1991 in professional wrestling
Appearance
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1991 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.
List of notable promotions
[edit]These promotions held notable events in 1991.
Promotion Name | Abbreviation | Notes |
---|---|---|
All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling | AJW | |
Catch Wrestling Association | CWA | |
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre/Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre | EMLL/CMLL | During the fall, EMLL was renamed to CMLL. |
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling | FMW | |
New Japan Pro-Wrestling | NJPW | |
Universal Wrestling Association | UWA | |
Universal Wrestling Federation | UWF | |
World Championship Wrestling | WCW | |
World Wrestling Council | WWC | |
World Wrestling Federation | WWF |
Calendar of notable shows
[edit]Accomplishments and tournaments
[edit]AJW
[edit]Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Japan Grand Prix 1991 | Kyoko Inoue | August 18 | |
Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament | Akemi Torisu | ||
Tag League The Best 1991 | Kyoko Inoue and Toshiyo Yamada | December 9 |
AJPW
[edit]Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Champion Carnival 1991 | Jumbo Tsuruta | April 18 | |
World's Strongest Determination League 1991 | Terry Gordy and Steve Williams | December 6 |
JWP
[edit]Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Rookie of the Year Tournament | Yasha Kurenai | February 11 |
WCW
[edit]Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
WCW United States Championship Tournament | Sting | August 25 | |
WCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament | The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) | September 5 | |
WCW Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament | Brian Pillman | October 27 |
WWF
[edit]Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Royal Rumble | Hulk Hogan | January 19 | |
King of the Ring | Bret Hart | September 7 |
Awards and honors
[edit]Pro Wrestling Illustrated
[edit]Wrestling Observer Newsletter
[edit]Category | Winner |
---|---|
Wrestler of the Year | Jumbo Tsuruta |
Most Outstanding | Jushin Thunder Liger |
Feud of the Year | Mitsuharu Misawa and company vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and company |
Tag Team of the Year | Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada |
Most Improved | Dustin Rhodes |
Best on Interviews | Ric Flair |
Title changes
[edit]WWF
[edit]Incoming champion – The Ultimate Warrior
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Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 19 | Sgt. Slaughter | Royal Rumble | ||
March 24 | Hulk Hogan | WrestleMania VII | ||
November 27 | The Undertaker | Survivor Series | ||
December 3 | Hulk Hogan | This Tuesday in Texas | ||
December 4 | Vacant | Superstars of Wrestling | Hogan was stripped of the title by WWF President Jack Tunney due to the controversy surrounding both of the previous title changes. It aired on tape delay on December 7, 1991. |
Incoming champion – Mr. Perfect
| ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
August 26 | Bret Hart | SummerSlam |
(Title created)
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Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 7 | Perro Aguayo and Gran Hamada | N/A | Later abandoned in 1991. |
Incoming champions – The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 24 | The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) |
WrestleMania VII | ||
August 26 | The Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk) |
SummerSlam |
Incoming champion – Ted DiBiase
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unsanctioned championship | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
August 26 | Virgil | SummerSlam | ||
November 11 | Ted DiBiase | Survivor Series Showdown | This program aired on tape delay on November 24, 1991. |
WCW
[edit](Title created)
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Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 11 | Ric Flair | House show | Defeated Sting for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. WCW began recognizing Flair as WCW World Heavyweight Champion while still using the NWA belt (i.e. the Big Gold Belt) WWE recognizes this reign as an NWA world title reign (and not a WCW one) | |
July 1 | Vacant | Ric Flair left for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was stripped of the title. When Flair left, he took the Big Gold Belt, which represented the NWA and WCW world titles, with him. | ||
July 14 | Lex Luger | The Great American Bash |
Incoming champion – Lex Luger
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Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 14 | Vacant | The Great American Bash | Vacated when Lex Luger won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship | |
August 25 | Sting | House show | Defeated Steve Austin in a tournament final | |
November 19 | Rick Rude | Clash of the Champions XVII |
Incoming champions – The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 6 | Vacant | World Wide Wrestling | ||
May 19 | The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) |
SuperBrawl | Defeated The Young Pistols for the vacant title | |
August 12 | The Patriots (Todd Champion and Firebreaker Chip) |
World Championship Wrestling | ||
November 5 | The Young Pistols (Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers) |
Main Event |
Incoming champion – The Z-Man
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Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 7 | Arn Anderson | World Wide Wrestling | ||
May 19 | Bobby Eaton | SuperBrawl | ||
June 3 | Steve Austin | World Wide Wrestling |
(Title created)
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Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
October 27 | Brian Pillman | Halloween Havoc | Defeated Richard Morton in the finals of a tournament to decide the inaugural champion. | |
December 25 | Jushin Thunder Liger | House show |
Incoming champions – Doom (Ron Simmons and Butch Reed) | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
February 24 | The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) |
WrestleWar | ||
February 18 | The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) |
Pro | ||
July 20 | Vacant | WCW | ||
September 5 | The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) |
Clash of the Champions XVI: Fall Brawl | ||
November 19 | Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes | Clash of the Champions XVII |
(Title created) | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
February 17 | Junkyard Dog, Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich | House show | ||
June 3 | The Fabulous Freebirds (Brad Armstrong, Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) |
WCW Main Event | Aired on June 30 | |
August 5 | Big Josh, Dustin Rhodes and Tom Zenk | WCW Worldwide | Aired on August 24 | |
October 8 | The York Foundation (Richard Morton, Thomas Rich and Terrance Taylor) |
WCW Main Event | Aired on November 10 | |
December 1 | Deactivated | N/A |
Births
[edit]- January 9 – Ruby Riott,[8] American wrestler
- January 17 – Alexander Hammerstone
- January 28 – Bronson Matthews, American wrestler
- February 4 – Santana
- February 5 – Brennan Williams, American wrestler
- February 7 – Hikuleo
- February 12 – Boby Zavala, Mexican luchador
- February 13 – Sumika Yanagawa
- February 15 – Rich Swann
- February 19 – David Starr
- April 4 – Laurel Van Ness, Canadian female wrestler
- May 6 – Doudrop, Scottish wrestler
- May 13 – Scarlett Bordeaux
- May 31 – Cody Hall, American wrestler
- June 12 – Tomoyuki Oka, Japanese wrestler
- June 19 – Dilsher Shanky
- June 25 – Kennadi Brink
- June 25 – Jessika Carr
- July 7 – Josh Woods, American wrestler
- July 18 – Mandy Rose
- July 21 – Adam Page, American wrestler
- August 9 – Alexa Bliss
- August 13 – Momo Tani
- September 27 – Ortiz
- December 8 – Sarah Bäckman
- December 18 – Flip Gordon
- December 21 – Otis Dozovic,[9] American wrestler
Debuts
[edit]- Uncertain debut date
- January 11 - Hiroyoshi Tenzan
- January 25 - Ishinriki Kōji
- May 5 - Hayabusa
- July 7 - Road Dogg
- July 16 - Satoshi Kojima
- August 1 - Mitsuya Nagai
- August 4 - Mizuki Endo (LLPW)
- August 7 - Hideki Hosaka and Katsunari Toi
- September 16 - Hikaru Kawabata
- September 20 - Masayoshi Motegi and Hiroshi Shimada
- October 4 - Rie Tamada (All Japan Women's), Kumiko Maekawa (All Japan Women's) and Chikako Shiratori (All Japan Women's)
- November 20 - Disco Inferno
- November 25 - Command Bolshoi
- December 10 - Hirofumi Miura
Retirements
[edit]- Rocky Johnson (1964–1991)
- Angelo Poffo (1949–1991)
- Smith Hart (1973–1991)
- Trudy Adams (1987–1991)
- Tojo Yamamoto (1953–1991)
- Ron Bass (1971–1991)
- S. D. Jones (1971–1991)
- Bugsy McGraw (1967–1991)
- Bobby Jaggers (1972–1991)
- Cody Michaels (1986–1991)
- Dennis Stamp (1971–1991)
- Donna Christianello (1963–1991)
- Harley Race (1960–1991)
- Itzuki Yamazaki (1981–1991)
- Lady Blossom (1979–1991)
- Joyce Grable (1971–1991)
- Mark Rocco (1972–1991)
- Mike George (1969–1991)
- Buzz Sawyer (1978–1991)
Deaths
[edit]- January 21 – Nick Gulas, American wrestling promoter (b. 1914)
- April 23 - Frankie Williams (wrestler), American wrestler (b. 1940)
- June 30 – Duke Keomuka, Japanese wrestler (b. 1921)
- July 6 - Mr. Moto, American wrestler (b. 1915)
- August 15- Tank Morgan, American wrestler (b. 1933)
- August 25 – Vivian Vachon, Canadian wrestler (b. 1951)
- August 27 – Martín Karadagian, Argentina wrestler (b. 1922)
- September 12 – Chris Von Erich, American wrestler (b. 1969)
- September 30 - King Levinsky, American wrestle and boxer (b. 1910)
- October 27 - Rocky Hata, Japanese wrestler (b. 1948)
- October 31 – Gene Anderson, American wrestler (b. 1939)
- November 10 – Dick the Bruiser, American wrestler (b. 1929)
- November 9 - Abe Yourist, Russian wrestler (b. 1909)
- November 12 – Ripper Collins, American wrestler (b. 1933)
- December 25 – Wilbur Snyder, American wrestler (b. 1929)
See also
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1991 in professional wrestling.
- List of WCW pay-per-view events
- List of WWF pay-per-view events
- List of FMW supercards and pay-per-view events
References
[edit]- ^ "WrestlWar 1991". Pro Wrestling History. February 24, 1991. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Cards: SuperBrawl I (May 19, 1991. St. Petersburg, Florida)". PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. p. 156. 2007 Edition.
- ^ "SuperBrawl "Return of the Rising Sun"". Pro Wrestling History. May 19, 1991. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ "58th Anniversary Show". Pro Wrestling History. September 8, 1991. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
- ^ "WWF This Tuesday in Texas results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
- ^ "Juicio Final con Aníbal". Box y Lucha Magazine (in Spanish) (#1970): 3–4. December 20, 1991.
- ^ Adamson, Matt (2008-02-18). "Going Old School: Starrcade '91". 411mania. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
- ^ "Internet Wrestling Database". Retrieved 2012-07-11.
- ^ "Nikola Bogojevic". teamusa.org. Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-03.