This Week In Wrestling History (Week Seventeen) 4/22 – 4/28

This Week In Wrestling History hosted by Don Tony aired back in 2018-2019 and spanned two seasons. These retro episodes return remastered and are filled with hundreds of hours of original wrestling clips & stories. Enjoy this deep dive into pro wrestling's awesome history.

SYNOPSIS: Episode 17 (4/22 – 4/28)
RUNNING TIME: 2 Hours 55 Minutes

• Alex Karras and Dick The Bruiser turn their 'feud' into a real life bar fight with patrons and Detroit Cops.
• Bruno Sammartino breaks his neck during a WWWF Title Match against Stan Hansen.
• Tommy Rich def Harley Race to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
• Audio: Infamous Empty Arena Match between Terry Funk and Jerry 'The King' Lawler including the memorable UNCENSORED Terry Funk pre match promo.
• Superstar Billy Graham wrestles last WWF match (1983) and leaves company (for AWA) due to issues including painkiller abuse.
• Audio: How does Verne Gagne and AWA celebrates the one year anniversary of their fu**ery towards AWA fans and Hulk Hogan? By doing it again but this time, it's 'Super'.
• Looking back at AWA Super Sunday event (1983).
• Almost three years to the day the AWA fu**ery began for Hulk Hogan, The Hulkster (now WWF Champion) lands the cover of Sports Illustrated.
• Jerry 'The King' Lawler loses his first Hair match and the Southern Heavyweight Title.
• Ken Patera makes his WWF return after serving two years in prison for the McDonalds incident.
• Bonus Audio: Looking back at the night both Bobby Heenan and Andy Kaufman managed Ken Patera against Jerry Lawler.
• The Fantastics end The Midnight Express' 345 day record reign as NWA US Tag Team Champions.
• Sting and Lex Luger defeat Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson to win last ever Jim Crockett Sr Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament.
• Big Bubba Rogers wrestles last match in Japan (teams with Jimmy Snuka) before signing with WWF and becoming The Big Boss Man.
• Looking back at Episode 21 of Saturday Night Main Event (1989).
• Looking back at New Japan's first event (Battle Satellite) from the Tokyo Done (1989).
• Mr Perfect defeats Tito Santana in a tournament final to win the vacated WWF IC Championship (previously held by The Ultimate Warrior).
• ECW crowns its first ever ECW Champion (Jimmy Snuka), just to lose it a day later to Johnny Hotbody.
• Sid Vicious abruptly leaves WWF after a match against The Ultimate Warrior.
• The Heavenly Bodies def The Fantastics to become the first ever Smokey Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Champions.
• Naliz makes his WWF debut, attacking The Big Boss Man.
• Bonus Audio: A tale of two Nailz promos: One with the WWF voice modulation and one without.
• Tammy Sytch debuts for Smokey Mountain Wrestling.
• Sean Waltman (as The Lightning Kid) makes his WWF debut.
• WWF signs Boni Blackstone.
• Captain Lou Albano manages his last tag team to WWF Tag Team Championship victory as The Headshrinkers defeat The Quebecers.
• Looking back at the Sumo Match between Earthquake and Yokozuna on Monday Night Raw.
• Looking back at AAA Triplemania II-A event (1997).
• Audio: Hunter Hearst Helmsley makes his WWF in ring debut, beating convicted Pedophile Buck 'Rock And Roll' Zumhoff.
• Audio: Triple H speaks on the origins of the 'Hunter Hearst Helmsley character and name.
• Hulk Hogan finalizes paperwork to launch a small chain of Pastamania restaurants.
• Looking back at WCW and New Japan 'Collision In Korea' two day event in North Korea.
• Looking back at WWF 'In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies' PPV (1996).
• 'Fat Frank' Iadevia (RIP) causes local controversy in NY/NJ after and odd in call-in to The Howard Stern Show.
• D-Generation X attempts to invade WCW event.
• Audio: Val Venis is 'coming' with Jenna Jameson.
• Audio: Bruce Prichard speaks on the D-X WCW Invasion skits behind the cameras.
• Looking back at WWF 'In Your House 21: Unforgiven' PPV (1998).
• Looking back at the first annual 'Brian Pillman Memorial Event' (1998), and the WWF House Show that also raised money for the family of the late Brian Pillman.
• Audio: DDP loses the WCW Heavyweight Championship to an insanely over Sting during an episode of Monday Nitro - just to win the title back later the same night.
• While Ric Flair is stuck in a Mental Hospital during WCW Monday Nitro, Steve Austin rescues Stephanie McMahon from the Ministry Of Darkness.
• WWF tapes the pilot episode of Smackdown (1999).
• The Corporate Ministry of Darkness is formed.
• Juventud Guerrera and Jerry Flynn arrested in PA for DWI.
• Looking back at WWF 'In Your House 28: Backlash' PPV event (1999).
• Steve Austin returns to WWF TV with a bang! and blows up the DX Express Tour Bus.
• David Arquette wins the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, and donates his earnings to the families of Brian Pillman and Owen Hart, and to Droz.
• Sabu defeats The Messiah in a tournament final to win the vacated XPW Heavyweight Championship (previously held by Chris Candido).
• Steve Corino defeats Mike Rapada to win the NWA Heavyweight Championship.
• Looking back at WWF Backlash PPV (2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Audio: Randy Orton makes his WWF main roster debut.
• 'The Scorpion King' starring The Rock opens up to record revenue numbers at the box office.
• Steve Austin announces his in ring retirement (2003).
• Audio: Only hours after announcing his retirement from in ring action, Steve Austin becomes Co-GM of Raw with Eric Bischoff.
• Randy Orton spits in the face of Harley Race.
• Looking back at TNA 'Lockdown' PPV (2005, 2006)
• Chris Candido suffers serious ankle and leg injury during match on TNA PPV, and sadly passes away only days later due to a blood clot.
• WWE starts contacting former ECW stars about appearing for WWE relaunch of ECW brand.
• MTV and Viacom sign off on the creation of Wrestling Society X.
• Hogan Knows Best renewed for a third season.
• Looking back at the World Wrestling Legends '6:05 - The Reunion' PPV (2006).
• 'The Condemned' starring Steve Austin hits movie theaters to terrible reviews.
• Audio: Vince McMahon wins the ECW Heavyweight Championship.
• One of the greatest matches in WWE Raw history: Shawn Michaels and John Cena battle almost an hour on Raw (HBK wins).
• Reid Flair arrested after DWI incident involving heroin and driving with a revoked license.
• Looking back at WWE 'Extreme Rules' PPV (2010, 2012).
• Looking back at 2010 WWE Draft (Kelly Kelly #1 Draft Pick)
• Audio: TNA Monday Night Impact Main Event: Abyss vs Ric Flair battle over WWE Hall Of Fame Rings.
• Monday Night Wars II: After bombing to record low ratings, Dixie Carter announces Impact moving back to Thursday nights.
• WWE releases Tony Atlas.
• TNA fires Bubba 'The Love Sponge' after horrendous comments towards Haiti.
• Lisa Marie Varon (aka Tara, Victoria) announces her exit from TNA, just to return two months later.
• Audio: 2011 WWE Draft opens up Raw with John Cena drafted to Smackdown, just to be traded by to Raw by the end of the show.
• Nick Gage sentenced after pleading guilty to Second Degree Bank Robbery.
• WWE launches their 'Be A STAR' Anti-Bullying campaign.
• Audio: Cesaro makes his WWE main roster debut.
• Audio: Stevie Richards speaks on Justin Credible passing out backstage prior to Extreme Rising Event (2012).
• Audio: Nikki and Brie Bella 'fired' from WWE (2012), which leads to their legit exit until Spring 2013.
• Looking back at TNA 'Sacrifice' PPV (2014).
• Bad News Barrett defeats Neville to win the WWE 2015 King Of The Ring Tournament.
• Jeff Hardy suffers a broken leg after a Dirt Bike stunt goes wrong.
• WWE releases NXT Talents: Mason Ryan, Raquel Diaz, Shaul Guerrero, Oliver Grey, and Sarah Backman.
• Kalisto defeats Braun Strowman in a terrible Dumpster Match on Raw. At least Kalisto suffers a great post match beat down.

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