1999 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 o ...

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable shows 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 William Scott Goldberg (born December 27, 1966), often known mononymously as Goldberg, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and former professional football player. He is best known for his tenures in WCW and WWE. One of the most ...

makes a $100,000 challenge to

Steve Austin Steve Austin (born Steven James Anderson; December 18, 1964), better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American media personality, actor, and retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most ...

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...

*April 29 –

WWF SmackDown ''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes simulc ...

debuted on

UPN The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which pr ...

*May 23 –

Death of Owen Hart The 1999 Over the Edge was the second annual and final Over the Edge professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, renamed to WWE in 2002). It was held on May 23, 1999, at Kemper Arena in Kansa ...

*June 7 –

Sable The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...

files a 110 million-dollar lawsuit against the WWF *June 21 – Owen's widow, Martha Hart files a wrongful death claim against the WWF *June 28 –

Tatsumi Fujinami (born December 28, 1953) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. ...

named president of

NJPW (NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority share ...

*July 1 –

Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jeri ...

signs contract with WWF *July 12 –

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 Apr ...

announces run for mayor of

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

*August 27 –

ECW on TNN ''ECW on TNN'', also known as '' ECW Wrestling'', is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and aired on The Nashville Network (TNN, now Paramount Network). Created by P ...

debuted *August 28 –

WWF Jakked/Metal ''WWF Jakked'' and ''WWF Metal'' are professional wrestling television programs that were produced by the World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE). Both programs aired syndicated weekly from August 28, 1999 until May 19, 2002 and replaced '' ...

debuted on

Broadcast syndication Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States where ...

replacing WWE Shotgun Saturday Night *September 10 –

Eric Bischoff Eric Aaron Bischoff (born May 27, 1955) is an American television producer, professional wrestling booker, and performer. He is best known for serving as Executive Producer and later Senior Vice President of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and ...

was fired from

World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...

(WCW) *September 17 –

Nicole Bass Nicole Fuchs (''née'' Bass; August 10, 1964 – February 17, 2017) was an American bodybuilder, actress, professional wrestler, and professional wrestling valet. She worked for companies such as Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling F ...

files lawsuit against the WWF *October 3 –

Vince Russo Vincent James Russo (born January 24, 1961) is an American professional wrestling booker, writer, and pundit. He is notable for his tenures with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Total Nonstop ...

and

Ed Ferrera Edward Ferrara (born November 22, 1966) is an American retired professional wrestler, writer and agent for the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling, often co-working alongside Vince Russo. He is most known for, in WCW, p ...

became writers for WCW *November 15-19 – A&E airs new documentaries on

Owen Hart Owen James Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian-American professional wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wres ...

Mick Foley Michael Francis Foley (born June 7, 1965) is an American actor, author, retired professional wrestler, and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE under the company's Legends program, acting as a company ambassador. Foley worked for m ...

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 David Lee "Tank" Abbott (born April 26, 1965) is an American retired mixed martial arts fighter, professional wrestler, and author. He currently hosts his own podcast series titled "The Proving Ground with Tank Abbott." Abbott is perhaps best kn ...

CM Punk Phillip Jack Brooks (born October 26, 1978), better known by the ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler, sports commentator, actor, and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Best known for ...

:* Carlito Caribbean Cool :*

Primo Colón Edwin Carlos Colón (born December 21, 1982) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler best known for his time with WWE, where he performed under the ring name Primo Colón, or simply Primo. He now competes in the World Wrestling Council (WWC) und ...

April Hunter April Hunter (born September 24, 1976) is an American retired professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet, boxer, actress, writer, fitness model and glamour model. She has appeared in publications including ''MuscleMag International'' ...

:* Towel Boy :*

Lance Cade Lance Kurtis McNaught (March 2, 1981 – August 13, 2010) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he performed under the ring names Garrison Cade and Lance Cade. After be ...

Jasmin St. Claire Jasmin St. Claire (born October 23, 1972) is an American former pornographic actress. She is also known for her work as a professional wrestling personality, most notably for ECW. She has made appearances in the world of professional wrestling a ...

*February 6 – Eddie Valentine *March 2 – Hub *April 14 - Ai Fujita *May 8 - GENTARO *July 11 - Hikaru (All Japan Women's) *August 10 -

Daisuke Sekimoto (born February 9, 1981) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) in the Strong BJ division. He is also known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max. He is a three-time BJW World Strong Heavyw ...

*October 4 –

Bryan Danielson Bryan Lloyd Danielson (born May 22, 1981) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of the Blackpool Combat Club. He is also known for his time in WWE, where he worked fro ...

*October 8 –

Brian Kendrick Brian David Kendrick (born May 29, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE. Kendrick is also known for his appearances with Ring of Honor (ROH), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), New Japan Pro-Wrest ...

*October 10 :*

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He works primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, his accolades in NJPW include a record setting eight reigns as IWGP Heavywei ...

Katsuyori Shibata is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and professional wrestling trainer. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense. He is currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a f ...

*October 30 –

Dave Bautista David Michael Bautista Jr. (born January 18, 1969) is an American actor and retired professional wrestler. He had several stints in WWE between 2002 and 2019. In his acting career, he is most widely known for his portrayal of Drax the Destro ...

*November 5 –

John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied w ...

*November 11 - Tygress *November 29 -

Kaori Yoneyama is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer on the Japanese independent circuit. Yoneyama started her career in 1999, working with the JWP Joshi Puroresu promotion. During the following years, she became a one-time J ...

*December 8 - Ayako Seki (All Japan Women's)

Retirements

Marianna Komlos Marianna Komlos (September 3, 1969 – September 26, 2004) was a Canadian bodybuilding, bodybuilder, Model (person)#Fitness models, fitness model and professional wrestling manager (professional wrestling), manager. She is perhaps best known for h ...

(1999) *

Kenny Kaos Kenneth M. Stasiowski (born June 18, 1970) is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint with World Championship Wrestling, where he performed under the ring name Kenny Kaos and wrestled as a part of the tag team Hig ...

(1995–1999) * The Gambler (1990-1999) *

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

(1979–1999) *

Jim Brunzell James Brunzell (born August 13, 1949) is an American retired professional wrestler. Best known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions during his 21-year career. Early life The son of a navy pilot, Br ...

(1972–1999) *

Johnny Rodz John Rodriguez (born May 16, 1941) is an American former professional wrestler. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Rodz. Professional wrestling career World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling ...

(1964–1999) *

Mike Shaw Michael Paul Shaw (May 9, 1957 – September 11, 2010) was an American professional wrestler who was best known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Norman the Lunatic, and as Bastion Booger in the World Wrestling Federation (W ...

(1980-1999, returned to wrestling in 2006 and wrestled his last match 2009) *

Steve McMichael Stephen Douglas McMichael (born October 17, 1957), nicknamed "Mongo", "Ming" and "Ming the Merciless", is an American former professional football player, sports broadcaster, and professional wrestler. McMichael played college football for the U ...

(1995–1999) *

Takashi Ishikawa is a former professional wrestler and sumo wrestler from Fujishima, Higashitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Sumo wrestling career He played baseball up to junior high school, but at Sakata Minami High School he switched to sumo an ...

(November 8, 1977 – January 1999) *

Wayne Bloom Wayne Bloom (born March 22, 1958) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under his birth name and with the World Wres ...

(1988–1999) *

Yuji Yasuraoka Yuji Yasuraoka (安良岡裕二 ''Yasuraoka Yuji'') (born January 28, 1971) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Wrestle Association R, where he became a one-time International Junior Heavyweight Champion ...

(January 5, 1992 – June 20, 1999)

Births

* May 4 -

Hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

* October 2 -

Skye Blue Skye Dolecki (born October 2, 1999) is an American professional wrestler. She is currently working for the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Skye Blue. She has also appeared on NWA Powerrr and Warrior Wrestling. ...

Deaths

* January 4 -

Cyclone Anaya In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an ant ...

, 81 * January 31 –

Giant Baba , best known by his ring name , was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter, and professional baseball player. He is best known as a co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), a promotion he founded in 1972 along with Mitsuo Momota ...

, 61 * February 9 -

Butch Levy Leonard Bernard "Butch / Len" Levy (February 19, 1921 – February 9, 1999) was an American professional athlete. The 1941 NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and 1942 Amateur Athletic Union, AAU champion, he was selected by the Cleveland Rams o ...

, 77 * February 23 – The Renegade, 33 * March 13 –

Kurt Von Hess William Terry (April 10, 1942 – March 13, 1999) was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Kurt Von Hess, who competed in North American and international promotions during the 1970s and 1980s, including International Wrest ...

, 56 * March 29 -

Herb Welch Herbert Doyan Welch, Jr. (born January 12, 1961) is a former American football Safety (gridiron football position), safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions. He also played ...

, 91 * April 9 –

Emiko Kado ; January 28, 1976 – April 9, 1999) was a Japanese people, Japanese female professional wrestler. She died after a wrestling injury, only months into her professional career. Kado's wrestling-related ring death was the second to occur in Ja ...

, 23 * April 20 –

Rick Rude Richard Erwin Rood (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999), better known by his ring name "Ravishing" Rick Rude, was an American professional wrestler who performed for many promotions, including World Championship Wrestling (WCW), World Wrestling ...

, 40 * May 1 –

Jos LeDuc Michel Pigeon (August 31, 1944 – May 1, 1999) was a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Jos LeDuc. Wrestling with a lumberjack gimmick, he debuted in Stampede Wrestling with his kayfabe brother, Paul LeDuc. The pair ...

, 54 * May 23 –

, 34 * June 29 -

Walter Johnson (defensive tackle) Walter Johnson III (November 13, 1942 – June 30, 1999) was an American football defensive tackle who was drafted in the second round of the 1965 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He was a 3-time Pro Bowler (1967, 1968, 1969), a pro wrestle ...

, 56 * July 19 -

Cavernario Galindo Rodolfo Galindo Ramirez (September 27, 1923 – July 19, 1999) was a Mexican luchador and film actor, best known by his ring name Cavernario Galindo (Caveman Galindo), who was active in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre from the 1930s to the 1990s. W ...

, 75 * August 7 –

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 ...

, 54 * August 9 –

Jackie Sato , better known as was a professional wrestler from Yokohama, Japan. In the 1970s, while wrestling for All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW), she formed the tag team, the Beauty Pair, with Maki Ueda. Following in the steps of Mach Fumiake, the Bea ...

, 41 * September 8 –

Brian Hildebrand Brian Curtis Hildebrand (January 21, 1962 – September 8, 1999) was an American professional wrestling manager, wrestler and referee who sometimes went by the name of Mark Curtis. Although trained in brawling, technical, and high-flying wrestli ...

, 37 * October 6 –

Gorilla Monsoon Robert James Marella (June 4, 1937 – October 6, 1999), better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play commentator, and booker. Monsoon is famous for his run as a villainous super-heavyw ...

, 62 * October 27 -

José Aarón Alvarado Nieves José Aarón Alvarado Nieves (May 9, 1966 – October 27, 1999) was a Mexican ''luchador'' or masked professional wrestler, best known under the ring names Robin Hood, El Arquero and Brazo Cibernético. José Aarón was a member of the extensi ...

, 33 * November 9: *

Wolf Ruvinskis Wolf Ruvinskis (October 31, 1921 – November 9, 1999), born Wolf Ruvinskis Manevics, was a Latvian-Mexican actor and professional wrestler. He was married to dancer Armida Herrera. Born to a Latvian mother and a Ukrainian father, of Jewish back ...

, 78 * Joe Scarpello, 76 * November 13 –

Tony Rumble Anthony David Magliaro (November 6, 1956 – November 13, 1999) was an American professional wrestler and manager, known by the ring name Boston Bad Boy Tony Rumble. He competed on the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit during th ...

, 43 * November 27 –

Hiro Matsuda (July 22, 1937 – November 27, 1999) was a Japanese professional wrestler and trainer best known by his ring name . He trained many professional wrestlers including Hulk Hogan, The Great Muta, "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, Scott Hall, Lex ...

, 62

References

{{Years in professional wrestling