This Day in Wrestling History (Jan. 26)
By Graham Cawthon
Jan 26, 2009 - 7:34:28 AM
These are WWE, WCW, and ECW related events which aired or took place on this date. For more information, visit
http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com .
Help us celebrate the site's 7th anniversary by joining us next Tuesday, Feb. 3 for an exclusive 40-minute plus interview with one of WWE's founding fathers.
- Graham Cawthon
WWWF @ Washington DC - National Arena - January 26, 1967
Television taping:
Miguel Perez defeated Frank Hickey
Tank Morgan defeated Arnold Skaaland
Ox Baker defeated Angelo Savoldi
Luke Graham defeated Pete Sanchez
Spiros Arion & Antonio Pugliese defeated Smasher Sloan & Baron Mikel Scicluna
Arman Hussein fought Gorilla Monsoon to a draw
WWWF @ Augusta, ME - Augusta Armory - January 26, 1971
The Wolfman fought Gene DuBois to a draw
Pedro Morales defeated Bulldog Brower via disqualification
Blackjack Mulligan defeated Jose Rivera
Chief Jay Strongbow & Tony Marino defeated Bepo Mongol & Joe Turco (sub. for Mongol Geto)
WWWF @ Harrisburg, PA - Zembo Mosque - January 26, 1973
Manuel Soto pinned Chuck Richards at 12:42
Arnold Skaaland pinned Mike Conrad at 8:18
Prof. Toru Tanaka defeated Sonny King via count-out at 13:06 after both men collided in the ring and King failed to get to his feet in time to break the count
Gorilla Monsoon fought King Curtis to a double disqualification when both men were caught using a foreign object
WWWF World Champion Pedro Morales pinned Mr. Fuji with a sommersalt at 21:26
WWA @ Detroit, MI - January 26, 1974
Ricky Cortez defeated Raul Guzman
Bobby Bold Eagle fought the Beast to a draw
Art Thomas defeated Tony Romano
WWA Champion Bob Ellis defeated Cowboy Parker
Bobby Heenan defeated Luis Martinez
WWA Tag Team Champions Jimmy & Johnny Valiant defeated Dick the Bruiser & WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino
WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Arena - January 26, 1974
Manuel Soto defeated Juan Caruso
Dean Ho fought Otto Von Heller to a draw
Mr. Fuji defeated Jose Gonzalez via count-out
Susan Green & Donna Christanello defeated Peggy Patterson & Dotti Downs in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match
Pedro Morales, Gorilla Monsoon, & Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Don Leo Jonathan, Larry Hennig, & Stan Stasiak
WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - January 26, 1976
Pete Sanchez defeated Davey O'Hannon
Mark Tendler defeated Mike Paidousis
Dominic DeNucci defeated Bugsy McGraw
Bobo Jackson & Little Louis defeated Billy the Kid & Sky Low Low
WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino fought Ivan Koloff to a draw
WWWF @ Bangor, ME - January 26, 1977
SD Jones defeated Johnny Rodz
Nikolai Volkoff defeated Sylvano Sousa
Tor Kamata defeated Pete Austin
Ken Patera defeated Jose Gonzalez
Executioner #1 defeated Manuel Soto
Stan Stasiak defeated Pete Sanchez
Billy Whitewolf defeated Executioner #2
Larry Zbyzsko defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna
Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Doug Gilbert
Ken Patera won a battle royal
WWWF @ Worcester, MA - Memorial Auditorium - January 26, 1978
Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Prof. Toru Tanaka
Bob Backlund vs. Mr. Fuji
WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Peter Maivia
Also included Spiros Arion and Stan Stasiak
WWF Championship Wrestling
Taped 1/22/80; Allentown, PA; Agricultural Hall
1/26/80:
Larry Zbyzsko pinned John Beauford with a suplex at 3:09; after the bout, Zbyzsko called for Vince McMahon to interview him at ringside so he could discuss Bruno Sammartino’s recent rejection to face him in the ring; moments later, Zbyzsko said if he couldn’t face Sammartino then he would not wrestle again, adding he couldn’t stand to remain in the shadows any longer; Sammartino appeared moments later and said while he did previously say he wouldn’t wrestle Zbyzsko he also didn’t want to be responsible for ending Zbyzsko’s career; he then said he would face Zbyzsko but his goal was not to beat Zbyzsko because his heart isn’t into it and he loved Zbyzsko as one of his brothers; Zbyzsko then said he couldn’t ask for anything more and the match was announced for the following week
WWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - January 26, 1980
Baron Mikel Scicluna defeated Rene Goulet
Bulldog Brower defeated Johnny Rodz
Hussein Arab defeated Larry Zbyzsko
The Wild Samoans defeated Tito Santana & Gorilla Monsoon
Ken Patera defeated Ivan Putski
Hulk Hogan defeated Dominic DeNucci
WWF World Champion Bob Backlund defeated Bobby Duncum
WWF @ Hamburg, PA - Fieldhouse - January 26, 1983
All Star Wrestling taping:
Dark match after the taping: WWF World Champion Bob Backlund vs. Superstar Billy Graham
WWF All Star Wrestling
Taped 1/7/85; Hamilton, Ontario; Convention Center
1/26/85 - included Don Muraco & Mr. Fuji as guests of Blackjack's BBQ:
Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik defeated two unknowns
Big John Studd (w/ Bobby Heenan) pinned Jim Powers at 1:58 with a clothesline
Ivan Putski pinned Frank Marconi at 3:10 with the Polish Hammer
The Moondogs defeated Nick DeCarlo & Ron Hutchinson at 3:49 when Spot pinned Hutchinson with an elbow drop from the middle turnbuckle as Hutchinson was laid across Rex' knee
David Sammartino defeated an unknown
WWF IC Champion Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake vs. Tito Santana & George Wells
WWF @ Vancouver, British Columbia - January 26, 1985
Jesse Ventura defeated Rick McGraw
George Wells defeated Alexi Smirnoff
Jim Neidhart defeated Moose Morowski
Bret Hart defeated Rene Goulet
Tony Atlas defeated the Spoiler via disqualification
Andre the Giant & Blackjack Mulligan fought Big John Studd & Ken Patera to a draw
WWF @ Cincinnati, OH - January 26, 1985
Nikolai Volkoff defeated Pat Patterson
Ivan Putski defeated Brutus Beefcake via disqualification
Bob Orton Jr. defeated Steve Lombardi
Mr. Wrestling II defeated Les Thornton
The Iron Sheik defeated Mr. Wrestling II
The Junkyard Dog & Ivan Putski defeated Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
WWF @ Canton, OH - January 26, 1985
SD Jones defeated Jerry Valiant
David Schultz defeated Tony Garea
Wendi Richter defeated Judy Martin
Moondog Rex defeated Bobby Colt
Tito Santana defeated WWF IC Champion Greg Valentine via count-out
WWF Championship Wrestling
Taped 1/85; Poughkeepsie, NY; Mid-Hudson Civic Center
1/26/85 - included an 'Update' segment showing footage from Roddy Piper attacking Capt. Lou Albano and Cyndi Lauper during a presentation by Dick Clark held at Madison Square Garden 1/21/85; featured Blackjack Mulligan as a guest of Piper's Pit:
Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo defeated Gino Carabello & AJ Petruzzi
Jimmy Snuka & the Tonga Kid defeated Dave Barbie & Rusty Brooks
The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff (w/ Freddie Blassie) defeated Aldo Marino & SD Jones
George Wells defeated Paul Kelly
The Moondogs defeated Steve Lombardi & Jim Young
Hillbilly Jim (w/ WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan) defeated Terry Gibbs (Jim's in-ring debut)
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
1/26/87:
- Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake (w/ Johnny V) defeated Mike Rotundo & Danny Spivey at 17:21 when Valentine hit Spivey with a double axe handle as Spivey had Beefcake covered, with Beefcake scoring the pin (1/11/87; Maple Leaf Gardens)
- Dino Bravo (w/ Johnny V) pinned Scott McGhee with a back suplex at 5:54 (1/11/87; Maple Leaf Gardens)
- Paul Roma pinned Barry O at 6:28 with a powerslam (1/11/87; Maple Leaf Gardens)
- Don Muraco fought Koko B. Ware to a 20-minute time-limit draw (1/11/87; Maple Leaf Gardens)
- WWF Tag Team Champion Davey Boy Smith & the Junkyard Dog (sub. for Dynamite Kid) defeated Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart at 14:44 when JYD pinned Bret after Smith reversed Bret's small package behind the referee's back; after the bout, referee Danny Davis was upset with himself for giving Bret a fast count, as he thought JYD was the one being pinned; after the bout and after Matilda chased the heels from the ring, JYD invited a few kids into the ring to dance with him but instead was mobbed by about 40 fans, forcing security to escort JYD backstage and get everyone out of the ring (1/11/87; Maple Leaf Gardens)
WWF @ Tampa, FL - SunDome - January 26, 1987 (10,800)
WWF Superstars taping:
Ron Bass defeated Lanny Poffo
King Harley Race fought the Junkyard Dog to a double disqualification
WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Kamala
2/7/87 - included Andre the Giant turning heel and challenging Hulk Hogan to a title match at WrestleMania III during a Piper's Pit segment:
WWF IC Champion Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth) pinned David Gold in a non-title match at 1:39 with the flying elbow drop
Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid to win the titles at 2:57 following a double DDT and the Hart Attack on Davey Boy Smith; Smith wrestled the entire match by himself after Dynamite was knocked out before the bout began by Jimmy Hart's megaphone; Danny Davis was the referee for the bout and spent the duration of the match checking on the Dynamite Kid as the challengers illegally double teamed Smith (The Hart Foundation)
Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Buddy Blake via submission with the full nelson at 3:06
Outback Jack pinned Steve Lombardi at 2:49 with a bulldog (Jack's TV debut; he was introduced by Hillbilly Jim before the match)
B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell defeated Al Navarro & Jimmy Jack Funk at 5:29 when Brunzell pinned Navaroo with a dropkick
Butch Reed (w/ Slick) pinned David Stoudemire at 1:51 with a gorilla press slam and elbow drop; after the match, Slick cut a promo on Tito Santana
2/14/87 - featured Hulk Hogan on the Piper's Pit in which he accepted Andre the Giant's challenge to face him at WrestleMania III:
Tito Santana pinned Terry Gibbs with the flying forearm at the 20 second mark; prior to the match, WWF President Jack Tunney suspended referee Danny Davis for life; Jimmy Hart then came ringside and led Davis backstage
Bob Orton Jr. & Don Muraco (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Leo Strohein & Lanny Poffo at 3:25 when Muraco pinned Srohein with the tombstone; after the match, Muraco & Orton further attacked their opponents
The Junkyard Dog pinned John Valkower with the powerslam at 2:03
Demolition (w/ Johnny V) defeated Mario Mancini & Sivi Afi at 1:19 when Ax pinned Mancini following the Decapitation (the 1st appearance of Barry Darsow playing the role of Smash)
Ricky Steamboat pinned Tom Laxton with a karate chop at 2:02
Rick Martel & Tom Zenk defeated Tiger Chung Lee & the Gladiator at 3:19 when Martel pinned the Gladiator with a slingshot splash into the ring
2/21/87 - included footage of an empty-arena interview before the taping began in which Roddy Piper confirmed that his match at WrestleMania III would be his last:
WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart & Danny Davis) defeated the Islanders at 4:33 when Neidhart pinned Tama after Davis tripped him as he came off the top rope
King Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) pinned Salvatore Bellomo at 1:09 with the cradle suplex
Billy Jack Haynes defeated Morgan Bastien via submission with the full nelson at 2:13
Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake (w/ Johnny V & Dino Bravo) defeated Paul Roma & Frankie Rose at 2:53 when Rose submitted to Valentine's figure-4
Koko B. Ware pinned the Red Demon at 3:10 with the Ghostbuster
NWA @ Raleigh, NC - Dorton Arena - January 26, 1988
Television taping:
Featured a segment in which NWA World Champion Ric Flair was driven into the arena in a white limo, with Flair, NWA Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard, JJ Dillon, and several women stepping out of the limo for Flair to receive the 1987 Wrestler of the Year award from the NWA Pro Wrestling Digest; moments later, Jim Ross conducted an interview with Flair in which Flair said Raleigh was the place where he won the Mid-Atlantic TV Title and he and the Horsemen would party later that night; Flair then cut a promo on Lex Luger; following the commercial break, Tony Schiavone conducted an in-ring interview with Sting, who was in the ring during the presentation, who cut a promo on Flair and challenged Flair to come to the ring and face him; Dillon then came out to the ring in Flair's place and said Sting was showing no class by interrupting Flair's big day; after Sting talked back to Dillon, Dillon threw champagne in his face, with Sting then attacking Dillon and hitting the Stinger Splash on him before locking him in the Scorpion Deathlock; moments later, Flair, Anderson, and Blanchard rushed the ring, with Sting escaping unharmed; Flair then called for Sting to come back out and then accepted Sting's challenge to a match, saying he wouldn't appear on the program again until he had a match set with Sting
NWA Pro: Mike Rotundo (w/ Kevin Sullivan) pinned NWA TV Champion Nikita Koloff to win the title at around the 13-minute mark after Sullivan hit the champion in the throat with a foreign object as Rick Steiner who appeared ringside late in the bout, distracted referee Earl Hebner from the floor
WWF @ Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Arena - January 26, 1988 (9,000; sell out)
WWF Superstars taping:
WWF Tag Team Champions Rick Martel & Tito Santana defeated Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart
The One Man Gang defeated Don Muraco (w/ Superstar Billy Graham) via disqualification after Graham hit OMG with his cane
WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan & Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Andre the Giant & Ted Dibiase at around the 9-minute mark when Hogan pinned Dibiase with the legdrop
Prime Time Wrestling - 2/11/88 - included Craig DeGeorge conducting an interview with Jesse Ventura, Dino Bravo, & Frenchy Martin with all three claiming that Bravo was the new world bench press record holder
Prime Time Wrestling - 2/11/88: George Steele defeated Wellington Wilkins via submission with the flying hammerlock at 2:36
Prime Time Wrestling - 2/19/88: Steve Lombardi & Barry Horowitz defeated Lanny Poffo & Scott Casey at 5:04 when Lombardi pinned Poffo with a clothesline after Horowitz landed a knee to the back from the ring apron
Prime Time Wrestling - 2/19/88: King Harley Race & Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan, who came ringside mid-way through the bout) defeated Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid via count-out at 9:05 when the Bulldogs chased Heenan backstage after he taunted them with a dog collar and leash; after the bout, the Bulldogs returned to the ring and attacked their opponents with the props
Prime Time Wrestling - 2/22/88: B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell defeated Steve Lombardi & Barry Horowitz at 5:45 when Horowitz was pinned after sustaining an atomic drop from Brunzell and a clothesline off the middle turnbuckle from Blair
Prime Time Wrestling - 2/22/88: Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov defeated SD Jones & Brady Boone at 6:19 when Zhukov pinned Boone following a knee drop
2/6/88 - included Craig DeGeorge conducting an interview with Nikolai Volkoff, Boris Zhukov, & Slick; featured highlights from Dino Bravo's world bench press mark at the Royal Rumble as well as highlights from the Glamour Girls / Jumping Bomb Angels women's tag team title change:
Ricky Steamboat (sub. for Paul Orndorff) fought Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan) to a double disqualification at 4:18 when the Ultimate Warrior came to ringside and threw King Harley Race, who came ringside with Hercules mid-way through the bout, into the ring; after the bout, Steamboat and Warrior were beaten down until Jim Duggan made the save with his 2x4
Don Muraco pinned Dusty Wolfe with the tombstone at 2:00
Ron Bass pinned Gary Starr with the Pedigree at 1:38; after the bout, Bass hung his opponent with the whip over his back
Jim Duggan pinned Brian Costello with the running clothesline at 1:48
Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Oliver Humperdink) pinned Gino Carabello with the slingshot suplex at 1:16
The One Man Gang (w/ Slick) pinned Jerry Gray at 1:38 with the front suplex; during the bout, Jesse Ventura spoke with Donald Trump on the phone regarding the seating arrangements for WrestleMania IV; after the bout, Ventura left the booth in protest after a note was sent to the commentary table from WWF President Jack Tunney saying that Tunney was about to have a statement regarding the outcome of The Main Event; Ventura was censored throughout the telecast whenever he attempted to talk about the Hogan / Andre match
2/13/88 - included the announcement from WWF President Jack Tunney that the WWF World Title was vacant as a result of the Hogan / Andre match in Indianapolis on February 5; to determine the new champion, a 14-man tournament would be held at WrestleMania IV; the original bracketing featured the Roberts / Rude and Duggan / Dibiase matches in place of each other; featured highlights from the previous week's Warrior / Hercules bout during Wrestling Challenge:
Jim Powers & Paul Roma defeated Terry Gibbs & Joe Mirto when Powers pinned Mirto with a powerslam; the bout began during the commercial break
Butch Reed (w/ Slick) pinned Rex King with a clothesline off the top at 1:45
Jim Duggan pinned Dave Wagner at 1:46 with the running clothesline
Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid defeated Van Van Horne & Red Demon at 2:11 when Dynamite pinned Horne with a diving headbutt after being thrown by Smith
Demolition (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Eric Cooper & Dave Stoudimiere at 1:46 when Ax pinned Cooper following the Decapitation
2/20/88 - included Craig DeGeorge conducting an interview with Rick Rude & Bobby Heenan; featured the first WrestleMania IV report, with the British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware vs. the Islanders & Bobby Heenan and Brutus Beefcake vs. WWF IC Champion the Honkytonk Man were announced; included the announcement that Bob Uecker would be a guest ring announcer at the event:
Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) pinned Sika at 1:29 with the slingshot splash
The Islanders (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Omar Atlas & Rick Hunter at 4:59 when Tama pinned Hunter with a splash off the top
Dino Bravo (w/ Frenchy Martin) pinned Dave Stoudimiere at 1:48 with the side suplex
The Junkyard Dog pinned Ken Johnson at 1:01 with the powerslam
Bad News Brown pinned Phil Newkirk at 3:18 with the Ghetto Blaster
The Ultimate Warrior defeated King Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) via disqualification at 1:40 when Hercules interfered and assaulted the Warrior with his steel chain; after the bout, Warrior gained possession of the chain and chased Hercules and Race out of the ring with it
WWF @ Albuquerque, NM - Tingley Coliseum - January 26, 1989 (6,639)
Sam Houston pinned Boris Zhukov
The Red Rooster pinned Dino Bravo
Tito Santana fought Mr. Perfect to a time-limit draw
WWF Women’s Champion Rockin Robin pinned Sensational Sherri
WWF Tag Team Champions Demolition defeated the Powers of Pain via disqualification
Hulk Hogan defeated the Big Bossman via count-out
WWF @ Wichita, KS - Kansas Coliseum - January 26, 1989
Included WWF World Champion Randy Savage
NWA @ Roanoke, VA - Civic Center - January 26, 1989
WWF @ Flint, MI - IMA Sports Arena - January 26, 1989 (900)
Steve Lombardi pinned Lanny Poffo
Ron Bass pinned Tim Horner
WWF IC Champion the Ultimate Warrior (sub. for Brutus Beefcake) fought Rick Rude to a double count-out at 2:00; for an unknown reason, the Michigan sports commission didn't allow Beefcake to compete
Andre the Giant defeated Jake Roberts via disqualification
Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard defeated Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty
The Blue Blazer pinned Danny Davis
WWF IC Champion the Ultimate Warrior pinned King Haku
NWA Power Hour
Taped 1/15/90; Johnson City, TN; Freedom Hall
Power Hour - 1/26/90 - featured an ad for Wrestle War 90, to the tune of the Wild Thing rap; included a Wrestling News Network segment hosted by Gordon Solie in which he discussed the upcoming Clash of the Champions and Wrestle War main events, announced the CWA and USWA had merged, and discussed the recent passing of Haystacks Calhoun from diabetes; featured footage from the 1/20/90 Worldwide in which Road Warrior Animal and NWA Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner were beaten down by Doom, Mark Callous & Dan Spivey; included Sting as a guest of Funk's Grill in which Sting said regardless of whether he or Ric Flair won at Wrestle War, the world title would still be with the Horsemen; featured the announcement NWA US Champion Lex Luger would face Steve Williams at Wrestle War and that The Main Event would be preempted Sunday:
The Samoan Savage (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) pinned Robbie Idol at 4:38 with a headbutt off the middle turnbuckle; prior to the bout, Steve Williams cut an insert promo on facing the Savage at the Clash of the Champions; after the contest, Savage threw Idol to the floor
Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin defeated Ranger Ross & the Italian Stallion at 6:11 when Hayes pinned Stallion following a double DDT behind the referee's back
NWA World Champion Ric Flair, Sting, & NWA TV Champion Arn Anderson defeated the Great Muta, Buzz Sawyer, & the Dragon Master via disqualification at 16:08 when Muta sprayed Sting in the face with mist as Sting had the Scorpion Deathlock on Sawyer; during the match, it was announced Anderson would face Eddie Gilbert the following night on World Championship Wrestling and NWA US Champion Lex Luger would face Tom Zenk the following week on the Power Hour; after the bout, Muta, Sawyer, & Dragon Master beat down their opponents, with Sawyer hitting a top rope splash on Sting before the three left ringside