1999 in professional wrestling

1999 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable events in 1999.

Calendar of notable shows

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Notable events

• January 4 – Fingerpoke of Doom
• January 12 - Shawn Michaels announces retirement
• January 13 - Biography of Andre the Giant airs to highest ratings in A&E history
• February 19 – Bill Goldberg makes a $100,000 challenge to Steve Austin on The Tonight Show
• April 29 – WWF SmackDown pilot airs on on UPN
• May 23 – Owen Hart dies during live broadcast of Over the Edge
• June 7 – Sable files a 110 million-dollar lawsuit against WWF
• June 21 – Owen's widow, Martha Hart files a wrongful death claim against WWF
• June 28 – Tatsumi Fujinami named president of NJPW
• July 1 – Chris Jericho signs contract with WWF
• July 12 – Jerry Lawler announces candidacy for mayor of Memphis, Tennessee
• August 26 - WWF SmackDown debuts on UPN
• August 27 – ECW on TNN debuts
• August 28 – WWF Jakked/Metal debuted on Broadcast syndication replacing WWE Shotgun Saturday Night
• September 10 – Eric Bischoff was fired from World Championship Wrestling (WCW)
• September 17 – Nicole Bass files lawsuit against WWF
• October 3 – Vince Russo and Ed Ferrera become writers for WCW
• October 5 - Darren Drozdov suffers career ending neck injury during WWF SmackDown taping
• October 22 - Beyond the Mat releases in theaters
• November 15-19 – A&E airs new documentaries on Steve Austin, Owen Hart & Mick Foley

Accomplishments and tournaments

AAA

AJW

AJPW

WCW

WWF

Awards and honors

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

Title changes

ECW

FMW

NJPW

WCW

WWF

Debuts

• Uncertain debut date

*Tank Abbott

*Carlito Caribbean Cool

*Primo Colón

*April Hunter

*Towel Boy

*Lance Cade

*Jasmin St. Claire

• February 6 – Eddie Valentine
• March 2 – Hub
• April 14 -
• May 8 - GENTARO
• July 11 - Hikaru (All Japan Women's)
• August 10 - Daisuke Sekimoto
• October 4

*Bryan Danielson

*Hartley Jackson

• October 8 – Brian Kendrick
• October 10

*Hiroshi Tanahashi

*Katsuyori Shibata

• October 23 - Saika Takeuchi (GAEA)
• October 30 – Dave Bautista
• November 5 – John Cena
• November 11 - Tygress
• November 29 - Kaori Yoneyama
• December 8 - Ayako Seki (All Japan Women's)

Retirements

• Marianna Komlos (1999)
• Kenny Kaos (1995–1999)
• The Gambler (1990-1999)
• Hercules (1979–1999)
• Jim Brunzell (1972–1999)
• Johnny Rodz (1964–1999)
• Mike Shaw (1980-1999, returned to wrestling in 2006 and wrestled his last match 2009)
• Steve McMichael (1995–1999)
• Takashi Ishikawa (November 8, 1977 – January 1999)
• Wayne Bloom (1988–1999)
• Yuji Yasuraoka (January 5, 1992 – June 20, 1999)

Births

• January 16 – Ryoya Tanaka
• January 23 – Yuto Kikuchi
• February 17 – Jimmy Lloyd
• February 19 – Aigle Blanc
• March 11 – Takumi Baba
• March 18 – Moka Miyamoto
• May 1 – Tiffany Stratton
• May 4 – Hook
• May 15 – Yuma Anzai
• June 13 – Takahiro Katori
• July 28 – Riko Kawahata
• October 2 – Skye Blue

Deaths

• January 4 - Cyclone Anaya, 81
• January 6 - Joe Christie (wrestler), 82
• January 31 – Giant Baba, 61
• February 9 - Butch Levy, 77
• February 23 – The Renegade, 33
• March 1 - Satoshi Hasegawa, 22
• March 13 – Kurt Von Hess, 56
• March 29 - Herb Welch, 91
• April 9 – Emiko Kado, 23
• April 20 – Rick Rude, 40
• May 1 – Jos LeDuc, 54
• May 23 – Owen Hart, 34
• June 29 - Walter Johnson (defensive tackle), 56
• July 19 - Cavernario Galindo, 75
• August 7 – Jonathan Boyd, 54
• August 9 – Jackie Sato, 41
• September 8 – Brian Hildebrand, 37
• October 6 – Gorilla Monsoon, 62
• October 25 - George Becker, 85
• October 27 - José Aarón Alvarado Nieves, 33
• November 9:
• Wolf Ruvinskis, 78
• Joe Scarpello, 76
• November 13 – Tony Rumble, 43
• November 27 – Hiro Matsuda, 62
• December 3:
• Jerry Monti, 59
• Tami Mauriello, 76

See also

• List of WCW pay-per-view events
• List of WWF pay-per-view events
• List of FMW supercards and pay-per-view events
• List of ECW supercards and pay-per-view events

References