See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1988 in professional wrestling .
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1988 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.
These promotions held notable events in 1988.
| Promotion Name | Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All Japan Pro Wrestling | AJPW | |
| American Wrestling Association | AWA | |
| Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre | EMLL | |
| Jim Crockett Promotions | JCP | In November, Turner Broadcasting System bought JCP and rebranded it as World Championship Wrestling (WCW). |
| World Class Championship Wrestling | WCCW | |
| World Wrestling Council | WWC | |
| World Wrestling Federation | WWF | |
| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Grand Prix 1988 | Bull Nakano | June 26 | |
| Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament | Sachiko Nakamura | ||
| Tag League The Best 1988 | Hisako Uno and Mika Suzuki | October 10 |
| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bunkhouse Stampede | Dusty Rhodes [20] [7] [ page needed ] | January 24 | |
| Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament | Lex Luger and Sting | April 23 | |
| NWA United States Tag Team Championship Tournament | The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) | April 26 |
| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Rumble | Jim Duggan | January 24 | |
| WWF World Heavyweight Championship Tournament | Randy Savage | March 27 | |
| King of the Ring | Ted DiBiase | October 16 |
Incoming champion – Hulk Hogan | ||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 5 | Andre the Giant | The Main Event I | After the controversial finish, Andre "sold' his title to Ted Dibiase | |
| February 5 | Vacant | The Main Event I | As a result of that moment see above Jack Tunney declared the title vacant. | |
| March 27 | Randy Savage | WrestleMania IV | It was a 14-man tournament to decide the undisputed WWE Champion. | |
Incoming champion – The Honky Tonk Man | ||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 29 | The Ultimate Warrior | SummerSlam | The Ultimate Warrior was a last minute replacement for Brutus Beefcake who was originally the no. 1 contender for the title. | |
Incoming champion – Antonio Inoki | ||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No title changes | ||||
Incoming champions – The Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai and Judy Martin) | ||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 24 | The Jumping Bomb Angels (Noriyo Tateno and Itzuki Yamazaki) | Royal Rumble | ||
| June 8 | The Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai and Judy Martin) | Live event | ||
Incoming champion – Sensational Sherri | ||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 7 | Rockin' Robin | Prime Time Wrestling | ||
| Incoming champions – Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) | ||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 27 | Demolition (Ax and Smash) | WrestleMania IV | ||
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