On this day in wrestling history 12/04

[Guest Sassquatch]

From Dave Meltzer

 

ON THIS DAY IN WRESTLING HISTORY

 

1964 - The old World Wrestling Association world heavyweight title, recognized mainly in California and Japan by JWA, was split into two separate titles when Toyonobori, the heir apparent to Rikidozan as the top star in Japan before the ascension of Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki, defeated The Destroyer at the Tokyo Gymnasium to win the title. Although Toyonobori is generally recognized as a failure during his short run on top, this match was clearly his greatest success as they drew a 50.1 rating for the one hour television show and it is still one of the 30 highest rated television shows in the history of the country of Japan. Destroyer ended up returning to California and still being billed as champion. In Japan, for their own storylines, since the Japanese media covered the Olympic Auditorium, Kiel Auditorium and Madison Square Garden matches in that era like they were a religious experience, Destroyer was billed in Japan as United States champion. In late 1965, the title was unified when Toyonobori went to Los Angeles and lost his version of the belt to the current American version of the champion, Luke Graham.

 

1992 - In the final match of the year for All Japan, there were many stories. In hindsight, the biggest was a preliminary comedy match where Andre the Giant & Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura beat Haruka Eigen & Motoshi Okuma & Masa Fuchi. It was Andre's last pro wrestling match, as he died the next February. It was also Okuma's last pro wrestling match, as he died a few weeks later. In the main event, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada defeated Terry Gordy & Steve Williams in the finals to win the vacant Double Tag team titles as well as the annual Real World Tag League tournament. The tag titles had been vacated just before the tour began by Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, when Tsuruta's liver problems made it so he would have to take more time off, and basically ended his career as a serious headliner.

 

1995 - Legendary midget wrestler Little Beaver died at his home in Montreal at the age of 59. In the main event of a show billed as "Monday Night Sensations" at Tokyo Sumo Hall, Manami Toyota defeated Dynamite Kansai to win the WWWA title in 22:39 of a fantastic match. Toyota joined at that point only a select group of women in history to hold the famous red belt on two occasions.

[Guest DeputyHawk]

a 50.1 rating? as faarooq would no doubt agree ... DAMN!

 

by the way, for anyone that doesn't know that much about puro or is just starting to get into it like myself, i strongly suggest the great hisa's history page at puroresu.com, it is an absolutely captivating "highlight reel" read.

 

ah, rest in peace little beaver, you stepped to king kong bundy like no little man should.