1953 in professional wrestling

1953 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 1953.

Promotion Name	Abbreviation
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre	EMLL

Calendar of notable shows

Date	Promotion(s)	Event	Location	Main Event
September 25	EMLL	EMLL 20th Anniversary Show	Mexico City, Mexico	Blue Demon defeated El Santo (c) in a best two-out-of-three falls match for the NWA World Welterweight Championship^[1]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Notable events

July 30 – The Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (日本プロレス協会, nihon puroresu kyōkai), Japan's first professional wrestling promotion, was created.
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) representing Mexico in the Alliance.

Championship changes

EMLL

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
NWA World Middleweight Championship
incoming champion – Tarzán López^[2]
June 20	Sugi Sito	EMLL show	^[2]

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
NWA World Welterweight Championship
incoming champion – El Santo^[3]
September 25	Blue Demon	EMLL show	^[3]

Mexican National Heavyweight Championship
incoming champion - Firpo Segura^[4]
No title changes^[4]

Mexican National Middleweight Championship
incoming champion – Uncertain^[5]
No title changes^[5]

Mexican National Lightweight Championship
incoming champion – Black Shadow^[6]
No title changes^[6]

Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship
incoming champion –Vacant^[6]
No title changes^[6]

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
Mexican National Welterweight Championship
incoming champion – El Santo^[7]
September 25	Blue Demon	EMLL show	^[7]
Uncertain	Vacated	N/A	Championship vacated for undocumented reasons

NWA

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
Incoming Champion – Lou Thesz^[8]
No title changes^[8]

Debuts

Debut date uncertain:
- Black Gordman^[9]
- George Cannon^[9]
- Joe Blanchard^[9]
- Lou Albano^[9]
- Mario Milano^[9]
- Mark Lewin^[9]
- Mitsu Arakawa^[9]
- Pampero Firpo^[9]
- Pepper Gomez^[9]
- Peter Maivia^[9]
- Rod Trongard^[9]
- Stan Stasiak^[9]
- Tojo Yamamoto^[9]
February 28 – Wilbur Snyder^[9]
August 20 – Irma González^[9]

Births

Date of birth uncertain:
- Joe Lightfoot
January 24 – Bruce Jones (actor)
January 25 – The Honky Tonk Man^[10]
February 5 – Takashi Ishikawa
February 13 – Akio Sato^[10]
February 20 – Terry Gibbs
February 28 – Ricky Steamboat^[10]
March 5 – Dennis Coralluzzo (died in 2001)
March 22 – Buffalo Jim Barrier (died in 2008)
April 3 – Russ Francis^[10] (died in 2023)
April 5 – Salman Hashimikov^[10] (died in 2025)
April 14 – John Ayers (died in 1995)
April 25 – Carl Fergie
May 10 – Tito Santana^[11]
May 18 – Tiger Conway Jr.
June 20 – Flesh Gordon
June 30 – Hombre Bala^[10](died in 2018)
July 3 – Steve O
July 10 -
- Billy Jack Haynes^[10]
- Zoogz Rift (died in 2011)
July 11 – Leon Spinks (died in 2021)
July 20 – Angel of Death^[10](died in 2007)
August 5 – Stan Lane^[11]
August 11:
- Hulk Hogan^[10] (died in 2025)
- Franco Columbo
August 13 – Sue Green^[11]
August 14 – Gran Markus Jr.^[10](died in 2026)
August 18 – Chief Jay Eagle
August 22 – Paul Ellering^[10]
August 28 – Joel Goodhart^[10]
September 1 – Rocco Rock^[10](died in 2002)
September 4 – Kengo Kimura^[10]
September 15 – Adrian Adonis (died in 1988)
September 29 – Warren Cromartie
December 13 – Brad Rheingans^[10]
December 14 – Fuerza Guerrera^[10]
December 24:
- Ricky Knight
- Steve Wright
December 28 – Tatsumi Fujinami^[11]
December 30 – Bill Kazmaier^[10]

Deaths

May 29 – Man Mountain Dean^[12] (61)
June 13 – Yakov Kozalchik (50)

References

↑ Ruiz Glez, Alex (September 7, 2010). "CMLL: 79 historias, 79 Aniversario, las 79 luchas estelares" [CMLL: 79 stories, 79 anniversaries, the 70 main events]. Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved February 2, 2020.
1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Middleweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 389–390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. pp. 390–391. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Middleweight Championship". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
1 2 3 4 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). ""United States: 19th century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: NWA World Heavyweight Title"". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 15. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Wrestlers debuted in 1953: 1 - 38 of 38". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Wrestlers born in 1953: 1 - 50 of 60". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
1 2 3 4 "Wrestlers born in 1953: 51 - 60 of 60". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
↑ "Wrestlers deceased in 1953: 1 - 19 of 19". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[79Anniversaries-1] Ruiz Glez, Alex (September 7, 2010). "CMLL: 79 historias, 79 Aniversario, las 79 luchas estelares" [CMLL: 79 stories, 79 anniversaries, the 70 main events]. Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved February 2, 2020.

[NWALMiddle-2] 1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Middleweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 389–390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

[NWALWelter-3] 1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

[MexHeavy-4] 1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. pp. 390–391. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

[MexMiddle-5] 1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Middleweight Championship". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

[MexLight-6] 1 2 3 4 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

[MexWelter-7] 1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

[NWAWorlds-8] 1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). ""United States: 19th century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: NWA World Heavyweight Title"". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 15. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

[WD1953Debuts-9] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Wrestlers debuted in 1953: 1 - 38 of 38". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1953Births-10] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Wrestlers born in 1953: 1 - 50 of 60". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1953BirthsPage2-11] 1 2 3 4 "Wrestlers born in 1953: 51 - 60 of 60". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1953Deaths-12] "Wrestlers deceased in 1953: 1 - 19 of 19". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

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Years in professional wrestling
1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026