# 1975 in professional wrestling

1975 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

## List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable shows in 1975.
| Promotion Name | Abbreviation |
| All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling | AJW |
| Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre | EMLL |
| Universal Wrestling Association | UWA |

## Calendar of notable shows

| Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event |
| January 26 | UWA | UWA Debut Show | Mexico City, Mexico | Aníbal (c) defeated René Guajardo in a singles match for the NWA World Middleweight Championship |
| May 16 | NJPW | World League | Tokyo, Japan | Antonio Inoki defeated Killer Karl Krupp |
| May 24 | EMLL | 19. Aniversario de Arena México | Mexico City, Mexico | Perro Aguayo defeated Ray Mendoza in a best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuestas hair vs. hair match |
| September 19 | EMLL | EMLL 42nd Anniversary Show (1) | Mexico City, Mexico | Los Gemelo Diablos (I and II) defeated Coloso Colosetti and Rubi Rubalcava in a best two out-of-three-falls Lucha de Apuesta hair vs. hair match |
| September 26 | EMLL | EMLL 42nd Anniversary Show (2) | Mexico City, Mexico | Perro Aguayo (c) defeated El Santo in a best two-out-of-three falls match for the NWA World Middleweight Championship |
| October 3 | EMLL | EMLL 42nd Anniversary Show (3) | Mexico City, Mexico | El Santo defeated Perro Aguayo in a best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuesta Mask vs. Hair match |
| December 5 | EMLL | Juicio Final | Mexico City, Mexico | Enrique Vera defeated Alfonso Dantés in a Lucha de Apuestas, hair Vs. mask Vs. hair match; also in the match: El Halcón |
| December 11 | AJPW / IWE / JWA | Rikidozan Memorial Show | Tokyo | Giant Baba & The Destroyer defeated Dory Funk, Jr. & Jumbo Tsuruta |
| (c) – denotes defending champion(s) |||||

## Notable events

* promoter Francisco Flores and wrestler Ray Mendoza break away from Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre and, along with investor Benjamin Mora Jr., create the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA).
* October 8 - WCW Worldwide premiered on television.
* November 18 - Louis Cerdan and Tony Parisi defeat The Blackjacks to become the new WWWF Tag Team Champions.

## Accomplishments and tournaments
### AJW

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
| Rookie of the Year Decision Tournament | Yukari Wrench | | |
| World League | Jumbo Miyamoto | | |

### JCP

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
| NWA United States Championship Tournament | Terry Funk | November 9 | |

## Awards and honors
### Pro Wrestling Illustrated

| Category | Winner |
| PWI Wrestler of the Year | Mr. Wrestling II |
| PWI Tag Team of the Year | Gene and Ole Anderson |
| PWI Match of the Year | Bruno Sammartino vs. Spiros Arion |
| PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year | Mil Máscaras |
| PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year | Greg Valentine |
| PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year | Mike McCord |
| PWI Rookie of the Year | Ric Flair |
| PWI Woman of the Year | Ann Casey |
| PWI Midget Wrestler of the Year | Sky Low Low |
| PWI Manager of the Year | George Cannon |

## Championship changes
### EMLL

NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship :
| incoming champion – Dr. Wagner |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| No title change ||||
NWA World Middleweight Championship :
| Incoming champion – Aníbal |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| May | Vacant | EMLL show | |
| July 4 | Perro Aguayo | EMLL show | |
NWA World Welterweight Championship :
| Incoming champion – Mano Negra |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| June 29 | Blue Demon | EMLL show | |
Mexican National Heavyweight Championship :
| Incoming champion - Enrique Vera |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| March 12 | Raul Reyes | EMLL show | |
| September 27 | El Halcon | EMLL show | |
Mexican National Middleweight Championship :
* Incoming champion - Ringo Mendoza ||||
* No title changes ||||
Mexican National Lightweight Championship :
| Incoming champion – Tauro |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| January 18 | Dardo Aguilar | EMLL show | |
| June 1 | Tauro | EMLL show | |
Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship :
* Incoming champion – Alfonso Dantes ||||
* No title changes ||||
Mexican National Welterweight Championship :
| Incoming champion – Fishman |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| May 3 | Vacant | EMLL show | |
| October 12 | Fishman | EMLL show | |
Mexican National Women's Championship :
* Incoming champion – Uncertain ||||
* No title changes ||||

### NWA

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship :
| Incoming champion – Jack Brisco |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| December 10 | Terry Funk | House show | |

## Births

* Date of birth uncertain:
** Damian Steele (died in 2009)
* January 1 - Kid Romeo
* January 23 - Tito Ortiz
* January 28 - Shark Boy
* January 30 – Dark Ozz
* February 8 – Shane Shamrock (d. 1998)
* February 18 - Charly Manson
* February 22 - Andy Anderson
* March 15 - Lobo
* March 17 – Test (d. 2009)
* April 12 – Cibernético
* April 14 – Lita
* April 15 - Paul E. Normous (d. 2009)
* April 25 - BLK Jeez
* May 6 - Germán Figueroa
* May 8 – Truth Martini
* May 12 - Ricky Ortiz
* May 15:
** La Parkita (d. 2009)
** Espectrito II (d. 2009)
* May 17 – Alex Wright
* May 22 – Traci Brooks
* June 2 – Chessman
* June 18 - Darren Wyse
* June 18 - Bam Neely
* July 3 - Johnny Swinger
* July 9 – Shelton Benjamin
* July 15 – Cherry
* July 17 :
** Daffney (died in 2021)
** UltraMantis Black
** Yuki Kondo
* July 23 – Drago
* July 24 – Torrie Wilson
* July 25 – El Zorro
* August 2 - Blitzkrieg
* August 17 - Palmer Canon
* August 31 - Takahiro Suwa
* September 20 - Joel Gertner
* October 7 – Rhyno
* October 19 - Mrs. Yamaguchi-San
* November 17 – Ranjin Singh
* November 18 - Taiyo Kea
* December 9 - Juggernaut
* December 10 :
** Steve Bradley (died in 2008)
** Tomohiro Ishii
* December 17 – Nick Dinsmore
* December 18 – Trish Stratus
* December 31 - Vance Nevada

## Debuts

* Uncertain debut date
   * Leilani Kai
   * Debbie Combs
   * Rick McGraw
   * Hillbilly Jim
   * Yumi Ikeshita (All Japan Women's)
* January 15 - Américo Rocca and Kazuharu Sonoda
* March 19 - Maki Ueda (All Japan Women's)
* April 27 - Jackie Sato
* May 2 - Hubert Gallant
* May 13 - Jake Roberts
* July 17 - Lola Gonzales
* November 11 - Rayo de Jalisco Jr.
* December 24 - Dynamite Kid

## Retirements

* Argentina Apollo (1960 – 1975)
* Harold Sakata (1949 – 1975)

## Deaths

* January 5 - Ray Morgan (announcer), 60
* February 20 – Bobby Shane, 29
* May 13 - John Bilbo (wrestler), 69
* May 28 - Ezzard Charles, 53
* July 7 - Henri Deglane, 73
* August 19 - Jim Londos, 81
* October 17 - Ron Dupree (wrestler), 40