1989 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable events in 1989.

Calendar of notable shows

Notable events

* January the alliance between The American Wrestling Association and The Continental Wrestling Association ended due to AWA Owner

Verne Gagne Laverne Clarence Gagne (February 26, 1926 – April 27, 2015) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, football player, wrestling trainer, and wrestling promoter. He was the owner and promoter of the Minneapolis-based American Wrest ...

refusing to pay then-World Champion

Jerry Lawler Jerry O'Neil Lawler (born November 29, 1949), better known as Jerry "The King" Lawler, is an American color commentator and professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, although he has not performed as a full-time commentator since Ap ...

for participating on the company's first-ever Pay-Per-View AWA SuperClash III. * February 7 - In a live event at St. Paul, Minnesota,

Larry Zbyszko Lawrence Whistler (born December 5, 1951), better known by the ring name Larry Zbyszko, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, Bruno Sammartino, during the early 1980s as well as his w ...

won the battle royal to capture the vacant AWA World Heavyweight Championship. *The

World Wrestling Association The World Wrestling Association (WWA) (Asociación Mundial de Lucha Libre in Spanish) is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora Jr.. It featured some of Mexico's best ''luchadores'' a ...

professional wrestling promotion based out of Indianapolis, Indiana, closed. * August 4 WCCW becomes the USWA when

Eric Embry Douglas Eric Embry (born July 10, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida, World Class Championship Wrestling, and the United States Wrestling Association. H ...

pinned Phil Hickerson in a steel cage match in Dallas, Texas.

Tournaments and accomplishments

AJW

AJPW

NJPW

WCW

WWF

Awards and honors

''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Title changes

WWF

Births

*January 11 –

Natalia Markova Natalia Markova (russian: Наталья Маркова; born 11 January 1989) is a Russian professional wrestler. She is currently signed to the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and also wrestles on the independent circuit. Markova began her ...

*January 25 – Stu Grayson *February 25 – Natsumi Sumikawa *March 1 –

Tenille Dashwood Tenille Averil Dashwood (born 1 March 1989) is an Australian professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Emma. Dashwood started training for professional wrestling in Australia ...

*April 9 –

Bianca Belair Bianca Blair Crawford (born Bianca Nicole Blair; April 9, 1989) is an American professional wrestler and a fitness and figure competitor. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Bianca Belair, a ...

*April 11 –

Ariya Daivari Ariya Daivari ( fa, آریا داوری; born April 11, 1989) is an Iranian-American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Ari Daivari. He is best known for his time in WWE, Ring of Honor (ROH) ...

*April 16 –

Mia Yim Stephanie Hym Lee (née Bell; born April 16, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name "Michin" Mia Yim. She is a member of The O.C.. She is also known for her tim ...

*April 21 – Nikki Cross *April 22 –

Andre Chase Chance Barrow (born April 22, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE where he performs for the NXT (WWE brand), NXT brand under the ring name Andre Chase. He was previously known by the ring name Harlem Bravado where h ...

*May 14 –

Rob Gronkowski Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played h ...

*May 19 – Tom Phillips *June 14 -

Peter Avalon Peter Hernandez (born June 14, 1989), better known by the ring name "Pretty" Peter Avalon, is a Cuban-American professional wrestler signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his appearances in Championship Wrestling from Hollywo ...

*June 15 – Bayley *June 23 –

Billie Kay Jessica McKay (born 23 June 1989) is an Australian professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in WWE, where she performed under the ring name Billie Kay and for her time in Impact Wrestling, where she competed as Jessie McKay. In J ...

*July 5 –

Adam Cole Austin Kirk Jenkins (born July 5, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Adam Cole. He is also known for his tenures with WWE and Ring of Honor (ROH). C ...

*July 28 –

Nick Jackson Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing * Short for nickname Pla ...

*August 8 – Gianni Valletta *August 16 –

Cedric Alexander Cedric Alexander Johnson (born August 16, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Alexander worked for Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2010 until 2016. He started as part of C&C Factory, ...

*August 28 –

Christina Von Eerie Christina Maria Kardooni (born August 28, 1989) is an American professional wrestler, better known by her ring name Christina Von Eerie. She has worked for various promotions, including the American Global Force Wrestling (GFW), Pro Wrestling Gue ...

*September 20 -

Ethan Page Julian Micevski (born September 20, 1989), better known by his ring name Ethan Page, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The Firm. Page is best known for his work in Imp ...

*October 3 – T. K. O'Ryan *October 11 –

Riddick Moss Michael Carter Rallis (born October 10, 1989) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former college football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand under ...

*October 24 – Heidi Howitzer *November 3 – Andrade "Cien" Almas *December 4 –

Hiromu Takahashi (born December 4, 1989) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he is a member of the ''Los Ingobernables de Japón'' stable. Takahashi made his debut for NJPW on August 28, 2010, and worked ...

Debuts

Debut date

Uncertain debut date

Retirements

* Al Tomko (July 9, 1954 – 1989) *

Alfonso Dantés José Luis Amezcua Díaz (April 13, 1943 – July 30, 2008) was a Mexican professional wrestler who wrestled during the 1960s and 1970s under the ring name Alfonso Dantés (the name was taken from the main character of the Count of Monte Cristo no ...

(1960–1989) *

Blue Demon Alejandro Muñoz Moreno (April 24, 1922 – December 16, 2000), better known by the ring name Blue Demon (''Demonio Azul'' in Spanish), was a Mexican film actor and ''luchador enmascarado'' (Spanish for masked professional wrestler). Blue Demo ...

(March 31, 1948 – August 27, 1989) *

Jonathan Boyd Jonathan Barry Boyle (21 October 1944 – 7 August 1999) was an Australian professional wrestler who is known worldwide under the name "Lord" Jonathan Boyd. Initially Boyd competed both in North American and international promotions as part of ...

(1966–1989) *

Nelson Royal Nelson Combs (July 21, 1935 – February 3, 2002) was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, better known by his ring name, Nelson Royal. He held the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship on six occasions along with numerou ...

(1955–1989) * Rayo de Jalisco (February 1950 – 1989) *

Steve Rickard Sydney Mervin "Merv" Batt (3 September 1929 – 5 April 2015), best known by his ring name Steve Rickard, was a New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter. As a wrestler, he traveled throughout the world during the 1960s and 1970s, ...

(1943–1989) * Victor Rivera (1964–1989) *

Big John Studd John William Minton (February 19, 1948 – March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. Studd is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wr ...

(1972–1989)

Deaths

*January 6 - Mario Galento, 73 *January 7 - Aslam Pahalwan, 61 *February 18 -

Mildred Burke Mildred Burke (August 5, 1915 – February 18, 1989) was an American professional wrestler. She is overall a three-time women's world champion under different incarnations and recognitions. Burke's heyday lasted from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950 ...

, 73 *March 7 -

Paul Boesch Paul Max Boesch (October 2, 1912March 7, 1989) was an American professional wrestler and promoter, most famous for his work as an announcer and promoter for Houston Wrestling. He also spent several stints working with the Universal Wrestling Fed ...

, 76 *March 14 –

Happy Humphrey William Joseph Cobb (July 16, 1926 – March 14, 1989), best known by his ring and screen names of Happy Humphrey, Happy Farmer Humphrey, and "Squasher" Humphrey, was an American professional wrestler, known as the heaviest professional wrestler ...

, 62 *April 17 –

Villano II José Alfredo Díaz Mendoza (September 25, 1949 – April 17, 1989) was a Mexican ''Luchador'' '' enmascarado'' (masked professional wrestler), better known by his ring name, Villano II (Villano Segundo). Despite being numbered "II" he was the o ...

, 39 *December 7 –

Haystacks Calhoun William Dee Calhoun (August 3, 1934 – December 7, 1989) was an American professional wrestler, who used the professional name "Haystack" or "Haystacks" Calhoun. Early life Born on August 3, 1934, William Dee Calhoun grew up on a farm i ...

, 55 *December 28 –

Earl Patrick Freeman Earl Patrick Freeman (August 23, 1932 – December 28, 1989) was a Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Paddy Ryan, who competed in North American and international promotions during the 1950s and 60s. While competing in ...

, 57

References

{{Years in professional wrestling