# 1991 in professional wrestling

1991 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

## List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable events in 1991.
| Promotion Name | Abbreviation | Notes |
| All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling | AJW |
| Catch Wrestling Association | CWA | |
| Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre/Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre | EMLL/CMLL | During the fall, EMLL was renamed to CMLL. |
| Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling | FMW | |
| New Japan Pro-Wrestling | NJPW | |
| Universal Wrestling Association | UWA | |
| Universal Wrestling Federation | UWF | |
| World Championship Wrestling | WCW | |
| World Wrestling Council | WWC | |
| World Wrestling Federation | WWF | |

## Calendar of notable shows

| Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event |
| January 11 | AJW | All Japan Women's event at Kawasaki-shi Taiikukan | Kawasaki, Japan | Bull Nakano and Kyoko Inoue defeat Aja Kong and Bison Kimura in a tag team hair vs hair match |
| January 19 | WWF | Royal Rumble | Miami, Florida | Hulk Hogan won by last eliminating Earthquake in the 30-man Royal Rumble match |
| January 27 | UWA | UWA 16th Anniversary Show | Naucalpan, Mexico | Mil Mascaras, Dos Caras and El Canek defeated The Hawaiian Beasts (Fatu, Kokina and Nikozuna) in a Best two out of three falls Six-man tag team match |
| February 24 | WCW | WrestleWar | Phoenix, Arizona | The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Barry Windham and Sid Vicious) and Larry Zbyszko defeated Sting, Brian Pillman and The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner) in a WarGames match |
| March 21 | WCW NJPW | WCW/New Japan Supershow I | Tokyo, Japan | Tatsumi Fujinami (IWGP Champion) defeated Ric Flair (NWA Champion) in a Title for Title for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship |
| March 24 | WWF | WrestleMania VII | Los Angeles, California | Hulk Hogan defeated Sgt. Slaughter (c) (with General Adnan) in a Singles match for the WWF Championship |
| March 30 | WWF / SWS | WrestleFest | Tokyo, Japan | The Legion of Doom (Road Warrior Hawk & Road Warrior Animal) beat Hulk Hogan & Genichiro Tenryu via countout |
| April 15 | WWF | Saturday Night's Main Event | Omaha, Nebraska | 20-Man Battle Royal |
| April 24 | WWF | UK Rampage | London, England | Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Sgt. Slaughter in a Singles match for the WWF Championship |
| May 19 | WCW | SuperBrawl I | St. Petersburg, Florida | Ric Flair (c-WCW) defeated Tatsumi Fujinami (c-NWA) in a Singles match for the NWA and WCW World Heavyweight Championships |
| June 9 | UWF | Beach Brawl | Palmetto, Florida | Steve Williams defeated Bam Bam Bigelow in a Tournament final for the inaugural UWF SportsChannel Television Championship |
| July 6 | WWC | WWC 18th Aniversario | Bayamón, Puerto Rico | Dino Bravo defeated Carlos Colón (c) via reverse decision in a Singles match for the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship with El Vikingo as the special referee. |
| July 14 | WCW | The Great American Bash | Baltimore, Maryland | Rick Steiner defeated Arn Anderson and Paul E. Dangerously in a Steel Cage match |
| Aug 11 | NJPW | G1 Climax | Tokyo, Japan | Keiji Mutoh defeated Masahiro Chono in the finals |
| August 18 | AJW | All Japan Women's event at Korakuen Hall | Tokyo, Japan | Kyoko Inoue defeats Bison Kimura in the finals of the Japan Grand Prix 1991 |
| August 26 | WWF | SummerSlam | New York City, New York | Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior defeated The Triangle of Terror (Col. Mustafa, General Adnan and Sgt. Slaughter) in a 3 vs 2 Handicap match with Sid Justice as special guest referee |
| September 7 | WWF | King of the Ring | Providence, Rhode Island | Bret Hart defeated Irwin R. Schyster in a King of the Ring tournament final match |
| September 7 | AJW | Exciting Zone Omiya Night | Omiya, Japan | Bull Nakano defeats Kyoko Inoue in a WWWA World Title match |
| September 8 | EMLL | EMLL 58th Anniversary Show | Mexico City, Mexico | Konnan defeated Perro Aguayo, Cien Caras was also on the match in a Best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuestas, triangular hair vs. hair match |
| September 23 | FMW | FMW 2nd Anniversary Show | Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan | Atsushi Onita defeated Tarzan Goto by knockout in a No Rope Exploding Barbed Wire Steel Cage Deathmatch |
| October 3 | WWF | Battle Royal at the Albert Hall | London, England | The British Bulldog won by last eliminating Typhoon in a 20-man battle royal |
| October 27 | WCW | Halloween Havoc | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Lex Luger (c) defeated Ron Simmons in a Two-out-of-three-falls match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship |
| November 21 | AJW | Wrestle Marinepiad '91 | Kawasaki, Japan | Bull Nakano and Monster Ripper defeat Aja Kong and Bison Kimura in a cage match. Nakano and Ripper then advance into a singles cage match which Nakano wins. |
| November 27 | WWF | Survivor Series | Detroit, Michigan | The Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan (c) in a Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| December 3 | WWF | This Tuesday in Texas | San Antonio, Texas | Hulk Hogan defeated The Undertaker (c) in a Singles match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship |
| December 9 | AJW | All Japan Women's event at Korakuen Hall | Tokyo, Japan | Toshiyo Yamada and Kyoko Inoue defeat Aja Kong and Bison Kimura in the finals of Tag League the Best 1991 |
| December 12 | WWF / SWS | SuperWrestle | Tokyo, Japan | Hulk Hogan defeated Genichiro Tenryu |
| December 13 | CMLL | Juicio Final | Mexico City, Mexico | Máscara Año 2000 defeated Aníbal (2-1) in a Best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuestas mask vs. mask match |
| December 21 | CWA | Euro Catch Festival | Bremen, Germany | Rambo (c) defeated Ken Patera in Round 8 in a Singles match for the CWA World Heavyweight Championship |
| December 29 | WCW | Starrcade | Norfolk, Virginia | Sting last eliminated Lex Luger to win the Battlebowl battle royal |
| (c) – denotes defending champion(s) |||||

## Accomplishments and tournaments
### AJW

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won |
| Japan Grand Prix 1991 | Kyoko Inoue | August 18 |
| Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament | Akemi Torisu | |
| Tag League The Best 1991 | Kyoko Inoue and Toshiyo Yamada | December 9 |

### AJPW

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
| Champion Carnival 1991 | Jumbo Tsuruta | April 18 | |
| World's Strongest Determination League 1991 | Terry Gordy and Steve Williams | December 6 | |

### JWP

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
| Rookie of the Year Tournament | Yasha Kurenai | February 11 | |

### WCW

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won |
| WCW United States Championship Tournament | Sting | August 25 |
| WCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament | The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) | September 5 |
| WCW Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament | Brian Pillman | October 27 |

### WWF

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
| Royal Rumble | Hulk Hogan | January 19 | |
| King of the Ring | Bret Hart | September 7 | |

## Awards and honors
### Pro Wrestling Illustrated

| Category | Winner |
| PWI Wrestler of the Year | Hulk Hogan |
| PWI Tag Team of the Year | The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) |
| PWI Match of the Year | The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner) vs. Sting and Lex Luger (SuperBrawl I) |
| PWI Feud of the Year | The Ultimate Warrior vs. The Undertaker |
| PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year | Sting |
| PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year | Sgt. Slaughter |
| PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year | Dustin Rhodes |
| PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year | The Patriot |
| PWI Rookie of the Year | Johnny B. Badd |
| PWI Lifetime Achievement | The Fabulous Moolah |
| PWI Editor's Award | Bobby Heenan |

### Wrestling Observer Newsletter

| Category | Winner |
| Wrestler of the Year | Jumbo Tsuruta |
| Most Outstanding | Jushin Thunder Liger |
| Feud of the Year | Mitsuharu Misawa and company vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and company |
| Tag Team of the Year | Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada |
| Most Improved | Dustin Rhodes |
| Best on Interviews | Ric Flair |

## Title changes
### WWF

WWF World Heavyweight Championship :
| Incoming champion – The Ultimate Warrior |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| January 19 | Sgt. Slaughter | Royal Rumble | |
| March 24 | Hulk Hogan | WrestleMania VII | |
| November 27 | The Undertaker | Survivor Series | |
| December 3 | Hulk Hogan | This Tuesday in Texas | |
| December 4 | Vacant | Superstars of Wrestling | Hogan was stripped of the title by WWF President Jack Tunney due to the controversy surrounding both of the previous title changes. It aired on tape delay on December 7, 1991. |
WWF Intercontinental Championship :
| Incoming champion – Mr. Perfect |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| August 26 | Bret Hart | SummerSlam | |
WWF Intercontinental Tag Team Championship :
| (Title created) |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| January 7 | Perro Aguayo and Gran Hamada | N/A | Later abandoned in 1991. |
WWF Tag Team Championship :
| Incoming champions – The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| March 24 | The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) | WrestleMania VII | |
| August 26 | The Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk) | SummerSlam | |
Million Dollar Championship :
| Incoming champion – Ted DiBiase |||||
| unsanctioned championship |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| August 26 | Virgil | SummerSlam | |
| November 11 | Ted DiBiase | Survivor Series Showdown | This program aired on tape delay on November 24, 1991. |

### WCW

WCW World Heavyweight Championship :
| (Title created) |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| January 11 | Ric Flair | House show | Defeated Sting for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. WCW began recognizing Flair as WCW World Heavyweight Champion while still using the NWA belt (i.e. the Big Gold Belt) WWE recognizes this reign as an NWA world title reign (and not a WCW one) |
| July 1 | Vacant | | Ric Flair left for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was stripped of the title. When Flair left, he took the Big Gold Belt, which represented the NWA and WCW world titles, with him. |
| July 14 | Lex Luger | The Great American Bash | |
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship :
| Incoming champion – Lex Luger |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| July 14 | Vacant | The Great American Bash | Vacated when Lex Luger won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship |
| August 25 | Sting | House show | Defeated Steve Austin in a tournament final |
| November 19 | Rick Rude | Clash of the Champions XVII | |
WCW United States Tag Team Championship :
| Incoming champions – The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| April 6 | Vacant | World Wide Wrestling | |
| May 19 | The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) | SuperBrawl | Defeated The Young Pistols for the vacant title |
| August 12 | The Patriots (Todd Champion and Firebreaker Chip) | World Championship Wrestling | |
| November 5 | The Young Pistols (Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers) | Main Event | |
WCW World Television Championship :
| Incoming champion – "Z-Man" Tom Zenk |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| January 7 | Arn Anderson | World Wide Wrestling | |
| May 19 | Bobby Eaton | SuperBrawl | |
| June 3 | Steve Austin | World Wide Wrestling | |
WCW Light Heavyweight Championship :
| (Title created) |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| October 27 | Brian Pillman | Halloween Havoc | Defeated Richard Morton in the finals of a tournament to decide the inaugural champion. |
| December 25 | Jushin Thunder Liger | House show | |
WCW World Tag Team Championship :
| Incoming champions – Doom (Ron Simmons and Butch Reed) |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| February 24 | The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) | WrestleWar | |
| February 18 | The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) | Pro | |
| July 20 | Vacant | WCW | |
| September 5 | The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) | Clash of the Champions XVI: Fall Brawl | |
| November 19 | Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes | Clash of the Champions XVII | |
WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship :
| (Title created) |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| February 17 | Junkyard Dog, Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich | House show | |
| June 3 | The Fabulous Freebirds (Brad Armstrong, Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) | WCW Main Event | Aired on June 30 |
| August 5 | Big Josh, Dustin Rhodes and Tom Zenk | WCW Worldwide | Aired on August 24 |
| October 8 | The York Foundation (Richard Morton, Thomas Rich and Terrance Taylor) | WCW Main Event | Aired on November 10 |
| December 1 | Deactivated | N/A | |

## Births

* January 9 – Ruby Riott, American wrestler
* January 17 – Alexander Hammerstone
* January 28 – Bronson Matthews, American wrestler
* February 4 – Santana
* February 5 – Brennan Williams, American wrestler
* February 7 – Hikuleo
* February 12 – Boby Zavala, Mexican luchador
* February 13 – Sumika Yanagawa
* February 15 – Rich Swann
* February 19 – David Starr
* February 25 – Toru
* April 4 – Laurel Van Ness, Canadian female wrestler
* May 6 – Doudrop, Scottish wrestler
* May 13 – Scarlett Bordeaux
* May 31 – Cody Hall, American wrestler
* June 12 – Tomoyuki Oka, Japanese wrestler
* June 19 – Dilsher Shanky
* June 25 – Kennadi Brink
* June 25 – Jessika Carr
* July 7 – Josh Woods, American wrestler
* July 18 – Mandy Rose
* July 21 – Adam Page, American wrestler
* August 9 – Alexa Bliss
* August 13 – Momo Tani
* September 27 – Ortiz
* December 8 – Sarah Bäckman
* December 18 – Flip Gordon
* December 21 – Otis Dozovic, American wrestler

## Debuts

* Uncertain debut date
   * Michael Modest
   * Simon Diamond
   * Bart Gunn
   * Tony DeVito
* January 11 - Hiroyoshi Tenzan
* January 25 - Ishinriki Kōji
* May 5 - Hayabusa
* July 7 - Road Dogg
* July 16 - Satoshi Kojima
* August 1 - Mitsuya Nagai
* August 4 - Mizuki Endo (LLPW)
* August 7 - Hideki Hosaka and Katsunari Toi
* September 16 - Hikaru Kawabata
* September 20 - Masayoshi Motegi and Hiroshi Shimada
* October 4 - Rie Tamada (All Japan Women's), Kumiko Maekawa (All Japan Women's) and Chikako Shiratori (All Japan Women's)
* November 20 - Disco Inferno
* November 25 - Command Bolshoi
* December 10 - Hirofumi Miura

## Retirements

* Rocky Johnson (1964–1991)
* Angelo Poffo (1949–1991)
* Smith Hart (1973–1991)
* Trudy Adams (1987–1991)
* Tojo Yamamoto (1953–1991)
* Ron Bass (1971–1991)
* S. D. Jones (1971–1991)
* Bugsy McGraw (1967–1991)
* Bobby Jaggers (1972–1991)
* Cody Michaels (1986–1991)
* Dennis Stamp (1971–1991)
* Donna Christianello (1963–1991)
* Harley Race (1960–1991)
* Itzuki Yamazaki (1981–1991)
* Lady Blossom (1979–1991)
* Joyce Grable (1971–1991)
* Mark Rocco (1972–1991)
* Mike George (1969–1991)
* Buzz Sawyer (1978–1991)

## Deaths

* January 21 – Nick Gulas, American wrestling promoter (b. 1914)
* April 23 - Frankie Williams (wrestler), American wrestler (b. 1940)
* June 30 – Duke Keomuka, Japanese wrestler (b. 1921)
* July 6 - Mr. Moto, American wrestler (b. 1915)
* August 15- Tank Morgan, American wrestler (b. 1933)
* August 25 – Vivian Vachon, Canadian wrestler (b. 1951)
* August 27 – Martín Karadagian, Argentina wrestler (b. 1922)
* September 12 – Chris Von Erich, American wrestler (b. 1969)
* September 30 - King Levinsky, American wrestle and boxer (b. 1910)
* October 27 - Rocky Hata, Japanese wrestler (b. 1948)
* October 31 – Gene Anderson, American wrestler (b. 1939)
* November 10 – Dick the Bruiser, American wrestler (b. 1929)
* November 9 - Abe Yourist, Russian wrestler (b. 1909)
* November 12 – Ripper Collins, American wrestler (b. 1933)
* December 25 – Wilbur Snyder, American wrestler (b. 1929)