This Day in Wrestling History (Feb. 2)
By Graham Cawthon
Feb 2, 2009 - 6:54:01 AM
These are WWE, WCW, and ECW related events which aired or took place on Groundhog Day. For more information, visit
http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com.
Help us celebrate the site's 7th anniversary by joining us tomorrow for an exclusive 40-minute plus interview with the legendary Bruno Sammartino.
- Graham Cawthon
Pittsburgh, PA - February 2, 1963
Television taping:
WWWF World Champion Buddy Rogers defeated Frank Pickens
WWWF @ Scranton, PA – February 2, 1965
WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated
Waldo Von Erich
WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA – February 2, 1966
Television taping:
WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated Smasher Sloan
WWWF @ Washington DC - National Arena - February 2, 1966
Television taping:
Pete Sanchez vs. Arnold Skaaland
Miguel Perez vs. Angelo Savoldi
Tomas Marin vs. Ronnie Etchison
Domingo Robles vs. The Beast
Tony Altamore vs. Johnny Valentine
Prince Iaukea vs. Jose Garcia & the Magnificent Maurice
WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino & Antonio Pugliese defeated Bill Miller & Baron Mikel Scicluna
WWWF @ Washington DC - National Arena - February 2, 1967
Television taping:
Jack Davis defeated Johnny Rodz
Ricky Sexton dfeated Angelo Savoldi
Gorilla Monsoon defeated Pete Sanchez & Tomas Marin in a handicap match
Luke Graham defeated Arnold Skaaland
Frank Hickey vs. Smasher Sloan
Bill Miller fought Antonio Pugliese to a draw
WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino, Spiros Arion, & Antonio Pugliese defeated Bill Miller, Tank Morgan, & Baron Mikel Scicluna in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match
WWWF @ Scranton, PA - February 2, 1971 (2,000)
Bulldog Brower pinned Joe Turco
Bulldog Brower defeated Tony Marino via disqualification
Vincente Pometti defeated Lee Wong
Vincente Pometti defeated Manuel Soto
US Champion Pedro MOrales defeated the Wolfman
WWWF World Champion Ivan Koloff defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out at 16:35
WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - February 2, 1973
Eric the Red defeated Tony DiPaulo
Tony Altimore defeated Frank Durso
Frank Holtz & Larry Zbyzsko defeated the Executioner & John L. Sullivan via disqualification
Waldo Von Erich defeated Arnold Skaaland
George Steele & Killer Kowalski defeated Gino Brito & Tony Parisi
Dominic DeNucci defeated King Curtis via count-out
Bruno Sammartino fought Prof. Toru Tanaka to a no contest when the match was stopped when both men were too bloody to continue
WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - February 2, 1976
Televised on the MSG Network - featured Vince McMahon on commentary:
Frank Monte defeated Pete Sanchez at 9:21
Louis Cyr pinned Francisco Flores at 9:16 with a shoulderbreaker
Spiros Arion pinned Kevin Sullivan at 6:44 with an atomic drop
Ernie Ladd pinned Dominic DeNucci at 11:55 by putting his feet on the ropes for leverage after a thumb strike to the throat
Ivan Putski fought Ivan Koloff to a time-limit draw at around the 11-minute mark as both men brawled on the ring apron
Little Louie & the Coco Kid defeated Billy the Kid & Little Johnny in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match, 2-0; fall #1: Louie & Kid won at 12:02; fall #2: Louie & Kid won at 6:27
WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated Superstar Billy Graham at 17:55 when the match was stopped due to blood
Baron Mikel Scicluna pinned Pat Barrett at 6:44 after throwing him head-first into the corner
Bobo Brazil (sub. for Louis Cerdan) & WWWF Tag Team Champion Tony Parisi defeated Crusher Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match, 2-0; fall #1: Blackwell & McGraw were disqualified at 7:13 when McGraw choked Bobo with the tag rope; fall #2: Parisi pinned Blackwell at 4:21 with a bodyslam and jumping off the top
WWWF @ Cherry Hill, NJ - February 2, 1979
Baron Mikel Scicluna fought Chief Jay Strongbow to a draw
Allan Coage defeated Mike Hall
Ivan Putski defeated Peter Maivia via count-out
Johnny Rodz defeated Tony Russo
Larry Zbyszko & Tony Garea defeated Stan Stasiak & Victor Rivera
WWF Championship Wrestling
Taped 1/22/80; Allentown, PA; Agricultural Hall
2/2/80:
Bruno Sammartino defeated Larry Zbyszko via disqualification at 9:34 when Zbyzsko threw the referee to the floor and hit Sammartino in the head with a wooden chair three times, busting him open (Best of the WWF Vol. 1)
Tony Atlas defeated Johnny Rodz; prior to the bout, two referees wiped Bruno Sammartino’s blood, caused from the previous match, from the mat
WWF @ South Orange, NJ - Walsh Gym - February 2, 1980
Bulldog Brower defeated Angelo Gomez
Davey O'Hannon defeated Mike Masters
Larry Sharpe defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna via count-out
The Wild Samoans defeated Dominic DeNucci & Rene Goulet (sub. for Gorilla Monsoon) via count-out
Ken Patera defeated Ivan Putski via count-out
WWF @ Hamburg, PA - February 2, 1980
All Star Wrestling taping:
Tito Santana defeated BB Coleman
Ken Patera defeated Steve King
Dominic DeNucci defeated Angelo Gomez
Larry Zbyzsko defeated Ron Lee
Rene Goulet defeated JoJo Andrews
Hulk Hogan defeated Billy Berger
WWF @ Springfield, MA - February 2, 1980
Joe Crugnale defeated Fred Marzino
Jim Duggan defeated Jose Estrada
Johnny Rodz defeated Steve King
WWF IC Champion Pat Patterson defeated Capt. Lou Albano via count-out in a non-title match
Hulk Hogan defeated Tito Santana
Larry Zbyszko defeated Hussein Arab
Bobby Duncum defeated WWF World Champion Bob Backlund via count-out
WWF @ Waterbury, CT - February 2, 1983
Eddie Gilbert defeated Charlie Fulton
Swede Hanson defeated Curt Hennig
SD Jones fought Mr. Fuji to a draw
Don Muraco defeated Tony Garea
Pedro Morales defeated Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification
Jimmy Snuka defeated Ray Stevens via disqualification
Muroran, Japan - February 2, 1984
WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan & Iron Mike Sharpe defeated Akira Maeda & Osamu Kido
All Star Wrestling
Taped 1/7/85; Hamilton, Ontario; Convention Center
2/2/85 - included Capt. Lou Albano as a guest of Blackjack's BBQ:
Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo defeated Goldie Rogers & Terry Gibbs at 4:08 when Windham pinned Rogers with the bulldog
Jimmy Snuka pinned Carl Fury at 2:41 with the top rope splash
Don Muraco (w/ Mr. Fuji) pinned Mario Mancini at 2:16 with the tombstone
Angelo Mosca Jr. (w/ Angelo Mosca) pinned Frank Marconi at 3:09 with a flying headscissors
Hillbilly Jim defeated AJ Petruzzi via submission at 2:38 with a bearhug
Andre the Giant & the Junkyard Dog defeated Ted Grizzly & Richard Cummings at 3:38 when Andre pinned Cummings with a boot to the face and a sit-down splash; prior to the bout, Edouard Carpentier - who provided commentary for the show in Quebec and France - was introduced at ringside as a former world champion
Championship Wrestling
Taped 1/22/85; Poughkeepsie, NY; Mid-Hudson Civic Center
2/2/85 - included Andre the Giant as a guest of the Piper's Pit:
The Junkyard Dog defeated Johnny Rodz
Paul Orndorff defeated Peter Pompell
Don Muraco defeated Aldo Marino
Jim Neidhart (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Jose Luis Rivera (Neidhart's TV debut)
Jimmy Snuka pinned Jeff Craney with a splash off the top at 3:24
WWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - February 2, 1985
Moondog Spot defeated Jose Luis Rivera
Brutus Beefcake defeated Rick McGraw
WWF Tag Team Champion Mike Rotundo defeated the Iron Sheik
Nikolai Volkoff defeated WWF Tag Team Champion Barry Windham
Paul Orndorff defeated Ivan Putski
Don Muraco defeated George Wells
Bret Hart defeated Mr. X
WWF Women's Champion Wendi Richter defeated Judy Martin
Andre the Giant & the Junkyard Dog defeated Ken Patera & Big John Studd in a Texas Tornado match
WWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - February 2, 1985
Terry Gibbs defeated Bob Bradley
Jim Neidahrt defeated SD Jones
Swede Hanson defeated Rene Goulet
Jimmy Snuka defeated Roddy Piper via disqualification
Tony Atlas defeated Bob Orton Jr. via disqualification
Charlie Fulton pinned the Spoiler
Tito Santana defeated WWF IC Champion Greg Valentine via count-out
Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch defeated Jack & Jerry Brisco
NJPW @ Koshigaya, Japan – February 2, 1985 (2,000)
Keiji Muto fought Shinya Hashimoto to a draw
Naoki Sano pinned Masahiro Chono
Makoto Arakawa defeated Hirokazu Hata via submission with a Canadian backbreaker
Anoaro Atisanoe pinned Kim Su Hong
The Cobra & Kantaro Hoshino fought the Black Tiger & Hiro Saito to a double count-out
Shunji Takano defeated Umanosuke Ueda via disqualification
The Strong Machines defeated Tiger Toguchi & Tatsutoshi Goto when Strong Machine #1 pinned Goto
King Kong Bundy pinned Kengo Kimura
IWGP Champion Antonio Inoki, Seiji Sakaguchi & Tatsumi Fujinami defeated WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan, Samula & Kerry Brown when Inoki pinned Brown
WWF @ Cincinnati, OH - Riverfront Coliseum - February 2, 1986 (matinee)
King Tonga defeated Iron Mike Sharpe
George Steele defeated Steve Lombardi
Tony Atlas defeated Tiger Chung Lee
The Junkyard Dog defeated Hercules
WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan pinned Terry Funk after hitting him in the head with Jimmy Hart's megaphone
Cpl. Kirchner defeated the Iron Sheik
WWF Tag Team Champions Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake defeated B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell
WWF @ Denver, CO - McNichols Arena - February 2, 1986
Adrian Adonis defeated Dan Spivey
George Wells defeated Moondog Spot
Mad Dog Vachon defeated Rene Goulet
Paul Orndorff defeated Bob Orton Jr. in a cast match
Judy Martin defeated Linda Gonzalez
Ricky Steamboat defeated Don Muraco in a judo jacket match
Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid defeated Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart
WWF @ Troy, NY - RPI Fieldhouse - February 2, 1986
Included Randy Savage
WWF @ Richfield, OH - Coliseum - February 2, 1986
Dan Spivey defeated Barry O
King Tonga defeated Paul Christy
Ted Arcidi defeated Moondog Spot
Hillbilly Jim defeated Steve Lombardi
King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd defeated Tony Atlas & Lanny Poffo
WWF IC Champion Randy Savage defeated George Steele via disqualification
WWF Tag Team Champions Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake defeated Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid
Paul Orndorff defeated Roddy Piper in a steel cage match
WWF @ Evansville, IN - Roberts Memorial Stadium - February 2, 1987
Included Adrian Adonis and a bunkhouse battle royal
WWF @ Quebec City, Quebec - February 2, 1987
Paul Roma defeated Steve Lombardi
Sivi Afi defeated Tiger Chung Lee
Butch Reed fought Billy Jack Haynes to a draw
Jerry Allen defeated Johnny V via disqualification when Dino Bravo interfered
Jacques & Raymond Rougeau defeated Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart
Dino Bravo defeated Tito Santana
WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Kamala
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
2/2/87 - special 100th episode:
- Paul Orndorff (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated George Steele via disqualification at 6:00 when Steele swung a steel chair at the referee; before the bout, Heenan tore up a poster of Miss Elizabeth, distracting George during the match as he attempted to put the remains back together; after the match, Orndorff attacked Steele and was about to hit him with the chair but Steele blocked the move and chased Orndorff away with it (Best of the WWF Vol. 12) (1/19/87; Madison Square Garden)
- Ron Bass pinned SD Jones at 6:56 with the Pedigree (Bass' MSG debut) (1/19/87; Madison Square Garden)
- Tiger Chung Lee pinned Jerry Allen at 7:34 with an elbow drop after Allen missed a crossbody (1/19/87; Madison Square Garden)
- Brad Reinghans pinned Frenchy Martin with a diving shoulderblock from the middle turnbuckle at 16:49 (Rheingans' debut) (1/19/87; Madison Square Garden)
- Danny Spivey, Mike Rotundo, & Blackjack Mulligan defeated Ron Bass, Jimmy Jack Funk, & the Gladiator when Mulligan pinned the Gladiator with a flying back elbow at 3:33 (WWF Superstars - 1/5/87; Meadowlands Arena)
- Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik (w/ Slick) defeated the Islanders when Sheik pinned Tama at 2:14 after Slick interfered and hit Tama with his cane as the referee tried to get Haku and Volkoff out of the ring (Wrestling Challenge - 1/6/87; Hershey, PA; Hersheypark Arena)
- Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Jim Parks via submission with the full nelson at 1:27; after the bout, Heenan challenged Billy Jack Haynes to break out of the hold but, after coming to the ring, Haynes was attacked by Hercules and had the hold applied on him after pushing Heenan (WWF Superstars - 1/5/87; Meadowlands Arena)
- The Junkyard Dog defeated King Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) via disqualification at 6:00 when Heenan interfered and attacked JYD after the Dog put on Race's crown and robe; moments later, JYD fought off a double team from Race and Heenan, knocking Heenan to the floor and accidentally headbutting referee Danny Davis when Race moved out of the way (Saturday Night's Main Event - 12/14/86; Hartford, CT; Civic Center)
NWA @ Miami, FL - Knight Center - February 2, 1988
Debut at the venue
Bugsy McGraw defeated Mighty Yankee #1
Ricky Santana defeated Kevin Sullivan via disqualification
Barry Windham fought NWA Western States Heritage Champion Larry Zbyzsko to a draw
Nikita Koloff defeated NWA TV Champion Mike Rotundo via disqualification
Road Warrior Hawk & Paul Ellering defeated Ivan Koloff & the Warlord
NWA US Champion Dusty Rhodes & Lex Luger defeated NWA World Champion Ric Flair & NWA Tag Team Champion Tully Blanchard
WWF @ Brooklyn, NY - Regina Youth Center - February 2, 1988
WWF Women's Tag Team Champions the Jumping Bomb Angels defeated Judy Martin & Leilani Kai
Koko B. Ware vs. Hercules
B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell vs. Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov
Included Jim Powers & Paul Roma and 3 other bouts
NWA Power Hour
Taped 1/23/90; Greenville, SC; Memorial Auditorium
2/2/90 - featured a Wrestling News Network segment with Gordon Solie in which Solie discussed the upcoming main events of the Clash of the Champions and Wrestle War, during which Solie predicted NWA World Champion Ric Flair, Sting, & NWA TV Champion Arn Anderson to win because of the recent absence of Gary Hart; included Arn Anderson as a guest of Funk's Grill in which Funk asked Anderson whether he was siding with Flair or Sting leading into their Wrestle War match, with Anderson saying they were both winners and the title would be with the Horsemen regardless of the outcome; featured the announcement that Mil Mascaras would be in action as well as Flair, Sting, & Anderson the following night on World Championship Wrestling; included a closing segment where Jim Cornette joked that he would quit after learning the following week's show would be in Marietta, GA (Cornette's last appearance as co-host):
Doom defeated the Italian Stallion & Keith Hart at 3:47 when Ron Simmons pinned Hart following a clothesline off the top as Butch Reed held Hart in the air; during the bout, it was announced NWA TV Champion Arn Anderson would face Bobby Eaton on The Main Event; Jim Ross made mention that, despite the masks, most fans had a good idea as to who the members of Doom were; after the contest, Reed threw Hart to the floor
Ranger Ross pinned Joe Cruz with the Combat Kick at around the 8-minute mark after Cruz botched a leapfrog; during the bout, it was announced NWA US Champion Lex Luger would not face Tom Zenk later in the show, as previously announced, but NWA World Champion Ric Flair would face Zenk in Luger's place; it was also announced Luger would appear in Funk's Grill at the Clash of the Champions; during the bout, the crowd booed when either man kicked out of a pin attempt (the bout was joined in progress)
NWA World Champion Ric Flair pinned Tom Zenk at 16:29 with a roll over and grabbing the tights for leverage; mid-way through the bout, Woman and Nitron appeared ringside
NWA @ Springfield, MO - Shrine Mosque - February 2, 1990 (3,000; sell out)
Mike Rotunda pinned Ranger Ross
Shane Douglas & Johnny Ace defeated Jack Victory & Rip Morgan
Norman pinned Kevin Sullivan
Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane
The Road Warriors, NWA Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Doom, Mark Callous & Dan Spivey
NWA World Champion Ric Flair pinned NWA US Champion Lex Luger
WWF Superstars
Taped 1/7/91; Huntsville, AL; Von Braun Civic Center
2/2/91 - included a closing news report by Gene Okerlund in which he announced that there were unconfirmed reports in which the Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage had challenged each other to a career vs. career match for WrestleMania VII:
The Big Bossman pinned Jeff Sword at 1:26 with the sidewalk slam; after the bout, Bossman handcuffed Sword to the middle rope and left him in the ring
Demolition (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Mike Wallace & Pez Whatley at 1:48 when Crush pinned Wallace at 2:01 following the Decapitation; in an untelevised incident after the match, the Mariner attacked Demolition
The Undertaker (w/ Brother Love) pinned William Ford with the tombstone at 1:47
Shane Douglas pinned Dale Wolfe at 1:06 with a flying bodypress
Kerry Von Erich defeated WWF IC Champion Mr. Perfect (w/ Bobby Heenan) via count-out at 3:40 after sending the champion into the ringpost; moments earlier, the Big Bossman came ringside and handcuffed himself to Heenan
WWF @ Springfield, MA - Civic Center - February 2, 1991 (matinee) (5,000)
The Barbarian pinned Koko B. Ware
The Undertaker pinned Jim Duggan
Roddy Piper pinned Gen. Adnan at 1:15
Demolition defeated the Bushwhackers
The Big Bossman defeated WWF IC Champion Mr. Perfect via count-out at 6:50
Tugboat pinned Haku
Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty fought the Nasty Boys to a time-limit draw at 20:30
WWF World Champion Sgt. Slaughter defeated the Ultimate Warrior via disqualification
WWF @ Oakland, CA - Coliseum - February 2, 1991 (matinee) (8,300)
The Mountie defeated Sam Houston
Davey Boy Smith defeated the Warlord
The Legion of Doom defeated the Orient Express
Kerry Von Erich defeated Ted Dibiase
Jake Roberts defeated Rick Martel via disqualification
WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart defeated Paul Roma & Hercules
Hulk Hogan defeated Earthquake in a stretcher match
WWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - February 2, 1991 (8,500)
The Bushwhackers defeated Demolition via disqualification
The Big Bossman pinned Haku
The Nasty Boys defeated Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty at 20:38 when Jerry Saggs pinned Michaels
The Barbarian pinned Koko B. Ware
The Undertaker pinned Tugboat
Roddy Piper defeated WWF IC Champion Mr. Perfect via count-out at 12:41
Jim Duggan pinned Gen. Adnan (sub. for WWF World Champion Sgt. Slaughter) at the 48-second mark
WWF World Champion Sgt. Slaughter (sub. for Randy Savage) defeated the Ultimate Warrior in a steel cage match after Sensational Sherri interfered