1983 in professional wrestling

Last updated
List of years in professional wrestling
+...

1983 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

Contents

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable shows in 1983.

Promotion NameAbbreviation
American Wrestling Association AWA
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre EMLL
Jim Crockett Promotions JCP
World Wrestling Council WWC

Calendar of notable shows

DatePromotion(s)EventLocationMain Event
April 22 EMLL 27. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico Super Halcón (c) defeated Pirata Morgan in a best two-out-of-three falls match for the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship [1]
April 24 AWA AWA Super Sunday St. Paul, Minnesota Nick Bockwinkel (c) defeated Hulk Hogan by reverse decision disqualification in a singles match for the AWA World Heavyweight Title with Lord James Blears as special guest referee
June 2NJPW IWGP League Tokyo, Japan Hulk Hogan defeated Antonio Inoki
June 10 MLW Night of the Champions Toronto, Ontario Ric Flair defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race by disqualification
July 4 JCP NWA/WWF World Title Unification Atlanta, Georgia NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair fought WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund to a double count-out
July 24 MLW Return of the Champions Toronto, Ontario NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race defeated Ric Flair by disqualification with Johnny Weaver as special guest referee
September 17 WWC WWC 10th Aniversario San Juan, Puerto Rico André the Giant defeated Abdullah the Butcher via countout
September 23 EMLL EMLL 50th Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico Sangre Chicana defeated MS-1 in a Lucha de Apuestas Hair vs. Hair match [2]
October 23 JCP The Last Battle of Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia Tommy Rich defeated Buzz Sawyer in a Steel Cage Match with Paul Ellering suspended above the cage
November 24 JCP Starrcade Greensboro, North Carolina Ric Flair defeated Harley Race (c) in a steel cage match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship with Gene Kiniski as special guest referee [3]
December 8 NJPW MSG Tag League Tokyo, Japan Antonio Inoki and Hulk Hogan defeated Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch
December 9 EMLL Juicio Final Mexico City, Mexico Rayo de Jalisco Jr. defeated El Egipico in a Lucha de Apuestas , mask vs. mask match [4]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Notable events

Accomplishments and tournaments

AJW

AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotes
Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament Keiko Nakano

AJPW

AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotes
Lou Thesz Cup 1983 Shiro Koshinaka April 22

NJPW

AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotes
IWGP League Hulk Hogan June 4defeated Antonio Inoki in the finals

Awards and honors

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

CategoryWinner
PWI Wrestler of the Year Harley Race
PWI Tag Team of the Year The Road Warriors
(Hawk and Animal)
PWI Match of the Year Ric Flair vs. Harley Race
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Jimmy Snuka
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Greg Valentine
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year Brett Wayne Sawyer
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Hulk Hogan
PWI Rookie of the Year Angelo Mosca Jr.
PWI Manager of the Year J. J. Dillon
PWI Editor's Award The Grand Wizard

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

CategoryWinner
Wrestler of the Year Ric Flair
Feud of the Year The Freebirds vs. The Von Erichs
Tag Team of the Year Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood
Most Improved Curt Hennig
Best on Interviews Roddy Piper

Births

Debuts

Retirements

Deaths

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Morales</span> Puerto Rican professional wrestler (1942–2019)

Pedro Antonio Morales was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Iron Sheik</span> Iranian-American professional wrestler and actor (1942–2023)

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, better known by his ring name the Iron Sheik was an Iranian professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and actor. To date he is the only Iranian champion in WWE history, having won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in WWE</span> History of Women in WWE

Throughout its history, women have served in various onscreen roles in the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. In the 1990s, WWE introduced the term Diva to refer to its female performers, including wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">"Superstar" Billy Graham</span> American wrestler (1943–2023)

Eldridge Wayne Coleman Jr., better known by his ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham, was an American professional wrestler. He gained recognition for his tenure as the WWF Heavyweight Champion from 1977 to 1978. He was a three-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. As an award-winning bodybuilder, he was a training partner and close friend of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was most remembered for revolutionizing the interview, which resembled the interviewing style of boxer Muhammad Ali, and physique aspects of the professional wrestling industry, and for his charismatic performance style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Valentine</span> American professional wrestler (born 1951)

Jonathan Anthony Wisniski is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "the Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Snuka</span> Fijian American professional wrestler (1943–2017)

James Reiher Snuka was a Fijian and American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Muraco</span> American professional wrestler

Don Muraco is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation from 1981 to 1988, where he held the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship on two occasions and was crowned the inaugural winner of the King of the Ring tournament in 1985. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004 and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Orton Jr.</span> American professional wrestler (born 1950)

Robert Keith Orton Jr., known by the ring name "Cowboy" Bob Orton, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is a son of professional wrestler Bob Orton Sr., the brother of professional wrestler Barry Orton, and the father of professional wrestler Randy Orton. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation,, including his involvement in the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania. He has also wrestled for several promotions in the United States, Japan, and other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernie Roth</span> American professional wrestling manager

Irwin "Ernie" Jacob Roth, known by the ring names The Grand Wizard of Wrestling and Abdullah Farouk, was an American professional wrestling manager. Not a wrestler himself due to his small stature, he was noted for his flamboyant outfit of sequined jackets, wraparound sunglasses, and a brightly colored turban decorated with jewels and feathers. He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Fuji</span> American professional wrestler and manager (1934–2016)

Harry Masayoshi Fujiwara was an American professional wrestler, actor and manager, known professionally by his ring name Mr. Fuji. He was famous for often throwing salt in the eyes of fan favorite wrestlers. Notable wrestlers and tag teams managed by him include Don Muraco, Yokozuna and Demolition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sika Anoaʻi</span> American Samoan professional wrestler (1945–2024)

Pola’ivao Leati Sika Amituana'i Anoa'i, better known by the ring name Sika, was a Samoan-American professional wrestler. He is best known as one-half of the tag team the Wild Samoans with his older brother Afa, holding the WWF World Tag Team Championship three times. Sika and Afa were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Jay Strongbow</span> American professional wrestler (1928–2012)

Luke Joseph Scarpa was an American professional wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer who was best known by the ring name Chief Jay Strongbow. Much like his contemporary Wahoo McDaniel, he portrayed a Native American wrestler, who wore a war bonnet to the ring and would "go on the warpath" when the fans started cheering him against an opponent. In reality, Scarpa was an Italian-American who much like actor Iron Eyes Cody portrayed an Indian to stand out more. His best accomplishments are in WWF where he was a 4-time World Tag-Team Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryse Mizanin</span> Canadian professional wrestler and model (born 1983)

Maryse Mizanin is a Canadian television personality, model, actress and retired professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, under the ring name Maryse. After spending years modeling, including winning Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada in 2003, Mizanin participated in the WWE Diva Search competition and was hired by WWE in 2006. She spent time in developmental territories Ohio Valley Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling, before being assigned to the SmackDown brand in 2008. That year, Maryse won her first WWE Divas Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jules Strongbow</span> American retired professional wrestler (born 1952)

Francis Huntington is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the early 1980s under the ring name Jules Strongbow, where he held the WWF World Tag Team Championship on two occasions with his kayfabe brother, Chief Jay Strongbow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Backlund</span> American professional wrestler

Robert Louis Backlund is an American retired amateur and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation from 1976 to 1984 and in the 1990s, where he held the WWWF/WWF Championship on two occasions. His 2,135-day reign is recognized as the second longest in the championship's history. Backlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

<i>The Brawl to End It All</i> 1984 World Wrestling Federation event

The Brawl to End It All is a professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and broadcast live on MTV. It took place at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York in the United States on July 23, 1984. The show was a major event in the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection in the mid-1980s WWF, and began a storyline that ultimately culminated in the first WrestleMania. The main event featured The Fabulous Moolah defending the WWF Women's Championship against Wendi Richter. Richter pinned Moolah to win the Women's Championship. It was the only match of the event that was shown on national television. In the main event from closed-circuit television Hulk Hogan pinned Greg Valentine to retain the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hell in a Cell (2018)</span> WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming event

The 2018 Hell in a Cell was the 10th annual Hell in a Cell professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place on September 16, 2018, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Previously, Hell in a Cell was held annually in October, thus the 2018 event was the first to not have occurred during that month. The event returned to the October slot the following year, but in 2021, the event series was moved up to June.

1981 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

WWF on MSG Network was a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It was a monthly television special that aired live from Madison Square Garden on the MSG Network from August 7, 1976, to March 16, 1997. The program featured live wrestling matches and interviews with WWF wrestlers. Updates of current feuds and several major title changes also took place on the show.

References

  1. Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 390–391. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  2. "50th Anniversary Show". Pro Wrestling History. September 23, 1983. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  3. "Flair defeats Race for wrestling title". Greensboro Daily News. 1983-11-25. p. D3. Archived from the original on 2012-02-13. Retrieved May 23, 2008. A sellout crowd of 15,447 was on hand for the night's competition.
  4. "EMLL Super Viernes – Juicio Final 1983". Wrestling Data. December 9, 1983. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  5. Kamchen, Richard. "Maryse Ouellet". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  6. "Spud". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2011-10-27. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  7. "Roderick Strong" . Retrieved May 30, 2007.
  8. "Braun Strowman". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  9. ""The Essence of Excellence" Robert Evans". Anarchy Championship Wrestling. Blogger. July 1, 2011. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  10. 1 2 "The Bella Twins". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved March 31, 2009.
  11. 『ワールドタッグ』出場チーム決定!! 内藤&ソンブラ! コンウェイ&ダンも参戦! アンダーソンは"新顔"ドク・ギャローズとタッグ結成!! (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. November 11, 2013. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  12. Slagle, Steve. "The Grand Wizard". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2017.