2010-Now
2010
January 4: Two of wrestling’s biggest all-time stars return to TV on the same night as TNA presents a special Monday night edition of Impact, featuring the return of Hulk Hogan and surprise appearances by Jeff Hardy and Ric Flair. The show goes head-to-head with Raw, which features Bret Hart’s first WWE appearance since 1997 … New Japan presents its annual Tokyo Dome super-show in Japan, highlighted by inter-promotional matches between NJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH.
January 8: Randy Orton exchanges words with a 15-year-old fan and his mother while attempting to leave a Saugus, Massachusetts, restaurant with another wrestler. According to police reports, Orton gets visibly irritated when the boy snaps his picture, then spits his gum and swears at him when asked for a photograph together. When the child’s mother intervenes, eyewitnesses claim Orton exclaims, “So sue me.” … Former NJPW headliner Tony Halme—best known for his early-1990s WWF stint as Ludvig Borga—commits suicide in Finland at age 47.
January 11: Famed boxer “Iron” Mike Tyson makes his return to WWE, guest-hosting an edition of Raw. Tyson caps the evening by knocking out tag team partner Chris Jericho.
January 13: Twenty-three-year-old Mexican wrestler Mini Cibernetico (Damian Moreno Quiroz) is arrested for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend, Juana Hernandez, and a male companion, Marco Antonio Solano, in Chimalhuacan, Mexico.
January 16: New independent promotion EVOLVE debuts in Rahway, New Jersey. It is headlined by Davey Richards defeating Kota Ibushi in a 20-minute match, as well as a surprise appearance by former WWE star Tommy Dreamer … Former New Japan star Katsuhisa Shibata—the father of Katuyori Shibata—dies after a heart attack.
January 17: TNA airs Genesis, its first pay-per-view to feature Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, as well as its first in years to showcase a four-sided ring. Kurt Angle challenging TNA World champion AJ Styles, with Ric Flair in his corner headlines the show.
January 18: Awesome Kong attacks new TNA announcer (and Hulk Hogan ally) Bubba the Love Sponge backstage at Impact television tapings. Kong was reportedly infuriated by disparaging remarks Bubba made about earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. The two would exchange threats in the media for more than a month.
January 22: Dragon Gate USA airs on pay-per-view, featuring a series of matches to determine the first Open the Freedom Gate champion. The show—taped two months earlier at The Arena in Philadelphia—saw the popular BxB Hulk defeat CIMA, Gran Akuma, and Yamato in an elimination match to win the belt.
January 27: Gregory “Hurricane” Helms and Chris Jericho are picked up by Crescent Springs, Kentucky, police and placed under arrest for public intoxication at a Shell gas station at 5:41 a.m. According to reports, the two were kicked out of the taxi they are sharing with Matt Hardy and two non-wrestlers for getting too rowdy.
January 28: Ring of Honor files a lawsuit against Ric Flair in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, alleging he owes them more than $41,000 for failing to make several 2009 appearances.
January 31: Edge makes a surprise return to WWE at the Royal Rumble in Atlanta, winning the Rumble match after playing a part in eliminating heavy favorites Shawn Michaels, Batista, John Cena, and Chris Jericho. Edge—who tore his Achilles tendon in 2009—had been questionable to even make it back in time for WrestleMania.
February 1: Former two-time NWA World champion Jack Brisco dies at 68. The sad news comes less than a month after Brisco—once widely regarded as the top wrestler in the world—underwent triple-bypass surgery.
February 2: Vince McMahon appears on ECW On Syfy, announcing the brand will be eliminated and replaced by a new program to be named NXT. ECW wrestlers are quickly circulated into Raw and Smackdown, or are released. On the final episode, Ezekiel Jackson pins Christian to become the last ECW champion.
February 13: After months of pursuit, Tyler Black pins Austin Aries to claim the ROH heavyweight title. The match takes place in New York City’s Manhattan Center for the promotion’s eighth anniversary show.
February 14: TNA’s Against All Odds features an “Eight-Card Stud” tournament in which the winner would receive a TNA World title shot at April’s Lockdown. D’Angelo Dinero, who pins Desmond Wolfe, Matt Morgan, and Mr. Anderson, wins the tournament … Negro Casas wins the CMLL middleweight title, defeating El Hijo del Fantasmo at Arena Mexico.
February 19: Hulk Hogan reaches a private settlement with the family of John Graziano, the friend of Nick Hogan who had been severely injured in a 2007 car wreck.
February 21: Both John Cena and Chris Jericho win their respective brand matches—and titles—at the Elimination Chamber PPV in St. Louis, but only Jericho comes home with a belt. In the Smackdown match, Jericho defeats World champion The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio Jr., John Morrison, R-Truth, and CM Punk. In the Raw match, Cena outlasts Randy Orton, Sheamus, Triple-H, Kofi Kingston, and Ted DiBiase Jr. to win the WWE championship, but Vince McMahon immediately orders him to defend it against Batista, who defeats Cena for the title.
February 22: Shawn Michaels agrees to put up his career to entice The Undertaker into accepting a rematch at WrestleMania 26 in Phoenix. During a Raw confrontation, Michaels utters his now-famous line, “If I can’t beat you, then I have no career” … Ric Flair’s wife, Jacqueline Beems, is released from custody after assaulting her husband following a fight at a bar the night before.
February 23: WWE’s new NXT program debuts, replacing ECW On Syfy. The show—a competition among aspiring developmental talent—introduces the world to future stars such as Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, and David Otunga.
February 26: WWE announces the releases of Gregory “Hurricane” Helms, Maria Kanellis, Paul Burchill, Charlie Haas, and referee Scott Armstrong.
March 4: Angelo Poffo, the father of Randy “Macho Man” Savage and “Leapin’” Lanny Poffo passes away at 84 … TNA releases Traci Brooks, Sean Morley, and Roxxi … In Atlanta, The Iron Sheik is detained following an altercation on a flight from Las Vegas.
March 6: Eddie Edwards defeats American Wolves tag team partner Davey Richards in Philadelphia to become Ring of Honor’s first TV champion. The match—taped for the promotion’s HDNet program—is the culmination of a month-long tournament.
March 8: TNA moves Impact to Monday nights, putting it opposite Raw and alternating between live and taped editions. The main event sees Hulk Hogan (teaming with Abyss) and Ric Flair (teaming with AJ Styles) return to the ring. Rob Van Dam also makes a surprise appearance, pinning Sting … TNA releases Awesome Kong.
March 12: AAA presents its annual Rey de Reyes show, in Queretaro, Mexico, featuring appearances by TNA’s Mr. Anderson and Hernandez. Electroshock captures the AAA SuperMega title in a three-way with Mesias and Anderson, and an angle is begun in which the former La Parka—LA Park—will challenge a new version of the masked star portrayed by Jesus Escobedo … WWE returns to the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, for a Raw house show, the first in the building since Vince McMahon’s nasty public dispute with the building’s owner, Stan Kroenke.
March 15: Steve Austin makes his return to WWE for the first time in nearly a year, guest-hosting an edition of Raw. The show is highlighted by a WrestleMania 26 contract signing for a streetfight between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon, who is believed to be responsible for an automobile accident that had broken Hart’s leg. Austin laughs as Hart—upon seeing McMahon sign the contract—takes off his leg cast, places it on the table, and attacks the WWE chairman.
March 21: TNA’s Destination X pay-per-view features TNA World champion AJ Styles battling Abyss to a no-contest, Kurt Angle defeating Mr. Anderson, The Motor City Machine Guns defeating Generation Me in an Ultimate X match, and Kevin Nash turning on partner Eric Young to allow his friends Scott Hall and Sean Waltman to win TNA contracts … In Japan, Ryota Hama defeats Satoshi Kojima to win All Japan’s Triple Crown title.
March 26: Former WWE and ECW performer Tajiri launches his new SMASH promotion in Tokyo. Its debut show features Tajiri taking on Tommy Dreamer, and former Pride fighter Akira Shoji vs. Leatherface.
March 27: Stu Hart, Gorgeous George, “The Million-Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, Antonio Inoki, Wendi Richter, Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, and baseball personality Bob Uecker are inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame.
March 28: WWE’s WrestleMania 26 is held in Glendale, Arizona, and is headlined by a career-vs.-streak match in which Shawn Michaels is forced into retirement by The Undertaker, who delivers a jumping Tombstone piledriver to win. In other action, Bret Hart defeats Vince McMahon in a streetfight, John Cena wins back the WWE heavyweight title from Batista by submission, Chris Jericho retains his World title with a win over Edge, and Jack Swagger wins a Money in the Bank title shot.
March 31: Jack Swagger trades his Money in the Bank briefcase for s shot at World champion Chris Jericho and pulls the upset on Smackdown.
April 2: Forty-year-old former WCW and WWE star Chris Kanyon (Chris Klucsaritis) commits suicide by overdosing on Seroquel in his apartment in Queens, New York.
April 3: Recently released TNA wrestler Christopher Daniels returns to Ring of Honor and challenges Davey Richards to a future match at ROH’s second Internet pay-per-view, to be held in Charlotte. Also that night, Tyler Black defends the ROH title against Austin Aries and Roderick Strong, pinning Aries … In Japan, Minoru Suzuki wins the Champion Carnival Tournament.
April 12: WWE announces a $30-million-per-year agreement to move Smackdown from MyNetworkTV to Syfy. It is reported Smackdown will continue to air in its Friday night time slot. WWE also announces that NXT is to be removed from Syfy programming to wwe.com.
April 14: Former NWA and AWA World champion Gene Kiniski passes away after a lengthy battle with cancer. He is 81. Kiniski won the AWA title from Verne Gagne in 1961 and the NWA title from Lou Thesz 1966.
April 15: A volcano eruption in Iceland makes its mark on the U.S. wrestling scene, disrupting the flights of several WWE and TNA wrestlers. In TNA, Douglas Williams is stripped of the X division title when he is unable to fly to the U.S. for Lockdown. On April 19, WWE is forced to use several members of the Smackdown roster in order to produce Raw, as several Raw roster members are stranded in Europe.
April 18: Team Hogan (Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Abyss, and Jeff Jarrett) defeat Team Flair (Sting, Desmond Wolfe, and Beer Money) in a Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown in St. Charles, Missouri. In other action, AJ Styles retains his TNA World title with a win over D’Angelo Dinero, and Kurt Angle beats Mr. Anderson.
April 19: Rob Van Dam defeats Jeff Hardy in a numbers-one contender’s match on Impact, then pins TNA World champion AJ Styles less than an hour later to win the title.
April 20: Sixty-seven-year-old Mr. Hito (Katsuji Adachi) loses his lengthy battle with diabetes. The Osaka native gained a reputation wrestling throughout his native Japan, as well as the U.S. and Canada, and is credited with helping train Bret Hart.
April 22: WWE releases seven wrestlers, including Mickie James and Shelton Benjamin. James goes on to sign with TNA; Benjamin teams with his former partner Charlie Haas in Ring of Honor.
April 25: At Extreme Rules, John Cena retains the WWE heavyweight title when he defeats Batista in a last-man-standing match after duct-taping him to a corner post so he cannot answer the referee’s 10 count. Also, Sheamus puts Triple-H out of full-time action for the rest of the year due to injuries he sustains in their streetfight.
April 26: WWE holds its annual draft lottery during a three-hour episode of Raw. Edge, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, and R-Truth move to Raw while Kofi Kingston, Big Show, Christian, and Kelly Kelly are among those drafted to Smackdown.
May 2: Minoru Suzuki captures his second AJPW Triple Crown championship, defeating Ryota Hama in Nagoya, Japan.
May 3: TNA announces it will move Impact back to Thursday nights. President Dixie Carter says of the move, “Our fans made it clear that they preferred the Thursday night time period. By moving, this is a win/win opportunity for both TNA and the fans.”
May 12: Jet Monroe (Gary Brumbaugh)—the manager and real-life brother of Sputnik Monroe—passes away. Jet and his brothers, Sputnik and Rocket, had their greatest successes in the New York, Atlanta, and Phoenix territories.
May 14: WWE denies claims that executive VP and general counsel Jared Bartie had been forced to step down because of a sexual harassment claim. According to reports, a female co-worker from the WWE sales department accused Bartie of making unwanted advances toward her … Scott Hall is arrested on charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest in Chuluota, Florida.
May 15: Dragon Gate USA airs its Mercury pay-per-view, featuring matches that had been taped during WrestleMania weekend in Phoenix. Yamato defended his Open the Dream Gate title beating Susumu Yokosuka. Also, CIMA, Gamma, and Dragon Kid faced Masato Yoshino, Naruki Doi, and BxB Hulk in six-man action.
May 16: Rob Van Dam pins AJ Styles to retain the TNA title at Sacrifice. Earlier, Madison Rayne successfully defends her Knockouts title against Tara in what is billed as Tara’s potential retirement match. Sting defeats Jeff Jarrett, and Jeff Hardy pins Mr. Anderson.
May 17: Bret Hart shocks The Miz by winning his U.S. championship on a commercial-free episode of Raw. Hart quickly acknowledges that he can no longer regularly defend a title, but says winning it “was a beautiful moment all the same”… Carlito is sent home from Raw after reportedly arriving in an impaired condition. He is released four days later.
May 18: Beth Phoenix undergoes surgery to repair a sprained MCL, torn ACL, and displaced meniscus.
May 24: Batista wrestles what could be his final match with WWE, an “I Quit” match against John Cena at Breaking Point. Batista quits as he is positioned to absorb an Attitude Adjustment off the roof of a car. Also, Rey Mysterio Jr. defeats CM Punk in a mask-vs.-hair match, and Edge and Randy Orton wrestle to a double-countout … Japanese legend Masao “Rusher” Kimura dies of pneumonia at 68.
May 28: Hulk Hogan files a lawsuit against Post Foods, the maker of Cocoa Pebbles cereal, for its portrayal of a commercial character with his likeness, known as “Bulk Boulder.”
June 1: Wade Barrett wins the first season of NXT, outlasting David Otunga and Justin Gabriel. That night, the wrestling world is introduced to NXT’s Season Two roster, including Alex Riley and second-generation stars Michael McGillicutty (Joe Hennig) and Husky Harris (Windham Rotundo).
June 4: Kane claims on Smackdown that The Undertaker was attacked and left in a vegetative state, and thus is unable to compete at Fatal 4-Way. ’Taker is replaced by Rey Mysterio Jr., whom Kane immediately blames for the attack. Behind the scenes, ’Taker undergoes surgery to repair a broken orbital bone, and marries Michelle McCool.
June 5: Raw announcer and Memphis legend Jerry Lawler launches Jerry Lawler’s Memphis Wrestling, regionally, on Saturday morning television. The show also features Koko B. Ware and Lawler’s son, Brian Christopher.
June 6: Rivals AAA and CMLL go head to head with shows in Mexico, drawing more than 29,000 fans between both promotions. AAA TripleMania features LA Park—the original La Parka—defeating his former namesake, plus appearances by TNA stars Abyss and Beer Money Inc. CMLL counters with Sin Salida at Arena Mexico, featuring a group of invaders from independent promotions taking on CMLL regulars … In the U.S., MTV2 tapes Lucha Libre: USA Masked Warriors, showcasing the likes of Marco Corleone, Aaron Aguilera, Lizmark Jr., and Mascara Dorada.
June 7: The Nexus is born on Raw, as Wade Barrett leads all eight members of NXT Season One in an assault on John Cena, Jerry “The King” Lawler, ring announcer Justin Roberts, and other WWE personnel. Daniel Bryan draws the ire of WWE executives for choking Roberts with his necktie and spitting on Cena. Within four days Bryan is released … Sputnik Monroe’s storyline brother and tag partner Rocket (Maury High) passes away after battling a blood infection in the hospital.
June 12: Former wrestler and backstage official Aurelian “Grizzly” Smith dies in Amarillo, Texas, at 77. His passing is attributed to complications of Alzheimer’s disease. Smith is the father of Jake Roberts, Sam Houston, and Rockin’ Robin.
June 13: Rob Van Dam pins Sting in the main event of Slammiversary. Other matches include Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson defeating Beer Money Inc., Jay Lethal stunning former champion AJ Styles, and Knockouts champion Madison Rayne defeating Roxxi, forcing the challenger to leave TNA.
June 19: Despite fans at ringside taunting ROH heavyweight champion Tyler Black with chants of “You can’t beat him!” Black pins Davey Richards to retain his championship at the promotion’s iPPV in Toronto, Ontario.
June 20: Both the WWE heavyweight and World titles change hands at Fatal 4-Way in Uniondale, New York. Rey Mysterio Jr. pins World champion Jack Swagger in a match also involving CM Punk and The Big Show. Later, Sheamus reclaims the WWE heavyweight title in a four-way match over John Cena, Randy Orton, and Edge.
June 22: Owen Hart’s widow, Martha, sues WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon in an attempt to prevent WWE from using footage of her late husband on future TV programs or DVD releases. The suit also seeks royalties for the use of Owen’s matches on DVDs … The game show Downfall, hosted by Chris Jericho, makes its debut on ABC.
June 30: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat is rushed to a Tampa hospital and listed in critical condition, just two days after he is one of several veterans to sustain a beating at the hands of The Nexus on Raw. Steamboat is diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Doctors believe the burst capillary had nothing to do with the attack.
July 10: The East Coast Wrestling Association hosts its 14th annual Super 8 tournament, which is won by former TNA star Austin “Consequences” Creed. Creed defeats Chase Del Monte and U-Gene en route to beating Tommaso Ciampa in the final round … Combat Zone Wrestling holds the Acid-Fest Memorial Show at the ECW Arena in honor of Michael “Trent Acid” Verdi, who died of an overdose on June 18.
July 11: TNA World champion Rob Van Dam successfully defends his title in a four-way match against Jeff Hardy, Abyss, and Mr. Anderson at Victory Road, pinning Anderson. Following the match, RVD is attacked by Abyss … World Wrestling Council’s Aniversario show, the 37th anniversary of the promotion, is headlined by a returning Carlito Colon, who defeats Booker T … Florida indy wrestler Chasyn Rance is charged with lewd battery against a 15-year-old California girl.
July 12: AAA SuperMega heavyweight champion Dr. Wagner Jr. appears at a rival CMLL show in Nuevo Laredo, wearing the championship belt he had won from Electroshock a month earlier at TripleMania … Scott Hall (double pneumonia), Bobby Eaton (fluid in the heart and lungs), and Chris Hamrick (overdose) are all hospitalized.
July 15: A contingent of former ECW wrestlers make its presence felt on Impact when Mick Foley, Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Stevie Richards, Rhino, Brother Devon, and backstage agents Pat “Simon Diamond” Kenny and Al Snow align with Rob Van Dam to attack Abyss and other members of the TNA roster. One week later, Dixie Carter announces that she invited the group—now known as EV2.0—to Impact, and will allow it to host its own pay-per-view event in August.
July 18: The Miz (Raw) and Kane (Smackdown) win Money in the Bank ladder matches at WWE’s first Money in the Bank pay-per-view in Kansas City. Kane cashes in his briefcase that night to take Rey Mysterio Jr.’s World title after the luchadore defeats Jack Swagger.
July 24: Bryan Danielson defeats Shingo by submission in the dark match main event of a Dragon Gate USA taping in Philadelphia. The match is not allowed to air on PPV because of the 90-day no-compete clause in Danielson’s WWE contract … Bret Hart marries girlfriend Stephanie Washington in Calgary.
August 3: Shane McMahon is announced as the new CEO of China Broadband, a provider of cable broadband, digital, and analog services. The company is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
August 8: TNA allows several of its wrestlers formerly associated with ECW to take over its annual Hard Justice pay-per-view, renaming it Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand. TNA World champion Rob Van Dam pins Sabu in the main event. The show also features a bloody falls-count-anywhere match between Tommy Dreamer and Raven, with Mick Foley as guest referee … John “Mr. Wrestling II” Walker suffers a heart attack at the NWA Wrestling Legends Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ten days later, he undergoes successful open-heart surgery.
August 9: WWE announces it has signed Tyler Black, the reigning Ring of Honor champion, to a developmental deal.
August 10: Due to injuries sustained at the hands of Abyss one week earlier on Impact, TNA officially strips Rob Van Dam of the World title, and announces that a tournament will be held to crown a new champion.
August 13: Former WWE tag team champion Lance Cade (Lance McNaught) dies of heart failure at the age of 29. Cade—who first broke into the business at 18 training under Shawn Michaels—had been released and rehired by the company months earlier.
August 14: Longtime ECWA promoter Jim Kettner retires from the promotion, handing it over to Mike Tartaglia and Joe Zanolle of the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance. Kettner’s career spanned 43 years as a wrestler and promoter.
August 15: Daniel Bryan makes a surprising return to WWE at SummerSlam in Los Angeles, joining John Cena to take on his former Nexus brethren in a seven-on-seven elimination match. Cena’s victorious team also includes Bret Hart, R-Truth, John Morrison, Edge, and Chris Jericho. Also on the card, after defeating Rey Mysterio Jr., World champion Kane attacks a returning Undertaker, who had been hiding in a ringside casket during the bout … Ring of Honor booker Adam Pearce is relieved of his duties by owner Cary Silkin. Pearce is replaced by Hunter “Delirious” Johnston … Hulk Hogan joins Pamela Anderson, George Hamilton, and Jerry Springer for Comedy Central’s The Roast Of David Hasselhoff.
August 19: Longtime wrestler, manager, referee, and promoter Skandor Akbar (Jimmy Wehba) passes away in his sleep. Akbar spent years wrestling and later guided the careers of men such as Abdullah the Butcher, Dick Murdoch, and Cactus Jack … “Nightmare” Ted Allen (Ted Lipscomb) suffers a heart attack and dies at the age of 54. Allen began wrestling in 1975. His career included stints with Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling and Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
August 21: TNA co-founder Jeff Jarrett marries Karen Angle, Kurt Angle’s ex-wife … Mahoney is arrested on charges of disorderly conduct in South Brunswick, New Jersey, after a bar fight with The Outpatient. It is believed the two staged the fight to hype up an upcoming match.
August 23: WWE holds a landmark show in Shanghai, China, with John Cena defeating The Big Show, Sheamus pinning Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio Jr. beating Chris Jericho. This is WWE’s first show in China.
August 27: Luna Vachon, 48, is found dead of a drug overdose by her mother in her Port Richey, Florida, home. Vachon’s ashes are later scattered on the grounds of the North Carolina ranch owned by the estate of her late godfather, Andre the Giant.
September 5: Jeff Hardy takes on Kurt Angle at No Surrender in a semifinal match in the TNA World title tournament, wrestling to a 30-minute draw. The match is later restarted, but stopped when Angle sustains a cut on his head … Joey Ryan wins Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s Battle of Los Angeles tournament … Former Hart Foundation member Jim Neidhart is arrested in Thonotosassa, Florida, for allegedly stealing prescription pills from a friend’s house.
September 10: Mike Shaw, best known as Norman the Lunatic (WCW) and Bastion Booger (WWF) dies at home from complications following a heart attack … John Cena’s movie Legendary—which co-stars Danny Glover—begins what proves to be a short run in theaters.
September 11: Recent WWE signee and ROH champion Tyler Black drops the title to Roderick Strong at an iPPV at the Manhattan Center in New York City … Mexican 1980s star La Fiera (Arturo Casco) is mugged, assaulted, and stabbed five times while walking the streets in Mexico City. He is pronounced dead before he arrives at the hospital.
September 12: Matt Hardy is sent home early from a Smackdown tour of the U.K., kicking off several weeks of bizarre behavior. Starting that night in his hotel room, Hardy begins to post a series of videos criticizing WWE officials and wrestlers. He asks for his release so he can join his brother in TNA.
September 17: Volador Jr. pins Mistico after a backstabber to win two of three falls in the final match of CMLL’s Bicentario Cup.
September 19: At WWE’s Night of Champions pay-per-view, Randy Orton win his sixth WWE championship, pinning Sheamus in a Six-Pack Challenge match that also includes John Cena, Chris Jericho, Edge, and Wade Barrett. Also on the show, Michelle McCool defeats Divas champion Melina to unify the Women’s and Divas championships … Former WWF and WCW wrestler Giant Gonzalez (Jorge Gonzalez) dies as a result of ongoing health issues, including kidney failure at age 44.
September 25: Bret Hart returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City for a house show honoring him. He teams with The Hart Dynasty against Nexus members David Otunga, Heath Slater, and Justin Gabriel.
September 28: Kaval—better known in the indie world as Low-Ki—wins the second season of NXT, outlasting Alex Riley and Michael McGillicutty.
October 1: Mick Foley’s newest book, Countdown To Lockdown, is released. The autobiography details Foley’s final months as an announcer with WWE, his jump to TNA, and the buildup to winning the TNA World title from Sting at Lockdown 2009. Surprisingly, WWE announcer Michael Cole hypes the book on Raw.
October 2: Pro Wrestling NOAH and AJPW legend Kenta Kobashi marries his longtime girlfriend, singer Mai Mizuki in a private ceremony.
October 3: John Cena is forced to join Nexus against his will after losing a Hell in a Cell match to Wade Barrett at WWE’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. In other matches, World champion Kane defeats The Undertaker and WWE champion Randy Orton beats Sheamus.
October 10: Hulk Hogan makes his return to TNA at Bound for Glory, assisting Jeff Hardy in defeating Mr. Anderson and Kurt Angle, and helping him win the vacant TNA World title in the process. He quickly forms the group Immortal, alongside Hardy, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett, and Abyss. A few days later on Impact, Ric Flair’s Fortune group joins Immortal as well.
October 14: WWE announces that Matt Hardy has been granted his release.
October 18: WWE launches a media campaign encouraging fans to “Stand Up For WWE.” The campaign calls on WWE fanatics to publicly support the company as it faces “unfair and biased attacks from certain politicians and media outlets.”
October 23: Former WWE champion and reigning UFC champion Brock Lesnar is soundly defeated by Cain Velasquez, losing his title at UFC 121. After the fight, The Undertaker, who is interviewed from his seat at ringside, confronts Lesnar, sparking talk of a WM27 showdown.
October 24: John Cena seconds new Nexus “ally” Wade Barrett as Barrett challenges Randy Orton for the WWE heavyweight title at Bragging Rights in Minneapolis. Cena deliberately costs Barrett the opportunity when he attacks him, causing Orton to lose the match—but not the title—by disqualification.
October 30: Famed Quebec wrestler “The Flying Frenchman” Edouard Carpentier suffers a heart attack and dies at the age of 84, at his home in Montreal. The Hall of Famer dominated the Canadian wrestling scene after emigrating from France, and is listed as a four-time International champion.
November 2: Linda McMahon loses in her bid to become a U.S. Senator in the state of Connecticut. She garners 44 percent of the vote, compared to incumbent Richard Blumenthal’s 54 percent. In her concession speech, McMahon hints at possibly running for public office in the future.
November 7: TNA Turning Point sees Jeff Hardy successfully defend the TNA World title against Matt Morgan, who is substituting for the injured Mr. Anderson. In other action, The Motor City Machine Guns defeat Team 3-D to retain their TNA World tag title in what is billed as Team 3-D’s retirement match. After the bout, Brother Ray attacks Brother Devon.
November 15: WWE airs a special, “Old School Raw,” featuring stars from the company’s past mixing with members of today’s WWE roster. In a memorable segment, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper confronts John Cena and begs him not to cheat Randy Orton out of the WWE title at Survivor Series.
November 16: Cable network A&E airs a biography entitled Finding Hulk Hogan. It portrays many of the personal, physical, and legal struggles Hogan and his family have overcome, as well as Hogan’s decision to join TNA … Alex Riley is arrested on DUI charges in Tampa.
November 19: WWE releases several wrestlers, including Luke Gallows, Shad Gaspard, Jillian Hall, Tiffany, Vance Archer, and Caylen Croft. The company also announces that writer Christopher DeJoseph, who portrayed “Big” Dick Johnson, is let go.
November 21: Despite the pre-match stipulation he would be fired from WWE should Wade Barrett lose, special guest referee John Cena counts Barrett down for a three-count in his match with WWE champion Randy Orton at Survivor Series in Miami. Earlier that evening, a team captained by Rey Mysterio Jr. defeats Team Alberto Del Rio in an elimination match … Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors wrestler Chris “Solid” Long is murdered at the Dekalb County, Georgia, bar where he works, after an argument with a patron.
November 22: The Miz cashes in his money-in-the-bank briefcase and pins Randy Orton to win the WWE heavyweight title on Raw. Miz catches Orton off-guard following a title defense against Wade Barrett, a match in which both John Cena and The Nexus interfere.
November 25: Longtime New Japan Pro Wrestling wrestler, promoter, and manager Kantaro Hoshino passes away at a Tokyo hospital at the age of 67 while battling pneumonia and the effects of a 2008 stroke.
November 28: Mexican indy wrestler El Hijo del Cien Caras (Ignacio Jiminez) is shot and killed along with a female companion in Mexico City.
November 29: Sheamus wins the 2010 WWE King of the Ring tournament on Raw, last pinning John Morrison. Also, Jerry Lawler challenges The Miz for the WWE title in a TLC match ruined by interference from Alex Riley and Lawler’s broadcast colleague Michael Cole.
November 30: Vickie Guerrero’s rookie Kaitlyn wins an all-Divas version of NXT on wwe.com, beating out Florida Championship Wrestling standout Naomi Night … 54-year-old Japanese wrestling star Yoshiaki Yatsu announces his retirement.
December 2: Montel Vontavious Porter is granted his release by WWE.
December 4: Hawaiian wrestling legend King Curtis Iaukea passes away at his home in Papakolea, Hawaii, after complications from a virus. Iaukea, 73, was a main-eventer in every territory in which he appeared, and was also a former manager in the WWF and WCW.
December 5: At Final Resolution, Jeff Hardy successfully defends his TNA title against Matt Morgan, with Mr. Anderson serving as special guest referee.
December 9: On Impact, Mickie James takes a scary dive from the top of a steel cage and delivers a Lou Thesz press to arch-rival Tara, downing her to win the match.
December 13: WWE holds its Slammy Awards ceremony on Raw. It features the return to action of actor and former WCW champion David Arquette, who teams with Alex Riley to take on Randy Orton.
December 18: ROH champion Roderick Strong defeats Davey Richards in a 30-minute match at the Final Battle iPPV in New York City. In other action, El Generico forces former partner Kevin Steen out of the company by defeating him in a match in which Generico’s mask is also on the line.
December 19: John Cena defeats Wade Barrett in a chairs match at WWE’s TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs pay-per-view. Cena, who had been rehired to WWE by Barrett after pressure from Nexus members afraid of being attacked—lays out the faction’s leader and has more than a dozen chairs dropped on him from above. Also, The Miz defeats Randy Orton in a tables match to retain his WWE heavyweight title, and World champion Edge beats Kane, Alberto Del Rio, and Rey Mysterio Jr. in a TLC match.
December 20: Vampiro quits AAA. The former WCW star had a difficult couple of years, having been severely injured while attempting to escape from an alleged home invasion in July 2009, and had not wrestled for several months.
December 22: A two-hour version of WWE’s Tribute To The Troops show airs on USA. Taken from footage recorded earlier in the month at Fort Hood, Texas, the show includes appearances by several celebrities, and video of wrestlers visiting troops overseas. Off-air, Triple-H and Shawn Michaels make a special appearance as DeGeneration-X. A truncated version of the show aired days earlier on NBC.
December 23: Former NXT winner Kaval is released from WWE.
December 27: After more than a year of postponements, The District Attorney’s office of Moore County, North Carolina, reports that Jeff Hardy will plead guilty on January 20, 2011, to some of the drug-related charges he faces … Spike TV cancels TNA Reaction, a documentary-style show that had been airing immediately after episodes of Impact on Thursday nights.
2010
January 4: Two of wrestling’s biggest all-time stars return to TV on the same night as TNA presents a special Monday night edition of Impact, featuring the return of Hulk Hogan and surprise appearances by Jeff Hardy and Ric Flair. The show goes head-to-head with Raw, which features Bret Hart’s first WWE appearance since 1997 … New Japan presents its annual Tokyo Dome super-show in Japan, highlighted by inter-promotional matches between NJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH.
January 8: Randy Orton exchanges words with a 15-year-old fan and his mother while attempting to leave a Saugus, Massachusetts, restaurant with another wrestler. According to police reports, Orton gets visibly irritated when the boy snaps his picture, then spits his gum and swears at him when asked for a photograph together. When the child’s mother intervenes, eyewitnesses claim Orton exclaims, “So sue me.” … Former NJPW headliner Tony Halme—best known for his early-1990s WWF stint as Ludvig Borga—commits suicide in Finland at age 47.
January 11: Famed boxer “Iron” Mike Tyson makes his return to WWE, guest-hosting an edition of Raw. Tyson caps the evening by knocking out tag team partner Chris Jericho.
January 13: Twenty-three-year-old Mexican wrestler Mini Cibernetico (Damian Moreno Quiroz) is arrested for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend, Juana Hernandez, and a male companion, Marco Antonio Solano, in Chimalhuacan, Mexico.
January 16: New independent promotion EVOLVE debuts in Rahway, New Jersey. It is headlined by Davey Richards defeating Kota Ibushi in a 20-minute match, as well as a surprise appearance by former WWE star Tommy Dreamer … Former New Japan star Katsuhisa Shibata—the father of Katuyori Shibata—dies after a heart attack.
January 17: TNA airs Genesis, its first pay-per-view to feature Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, as well as its first in years to showcase a four-sided ring. Kurt Angle challenging TNA World champion AJ Styles, with Ric Flair in his corner headlines the show.
January 18: Awesome Kong attacks new TNA announcer (and Hulk Hogan ally) Bubba the Love Sponge backstage at Impact television tapings. Kong was reportedly infuriated by disparaging remarks Bubba made about earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. The two would exchange threats in the media for more than a month.
January 22: Dragon Gate USA airs on pay-per-view, featuring a series of matches to determine the first Open the Freedom Gate champion. The show—taped two months earlier at The Arena in Philadelphia—saw the popular BxB Hulk defeat CIMA, Gran Akuma, and Yamato in an elimination match to win the belt.
January 27: Gregory “Hurricane” Helms and Chris Jericho are picked up by Crescent Springs, Kentucky, police and placed under arrest for public intoxication at a Shell gas station at 5:41 a.m. According to reports, the two were kicked out of the taxi they are sharing with Matt Hardy and two non-wrestlers for getting too rowdy.
January 28: Ring of Honor files a lawsuit against Ric Flair in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, alleging he owes them more than $41,000 for failing to make several 2009 appearances.
January 31: Edge makes a surprise return to WWE at the Royal Rumble in Atlanta, winning the Rumble match after playing a part in eliminating heavy favorites Shawn Michaels, Batista, John Cena, and Chris Jericho. Edge—who tore his Achilles tendon in 2009—had been questionable to even make it back in time for WrestleMania.
February 1: Former two-time NWA World champion Jack Brisco dies at 68. The sad news comes less than a month after Brisco—once widely regarded as the top wrestler in the world—underwent triple-bypass surgery.
February 2: Vince McMahon appears on ECW On Syfy, announcing the brand will be eliminated and replaced by a new program to be named NXT. ECW wrestlers are quickly circulated into Raw and Smackdown, or are released. On the final episode, Ezekiel Jackson pins Christian to become the last ECW champion.
February 13: After months of pursuit, Tyler Black pins Austin Aries to claim the ROH heavyweight title. The match takes place in New York City’s Manhattan Center for the promotion’s eighth anniversary show.
February 14: TNA’s Against All Odds features an “Eight-Card Stud” tournament in which the winner would receive a TNA World title shot at April’s Lockdown. D’Angelo Dinero, who pins Desmond Wolfe, Matt Morgan, and Mr. Anderson, wins the tournament … Negro Casas wins the CMLL middleweight title, defeating El Hijo del Fantasmo at Arena Mexico.
February 19: Hulk Hogan reaches a private settlement with the family of John Graziano, the friend of Nick Hogan who had been severely injured in a 2007 car wreck.
February 21: Both John Cena and Chris Jericho win their respective brand matches—and titles—at the Elimination Chamber PPV in St. Louis, but only Jericho comes home with a belt. In the Smackdown match, Jericho defeats World champion The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio Jr., John Morrison, R-Truth, and CM Punk. In the Raw match, Cena outlasts Randy Orton, Sheamus, Triple-H, Kofi Kingston, and Ted DiBiase Jr. to win the WWE championship, but Vince McMahon immediately orders him to defend it against Batista, who defeats Cena for the title.
February 22: Shawn Michaels agrees to put up his career to entice The Undertaker into accepting a rematch at WrestleMania 26 in Phoenix. During a Raw confrontation, Michaels utters his now-famous line, “If I can’t beat you, then I have no career” … Ric Flair’s wife, Jacqueline Beems, is released from custody after assaulting her husband following a fight at a bar the night before.
February 23: WWE’s new NXT program debuts, replacing ECW On Syfy. The show—a competition among aspiring developmental talent—introduces the world to future stars such as Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, and David Otunga.
February 26: WWE announces the releases of Gregory “Hurricane” Helms, Maria Kanellis, Paul Burchill, Charlie Haas, and referee Scott Armstrong.
March 4: Angelo Poffo, the father of Randy “Macho Man” Savage and “Leapin’” Lanny Poffo passes away at 84 … TNA releases Traci Brooks, Sean Morley, and Roxxi … In Atlanta, The Iron Sheik is detained following an altercation on a flight from Las Vegas.
March 6: Eddie Edwards defeats American Wolves tag team partner Davey Richards in Philadelphia to become Ring of Honor’s first TV champion. The match—taped for the promotion’s HDNet program—is the culmination of a month-long tournament.
March 8: TNA moves Impact to Monday nights, putting it opposite Raw and alternating between live and taped editions. The main event sees Hulk Hogan (teaming with Abyss) and Ric Flair (teaming with AJ Styles) return to the ring. Rob Van Dam also makes a surprise appearance, pinning Sting … TNA releases Awesome Kong.
March 12: AAA presents its annual Rey de Reyes show, in Queretaro, Mexico, featuring appearances by TNA’s Mr. Anderson and Hernandez. Electroshock captures the AAA SuperMega title in a three-way with Mesias and Anderson, and an angle is begun in which the former La Parka—LA Park—will challenge a new version of the masked star portrayed by Jesus Escobedo … WWE returns to the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, for a Raw house show, the first in the building since Vince McMahon’s nasty public dispute with the building’s owner, Stan Kroenke.
March 15: Steve Austin makes his return to WWE for the first time in nearly a year, guest-hosting an edition of Raw. The show is highlighted by a WrestleMania 26 contract signing for a streetfight between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon, who is believed to be responsible for an automobile accident that had broken Hart’s leg. Austin laughs as Hart—upon seeing McMahon sign the contract—takes off his leg cast, places it on the table, and attacks the WWE chairman.
March 21: TNA’s Destination X pay-per-view features TNA World champion AJ Styles battling Abyss to a no-contest, Kurt Angle defeating Mr. Anderson, The Motor City Machine Guns defeating Generation Me in an Ultimate X match, and Kevin Nash turning on partner Eric Young to allow his friends Scott Hall and Sean Waltman to win TNA contracts … In Japan, Ryota Hama defeats Satoshi Kojima to win All Japan’s Triple Crown title.
March 26: Former WWE and ECW performer Tajiri launches his new SMASH promotion in Tokyo. Its debut show features Tajiri taking on Tommy Dreamer, and former Pride fighter Akira Shoji vs. Leatherface.
March 27: Stu Hart, Gorgeous George, “The Million-Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, Antonio Inoki, Wendi Richter, Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, and baseball personality Bob Uecker are inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame.
March 28: WWE’s WrestleMania 26 is held in Glendale, Arizona, and is headlined by a career-vs.-streak match in which Shawn Michaels is forced into retirement by The Undertaker, who delivers a jumping Tombstone piledriver to win. In other action, Bret Hart defeats Vince McMahon in a streetfight, John Cena wins back the WWE heavyweight title from Batista by submission, Chris Jericho retains his World title with a win over Edge, and Jack Swagger wins a Money in the Bank title shot.
March 31: Jack Swagger trades his Money in the Bank briefcase for s shot at World champion Chris Jericho and pulls the upset on Smackdown.
April 2: Forty-year-old former WCW and WWE star Chris Kanyon (Chris Klucsaritis) commits suicide by overdosing on Seroquel in his apartment in Queens, New York.
April 3: Recently released TNA wrestler Christopher Daniels returns to Ring of Honor and challenges Davey Richards to a future match at ROH’s second Internet pay-per-view, to be held in Charlotte. Also that night, Tyler Black defends the ROH title against Austin Aries and Roderick Strong, pinning Aries … In Japan, Minoru Suzuki wins the Champion Carnival Tournament.
April 12: WWE announces a $30-million-per-year agreement to move Smackdown from MyNetworkTV to Syfy. It is reported Smackdown will continue to air in its Friday night time slot. WWE also announces that NXT is to be removed from Syfy programming to wwe.com.
April 14: Former NWA and AWA World champion Gene Kiniski passes away after a lengthy battle with cancer. He is 81. Kiniski won the AWA title from Verne Gagne in 1961 and the NWA title from Lou Thesz 1966.
April 15: A volcano eruption in Iceland makes its mark on the U.S. wrestling scene, disrupting the flights of several WWE and TNA wrestlers. In TNA, Douglas Williams is stripped of the X division title when he is unable to fly to the U.S. for Lockdown. On April 19, WWE is forced to use several members of the Smackdown roster in order to produce Raw, as several Raw roster members are stranded in Europe.
April 18: Team Hogan (Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Abyss, and Jeff Jarrett) defeat Team Flair (Sting, Desmond Wolfe, and Beer Money) in a Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown in St. Charles, Missouri. In other action, AJ Styles retains his TNA World title with a win over D’Angelo Dinero, and Kurt Angle beats Mr. Anderson.
April 19: Rob Van Dam defeats Jeff Hardy in a numbers-one contender’s match on Impact, then pins TNA World champion AJ Styles less than an hour later to win the title.
April 20: Sixty-seven-year-old Mr. Hito (Katsuji Adachi) loses his lengthy battle with diabetes. The Osaka native gained a reputation wrestling throughout his native Japan, as well as the U.S. and Canada, and is credited with helping train Bret Hart.
April 22: WWE releases seven wrestlers, including Mickie James and Shelton Benjamin. James goes on to sign with TNA; Benjamin teams with his former partner Charlie Haas in Ring of Honor.
April 25: At Extreme Rules, John Cena retains the WWE heavyweight title when he defeats Batista in a last-man-standing match after duct-taping him to a corner post so he cannot answer the referee’s 10 count. Also, Sheamus puts Triple-H out of full-time action for the rest of the year due to injuries he sustains in their streetfight.
April 26: WWE holds its annual draft lottery during a three-hour episode of Raw. Edge, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, and R-Truth move to Raw while Kofi Kingston, Big Show, Christian, and Kelly Kelly are among those drafted to Smackdown.
May 2: Minoru Suzuki captures his second AJPW Triple Crown championship, defeating Ryota Hama in Nagoya, Japan.
May 3: TNA announces it will move Impact back to Thursday nights. President Dixie Carter says of the move, “Our fans made it clear that they preferred the Thursday night time period. By moving, this is a win/win opportunity for both TNA and the fans.”
May 12: Jet Monroe (Gary Brumbaugh)—the manager and real-life brother of Sputnik Monroe—passes away. Jet and his brothers, Sputnik and Rocket, had their greatest successes in the New York, Atlanta, and Phoenix territories.
May 14: WWE denies claims that executive VP and general counsel Jared Bartie had been forced to step down because of a sexual harassment claim. According to reports, a female co-worker from the WWE sales department accused Bartie of making unwanted advances toward her … Scott Hall is arrested on charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest in Chuluota, Florida.
May 15: Dragon Gate USA airs its Mercury pay-per-view, featuring matches that had been taped during WrestleMania weekend in Phoenix. Yamato defended his Open the Dream Gate title beating Susumu Yokosuka. Also, CIMA, Gamma, and Dragon Kid faced Masato Yoshino, Naruki Doi, and BxB Hulk in six-man action.
May 16: Rob Van Dam pins AJ Styles to retain the TNA title at Sacrifice. Earlier, Madison Rayne successfully defends her Knockouts title against Tara in what is billed as Tara’s potential retirement match. Sting defeats Jeff Jarrett, and Jeff Hardy pins Mr. Anderson.
May 17: Bret Hart shocks The Miz by winning his U.S. championship on a commercial-free episode of Raw. Hart quickly acknowledges that he can no longer regularly defend a title, but says winning it “was a beautiful moment all the same”… Carlito is sent home from Raw after reportedly arriving in an impaired condition. He is released four days later.
May 18: Beth Phoenix undergoes surgery to repair a sprained MCL, torn ACL, and displaced meniscus.
May 24: Batista wrestles what could be his final match with WWE, an “I Quit” match against John Cena at Breaking Point. Batista quits as he is positioned to absorb an Attitude Adjustment off the roof of a car. Also, Rey Mysterio Jr. defeats CM Punk in a mask-vs.-hair match, and Edge and Randy Orton wrestle to a double-countout … Japanese legend Masao “Rusher” Kimura dies of pneumonia at 68.
May 28: Hulk Hogan files a lawsuit against Post Foods, the maker of Cocoa Pebbles cereal, for its portrayal of a commercial character with his likeness, known as “Bulk Boulder.”
June 1: Wade Barrett wins the first season of NXT, outlasting David Otunga and Justin Gabriel. That night, the wrestling world is introduced to NXT’s Season Two roster, including Alex Riley and second-generation stars Michael McGillicutty (Joe Hennig) and Husky Harris (Windham Rotundo).
June 4: Kane claims on Smackdown that The Undertaker was attacked and left in a vegetative state, and thus is unable to compete at Fatal 4-Way. ’Taker is replaced by Rey Mysterio Jr., whom Kane immediately blames for the attack. Behind the scenes, ’Taker undergoes surgery to repair a broken orbital bone, and marries Michelle McCool.
June 5: Raw announcer and Memphis legend Jerry Lawler launches Jerry Lawler’s Memphis Wrestling, regionally, on Saturday morning television. The show also features Koko B. Ware and Lawler’s son, Brian Christopher.
June 6: Rivals AAA and CMLL go head to head with shows in Mexico, drawing more than 29,000 fans between both promotions. AAA TripleMania features LA Park—the original La Parka—defeating his former namesake, plus appearances by TNA stars Abyss and Beer Money Inc. CMLL counters with Sin Salida at Arena Mexico, featuring a group of invaders from independent promotions taking on CMLL regulars … In the U.S., MTV2 tapes Lucha Libre: USA Masked Warriors, showcasing the likes of Marco Corleone, Aaron Aguilera, Lizmark Jr., and Mascara Dorada.
June 7: The Nexus is born on Raw, as Wade Barrett leads all eight members of NXT Season One in an assault on John Cena, Jerry “The King” Lawler, ring announcer Justin Roberts, and other WWE personnel. Daniel Bryan draws the ire of WWE executives for choking Roberts with his necktie and spitting on Cena. Within four days Bryan is released … Sputnik Monroe’s storyline brother and tag partner Rocket (Maury High) passes away after battling a blood infection in the hospital.
June 12: Former wrestler and backstage official Aurelian “Grizzly” Smith dies in Amarillo, Texas, at 77. His passing is attributed to complications of Alzheimer’s disease. Smith is the father of Jake Roberts, Sam Houston, and Rockin’ Robin.
June 13: Rob Van Dam pins Sting in the main event of Slammiversary. Other matches include Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson defeating Beer Money Inc., Jay Lethal stunning former champion AJ Styles, and Knockouts champion Madison Rayne defeating Roxxi, forcing the challenger to leave TNA.
June 19: Despite fans at ringside taunting ROH heavyweight champion Tyler Black with chants of “You can’t beat him!” Black pins Davey Richards to retain his championship at the promotion’s iPPV in Toronto, Ontario.
June 20: Both the WWE heavyweight and World titles change hands at Fatal 4-Way in Uniondale, New York. Rey Mysterio Jr. pins World champion Jack Swagger in a match also involving CM Punk and The Big Show. Later, Sheamus reclaims the WWE heavyweight title in a four-way match over John Cena, Randy Orton, and Edge.
June 22: Owen Hart’s widow, Martha, sues WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon in an attempt to prevent WWE from using footage of her late husband on future TV programs or DVD releases. The suit also seeks royalties for the use of Owen’s matches on DVDs … The game show Downfall, hosted by Chris Jericho, makes its debut on ABC.
June 30: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat is rushed to a Tampa hospital and listed in critical condition, just two days after he is one of several veterans to sustain a beating at the hands of The Nexus on Raw. Steamboat is diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Doctors believe the burst capillary had nothing to do with the attack.
July 10: The East Coast Wrestling Association hosts its 14th annual Super 8 tournament, which is won by former TNA star Austin “Consequences” Creed. Creed defeats Chase Del Monte and U-Gene en route to beating Tommaso Ciampa in the final round … Combat Zone Wrestling holds the Acid-Fest Memorial Show at the ECW Arena in honor of Michael “Trent Acid” Verdi, who died of an overdose on June 18.
July 11: TNA World champion Rob Van Dam successfully defends his title in a four-way match against Jeff Hardy, Abyss, and Mr. Anderson at Victory Road, pinning Anderson. Following the match, RVD is attacked by Abyss … World Wrestling Council’s Aniversario show, the 37th anniversary of the promotion, is headlined by a returning Carlito Colon, who defeats Booker T … Florida indy wrestler Chasyn Rance is charged with lewd battery against a 15-year-old California girl.
July 12: AAA SuperMega heavyweight champion Dr. Wagner Jr. appears at a rival CMLL show in Nuevo Laredo, wearing the championship belt he had won from Electroshock a month earlier at TripleMania … Scott Hall (double pneumonia), Bobby Eaton (fluid in the heart and lungs), and Chris Hamrick (overdose) are all hospitalized.
July 15: A contingent of former ECW wrestlers make its presence felt on Impact when Mick Foley, Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Stevie Richards, Rhino, Brother Devon, and backstage agents Pat “Simon Diamond” Kenny and Al Snow align with Rob Van Dam to attack Abyss and other members of the TNA roster. One week later, Dixie Carter announces that she invited the group—now known as EV2.0—to Impact, and will allow it to host its own pay-per-view event in August.
July 18: The Miz (Raw) and Kane (Smackdown) win Money in the Bank ladder matches at WWE’s first Money in the Bank pay-per-view in Kansas City. Kane cashes in his briefcase that night to take Rey Mysterio Jr.’s World title after the luchadore defeats Jack Swagger.
July 24: Bryan Danielson defeats Shingo by submission in the dark match main event of a Dragon Gate USA taping in Philadelphia. The match is not allowed to air on PPV because of the 90-day no-compete clause in Danielson’s WWE contract … Bret Hart marries girlfriend Stephanie Washington in Calgary.
August 3: Shane McMahon is announced as the new CEO of China Broadband, a provider of cable broadband, digital, and analog services. The company is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
August 8: TNA allows several of its wrestlers formerly associated with ECW to take over its annual Hard Justice pay-per-view, renaming it Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand. TNA World champion Rob Van Dam pins Sabu in the main event. The show also features a bloody falls-count-anywhere match between Tommy Dreamer and Raven, with Mick Foley as guest referee … John “Mr. Wrestling II” Walker suffers a heart attack at the NWA Wrestling Legends Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ten days later, he undergoes successful open-heart surgery.
August 9: WWE announces it has signed Tyler Black, the reigning Ring of Honor champion, to a developmental deal.
August 10: Due to injuries sustained at the hands of Abyss one week earlier on Impact, TNA officially strips Rob Van Dam of the World title, and announces that a tournament will be held to crown a new champion.
August 13: Former WWE tag team champion Lance Cade (Lance McNaught) dies of heart failure at the age of 29. Cade—who first broke into the business at 18 training under Shawn Michaels—had been released and rehired by the company months earlier.
August 14: Longtime ECWA promoter Jim Kettner retires from the promotion, handing it over to Mike Tartaglia and Joe Zanolle of the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance. Kettner’s career spanned 43 years as a wrestler and promoter.
August 15: Daniel Bryan makes a surprising return to WWE at SummerSlam in Los Angeles, joining John Cena to take on his former Nexus brethren in a seven-on-seven elimination match. Cena’s victorious team also includes Bret Hart, R-Truth, John Morrison, Edge, and Chris Jericho. Also on the card, after defeating Rey Mysterio Jr., World champion Kane attacks a returning Undertaker, who had been hiding in a ringside casket during the bout … Ring of Honor booker Adam Pearce is relieved of his duties by owner Cary Silkin. Pearce is replaced by Hunter “Delirious” Johnston … Hulk Hogan joins Pamela Anderson, George Hamilton, and Jerry Springer for Comedy Central’s The Roast Of David Hasselhoff.
August 19: Longtime wrestler, manager, referee, and promoter Skandor Akbar (Jimmy Wehba) passes away in his sleep. Akbar spent years wrestling and later guided the careers of men such as Abdullah the Butcher, Dick Murdoch, and Cactus Jack … “Nightmare” Ted Allen (Ted Lipscomb) suffers a heart attack and dies at the age of 54. Allen began wrestling in 1975. His career included stints with Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling and Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
August 21: TNA co-founder Jeff Jarrett marries Karen Angle, Kurt Angle’s ex-wife … Mahoney is arrested on charges of disorderly conduct in South Brunswick, New Jersey, after a bar fight with The Outpatient. It is believed the two staged the fight to hype up an upcoming match.
August 23: WWE holds a landmark show in Shanghai, China, with John Cena defeating The Big Show, Sheamus pinning Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio Jr. beating Chris Jericho. This is WWE’s first show in China.
August 27: Luna Vachon, 48, is found dead of a drug overdose by her mother in her Port Richey, Florida, home. Vachon’s ashes are later scattered on the grounds of the North Carolina ranch owned by the estate of her late godfather, Andre the Giant.
September 5: Jeff Hardy takes on Kurt Angle at No Surrender in a semifinal match in the TNA World title tournament, wrestling to a 30-minute draw. The match is later restarted, but stopped when Angle sustains a cut on his head … Joey Ryan wins Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s Battle of Los Angeles tournament … Former Hart Foundation member Jim Neidhart is arrested in Thonotosassa, Florida, for allegedly stealing prescription pills from a friend’s house.
September 10: Mike Shaw, best known as Norman the Lunatic (WCW) and Bastion Booger (WWF) dies at home from complications following a heart attack … John Cena’s movie Legendary—which co-stars Danny Glover—begins what proves to be a short run in theaters.
September 11: Recent WWE signee and ROH champion Tyler Black drops the title to Roderick Strong at an iPPV at the Manhattan Center in New York City … Mexican 1980s star La Fiera (Arturo Casco) is mugged, assaulted, and stabbed five times while walking the streets in Mexico City. He is pronounced dead before he arrives at the hospital.
September 12: Matt Hardy is sent home early from a Smackdown tour of the U.K., kicking off several weeks of bizarre behavior. Starting that night in his hotel room, Hardy begins to post a series of videos criticizing WWE officials and wrestlers. He asks for his release so he can join his brother in TNA.
September 17: Volador Jr. pins Mistico after a backstabber to win two of three falls in the final match of CMLL’s Bicentario Cup.
September 19: At WWE’s Night of Champions pay-per-view, Randy Orton win his sixth WWE championship, pinning Sheamus in a Six-Pack Challenge match that also includes John Cena, Chris Jericho, Edge, and Wade Barrett. Also on the show, Michelle McCool defeats Divas champion Melina to unify the Women’s and Divas championships … Former WWF and WCW wrestler Giant Gonzalez (Jorge Gonzalez) dies as a result of ongoing health issues, including kidney failure at age 44.
September 25: Bret Hart returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City for a house show honoring him. He teams with The Hart Dynasty against Nexus members David Otunga, Heath Slater, and Justin Gabriel.
September 28: Kaval—better known in the indie world as Low-Ki—wins the second season of NXT, outlasting Alex Riley and Michael McGillicutty.
October 1: Mick Foley’s newest book, Countdown To Lockdown, is released. The autobiography details Foley’s final months as an announcer with WWE, his jump to TNA, and the buildup to winning the TNA World title from Sting at Lockdown 2009. Surprisingly, WWE announcer Michael Cole hypes the book on Raw.
October 2: Pro Wrestling NOAH and AJPW legend Kenta Kobashi marries his longtime girlfriend, singer Mai Mizuki in a private ceremony.
October 3: John Cena is forced to join Nexus against his will after losing a Hell in a Cell match to Wade Barrett at WWE’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. In other matches, World champion Kane defeats The Undertaker and WWE champion Randy Orton beats Sheamus.
October 10: Hulk Hogan makes his return to TNA at Bound for Glory, assisting Jeff Hardy in defeating Mr. Anderson and Kurt Angle, and helping him win the vacant TNA World title in the process. He quickly forms the group Immortal, alongside Hardy, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett, and Abyss. A few days later on Impact, Ric Flair’s Fortune group joins Immortal as well.
October 14: WWE announces that Matt Hardy has been granted his release.
October 18: WWE launches a media campaign encouraging fans to “Stand Up For WWE.” The campaign calls on WWE fanatics to publicly support the company as it faces “unfair and biased attacks from certain politicians and media outlets.”
October 23: Former WWE champion and reigning UFC champion Brock Lesnar is soundly defeated by Cain Velasquez, losing his title at UFC 121. After the fight, The Undertaker, who is interviewed from his seat at ringside, confronts Lesnar, sparking talk of a WM27 showdown.
October 24: John Cena seconds new Nexus “ally” Wade Barrett as Barrett challenges Randy Orton for the WWE heavyweight title at Bragging Rights in Minneapolis. Cena deliberately costs Barrett the opportunity when he attacks him, causing Orton to lose the match—but not the title—by disqualification.
October 30: Famed Quebec wrestler “The Flying Frenchman” Edouard Carpentier suffers a heart attack and dies at the age of 84, at his home in Montreal. The Hall of Famer dominated the Canadian wrestling scene after emigrating from France, and is listed as a four-time International champion.
November 2: Linda McMahon loses in her bid to become a U.S. Senator in the state of Connecticut. She garners 44 percent of the vote, compared to incumbent Richard Blumenthal’s 54 percent. In her concession speech, McMahon hints at possibly running for public office in the future.
November 7: TNA Turning Point sees Jeff Hardy successfully defend the TNA World title against Matt Morgan, who is substituting for the injured Mr. Anderson. In other action, The Motor City Machine Guns defeat Team 3-D to retain their TNA World tag title in what is billed as Team 3-D’s retirement match. After the bout, Brother Ray attacks Brother Devon.
November 15: WWE airs a special, “Old School Raw,” featuring stars from the company’s past mixing with members of today’s WWE roster. In a memorable segment, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper confronts John Cena and begs him not to cheat Randy Orton out of the WWE title at Survivor Series.
November 16: Cable network A&E airs a biography entitled Finding Hulk Hogan. It portrays many of the personal, physical, and legal struggles Hogan and his family have overcome, as well as Hogan’s decision to join TNA … Alex Riley is arrested on DUI charges in Tampa.
November 19: WWE releases several wrestlers, including Luke Gallows, Shad Gaspard, Jillian Hall, Tiffany, Vance Archer, and Caylen Croft. The company also announces that writer Christopher DeJoseph, who portrayed “Big” Dick Johnson, is let go.
November 21: Despite the pre-match stipulation he would be fired from WWE should Wade Barrett lose, special guest referee John Cena counts Barrett down for a three-count in his match with WWE champion Randy Orton at Survivor Series in Miami. Earlier that evening, a team captained by Rey Mysterio Jr. defeats Team Alberto Del Rio in an elimination match … Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors wrestler Chris “Solid” Long is murdered at the Dekalb County, Georgia, bar where he works, after an argument with a patron.
November 22: The Miz cashes in his money-in-the-bank briefcase and pins Randy Orton to win the WWE heavyweight title on Raw. Miz catches Orton off-guard following a title defense against Wade Barrett, a match in which both John Cena and The Nexus interfere.
November 25: Longtime New Japan Pro Wrestling wrestler, promoter, and manager Kantaro Hoshino passes away at a Tokyo hospital at the age of 67 while battling pneumonia and the effects of a 2008 stroke.
November 28: Mexican indy wrestler El Hijo del Cien Caras (Ignacio Jiminez) is shot and killed along with a female companion in Mexico City.
November 29: Sheamus wins the 2010 WWE King of the Ring tournament on Raw, last pinning John Morrison. Also, Jerry Lawler challenges The Miz for the WWE title in a TLC match ruined by interference from Alex Riley and Lawler’s broadcast colleague Michael Cole.
November 30: Vickie Guerrero’s rookie Kaitlyn wins an all-Divas version of NXT on wwe.com, beating out Florida Championship Wrestling standout Naomi Night … 54-year-old Japanese wrestling star Yoshiaki Yatsu announces his retirement.
December 2: Montel Vontavious Porter is granted his release by WWE.
December 4: Hawaiian wrestling legend King Curtis Iaukea passes away at his home in Papakolea, Hawaii, after complications from a virus. Iaukea, 73, was a main-eventer in every territory in which he appeared, and was also a former manager in the WWF and WCW.
December 5: At Final Resolution, Jeff Hardy successfully defends his TNA title against Matt Morgan, with Mr. Anderson serving as special guest referee.
December 9: On Impact, Mickie James takes a scary dive from the top of a steel cage and delivers a Lou Thesz press to arch-rival Tara, downing her to win the match.
December 13: WWE holds its Slammy Awards ceremony on Raw. It features the return to action of actor and former WCW champion David Arquette, who teams with Alex Riley to take on Randy Orton.
December 18: ROH champion Roderick Strong defeats Davey Richards in a 30-minute match at the Final Battle iPPV in New York City. In other action, El Generico forces former partner Kevin Steen out of the company by defeating him in a match in which Generico’s mask is also on the line.
December 19: John Cena defeats Wade Barrett in a chairs match at WWE’s TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs pay-per-view. Cena, who had been rehired to WWE by Barrett after pressure from Nexus members afraid of being attacked—lays out the faction’s leader and has more than a dozen chairs dropped on him from above. Also, The Miz defeats Randy Orton in a tables match to retain his WWE heavyweight title, and World champion Edge beats Kane, Alberto Del Rio, and Rey Mysterio Jr. in a TLC match.
December 20: Vampiro quits AAA. The former WCW star had a difficult couple of years, having been severely injured while attempting to escape from an alleged home invasion in July 2009, and had not wrestled for several months.
December 22: A two-hour version of WWE’s Tribute To The Troops show airs on USA. Taken from footage recorded earlier in the month at Fort Hood, Texas, the show includes appearances by several celebrities, and video of wrestlers visiting troops overseas. Off-air, Triple-H and Shawn Michaels make a special appearance as DeGeneration-X. A truncated version of the show aired days earlier on NBC.
December 23: Former NXT winner Kaval is released from WWE.
December 27: After more than a year of postponements, The District Attorney’s office of Moore County, North Carolina, reports that Jeff Hardy will plead guilty on January 20, 2011, to some of the drug-related charges he faces … Spike TV cancels TNA Reaction, a documentary-style show that had been airing immediately after episodes of Impact on Thursday nights.
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