Wrestling History

October 31st – On This Day In Wrestling History

October 31st - On This Day In Wrestling History

Our full On This Day In Wrestling History section can be found here.

1979 – In Nagoya, Japan, Shohei ‘Giant’ Baba defeated Harley Race to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to become a two-time champion, however, he would lose the title back to Race the very next week.

1985 – WWE taped the third episode of ‘Saturday Night’s Main Event’ in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The featured bout saw Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant defeat Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy by disqualification.

1990 – The 24th edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event was taped in Topeka, Kansas. The featured bout saw Hulk Hogan lose by count out to The Genius! On a historical note, The Rockers defeated The Brain Busters in a 2/3 falls match. This would prove to be the last ever match in which Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard would team together.

1997 – JAPW (Jersey All Pro Wrestling) held an event called Halloween Hell in Bayonne, New Jersey. A 20-man Battle Royal was held to determine the company’s first-ever Heavyweight Champion which was won by Joe Rules after eliminating Pitbull #2. Later in the show Pitbull #2 convinced Rules to defend his newly-won belt in a match against him and ultimately Pitbull #2 came out on top, becoming the second ever JAPW World Champion.

2000 – On Monday Night Raw, Ivory defeated Trish Stratus, Jacqueline and Lita to win the WWF Women’s Championship. She would hold the belt until WrestleMania X-Seven where she dropped it to Chyna.

2005 – Christian (real name Jay Reso) left WWE after declining to renew his contract. The former (at the time) nine-time tag team champion, three-time Intercontinental champion, Light Heavyweight champion, Hardcore champion, and European champion said that it wasn’t due to a contract dispute, it was down to the fact that he had ‘some other interests going on outside the business that I’m really looking forward to’ and also mentioned that eight years on the road has taken a toll on his body. He would return to WWE in 2009 as a part of the ECW brand.

2016 – Monday Night Raw is in Hartford, Connecticut. At the start of the show, Rusev interrupted Goldberg and punched him in the face, then took a Jackhammer from Goldberg for his troubles. Paul Heyman, also in the ring, received a Spear from Goldberg. Enzo Amore (dressed as Buzz Lightyear) pinned Luke Gallows in a ‘Trick or Street Fight’ after some help from Big Cass (dressed as Woody.) In the main event, Roman Reigns beat Chris Jericho by disqualification after Kevin Owens broke up a pin attempt by Reigns. They both then attack Roman, leaving him lying in the ring.

2019 – WWE Crown Jewel took place in the King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh. Brock Lesnar retained his WWE Championship against Cain Velasquez after making him tap to the Kimura Lock in just over two minutes. Elsewhere on the show boxer Tyson Fury beat Braun Strowman by countout and the main event saw The Fiend become the new Universal champion after pinning Seth Rollins in a Falls Count Anywhere match. The main talking point of the PPV was the match between Natalya and Lacey Evans as this was the first-ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia and the match was won by Natalya by submission.

Notable Wrestling Birthdays:

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