# 1971 in professional wrestling

1971 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

## List of notable promotions

Only one promotion held notable shows in 1971.
| Promotion Name | Abbreviation |
| Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre | EMLL |

## Calendar of notable shows

| Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event |
| April | EMLL | 15. Aniversario de Arena México | Mexico City, Mexico | Uncertain |
| August 27 | NWA Hollywood Wrestling | Memorial Coliseum Spectacular | Los Angeles, California | Freddie Blassie defeated John Tolos in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match |
| September 24 | EMLL | EMLL 38th Anniversary Show | Mexico City, Mexico | Rene Torres defeated Ciclon Veloz Jr. in a best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuesta hair vs. hair match |

## Championship changes
### EMLL

NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship :
| incoming champion – El Solitario |||||
| Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
| No title changes ||||

### IWE

| Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
| IWA World Series | Monster Roussimoff | June 24 | |

## Births

* Date of birth uncertain:
** Bob Starr
** Billy Wiles
* January 1 - Rodney
* January 7 - CW Anderson
* January 28:
** Yuji Yasuraoka
** Sean Evans (died in 2007)
* February 10
** Louie Spicolli (d. 1998)
** Victoria
* February 14
** Tommy Dreamer
** Nelson Frazier, Jr. (d. 2014)
* February 22 – Super Caló
* February 25 - Sean O'Haire (died in 2014)
* February 28 - David Khakhaleishvili (died in 2021)
* March 1
** Scotty Riggs
** Yar (d. 2021)
* March 2
** Manami Toyota
** Satoru Asako
* March 6 – Val Venis
* March 9 - Tiger Ali Singh
* March 10 - Debbie Malenko
* March 11 - Johnny Knoxville
* March 18 - Mike Bell (d. 2008)
* March 23 - Hiroyoshi Tenzan
* April 4
** John Zandig
** Tony Jones (d. 2024)
* April 16 - Krusher Kong
* April 21 – Axl Rotten (d. 2016)
* May 7 - L.A. Smooth
* May 12 – Doug Basham
* May 18 - Cynthia Lynch
* May 19 – Psicosis
* May 22 – Halloween
* May 28 – Mosh
* June 5 - Glen Osbourne
* June 12 – Mark Henry
* June 15 – Chuck Palumbo
* June 18
** Melissa Coates (died in 2021)
** Chastity (wrestler)
* July 1 – Abismo Negro (d. 2009)
* July 5:
** Cousin Sal
** Jamie Dundee
* July 7 - Allan Funk
* July 14
** Bubba Ray Dudley
** Joey Styles
* July 15 - Pequeño Olímpico
* July 17 - Alexander Otsuka
* July 19 - Michael Modest
* August 5 - Hideki Hosaka (d. 2021)
* August 10 - Kevin Randleman (d.2016)
* August 25 – Crash Holly (d. 2003)
* September 1 - Sim Snuka
* September 8 - David Arquette
* September 12 – Shocker
* September 16 - Richard Slinger
* September 22 - Luther Reigns
* September 23 - Osamu Nishimura (died in 2025)
* October 8 - Al Katrazz
* October 9 – Stevie Richards
* October 14 - Frank Wycheck (died in 2023)
* October 15 - Joey Abs
* October 19 – Sweet Saraya
* October 20 – Snoop Dogg
* October 22 – Adam Flash
* October 24 - Dale Torborg
* November 1 - Kamikaze
* November 23 - Tetsuhiro Kuroda
* November 24 - Sumie Sakai
* December 1 - Trinity
* December 24 - Oro (d. 1993)

## Debuts

* Uncertain debut date
   * Afa Anoa'i
   * Jean Gagne
   * King Cobra (wrestler)
   * Ron Bass
   * Tiger Conway Jr.
* May 9 - Tatsumi Fujinami
* June 21 - Kendo Nagasaki
* August 20 - Tinieblas
* September 16 - El Signo
* October 1 - Mano Negra

## Retirements

* Whipper Billy Watson (1940 – 1971)

## Deaths

* May 12 - Tor Johnson, 67
* June 16 - Alberto Torres (wrestler), 37
* July 12 – Yvon Robert, 56
* July 24 – Hercules Cortez, 39
* October 29 - Harry Light, 73