Updated For 2025! This Week In Wrestling History (Season 3 Week 15) covering the period of 4/9 thru 4/15. Running Time: 4 Hours 41 Minutes.

This Week In Wrestling History hosted by Don Tony first aired in 2018 and spanned two seasons. After much demand, these retro episodes return REMASTERED and UPDATED FOR 2025. Wrestling history up to and including 2024 has been added!

Hundreds of hours of original wrestling clips & stories. Enjoy this deep dive into pro wrestling's awesome history.

RUNNING TIME: 4 Hours 41 Minutes
Hosted by Don Tony

SYNOPSIS: S3 E15 (04/09 - 04/15)

• Buddy Rogers becomes first WWWF Champion and he didn't even wrestle to win the Title
• Jerry Lawler def Kerry Von Erich to win and become the last World Class Wrestling Association Heavyweight Champion.
• Looking back at WWF / All Japan Wrestling Summit (1990).
• Audio: Owen Hart and Ricky Morton team up and wrestle on WCW TV.
• Looking back at last SNME to air on NBC before moving to FOX.
• Johnny Ace suffers a broken elbow during match against Cactus Jack.
• Audio: Ultimate Warrior and Sid Vicious cut promos on each for a feud that never developed.
• Audio: Sid Vicious speaks on why he left WWF during the beginning of his feud with Ultimate Warrior.
• WCW makes its debut at MSG Paramount Theatre.
• Ravishing Rick Rude appears on a very early episode of Howard Stern Show.
• Audio: Jesse Ventura speaks on winning lawsuit against WWF.
• New Japan Pro Wrestling hosts first ever Super J Cup.
• Sid Vicious no shows first events after recovering from stabbing incident with Arn Anderson.
• Audio: Eric Bischoff speaks on Hulk Hogan originally signing with WCW.
• Paul E and ECW fire Sabu after no-showing event for New Japan.
• Audio: Cactus Jack arrives in NWC Promotion (1995).
• Audio: Ultimate Warrior arrives in NWC Promotion (1995).
• Bonus Audio: The night NWC had Jim 'Anvil' Neidhart wear KKK outfit and 'hang' Virgil during event.
• Undertaker battles New Jack in Smokey Mountain Wrestling.
• Audio: The Gangstas Graveyard Promo on Undertaker and Paul Bearer.
• Michael PS Hayes debuts as Dok Hendrix in WWF.
• Audio: First Hunter Hearst Helmsley vignettes air on WWF TV.
• Brian Pillman seriously injured in auto accident.
• Audio: Rare Brian Pillman radio interview shortly after auto accident.
• Vader detained in Kuwait after getting too physical with local morning talk show host.
• ECW holds its first ever PPV, 'Barely Legal' (1997).
• ECW holds banquet night before Barely Legal to tribute Terry Funk.
• Audio: The Rock throws Steve Austin and Smoking Skull belt off a bridge.
• Audio: Looking back at the night WCW tried to hit the 'reset' button on Nitro: All champions stripped, Mike Awesome appears still ECW Champion, Billy Kidman's memorable promo on Hulk Hogan, Vince Russo's first appearance on camera, Bischoff revealed as the driver behind Hummer, and so much more.
• Audio: Mike Awesome speaks on abruptly leaving ECW for WCW while still ECW Champion and dropping the title to Tazz.
• Audio: Shane Douglas' spot on comments about Mike Awesome not trusting Paul E and Tazz.
• Audio: WCW Wrestler (Mike Awesome) vs WWF Wrestler (Tazz) at ECW event.
• Audio: The attack WWE wants you to forget about. Steve Austin and Triple H beat down and chair bash Lita.
• Audio: Jeff Hardy interrupts HHH and Austin promo and hits Twist of Fate on Stephanie.
• Audio: Jeff Hardy def Triple H to win IC Championship.
• Looking back at World Wrestling All-Stars 'Eruption' event (2002).
• Scott Steiner and Chris Nowinski debate America and Foreign Policy on Raw.
• The night WWE had Goldberg wear Goldust' wig.
• John Cena introduces the WWE Championship Spinner Belt.
• Looking back at TNA Lockdown PPV (2007, 2008, 2012)
• WWE bans photographers from televised ringside events.
• CBS cancels proposed 'Secret Talents Of The Stars' TV series that included Ric Flair.
• Hulk Hogan talks about how he could have gone 'OJ Simpson' on his ex-wife.
• ESPN airs E:60 episode featuring WWE and Vince McMahon.
• Torrie Wilson announces her retirement from wrestling due to a back injury.
• Looking back at Pro Wrestling Guerrilla One Hundred Event (2009).
• WWE drafts MVP #1 in 2009 Draft.
• Announcements of Smackdown moving to SyFy and Superstars to the WWE website
• Audio: Edge announces his retirement from wrestling due to spinal stenosis.
• Sheamus and Mean Gene Okerlund vs Daniel Bryan and Alberto Del Rio.
• Fandango's 'Cha La La' theme becomes a major hit.
• Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella get married.
• Looking back at TNA One Night Only Events: X-Travaganza II, World Cup Of Wrestling II (2014).
• Wrestling fans buzz over John Cena using Austin's stunner during Wrestling 31 match but not as a finisher.
• Daniel Bryan wrestles last match before sudden retirement in 2015 due to concussions.
• Taz leaves TNA Impact.
• Memorable Raw segment where Braun Strowman flips an ambulance with Roman Reigns 'inside'.
• Audio: Bobby Lashley returns to WWE after a ten-year absence
• John Cena and Nikki Bella break up less than a month before their Wedding
• Paige replaces Daniel Bryan as SmackDown General Manager
• Superstar Billy Graham offers advice to the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion Kofi Kingston: "Take steroids"
• All Elite Wrestling (AEW) signs Darby Allin
• WWE begins downsizing due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and releases Twenty-Seven including Kurt Angle, Rusev, Deonna Purrazzo, Gallows and Anderson, Erick Rowan, Lance Storm
• Audio: WWE releases a PSA about Covid-19 Pandemic and fans were not happy with it
• The Revival (FTR) request and are granted their release from WWE
• NXT finally defeats AEW Dynamite in the TV Ratings (693K to 692K): "But the demo!!!"
• MJF launches a Cameo account; his asking price: $500
• Looking back at Impact Wrestling: Hardcore Justice 2021
• Looking back at WrestleMania 37 and the return of fans in attendance for an event since the beginning of the pandemic
• Audio: Samoa Joe discusses the dangerous weather conditions at WrestleMania 37 and the Poncho
• Less than a week after his appearance at WrestleMania 37, WWE releases Samoa Joe (and eight others)
• Audio: Highlights of Bianca Belair vs Sasha Banks WrestleMania 37 (Night One) Main Event
• Audio: Looking back at The Fiend vs Randy Orton feud and the wet fart it laid at WrestleMania 37
• Audio: Alexa Bliss explains why she turned on The Fiend at WrestleMania 37 and introduces us to Lilly
• After releasing Tom Phillips, WWE signs Adnan Virk for the RAW announcing team
• Audio: Adnan Virk comments on his brief stint in WWE as part of the RAW announcing team
• AEW holds their first ever house show featuring Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Darby Allin, The Elite and more
• Shinjiro Otani is seriously injured during a match against Takashi Sugiura which left him paralyzed from the waist down
• Fans expose AEW of manipulating crowd reactions on AEW TV and they weren't happy about it
• Rumors begin about CM Punk return to AEW television and the creation of AEW Collision
• Trish Stratus turns on Becky Lynch after losing WWE Women's Tag Team Championships to Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez
• Jeff Hardy makes his triumphant return to AEW Television after a long absence after 2022 DUI arrest
• Audio: Sting name drops Cody Rhodes several times during AEW Dynamite segment with Darby Allin and MJF
• First ever tease of Wyatt Sicks airs on WWE RAW interrupting Bronson Reed promo
• Audio: Jade Cargill makes her WWE singles match debut
• Losing has consequences: Tama Tonga makes his WWE debut and destroys Jimmy Uso
• Audio: Bron Breakker says goodbye to NXT fans
• Audio: Triple H takes an indirect shot at Will Ospreay during appearance on Pat McAfee Show. And Ospreay isn't pleased about it
• Looking back at NJPW Windy City Riot event and Jack Perry successful trolling of Chicago fans
• AEW and Young Bucks air on Dynamite the backstage security footage of CM Punk / Jack Perry incident from All-In. A decision that will forever haunt Tony Khan and AEW
• Audio: CM Punk discusses the backstage fight between himself and Jack Perry, getting into Tony Khan's face and quitting AEW
• And much more!

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