Daily Pro Wrestling History (05/03): AJ Styles wins his first IWGP Heavyweight title

1884

Chicago, Illinois:

– H.M. Dufur defeated James McLaughlin for the American Collar-and-Elbow Title 

1951

Kansas City, Kansas:

– Sonny Myers defeated Dennis Clary for the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title 

1956 

– Joe Scarpello defeated The Mystery Man to win his third Midwest Wrestling Association Junior Heavyweight Title 

1957

Atlanta, Georgia:

– Don McIntyre defeated Kurt Von Brauner to win the Georgia NWA Southern Heavyweight Title

1961

Mobile, Alabama:

– The Mysterious Medics defeated Jackie and Joey Fargo for the Gulf Coast NWA Southern Tag Team Titles

1963

Atlanta, Georgia:

– Dick Steinborn defeated Tarzan Tyler to win the Georgia World Heavyweight Title 

Dothan, Alabama:

– Lee Fields and Joe Scarpa (Jay Strongbow) defeated Tiger Tomasso and Pancho Villa for the Gulf Coast NWA Southern Tag Team Titles

1967

San Antonio, Texas:

– Paul DeMarco and Luis Hernandez defeated Jim Bernard and Tarzan Tyler to win the NWA Texas Tag Team Titles

Honolulu, Hawaii:

– Ripper Collins and Curtis Iaukea defeated Johnny Barend and Hans Mortier to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Titles

1968

St. Joseph, Missouri:

– Ron Etchison won the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title from Harley Race 

1969 

– Karl and Kurt Von Steiger defeated Tony Borne and Moondog Mayne for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles

1974

Tampa, Florida:

– Buddy Colt defeated Bill Watts for the Tri-State NWA North American Heavyweight Title

1975

Chicago, Illinois:

– Superstar Billy Graham & Dusty Rhodes beat Baron Von Raschke & Horst Hoffman

Melbourne, Australia:

– Missouri Mauler & Steve Rackman beat Larry O’Dea & Ron Miller to win the Australian tag titles

 

– Giant Baba beat Gene Kiniski in the finals of the Champion Carnival tournament

1976 

Memphis, Tennessee:

– Big Bad John and Bill Dundee defeated Plowboy (Stan) Frazier and Jerry Lawler to win the Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Titles

1979

Amarillo, Texas:

– Mr. Sato and John Tolos defeated Akihisa Takachiho (The Great Kabuki) and Ricky Romero) to win the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles

1980 

Detroit, Michigan:

– The Sheik defeated Mighty Igor for the Detroit NWA United States Heavyweight Title

– Frankie Laine and George Steele won the Detroit NWA World Tag Team Titles from John Bonello and Randy Scott

1982 

West Palm Beach, Florida:

– Jimmy Garvin defeated Mr. Wrestling II for the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title 

1983

Regina, Saskatchewan:

– Bret Hart defeated Leo Burke for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title 

1985 

Denver, Colorado:

– Jerry Blackwell & The Crusher & Sgt. Slaughter beat Masked Superstar & King Tonga & Sheik Adnan in a steel cage match

– AWA Champion Rick Martel beat Jim Garvin 

– Greg Gagne went to a time limit draw with Nick Bockwinkel

Houston, Texas:

– Ted DiBiase and Steve Williams defeated The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton) to win the Mid-South Tag Team Titles

1987 

WCCW Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions: Irving, Texas:

– Matt Borne and Steve Casey defeated Black Bart and Jack Victory

– Cousin Junior defeated The Grappler

– Steve Doll defeated Killer Tim Brooks

– Spike Huber and Red River Jack defeated Abdullah the Butcher and Eli the Eliminator

– Red River Jack defeated Gary Hart by countout

– Mil Máscaras defeated Al Madril

– Skip Young defeated Brian Adias in a lumberjack match

– WCWA World Heavyweight Champion Kevin Von Erich fought Nord the Barbarian to a double-countout to retain the title

– Steve Simpson and The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) defeated Eric Embry and The Rock ‘n’ Roll RPMs (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) in a scaffold match

– Bruiser Brody defeated Jeep Swenson

– Candi Divine won a six-woman mudpit match

1990 

Dallas, Texas:

– John Tatum defeated Bill Dundee for the USWA Heavyweight Title 

1991

Dallas, Texas:

– Eric Embry defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the USWA Heavyweight Title 

Charlottesville, Virginia:

– Sam Houston fought Rip Morgan to a draw

– Jack Victory pinned Joey Maggs

– Dustin Rhodes pinned Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker

– Brian Pillman pinned Mike Graham

– Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong defeated Michael Hayes & Jack Victory (sub. for an injured Jimmy Garvin)

– WCW Tag Team Champion Scott Steiner defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair via disqualification when WCW TV Champion Arn Anderson interfered

– WCW Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair & WCW TV Champion Arn Anderson

1992 

Chicago, Illinois:

– Michael Hayes defeated Diamond Dallas Page

– WCW United States Tag Team Champion Greg Valentine defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell

– Nikita Koloff defeated Big Van Vader (with Harley Race) by disqualification 

– Ron Simmons defeated WCW United States Tag Team Champion Terry Taylor

– Johnny B. Badd defeated Tracy Smothers

– Tom Zenk defeated Mr. Hughes

– Dustin Rhodes and WCW World Television Champion Barry Windham defeated Steve Austin and Larry Zbyszko

– WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude defeated Ricky Steamboat by disqualification to retain the title

– The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) defeated WCW World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton in a steel cage match to win the titles

1993 

Memphis, Tennessee:

– Papa Shango defeated Jerry Lawler to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan: 

– Takayuki Iizuka, Akira Nogami and El Samurai defeated Satoshi Kojima, Osamu Nishimura and Hiroyoshi Yamamoto

– Michiyoshi Ohara defeated Akitoshi Saito

– Brutus Beefcake defeated Masa Saito

– Masashi Aoyagi, The Great Kabuki, Kuniaki Kobayashi, Kengo Kimura and Shiro Koshinaka defeated Tatsutoshi Goto, Ashura Hara, Takashi Ishikawa, Hiro Saito and Super Strong Machine

– Tiger Mask (Koji Kanemoto) defeated IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Jushin Liger to win the title

– Scott Norton fought Sting to a double-disqualification

– Yoshiaki Fujiwara defeated Hiro Hase by submission

– IWGP Tag Team Champions The Hellraisers (Hawk Warrior (Road Warrior Hawk) and Power Warrior (Kensuke Sasaki)) defeated Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto to retain the title

– WWF Champion Hulk Hogan (with Jimmy Hart) defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion The Great Muta (Neither title was at stake)

– Tatsumi Fujinami and Antonio Inoki defeated Riki Choshu and Genichiro Tenryu

1994

Albany, Kentucky:

– Well Dunn defeated Bobby Blaze & Anthony Michaels

– The Dirty White Boy defeated Kendo the Samurai

– Bruiser Bedlam defeated Tracy Smothers

– Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated SMW Tag Team Champions Brian Lee & Chris Candido via disqualification

– Tracy Smothers won a pole battle royal

1995

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan: 

– Yuji Nagata defeated Manabu Nakanishi 

– Takayuki Iizuka and El Samurai defeated Norio Honaga and Akira Nogami

– Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit) defeated 2 Cold Scorpio

– Sabu defeated IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Koji Kanemoto to win the title

– Junji Hirata defeated Hiro Saito

– The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) defeated Scott Norton and Road Warrior Hawk

– Terry Funk and Shiro Koshinaka defeated Masahiro Chono and Hiromichi Fuyuki

– Ric Flair defeated IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Hase by submission

– Antonio Inoki and Koji Kitao defeated Riki Choshu and Genichiro Tenryu

– Kensuke Sasaki defeated Hiroshi Tenzan

– IWGP Tag Team Champion Keiji Mutoh defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto to win the title

1997

NJPW Strong Style Evolution: Osaka, Japan:

– Koji Kanemoto, Hanzo Nakajima, Shinjiro Otani, Mens Teioh and Dick Togo defeated Gran Hamada, Norio Honoga, El Samurai, The Great Sasuke and Super Delfin in a best-of-three falls match, 2-0

– nWo Sting and WCW Cruiserweight Champion Syxx defeated Takashi Iizuka and Tadao Yasuda

– Vicious and Delicious (Buff Bagwell and Scott Norton) defeated The Giant and Lex Luger

– Masahiro Chono and WCW World Tag Team Champions The Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) defeated Keiji Mutoh and The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott)

– Antonio Inoki and Tiger King defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara and J-Crown Champion Jushin Liger

– Satoshi Kojima and Manabu Nakanishi defeated IWGP Tag Team Champions Riki Choshu and Kensuke Sasaki to win the title

– IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto defeated Naoya Ogawa by submission to retain the title

1998

Savannah, Georgia:

– Booker T defeated Chris Benoit for the WCW World Television Title

ECW Wrestlepalooza 98: Marietta, Georgia:

– The Blue Meanie & Super Nova defeated Tracey Smothers & Little Guido 

– Justin Credible defeated Mikey Whipwreck with That’s Incredible (tombstone piledriver)

– ECW World Tag Team Champions Chris Candido & Lance Storm defeated Balls Mahoney & Axl Rotten 

– Bam Bam Bigelow defeated New Jack 

– Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman defeated D-Von & Bubba Ray Dudley 

– ECW World Television Champion Rob Van Dam vs. Sabu ended in a thirty minute draw

– ECW World Champion Shane Douglas defeated Al Snow

2006 

Louisville, Kentucky:

– CM Punk defeated Brent Albright in a strap match to win the OVW Heavyweight Title

Fukuoka, Japan:

– Koji Kanemoto defeated Tiger Mask for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title 

2010

NJPW Dontaku: Fukoda, Japan:

– Togi Makabe beat Shinsuke Nakamura to win the IWGP heavyweight title 

– Wataru Inoue & Yuji Nagata beat Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson to win the IWGP tag team titles

2012 

NJPW Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan:

– YOSHI-HASHI, Jado & Tomohiro Ishii beat Strong Man, Captain New Japan & Tama Tonga 

– TAKA Michinoku Kaientai Dojo & Taichi beat Ryusuke Taguchi & KUSHIDA 

– Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask beat Rocky Romero & Gedo 

– IWGP Tag Team Title: Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima to win the titles

– Special Tag Match: Minoru Suzuki & Yoshihiro Takayama beat Togi Makabe & Yuji Nagata 

– Shinsuke Nakamura beat Karl Anderson 

– Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Masato Tanaka & Yujiro Takahashi 

– IWGP Heavyweight Title: Kazuchika Okada beat Hirooki Goto to retain the title

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2013 

NJPW Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan:

– Jushin Thunder Liger, Máximo, Tiger Mask and Yuji Nagata defeated Chaos (Gedo, Jado, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi)

– Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov beat Alex Shelley & Kushida to win the IWGP jr tag titles

– Bad Luck Fale and Prince Devitt defeated Captain New Japan and Ryusuke Taguchi

– Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan won a four-way to win the IWGP tag title over Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer, Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka and Manabu Nakanishi & Strongman

– Masato Tanaka defeated Tomoaki Honma to retain the NEVER Openweight Championship

– Togi Makabe defeated Yujiro Takahashi

– Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata wrestled to a draw

– Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Karl Anderson (with Tama Tonga)

– Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Shelton X Benjamin to retain the IWGP Intercontinental Championship

– Kazuchika Okada (with Gedo) defeated Minoru Suzuki to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship

2014 

NJPW Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan:

– Bushi, Captain New Japan, El Desperado and Máscara Dorada defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Kushida, Tiger Mask and Yohei Komatsu

– The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) defeated Forever Hooligans (Alex Koslov and Rocky Romero) to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

– Crazy Ichizoku (Takashi Iizuka and Toru Yano) defeated Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Shelton X Benjamin) (with Taichi and Taka Michinoku) by disqualification

– Satoshi Kojima (with Hiroyoshi Tenzan) defeated Wes Brisco (with Bruce Tharpe) to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

– Meiyu Tag (Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata) defeated Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata

– Kota Ibushi defeated Ryusuke Taguchi to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

– Tomohiro Ishii defeated Tomoaki Honma to retain the NEVER Openweight Championship

– Jushin Thunder Liger, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito and Togi Makabe defeated Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson and Tama Tonga)

– Gracie Ichizoku (Daniel Gracie and Rolles Gracie) defeated Kazushi Sakuraba and Shinsuke Nakamura Ishu kakutōgi

– AJ Styles (with Karl Anderson, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) defeated Kazuchika Okada (with Gedo) to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship

2015

NJPW Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan:

– Jushin Thunder Liger, Máscara Dorada, Tiger Mask and Yuji Nagata defeated Captain New Japan, Kushida, Manabu Nakanishi and Ryusuke Taguchi

– Kota Ibushi and Yohei Komatsu defeated Sho Tanaka and Tetsuya Naito

– Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Tomoaki Honma defeated Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Cody Hall and Tama Tonga)

– The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) defeated Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) and reDRagon (Bobby Fish and Kyle 

  O’Reilly) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

– Kenny Omega (with Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) defeated Alex Shelley (with Kushida and Ryusuke Taguchi) to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

– The Kingdom (Maria Kanellis, Matt Taven and Michael Bennett) defeated Bullet Club (Amber Gallows, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson)

– Hiroshi Tanahashi, Katsuyori Shibata and Togi Makabe defeated Kazushi Sakuraba, Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano

– Bullet Club (A.J. Styles and Yujiro Takahashi) defeated Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Yoshi-Hashi) (with Gedo)

– Hirooki Goto defeated Shinsuke Nakamura to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship

2016

NJPW Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan:

– Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale and Yujiro Takahashi) defeated Captain New Japan and Juice Robinson

– Chaos (Gedo, Kazushi Sakuraba, Will Ospreay and Yoshi-Hashi) defeated David Finlay, Jay White, Ryusuke Taguchi and Tiger Mask Eight

– Matt Sydal and Ricochet defeated Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

– The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin and Yoshitatsu to win the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship

– Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) defeated G.B.H. (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Championship

– Yuji Nagata defeated Katsuyori Shibata to win the NEVER Openweight Championship

– Kushida defeated Jushin Thunder Liger to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

– Evil defeated Hirooki Goto

– Kazuchika Okada (with Gedo) defeated Sanada

– Tetsuya Naito (with Bushi and Evil) defeated Tomohiro Ishii (with Gedo and Kazuchika Okada) to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship

2017

NJPW Dontaku: Fukuoka, Japan:

– Hirai Kawato and Yoshitatsu defeated Katsuya Kitamura and Tomoyuki Oka

– Chaos (Will Ospreay and Yoshi-Hashi) defeated Bullet Club (Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi)

– Tiger Mask, Tiger Mask W and Togi Makabe defeated Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata

– Chaos (Beretta, Hirooki Goto, Jado, Rocky Romero and Toru Yano) defeated Suzuki-gun (El Desperado, Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, Taka Michinoku and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

– Cody defeated David Finlay

– Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito) defeated Taguchi Japan (Juice Robinson and Kushida)

– War Machine (Hanson and Raymond Rowe) defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) and Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Championship

– Los Ingobernables de Japon (Bushi, Evil and Sanada) defeated Taguchi Japan (Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi) to win the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship

– Kenny Omega defeated Tomohiro Ishii

– Kazuchika Okada (with Gedo) defeated Bad Luck Fale (with Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi) to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship

2018

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku: Fukuoko, Japan:

– Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi beat Yota Tsuji & Shota Umino

– Rocky Romero & Sho & Yoh beat Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Takashi Iizuka

– Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano & Yoshi-Hashi & Hirooki Goto & Jay White beat Togi Makabe & Toa Henare & Michael Elgin & Juice Robinson & David Finlay

– Young Bucks & Marty Scurll won the Never six man titles over Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale

– Tetsuya Naito & Evil & Seiya Sanada & Bushi & Hiromu Takahashi beat Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi & Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru 

– Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kushida

– Cody pinned Kota Ibushi 

– Kenny Omega pinned Hangman Page