This Day in Wrestling History (5/12 - Piper returns, Kuwait Cup, RVD on Raw, LOD's last appearance in WWE)

This Day in Wrestling History (5/12 - Piper returns, Kuwait Cup, RVD on Raw, LOD's last appearance in WWE)
Submitted by Graham Cawthon on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 1:32 AM EST

Graham Cawthon, http://www.TheHistoryofWWE.com

1980: A card in Totowa, NJ featured Rick McGraw over Johnny Rodz, Tag Team Champions the Wild Samoans over Domenic DeNucci & Rene Goulet, IC Champion Ken Patera over Pat Patterson, and Larry Zbyzsko beating Ivan Putski.

1981: World Champion Bob Backlund beat Killer Khan in the main event of a show in Portland, ME. The undercard saw Tony Garea & Rick Martel over Capt. Lou Albano & Moondog Rex, and SD Jones over Frank Savage.

1983: World Champion Bob Backlund beat Afa via DQ in Manchester, NH. The undercard included Chief Jay Strongbow over Victor Rivera, Jules Strongbow over Samula via DQ, and Johnny Rodz over Frankie Williams.

1985: World Champion Hulk Hogan beat Don Muraco in Columbus, OH. Highlights of the undercard included Mr. Wrestling II over Moondog Spot, Women’s Champion Wendi Richter over the Fabulous Moolah, and Rocky Johnson over Matt Borne. In Toronto, IC Champion Greg Valentine defeated Tito Santana in a lumberjack match while Brutus Beefcake fought Ricky Steamboat to a double count-out, Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik via DQ, and the Junkyard Dog beat Bret Hart. The same day in Fukuoka, Japan, Andre the Giant beat Kengo Kimura while King Kong Bundy teamed with Dick Murdoch & Adrian Adonis lost to Antonio Inoki, Shunji Takano, & Tatsumi Fujinami.

1986: A Championship Wrestling taping in Poughkeepsie, NY featured the return of Mike Rotunda from Florida Championship Wrestling, the return of Harley Race, the announcement Andre the Giant had been suspended for failing to appear on TV weeks earlier, the Killer Bees beating Sheik & Volkoff via count-out, and Ricky Steamboat attacking Jake Roberts after Roberts won a squash match.

1987: A Superstars taping in Anaheim, CA included Tito Santana fighting Butch Reed to a time-limit draw, the debut of the One Man Gang, World Champion Hulk Hogan over Bob Orton Jr., Bobby Heenan’s debut as the manager of the Islanders, and a series of vignettes documenting Superstar Billy Graham’s road to recovery after surgery. The dark match saw Hogan beat King Harley Race.

1988: The WWF ran three cities. In Erie, PA, Strike Force defeated Tag Team Champions Demolition via DQ. Columbus, GA saw IC Champion the Honkytonk Man beat Brutus Beefcake via count-out. And Winnipeg, Manitoba was headlined by World Champion Randy Savage over Ted Dibiase.

1989: Roddy Piper made his return to the WWF ring after a 2-year absence by subbing for Jake Roberts in Los Angeles and beating Ted Dibiase. The show also featured Bret Hart fighting Mr. Perfect to a draw and Randy Savage beating World Champion Hulk Hogan via count-out. In Springfield, MA, Big John Studd beat Andre the Giant via DQ and – in a tip of the hat to the controversial Bob Backlund / Greg Valentine MSG match years before – the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers beat the Rockers when the dazed referee raised the hand of the Rougeaus and awarded them the match even though the Rockers had scored the pinfall.

1990: An NWA show at Detroit’s Cobo Hall saw US Tag Team Champions Brian Pillman & Tom Zenk beat the Samoan Swat Team, the Road Warriors over Doom in a streetfight, and Tag Team Champion Rick Steiner beat World Champion Ric Flair via DQ. The same day in Chicago, WWF Tag Team Champions Demolition fought the Hart Foundation to a double DQ while Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire, with Elizabeth in their corner, beat Randy Savage & Sensational Sherri, with Brother Love in theirs.

1991: A WCW card in Dayton, OH featured Bobby Eaton over Terry Taylor, Big Josh & Tommy Rich over the Angel of Death & Dan Spivey, and Sting over World Champion Ric Flair via DQ. A WWF card in Albuquerque, NM included Bret Hart over the Barbarian, Ricky Steamboat over Haku, the Big Bossman over the Mountie, and Sgt. Slaughter over World Champion Hulk Hogan via DQ.

1994: World Champion Bret Hart beat Owen Hart in the main event of a card in Mangilao, Guam. The undercard saw Tag Team Champions the Headshrinkers over the Smoking Gunns, Doink over Bob Backlund, the Undertaker over Yokozuna, and Bam Bam Bigelow over Tatanka.

1995: World Champion Diesel & the Undertaker beat Psycho Sid & Kama in Providence, RI. Other matches featured IC Champion Jeff Jarrett over Bob Holly, Razor Ramon over the Roadie, and Bret Hart over Jerry Lawler in a kiss my foot match.

1996: The finals of the Kuwait Cup was held in Kuwait City, with Ahmed Johnson beating Hunter Hearst Helmsley to win. Other matches on the card featured Yokozuna & Savio Vega over Bob Backlund & Isaac Yankem, Bret Hart & the Undertaker over Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith, and World Champion Shawn Michaels beat Steve Austin. Stateside in Binghamton, NY, the Ultimate Warrior beat Vader, Mankind beat Jake Roberts, and Jerry Lawler defeated Razor Ramon, with Mr. Perfect as the guest referee. A WCW card the same day in Knoxville, TN featured TV Champion Lex Luger over Jim Duggan, Eddie Guerrero over Chris Benoit, Randy Savage over Ric Flair, and World Champion the Giant beat Sting via DQ.

1997: Raw is War in Newark, DE included the WWF debut of Rob Van Dam, on loan from ECW, as he beat Jeff Hardy, Ahmed Johnson beating Triple H in a King of the Ring qualifying match via DQ, and Tag Team Champions Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith beating the New Blackjacks, Doug Furnas & Phil Lafon, and the Headbangers in an elimination match.

1999: A WWF card in Tallahassee, FL included the Big Show beating the Big Bossman in a steel cage match, the Acolytes – working as babyfaces since Ron Simmons was a FSU alum – lost to Mankind & Ken Shamrock, Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett beat Edge & Christian, and the Rock beat Billy Gunn.

2002: In Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chris Jericho beat Rikishi, D-Von Dudley defeated Tazz, and Edge beat Kurt Angle in a steel cage match, despite interference from Jericho.

2003: A Raw in Philadelphia featured Tag Team Champions Rob Van Dam & Kane beat the Legion of Doom in the LOD’s last WWE appearance before Hawk’s death, the last TV appearance of Freddie Blassie before his death, Bill Goldberg beat Christian in a steel cage match, and Ric Flair defeated the Hurricane. Dark matches before the show featured CM Punk, Devon Storm, and Daffney.

2006: In Hidalgo, TX, Carlito beat Chris Masters, the Big Show beat Shelton Benjamin, Tag Team Champions the Spirit Squad beat Goldust & Snitsky, and World Champion John Cena beat Triple H and Edge, with Ricky Steamboat as the guest referee.

2007: In St. John’s, Newfoundland, Women’s Champion Melina beat Mickie James, IC Champion Santino Marella defeated Chris Masters, Tag Team Champions the Hardys beat Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, and World Champion John Cena pinned Randy Orton. After the bout, both Cena and Orton were attacked by the Great Khali. In Syracuse, NY, CM Punk & Tommy Dreamer defeated Elijah Burke & Matt Striker, Kane beat Finlay, Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino defeated Paul London & Brian Kendrick, and World Heavyweight Champion Edge & MVP defeated Batista & US Champion Chris Benoit.

Graham Cawthon, http://www.TheHistoryofWWE.com

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