This Day In Wrestling History – December 25th
Happy birthday to The Bulgarian Brute!! (photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment)
“Have an enjoyable, cheerful, jovial, festive, gleeful, and mirthful Holiday Season.” -Thesaurus Club
1981 – At WCCW Star Wars 1981, Jose Lothario defeats Ernie Ladd, to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship.
1982 – At WCCW Christmas Star Wars ’82, The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, and David Von Erich) defeat “Iron” Mike Sharpe, Ben Sharpe, and Tom Steele, to become the inaugural NWA (Texas) Six-Man World Tag Team Champions. David Von Erich, subbing for Buddy Roberts, would give up his share of the title when Roberts returned to in-ring action.
1983 – At WCCW Christmas Star Wars ’83, Brian Adias and King Parsons defeat The Super Destroyers, to win the WCCW American Tag Team Championship. At the same event, Jimmy Garvin defeats Chris Adams, to win the NWA American Heavyweight Championship.
1986 – At WCCW Christmas Star Wars ’86, Abdullah the Butcher defeats Bruiser Brody, in a “Loser Leaves Town” Cage Match.
1987 – At WCCW Christmas Star Wars ’87, Eric Embry defeats Shaun Simpson, in a Cage Match, to win the WCWA World Light Heavyweight Championship. Also, the team of Kerry Von Erich, Chris Adams, and Steve Simpson defeat the team of Terry Gordy, Buddy Roberts, and Iceman Parsons, to win the vacant WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
1991 – At a house show in Atlanta, Jushin Thunder Liger defeats Brian Pillman, to win the WCW Light Heavyweight Championship.
1994 – At Smoky Mountain Wrestling’s Christmas Chaos ’94, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) defeat The Gangstas (New Jack and Mustafa Saed), to win the SMW Tag Team Championship for the 10th time.
1995 – WCW Monday Nitro runs unopposed in the weekly Monday Night Wars, as WWF Monday Night Raw is preempted. This Christmas Night episode of Nitro scores a 2.5 TV rating. In the main event, Randy Savage retains the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, after defeating Ric Flair via disqualification.
2000 – Steve Blackman retains the WWF Hardcore Championship this evening’s Raw Is War; Blackman defeats Hardcore Holly and Raven in a Triple Threat Match. But Raven takes advantage of the 24/7 rule, hits Blackman from behind with a 2-x-4, and pins Blackman to become the new Hardcore Champion. As for the Monday Night Wars, RAW, with a 3.8 TV rating, runs unopposed as WCW Monday Nitro is preempted for the Christmas Holiday.
2003 – WWE’s inaugural Tribute to the Troops is aired from Baghdad, Iraq. The APA (Faarooq and Bradshaw) defeat The World’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin). Rikishi defeats Rhyno. Eddie Guerrero defeats Chris Benoit. And John Cena defeats The Big Show. The program also featured Stone Cold Steve Austin playing the role of Santa Claus (video below).
2003 – Mr. Gannosuke and Tetsuhiro Kuroda defeat Jun Kasai and Tengu Kaiser, to win the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship.
2006 – WWE Tribute to the Troops is aired from Baghdad, Iraq. WWE Champion John Cena defeats Edge (highlights below). CM Punk defeats Shelton Benjamin. The Undertaker defeats Johnny Nitro. Bobby Lashley defeats Hardcore Holly. Umaga defeats Jeff Hardy. And Carlito defeats Randy Orton. During the show, Director of Air Force Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Art Myers presented WWE Chairman Vince McMahon with the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award. McMahon immediately presented the award to John “Bradshaw” Layfield, who originally suggested the idea of an annual Tribute to the Troops event, to McMahon.
2006 – Lady Apache defeats Hiroka, to win the CMLL World Women’s Championship.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: AAA wrestler Big Mama (27 years old); former TNA Knockout Rhaka Khan (35 years old); 7-time NWA World Tag Team Champion in TNA Wrestling Chris Harris (43 years old); and 2-time WWE United States Champion Rusev (31 years old).
SOURCES: The Internet Wrestling Database, wrestlingdata.com, Wikipedia
