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Professional wrestling-related events during the year of 2008
Overview of the events of 2008 in professional wrestling
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List of years in professional wrestling
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2008 in professional wrestling
describes the year's events in the world of
professional wrestling
.
List of notable promotions
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These promotions held notable events in 2008.
Calendar of notable shows
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January
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February
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March
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April
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June
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Date
|
Promotion(s)
|
Event
|
Location
|
Main Event
|
1
|
WWE
:
|
One Night Stand
|
San Diego
,
California
|
Edge
defeated
The Undertaker
in the
Tables, Ladders, and Chairs
match to win the vacant
World Heavyweight Championship
|
7
|
ROH
|
Respect is Earned
|
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
The Age of the Fall
(
Jimmy Jacobs
and
Tyler Black
) (c) defeated TeamWork (
Austin Aries
and
Bryan Danielson
) in a Tag team match to retain the
ROH World Tag Team Championship
|
8
|
TNA
|
Slammiversary
|
Southaven, Mississippi
|
Samoa Joe
(c) defeated
Booker T
,
Christian Cage
,
Rhino
and
Robert Roode
in the
King of the Mountain match
to retain the
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
with
Kevin Nash
as special guest enforcer
|
13
|
AAA
|
Triplemania XVI
|
Naucalpan
,
Mexico
|
Cibernetico
(c) defeated
El Zorro
in a Singles match for the
AAA Mega Championship
|
13
|
CMLL
|
Infierno en el Ring
|
Mexico City, Mexico
|
10-man Infierno en el Ring, Lucha de Apuesta hair vs. hair Steel cage match
|
29
|
WWE
:
|
Night of Champions
|
Dallas, Texas
|
Triple H
(c) defeated
John Cena
in a Singles match to retain the
WWE Championship
|
(c) ? denotes defending champion(s)
|
July
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August
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September
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October
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November
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December
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Accomplishments and tournaments
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AAA Hall of Fame
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Ring of Honor
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Sendai Girls
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Accomplishment
|
Winner
|
Date won
|
Notes
|
Royal Rumble
|
John Cena
|
January 27
|
Winner received their choice of a championship match for either
Raw
's
WWE Championship
,
SmackDown
's
World Heavyweight Championship
, or the
ECW Championship
at
WrestleMania XXIV
; Cena last eliminated
Triple H
to win but instead of waiting until WrestleMania, Cena used his championship opportunity to challenge
Randy Orton
for his own brand's WWE Championship at
No Way Out
. Cena did not win the championship at No Way Out, but still ended up being in the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania but was also unsuccessful there where Orton retained over Cena and Triple H in a
triple threat match
.
|
Money in the Bank ladder match
|
CM Punk
|
March 30
|
Defeated
Carlito
,
Chris Jericho
,
John Morrison
,
Mr. Kennedy
,
Montel Vontavious Porter
, and
Shelton Benjamin
to win a world championship match contract. Punk from
Raw
cashed in his contract and won
SmackDown
's
World Heavyweight Championship
from
Edge
on the June 30 episode of
Raw
after Edge had just received a beat down from
Batista
. The World Heavyweight Championship was transferred to Raw upon Punk's win.
|
King of the Ring
|
William Regal
|
April 21
|
Defeated
CM Punk
in the tournament final to win and be crowned King of the Ring.
|
Championship Chase Tournament
|
Edge
|
May 9
|
Last eliminated
Batista
to win a battle royal, which was a tournament final to determine
The Undertaker
's challenger for the vacant
World Heavyweight Championship
at
Judgment Day
; Undertaker had been stripped of the title for using a banned submission hold, Hell's Gate, on Edge in their match at
Backlash
. The match at Judgment Day, however, ended in a countout victory for Undertaker. The two faced each other again for the vacant title at
One Night Stand
where Edge defeated Undertaker to win the title.
|
WWE Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender's Tournament
|
CM Punk
|
December 14
|
Defeated
Rey Mysterio
in the tournament final to win an
Intercontinental Championship
match, which Punk received on the January 5, 2009 episode of
Raw
, but failed to win the title due to
William Regal
getting himself counted out. Punk gained the title in a rematch two weeks later that was contested under no disqualification rules.
|
Race To The Rumble Tournament
|
John "Bradshaw" Layfield
|
December 29
|
Defeated
Shawn Michaels
,
Randy Orton
, and
Chris Jericho
in a
fatal four-way match
, which was the final of a tournament to determine the number one contender for the
World Heavyweight Championship
at the
2009 Royal Rumble
. JBL, however, was unsuccessful against
John Cena
at the event.
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WWE Hall of Fame
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Slammy Awards
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Title changes
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NJPW
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|
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Date
|
Winner
|
Event/Show
|
Note(s)
|
No title changes
|
-
?
Raw
-
?
SmackDown
-
-
ECW
Raw and SmackDown each had a world championship, a secondary championship, a women's championship, and a male tag team championship. ECW only had a world championship.
Awards and honors
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Pro Wrestling Illustrated
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
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Debuts
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Retirements
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- Roadkill
(1996 ? February 4, 2008) (brief return only in 2012)
- Billy Kidman
(September 11, 1994 ? February 23, 2008)
- Woody Farmer
(1960s-April 12, 2008)
- Torrie Wilson
(February 21, 1999 ? May 8, 2008) (brief return only in
2009
and
2018
)
- Jonathan Coachman
(December 23, 1999 ? June 2008)
- Danny Basham
(1998?July 5, 2008)
- Ashley Massaro
(June 27, 2005 ? July 9, 2008)
- Carlos Colon
(February 16, 1966 ? July 19, 2008)
- Johnny Jeter
(September 2001 ? August 2008) (brief return only in 2014)
- Cherry
(January 1999 ? August 15, 2008)
- Sonny Siaki
(March 1998 ? September 17, 2008)
- Joey Mercury
(October 12, 1996 ? October 2008) (returned to wrestling from 2010 onwards)
- Peter Thornley
(1964-October 29, 2008)
- KC James
(December 15, 2001 ? December 12, 2008)
- Misae Genki
(August 28, 1994 ? December 31, 2008)
Deaths
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- January 17 -
Ernie Holmes
, 59
- February 15 ?
Johnny Weaver
, 72
[1]
- March 6 ?
Don Curtis
, 80
- March 16 ?
Gary Hart
, 66
[2]
- March 20 ?
Bestia Salvaje
, 46
[3]
- March 23 ?
Chase Tatum
, 34
[4]
- March 23 -
Luis Magana
, 97
- March 28 ?
Ron Slinker
, 62
[5]
- April 5 -
Buffalo Jim Barrier
, 55
- May 11 ?
Judy Grable
, 72
- May 12 ?
Penny Banner
, 73
- May 25 -
Rudy Kay
, 65
- June 17 -
Jimmy Jackson (wrestler)
, 51
- July 12 -
Evgeny Artyukhin Sr.
, 59
- July 30 ?
Alfonso Dantes
, 65
[6]
- August 20 -
Sonny Fargo
, 80
- August 30 ?
Killer Kowalski
, 81
- September 21 -
Al Hobman
, 83
- October 8 -
Hogan Wharton
, 72
- October 16 ?
Jack Reynolds
, 71
- October 19 ?
Lia Maivia
, 81
- October 26 ?
S. D. Jones
, 63
[7]
- December 4 ?
Steve Bradley
, 32
- December 14 ?
Mike Bell
, 37
[8]
See also
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References
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