battle royal, last eliminating champion T.J. Wilson to win the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title in Calgary, Alberta.

2006 - Matt Kuma defeats Dave Holiday to win the Pro Wrestling WORLD-1 Southern Heavyweight Title in Valdosta, Georgia. Jon Davis had left WORLD-1 three days earlier, leaving the title vacant.

2007 - Ernie Ladd, one of the first black wrestlers to rise to prominence in the United States, died in Franklin, Louisiana at age 68 after a three-year battle with cancer. Nicknamed as "The Big Cat", Ladd was one of many athletes to venture off the football field and into the squared circle. Ladd, a defensive tackle at Grambling State University, was drafted by the American Football League's San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 1961 draft, and he played in the AFL for eight seasons with the Chargers, Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs, including a 1963 championship with the Chargers. At 6 feet, 9 inches tall, and 315 pounds, Ladd was arguably the biggest and strongest man in not just the AFL, but all of professional football during his career. He was inducted to the Chargers Hall of Fame in 1981. Ladd made his wrestling debut in 1961, wrestling during the football off-season, and became one of wrestling's most hated heels during the 1970s, and had feuds throughout the years with André the Giant, Paul Orndorff and The Junkyard Dog. He won titles all over the country: in Florida, Georgia, Texas, New York, Los Angeles, and in Mid-South, where the majority of his title wins took place. Ladd was inducted to the WCW and WWF Halls of Fame in 1994 and 1995, respectively.

2007 - Full Impact Pro held the First-Annual Eddie Graham Memorial Battle of the Belts at the National Guard Armory in Crystal River, Florida. The event featured a tournament named in honor of legendary Florida promoter Eddie Graham, held to crown the first FIP Florida Heritage Champion.
- FIP World Heavyweight Champion Roderick Strong defeated Jimmy Rave in a first round match.
- FIP Tag Team Champion Jay Briscoe defeated Larry Sweeney in a first round match.
- Erick Stevens defeated Shingo in a first round match.
- Delirious defeated FIP Tag Team Champion Mark Briscoe in a first round match.
- FIP World Heavyweight Champion Roderick Strong defeated FIP Tag Team Champion Jay Briscoe in a semifinal match.
- Erick Stevens defeated Delirious in a semifinal match.
- The YRR (Kenny King, Chasyn Rance and Sal Rinauro) defeated Kory Chavis, Jerrelle Clark and Seth Delay.
- Erick Stevens defeated FIP World Heavyweight Champion Roderick Strong to win the Eddie Graham Memorial Battle of the Belts Tournament become the first FIP Florida Heritage Champion.

2007 - Beau Douglas defeats Jason Rumble for the NWA New England Heavyweight Title in Saugus, Massachusetts, beginning Douglas' second reign and ending Rumble's third. At the same event, Matt Ledge defeats Legion Cage, Paul Hudson, Cameron Matthews and Scotty Vegas in an elimination match to win the NWA New England Cruiserweight Title. The same day, the promotion left the National Wrestling Alliance, which it had been a member of for 10 years, and reverted to its original name, the Century Wrestling Alliance.

2007 - Billy Roc defeats Chad Collyer to win the NWA Indiana Heavyweight Title in Frankfort, Indiana.

2007 - The Outlaw defeats Exile for the NWA Oregon Heavyweight Title in Corvallis, Oregon.

2007 - El Guapo defeats Bushido X to win the NWA Hawaii Junior Heavyweight Title in Waianae, Hawaii. The title had been vacated by Mr. Spa Fitness after he won the AWA Inter-Island Heavyweight Title on September 23, after Hawaii Championship Wrestling ended its relationship with NWA Hawaii and became an AWA member.

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