1978 in professional wrestling

1978 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable shows in 1978.

Promotion Name Abbreviation
All Japan Pro Wrestling AJPW
Championship Wrestling from Florida CWF
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre EMLL
National Wrestling Alliance NWA
New Japan Pro Wrestling NJPW
World Wide Wrestling Federation WWWF
Universal Wrestling Association UWA

Calendar of notable shows

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
January 25 UWA 3rd Anniversary Show Naucalpan Mil Máscaras (c) defeated Temojin el Mongol during a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the UWA World Heavyweight Championship
January 25 NWA
WWWF
CWF		 Superbowl of Wrestling Miami, Florida "Superstar" Billy Graham (c - WWWF World Championship) vs. Harley Race (c - NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship) ended in a 60-minute time limit draw during a three fall match
February 23 NWA
WWWF
CWF		 NWA/WWWF World Title Unification Jacksonville, Florida Bob Backlund (c - WWWF World Championship) vs. Harley Race (c - NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship) ended in a 60-minute time limit draw
April 7 AJPW Champion Carnival Sendai, Miyagi, Japan Giant Baba defeated Abdullah the Butcher by count-out
April 21 EMLL 22. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico El Faraón and Ringo Mendoza defeated Alfonso Dantés and Sangre Chicana in a Lucha de Apuestas hair vs. hair match[1]
May 30 NJPW MSG League Tokyo, Japan Antonio Inoki defeated André the Giant by count-out
September 22 EMLL EMLL 45th Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico Sangre Chicana and Rubí Rubalcava defeated El Cobarde and Dragón Rojo in a Lucha de Apuestas hair and mask vs. hair and hair match[2]
October 29 NWA
WWWF
CWF		 NWA/WWWF World Title Unification Orlando, Florida Bob Backlund (c - WWWF World Championship) vs. Harley Race (c - NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship) ended in a draw
December 8 EMLL Juicio Final Mexico City, Mexico Kung Fu defeated El Idolo in a Lucha de Apuestas, mask vs. mask match[3]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Notable events

Accomplishments and tournaments

AJW

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament Hiroko Komine

Awards and honors

1978 PWI Wrestler of the Year, Dusty Rhodes

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

Category Winner
PWI Wrestler of the Year Dusty Rhodes
PWI Tag Team of the Year Ricky Steamboat and Paul Jones
PWI Match of the Year Superstar Billy Graham vs. Bob Backlund
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Dusty Rhodes
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Ric Flair
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year Dino Bravo
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Blackjack Mulligan
PWI Rookie of the Year Tommy Rich
PWI Manager of the Year Arnold Skaaland

Championship changes

EMLL

incoming champion – Alfonso Dantés[4]
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
June 2 El Faraón EMLL show [4]
December 8 Pak Choo EMLL show [4]
Incoming champion – El Faraón
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February 17 Ringo Mendoza EMLL show
April 9 Perro Aguayo EMLL show
June 23 Ringo Mendoza EMLL show
August 13 Tony Salazar EMLL show
Incoming champion – Mano Negra
No title changes
Incoming champion – Raul Mata
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
July 1 El Nazi EMLL show
October 27 TNT EMLL show
Incoming champion – Sangre Chicana
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
No title changes[5]
Incoming champion – Mario Valenzuela[6]
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
August 30 Talisman EMLL show [6]
Incoming champion – Dr. Wagner
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 15 El Canek EMLL show
June 20 Dos Caras EMLL show
Incoming champion – Kung Fu
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 2 Fishman EMLL show
December 10 Kung Fu EMLL show
Incoming champion – Uncertain
No title changes

NWA

Incoming champion – Harley Race
No title changes

Births

CM Punk

Debuts

Debut Date

Date Unknown

Retirements

Deaths

References

  1. ↑ Flores, Manuel (May 25, 2009). "Los Hermano Mendoza - Ringo y Cachorro están de regreso". Super Luchas (in Spanish). pp. 22–23. issue 316.
  2. ↑ "Lucha Libre: Conoce la historia de las leyendas de cuadrilátero". Sangre Chicana (1951) (in Spanish). Mexico. 2008. p. 53. Grandes Figuras de la Lucha Libre.
  3. ↑ "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Kung Fu (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico. October 2007. pp. 10 and 12. Tomo III.
  4. 1 2 3 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Light Heavyweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 389. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  5. ↑ Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. 1 2 Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. ↑ "Tamina Snuka". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2017-12-26.
  8. ↑ Kamchen, Richard. "Sheamus". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on April 29, 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  9. ↑ "Maria Menounos: Biography". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
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