1993 in professional wrestling

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List of years in professional wrestling

1993 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions[]

These promotions held notable shows in 1993.

Promotion Name Abbreviation
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración AAA
Catch Wrestling Association CWA
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre CMLL
Eastern Championship Wrestling ECW
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling FMW
New Japan Pro-Wrestling NJPW
Universal Wrestling Association UWA
World Championship Wrestling WCW
World Wrestling Council WWC
World Wrestling Federation WWF

Calendar of notable shows[]

January[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
January 4 NJPW Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome Tokyo, Japan Genichiro Tenryu defeated Riki Choshu in a Singles match
January 4 WCW

NJPW

WCW/New Japan Supershow III Tokyo, Japan Sting defeated Hiroshi Hase in a Singles match
January 23 ECW Battle of the Belts Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Terry Funk defeated Eddie Gilbert in a I Quit Texas Death Match
January 24 WWF Royal Rumble Sacramento, California, United States Yokozuna won by last eliminating Randy Savage in a 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania IX[1]
January 31 UWA 18th Anniversary Naucalpan, Mexico Vampiro defeated El Canek (c) in a Singles match for the UWA World Heavyweight Championship
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

February[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
February 21 WCW SuperBrawl III Asheville, North Carolina, United States Big Van Vader (with Harley Race) defeated Sting in a
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

April[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
April 2 CMLL 37. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico Dr. Wagner Jr. defeated Pierroth Jr. (c) in a Best two-out-of-three falls match for the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship[2]
April 4 WWF WrestleMania IX Paradise, Nevada, United States Hulk Hogan defeated Yokozuna (c) (with Mr. Fuji) in a Singles match for the WWF Championship
April 11 WWF UK Rampage Sheffield, England, United Kingdom Lex Luger defeated Jim Duggan by disqualification in a Singles match
April 30 AAA Triplemanía I Mexico City, D.F., Mexico Cien Caras defeated Konnan in a Best two-out-of-three falls retirement match[3][4]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

May[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
May 3 NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Fukuoka, Japan Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Genichiro Tenryu and Riki Choshu via submission in a tag team match
May 5 FMW 4th Anniversary Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan Atsushi Onita defeated Terry Funk in a No Rope Exploding Barbed Wire Time Bomb Deathmatch
May 23 WCW Slamboree Atlanta, Georgia, United States Davey Boy Smith defeated Big Van Vader (c) by disqualification in a Singles match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship[5]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

June[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
June 13 WWF King of the Ring Dayton, Ohio, United States Bret Hart defeated Bam Bam Bigelow in a King of the Ring final match
June 19 ECW Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert (with Paul E. Dangerously) defeated Terry Funk in a Texas chain match massacre for the title of "King of Philadelphia"
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

July[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
July 18 WCW Beach Blast Biloxi, Mississippi, United States Sting and Davey Boy Smith defeated The Masters of the Powerbomb (Big Van Vader and Sid Vicious) (with Harley Race and Col. Robert Parker) in a tag team match
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

August[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
August 8 WWC 20th Aniversario Carlos Colón defeated Terry Funk in a Singles match
August 22 FMW Summer Spectacular Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan Atsushi Onita defeated Mr. Pogo in a No Ropes Exploding Barbed Wire Time Bomb Cage Deathmatch for the vacant FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
August 30 WWF SummerSlam Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States Lex Luger defeated Yokozuna (c) (with Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji) by countout in a Singles match for the WWF Championship
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

September[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes
September 18 ECW UltraClash Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States The Headhunters (Headhunter A and Headhunter B) defeated Miguelito Pérez and Crash the Terminator in a Baseball Bat match
September 19 WCW Fall Brawl Houston, Texas, United States Sting, Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes and The Shockmaster (with Road Warrior Animal) defeated Sid Vicious, Vader and Harlem Heat (Kole and Kane) (with Harley Race and Col. Robert Parker) in a WarGames match
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

October[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
October 1 CMLL 60th Anniversary Mexico City, Mexico Atlantis defeated Mano Negra in a Best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuestas, mask vs. mask match[6]
October 1 ECW NWA Bloodfest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Terry Funk (c) defeated Jimmy Snuka by escaping the cage in a Steel cage match for the ECW Television Championship[7]
October 24 WCW Halloween Havoc New Orleans, Louisiana, United States Big Van Vader (with Harley Race) defeated Cactus Jack in a Texas Death match
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

November[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
November 12 ECW Terror at Tabor Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Tommy Dreamer defeated Johnny Grunge in a Singles match
November 13 ECW November to Remember Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Sabu (c - World Heavyweight) and Road Warrior Hawk defeated Terry Funk (c - World Television) and King Kong Bundy in a Winner Takes All match for the ECW Heavyweight Championship and the ECW Television Championship
November 20 WCW Battlebowl Pensacola, Florida, United States Vader won the 16-man battle royal by lastly eliminating Sting
November 24 WWF Survivor Series Boston, Massachusetts, United States The All-Americans (Lex Luger, The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner) and The Undertaker) (with Paul Bearer) defeated The Foreign Fanatics (Crush, Quebecer Jacques, Ludvig Borga and Yokozuna) (with Jim Cornette, Johnny Polo and Mr. Fuji) in a 4-on-4 Survivor Series elimination match
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

December[]

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
December 8 FMW Year End Spectacular Tokyo, Japan Atsushi Onita (c) defeated Mitsuhiro Matsunaga in a No Ropes Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch for the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
December 18 CWA Euro Catch Festival Bremen, Germany Rambo (c) defeated The Barbarian in Round 6 in a Singles match for the CWA World Heavyweight Championship
December 26 FMW FMW/MPW Tokyo, Japan Atsushi Onita, Tarzan Goto and The Great Sasuke vs. Mr. Pogo, Jinsei Shinzaki and in a Six-man tag team match
December 26 ECW Holiday Hell Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Tommy Dreamer won a battle royal
December 27 WCW Starrcade Charlotte, North Carolina, United States Ric Flair defeated Vader (c) (with Harley Race) in a Title vs. Career match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship[8]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Accomplishments and tournaments[]

WCW Hall of Fame 1993 inductee, Verne Gagne
Inaugural WWF Hall of Fame sole inductee for 1993, André the Giant

ECW[]

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
ECW Television Championship Tournament Jimmy Snuka March 12
ECW Tag Team Championship Tournament Eddie Gilbert and The Dark Patriot August 8

WCW[]

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
WCW United States Championship Tournament Dustin Rhodes January 11
WCW World Television Championship Tournament Paul Orndorff March 2

WCW Hall of Fame[]

Inductee
Lou Thesz
Verne Gagne
Mr. Wrestling II
Eddie Graham

WWF[]

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Royal Rumble Yokozuna January 24
King of the Ring Bret Hart June 13
WWF Women's Championship Tournament Alundra Blayze December 13

WWF Hall of Fame[]

Category Inductee Inducted by Notes
Individual André the Giant None Inaugural inductee
Sole inductee

Awards and honors[]

Pro Wrestling Illustrated[]

Category Winner
PWI Wrestler of the Year Big Van Vader
PWI Tag Team of the Year The Steiner Brothers
(Rick and Scott Steiner)
PWI Match of the Year Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty (Raw, July 19)
PWI Feud of the Year Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Lex Luger
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Jerry Lawler
PWI Comeback of the Year Lex Luger
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year Yokozuna
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Cactus Jack
PWI Rookie of the Year Vampire Warrior
PWI Lifetime Achievement André the Giant
PWI Editor's Award Jim Cornette

Wrestling Observer Newsletter[]

Category Winner
Wrestler of the Year Big Van Vader
Most Outstanding Kenta Kobashi
Feud of the Year Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler
Tag Team of the Year The Hollywood Blonds
(Steve Austin and Brian Pillman)
Most Improved Tracy Smothers
Best on Interviews Jim Cornette

Notable events[]

  • January 11 - WWF Monday Night Raw premiered on the USA Network, its first episode was from the Manhattan Center in New York City
  • February 10 - Bill Watts resigned as Executive Vice President of Wrestling Operations for WCW.
  • February 12 – Eric Bischoff becomes Executive Producer of all World Championship Wrestling television and Ole Anderson was announced as new Vice President of Wrestling Operations for WCW.
  • February 21 – Ric Flair makes his WCW return and Davey Boy Smith makes his WCW debut at WCW SuperBrawl III in Asheville, North Carolina
  • February 22 – Hulk Hogan makes his WWF return live on Monday Night Raw.
  • February 25 - Jim Ross resigned from WCW.
  • April 4 – Jim Ross makes his WWF TV debut at WrestleMania IX
  • April 5 - ECW Hardcore TV debuts on SportsChannel Philadelphia.
  • April 13 - WCW makes its New York City debut running an live event at the Paramount Theater in New York, NY headlined with Vader defending the WCW World Heavyweight title vs Sting in the main event drawing 3,000.
  • July 7 – WCW Worldwide begins taping at Disney/MGM Studios from Orlando, Florida. This taping schedule ran from July 7–10 taping matches and footage for airing starting the weekend of August 28–29, 1993 which included Ric Flair and Rick Rude wearing the NWA World title, Ricky Steamboat and Lord Steven Regal wearing the WCW TV title and an interview with Paul Roma & Arn Anderson wearing the NWA & WCW world tag team titles and The Nasty Boys managed by Missy Hyatt carrying the NWA World Tag Team titles in the ring.
  • September 1 – WCW leaves the National Wrestling Alliance
  • September 3 - The NWA Convention was held in Las Vegas, NV, also that same day the ECW joined the NWA becoming NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling.
  • October 6 - Mean Gene Okerlund made his WCW debut at a WCW Saturday Night taping in Atlanta, GA (air date November 5)
  • November 24 – For the first time ever a non - WWF title changed hands at a WWF pay-per-view when The Heavenly Bodies defeating SMW Tag Team Champions The Rock 'n' Roll Express in a title match at the Survivor Series in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • December 4 – Bobby Heenan was given an on-air farewell on WWF Monday Night Raw when Gorilla Monsoon picked him up and threw him and his belongings out of the arena and onto the street.

Title changes[]

ECW[]

ECW World Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – The Sandman
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 3 Don Muraco Hardcore TV
August 8 Tito Santana Hardcore TV
September 9 Shane Douglas Hardcore TV
October 2 Sabu NWA Bloodfest
December 26 Terry Funk Holiday Hell
Incoming champion – Glen Osbourne
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February Vacant N/A
March 12 Jimmy Snuka Hardcore TV
October 1 Terry Funk NWA Bloodfest: Part 1
November 13 Sabu November to Remember
Incoming champions – The Super Destroyers (A.J. Petrucci and Doug Stahl)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 2 Tony Stetson and Larry Winters Hardcore TV
April 3 The Suicide Blondes
(Chris Candido, Johnny Hotbody, and Chris Michaels)
Hardcore TV
May 15 The Super Destroyers
(A.J. Petrucci and Doug Stahl)
Hardcore TV
May 15 The Suicide Blondes
(Chris Candido, Johnny Hotbody, and Chris Michaels)
Hardcore TV
July 15 Vacant Hardcore TV
August 8 The Dark Patriot and Eddie Gilbert Hardcore TV
October 1 Vacant Bloodfest: Part 1
October 1 Johnny Hotbody and Tony Stetson Bloodfest: Part 1
November 13 Tommy Dreamer and Johnny Gunn November to Remember
December 4 Kevin Sullivan and The Tazmaniac Hardcore TV
(Title created)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
October 16 J.T. Smith N/A Won a battle royal.
(Title created)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
May 14 Tommy Cairo ECW Hardcore TV Cairo won a battle royal to become the inaugural champion. Aired on June 8.
August 7 Tony Stetson ECW Hardcore TV Aired on September 14.
September 18 Deactivated UltraClash The championship is abandoned.

NJPW[]

IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – The Great Muta
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
September 20 Shinya Hashimoto G1 Climax Special 1993
IWGP Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – The Hell Raisers (Hawk Warrior and Power Warrior)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
August 5 The Jurassic Powers
(Hercules Hernandez and Scott Norton)
G1 Climax 1993
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Último Dragón
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 4 Jushin Thunder Liger Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome

FMW[]

FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Atsushi Onita
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
August 22 Atsushi Onita Summer Spectacular
FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship
(Title created)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
October 28 The Great Sasuke House show

WCW[]

Incoming champion – Big Van Vader
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 11 Sting House show
March 17 Big Van Vader House show
December 27 Ric Flair Starrcade
NWA World Heavyweight Championship / WCW International World Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Masa Chono
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 4 The Great Muta WCW/New Japan Supershow III
February 21 Barry Windham SuperBrawl III
July 18 Ric Flair Beach Blast On September 1, 1993 WCW withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance. WCW continues to recognize Flair as the "WCW International World Champion".
September 19 Rick Rude Fall Brawl
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Vacant
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 11 Dustin Rhodes Saturday Night Aired on tape delay on January 16.
May 1 Vacant WorldWide
August 30 Dustin Rhodes Saturday Night Aired on tape delay on September 4.
December 27 Steve Austin Starrcade
Incoming champion – Vacant
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 2 Paul Orndorff Power Hour Aired on tape delay on March 27.
August 18 Ricky Steamboat Clash of the Champions XXIV
September 19 Lord Steven Regal Fall Brawl
Incoming champions – Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 2 The Hollywood Blonds
(Steve Austin and Brian Pillman)
WorldWide Aired on tape delay on March 27.
August 18 Arn Anderson and Paul Roma Clash of the Champions XXIV Also held the NWA World Tag Team Championship until September 1 when WCW withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance
September 19 The Nasty Boys
(Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags)
Fall Brawl
October 4 Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio Saturday Night Aired on tape delay on October 23.
October 24 The Nasty Boys
(Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags)
Halloween Havoc

WWF[]

WWF World Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Bret Hart
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 4 Yokozuna WrestleMania IX
April 4 Hulk Hogan WrestleMania IX
June 13 Yokozuna King of the Ring
Incoming champion – Shawn Michaels
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
May 17 Marty Jannetty Raw
June 6 Shawn Michaels House show
September 27 Vacant N/A
September 27 Razor Ramon Raw
(Title reactivated)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
December 13 Alundra Blayze All American Wrestling
Incoming champions – Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
June 14 The Steiner Brothers
(Rick and Scott Steiner)
House show
June 16 Money Inc.
(Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster)
House show
June 19 The Steiner Brothers
(Rick and Scott Steiner)
House show
September 13 The Quebecers
(Pierre and Jacques)
Raw

Births[]

  • February 17 – Magnus, Mexican luchador
  • May 20 – Akam, Canadian wrestler
  • May 20 - Vanessa Borne
  • June 14 – Esfinge, Mexican luchador
  • July 28 - Noam Dar, Israeli wrestler[9]
  • August 4 – Henare, New Zealand wrestler
  • August 12 – El Soberano, Mexican luchador
  • September 9 – Sarah Logan,[10] American female wrestler
  • September 24 – Sonya Deville, American female wrestler
  • October 10 - Ilja Dragunov
  • November 6 – Bárbaro Cavernario, Mexican luchador
  • November 9 - Pete Dunne[11]
  • Unknown – Gran Guerrero, Mexican luchador

Debuts[]

  • Jeff Bradley
  • Tom Howard
  • Nelson Frazier, Jr.
  • Joey Styles
  • Doug Basham
  • Tammy Sytch

October

November

  • 27 - Oziel Toscano

December

Retirements[]

Deaths[]

  • January 27 - André the Giant, French wrestler (b. 1946)
  • February 18 - Kerry Von Erich, American wrestler (b. 1960)
  • March 10 - Dino Bravo, Canadian wrestler (b. 1948)
  • March 25 - Wally Karbo, American wrestling promoter (b. 1915)
  • May 25 - D.J. Peterson, American wrestler (b. 1959)
  • June 7 - Don Kent, American wrestler (b. 1933)
  • October 13 - Espectro, Mexican luchador (b. 1934)
  • October 26 - Oro, Mexican luchador (b. 1971)
  • November 1 - Pinkie George (b. 1905)
  • November 13 - Rufus R. Jones, American wrestler (b. 1933)
  • December 8 - Frank Hickey, American wrestler (b. 1915)
  • December 13 - Larry Cameron, American wrestler (b. 1952)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Royal Rumble Event Results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
  2. ^ Lucha 2000 Staff (April 2006). "Arena México: 50 anos de Lucha Libre". Lucha 2000 (in Spanish). Especial 28.
  3. ^ "Asistencia Asesoría y Administración TripleManía". ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  4. ^ "Triplemanía I: Konnan y Cien Caras, por todo" (in Spanish). Asistencia Asesoría y Administración. Archived from the original on 2015-07-15. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  5. ^ Cawthon, Graham (2014). the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 4: World Championship Wrestling 1989-1994. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1499656343.
  6. ^ "60th Anniversary Show". ProWrestlingHistory. October 1, 1993. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  7. ^ Loverro, Thom (22 May 2007). The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling. Simon and Schuster. pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-1-4165-6156-9.
  8. ^ Adamson, Matt (2008-03-30). "Going Old School: Starrcade '93". 411mania. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  9. ^ "Noam Dar". Internet Wrestling Database.
  10. ^ "Crazy Mary Dobson: Profile & Match Listing". profightdb.com.
  11. ^ "Turned 23 years old today! Biggest week of my career. Glasgow - London for @WhatCulturePW tonight and then @RevProUK #GlobalWars thurs & fri".
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