1979 in professional wrestling explained

1979 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions

Only one promotion held notable shows in 1979.

Promotion NameAbbreviation
AJW
EMLL

Calendar of notable shows

DatePromotion(s)EventLocationMain Event
Notes
January 28UWA4th Anniversary ShowNaucalpanDr. Wagner beat Angel Blanco in a "Lucha de Apuestas" "Mask vs. Hair" match
February 27AJWAll Japan Women's at Nippon BudokanTokyoJackie Sato defeated Maki Ueda in a battle between former partners where the loser must retire.
March 25MLWAWA/WWF Title UnificationToronto, OntarioWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund fought AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel to a double count-out
May 18CWANight of ChampionsKnoxville, TennesseeHarley Race (c) defeated Ron Fuller to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
April 6AJPWChampion CarnivalTokyo, JapanAbdullah the Butcher defeated Jumbo Tsuruta
April 21EMLL23. Aniversario de Arena MéxicoMexico City, MexicoAlfonso Dantés defeated Pak Choo (c) in a singles match for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship[1]
June 7NJPWMSG LeagueTokyo, JapanAntonio Inoki defeated Stan Hansen
July 8NWABattle of the Nature BoysGreensboro, North CarolinaNWA United States Champion Ric Flair defeated Buddy Rogers
September 21EMLLEMLL 46th Anniversary ShowMexico City, MexicoGran Cochisse defeated Américo Rocca in a Lucha de Apuestas hair vs. hair match[2] [3]
December 7EMLLJuico FinalMexico City, MexicoEl Faraón and Águila India defeated Sangre Chicana and Tony Salazar in a Lucha de Apuestas, hair vs hair match[4]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Notable events

Accomplishments and tournaments

JCP

Awards and honors

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

See main article: List of Pro Wrestling Illustrated awards.

CategoryWinner
PWI Wrestler of the YearHarley Race
PWI Tag Team of the YearIvan Putski and Tito Santana
PWI Match of the YearHarley Race vs. Dusty Rhodes
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the YearDusty Rhodes
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the YearGreg Valentine
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the YearTommy Rich
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the YearChief Jay Strongbow
PWI Rookie of the YearSweet Brown Sugar
PWI Manager of the YearArnold Skaaland

Championship changes

EMLL

width=14%Datewidth=26%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=40%Note(s)
April 30,Alfonso DantésEMLL show
Incoming champion – Tony Salazar
width=14%Datewidth=26%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=40%Note(s)
February 3Ringo MendozaEMLL show
September 9Satoru SayamaEMLL show
Incoming champion – Mano Negra
width=14%Datewidth=26%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=40%Note(s)
April 30Americo RoccaEMLL show
Incoming champion – TNT
width=14%Datewidth=26%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=40%Note(s)
February 4Gran MarkusEMLL show
December 23El HalconEMLL show
Incoming champion – Vacant
width=14%Datewidth=26%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=40%Note(s)
June 8Cachorro MendozaEMLL show
October 19El SatanicoEMLL show
Incoming champion – Tailsman[5]
width=14%Datewidth=26%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=40%Note(s)
April 8Rodolfo RuizEMLL show
Incoming champion – Dos Caras
width=14%Datewidth=26%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=40%Note(s)
April 8Astro ReyEMLL show
November 11Dr. WagnerEMLL show
November 30Enrique VeraEMLL show
Incoming champion – Lizmark
No title changes
Incoming champion – Uncertain
No title changes

NWA

Incoming champion – Harley Race
width=14%Datewidth=14%Winnerwidth=14%Event/Showwidth=58%Note(s)
August 21Dusty RhodesHouse show
August 26Harley RaceHouse show
October 31Giant BabaHouse show
November 7Harley RaceHouse show

Births

Debuts

Deaths

Retirements

Notes and References

  1. Book: Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Wrestling Title Histories. Mexico: EMLL NWA World Light Heavyweight Title. 389. Archeus Communications. 2006. 4th. 0-9698161-5-4.
  2. Web site: 46th Anniversary Show. August 21, 1979. September 27, 2012. Pro Wrestling History.
  3. Web site: Historia de Los Aniversarios del CMLL. September 2, 2010. September 28, 2012. The Gladiatores Magazine. es.
  4. Web site: EMLL Super Viernes . December 7, 1979 . March 21, 2019 . Wrestling Data.
  5. Book: Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. Pennsylvania. Mexico: National Lightweight Title. 393. 2000. 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. Web site: Women's Wrestler Profiles: Sarah Stock. Online World of Wrestling. March 27, 2008.
  7. Web site: Women's Wrestler Profiles: Melina Perez. Online World of Wrestling. March 22, 2018. March 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180320161650/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/m/melina-perez. dead.
  8. Web site: Samoa Joe. Milner. John. Kamchen, Richard. 2005-12-04. 2008-10-17. Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. 2012-06-29. https://archive.today/20120629153511/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/samoa_joe.html. dead.
  9. Chris Richards, "Peter Rosenberg: From Montgomery County to top of the hip-hop heap," The Washington Post, May 31, 2013.
  10. Web site: Mickie James . Steve . Leggett . . . January 6, 2016 . January 7, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170107012053/http://www.billboard.com/artist/1567248/mickie-james/biography . dead . Additional January 6, 2017.
  11. Web site: The Ballad of Mickie James. December 24, 2010. Richmond Magazine . Virginia. December 23, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405055245/http://www.richmondmagazine.com/?articleID=b61ec69b181dd0363de4659ebbbbf6f6&page=1 . April 5, 2012. Born at Richmond Memorial Hospital in 1979.....
  12. Web site: Featured Content on Myspace. Myspace. 17 July 2015.
  13. Web site: Internet Wrestling Database: Search: bobby fish. www.profightdb.com. August 20, 2017.
  14. Web site: Eric Young Online World of Wrestling. May 30, 2020.
  15. Web site: Eric Young « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database. www.cagematch.net. May 30, 2020.
  16. Web site: Luke Harper. https://web.archive.org/web/20130509172217/http://www.fcwwrestling.info/Roster/Luke-Harper.html. Florida Championship Wrestling. May 9, 2013. August 16, 2012.
  17. Web site: Luke Harper. February 5, 2015. The Internet Wrestling Database.
  18. Web site: Chris Hero . May 17, 2011 . Online World of Wrestling . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110523230648/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/c/chris-hero.html . May 23, 2011 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1979 in professional wrestling".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.