February 26th
On this day in history in ....
1920 - Mike Yokel wins the World Middleweight Title for the third time, defeating Waino Ketonen in Boston, Massachusetts.
1926 - Verne Gagne is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1939 - Jim Londos is awarded the Maryland version of the World Heavyweight Title by the Maryland State Commission. He was also fined $100 for his failure to appear for a scheduled defense against The Golden Terror (Bob Weatherly) on February 14. The Golden Terror was temporarily recognized as Maryland champion.
1942 - Ali Pasha defeats Billy Thom for the Midwest Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Title in Columbus, Ohio.
1944 - Ed "Strangler" Lewis defeats Rollend Kirchmeyer by knockout to win the Florida Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida. Kirchmeyer's head hit the floor knocking him out. Lewis refused the title, however, and it was returned to Kirchmeyer.
1951 - Sky Hi Lee defeats Al Mills to win the Calgary NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title in Edmonton, Alberta.
1952 - Duke Keomuka and Mr. Moto defeat Ray Gunkel and Miguel Guzmán for the NWA Texas Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas.
1957 - Guy and Joe Brunetti defeat Ivan and Karol Kalmikoff for the Minneapolis NWA World Tag Team Title in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1958 - Don and Jackie Fargo defeat Lee Fields and Lester Welch to win the Mid-America NWA World Tag Team Title in Mobile, Alabama, beginning their fourth reign.
1967 - Verne Gagne wins his eighth AWA World Heavyweight Title in St. Paul, Minnesota, ending the fifth reign for Mad Dog Vachon.
1969 - Bob Kelly and Ramon Perez defeat Mitsu and Sugi Sito to win the NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Title in Mobile, Alabama.
1971 - Vivian Vachon defeats Betty Nicoli for the NWA California Women's Title in Los Angeles, California.
1973 - The WWWF held an event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The show featured AWA World Champion Verne Gagne, as well as Dory Funk, Sr. and his son Terry. The results:
- Susan Green and Lily Thomas defeated Paula Kaye and Peggy Patterson.
- Tony Garea defeated Mike Conrad.
- Mike Graham defeated Joe Turco.
- Terry Funk defeated Chuck Richards.
- Victor Rivera defeated Dory Funk, Sr.
- Mil Máscaras defeated Buddy Wolfe.
- AWA World Heavyweight Champion Verne Gagne defeated Eddie Graham (subbing for Ray Stevens).
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Pedro Morales defeated King Curtis Iaukea.
1973 - The WWWF held an event at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The results were:
- Manuel Soto defeated El Olympico.
- Sonny King, Gorilla Monsoon and Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Chuck O'Connor, Mr. Fuji and Prof. Tanaka in a three-out-of-five falls match.
- Édouard Carpentier defeated Killer Kowalski by disqualification.
- Jack Brisco defeated Bobby Shane.
- Bruno Sammartino defeated Moondog Mayne.
1977 - The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Don Kent) are billed on arrival as the first WWC World Tag Team Champions.
1978 - Dick Murdoch defeats Ted DiBiase for the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title in St. Louis, Missouri.
1979 - Bill Dundee and Robert Gibson defeat Don Carson and Dennis Condrey to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
1979 - Bryan St. John and Randy Alls (Randy Rose) win a tournament for the NWA Central States Tag Team Title in Wichita, Kansas. The title had been revived after 18 years of inactivity, during which the Central States versions of the NWA North American and World Tag Team Titles were Central States Wrestling's titles.
1984 - Dos Caras defeats Enrique Vera to win the UWA World Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico.
1985 - The PYT Express (Norvell Austin and Koko Ware) defeat Jay and Mark Youngblood for the Florida NWA United States Tag Team Title in Tampa, Florida.
1987 - Kyoko Aso defeats Megumi Kudo to win the vacant AJW Junior Title in Kawasaki, Japan.
1988 - Terry Taylor defeats Matt Borne for the World Class Texas Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas.
1988 - Masahiro Chono defeats Mike George to win the World Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Title in St. Joseph, Missouri. The WWA was a short-lived promotion run by former Central States Wrestling promoter Bob Geigel after he withdrew his NWA membership. The promotion only was open during 1988.
1989 - Angel Azteca defeats Bestia Salvaje for the Mexican National Welterweight Title.
1990 - Jimmy Valiant defeats Jerry Lawler to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Lawler's fourth reign.
1993 - Heavy Metal defeats Rey Misterio, Jr. for the Mexican National Welterweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico, beginning his third reign.
1993 - The Ebony Experience (Stevie Ray and Booker T) defeat The Bad Breed (Axl and Ian Rotten) to win the Global Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas, beginning their third reign. At the same event, Calvin Knapp defeats Alex Porteau for the GWF Light Heavyweight Title, ending Porteau's second reign.
1994 - Colonel DeBeers defeats Bruiser Brian in Portland, Oregon for the Championship Wrestling USA Television Title, beginning his fourth reign.
1994 - Mike Samson defeats Wayne Rogers for the Southern States Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Morristown, Tennessee, ending Rogers' second reign.
1995 - Bobby Blaze defeats Jerry Lawler to win the SMW Heavyweight Title in Knoxville, Tennessee.
1996 - In its early months, the Monday Night War continued. WCW Monday Nitro narrowly defeated WWF Monday Night RAW, 3.2 to 3.1 in the ratings. RAW featured the official announcement of the Bret Hart-Shawn Michaels WrestleMania XII Iron Man Match. Eric Bischoff revealed RAW's results at the very beginning of Nitro as Big Bubba was heading to the ring for his match with Sting. Bischoff said, "I want to let all you fans know, with remote controls in your hands.. over at the World Whining Federation, here's how it goes down.. DQ, Yokozuna in a handicap match.. Jake "The Snake" Roberts.. you're talking about digging up some bones here.. over Isaac Yankem. Diesel over.. Bob Holly.. is still around. OK, now we got that out of the way, you are where the action is and the action is live."
WWF Monday Night RAW was taped one week earlier, as noted, on February 19, at the Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio. The results were:
- Jake Roberts defeated Isaac Yankem.
- Diesel defeated Bob Holly.
- Ahmed Johnson defeated Shinobi (Al Snow).
- Yokozuna defeated Owen Hart and The British Bulldog (with Jim Cornette) by disqualification in a handicap match.
WCW Monday Nitro aired live from Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee. The results:
In dark matches:
- The Blue Bloods (Earl Robert Eaton and Lord Steven Regal) defeated Dick Slater in a handicap match.
- Brad Armstrong defeated Disco Inferno.
- WCW World Television Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page to retain the title.
In televised matches:
- WCW World Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Big Bubba.
- Lex Luger defeated The Renegade.
- The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) besiegen Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray).
- The Booty Man, Hulk Hogan and WCW World Heavyweight Champion Randy Savage defeated Arn Anderson, Ric Flair and Kevin Sullivan (with Miss Elizabeth and Woman).
1997 - The WWF taped the March 3 edition of Monday Night RAW, as well as matches for the March 8 Shotgun Saturday Night and March 9 Superstars at Deutschlandhalle in Berlin, Germany, featuring the finals of the eight-man WWF European Title tournament. The March 9 episode of Superstars was the last to feature matches before becoming a weekly highlight show, and this episode of Monday Night RAW was the last before the name change to RAW is WAR the following week. The results were:
Shotgun/Superstars:
- Salvatore Sincere defeated Alex Porteau.
- Doug Furnas and Philip LaFon defeated Bob Holly and Aldo Montoya.
- Ahmed Johnson defeated Leif Cassidy.
RAW:
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Bret Hart by disqualification after Hart pushed the referee after he put Helmsley in a Tree of Woe in the corner. After the match, Chyna came into the ring and challenged Hart to fight her, with officials holding her back.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Rocky Maivia defeated Vader (with Paul Bearer) by disqualification after Mankind interfered and hit Rocky with Paul Bearer's urn.
- The Sultan defeated Flash Funk by submission with the Camel Clutch.
- WWF Champion Sycho Sid pinned Mankind (with Paul Bearer) after a powerbomb.
- In a tournament final, WWF Tag Team Champion The British Bulldog pinned WWF Tag Team Champion Owen Hart after reversing a victory roll. Bulldog became the first-ever WWF European Champion. The tournament took place over seven German events in as many days, in Aschaffenburg, Chemnitz, Dresden, Cologne, Oberhausen, Hamburg and the RAW taping in Berlin. The other participants were: Flash Funk, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Bret Hart, Rocky Maivia, Mankind and Vader. Owen defeated Funk and his brother Bret, and Bulldog defeated Mankind and Vader on their respective roads to the finals.
1998 - WCW held a live Thunder at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The show earned a 3.6 rating on TBS. The results were:
- Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho defeated Dean Malenko and WCW World Television Champion Booker T.
- Fit Finlay pinned Brad Armstrong.
- The British Bulldog pinned Dave Taylor.
- Goldberg pinned Rick Fuller.
- Yuji Nagata pinned La Parka.
- Scott Steiner defeated Marty Jannetty by disqualification.
- Raven defeated Kevin Nash by disqualification in a battle royal. Others in the match included other members from Raven's Flock: Kidman, Riggs, Saturn and Van Hammer.
- WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Diamond Dallas Page defeated Chris Benoit by disqualification.
1999 - Bestia Salvaje and Scorpio, Jr. defeat Negro Casas and El Hijo del Santo in Mexico City, Mexico to win the CMLL World Tag Team Title, beginning their second reign.
1999 - Kumiko Maekawa wins her second AJW All Pacific Title in Tokyo, Japan, defeating Yasha Kurenai.
1999 - Lou Diamond defeats Don Montoya for the Jersey All-Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Secaucus, New Jersey. Then, in André the Giant fashion, Diamond then gave the belt to 911, which resulted in it being vacated. At the same event, The Big Unit (Dave Desire and Rick Silver) defeats Trent Acid and Billy Reil to win the JAPW Tag Team Title.
1999 - The Glamour Order of Discipline (Johnny Canuck and Michelle Starr) defeat The New Moondogs (Moondog Chomps and Moondog Manson) to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title in New Westminster, British Columbia. This began the Glamour Order's third reign and ended the Moondogs' second. At the same event, Tony Kozina wins his fourth NWA Pacific Northwest Junior Heavyweight Title from Ladies' Choice.
1999 - Jimmy James defeats Cedric of Hollywood to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title in North Richland Hills, Texas.
1999 - Johnny Gunn defeats Mr. Showtime for the Warriors of Wrestling Federation Junior Heavyweight Title in Dyersburg, Tennessee. The WOWF became an NWA member in July of that year and was renamed NWA Mid-South.
2000 - ECW held an event at the Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The results:
- Danny Doring and Roadkill defeated The Full-Blooded Italians (Little Guido and Sal E. Graziano).
- Yoshihiro Tajiri defeated Mikey Whipwreck.
- Rhino defeated Jazz.
- Super Crazy defeated C.W. Anderson.
- Chris Chetti, Kid Kash and Nova defeated Da Baldies (Angel, DeVito and Vic Grimes).
- Sabu defeated Scott D'Amore.
- ECW World Heavyweight Champion Mike Awesome defeated Rhino to retain the title.
- Tommy Dreamer and Masato Tanaka defeated ECW World Tag Team Champions The Impact Players (Justin Credible and Lance Storm) to win the title. This match aired March 3 on ECW on TNN.
2000 - The East Coast Wrestling Association held the fourth-annual Super 8 Tournament in Newark, Delaware at the Greater Newark Boys and Girls Club. The results were:
- Scoot Andrews defeated Trent Acid in a Super 8 Tournament first round match.
- Chad Collyer defeated Shark Boy in a Super 8 Tournament first round match.
- Jet Jaguar defeated Jeff Peterson in a Super 8 Tournament first round match.
- Christopher Daniels defeated Vic Capri in a Super 8 Tournament first round match.
- ECWA Mid-Atlantic Champion Ty Street defeated Glen Osbourne in a Lumberjack match to retain the title.
- Christopher Daniels defeated Ace Darling (subbing for the injured Jet Jaguar) in a Super 8 Tournament semifinal match.
- Scoot Andrews defeated Chad Collyer in a Super 8 Tournament semifinal match.
- Cheetah Master and ECWA Heavyweight Champion J.J. the Ring Crew Guy defeated ECWA Tag Team Champions The Inferno Kid and J.R. Ryder by disqualification. Inferno and Ryder retained the title.
- Christopher Daniels defeated Scoot Andrews to win the Super 8 Tournament.
source Pwinsider.com