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Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1996

By: Karl Stern

1996

01-03-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Doug Gilbert won a Royal Rumble to win entry into the WWF Royal Rumble.

01-04-1996: New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) holds Wrestling World at the Tokyo Dome in front of a reported 64,000 fans. Results: Shinjiro Otani & Tokimitsu Ishizawa & Yuji Nagata defeated Hiromitsu Kanehara & Kazushi Sakuraba & Kenichi Yamamoto… Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Satoshi Kojima… IWGP World Junior title: Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Koji Kanemoto… Shiro Koshinaka defeated Masahiro Chono… Hiromichi Fuyuki defeated Yoji Anjo… Kensuke Sasaki defeated Hiroshi Hase… Antonio Inoki defeated Big Van Vader… Riki Choshu defeated Masahito Kakihara… Shinya Hashimoto defeated Kazuo Yamazaki… IWGP World heavyweight title: Nobuhiko Takada defeated Keiji Muto.

01-05-1996: ECW House Party 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,150: 911 & Rey Misterio, Jr. beat The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus)… Rob Van Dam pinned Axl Rotten… Too Cold Scorpio pinned Mikey Whipwreck to win the ECW TV title… Taz beat Hack Myers… Bubba Ray Dudley pinned Jimmy del Ray… The Bad Crew battled JT Smith & Tony Stetson to a no contest… ECW World champion Sandman defeated Konnan… Sabu pinned Stevie Richards… The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) beat The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa).

01-10-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Lady Satan (Debbie Combs) beat Miss Texas to win the USWA Women's title… Jerry Lawler beat Tex Slazenger to win the USWA title.

01-15-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Miss Texas beat Lady Satan (Debbie Combs) to win the USWA Women's title.

01-21-1996: WWF Royal Rumble in Fresno, CA at the Selland Arena drawing 9,600: Dark Match: Duke Drose defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley via DQ… Ahmed Johnson defeated Jeff Jarrett via DQ… WWF World tag team champions The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard)… Goldust (Dustin Rhodes) defeated Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) to win the WWF Intercontinental title… Shawn Michaels won the Royal Rumble. Also in the match were: 1-2-3 Kid (Sean Waltman), Bob Backlund, Diesel (Kevin Nash), Duke Drose, Fatu, Dory Funk Jr, Doug Gilbert, Henry Godwinn, Hakushi, Owen Hart, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Bob Holly, Barry Horowitz, Marty Jannetty, Kama, Jerry Lawler, Mabel, Aldo Montoya (Justin Credible), Takao Omori, Ringmaster (Steve Austin), Jake Roberts, Davey Boy Smith, Squat Team 1 & 2 (Headhunters A & B), Tatanka, Vader, Savio Vega, Isaac Yankem (Glen Jacobs), and Yokozuna… The Undertaker defeated WWF World champion Bret Hart via DQ.

01-23-1996: WCW: Clash of Champions 32: in Las Vegas, NV: Caesar's Palace drawing 3,100: Shown live on TBS: Dark match: Steven Regal pinned Chris Benoit… The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) battled The Nasty Boys (Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobbs) to a double DQ… Dean Malenko pinned Alex Wright… Brian Pillman pinned Eddie Guerrero… WCW World tag team champions Sting & Lex Luger beat Bobby Eaton & Steven Regal… Konnan beat Psicosis… Ric Flair & The Giant beat Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage… Dark match: WCW U.S. champion One Man Gang pinned Disco Inferno.

01-24-1996: RINGS: Mega Battle Tournament 1995: Grand Final in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 12,683: Mikhail Ilioukhine beat Wataru Sakata… Christopher Haseman beat Willie Peeters… Vladimir Klementiev defeated Gogitidze Bakouri… Mitsuya Nagai beat Tony Halme… Tsuyoshi Kohsaka beat Maurice Smith… Bitsadze Tariel defeated Dennis Raven… Hans Nyman defeated Volk Han for third place in the Mega Battle Tournament 1995… Akira Maeda beat Yoshihisa Yamamoto to win the Mega Battle Tournament 1995.

01-26-1996: WWF at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 15,000: WWF champion Bret Hart defeated Diesel (Kevin Nash)… Shawn Michaels defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley… Savio Vega defeated WWF Intercontinental champion Goldust (Dustin Rhodes) by count out… WWF World tag team champions The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard)… The Undertaker defeated Yokozuna… Steve Austin defeated Henry Godwinn… Ahmed Johnson defeated Jeff Jarrett… Owen Hart defeated Hakushi… Duke Drose defeated 1-2-3 Kid (Sean Waltman)… Tatanka & Dr. Isaac Yankem (Glen Jacobs AKA: Kane) defeated Bob Holly & Fatu.

01-27-1996: ECW in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,006: Hack Myers pinned Mr. Hughes… Judge Dread pinned The Blue Meanie… Dances with Dudley & Bubba Ray Dudley beat JT Smith & Axl Rotten… The Headhunters beat The Bad Crew… ECW TV champion Too Cold Scorpio pinned El Puerto Ricano… The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat The Pitbulls… Sabu beat Rob Van Dam via DQ… ECW tag team champions Cactus Jack & Mikey Whipwreck beat Shane Douglas & Tommy Dreamer… Raven pinned Sandman to win the ECW World title.

02-03-1996: WWF in Bangalore, India drawing 30,000: Doink the Clown beat Bodydonna Zip (Tom Prichard)… Ahmed Johnson beat Bodydonna Skip (Chris Candido)… Henry Godwinn & Bart Gunn beat Owen Hart & Yokozuna… Savio Vega beat Isaac Yankem… Razor Ramon beat The 1-2-3 Kid… The Undertaker beat Goldust… Diesel (Kevin Nash) beat Hunter Hearst Helmsley… WWF heavyweight champion Bret Hart beat Tatanka.

ECW in Queens, NY: Lost Battalion Hall drawing 1,200: Taz beat The Shark Attack Kid… The Headhunters beat Axl Rotten & El Puerto Ricano… The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat Cactus Jack & Mikey Whipwreck to win the ECW tag team titles… Tommy Dreamer & Shane Douglas beat Raven & Stevie Richards… Rey Misterio, Jr. beat Juventud Guerrera… The Pitbulls beat The Headhunters… Chris Jericho beat Rob Van Dam… Bubba Ray Dudley beat JT Smith… Sabu pinned Mr. Hughes… Sandman & Too Cold Scorpio beat The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa).

NWA Eddie Gilbert Memorial Show 1: in Cherry Hill, NJ: The Armory drawing 500: Knuckles Nelson beat Inferno Kid… Glenn Osbourne & Rockin' Rebel beat Blue Thunder & Harley Lewis via DQ… Tommy Gilbert drew Dory Funk, Jr… The Lost Boys beat The Greek Connection and Bad Attitude in a triangle match to become the first NWA American tag team champions… Johnny Gunn pinned Tommy Rich… Kevin Lawler & Debbie Combs & HW Starr beat Angel & Twiggy Ramirez, & Rick Ratchet… NWA North American champion Tommy Cairo pinned Derrick Domino… Ace Darling pinned Kid Flash… Doug Gilbert pinned Jerry Lawler… NWA World champion Dan Severn pinned Al Snow.

02-05-1996: New Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 11,500: Tokimitsu Ishizawa beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa… Yuji Nagata beat Akitoshi Saito… Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Michiyoshi Ohara beat Osamu Kido & Takashi Iizuka & Tadao Yasuda… El Samurai & Gran Hamada & Black Tiger beat Koji Kanemoto & Dean Malenko & Shinjiro Ohtani… Kazuo Yamazaki beat Hiro Saito… Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki beat Satoshi Kojima & Osamu Nishimura… Shiro Koshinaka pinned Hiroyoshi Tenzan… IWGP tag team champions Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata beat Yoji Anjoh & Yoshihiro Takayama… Keiji Mutoh & Jushin Liger beat Nobuhiko Takada & Naoki Sano.

02-11-1996: WCW Super Brawl 6: in St Petersburg, FL: Bayfront Center drawing 7,200: Shown live on PPV: Dark match: Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) beat Dick Slater & Bunkhouse Buck… Dark Match: Hugh Morrus pinned Chris Kanyon… Dark match: Big Bubba Rogers & V.K. Wallstreet (Mike Rotundo) beat Joey Maggs & Craig Pittman… Dark match: Jim Duggan beat Loch Ness via DQ… The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs) beat The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) in a falls count anywhere… WCW TV champion Johnny B. Badd pinned Diamond Dallas Page… WCW World tag team champions Sting & Lex Luger beat Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray & Booker T)… WCW U.S. champion Konnan pinned One Man Gang… Kevin Sullivan beat Brian Pillman in an I respect you strap match… Arn Anderson battled Kevin Sullivan to a no contest… WCW World tag team champions Sting & Lex Luger battled Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) to a double DQ... Ric Flair pinned Randy Savage in a steel cage match to win the WCW World heavyweight title… Hulk Hogan beat The Giant (Paul Wight) in a steel cage match.

02-14-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Jesse James Armstrong (AKA: Road Dogg) & Tracy Smothers beat PG-13 (JC Ice & Wolfie D) to win the USWA tag team titles… Brian Christopher pinned Tommy Rich to win the USWA title… Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett beat The Undertaker & Bret Hart via DQ. Attendance was 1,100, the largest in sometime at the Mid-South Coliseum.

02-17-1996: ECW Cyberslam 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,300: Judge Dredd & The Bad Crew beat Dino Sendoff & Don E. Allen & Dirt Bike Kid… Spiros Grekko pinned El Puerto Ricano… Taz beat Joel Hartgood… Bubba Ray Dudley beat Mr. Hughes… Ron & Don Harris beat The Headhunters… JT Smith pinned Axl Rotten… Francine & The Pitbulls beat Stevie Richards & The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) in a triple dog collar match… ECW TV champion Too Cold Scorpio drew Sabu… Shane Douglas pinned Cactus Jack… ECW World champion Raven pinned Sandman.

02-18-1996: WWF In Your House 6 PPV in Louisville, KY at Louisville Gardens drawing 5,500: Dark match: Jake Roberts pinned Tatanka… Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) pinned The 1-2-3 Kid in a crybaby match… Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned Duke Drose… Yokozuna beat Davey Boy Smith via DQ… Shawn Michaels pinned Owen Hart… WWF heavyweight champion Bret Hart beat Diesel (Kevin Nash) in a steel cage match… Dark match: Ahmed Johnson pinned Isaac Yankem (Glen Jacobs)… Dark match: Henry & Phineas Godwinn beat Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard)… Dark match: The Undertaker beat WWF Intercontinental champion Goldust (Dustin Rhodes) via countout.

RINGS: Free Fight Gala 1996: The King of Martial Arts in Amsterdam, Netherlands: Sport Hall South drawing 8,500: Yoshihisa Yamamoto beat Wataru Sakata… Valentijn Overeem beat Tjerk Vermanen… Jimmy Portier defeated John Benner… Michael Tielrooy defeated Edwin Gertenbach… Mitsuya Nagai defeated Rudy Ewoldt… Rob van Esdonk defeated Rene Roza in a kickboxing match… Tsuyoshi Kohsaka beat Willie Peeters… Bob Schrijber beat Emil Kristev… Hans Nyman beat Allen Harris… Lee Hasdell drew Andre Mannaart… Dick Leon-Vrij beat Hubert Numrich.

02-28-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Tommy Rich & Doug Gilbert beat PG-13 (JC Ice & Wolfie D) to win the USWA tag team title.

03-01-1996: UWFI: UWFI vs. New Japan: High Tension in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 16,500: Tatsuo Nakano beat Kenichi Yamamoto… Kiyoshi Tamura beat Kazushi Sakuraba… Masahito Kakihara beat Shinjiro Otani… Champo beat Hiromitsu Kanehara via decision in a kickboxing match… Yoji Anjoh & Yoshihiro Takayama beat Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka… Keiji Mutoh beat Naoki Sano… IWGP champion Nobuhiko Takada beat Shiro Koshinaka.

03-02-1996: All-Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 14,000: Masao Inoue & Satoru Asako beat Kentaro Shiga & Mitsuo Momota… Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas beat Bob Bradley & Rob Van Dam… Jumbo Tsuruta & Rusher Kimura & Dory Funk Jr. beat Ryukaku Izumida & Mighty Inoue & Masa Fuchi… Giant Baba & Haruka Eigan beat Abdullah the Butcher & Giant Kamala II (Ben Peacock)… PWF Junior Heavyweight champion Yoshinori Ogawa pinned Tsuyoshi Kikuchi… Johnny Ace & The Patriot (Del Wilkes) beat Maunukea Mossman & Takao Omori… Stan Hansen pinned Tamon Honda… All Japan World tag team champions Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue beat Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama… All Japan Triple Crown champion Mitsuharu Misawa pinned Gary Albright.

03-04-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Jerry Lawler beat King Mabel (Nelson Frazier) via DQ to win the vacant USWA Unified World title.

03-08-1996: ECW Big Ass Extreme Bash 1996: in Queens, NY: Lost Battalion Hall drawing 1,200: Kendo Nagasaki & Chris Michaels beat Damien Stone & Joel Hartgood… JT Smith pinned Hack Meyers… Chris Jericho pinned Cactus Jack… Taz beat Mikey Whipwreck… ECW tag team champions The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat The Pitbulls… Juventud Guerrera beat Rey Misterio, Jr. in three falls… Big Titan pinned Judge Dredd… ECW TV champion Too Cold Scorpio drew Sabu… Bubba Ray & Dances with Dudley beat The Headhunters… ECW World champion Raven pinned Sandman.

03-09-1996: ECW Big Ass Extreme Bash 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,200: JT Smith pinned Axl Rotten… El Puerto Ricano & Damien Stone battled The Bad Crew no a no contest… ECW tag team champions The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat Bubba Ray Dudley & Hack Myers… Rey Misterio, Jr. beat Juventud Guerrera in three falls… Chris Jericho beat Taz via DQ… Cactus Jack pinned Mikey Whipwreck… Ron & Don Harris battled The Pitbulls to a no contest… Sabu pinned Big Titan… ECW World champion Raven pinned Shane Douglas… The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat Sandman & Too Cold Scorpio and The Headhunters in a three way dance.

03-17-1996: WWF at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 17,000: Jake Roberts & Yokozuna defeated Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith with George Steele handcuffed to Jim Cornette at ringside… Ahmed Johnson defeated 1-2-3 Kid (Sean Waltman)… WWF Intercontinental champion Goldust defeated Savio Vega… Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Duke Drose in a no DQ match… Bret Hart & The Undertaker defeated Shawn Michaels & Diesel (Kevin Nash) by DQ… Steve Austin defeated Barry Horowitz… The Godwinns (Henry & Phineas Godwinn) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard)… Justin Bradshaw defeated Avatar (Al Snow)… Aldo Montoya (AKA: Justin Credible) defeated Isaac Yankem (Glen Jacobs AKA: Kane).

03-24-1996: WCW Uncensored: in Tupelo, MS: Tupelo Coliseum drawing 9,000: Shown live on PPV: Dark match: Mr. JL (Jerry Lynn) pinned Dean Malenko… Dark match: Jim Duggan pinned Bubba Rogers… Dark match: Dick Slater pinned Alex Wright… Dark match: Rick & Scott Steiner battled The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs) to a no contest… WCW US champion Konnan pinned Eddie Guerrero… Belfast Bruiser (Fit Finlay) beat Steven Regal via DQ… Robert Parker (Robert Fuller) pinned Madusa Micelli… Booty Man (Ed Leslie AKA: Brutus Beefcake) pinned Diamond Dallas Page… The Giant (Paul Wight) pinned Loch Ness (AKA: Giant Haystacks)… Sting & Booker T beat The Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) in a Chicago street fight… Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage beat Ric Flair and Arn Anderson and Meng and Barbarian and Lex Luger and Kevin Sullivan and Ze Gangsta (Tiny Lister AKA: Zeus) and The Ultimate Solution (Jeep Swenson) in a tower of doom match.

03-25-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: The Cyberpunks (JC Ice & Wolfie D) beat Tommy Rich & Doug Gilbert to win the USWA tag team titles.

03-29-1996: WWF Slammy Awards: in Anaheim, CA: From the Anaheim Marriott: Shown live on USA Network: Best Buns presented by The Godwinns & Hillbilly Jim: Sunny… Best Entrance presented by Steve Austin & Ted DiBiase: Shawn Michaels… Best Finisher presented by Bob Backlund & Scott Reskus: Bret Hart… Crime of the Century presented by Jim Cornette & Clarence Mason: Vader… New Sensation presented by Jim Davidson, Darlene Vogel, & Paula Trickey: Ahmed Johnson… Biggest Mouth presented by Billionaire Ted: Jerry Lawler… Best Threads presented by Mr. TV Trivia & Fatale: Shawn Michaels… Worst Dresser presented by Mr. TV Trivia & Fatale: Jim Cornette… Greatest Hit presented by Goldust & Marlena: The Undertaker… Manager of the Year presented by Rob Perth: Sunny… Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Vince McMahon to Fred Blassie… Most Embarrassing Moment presented by The Bushwhackers: Jerry Lawler… Squared Circle Shocker presented by Hunter Hearst Helmsley: Shawn Michaels… Master of Mat Mechanics presented by Mr. Perfect: Shawn Michaels… Best Music Video presented by Dok Hendrix (Michael Hayes): Bret Hart… Match of the Year presented by Jim Ross: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon from SummerSlam '95… Hall of Fame presented by Gorilla Monsoon: Bret Hart… Leader of the New Generation presented by Roddy Piper: Shawn Michaels.

03-31-1996: WWF WrestleMania 12 in Anaheim, CA: Arrowhead Pond: Attendance: 18,852 ($737,440): Dark match: The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip / Chris Candido & Tom Prichard) defeated Henry & Phineas Godwinn to win the vacant WWF World tag team titles… The Nacho Man battled The Huckster to a no contest. Billionaire Ted was the special referee. This was a pre-taped segment… Vader (Leon White) & Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith defeated Jake Roberts & Yokozuna & Ahmed Johnson… Roddy Piper and Goldust battled in the first half of the "Hollywood backlot brawl." This was a pre-taped segment. A live segment ended after the seventh bout… Steve Austin defeated Savio Vega… Ultimate Warrior defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley… The Undertaker defeated Diesel (Kevin Nash)… Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart in an ironman match to win the WWF heavyweight title.

All-Japan Women: Wrestling Queendom IV in Yokohama, Japan: Yokohama Arena drawing 12,500: Tomoko Miyaguchi & Tomoko Kuzumi & Yuki Miyazaki beat Sayo Endoh & Genki Misae & Yoshika Tamura… Chikako Shiratori & Bloody Phoenix & Flor Metalica beat Kumiko Maekawa & Yuka Shiina & Tanny Mouse… Toshiyo Yamada pinned Etsuko Mita… AJW Japanese tag team champions Rie Tamada & Yumi Fukawa beat Hiroumi Yagi & Kanako Mototami… Fumiko Ishimoto beat Bat Yoshinaga via decision in a shootboxing match… Reggie Bennett & Chiquita Azteca beat Chaparita Asari & Mariko Yoshida… Tomoko Watanabe & Michiko Nagashima beat Sakie Hasegawa & Kaoru Ito… IWA champion Takako Inoue pinned Mima Shimoda… Aja Kong & Combat Toyoda & Cooga beat Bison Kimura & Kaoru Maeda & Megumi Kudo… Yumiko Hotta beat Leticia Olucini in a UFC rules match… WWWA champion Manami Toyota pinned Kyoko Inoue.

04-15-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Samantha beat Miss Texas to win the USWA Women's title.

04-19-1996: UWFI vs. New Japan: Total War in Osaka, Japan: Furitsu Gym drawing 7,000: Kiyoshi Tamura beat Billy Scott… Tokimitsu Ishizawa beat Kazushi Sakuraba… Yoshihiro Takayama beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa… Masahito Kakihara beat Yuji Nagata… Tatsuo Nakano & Yuhi Sano beat Kenichi Yamamoto & Yoji Anjoh… Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki beat Nobuhiko Takada & Hiromitsu Kanehara.

04-20-1996: ECW Hostile City Showdown 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,075: Super Nova battled El Puerto Ricano to a no contest...Mikey Whipwreck pinned Billy Black… The Dudley Boys (Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley) battled The Pitbulls to a no contest… Taz beat Devon Storm via countout… Axl Rotten pinned Little Guido… Sandman & Too Cold Scorpio beat The Bruise Brothers (Ron & Don Harris)… Brian Lee pinned Tommy Dreamer… Sabu pinned Rob Van Dam… ECW World champion Raven pinned Shane Douglas.

All-Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 16,000: Tsuyoshi Kikuchi beat Mighty Inoue… Haruka Eigan & Ryukaku Izumida beat Rusher Kimura & Mitsuo Momota… Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas beat The Patriot (Del Wilkes) & Maunukea Mossman… Yoshinori Ogawa & Masa Fuchi & Masao Inoue beat Kentaro Shiga & Satoru Asako & Giant Baba… Stan Hansen & Jumbo Tsuruta beat Takao Omori & Tamon Honda… Toshiaki Kawada & Gary Albright & Johnny Ace beat Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama… Akira Taue pinned Steve Williams to win the 1996 Champion Carnival.

04-28-1996: WWF Good Friends, Better Enemies PPV: in Omaha, NB at the Civic Auditorium drawing 9,563: Dark match: Marc Mero beat 1-2-3 Kid via DQ… Davey Boy Smith & Owen Hart beat Jake Roberts & Ahmed Johnson… Ultimate Warrior beat WWF Intercontinental Champion Goldust via countout… Vader pinned Razor Ramon (Scott Hall)… WWF World tag team champions The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard) beat Henry & Phineas Godwinn… WWF heavyweight champion Shawn Michaels pinned Diesel (Kevin Nash) in a "no DQ" match… Dark match: Savio Vega pinned Steve Austin…. Dark match: Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned Marc Mero… Dark match: The Undertaker pinned Mankind.

04-29-1996: New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) with some additional wrestlers from World Championship Wrestling (WCW) holds Battle Formation in the Tokyo Egg Dome in front of a reported 65,000 fans. Results: Tokimitsu Ishizawa & Yuji Nagata defeated Koji Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani… Osamu Nishimura & Riki Choshu & Satoshi Kojima & Takashi Iizuka defeated Heisei Ishingun (Akira Nogami & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Shiro Koshinaka & Tatsutoshi Goto)… IWGP World Junior title: Great Sasuke defeated Jushin Thunder Liger… Randy Savage defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan… Masahiro Chono defeated Lex Luger… Power Warrior (Kensuke Sasaki) & Hawk & Animal (The Road Warriors) defeated Scott Norton & Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner… Great Muta defeated Jinsei Shinzaki… Genichiro Tenryu defeated Tatsumi Fujinami… IWGP World heavyweight title: Shinya Hashimoto defeated Nobuhiko Takada.

GAEA: 1st Anniversary Show in Tokyo, Japan: Korakuen Hall drawing 2,300: Maiko Matsumoto beat Rina Ishii… Aki Kanbayashi & Miwa Sato beat Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao… Candy Okutsu beat Toshie Uematsu… Chikayo Nagashima beat Sonoko Kato… Toshiyo Yamada beat Meiko Satomura… Kaoru beat Karula… Hikari Fukuoka beat Bomber Hikari… Chigusa Nagayo & Toshie Sato beat Shinobu Kandori & Michiko Omukai.

05-05-1996: FMW: 7th Anniversary Show in Kawasaki, Japan: Kawasaki Stadium drawing 33,231: Jason the Terrible pinned Nanjyo Hayato… Chaparita Asari & Yumi Fukaba beat Kayori Nakayama & Aki Kanbayashi… Kamikaze & Katsutoshi Niiyama & Wild Shooter beat Daisuke Ikeda & Shoichi Funaki & Tetsuhiro Kuroda… Rock-n-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) & Ricky Fuji beat Crypt Keeper & Boogie Man & Freddy Krueger… Ryuma Go & Samurai Max beat I. Majin & Silver X… Taka Michinoku pinned Koji Nakagawa to win the Independent Junior title… Chigusa Nagayo defeated Shark Tsuchiya… Mitsuhiro Matsunaga & Hido & Hideki Hosaka beat Toryu & Miguelito Perez & Shoji Nakamaki… Headhunters (A &B) & Super Leather beat Horace Boulder & Hisakatsu Oya & Gladiator (Mike Awesome) to become the first FMW Six Man tag team Street Fight champions… Cactus Jack pinned Wing Kanemura in a barbed wire barricade spider net broken glass death match… Megumi Kudo pinned Combat Toyoda in a no rope explosive barbed wire match to win the FMW Unified Women's title… Terry Funk & Mr. Pogo beat Masato Tanaka & Hayabusa in a no rope explosive barbed wire time bomb land mine double hell death match.

05-11-1996: ECW: A Matter of Respect 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,000: El Puerto Ricano battled Damien to a no contest… Devon Storm & Damien Kane beat The Dudley Boys (Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley) via DQ… JT Smith & Little Guido beat Axl Rotten & Hack Meyers… Taz beat Beef Wellington… ECW World champion Raven beat Sandman and Pitbull 2 in a three way dance… Chris Jericho pinned Mikey Whipwreck… Shane Douglas pinned Too Cold Scorpio to win the ECW TV title… Rob Van Dam pinned Sabu… Tommy Dreamer & The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat Brian Lee & The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus).

AAA Triple Mania 4-A: in Chicago, IL: International Amphitheater drawing 2,676: Karis la Momia & Arunyo & Killer beat Blue Demon Jr. & Torero & Mascara Sagrada Jr… Jerry Estrada & Juventud Guerrera beat Pantera & Super Calo… Picudo & Cibernetico & El Mosco beat Octagon & Ultimo Dragon & La Parka… Konnan & Perro Aguayo beat Pierroth, Jr. & Cien Caras in a lumberjack match.

All-Japan Women: Wrestlemarinpiad VIII in Yokohama, Japan: Yokohama Cultural Gym drawing 5,100: Etsuko Mita pinned Misae Genki… Kaoru Ito pinned Yuka Shiina… Tomoko Watanabe pinned Yoshiko Tamura… Yumiko Hotta pinned Sayo Endoh… Kumiko Maekawa & Tanny Mouse beat Chikako Shiratori & Flor Metalica… Mariko Yoshida pinned Yumi Fukawa… Toshiyo Yamada & Chaparita Asari beat Bison Kimura & Chiquita Azteca… Aja Kong pinned Rie Tamada… WWWA tag team champions Kyoko & Takako Inoue beat Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda.

05-19-1996: WCW Slamboree: Lord of the Ring: in Baton Rouge, LA The Riverside Centroplex drawing 7,791: Shown live on PPV: Dark match: Marcus Bagwell & Scotty Riggs beat Shark & Maxx… Road Warrior Animal & Booker T battled Road Warrior Hawk & Lex Luger to a double DQ… The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) beat Chris Benoit & Kevin Sullivan… Rick Steiner & Booty Man (Ed Leslie) beat Craig Pittman & Scott Steiner… VK Wallstreet (Mike Rotundo) & Jim Duggan beat Steven Regal & David Taylor… Dick Slater & Bobby Eaton beat Disco Inferno & Alex Wright… Diamond Dallas Page & The Barbarian beat Meng & Hugh Morrus… Scott Norton & Ice Train beat Big Bubba & Stevie Ray… Ric Flair & Randy Savage beat Arn Anderson & Eddie Guerrero… WCW Cruiserweight champion Dean Malenko pinned Brad Armstrong… Dick Slater & Bobby Eaton beat Jim Duggan & V.K. Wallstreet… The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) beat Ric Flair & Randy Savage via forfeit… Diamond Dallas Page & The Barbarian beat The Booty Man & Rick Steiner… WCW U.S. champion Konnan pinned Jushin Liger… Diamond Dallas Page won a Battle Bowl battle royal. Also in the match were: Big Bubba, Bobby Eaton, Ice Train, Scott Norton, The Public Enemy, & Dick Slater… WCW World champion The Giant (Paul Wight) pinned Sting.

WWF at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 18,800: WWF champion Shawn Michaels defeated Diesel (Kevin Nash) in a steel cage match… Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Razor Ramon (Scott Hall)… The Godwinns (Henry & Phineas Godwinn) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard)… Vader (Leon White) defeated Yokozuna… Ultimate Warrior defeated Owen Hart… Steve Austin defeated Jake Roberts… Ahmed Johnson defeated Davey Boy Smith by DQ… Savio Vega defeated Bob Backlund… Justin Bradshaw defeated Bob Holly… The Bushwhackers (Luke Williams & Butch Miller) defeated The New Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy (Al Snow)). This is the show that featured the infamous “Curtain Call” between real life friends Shawn Michaels, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Hall and Nash were leaving WWF for WCW and broke kayfabe by coming out and publicly saying goodbye to each other.

05-20-1996: In Memphis, TN at the Mid-South Coliseum: Miss Texas beat Samantha in a lingerie match to win the USWA Women's title… Jerry Lawler beat King Mabel (Nelson Frazier) to win the USWA title.

05-25-1996: RINGS: Maelstrom III: Russian Battle Mission in Ekaterinburg, Russia: Sports Palace drawing 6,570: Wataru Sakata beat Mikhail Ilioukhine… Yuri Korchikin defeated Emil Krastev… Yuri Bekichev defeated Mitsuya Nagai… Vladimir Kuramenchev defeated Dick Leon-Vrij… Volk Han beat Hans Nyman… Andrei Kopilov beat Bart Vale… Yoshihisa Yamamoto beat Bitsadze Tariel… Nikolai Zouev beat Willie Williams.

05-26-1996: WWF Beware of Dog PPV: in Florence, SC at the Civic Center drawing 6,000: The Smoking Gunns beat Henry & Phineas Godwinn to win the WWF World tag team titles… Bob Holly pinned Isaac Yankem (Glen Jacobs)… Marc Mero pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley… Savio Vega beat Steve Austin in a "Caribbean strap" match… Dark match: Yokozuna pinned Vader… WWF Intercontinental champion Goldust beat The Undertaker in a "casket" match… Jake Roberts pinned Justin Hawk Bradshaw… WWF heavyweight champion Shawn Michaels battled Davey Boy Smith to a no contest… Ahmed Johnson pinned Jerry Lawler… Ultimate Warrior pinned Owen Hart… The power in the building went out before the Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega match and came back on before the Shawn Michaels vs. Davey Boy Smith match. As a result, Beware of Dog 2 aired two days later showing the full scheduled line-up.

05-27-1996: UWFI vs. WAR in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 15,300: Kiyoshi Tamura beat Kazushi Sakuraba… Hiromitsu Kanehara beat Akira Nogami… Yuhi (Naoki) Sano beat Kenichi Yamamoto… Koki Kitihara beat Tatsuo Nakano… Yoji Anjoh & Yoshihiro Takayama beat Gedo & Hiromichi Fuyuki… Shiro Koshinaka pinned Masahito Kakihara… Nobuhiko Takada defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara.

05-28-1996: WWF Beware of Dog II PPV: This was the make-up matches for the show on May 26, 1996 when the power went out: In North Charleston, SC at the North Charleston Coliseum drawing 4,500: Savio Vega beat Steve Austin in a Caribbean strap match… Vader pinned Yokozuna… WWF Intercontinental champion Goldust beat The Undertaker in a "casket" match.

06-1996: Jakks Pacific toy company releases it’s first wave of WWF action figures. Titled: WWF Superstars: Series 1, the first wave of the line included The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Razor Ramon, Goldust, and Diesel. Jakks Pacific held the WWF action figure license from 1996 until the end of 2009 when it passed to Mattel.

06-01-1996: World Wrestling Peace Festival: Multi-Promotional Show in Los Angeles, CA: LA Sports Arena drawing 5,964: Craig Pittman (WCW) beat KGB (AAA)… Jim Neidhart pinned Bobby Bradley, Jr…. Lady Apache (EMLL) & Akira Hokuto beat Neftali (AAA) & Bull Nakano… WCW: Chris Benoit pinned Alex Wright… AAA: Rey Misterio, Jr. & Ultimo Dragon beat Psicosis & Heavy Metal… Lex Luger (WCW) pinned Masa Saito (NJPW)… EMLL: Negro Casas pinned El Hijo del Santo… EMLL: Atlantis & Dos Caras & Hector Garza beat Silver King & Dr. Wagner Jr & Gran Markus Jr… NJPW: Tatsumi Fujinami pinned Black Cat… AAA: Perro Aguayo & La Parka beat Pierroth, Jr. & Cibernetico… Konnan (AAA/WCW) beat Chris Jericho and Bam Bam Bigelow in a triangle match… Jushin Liger (NJPW) pinned Great Sasuke (Michinoku Pro)… WCW: The Giant pinned Sting… Dan Severn & Antonio Inoki beat Oleg Taktarov & Yoshiaki Fujiwara.

ECW: Fight the Power: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,025: Devon Storm pinned El Puerto Ricano… Rob Van Dam pinned Mikey Whipwreck… JT Smith & Little Guido beat The Dudley Boys (D-Von & Bubba Ray Dudley) via DQ… Taz beat Jason Helton… Tommy Dreamer & The Pitbulls beat Brian Lee & Ron & Don Harris in a falls count anywhere elimination match. Pitbull 2 was the sole survivor… ECW World champion Raven pinned Pitbull 2… Sandman pinned Stevie Richards… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas pinned El Puerto Ricano… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas pinned Don E. Allen… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas pinned Devon Storm… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas pinned Mikey Whipwreck… Pitbull 2 pinned Shane Douglas to win the ECW TV title… ECW tag team champions The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa).

06-07-1996: All-Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 15,000: The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) beat Kentaro Shiga & Satoru Asako… Doug Furnas beat Masao Inoue… Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Mitsuo Momota & Rusher Kimura beat Mighty Inoue & Haruka Eigan & Masa Fuchi… The Patriot (Del Wilkes) & Lacrosse (Jim Steele) beat Dan Kroffat & Mike Dyette… Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshinori Ogawa beat Ryukaku Izumida & Takao Omori & Tamon Honda… Gary Albright & Giant Kamala II (Ben Peacock) beat Kenta Kobashi & Maunukea Mossman… All Japan World tag team champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama beat Steve Williams & Johnny Ace… All Japan Triple Crown champion Akira Taue pinned Toshiaki Kawada.

06-15-1996: AAA Triple Mania 4-B: in Orizaba, Mexico: Orizaba Bullring drawing 7,000: Ludxor & Venum & Boomerang & Thunderbird, & Frisbee beat Ravana & Black Cat II & Duende & Espectro & Picudo… Latin Lover & Sergio Romo Jr. & Antifaz beat Jerry Estrada & Sanguinario & Arandu… Rey Misterio Jr. & Oro Jr. & Winners & Super Calo beat Perro Silva & Halloween & Kraken & El Mosco… Mascara Sagrada Jr. & Tinieblas Jr. & Blue Demon Jr. & Halcon Dorado Jr. beat Los Payasos & Karis la Momia via DQ… Pierroth, Jr. won an elimination match. Also in the match were: Perro Aguayo, Juventud Guerrera, Konnan, Pantera, Pimpinela Escarlata, Psicosis, & Villano III… La Parka & Octagon & Mascara Sagrada beat Killer & Cien Caras & Heavy Metal in a lumberjack match.

06-16-1996: WCW Great American Bash: in Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Arena drawing 9,000: Shown live on PPV: Dark match: Rocco Rock pinned Jerry Saggs… Dark match: Michael Wallstreet (Mike Rotundo) pinned Jim Powers… Dark match: Jim Duggan pinned Disco Inferno… Rick & Scott Steiner beat Scott Norton & Ice Train… WCW U.S. champion Konnan pinned El Gato (Pat Tanaka)… Diamond Dallas Page pinned Marcus Bagwell… WCW Cruiserweight champion Dean Malenko pinned Rey Misterio, Jr… John Tenta pinned Big Bubba… Chris Benoit pinned Kevin Sullivan in a falls count anywhere match… Sting pinned Steven Regal… Ric Flair & Arn Anderson beat Kevin Greene & Steve McMichael… WCW World champion The Giant (Paul Wight) pinned Lex Luger.

06-17-1996: The last Jerry Lawler-Jerry Jarrett promoted show at the Mid-South Coliseum takes place in front of 1,000 people: Flex Kabana (Dwayne Johnson AKA: The Rock) & Bart Sawyer beat Reggie B. Fine & Brickhouse Brown to win the vacant USWA tag team titles.

New Japan Pro Wrestling: Skydiving J: in Tokyo,Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 13,500: WAR International Junior heavyweight tag team champions Lance Storm & Yuji Yasuraoka beat El Samurai & Norio Honoga… NWA Junior Heavyweight champion Masayoshi Motegi pinned Shiryu… WWA Light Heavyweight champion Gran Hamada pinned Tatsuhito Takaiwa… Shinjiro Ohtani pinned Kazushi Sakuraba to win the UWA Light Heavyweight title… CMLL Welterweight champion Super Delfin pinned Taka Michinoku… WAR International Junior Heavyweight champion Ultimo Dragon pinned Gran Naniwa… Jushin Liger pinned Dick Togo to win the British Junior Heavyweight title… IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion The Great Sasuke pinned Black Tiger (Eddy Guerrero).

06-22-1996: ECW Hardcore Heaven 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,250: Shane Douglas pinned Mikey Whipwreck… JT Smith & Little Guido beat Bubba Ray & Big Dick Dudley via DQ… Taz beat Paul Varelans… ECW World champion Raven pinned Terry Gordy… ECW tag team champions The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) battled The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) to a no contest… Axl Rotten & Hack Meyers battled Samoan Gangsta Party to a no contest… Chris Jericho pinned Pitbull 2 to win the ECW TV title… Tommy Dreamer pinned Brian Lee in a weapons match… Sabu pinned Rob Van Dam.

06-23-1996: WWF King of the Ring PPV: in Milwaukee, WI at the Mecca Arena drawing 8,762: Dark Match: The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard) beat The New Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy/Al Snow)… Dark Match: Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned Aldo Montoya (Justin Credible)… Steve Austin pinned Marc Mero… Jake Roberts defeated Vader via DQ… WWF World tag team champions The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) beat Henry & Phineas Godwinn… Ultimate Warrior pinned Jerry Lawler… Mankind (Mick Foley) pinned The Undertaker… Ahmed Johnson pinned Goldust to win the WWF Intercontinental title… Steve Austin pinned Jake Roberts to win the King of the Ring Tournament… WWF heavyweight champion Shawn Michaels pinned Davey Boy Smith with Mr. Perfect as the guest referee. It was on this show prior to the Austin verses Roberts match that Steve Austin cuts the famous “Austin 3:16” promo which became a pop culture sensation.

06-24-1996: All-Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 15,000: Rob Van Dam & Takao Omori & Yoshinori Ogawa beat Yoshinobu Kanemura & Satoru Asako & Kentaro Shiga… Brian Dyette & Bobby Duncum, Jr. beat Chris & Mark Youngblood… Jumbo Tsuruta & Rusher Kimura & Mitsuo Momota beat Haruka Eigan & Masao Inoue & Mighty Inoue… Tsuyoshi Kikuchi beat Masa Fuchi to win the PWF Junior Heavyweight title… Steve Williams & Johnny Ace & Johnny Smith beat Stan Hansen & The Patriot (Del Wilkes) & Maunukea Mossman… Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama & Tamon Honda beat Giant Baba & Giant Kamala II (Ben Peacock) & Ryukaku Izumida… Gary Albright beat Toshiaki Kawada… Kenta Kobashi pinned Akira Taue to win the All Japan Triple Crown title.

06-26-1996: UWFI: Wrestling Scramble Wars in Nagoya, Japan: Rainbow Hall drawing 8,000: Koki Kitihara beat 150% Machine… Kazushi Sakuraba beat Rene Roza… Hiromitsu Kanehara beat Billy Scott… Yoji Anjoh beat Yuhi Sano… Genichiro Tenryu & Arashi beat Yoshihiro Takayama & 200% Machine (Tom Burton)… Tatsumi Fujinami & Yoshiaki Fujiwara beat Masahito Kakihara & Nobuhiko Takada.

06-29-1996: RINGS: Maelstrom IV in Tokyo, Japan: NK Hall drawing 6,700: Willie Peeters defeated Wataru Sakata… Masayuki Naruse defeated Todor Todorov… Bitsadze Ameran defeated Dennis Raven… Kiyoshi Tamura beat Dick Leon-Vrij… Tsuyoshi Kohsaka beat Jacob Hamilton… Volk Han beat Mitsuya Nagai… Yoshihisa Yamamoto beat Maurice Smith.

06-30-1996: Rikidozan Memorial Show 1996 in Yokohama, Japan: Yokohama Arena drawing 16,000: Samurai Project: Ryuma Go & Takeshi Miyamoto beat Samurai Max & Fumio Akiyama… IWA Kakutoshijuku: Goro Tsurumi pinned The Mummy… FMW: Gladiator (Mike Awesome) & Hisakatsu Oya beat Koji Nakayama & Masato Tanaka… IWA Japan: Tarzan Goto pinned Takashi Okano… Big Japan: Seiji Yamakawa & Kendo Nagasaki beat Yuichi Toniguchi & Shoji Nakamaki… LLPW: Shinobu Kandori & Michiko Omukai beat Eagle Sawai & Michiko Nagashima… Chigusa Nagayo (Gaea) & Hiromi Yagi (JWP) & Hikari Fukuoka (JWP) beat Dynamite Kansai (JWP) & Bomber Hikari (Gaea) & Toshie Uematsu (Gaea)… All Japan: Mitsuo Momota pinned Masao Inoue… Jado & Hiromichi Fuyuki (Team WAR) beat Koji Kitao & Masaaki Mochizuki (Team Kitao)… Satoru Sayama (AKA: Original Tiger Mask) (Japan Pro Shooting) drew Tiger Mask IV (Michinoku Pro)… Yoshiaki Fujiwara (PWFG) battled Yoji Anjoh (UWFI) to a double count out… New Japan: Keiji Mutoh & Kensuke Sasaki beat Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata… Genichiro Tenryu (WAR) & Tatsumi Fujinami (NJPW) beat Koki Kitihara (WAR) & Riki Choshu (NJPW).

07-06-1996: 1st Annual Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Show hosted by WCW: in Buffalo, NY: War Memorial Auditorium drawing 14,852: Legends Introduction: Johnny Barend, Dominic DeNucci, The Destroyer (Dick Beyer), Mario Fratterali, Woody Johnson, Gene Kiniski, Reginald Love, Angelo Mosca, Tony Parisi, Angelo Poffo, Johnny Powers, Bruno Sammartino, Waldo Von Erich, and Kurt Von Hess… Pee Wee Jones pinned Farmer Pete… Gino Brito beat Missing Link (Dewey Robinson) via DQ… Dominic DeNucci & Tony Parisi beat Bruiser Bedlam & Danny Johnson… Diamond Dallas Page pinned Alex Wright… WCW U.S. champion Konnan pinned Big Bubba… VK Wallstreet (Mike Rotundo) pinned Joe Gomez… The Nasty Boys (Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobbs) beat The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) in a street fight… WCW TV champion Lex Luger pinned Jim Duggan… Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair… WCW World champion The Giant (Paul Wight) beat Sting via DQ.

07-07-1996: WCW Bash at the Beach: in Daytona Beach, FL: Ocean Center drawing 8,300: Shown live on PPV: Dark match: Jim Powers pinned Hugh Morrus… Dark match: Rick & Scott Steiner beat WCW World tag team champions Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) via DQ… Dark match: Bobby Walker pinned Billy Kidman… Dark match: The Rock-n-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) beat Scott Norton & Ice Train… Dark match: Eddie Guerrero pinned Steven Regal… Rey Misterio, Jr. pinned Psicosis… John Tenta pinned Big Bubba in a Carson City silver dollar match… Diamond Dallas Page pinned Jim Duggan in a taped fist match… The Nasty Boys (Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobbs) beat The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) in a double dog collar chain match… WCW Cruiserweight champion Dean Malenko pinned Disco Inferno… Steve McMichael pinned Joe Gomez… Ric Flair pinned Konnan to win the WCW U.S. title… The Giant (Paul Wight) & Kevin Sullivan beat Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit… Kevin Nash & Scott Hall & Hulk Hogan battled Randy Savage & Sting & Lex Luger to a no contest.

07-13-1996: ECW: Heat Wave 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,500: The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) defeated The Samoan Gangsta Party… Mikey Whipwreck pinned Paul Lauria… ECW tag team champions The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat Sabu & Mikey Whipwreck… Bubba Ray & Big Dick Dudley beat Little & Big Guido… Tarzan Goto pinned Axl Rotten… Shane Douglas beat Chris Jericho and Too Cold Scorpio and Pitbull 2 in a four way dance to win the ECW TV title… Louie Spicolli pinned El Puerto Ricano… Sabu pinned Louie Spicolli… Sandman & Terry Gordy & Tommy Dreamer beat Raven & Brian Lee & Stevie Richards in a rage in a cage match.

07-15-1996: AAA Triple Mania 4-C: in Madero, Mexico: drawing 12,000: Cardenal & King Boy beat Novato I & Acertijo… R-15 & Munrak beat Lover Boy & Dragon Boy… Mascarita Sagrada Jr. & Super Munequito & Mini Frisbee beat La Parkita & Espectritos 1 & 2… La Parka & Winners & Super Calo & Mexicano beat Jerry Estrada & Fishman & Villano IV & May Flowers in an elimination match… Rey Misterio, Jr. pinned Juventud Guerrera… Perro Aguayo & Villanos III & IV beat Octagon & Psicosis & Cibernetico via DQ… Pierroth, Jr. beat Konnan in a dog collar match… Los Payasos & Karis la Momia beat Mascara Sagrada Jr. & Blue Demon Jr. & Tinieblas Jr. & Halcon Dorado Jr. in a loser unmasks steel cage match. Dorado was the last one in the ring so had to unmask.

07-20-1996: WAR Japan: 4th Anniversary Show in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 11,000: Ultimo Dragon & Nobukazu Hirai beat Tai-do (Big Titan) & Lionheart (Chris Jericho)… Gedo & Jado & Hiromichi Fuyuki beat Kazuo Yamazaki & Osamu Kido & Takayuki Iizuka… Riki Choshu & Satoshi Kojima & Osamu Nishimura beat Yoji Anjoh & Yoshihiro Takayama & 2000% Machine (Tom Burton)… John Tenta & Arashi & Osamu Taitoko beat Koji Kitao & Koki Kitihara & Maasaki Mochizuki… Nobuhiko Takada & Masahiko Kakihara & Yuhi Sano beat Genichiro Tenryu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Nobutaku Araya… Jushin Liger & El Samurai beat Lance Storm & Yuji Yasuraoka to win the WAR International Junior Heavyweight tag team title… Gedo & Jado & Hiromichi Fuyuki beat Riki Choshu & Satoshi Kojima & Osamu Nishimura… Nobuhiko Takada & Masahiko Kakihara & Yuhi Sano beat John Tenta & Arashi & Osamu Taitoko… Rey Misterio, Jr. beat Juventud Guerrera to win the WWA Welterweight title… Nobuhiko Takada & Masahiko Kakihara & Yuhi Sano beat Gedo & Jado & Hiromichi Fuyuki to win the vacant WAR Six Man tag team titles.

07-21-1996: WWF International Incident PPV: in Vancouver, BC at the General Motors Place drawing 14,804: Dark match: Justin Hawk Bradshaw pinned Savio Vega… The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard) beat The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn)… Mankind beat Henry Godwinn… Steve Austin pinned Marc Mero… The Undertaker beat Goldust via DQ… Vader & Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith beat Shawn Michaels & Ahmed Johnson & Sycho Sid (Eudy).

WAR Japan: in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 7,500: Yuhi Sano & Kazushi Sakuraba beat Nobukazu Hirai & Osamu Taitoko… Masao Orihara pinned Nobutaku Araya… Arashi pinned John Tenta… Ultimo Dragon & Yuji Yasuraoka & Lance Storm & Rey Misterio Jr. beat Jushin Liger & Gedo & Juventud Guerrera & Lion Do (Chris Jericho)… Jado pinned Yoshihiro Takayama… Riki Choshu & Satoshi Kojima beat Hiromichi Fuyuki & Tai-do (Big Titan)… Tatsumi Fujinami & Shiro Koshinaka beat Nobuhiko Takada & Hiromitsu Kanehara… Koki Kitihara beat Masahito Kakihara… Genichiro Tenryu pinned Yoji Anjoh.

08-01-1996: FMW: Summer Spectacular 1996: Shiodome Legend: Shiodome, Japan drawing 20,000: Momaru Okamoto beat Hideko Makimura… Kaori Nakayama pinned Miwa Sato… Hidoh won a royal rumble. Also in the match were: Ricky Fuji, Gladiator, Tarzan Goto, Gosaku Goshogawara, Tetsuhiro Kuroda, Halcon Negro, Katunori Niiyama, Hisakatsu Oya, Super Leather, and Touryu… FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight champion Taka Michinoku pinned Hayata Nanjyo in a hair vs. hair match… Unified Women's champion Megumi Kudo beat Shark Tsuchiya and Nurse Nakamura and Yoshika Maedomari in a four corners match… Hayabusa defeated Koji Nakagawa… Wing Kanemura pinned Masato Tanaka to become the first FMW Independent World Heavyweight champion… Terry Funk defeated Mr. Pogo in a no rope barbed wire landmine match.

08-02-1996: ECW in Plymouth Meeting, PA: Lulu Temple drawing 800: Mikey Whipwreck pinned The Dirt Bike Kid to win the European Junior heavyweight title.

New Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 11,000: Yuji Nagata beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa… Takayuki Iizuka & Tadao Yasuda & Osamu Nishimura beat Michiyoshi Ohara & Akira Nogami & Tatsutoshi Goto… IWGP Junior champion Great Sasuke pinned Masayoshi Motegi to win the NWA Junior Heavyweight title… WAR International Junior Heavyweight champion Ultimo Dragon pinned Jushin Liger to win the British Junior Heavyweight title… Dan Severn pinned Yoshiaki Fujiwara… Masahiro Chono beat Satoshi Kojima… Kensuke Sasaki beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan… Kazuo Yamazaki beat Keiji Mutoh… Riki Choshu pinned Shinya Hashimoto.

08-03-1996: ECW: The Doctor Is In: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,500: European Junior heavyweight champion Mikey Whipwreck pinned Devon Storm… Johnny Smith pinned Louie Spicolli… D-Von Dudley battled Axl Rotten to a no contest… Stevie Richards (defending ECW World title for Raven) beat Sandman… Too Cold Scorpio pinned Chris Jericho… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas pinned Pitbull 2… Taz & Brian Lee beat Tommy Dreamer & Steve Williams… The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) and Ron & Don Harris and The Samoan Gangsta Party in a four way dance to win the ECW tag team titles… Sabu beat Rob Van Dam in a stretcher match.

New Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 10,500: Akitoshi Saito pinned Tatsuhito Takaiwa… Tatsutoshi Got & Akira Nogami beat Yuji Nagata & Takayuki Iizuka… UWA Junior champion Shinjiro Ohtani pinned Negro Casas to win the NWA Welterweight title… WWF Light Heavyweight champion El Samurai pinned Gran Hamada to win the WWA Junior Light Heavyweight title… Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido beat Kengo Kimura & Yoshiaki Fujiwara… Kensuke Sasaki defeated Junji Hirata… Keiji Mutoh pinned Satoshi Kojima… Riki Choshu pinned Hiroyoshi Tenzan… Shiro Koshinaka pinned Kazuo Yamazaki.

08-04-1996: New Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 11,000: Michiyoshi Ohara beat Yuji Nagata… Tadao Yasuda & Osamu Nishimura & Takayuki Iizuka & Osamu Kido beat Tatsutoshi Goto & Akitoshi Saito & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Akira Nogami… Jushin Liger & Norio Honaga beat Negro Casas & Tatsuhito Takaiwa… WAR International Junior Heavyweight & British Junior Heavyweight champion Ultimo Dragon pinned Shinjiro Ohtani to win the UWA Junior Heavyweight & NWA Welterweight titles… IWGP Junior Heavyweight & NWA Junior Heavyweight champion Great Sasuke pinned El Samurai to win the WWF Light Heavyweight & WWA Junior Light Heavyweight titles… Kazuo Yamazaki beat Satoshi Kojima… Hiroyoshi Tenzan pinned Shinya Hashimoto… Shiro Koshinaka pinned Masahiro Chono.

08-05-1996: New Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 11,000: Shinjiro Ohtani beat Yuji Nagata… Tatsutoshi Goto pinned Hiro Saito… Kuniaki Kobayashi & Akira Nogami beat Jushin Liger & El Samurai… Tatsumi Fujinami beat Osamu Nishimura… Shinya Hashimoto & Satoshi Kojima beat Akitoshi Saito & Michiyoshi Ohara… IWGP Junior Heavyweight, NWA Junior Heavyweight, WWF Light Heavyweight, & WWA Junior Light Heavyweight champion Great Sasuke pinned Ultimo Dragon to win the WAR International Junior Heavyweight, British Junior Heavyweight, UWA Junior Heavyweight, & NWA Welterweight titles. The titles become collectively known as the J Crown… Masahiro Chono beat Kazuo Yamazaki… Riki Choshu defeated Kensuke Sasaki… Keiji Mutoh beat Shiro Koshinaka.

08-06-1996: New Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 11,000: Takayuki Iizuka & Tadao Yasuda & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Michiyoshi Ohara & Akira Nogami & Tatsutoshi Goto… Yuji Nagata & Osamu Nishimura beat Hiro Saito & Hiroyoshi Tenzan… Satoshi Kojima pinned Shiro Koshinaka… Kensuke Sasaki pinned Shinya Hashimoto… Masahiro Chono pinned Keiji Mutoh… Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido beat Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi… Negro Casas & Shinjiro Ohtani beat Jushin Liger & El Samurai… Riki Choshu pinned Masa Chono to win the 1996 G-1 Climax.

08-09-1996: WWF at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 11,314: The Undertaker defeated Steve Austin by DQ… Savio Vega defeated Davey Boy Smith… WWF World tag team champions The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard)… WWF champion Shawn Michaels defeated Goldust… Yokozuna defeated Owen Hart… Sycho Sid battled Vader to a double count out… Mankind (Mick Foley) defeated Jake Roberts… Marc Mero (AKA: Johnny B. Badd) defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley… The Godwinns (Henry & Phineas Godwinn) defeated The New Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy (Al Snow))… Justin Bradshaw defeated Aldo Montoya (AKA: Justin Credible).

08-10-1996: WCW Hogg Wild: in Sturgis, SD: Sturgis Rally & Race drawing 5,000: Shown live on PPV: Dark match: The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) beat Dick Slater & Mike Enos… Dark match: Konnan pinned Chavo Guerrero, Jr… Dark match: The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs) beat High Voltage (Kenny Kaos & Robbie Rage)… Dark match: Alex Wright pinned Bobby Eaton… Dark match: Kevin Sullivan & Meng & Barbarian beat Joe Gomez & Jim Powers & Mark Starr… Dark match: David Taylor pinned Mr. JL (Jerry Lynn)… Dark match: Diamond Dallas Page pinned Renegade (Rick Wilson)… Dark match: Arn Anderson pinned Hugh Morrus… WCW Cruiserweight champion Rey Misterio, Jr. pinned Ultimate Dragon (Ultimo Dragon)… Scott Norton beat Ice Train… Madusa pinned Bull Nakano… Chris Benoit pinned Dean Malenko… WCW World tag team champions Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray & Booker T) beat Rick & Scott Steiner… WCW U.S. champion Ric Flair pinned Eddie Guerrero… The Outsiders (Scott Hall & Kevin Nash) beat Lex Luger & Sting… Hulk Hogan pinned The Giant (Paul Wight) to win the WCW World heavyweight title. After this year the PPV name had to be changed to Road Wild due to Harley Davidson motorcycle company claiming a trademark on the name Hogg Wild.

08-16-1996: All-Japan Women: Discover New Heroine 2 in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 6,000: Bison Kimura & Yuki Lee beat Megumi Kudo & Kaori Nakayama… Dynamite Kansai & Tomoko Kozumi beat Tomoko Watanabe & Kumiko Maekawa… Toshiyo Yamada & Sonoko Kato beat Manami Toyota & Rie Tamada… Aja Kong & Yoshiko Tamura beat Kyoko Inoue & Chaparita Asari… Chiquita Azteca won a royal rumble… Dynamite Kansai & Tomoko Kozumi beat Bison Kimura & Yuki Lee… Aja Kong & Yoshiko Tamura beat Toshiyo Yamada & Sonoko Kato… Dynamite Kansai & Tomoko Kozumi beat Aja Kong & Yoshiko Tamura to win the Discover New Heroine tag team Tournament… Rosina Elina beat Reggie Bennett… Yumiko Hotta beat Lioness Asuka… Rosina Elina beat Yumiko Hotta via submission to win the U-Star Tournament.

08-15-1996: WCW: Clash of Champions 33: in Denver, CO: Denver Coliseum drawing 8,304: Shown live on TBS: Dark match: Mike Enos & Dick Slater beat Jim Powers & Mark Starr… Dark match: The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs) beat Mr. JL (Jerry Lynn) & Bobby Walker… WCW Cruiserweight champion Rey Misterio, Jr. pinned Dean Malenko… V.K. Wallstreet (Mike Rotundo) pinned Jim Duggan… Konnan pinned Ultimo Dragon… Madusa pinned Bull Nakano… Eddie Guerrero pinned Diamond Dallas Page… The Giant (Paul Wight) pinned Chris Benoit… WCW World tag team champions Harlem Heat battled Rick & Scott Steiner and Sting & Lex Luger to a no contest in a triangle match… Ric Flair beat WCW World champion Hulk Hogan via DQ.

08-17-1996: UWFI: Mid-Summer in Jingu in Tokyo, Japan: Jingu Stadium drawing 5,000: Dutch Windmail defeated Kenichi Yamamoto… Hiromitsu Kanehara beat Tiger Maduro… The Great Kabuki & Tokeru & Benkei Daikokuboh beat Kishin Kanabata & Okumura & Gekkoh… Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) drew Gran Hamada… Kimo beat Yoshihiro Takayama… Kazushi Sakuraba beat Masahito Kakihara… Genichiro Tenryu pinned Yuhi Sano… Nobuhiko Takada defeated Yoji Anjoh.

08-18-1996: WWF SummerSlam PPV in Cleveland, OH at Gund Arena drawing 17,000: Dark Match: Steve Austin pinned Yokozuna… Owen Hart defeated Savio Vega… WWF World tag team champions The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) beat The New Rockers (Al Snow & Marty Jannetty) and Phineas & Henry Godwinn and The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip/Chris Candido & Tom Prichard) in a four corners match… Sycho Sid (Sid Vicious) pinned Davey Boy Smith… Goldust (Dustin Rhodes) pinned Marc Mero… Jerry Lawler pinned Jake Roberts… Mankind (Mick Foley) beat The Undertaker in a boiler room brawl match… WWF heavyweight champion Shawn Michaels pinned Vader.

08-24-1996: WWF Xperience in Toronto, ON at CNE Stadium drawing 21,211: Henry & Phineas Godwinn beat The New Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy (Al Snow)… Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned Bob Holly… Savio Vega beat Justin Bradshaw in a Caribbean strap match… Jose Lothario pinned Jim Cornette… Steve Austin beat Marc Mero via countout… Sycho Sid pinned Vader in a lumberjack match. The Toronto Argonauts were the guest lumberjacks… Farooq (Ron Simmons) pinned Aldo Montoya… Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith beat WWF World tag team champion The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) via DQ… The Undertaker beat Mankind in a casket match… WWF heavyweight champion Shawn Michaels beat Goldust in a ladder match.

ECW: Natural Born Killaz: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,400: European Junior heavyweight champion Mikey Whipwreck pinned Little Guido… Rob Van Dam pinned Doug Furnas… Louie Spicolli pinned Devon Storm… Big Dick & Bubba Ray Dudley beat D-Von Dudley & Axl Rotten… Lori Fullington pinned Lady Alexandra… Terry Gordy pinned Brian Lee in a Badstreet match… Tommy Dreamer battled Taz to a no contest… Sandman & Pitbull 2 beat Raven & Shane Douglas in a double dog collar match… ECW tag team champions The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) in a steel cage weapons match.

RINGS: Maelstrom VI in Tokyo, Japan: Ariake Coliseum drawing 9,000: Willie Peeters beat Wataru Sakata… Masayuki Naruse beat Egan Inoue via DQ… Walter Schnaubelt beat Vladimir Klementiev via decision in a Kyokushin karate match… Mitsuya Nagai beat Dick Leon-Vrij… Kiyoshi Tamura beat Maurice Smith via submission in a Vale Tudo match… Adilson Lima beat Mikhail Ilioukhine in a vale tudo match… Volk Han beat Tsuyoshi Kohsaka… Ricardo Morias defeated Yoshihisa Yamamoto in a vale tudo match.

09-05-1996: All-Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 14,500: Rusher Kimura & Mitsuo Momota beat Haruka Eigan & Mighty Inoue… The Patriot (Del Wilkes) & Johnny Smith beat Kentaro Shiga & Jumbo Tsuruta… Giant Kamala II (Ben Peacock) & Dan Kroffat & Jun Izumida beat Giant Baba & Masao Inoue & Satoru Asako… Gary Albright pinned Takao Omori… Akira Taue & Yoshinori Ogawa & Tamon Honda beat Toshiaki Kawada & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Masa Fuchi… All Japan Triple Crown champion Kenta Kobashi pinned Stan Hansen… Steve Williams & Johnny Ace beat Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama to win the All Japan World tag team titles.

09-11-1996: UWF vs. WAR: Takada vs. Tenryu in Tokyo, Japan: Jingu Stadium drawing 30,000: Tiger Maduro defeated Kenichi Yamamoto… Hiromitsu Kanehara beat Nikolia Gordeau… Kazushi Sakuraba defeated Masao Orihara… Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) beat The Cobra (George Takano)… Kensuke Sasaki pinned Masahito Kakihara… Toshiaki Kawada pinned Yoshihiro Takayama… Shinya Hashimoto pinned Yuhi Sano… Yoji Anjoh beat Dave Beneteau… Nobuhiko Takada beat Genichiro Tenryu.

09-14-1996: ECW When Worlds Collide 2: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,250: ECW tag team champions The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat JT Smith & Sal Bellomo… The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat Stevie Richards & The Blue Meanie… Sandman pinned Devon Storm… Axl Rotten pinned Bubba Ray Dudley… D-Von Dudley pinned Hack Meyers… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas pinned Louie Spicolli… ECW World champion Raven pinned Pitbull 2… Sabu & Rob Van Dam drew Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat… Taz beat Johnny Smith… Brian Lee & The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat Tommy Dreamer & Steve Williams & Terry Gordy.

09-15-1996: WCW Fall Brawl: in Winston-Salem, NC: Lawrence Joel Coliseum drawing 11,300: Shown live on PPV: Diamond Dallas Page pinned Chavo Guerrero, Jr… Ice Train beat Scott Norton in a submission match… Konnan pinned Juventud Guerrera… Chris Benoit pinned Chris Jericho… WCW Cruiserweight champion Rey Misterio, Jr. pinned Super Calo… WCW World tag team champions Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray & Booker T) beat The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs)… The Giant (Paul Wight) pinned Randy Savage… Hulk Hogan & Scott Hall & Kevin Nash & NWO Sting (Jeff Farmer) beat Lex Luger & Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Sting in a War Games match.

09-20-1996: CMLL: 63rd Anniversary Show: in Mexico City, Mexico: Arena Mexico drawing 10,500: Escudero Rojo & Reyes Veloz beat Felino & Olimpico… Lioness Asuka beat Lola Gonzales in three falls to win the TWF Women's title… Lizmark & Lizmark Jr. & Olimpico beat Satanico & Scorpio Jr. & Bestia Salvaje… Dos Caras & Silver King & Atlantis beat Miguel Perez Jr. & Emilio Charles Jr. & El Canek… Negro Casas pinned El Hijo del Santo… CMLL heavyweight champion Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. beat Gran Markus, Jr.

09-22-1996: WWF Mind Games PPV: in Philadelphia, PA at the Core States Center drawing 15,000: Dark match: Savio Vega pinned Marty Jannetty… Savio Vega beat Justin Bradshaw in a "Caribbean strap" match… Jose Lothario pinned Jim Cornette… Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith beat The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) to win the WWF World tag team titles… Mark Henry beat Jerry Lawler… The Undertaker pinned Goldust in a "final curtain" match… WWF heavyweight champion Shawn Michaels beat Mankind via DQ… Dark match: Jake Roberts beat Hunter Hearst Helmsley… Farooq pinned Marc Mero… Sycho Sid pinned Vader.

09-29-1996: WWF at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY: Attendance: 6,747: Shawn Michaels & The Undertaker defeated Mankind & Goldust… WWF Intercontinental champion Marc Mero defeated Farooq (Ron Simmons) by DQ… Steve Austin defeated Savio Vega… Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Freddie Joe Floyd (Tracy Smothers)… Vader defeated Sycho Sid in a Lumberjack match… WWF World tag team champions Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith defeated The Godwinns and The Smoking Gunns and The Grimm Twins (Ron & Don Harris) in a four team elimination match… Barry Windham defeated The Goon (Bill Irwin)… Jake Roberts defeated T.L. Hopper (Tony Anthony)… Justin Bradshaw defeated Alex Porteau… Salvatore Sincere (Tom Brandi) defeated Bob Holly.

10-05-1996: ECW Ultimate Jeopardy 1996:  in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,200: Louie Spicolli pinned Doug Furnas… Mikey Whipwreck pinned JT Smith... Taz beat Johnny Smith in a submission match… The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat The Samoan Gangsta Party… ECW tag team champions The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) battled Stevie Richards & The Blue Meanie to a no contest… ECW tag team champions The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus)… Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Terry Gordy… D-Von Dudley pinned Bubba Ray Dudley… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas battled Pitbull 2 to a no contest… Sandman & Tommy Dreamer beat Stevie Richards & Brian Lee. Due to pre-match stipulations Sandman won the ECW World title.

10-10-1996: Michinoku Pro Japan: 3rd Anniversary Show in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 7,980: Johnny Saint beat Naohiro Hoshikawa… PWA champion Wellington Wilkins, Jr beat Lenny Lane… Yuki Ishikawa & Alexander Otsuka beat Daisuke Ikeda & Satoshi Yamamoto… Dynamite Kid & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Dos Caras beat Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) & Great Sasuke & Mil Mascaras… Dick Togo & Men’s Teoh & Shiryu & Taka Michinoku & Shoichi Funaki beat Gran Hamada & Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa & Tiger Mask IV & Masato Yakushiji… Jinsei Shinzaki pinned Hayabusa.

10-13-1996: JWP: Ryogoku Big Project in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 6,000: Fusayo Nouchi pinned Yuko Kosugi… Kamako Motoya pinned Yumi Fukawa… AJW Junior champion Tomoko Miyaguchi pinned Emi Motokawa… Mayumi Ozaki & Rieko Amano & Sugar Sato beat Cutie Suzuki & Plum Mariko & Yuki Miyazaki… Manami Toyota pinned Tomoko Kuzumi… Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask IV & Hikari Fukuoka & Hiroumi Yagi beat Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa & Candy Okutsu & Commando Bolshoi… Devil Masami & Kyoko Inoue beat Dynamite Kansai & Aja Kong.

10-18-1996: All-Japan Pro Wrestling: 24th Anniversary Show: in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 14,000: Kentaro Shiga & Satoru Asako beat Yoshinobu Kanemura & Yoshinori Ogawa… Masa Fuchi & Mighty Inoue & Haruka Eigan beat Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Mitsuo Momota & Rusher Kimura… Kamala II (Ben Peacock) & Ryukaku Izumida beat Dan Kroffat & Rob Van Dam… Johnny Ace & Maunukea Mossman & Bobby Duncum Jr. beat Masao Inoue & Tamon Honda & Takao Omori… Steve Williams & Stan Hansen beat Gary Albright & The Patriot (Del Wilkes)… Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. & Akira Taue beat Jumbo Tsuruta & Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama… All Japan Triple Crown champion Kenta Kobashi drew Toshiaki Kawada.

10-20-1996: WWF Buried Alive PPV: in Indianapolis, IN at Market Square Arena drawing 9,649: Dark match: Barry Windham pinned Justin Bradshaw… Steve Austin pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley… WWF World tag team champion Davey Boy Smith & Owen Hart beat The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn)… WWF Intercontinental champion Marc Mero pinned Goldust… Sycho Sid (Eudy) pinned Vader… The Undertaker beat Mankind in a "buried alive" match… Dark match: Henry & Phineas Godwinn beat The New Rockers… Dark match: WWF heavyweight champion Shawn Michaels pinned Goldust.

10-26-1996: ECW High Incident: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,350: Hack Meyers & Bubba Ray Dudley & Davey Morton beat JT Smith & Axl Rotten & D-Von Dudley… Mikey Whipwreck pinned Johnny Smith… Taz beat Little Guido… Chris Candido pinned Spike Dudley… ECW TV champion Shane Douglas pinned Cody Michaels… ECW World champion Sandman pinned Too Cold Scorpio. A controversial crucifixion angle with Raven occurred after this match… The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat Miracle Violence Combo (Terry Gordy & Steve Williams)… Sabu & Rob Van Dam beat Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat… Tommy Dreamer beat Brian Lee in a scaffold match.

10-27-1996: WCW Halloween Havoc: in Las Vegas, NV: MGM Grand Garden Arena: drawing 10,000: Shown live on PPV: Pre-show: Jim Powers pinned Pat Tanaka… Pre-Show: Psicosis & Juventud Guerrera beat Damien & Halloween… Dean Malenko pinned Rey Misterio, Jr. to win the WCW Cruiserweight title… Diamond Dallas Page pinned Eddie Guerrero… The Giant (Paul Wight) beat Jeff Jarrett via DQ… Syxx (Sean Waltman) pinned Chris Jericho… Lex Luger beat Arn Anderson... Steve McMichael & Chris Benoit beat Meng & Barbarian… The Outsiders (Scott Hall & Kevin Nash) beat Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) to win the WCW World tag team titles… WCW World champion Hulk Hogan pinned Randy Savage.

11-16-1996: ECW November to Remember 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,250: Stevie Richards pinned David Tyler Morton Jericho… Axl Rotten pinned Hack Meyers… Bubba Ray Dudley pinned D-Von Dudley… The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) drew Sabu & Rob Van Dam… Chris Candido pinned Mikey Whipwreck… ECW tag team champions The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) and Sabu & Rob Van Dam in a three way dance… Too Cold Scorpio pinned Devon Storm in a loser leaves town match… Too Cold Scorpio pinned JT Smith in a loser leaves town match… Too Cold Scorpio pinned Hack Meyers in a loser leaves town match… Louie Spicolli pinned Too Cold Scorpio in a loser leaves town match… ECW World champion Sandman pinned Raven… Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer beat Shane Douglas & Brian Lee.

11-17-1996: WWF Survivor Series in New York City at Madison Square Garden drawing 18,647 ($529,522): In a dark match: Jesse Jammes (Road Dogg) & Aldo Montoya (AKA: Justin Credible) & Bob Holly & Bart Gunn beat The Sultan (Fatu) & Justin Hawk Bradshaw & Salvatore Sincere (Tom Brandi) & Billy Gunn in an elimination match. Bart Gunn was the only survivor… Doug Furnas & Phil Lafon & Henry & Phineas Godwinn beat Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith & The New Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Al Snow) in an elimination match. Furnas & Lafon were the survivors… The Undertaker pinned Mankind (Mick Foley)… Marc Mero & Rocky Maivia (Dewayne Johnson) & Jake Roberts & Barry Windham beat Crush & Jerry Lawler & Hunter Hearst Helmsley & Goldust (Dustin Rhodes) in an elimination match. Maivia was the only survivor… Bret Hart pinned Steve Austin… Farooq (Ron Simmons) & Vader & Razor Ramon (Rick Bogner) & Diesel (Glen Jacobs) battled Flash Funk (Too Cold Scorpio) & Jimmy Snuka & Savio Vega & Yokozuna to a no contest in an elimination match. There were no survivors… Sycho Sid pinned Shawn Michaels to win the WWF heavyweight title.

11-22-1996: RINGS: Mega Battle Tournament 1996: Second Round in Osaka, Japan
Castle Hall drawing 7,880: Nikolai Zouev beat Wataru Sakata… Dick Leon-Vrij defeated Masayuki Naruse… Yoshihisa Yamamoto beat Gogitidze Bakouri… Bitsadze Tariel defeated Hans Nyman… Kiyoshi Tamura beat Mitsuya Nagai… Volk Han beat Tsuyoshi Kohsaka… Akira Maeda beat Yoshiaki Fujiwara.

11-23-1996: ECW in Revere, MA: Wonderland Greyhound Park drawing 947: The infamous Eric Kulas / Mass Transit incident takes place when ECW tag team champions The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat D-Von Dudley & Mass Transit. New Jack severely cuts the head of Eric Kulas causing him to lose a substantial amount of blood. This match led to a lot of negative publicity for ECW and New Jack and has been often written about and discussed since that time.

11-24-1996: WCW World War 3: in Norfolk, VA: The Scope drawing 10,314: Shown live on PPV: J Crown champion Ultimo Dragon pinned Rey Misterio, Jr… Chris Jericho (with one arm tied behind his back) pinned Nick Patrick… The Giant (Paul Wight) pinned Jeff Jarrett… Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) beat Jacques Rougeau & Pierre Ouellette… Sherri Martel beat Robert Parker (Robert Fuller) via countout… WCW Cruiserweight champion Dean Malenko pinned Psicosis… WCW World tag team champions The Outsiders (Scott Hall & Kevin Nash) beat Meng & The Barbarian and The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs) in a triangle match… The Giant (Paul Wight) won a three ring battle royal. Also in the match were: Arn Anderson, Marcus Bagwell, Barbarian, Chris Benoit, Big Bubba, Jack Boot (Dewayne Bruce), Bunkhouse Buck (Jimmy Golden), Ciclope, Disco Inferno, Jim Duggan, Bobby Eaton, Mike Enos, Galaxy, Joe Gomez, Jimmy Graffiti (Jimmy Del Rey), Johnny Grunge, Juventud Guerrera, Eddie Guerrero, Scott Hall, Prince Iaukea, Ice Train, Mr. JL (Jerry Lynn), Jeff Jarrett, Chris Jericho, Kenny Kaos, Konnan, Lex Luger, Dean Malenko, Steve McMichael, Meng, Rey Misterio Jr, Hugh Morrus, Kevin Nash, Scott Norton, Pierre Ouellette, Diamond Dallas Page, La Parka, Craig Pittman, Jim Powers, Ricky Rage, Stevie Ray, Steven Regal, Renegade (Rick Wilson), Scotty Riggs, Roadblock, Jacques Rougeau, Tony Rumble, Mark Starr, Rick Steiner, Ron Studd, Kevin Sullivan, Syxx (Sean Waltman), Booker T, David Taylor, Ultimo Dragon, Villano IV, M Wallstreet (Mike Rotundo), Pez Whatley, and Alex Wright.

12-06-1996: All-Japan Pro Wrestling: in Tokyo, Japan: Budokan Hall drawing 16,300: Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Kentaro Shiga beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Satoru Asako… Mighty Inoue & Haruka Eigan & Masa Fuchi beat Mitsuo Momota & Rusher Kimura & Giant Baba… Sabu & Giant Kamala II (Ben Peacock) beat Maunukea Mossman & Yoshinori Ogawa… Stan Hansen & Jumbo Tsuruta & Takako Omori beat Jun Akiyama & Masao Inoue & Tamon Honda… Kenta Kobashi & The Patriot (Del Wilkes) & Gary Albright beat Johnny Smith & Johnny Ace & Steve Williams… Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue beat Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama to win the 1996 Real World Tag League tournament.

12-07-1996: ECW Holiday Hell 1996: in Philadelphia, PA: ECW Arena drawing 1,150: Bubba Ray & Spike Dudley beat Davey Pisano & Little Guido… Balls Mahoney pinned Devon Storm… Gary Albright beat Rick Rage… Brian Lee pinned Louie Spicolli… Taz defeated Rob Van Dam… ECW tag team champions The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) beat D-Von Dudley & Axl Rotten… Shane Douglas & Francine beat Tommy Dreamer & Beulah McGillicutty… Sabu pinned Perry Saturn… Raven pinned Sandman in a barbed wire match to win the ECW World title.

12-08-1996: All-Japan Women: Year End Spectacular 1996 in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 10,500: Momoe Nakanishi pinned Miko Wakizawa to win the Rookie Queen Tournament… Tomoko Kuzumi & Emi Motokawa beat Tanny Mouse & Genki Misae… Bloody Phoenix & Chiquita & Pequena Azteca beat Yuko Shiina & Yumi Fukawa & Yoshiko Tamura… AJW Japanese champion Rie Tamada pinned Chikako Shiratori… WWWA Super Lightweight champion Chaparita Asari pinned Fusayo Nouchi… Yoko Takahashi beat Saya Endo via decision in a shootboxing match… Kumiko Maekawa beat Aya Mitsui via decision in a shootboxing match… Kaoru Ito beat Malica in a Vale Tudo rules match… Rosina Elina beat Yumiko Hotta in a Vale Tudo rules match… Reggie Bennett & Tomoko Watanabe & Nakanishi beat Mima Shimoda & Etsuko Mita & Toshiyo Yamada… Aja Kong & Dynamite Kansai beat Mariko Yoshida & Takako Inoue… Kyoko Inoue pinned Manami Toyota to win the WWWA title.

12-11-1996: FMW: Year End Spectacular 1996 in Tokyo, Japan: Komazawa Olympic Park Gym drawing 7,923: Super Leather & Crypt Keeper beat Hideki Kosaka & Dragon Winger… Crusher Maedomari & Shark Tsuchiya beat Chikako Shiratori & Rie Tamada… FMW Independent champion The Gladiator (Mike Awesome) beat Wing Kanemura to win the FMW Brass Knux title… Shinobu Kandori beat Megumi Kido… Hayabusa pinned Great Sasuke… Atsushi Onita & Mr. Pogo & Masato Tanaka & Tetsuhiro Kuroda beat Terry Funk & Hisakatsu Oya & The Headhunters (A & B) in a Texas street fight tornado death match.

12-13-1996: WAR Japan: Ryogoku Crush Night in Tokyo, Japan: Sumo Hall drawing 8,500: Takashi Ishikawa & Daikakubo Benkei beat Jun Kikuchi & Tomohiro Ishii… Masakazu Fukui & Kamikaze beat Taru & Takashi Okamura… Doink (Ray Apollo) & Battle Ranger beat Keizo Matsuda & Keisuke Yamada… Ryuma Go pinned Samurai Max… Tatsuo Nakano pinned Satoshi Yoneyame… Bam Bam Bigelow & Nobukazu Hirai beat Arashi & Osamu Tachihikari… Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka beat Koki Kitihara & Nobutaku Araya… WAR International Junior Heavyweight tag team champions Lance Storm & Yuji Yasuraoka beat Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) & Masaaki Mochizuki… J Crown champion Ultimo Dragon pinned Rey Misterio, Jr… Koji Kitao pinned John Tenta… Genichiro Tenryu pinned Nobuhiko Takada.

12-15-1996: WWF It’s Time PPV: in West Palm Beach, FL at Memorial Auditorium drawing 5,708: Dark match: Rocky Maivia beat Salvatore Sincere (Tom Brandi) via DQ… Flash Funk pinned Leif Cassidy (Al Snow)… WWF World tag team champions Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith beat Razor Ramon (Rick Bogner) & Diesel (Glen Jacobs)… Marc Mero beat WWF Intercontinental champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley via countout… The Undertaker beat The Executioner (Terry Gordy) in an "Armageddon rules" match… WWF heavyweight champion Sycho Sid pinned Bret Hart… Dark match: Brakkus pinned Dr. X (Tom Prichard)… Steve Austin pinned Goldust… Shawn Michaels pinned Mankind.

12-19-1996: RINGS: Mega Battle Tournament 1996: Semi-Finals in Fukuoka, Japan: International Center drawing 5,680: Masayuki Naruse defeated Dick Leon-Vrij… Gogitidze Bakouri beat Mitsuya Nagai… Hans Nyman defeated Tsuyoshi Kohsaka… Maurice Smith beat Bitsadze Ameran… Volk Han beat Bitsadze Tariel… Kiyoshi Tamura beat Yoshihisa Yamamoto… Akira Maeda beat Vladimir Klementiev.

12-20-1996: ECW in Middletown, NY: Fairgrounds Fieldhouse drawing 900: The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) beat The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa) to win the ECW tag team titles.

12-29-1996: WCW Starrcade: in Nashville, TN: Municipal Auditorium drawing 9,030: Shown live on PPV: Pre-show: Mascarita Sagrada & Octagoncito beat Jerrito Estrada & Piratita Morgan… J Crown Champ Ultimo Dragon pinned Dean Malenko to win the WCW Cruiserweight title… Akira Hokuto pinned Madusa to become the first WCW Women's champion… Jushin Liger pinned Rey Misterio, Jr… Jeff Jarrett pinned Chris Benoit… WCW World tag team champions The Outsiders (Scott Hall & Kevin Nash) beat Meng & The Barbarian… Eddie Guerrero pinned Diamond Dallas Page to win the vacant WCW US title… Lex Luger pinned The Giant (Paul Wight)… Roddy Piper beat Hulk Hogan.

DragonKingKarl (Karl Stern) is a long time pro wrestling historian who has been published in books, newsletters, and podcasts since the mid-1990s.

The Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling Zone is Karl Stern's attempt to chronicle the entire history of pro wrestling and is a work in progress with hundreds of pages of text added each month.

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