2001 in professional wrestling

2001 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of years in professional wrestling

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable shows in 2001.

Promotion Name Abbreviation Notes
All Japan Pro Wrestling AJPW
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre CMLL
Extreme Championship Wrestling ECW ECW closed in April due to financial trouble, after which, former ECW stars began appearing on WWF programming, but still promoted as ECW stars for The Invasion storyline. The promotion's assets were later acquired by the WWF (which at that point had been renamed to WWE) in 2003.
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling FMW
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide AAA The "AAA" abbreviation has been used since the mid-1990s and had previously stood for the promotion's original name Asistencia Asesoría y Administración.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling NJPW
World Championship Wrestling WCW WCW went bankrupt and was bought by rival company WWF in March, after which, former WCW stars began appearing on WWF programming, but still promoted as WCW stars for The Invasion storyline.
World Wrestling All-Stars WWA
World Wrestling Council WWC
World Wrestling Federation WWF
World Xtreme Wrestling WXW

Calendar of notable shows

January
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
January 4 NJPW Wrestling World Tokyo, Japan
January 7 FMW New Year Generation 2001: Day 1 Tokyo, Japan
ECW Guilty as Charged New York, New York
January 14 WCW Sin Indianapolis, Indiana [1]
January 16 FMW New Year Generation 2001: Day 6 Tokyo, Japan
January 21 WWF Royal Rumble New Orleans, Louisiana
January 28 AJPW
NJPW		 Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular Tokyo, Japan

February
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
February 6 FMW New Year Generation 2001: Day 6 Tokyo, Japan
February 18 WCW SuperBrawl Revenge Nashville, Tennessee [2]
February 25 WWF No Way Out Las Vegas, Nevada

March
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
March 5 FMW Winning Road 2001: Tag 2 Tokyo, Japan
March 13 FMW Winning Road 2001: Tag 7 Tokyo, Japan
March 18 WCW Greed Jacksonville, Florida [3]
March 30 AAA Rey de Reyes Ciudad Madero, Mexico
March 30 CMLL Juicio Final Mexico City, Mexico

April
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
April 1 FMW Fighting Creation 2001: Tag 2 Tokyo, Japan
April 1 WWF WrestleMania X-Seven Houston, Texas
April 13 CMLL 45. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico
April 15 FMW Fighting Creation 2001: Tag 3 Tokyo, Japan
April 29 WWF Backlash Rosemont, Illinois

May
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
May 5 NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Fukuoka, Japan
May 5 FMW FMW 12th Anniversary Show Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
May 5 WWF Insurrextion London, England
May 11 FMW Neo 2001: Day 1 Tokyo, Japan
May 20 WWF Judgment Day Sacramento, California
May 26 AAA Triplemanía IX Mexico City, Mexico

June
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
June 8 FMW King of Fight 2001: Day 1 Tokyo, Japan
June 24 WWF King of the Ring East Rutherford, New Jersey

July
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
July 20 FMW King of Fight II 2001: Day 9 Tokyo, Japan
July 22 WWF Invasion Cleveland, Ohio
July 24 FMW Rolling Thunder Riverside Death Match Series In Edogawa Kyotei Tokyo, Japan

August
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
August 3 FMW Super Dynamism 2001: Day 4 Tokyo, Japan
August 9 N/A Fourth Annual Brian Pillman Memorial Show Cincinnati, Ohio
August 4–12 NJPW G1 Climax Tokyo
August 11 N/A Terry Gordy Memorial Show Birmingham, Alabama
August 11 FMW Super Dynamism 2001: Day 6 Tokyo, Japan
August 19 WWF SummerSlam San Jose, California

September
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
September 8 WWC WWC 28th Aniversario Bayamón, Puerto Rico
September 9 FMW Super Dynamism 2001: Day 14 Tokyo, Japan
September 16 AAA Verano de Escándalo Naucalpan, Mexico
September 23 WWF Unforgiven Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
September 28 CMLL CMLL 68th Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico

October
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
October 9 FMW Power Splash 2001: Day 4 Tokyo, Japan
October 21 WWF No Mercy St. Louis, Missouri
October 22 FMW Power Splash 2001: Day 13 Tokyo, Japan
October 26 WWA The Inception Sydney, Australia

November
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes
November 3 FMW Iizuka Car Race Special I Fukuoka, Japan
November 3 WWF Rebellion Manchester, England [4]
November 4 FMW Iizuka Car Race Special II Fukuoka, Japan
November 5 FMW Scramble Survivor 2001: Day 1 Tokyo, Japan
November 18 WWF Survivor Series Greensboro, North Carolina
November 23 AAA Guerra de Titanes Mexico City, Mexico
November 23 FMW Scramble Survivor 2001: Day 1 Tokyo, Japan
November 29 WXW Yokozuna Memorial Show Allentown, Pennsylvania

December
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
December 9 FMW FMW PPV Tokyo, Japan
WWF Vengeance San Diego, California
December 14 CMLL Sin Piedad Mexico City, Mexico
December 21 FMW Year End Sensation 2001 Tokyo, Japan

Accomplishments and tournaments

AAA
Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Rey de Reyes La Parka, Jr. March 30

WCW
Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship Tournament Elix Skipper and Kid Romeo March 18

WWF
Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Royal Rumble Stone Cold Steve Austin January 21 Last eliminated Kane to win a WWF Championship match at WrestleMania X-Seven, which he subsequently won from The Rock in a no disqualification match.
King of the Ring Edge June 24 Defeated Kurt Angle in the tournament final to win and be crowned King of the Ring.
Undisputed WWF Championship Tournament Chris Jericho December 9 Defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin in the tournament final to unify the WWF Championship and World Championship and become the Undisputed WWF Champion.

Awards and honors

Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Main article: List of Pro Wrestling Illustrated awards
Category Winner
PWI Wrestler of the Year Stone Cold Steve Austin
PWI Tag Team of the Year The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)
PWI Match of the Year The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian (WrestleMania X-Seven)
PWI Feud of the Year Shane McMahon vs. Vince McMahon
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Rob Van Dam
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Stone Cold Steve Austin
PWI Comeback of the Year Rob Van Dam
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year Edge
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Kurt Angle
PWI Rookie of the Year Randy Orton
PWI Woman of the Year Lita
PWI Editor's Award Johnny Valentine

Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Main article: Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Inductee
Black Shadow
Diablo Velasco
Lizmark
Bull Nakano
El Satánico

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Main article: List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Category Winner
Wrestler of the Year Keiji Mutoh
Most Outstanding Kurt Angle
Tag Team of the Year Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Most Improved Keiji Mutoh
Best on Interviews Stone Cold Steve Austin

Title changes

ECW
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Steve Corino
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 7 The Sandman Guilty as Charged This was a Tables, Ladders, Chairs, and Canes match also involving Justin Credible.
January 7 Rhino
April 11 Deactivated N/A ECW closed on April 4, and World Wrestling Entertainment purchased its assets in 2003.
ECW World Television Championship
Incoming champion – Rhino
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 11 Deactivated N/A
ECW World Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – Danny Doring and Roadkill
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 11 Deactivated N/A

NJPW
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Vacant
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 4 Kensuke Sasaki Wrestling World
March 17 Scott Norton N/A
April 9 Kazuyuki Fujita Strong Style
IWGP Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
September 23 Osamu Nishimura and Tatsumi Fujinami G1 World
October 28 BATT
(Keiji Mutoh and Taiyo Kea)		 Survival 2001: Fighting Destination in Fukuoka
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Minoru Tanaka
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
July 20 Masayuki Naruse Dome Quake
October 29 Kendo Kashin Indicate of Next
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – Koji Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 6 El Samurai and Jushin Thunder Liger Hyper Battle
July 20 Gedo and Jado Dome Quake

WCW
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Scott Steiner
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 26 Booker T Nitro This was the final episode of Nitro as WCW was purchased by the WWF on March 23.
After being acquired by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the title was then defended on WWF programming where it was referred to as the WCW Championship.
July 24
(aired July 26)		 Kurt Angle SmackDown!
July 30 Booker T Raw Is War
August 19 The Rock SummerSlam
October 21 Chris Jericho No Mercy
November 5 The Rock Raw
The title was renamed to World Championship on November 19 after the demise of The Alliance.
December 9 Chris Jericho Vengeance After defeating The Rock for the World Championship, Chris Jericho defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin to unify the World Championship with the WWF Championship.
Unified After unification with the WWF Championship, the World Championship was retired and the WWF Championship became the Undisputed WWF Championship.
WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Incoming champion – Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 18 Shane Helms Greed
After being acquired by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on March 23, the title was then defended on WWF programming.
July 3
(aired July 5)		 Billy Kidman SmackDown!
July 30 X-Pac Raw Is War
October 9
(aired October 11)		 Billy Kidman SmackDown!
October 22 Tajiri Raw
Title was renamed WWF Cruiserweight Championship on November 18 and replaced the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship.
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – General Rection
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 14 Shane Douglas Sin
February 5 Rick Steiner Nitro
March 18 Booker T Greed
After being acquired by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on March 23, the title was then defended on WWF programming where it was referred to as the WCW United States Championship.
July 24
(aired July 26)		 Kanyon SmackDown! Given the title by Booker T since Booker also held the WCW Championship.
September 10 Tajiri Raw is War
September 23 Rhyno Unforgiven
October 22 Kurt Angle Raw
November 12 Edge Raw
November 18 Deactivated Survivor Series At the event, Edge defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Test to unify the Intercontinental and United States championships. The United States Championship was deactivated in favor of continuing the Intercontinental Championship.
WCW Hardcore Championship
Incoming champion – Terry Funk
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 14 Meng Sin This was a triple threat hardcore match also involving Crowbar
January 21 Deactivated N/A Meng left WCW for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) a week after winning the title to compete as Haku in the WWF's Royal Rumble and the title was abandoned
WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship
(Title created)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 18 Kid Romeo and Elix Skipper Greed Defeated the Filthy Animals in a tournament final to become the inaugural champions
March 26 The Filthy Animals
(Billy Kidman and Rey Misterio, Jr.)		 Monday Nitro: Night of Champions
March 26 Abandoned N/A The World Wrestling Federation (WWF) purchased WCW and the Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship was abandoned.
WCW World Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – The Insiders (Diamond Dallas Page and Kevin Nash)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 14 The Natural Born Thrillers
(Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire)		 Sin
After being acquired by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on March 23, the title was then defended on WWF programming where it was referred to as the WCW Tag Team Championship.
August 7
(aired August 9)		 The Brothers of Destruction
(Kane and The Undertaker)		 SmackDown!
September 25
(aired September 27)		 Booker T and Test SmackDown!
October 8 The Hardy Boyz
(Matt and Jeff Hardy)		 Raw
October 23
(aired October 25)		 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)		 SmackDown!
November 18 Unified Survivor Series Unified with the WWF Tag Team Championship after The Dudley Boyz defeated WWF Tag Team Champions The Hardy Boyz in a title unification match.

WWF
WWF Championship
Incoming champion – Kurt Angle
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February 25 The Rock No Way Out After the WWF purchased World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in March, the WCW Championship became a second concurrently active world championship in the WWF.
April 1 Stone Cold Steve Austin WrestleMania X-Seven This was a no disqualification match.
September 23 Kurt Angle Unforgiven
October 8 Stone Cold Steve Austin Raw
December 9 Chris Jericho Vengeance Earlier the same night, Jericho defeated (WCW) World Champion The Rock for that title. By defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship, Jericho unified both titles as the Undisputed WWF Championship.
Title was renamed Undisputed WWF Championship.
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Incoming champion – Chris Benoit
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 21 Chris Jericho Royal Rumble This was a ladder match.
April 3
(aired April 5)		 Triple H SmackDown!
April 10
(aired April 12)		 Jeff Hardy SmackDown!
April 16 Triple H Raw Is War
May 20 Kane Judgment Day This was a Chain match
June 26
(aired June 28)		 Albert SmackDown!
July 23 Lance Storm Raw Is War
August 19 Edge SummerSlam
September 23 Christian Unforgiven
October 21 Edge No Mercy
November 5 Test Raw
November 18 Edge Survivor Series Title unification match, in which the WCW United States Championship, which Edge held, was unified with the WWF Intercontinental Championship. The United States Championship was deactivated in favor of continuing the Intercontinental Championship.
WWF Light Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Dean Malenko
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 13
(aired March 18)		 Crash Holly Sunday Night Heat
April 29 Jerry Lynn Sunday Night Heat
June 5
(aired June 7)		 Jeff Hardy SmackDown!
June 25 X-Pac Raw Is War
August 6 Tajiri Raw Is War
August 19 X-Pac SummerSlam
November 18 Retired N/A Retired in favor of continuing the WCW Cruiserweight Championship, which was renamed to WWF Cruiserweight Championship.
WWF Women's Championship
Incoming champion – Ivory
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 1 Chyna WrestleMania X-Seven
November 1 Vacated N/A
November 18 Trish Stratus Survivor Series This was a six pack challenge for the vacant title also involving Ivory (Alliance), Jazz (Alliance), Jacqueline (WWF), Lita (WWF), and Mighty Molly (Alliance).
WWF European Championship
Incoming champion – William Regal
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 22 Test Raw Is War
April 1 Eddie Guerrero WrestleMania X-Seven
April 24
(aired April 26)		 Matt Hardy SmackDown!
August 27 The Hurricane Raw Is War
October 22 Bradshaw Raw
October 30
(aired November 1)		 Christian SmackDown!
WWF Tag Team Championship
Incoming champions – Edge and Christian
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 21 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)		 Royal Rumble
March 5 The Hardy Boyz
(Matt and Jeff Hardy)		 Raw Is War
March 19 Edge and Christian Raw Is War
March 19 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)		 Raw Is War
April 1 Edge and Christian WrestleMania X-Seven This was a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match also involving The Hardy Boyz.
April 17
(aired April 19)		 The Brothers of Destruction
(Kane and The Undertaker)		 SmackDown!
April 29 The Two-Man Power Trip
(Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H)		 Backlash
May 21 Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho Raw Is War
June 19
(aired June 21)		 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)		 SmackDown!
July 9 The Acolytes Protection Agency
(Bradshaw and Faarooq)		 Raw Is War
August 7
(aired August 9)		 Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon SmackDown!
August 19 The Brothers of Destruction
(Kane and The Undertaker)		 SummerSlam
September 17 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)		 Raw Is War
October 22 Chris Jericho and The Rock Raw
October 30
(aired November 1)		 Booker T and Test SmackDown!
November 12 The Hardy Boyz
(Matt and Jeff Hardy)		 Raw
November 18 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)		 Survivor Series Title unification match, in which the WCW Tag Team Championship, which The Dudley Boyz held, was unified with the WWF Tag Team Championship.
WWF Hardcore Championship
Incoming champion – Raven
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 22 Al Snow Raw Is War
Raven
February 3 K-Kwik House show
Crash Holly
Raven
February 4 K-Kwik House show
Crash Holly
Raven
February 6
(aired February 8)		 Hardcore Holly SmackDown!
Raven
February 10 Hardcore Holly House show
Raven
February 11 Hardcore Holly House show
Al Snow
Raven
February 17 Steve Blackman House show
Raven
February 18 Steve Blackman House show
Raven
February 25 Billy Gunn No Way Out Pinned Raven during a title defense against Big Show.
Raven
Big Show
March 19 Raven Raw Is War
April 1 Kane WrestleMania X-Seven This was a Triple Threat Hardcore match also involving Big Show.
April 17
(aired April 19)		 Rhyno SmackDown!
May 21 Big Show Raw Is War
May 28 Chris Jericho Raw Is War
Rhyno
June 12
(aired June 14)		 Test SmackDown!
June 25 Rhyno Raw Is War
Mike Awesome
July 10
(aired July 12)		 Jeff Hardy SmackDown!
July 22 Rob Van Dam Invasion
August 13 Jeff Hardy Raw Is War Pinned Rob Van Dam during a title defense against Kurt Angle.
August 19 Rob Van Dam SummerSlam
September 10 Kurt Angle Raw Is War
Rob Van Dam
December 9 The Undertaker Vengeance

Debuts
  • Uncertain debut date

Retirements

Deaths

See also

References
  1. "WCW Sin Results". TWNPNews. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
  2. "WCW SuperBrawl". Archived from the original on 2008-06-03. Retrieved 2017-12-25.
  3. "Greed". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
  4. "Historical Cards: Rebellion (November 3, 2001. Manchester, England)". PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. p. 156. 2007 Edition.
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