2021 in professional wrestling
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2021 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.
The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the professional wrestling industry worldwide in 2020, with many promotions presenting shows behind closed doors. Some events were canceled while others were rescheduled to occur in 2021. All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling reintroduced a limited number of live fans in the second half of 2020, while WWE had live fans at WrestleMania 37 in April 2021. The majority of promotions have continued to present empty arena shows or shows with limited capacity, while AEW and WWE resumed live touring with full capacity crowds in July.
List of notable promotions
These promotions held notable events throughout 2021.
Promotion Name | Abbreviation | Notes |
---|---|---|
Active Advance Pro Wrestling | 2AW | |
All Elite Wrestling | AEW | |
All Japan Pro Wrestling | AJPW | |
Big Japan Pro Wrestling | BJW | |
CyberFight | CF | CyberFight is an umbrella brand that oversees and promotes four individual promotions: DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT), Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling (GanPro), Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling (TJPW). |
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre | CMLL | |
DDT Pro-Wrestling | DDT | |
Dragon Gate | — | |
Game Changer Wrestling | GCW | |
Gleat | — | Gleat promotes shows under the G Prowrestling and Lidet UWF sub-brands. |
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling-Explosion | FMW-E | Formerly known as Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and Chō Sentō Puroresu FMW (FMW), in June 2021, the company became FMW-E and began to focus on promoting exploding death matches. |
Impact Wrestling | Impact | |
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. |
Major League Wrestling | MLW | |
Michinoku Pro Wrestling | M-Pro | |
National Wrestling Alliance | NWA | |
New Japan Pro-Wrestling | NJPW | |
Pro Wrestling Zero1 | Zero1 | |
Ring of Honor | ROH | |
World Wonder Ring Stardom | Stardom | |
WWE | — | "WWE" stands for World Wrestling Entertainment, which is still the legal name, but the company ceased using the full name in April 2011, with the WWE abbreviation becoming an orphaned initialism. WWE divides its roster into five storyline divisions – referred to as brands where wrestlers exclusively perform on their respective weekly television programs. Raw, SmackDown, and NXT are their three main brands, while NXT UK and 205 Live are specialty brands that are promoted under the NXT banner. |
Calendar of notable shows
January
Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | WWE: | New Year's SmackDown | St. Petersburg, Florida | Kevin Owens defeated Jey Uso | Aired as a special episode of SmackDown. |
4 | WWE: | Legends Night | Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Keith Lee to retain the WWE Championship | Aired as a special episode of Raw. Final appearances of Big Show and Mark Henry in WWE. | |
NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome | Tokyo, Japan | Night 1: Kota Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito (c) to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event had a limited attendance capacity of 20,000 for both nights; the Tokyo Dome has a total maximum capacity of 57,000. | |
5 | Night 2: Kota Ibushi (c) defeated Jay White to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship | ||||
6 | New Year Dash!! | Los Ingobernables de Japón (Sanada, Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, and Bushi) defeated Golden Ace (Kota Ibushi and Hiroshi Tanahashi), Roppongi 3K (Rocky Romero and Sho), and Master Wato | |||
MLW | Kings of Colosseum | Orlando, Florida | Alexander Hammerstone (c) vs. Mads Krügger for the MLW National Openweight Championship ended in a double countout | ||
WWE: | New Year's Evil | Orlando, Florida | Finn Bálor (c) defeated Kyle O'Reilly to retain the NXT Championship | Aired as a special episode of NXT. "New Year's Evil" was previously a title of a special episode of WCW Monday Nitro that aired on December 27, 1999. | |
AEW | New Year's Smash | Jacksonville, Florida | Night 1: Kenny Omega (c) defeated Rey Fénix to retain the AEW World Championship | Aired as a two-part special of Dynamite. Night 1 was originally scheduled to air on December 30, 2020, with Night 2 on January 6, but the two-week event was delayed as AEW held a tribute show for Mr. Brodie Lee following his passing on December 26. Night 1 aired live while Night 2 was pre-recorded on January 7 and aired on January 13. | |
7 | Night 2 (aired January 13): Darby Allin (c) defeated Brian Cage to retain the AEW TNT Championship. | ||||
9 | Impact | Genesis | Nashville, Tennessee | Willie Mack defeated Moose in an "I quit" match | |
16 | Hard To Kill | Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) defeated Rich Swann, Chris Sabin, and Moose | |||
17 | Stardom | Stardom 10th Anniversary Show | Tokyo, Japan | Utami Hayashishita (c) defeated Maika to retain the World of Stardom Championship | |
22 | WWE: | Superstar Spectacle | St. Petersburg, Florida | Drew McIntyre and The Indus Sher (Rinku and Saurav) defeated Jinder Mahal and The Bollywood Boyz (Samir Singh and Sunil Singh) | Aired on tape delay on January 26 as a television special for Indian Republic Day. |
NJPW | Lion's Break Contender | Port Hueneme, California, United States | Week 1: Ren Narita defeated Bateman | Two-week event, promoted as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America's weekly TV show, NJPW Strong. | |
29 | Week 2: Lio Rush, TJP, and Fred Rosser defeated Bullet Club (El Phantasmo, Hikuleo, and Kenta) | ||||
ROH | The Experience | Baltimore, Maryland | Jonathan Gresham (c) defeated Joe Keys to retain the ROH Pure Championship | Match took place on December 19, 2020, but aired on tape delay on January 29. Aired as a special episode of Ring of Honor Wrestling. | |
30 | NJPW | The New Beginning in Nagoya | Nagoya, Japan | Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Shingo Takagi (c) to win the NEVER Openweight Championship | |
31 | WWE: | Royal Rumble | St. Petersburg, Florida | Edge won the 30-man Royal Rumble match by last eliminating Randy Orton to earn a world championship match at WrestleMania 37 | Bianca Belair won the women's Royal Rumble match and chose to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 37. With Edge's win, he became the first wrestler to win a Royal Rumble match after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame; he chose to challenge for the Universal Championship. Last appearance of Christian in WWE, |
(c) – denotes defending champion(s) |
February
March
Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | AEW | The Crossroads | Jacksonville, Florida | "Hangman" Adam Page and John Silver defeated Marq Quen and Matt Hardy | Aired as a special episode of Dynamite. This event featured the AEW debut appearance of Paul Wight, formerly known as Big Show in WWE, which was his first appearance on TNT since 1999; Wight's signing with the company was announced on February 24. |
Stardom | All Star Dream Cinderella | Tokyo, Japan | Tam Nakano defeated Giulia (c) in a Hair vs. Hair match to win the Wonder of Stardom Championship | ||
4 | NJPW | NJPW 49th Anniversary Show | Tokyo, Japan | Kota Ibushi (c) defeated El Desperado to unify the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship into the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | First event to feature the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Ibushi held both the Heavyweight and Intercontinental championships going into the match and was recognized as the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion upon defeating El Desperado. |
6 | CF: | Full Throttle in Yokohama | Yokohama, Kanagawa | Momo no Seishun Tag (Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada) and Junta Miyawaki defeated Full Throtle (Hajime Ohara, Seiki Yoshioka and Yo-Hey) | |
7 | CF: | Great Voyage in Yokohama | Yokohama, Kanagawa | The Aggression (Katsuhiko Nakajima and Masa Kitamiya) defeated Sugiura-gun (Kazushi Sakuraba and Takashi Sugiura) (c) to win the GHC Tag Team Championship | |
AEW | Revolution | Jacksonville, Florida | Kenny Omega (c) defeated Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch to retain the AEW World Championship | This event was originally scheduled to be held on February 27, but was pushed back due to the Canelo Alvarez vs. Avni Yildirim boxing match, resulting in this being AEW's first PPV held on a Sunday. This event also featured Sting's first match in AEW as well as his first match since WWE Night of Champions in September 2015. Sting's match, which was a tag team Street Fight, was pre-recorded on an unknown date at an undisclosed location in Atlanta, Georgia. The event also saw the debuts of Christian Cage and Ethan Page in AEW. | |
11 | AEW | St. Patrick's Day Slam | Jacksonville, Florida | Thunder Rosa defeated Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. in an Unsanctioned Lights Out match | Aired on tape delay on March 17 as a special Saint Patrick's Day episode of Dynamite. First Dynamite to feature a women's match as the main event. |
13 | Impact | Sacrifice | Nashville, Tennessee | Rich Swann (Impact) defeated Moose (TNA) to unify the Impact World Championship and TNA World Heavyweight Championship as the Impact Unified World Championship | Aired as an Impact Plus special. Shortly after, the Impact Unified World Championship reverted to being called the Impact World Championship. |
14 | CF: | Great Voyage in Fukuoka | Fukuoka, Japan | Keiji Muto (c) defeated Kaito Kiyomiya to retain the GHC Heavyweight Championship | |
19 | NJPW | Strong Style Evolved Week 1 |
Port Hueneme, California | Brody King defeated Bateman | The first part of a two-week event, promoted as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America's weekly TV show, NJPW Strong. |
21 | CF: | The Infinity | Tokyo, Japan | Kazuyuki Fujita defeated Kenoh (c) to win the GHC National Championship | |
NWA | Back For The Attack | Atlanta, Georgia | Nick Aldis (c) defeated Aron Stevens to retain the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship | ||
WWE: | Fastlane | St. Petersburg, Florida | Roman Reigns (c) defeated Daniel Bryan to retain the WWE Universal Championship with Edge as the special guest enforcer | First Fastlane event since 2019. The event was available on PPV, the WWE Network, and Peacock's WWE Network channel, marking the first WWE PPV to air on the WWE Network via Peacock in the United States under a new agreement with NBCUniversal, which began March 18, as well as the final event to be available on the standalone version of the American WWE Network before its shutdown on April 4. Also the final WWE PPV held at Tropicana Field, as the WWE ThunderDome was relocated to Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, which began April 12. | |
26 | ROH | ROH 19th Anniversary | Baltimore, Maryland | Rush (c) defeated Jay Lethal to retain the ROH World Championship | |
CMLL | La Copa Junior VIP | Mexico City, Mexico | Volador Jr. (c) defeated Bandido to retain the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship | ||
NJPW | Strong Style Evolved Week 2 |
Port Hueneme, California | David Finlay and Karl Fredericks defeated Team Filthy (Tom Lawlor and Danny Limelight) | The second part of a two-week event, promoted as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America's weekly TV show, NJPW Strong. | |
28 | CF: | Judgement: DDT 24th Anniversary | Tokyo, Japan | Jun Akiyama (c) defeated Kazusada Higuchi to retain the KO-D Openweight Championship | |
31 | MLW | Never Say Never | Orlando, Florida | Jacob Fatu (c) defeated Calvin Tankman to retain the MLW World Heavyweight Championship | |
(c) – denotes defending champion(s) |
April
Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | WWE: | WrestleMania SmackDown | St. Petersburg, Florida | Jey Uso won the 22-man André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal by last eliminating Shinsuke Nakamura | Aired on tape delay on April 9 as a special WrestleMania Edition of SmackDown the night before WrestleMania 37 Night 1. Final show taped at Tropicana Field before WWE relocated the WWE ThunderDome to Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida; shows from the Yuengling Center began with the April 12 episode of Raw. |
4 | NJPW | Sakura Genesis | Tokyo, Japan | Will Ospreay defeated Kota Ibushi (c) to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | |
Stardom | Yokohama Dream Cinderella | Yokohama, Japan | Giulia and Syuri defeated Maika and Himeka (c) to win the Goddesses of Stardom Championship | ||
7 | WWE: | TakeOver: Stand & Deliver | Orlando, Florida | Night 1: Raquel González defeated Io Shirai (c) to win the NXT Women's Championship | First TakeOver held across two nights. The first night was simulcasted on the USA Network, marking the first TakeOver to air on USA, while the second night aired on PPV; both nights also aired on the WWE Network, which was the first WWE in-ring event to air on Peacock's WWE Network channel in the United States after the shutdown of the standalone version of the American WWE Network on April 4. Also the first TakeOver to air on a Wednesday and Thursday night. |
8 | Night 2: Kyle O'Reilly defeated Adam Cole in an unsanctioned match | ||||
WWE: | Prelude | London, England | Walter (c) defeated Rampage Brown to retain the NXT United Kingdom Championship | Taped beforehand on an unknown date. Aired as a special episode of NXT UK, which aired midday before TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2. | |
GCW | Bloodsport 6 | Tampa, Florida | Josh Barnett defeated Jon Moxley | ||
9 | NJPW | New Japan Cup USA
Round 1 |
Port Hueneme, California | Brody King defeated Chris Dickinson | |
10 | Impact | Hardcore Justice | Nashville, Tennessee | Violent By Design (Eric Young, Deaner, Joe Doering, and Rhino) defeated Team Dreamer (Eddie Edwards, Rich Swann, Willie Mack, and Trey Miguel) in an eight-man Hardcore War | |
WWE: | WrestleMania 37 | Tampa, Florida | Night 1: Bianca Belair defeated Sasha Banks (c) to win the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship | This event was originally scheduled to take place in Inglewood, California on March 28, but was delayed and moved to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa (the original location of WrestleMania 36) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as COVID-19 restrictions had yet been lifted in California, but Florida had lifted restrictions, allowing fans to attend events. It was also made a two-night event with a maximum limit of 25,000 spectators each night, being the first WWE event to have ticketed fans in attendance since the March 11, 2020 episode of NXT. | |
11 | Night 2: Roman Reigns (c) defeated Edge and Daniel Bryan in a triple threat match to retain the WWE Universal Championship | ||||
13 | WWE: | NXT's move to Tuesday | Orlando,Florida | Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, Ember Moon, and Shotzi Blackheart defeated The Way (Johnny Gargano, Austin Theory, Candice LeRae, and Indi Hartwell) | First NXT episode since the conclusion of the Wednesday Night Wars and the first on their new night on the USA Network. |
16 | NJPW | New Japan Cup USA
Semi-finals |
Port Hueneme, California | Brody King defeated Lio Rush | |
23 | NJPW | New Japan Cup USA
Final |
Port Hueneme, California | Tom Lawlor defeated Brody King to win the inaugural NJPW Strong Openweight Championship | |
24 | CMLL | 65th. Aniversario de Arena México | Mexico City, Mexico | Atlantis, Volador Jr. and Euforia defeated Bárbaro Cavernario, Gran Guerrero and Último Guerrero in a two-out-of-three falls six-man tag team match | First Aniversario de Arena México event since 2019, due to a hiatus generated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic |
25 | Impact | Rebellion | Nashville, Tennessee | Kenny Omega (AEW World Champion) defeated Rich Swann (Impact World Champion) in a Winner Takes All match | |
28 | NJPW | Wrestling Satsuma | Kagoshima, Japan | Night 1: Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) defeated Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship | |
29 | Night 2: Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi defeated United Empire (Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare) | ||||
CF: | The Glory | Nagoya, Japan | Keiji Muto (c) defeated Masa Kitamiya to retain the GHC Heavyweight Championship | ||
30 | NJPW | LA Dojo Showcase | Port Hueneme, California | Karl Fredericks defeated Clark Connors | |
(c) – denotes defending champion(s) |
May
Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | AAA | Rey de Reyes | San Pedro Cholula, Puebla | Psycho Clown and Pagano vs. Chessman and Sam Adonis ended in a no contest | This event was originally scheduled to be held in Mérida, Yucatán on March 21, 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
3 | AJPW | Champion Carnival | Tokyo, Japan | Jake Lee defeated Kento Miyahara in the tournament final to win the 2021 Champion Carnival | |
NJPW | Wrestling Dontaku | Fukuoka, Japan | Night 1: Jay White defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) to win the NEVER Openweight Championship | ||
4 | Night 2: Will Ospreay (c) defeated Shingo Takagi to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | ||||
5 | AEW | Blood & Guts | Jacksonville, Florida | The Pinnacle (MJF, Wardlow, Shawn Spears, Cash Wheeler, and Dax Harwood) defeated The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana and Ortiz) in a Blood and Guts match. | Aired as a special episode of Dynamite and featured the first-ever Blood and Guts match. While the Blood and Guts match aired live, the first hour of the show was pre-taped. This television special was originally scheduled to be held in Newark, New Jersey on March 25, 2020, but was postponed and relocated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
7 | NJPW | Collision Week 1 |
Port Hueneme, California | Jon Moxley and Chris Dickinson defeated Yuji Nagata and Ren Narita | The first part of a three-week event, promoted as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America's weekly TV show, NJPW Strong. |
WWE: | Throwback SmackDown | Tampa, Florida | Apollo Crews, King Corbin, Sami Zayn, Chad Gable, and Otis defeated Big E, Kevin Owens, Shinsuke Nakamura, and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) | Aired as a special episode of SmackDown as part of Fox Sports' Throwback Week and featured logos and other stylistic parts from previous eras of the show. | |
15 | Impact | Under Siege | Nashville, Tennessee | Moose defeated Chris Bey, Chris Sabin, Matt Cardona, Sami Callihan, and Trey Miguel in a six-way match to earn an Impact World Championship match | Aired as an Impact Plus special. |
16 | WWE: | WrestleMania Backlash | Tampa, Florida | Roman Reigns (c) defeated Cesaro to retain the WWE Universal Championship | First WWE PPV held at Yuengling Center during the COVID-19 pandemic. First Backlash to have an altered title, which became the event series' official name. |
19 | AJPW | Yokohama Extra | Yokohama, Japan | Ryuki Honda, Shotaro Ashino and Suwama defeat Total Eclipse (Jake Lee, Koji Doi and Kuma Arashi) | |
21 | Champions Night | Tokyo, Japan | Total Eclipse (Hokuto Omori, Jake Lee and Tajiri) defeated Evolution (Dan Tamura, Hikaru Sato and Suwama) | ||
NJPW | Collision Week 2 |
Port Hueneme, California | Fred Rosser defeated Hikuleo in a No Disqualification match | The second part of a three-week event, promoted as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America's weekly TV show, NJPW Strong. | |
23 | N/A | Hana Kimura Memorial Show | Tokyo, Japan | Asuka defeated Kagetsu | First anniversary of Hana Kimura's death. |
26 | Gleat | G Prowrestling Ver.0 | Tokyo, Japan | Soma Watanabe and #Stronghearts (El Lindaman and T-Hawk) defeated Cima, Kaz Hayashi, and Minoru Tanaka | The first event of Gleat's G Prowrestling sub-brand. |
28 | CMLL | Copa Dinastías | Mexico City, Mexico | Los Divinos Laguneros (Blue Panther Jr. and Black Panther) defeated Volador Jr. and Flyer to win the 2021 Copa Dinastías. | |
AEW | Friday Night Dynamite Week 1 |
Jacksonville, Florida | Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page defeated Evil Uno and Stu Grayson | Friday airing of Dynamite (due to 2021 NBA playoffs). | |
NJPW | Collision Week 3 |
Port Hueneme, California | Tom Lawlor (c) defeated Chris Dickinson to retain the Strong Openweight Championship | The final part of a three-week event, promoted as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America's weekly TV show, NJPW Strong. | |
30 | AEW | Double or Nothing | Jacksonville, Florida | The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana and Ortiz) defeated The Pinnacle (MJF, Shawn Spears, Wardlow, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) in a Stadium Stampede match where if The Inner Circle had lost, they would have been forced to disband | This event was originally scheduled to be held in Paradise, Nevada on May 29, but was moved and pushed back a day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. First major wrestling show to operate at full venue capacity during the pandemic. Featured the AEW debut appearance of Mark Henry and Lio Rush. |
31 | CF: | Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial | Tokyo, Japan | Keiji Mutoh and Masato Tanaka defeated Naomichi Marufuji and Masakatsu Funaki | Commemorative event for Mitsuharu Misawa |
(c) – denotes defending champion(s) |
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Main Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | The Crash MLW |
Azteca | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | Pagano and Alexander Hammerstone defeated King Muertes and Taurus in aa Apocalypto match | |
4 | AAA | Triplemanía Regia II | Monterrey, Mexico | El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Samuray del Sol, Jay Lethal, Bobby Fish, and Bandido in a five-way match for the vacant AAA Mega Championship | Was originally to be held on October 10, 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
NWA | Hard Times | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Trevor Murdoch (c) defeated Mike Knox to retain the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship | ||
NJPW | Detonation
Week 1 |
Riverside, California | Hikuleo and Jay White defeated Yuya Uemura and Alex Zayne | Taped on November 15. | |
5 | WWE: |
WarGames | Orlando, Florida | Team 2.0 (Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller, and Tony D'Angelo) (with Trick Williams) defeated Team Black & Gold (Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, and L. A. Knight) in a WarGames match | NXT's first non-TakeOver event to air on PPV and the WWE Network since Halftime Heat in February 2019. |
9 | NJPW | Nemesis | Los Angeles, California | Christopher Daniels vs. Jay White | |
11 | ROH | Final Battle | Baltimore, Maryland | Jonathan Gresham defeated Jay Lethal to win the vacant ROH World Championship | This was the final ROH event until at least April 2022 as ROH went on hiatus to restructure the promotion. |
15 | AEW | Winter Is Coming | Garland, Texas | MJF defeated Dante Martin in a singles match to win the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring | Aired as a special episode of Dynamite. |
17 | WWE: |
Christmas Eve SmackDown | Chicago, Illinois | Drew McIntyre and The New Day (Sir Kofi Kingston and King Woods) defeated Madcap Moss and The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight | Aired on tape delay on December 24 as a special episode of SmackDown. |
18 | Impact | Throwback Throwdown II | Louisville, Kentucky | Santa Claus (Willie Mack) defeated Sex Ferguson (Doc Gallows) (c) by pinfall in a North Pole Street Fight for the IPWF International Commonwealth Television Championship | |
Stardom | Osaka Super Wars | Osaka, Japan | MaiHimePoi (Maika, Natsupoi, and Himeka) (c) defeated Stars (Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki, and Koguma) in a six-woman tag team ladder match to retain the ¥10 Million Unit Tournament briefcase and the Artist of Stardom Championship | ||
22 | AEW | Dynamite: Holiday Bash | Greensboro, North Carolina | CM Punk, Sting, and Darby Allin defeated The Pinnacle (MJF and FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood)) in a six-man tag team match | Aired live as a special episode of Dynamite. The first part of AEW's two-part Holiday Bash event. |
Rampage: Holiday Bash | Cody Rhodes defeated Sammy Guevara (c) in a singles match to win the AEW TNT Championship | Aired on tape delay on December 25 as a special episode of Rampage. The second part of AEW's two-part Holiday Bash event. | |||
25 | CMLL | Espacial De Navidad | Mexico City, Mexico | Místico (c) defeated Averno to retain the NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship | |
26 | CF: | Never Mind 2021 | Tokyo, Japan | Konosuke Takeshita (c) defeated Yuji Okabayashi to retain the KO-D Openweight Championship | |
29 | Stardom | Dream Queendom | Tokyo, Japan | Syuri defeated Utami Hayashishita (c) in a winner-takes-all match to win the World of Stardom Championship and retain the SWA World Championship | |
AEW | Dynamite: New Year's Smash | Jacksonville, Florida | Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O'Reilly defeated Best Friends (Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta) and Orange Cassidy | Aired live as a special episode of Dynamite and was the show's final episode on TNT before the move to TBS on January 5, 2022. The first part of AEW's two-part New Year's Smash event, held as part of AEW's annual year-end party for talent and staff in Jacksonville. | |
Rampage: New Year's Smash | Cody Rhodes (c) defeated Ethan Page to retain the AEW TNT Championship | Aired on tape delay on December 31 as a special episode of Rampage. The second part of AEW's two-part New Year's Smash event. | |||
31 | WWE: |
Best of 2021 | TBD | A year-in-review episode, which aired on FS1 due to Fox's New Year's Eve programming.[6] WWE initially announced plans to air a live SmackDown for New Year's Eve in Charlotte, but these plans were scrapped.[7][8][6] | |
(c) – denotes defending champion(s) |
Events affected by COVID-19
Canceled events
Scheduled date | Promotion(s) | Event | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 15 | NJPW | Wrestle Grand Slam in Yokohama Stadium | Yokohama, Japan | The event was originally planned to be rescheduled after being postponed due to the Japanese government's extension of its COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency, but was cancelled on June 16.[3] |
June 20 | WWE: | TakeOver: Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | This event was originally scheduled to take place on April 26, 2020. It was then rescheduled for October 25, 2020, but was again rescheduled for June 20, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] However, on April 30, the event was canceled.[10] This would have been the first NXT UK TakeOver event held outside the United Kingdom. |
September 26 | WWE: | Clash of Champions | Columbus, Ohio | The event was originally intended to be held on September 26 in Columbus, Ohio but that date was given to Extreme Rules. The event was quietly canceled for 2021. |
December 19 | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | Rosemont, Illinois | The event was originally intended to be held on December 19 in Rosemont, Illinois, but was canceled in favor of an event called Day 1, a pay-per-view occurring on January 1, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia.[11] |
Notable events
- March 15 – AEW Dark: Elevation premiered on YouTube
- March 18 – Under a new agreement between WWE and NBCUniversal, the WWE Network became a premium channel under Peacock in the United States. Following a brief transitional period, the standalone version of the WWE Network in the U.S. shut down on April 4. This did not affect the service outside of the U.S.
- April 9 – All Elite Wrestling held its first-ever house show, "The House Always Wins."
- May 30 – AEW Double or Nothing is the first major wrestling show to operate at full venue capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic
- June 4 – Beginning with this day's episode of Viernes Espectacular, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre resumed a live touring schedule after over a year of producing shows in Arena México without full capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- July 7 – Beginning with this day's episode of AEW Dynamite, which aired as a special episode called "Road Rager", All Elite Wrestling resumed a live touring schedule after over a year of producing shows from Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida, becoming the first major promotion to resume touring during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the first in AEW's "Welcome Back" tour, which continued with Fyter Fest (July 14 and 21) and concluded with Fight for the Fallen (July 28).
- July 16 – Beginning with this day's episode of WWE SmackDown, WWE resumed a live touring schedule for their Raw and SmackDown brands after nearly a year of producing shows from the WWE ThunderDome bio-secure bubble.
- August 13 – AEW Rampage premiered on TNT, marking the first weekly wrestling series to air Friday nights on a Turner channel since WCW Power Hour in 1994.
- August 20 - CM Punk returned to professional wrestling for the first time in seven years on a live special episode of AEW Rampage titled The First Dance.
- October 27 – Ring of Honor announced that they were going on hiatus until at least April 2022, and all talent and staff would be released from their contracts after Final Battle in December.
Accomplishments and tournaments
AAA
Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Rey de Reyes | Laredo Kid | May 1 | Defeated El Texano Jr., Aero Star, Drago, Abismo Negro Jr., El Hijo del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr., and Murder Clown in the Rey de Reyes final |
AEW
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Tournament | Ryo Mizunami | March 3 | Defeated Nyla Rose in the tournament final to earn an AEW Women's World Championship match at Revolution, but was unsuccessful in winning the championship. |
Casino Tag Team Royale | Death Triangle (Pac and Rey Fénix) |
March 7 | Fénix last eliminated Jungle Boy of Jurassic Express to earn an AEW World Tag Team Championship match for his team. Death Triangle received their match on the April 14 episode of Dynamite, but were unsuccessful in winning the championship. |
Face of the Revolution Ladder Match | Scorpio Sky | Defeated Cody Rhodes, Penta El Zero Miedo, Lance Archer, Max Caster, and Ethan Page to earn an AEW TNT Championship match against Darby Allin on the March 10 episode of Dynamite, but was unsuccessful in winning the championship. | |
Casino Battle Royale (Men) |
Jungle Boy | May 30 | Last eliminated Christian Cage to earn an AEW World Championship match. Jungle Boy received his match on the June 26 episode of Dynamite, but was unsuccessful in winning the championship. |
AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Tournament | The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix) |
August 25 (aired August 27) |
Defeated Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) in the tournament final to earn an AEW World Tag Team Championship match at All Out, where they defeated The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) in a steel cage match to win the championship. |
Casino Battle Royale (Women) |
Ruby Soho | September 5 | Last eliminated Thunder Rosa to earn an AEW Women's World Championship match. Soho received her match on the September 22 special episode of Dynamite titled Grand Slam, but was unsuccessful in winning the championship. |
Casino Ladder Match | Adam Page | October 6 | Defeated Andrade El Idolo, Jon Moxley, Lance Archer, Matt Hardy, Orange Cassidy, and Pac to earn an AEW World Championship match at Full Gear, where Page defeated Kenny Omega to win the championship. |
AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament | Bryan Danielson | November 13 | Defeated Miro in the tournament final to earn an AEW World Championship match on the special Winter Is Coming episode of Dynamite on December 15, but the match ended in a draw, resulting in a rematch scheduled for the January 5, 2022, episode of Dynamite. |
Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale | MJF and Dante Martin | December 8 | The cowinners of the 12-man battle royal face each other in a singles match for the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring. MJF defeated Martin on the special Winter Is Coming episode of Dynamite on December 15 to win the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring. |
AJPW
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Champion Carnival | Jake Lee | May 3 | Defeated Kento Miyahara in the tournament final to win the 2021 Champion Carnival. |
Jr. Battle Of Glory | Francesco Akira | June 2 | Defeated El Lindaman in the tournament final to win the 2021 Jr. Battle Of Glory. |
Royal Road Ōdō Tournament | Suwama | August 29 |
CMLL
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
La Copa Junior VIP | Angel de Oro | March 26 | Defeated Caristico in the tournament final to win the 2021 La Copa Junior VIP. |
Copa Dinastías | Los Hermanos Panther (Blue Panther Jr. and Black Panther) | May 29 | Defeated Volador Jr. and Flyer in the tournament final to win the Copa Dinastías. |
Torneo Increíble de Parejas | Templario and Volador Jr. | June 25 | Defeated Caristico and Virus in the tournament final to win the Torneo Increíble de Parejas. |
Leyenda de Plata | Titán | July 30 | Defeated Templario in the tournament final to win the 2021 Leyenda de Plata. |
CMLL Universal Amazonas Championship | La Jarochita | August 27 | Defeated Dark Silueta in the tournament final to win the 2021 CMLL Universal Amazonas Championship. |
Copa Independencia | Volador Jr. | September 17 | Defeated Gran Guerrero in the tournament final to win the 2021 Copa Independencia. |
International Women's Gran Prix | Dark Silueta | October 8 | Last eliminated Tsukushi to win for Team Mexico. |
Rey del Inframundo championship | El Terrible | November 5 | Defeated Atlantis Jr. in the tournament final to win the 2021 Rey del Inframundo championship. |
Leyenda de Azul | El Soberano Jr. | November 26 | Defeated Atlantis Jr. in the tournament final to win the 2021 Leyenda de Azul. |
Gran Alternativa | El Coyote & Euforia | December 25 | Defeated El Coyote & Euforia. in the tournament final to win the 2021 Gran Alternativa. |
DDT
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ultimate Tag League | The37Kamiina (Konosuke Takeshita and Shunma Katsumata) |
May 27 | Defeated Damnation (Daisuke Sasaki and Yuji Hino) in a tie-breaker to win the 2021 Ultimate Tag League. |
King of DDT | Konosuke Takeshita | July 4 | Defeated Yuji Hino in the tournament final to win the King of DDT 2021. |
D-Oh Grand Prix | Konosuke Takeshita | December 5 | Defeated Yuki Ueno in the tournament final to win the D-Oh Grand Prix 2021 II. |
Dragon Gate
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
King of Gate | Kzy | June 3 | Defeated Kota Minoura in the final to win the King of Gate 2021. |
MLW
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Battle Riot | Alexander Hammerstone | July 10 | Last eliminated Mads Krügger to earn an MLW World Heavyweight Championship match. He defeated Jacob Fatu in a title vs. title no disqualification match at Fightland with his MLW National Openweight Championship also on the line |
Opera Cup | Davey Richards | November 6 | Defeated TJP in the finals to win the 2021 Opera Cup |
Gleat
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
UWF Rules Tournament | Takanori Ito | March 18 | Defeated Yu Iizuka in the final to win the tournament. |
G Prowrestling Tournament | Soma Watanabe | April 15 | Defeated Kaz Hayashi in the final to win the tournament. |
Impact
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Super X Cup | Ace Austin | January 9 | Defeated Blake Christian in the tournament final to win the Super X Cup Trophy. |
Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship Tournament | Fire 'N Flava (Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz) |
January 16 | Defeated Havok and Nevaeh in the tournament finals to win the revived Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship; the title was deactivated in 2013. |
Homecoming King and Queen Tournament | Deonna Purrazzo and Matthew Rehwoldt | July 31 | Defeated Decay (Rosemary and Crazzy Steve) in the tournament finals to be crowned Homecoming King and Queen |
Call Your Shot Gauntlet | Moose | October 23 | Last eliminated Matt Cardona to win the Call Your Shot Trophy for a championship match of his choosing. Moose would use the trophy later in the night on Josh Alexander to win the Impact World Championship |
NJPW
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
New Japan Cup | Will Ospreay | March 21 | Defeated Shingo Takagi in the tournament final to earn an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match at Sakura Genesis. |
New Japan Cup USA | Tom Lawlor | April 23 | Defeated Brody King to become the inaugural Strong Openweight Champion. |
NWA
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Champions Series | Team Pope/Velvet Sky (Trevor Murdoch, Jennacide, Jax Dane, Cyon, and Colby Corino) |
N/A (aired August 10) |
Defeated Team Kamille/Austin Idol (Thom Latimer, Kenzie Paige, JR Kratos, Matthew Mims, and Sal Rinauro) in the finals block to earn future title opportunities (or their team's protection in the captains' terms).
|
NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship tournament | The Hex (Allysin Kay and Marti Belle) |
August 28 | Defeated KiLynn King and Red Velvet in the tournament final to win the reactivated NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship. The title has been inactive since 1984 |
NWA Women's Invitational Cup | Chelsea Green | Last eliminated Tootie Lynn in a gauntlet match to win the NWA Women's Invitational Cup trophy and an NWA World Women's Championship match at NWA 73, but was unsuccessful | |
NWA World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Tournament | The End (Odinson and Parrow) |
N/A (aired November 16) |
Defeated Hawx Aerie (Luke Hawx and P. J. Hawx) in the tournament final to win an NWA World Tag Team Championship match at NWA Hard Times 2, but were unsuccessful |
ROH
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Survival of the Fittest | Bandido | June 26 | Defeated Eli Isom, Chris Dickinson, Rhett Titus, Brian Johnson and Demonic Flamita in a six-way elimination match to win. Bandido would go on to defeat Rush and win the ROH World Championship at Best in the World. |
Honor Rumble | Alex Zayne | September 12 | Last eliminated P. J. Black to win an ROH World Championship match on the November 6 Ring of Honor Wrestling, but was unsuccessful |
ROH Women's World Championship Tournament | Rok-C | September 12 | Defeated Miranda Alize in the tournament final to become the inaugural ROH Women's World Champion |
Noah
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
N-1 Victory | Katsuhiko Nakajima | August 1 | Defeated Kenoh to win the 2021 N-1 Victory. |
Sendai Girls
Accomplishment | Winner | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Jaja Uma Tournament | Haruka Umesaki | January 9 |
WWE
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Royal Rumble (Women) |
Bianca Belair | January 31 | Winner received their choice of a championship match for either the Raw Women's Championship, SmackDown Women's Championship, or NXT Women's Championship at WrestleMania 37; Belair last eliminated Rhea Ripley to win and chose her own brand's SmackDown Women's Championship, which she subsequently won from Sasha Banks at the event. |
Royal Rumble (Men) |
Edge | Winner received their choice of a championship match for either Raw's WWE Championship, SmackDown's Universal Championship, or the NXT Championship at WrestleMania 37; Edge from Raw last eliminated Randy Orton to win and chose the Universal Championship, but was unsuccessful in winning the title at the event. | |
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (Women) |
Dakota Kai and Raquel González | February 14 | Defeated Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart in the tournament final to win the inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Trophy and a match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship on the March 3 episode of NXT, but were unsuccessful in winning the championship due to a controversial finish. This resulted in them being named the inaugural holders of the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. |
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (Men) |
MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) |
Defeated Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson) in the tournament final to win the Men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Trophy and a match for the NXT Tag Team Championship on the March 3 episode of NXT, but Lee suffered a storyline injury leading up to the match. They would later win a triple threat tag team match involving Grizzled Young Veterans and Legado del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza) at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 1 to win the vacant titles (vacated after co-champion Danny Burch suffered a shoulder injury). | |
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal | Jey Uso | April 2 (aired April 9) |
Last eliminated Shinsuke Nakamura to win the André the Giant Memorial Trophy. |
Money in the Bank ladder match (Women) |
Nikki A.S.H. | July 18 | Defeated Asuka, Naomi, Alexa Bliss, Liv Morgan, Zelina Vega, Natalya, and Tamina for a women's world championship match contract. Nikki cashed in the contract on the July 19 episode of Raw and won the Raw Women's Championship from Charlotte Flair, who had just retained the title in a match against Rhea Ripley by disqualification. |
Money in the Bank ladder match (Men) |
Big E | Defeated Ricochet, John Morrison, Riddle, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens, King Nakamura, and Seth Rollins for a world championship match contract. Big E cashed in the contract on the September 13 episode of Raw and won the WWE Championship from Bobby Lashley, who had just retained the title in a match against Randy Orton. | |
King of the Ring tournament | Xavier Woods | October 21 | Defeated Finn Bálor in the tournament final to become the King of the Ring; he subsequently changed his ring name to King Woods. |
Queen's Crown tournament | Zelina Vega | Defeated Doudrop in the tournament final to become the inaugural Queen; she subsequently changed her ring name to Queen Zelina. |
Zero1
Accomplishment | Winner(s) | Date won | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Fire Festival | Takuya Sugawara | August 1 | Defeated Ayato Yoshida to win the 2021 Fire Festival. |
Title changes
AEW
AEW World Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Kenny Omega | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 13 | Adam Page | Full Gear |
AEW TNT Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Darby Allin | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
May 12 | Miro | Dynamite | |
September 29 | Sammy Guevara | Dynamite | |
December 22 (aired December 25) |
Cody Rhodes | Holiday Bash Night 2 |
AEW Women's World Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Hikaru Shida | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
May 30 | Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. | Double or Nothing |
AEW World Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
September 5 | Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix) |
All Out | Steel Cage match. |
FTW Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Brian Cage | |||
Title not officially sanctioned by AEW. | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
July 14 | Ricky Starks | Fyter Fest Night 1 |
CMLL
CMLL World Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Último Guerrero[12] | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
September 24 | Hechicero | CMLL 88. Aniversario |
CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Niebla Roja | ||||
No title changes |
CMLL World Middleweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – El Cuatrero | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 11 | Vacated | — | Title vacated when Cuatrero left CMLL |
December 10 | Soberano, Jr. | CMLL Super Viernes | Defeated Templato in a tournament final for the vacant title |
CMLL World Welterweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Titán | ||||
No title changes |
CMLL World Lightweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Vacated | ||||
No title changes |
CMLL World Micro-Estrellas Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Chamuel | ||||
No title changes |
CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Shockercito | ||||
No title changes |
CMLL World Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Alianza de Plata y Oro (Carístico and Místico) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
September 24 | Titán and Volador Jr. | Aniversario 88 |
CMLL World Trios Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Los Guerreros Lagunero (Euforia, Gran Guerrero, and Último Guerrero) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 26 | Nueva Generación Dinamita (El Cuatrero, Forastero and Sansón) |
CMLL La Vopa Jr. VIP | The exact length of this reign is uncertain. The titles were vacated somewhere at the beginning of April under unknown circumstances. |
N/A | Vacated | — | |
April 24 | Los Cancerberos del Infierno (Virus, Raziel and Cancerbero) |
65th Aniversario de Arena México | Defeated Stuka Jr., Guerrero Maya Jr. and Star Jr. to win the vacant titles. |
CMLL World Women's Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Princesa Sugehit | ||||
No title changes |
CMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship | ||||
Incoming champions – Vacant | ||||
No title changes |
NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Stuka Jr. | ||||
No title changes |
NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Carístico | ||||
No title changes |
NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Volador Jr. | ||||
No title changes |
Mexican National Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Diamante Azul | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 11 | Vacated | — | Diamante Azul left the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in May. On August 11, a tournament to determine a new champion was confirmed. |
Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Bárbaro Cavernario | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
June 29 | Felino | Live event | |
October 12 | Ángel de Oro | Live event |
Mexican National Welterweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Soberano Jr. | ||||
No title changes |
Mexican National Lightweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Eléctrico | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
December 11 | Panterita del Ring Jr. | Sábado de Lucha |
Mexican National Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Atlantis Jr. and Flyer | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
July 9 | Atrapasuenos (Espiritu Negro and Rey Cometa) |
CMLL | |
October 4 | Felino Jr. and Polvora | CMLL |
Mexican National Trios Championship | ||||
Incoming champions – Nueva Generación Dinamita (El Cuatrero, Forastero, and Sansón) | ||||
No title changes |
Mexican National Women's Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Reyna Isis | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 16 | Dark Silueta | CMLL Live event |
Mexican National Women's Tag Team Championship | ||||
Incoming champions – La Jarochita and Lluvia | ||||
No title changes |
DDT
KO-D Openweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Tetsuya Endo | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 14 | Jun Akiyama | Judgement 2021: DDT 24th Anniversary | |
August 21 | Konosuke Takeshita | Wrestle Peter Pan 2021 |
DDT Universal Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Yuki Ueno | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 21 | Daisuke Sasaki | Wrestle Peter Pan 2021 |
DDT Extreme Division Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Sanshiro Takagi | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 7 | Shunma Katsumata | Kumamoto Castle Natural Onsen Shironoyu Presents Steam Natural Onsen Pro-Wrestling | Three-way Falls Count Anywhere 45-minute Iron Man match also involving Batten×Burabura. |
March 14 | Chris Brookes | Day Dream Believer | Barbed Wire Coffin Deathmatch. |
July 15 | Shinya Aoki | Summer Vacation Tour In Shinjuku | This was a Winner Takes All No Disqualification and No Submission match in which Aoki's Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship was also on the line. |
KO-D Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Eruption (Kazusada Higuchi and Yukio Sakaguchi) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 11 | Smile Pissari (Harashima and Yuji Okabayashi) |
April Fool 2021 | |
June 26 | The37Kamiina (Konosuke Takeshita and Shunma Katsumata) |
Summer Vacation 2021 in Osaka | |
October 12 | Disaster Box (Harashima and Naomi Yoshimura) |
Get Alive 2021 |
KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Wakate Tsūshin Sedai (Akito, Kazuki Hirata, and Shota) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 14 | Damnation (Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao, and Yuji Hino) |
Day Dream Believer | |
September 4 | Vacated | Dramatic Survivor 2021 | As a result of having lost the Dramatic Survivor tournament, Damnation were forced to disband. The title was immediately vacated. |
November 3 | Pheromones (Danshoku "Dandy" Dino, Yuki "Sexy" Iino and Yumehito "Fantastic" Imanari) |
D-Oh Grand Prix 2021 II in Ota-ku | Defeated Sanshiro Takagi, Shinya Aoki and Yusuke Okada to win the vacant titles. |
KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Championship/KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Vacant | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 14 | Shinya Aoki, Super Sasadango Machine, Antonio Honda, and Kazuki Hirata | Kawasaki Strong | Defeated Sanshiro Takagi, Danshoku Dino, Toru Owashi, and Makoto Oishi in a No disqualification match to win the vacant title. |
March 28 | Team Thoroughbred (Sanshiro Takagi, Yukio Naya, Chikara, and Yakan Nabe) |
Judgement 2021: DDT 24th Anniversary | |
July 4 | Team Olympian (Yoshiaki Yatsu, Akito, Hiroshi Yamato and Keigo Nakamura) |
King of DDT 2021 Final!! | |
November 3 | Toru Owashi, Antonio Honda, Kazuki Hirata and Yoshihiko | D-Oh Grand Prix 2021 II in Ota-ku | On January 3, 2022, the title reverted to its original form. Owashi, Honda, Hirata and Yoshihiko continued to defend the title as a four-man team. |
O-40 Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Toru Owashi | ||||
No title changes |
Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – The Young Bucks' autobiography Killing the Business | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 28 | Saki Akai's photo book "Lip Hip Shake" | Into The Fight | Six-way match also involving Saki Akai, Antonio Honda, Danshoku Dino, and Kazuki Hirata. |
March 14 | Keigo Nakamura | Day Dream Believer | |
Saki Akai | Pinned Keigo Nakamura in a six-person tag team match. | ||
April 3 | Kazuki Hirata | Peanuts Are A Good Source Of Protein | During a six-person tag team match, Hirata pinned his own partner Saki Akai to win the title. |
Chiba-kun stuffed animal | Shortly after, Kazuki Hirata ran off backstage followed by referee Yukinori Matsui. A three-count was heard and DJ Nira walked out carrying a stuffed animal of Chiba-kun, the mascot of the Chiba city, which referee Matsui confirmed as the new champion. | ||
Kazuki Hirata | Mao attacked the toy but before he could pin it, he was attacked by Hirata who then stole the pin to win the title back. | ||
Antonio Honda | Pinned Kazuki Hirata to win the six-person tag team match and the title. | ||
Saki Akai | After the match, pinned Antonio Honda to win the title. | ||
April 25 | Chris Brookes | Max Bump 2021 Tour in Nagano | During a tag team match, Brookes teamed with Toui Kojima to defeat Yukio Sakaguchi and Saki Akai which he pinned to win the title. |
Saki Akai | After the match, pinned Chris Brookes to win the title back. | ||
May 4 | Chris Brookes | Max Bump 2021 | This was also for Brookes' DDT Extreme Division Championship. |
May 29 | Antonio Honda | Audience Tour 2021 in Fukuoka | |
Saki Akai | |||
May 30 | Shinya Aoki | Audience Tour 2021 in Kumamoto | |
June 20 | Kazuki Hirata | King of DDT 2021 2nd Round | Took place during a 9-person rumble rules match also involving Yukio Sakaguchi, Antonio Honda, Chris Brookes, Mad Paulie, Makoto Oishi, Saki Akai and Toru Owashi. |
Shinya Aoki | |||
July 25 | Masayuki Okano | Kushiro Charity Sports Festival | Retired football player. |
Danshoku Dino | |||
September 12 | Shunma Katsumata | Tenjin Wars 2021 | Took place during a tag team match where Katsumata teamed with Yuki Ueno to successfully defend the KO-D Tag Team Championship against Danshoku Dino and Yuki Iino. |
September 22 | Harashima | Who's Gonna Top? Tour in Sapporo | Took place during a six-man tag team match where Harashima teamed with Toru Owashi and Naomi Yoshimura and defeated Shunma Katsumata, Yuki Ueno and Konosuke Takeshita. |
October 23 | Akito | Dramatic Dream Tour 2021 in Fuji | Pinned Harashima during Antonio Honda's autograph signing session. |
November 10 | Hideki Okatani | D-Oh Grand Prix 2021 II in Shinjuku | Took place during a six-person tag team match. Okatani pinned his own partner Akito to win the title. |
Kazuki Hirata | Took place during a six-person tag team match. Hirata pinned Hideki Okatani to win the match and the title. | ||
Toru Owashi | |||
November 21 | Akito | D-Oh Grand Prix 2021 II in Korakuen Hall | |
December 5 | Kazuki Hirata | D-Oh Grand Prix 2021 II the Final | |
Toru Owashi | |||
December 31 | Yuna Mizumori | ChocoPro #187 | Defeated Toru Owashi in a janken game. This was a Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling event. |
Toru Owashi |
Impact
Impact World Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Rich Swann | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
The title was briefly referred to as the Impact Unified World Championship after Rich Swann defeated TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose at Sacrifice on March 13 to unify the Impact World Championship and TNA World Heavyweight Championship. | |||
April 25 | Kenny Omega | Rebellion | Winner Takes All match in which Omega also defended the AEW World Championship. |
August 13 | Christian Cage | AEW Rampage | First-time ever that the championship was defended on All Elite Wrestling (AEW) programming. |
October 23 | Josh Alexander | Bound for Glory | |
Moose | Cashed in his Call Your Shot opportunity which he won earlier that same night. |
Impact X Division Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Manik | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 13 | Ace Austin | Sacrifice | |
April 25 | Josh Alexander | Rebellion | Three-way match also involving TJP. |
September 23 | Vacated | Impact! | Josh Alexander vacated the title to invoke Option C. |
October 23 | Trey Miguel | Bound for Glory | Defeated El Phantasmo and Steve Maclin in a three-way match to win the vacant title. |
Impact Knockouts Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Deonna Purrazzo | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
October 23 | Mickie James | Bound for Glory |
Impact World Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 13 | FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) |
Sacrifice | |
May 17 | Violent By Design (Eric Young, Deaner, Joe Doering, and Rhino) |
Impact! | This was Rhino's Call Your Shot match. Rhino and Doering represented Violent By Design |
July 17 | The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) |
Slammiversary | This was a fatal four-way tag team match, also involving Rich Swann & Willie Mack and Fallah Bahh & No Way. Doering and Rhino represented Violent By Design. Gallows pinned Rhino to win the match and the titles. |
Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship | |||
(Title reactivated) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 16 | Fire N Flava (Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz) |
Hard To Kill | Defeated Havok and Nevaeh in the tournament final to win the revived title; the title had been inactive since 2013. |
April 25 | Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering | Rebellion | |
May 15 | Fire N Flava (Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz) |
Under Siege | |
July 17 | Decay (Jessicka Havok and Rosemary) |
Slammiversary Pre-Show |
|
October 23 | The IInspiration (Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay) |
Bound for Glory |
TNA World Heavyweight Championship | |||
(Title sanctioned) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 23 | Moose | Impact! | In April 2020 at Rebellion, Moose declared himself the TNA World Heavyweight Champion and began carrying around the belt that last represented the title before it became known as the Impact World Championship. Impact Wrestling did not officially recognize this until the following year on February 23 when they officially sanctioned the championship, recognizing Moose as champion. |
March 13 | Rich Swann | Sacrifice | Championship unification match in which Swann defended the Impact World Championship. |
Unified | Unified with the Impact World Championship, which became briefly known as the Impact Unified World Championship. |
Impact Digital Media Championship | |||
(Title created) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
October 23 | Jordynne Grace | Bound for Glory Pre-Show |
Defeated Chelsea Green, Crazzy Steve, Fallah Bahh, John Skyler, and Madison Rayne in a six-way tournament final to win the title |
IWRG
IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Fresero Jr. | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
September 5 | Vacated | N/A | |
September 5 | Gianni Valletta | IWRG show | |
September 16 | El Hijo del Espectro Jr. | IWRG show |
IWRG Intercontinental Lightweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Vacant | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
July 12 | Vacated | — | Vacated when Baby Extreme left the promotion. |
July 15 | Puma de Oro | IWRG Thursday Night Wrestling | Defeated Aster Boy, Baby Star Jr., Lunatic Xtreme, Mr. Puma, Noicy Boy, Redimido and Sobredosis in an eight-way elimination match for the vacant title. |
October 30 | Aster Boy | IWRG Castillo Del Terror 2021 |
IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Dragon Bane | ||||
No title changes |
IWRG Intercontinental Tag Team Championship | ||||
Incoming champions – Bryce Benjamin and Marshe Rockett | ||||
No title changes |
IWRG Intercontinental Trios Championship | ||||
Incoming champions – Centella de Oro, Multifacético, and Prayer | ||||
No title changes |
IWRG Intercontinental Welterweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Cerebro Negro | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 21 | Jessy Ventura | — |
IWRG Junior de Juniors Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Fresero Jr. | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
May 6 | El Hijo del Espectro Jr. | IWRG show |
IWRG Rey del Aire Championship |
Incoming champion – Dragón Bane |
No title changes. |
IWRG Rey del Ring Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Demonio Infernal | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 21 | Eterno | Guerreros de Acero | This was a Lucha de Apuestas Hair and Mask vs Titles tag team match between Eterno (hair) and El Hijo del Espectro Jr. (mask) against Fresero Jr. (Intercontinental Heavyweight) and Demonio Infernal (Rey del Ring). Eterno pinned Demonio Infernal to win the title. |
May 9 | Vacated | Rey del Ring | |
May 9 | El Hijo de Canis Lupus | Rey del Ring | Defeated DMT Azul by DQ to win the vacant title. DMT Azul performed a piledriver (which is a banned move in Mexico), being DQ'd, so Hijo de Canis Lupus won the title. |
Distrito Federal Trios Championship |
Incoming champions – El Infierno Eterno (Demonio Infernal, Eterno, and Lunatic Xtreme) |
No title changes. |
AAA
AAA Mega Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Kenny Omega | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 22 | Vacated | — | Omega vacated the title due to injury. |
December 4 | El Hijo del Vikingo | Triplemanía Regia II | Defeated Bandido, Bobby Fish, Jay Lethal, and Samuray del Sol to win the vacant championship. |
AAA World Cruiserweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Laredo Kid | ||||
No title changes |
AAA World Mini-Estrella Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Dinastía | ||||
No title changes |
AAA Latin American Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Daga | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 24 | Vacated | — | Daga vacated the title. |
May 1 | Taurus | Rey de Reyes | Defeated Octagón Jr. and Villano III Jr. to win the vacant championship. |
AAA Reina de Reinas Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Taya Valkyrie | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 24 | Vacated | — | Taya Valkyrie vacated the championship due to signing with WWE. |
May 1 | Faby Apache | Rey de Reyes | Defeated Lady Shani, Lady Flammer, Chik Tormenta, Lady Maravilla, and Sexy Star II to win the vacant championship. |
August 14 | Deonna Purrazzo | Triplemanía XXIX | This was a Champion vs. Champion match where Purrazzo's Impact Knockouts Championship was also on the line. |
AAA World Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Lucha Brothers (Fenix and Pentagón Jr.) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
October 16 | FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) |
AEW Dynamite | First time the championship changed hands on an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) program. |
AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Lady Maravilla and Villano III Jr. | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
October 21 | Los Vipers (Arez and Chik Tormenta) |
AAA TV-Taping |
AAA World Trios Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Jinetes del Aire (El Hijo del Vikingo, Octagón Jr., and Myzteziz Jr.) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
May 8 | Los Mercenarios (La Hiedra, Rey Escorpión, Taurus, and Texano Jr.) |
Luchando por la Identidad de Mexico |
MLW
MLW World Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Jacob Fatu | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
October 2 | Alexander Hammerstone | Fightland | Title vs. Title No Disqualification match also for Hammerstone's MLW National Openweight Championship |
MLW World Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – The Von Erichs (Marshall and Ross Von Erich) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 13 | Los Parks (El Hijo de L.A. Park, L.A. Park, and L.A. Park Jr.) |
Fusion | Texas Tornado match; Tom Lawlor served as special guest referee. L.A. Park and El Hijo de L.A. Park represented Los Parks |
November 6 | 5150 (Danny Rivera and Slice Boogie) |
War Chamber | Philadelphia street fight. El Hijo de L.A. Park and L.A. Park Jr. represented Los Parks |
MLW World Middleweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Myron Reed | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 6 | Lio Rush | Kings of Colosseum | |
May 5 | Myron Reed | MLW Fusion | |
October 2 | Yoshihiro Tajiri | Fightland | Pinned Reed in a four-way match also involving Aramis and Arez |
MLW National Openweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Alexander Hammerstone | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
October 13 | Vacated | Fusion: ALPHA | Hammerstone vacated the title after winning the MLW World Heavyweight Championship |
November 6 | Alex Kane | War Chamber | Defeated A. C. H., Alex Shelley, Myron Reed, and Zenshi in a ladder match to win the vacant title |
MLW Caribbean Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Savio Vega and Richard Holliday | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
The title was initially a property of IWA Puerto Rico. Vega first appeared with the title on the June 15, 2019 episode of MLW Fusion, but after Holliday defeated Vega in a match, Holliday stole the championship and defended it as if he was champion. Holliday would soon defeat Vega in a Caribbean Strap match on the January 27, 2021 Fusion to become the undisputed champion. | |||
July 10 | King Muertes | Battle Riot III | Caribbean Rules match. |
NJPW
IWGP Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Tetsuya Naito | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 4 | Kota Ibushi | Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome Night 1 |
|
March 4 | Unified | — | The championship was unified with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to create the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. An official title unification match was held between defending champion Kota Ibushi and El Desperado at NJPW's 49th Anniversary Show on March 4. |
IWGP Intercontinental Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Tetsuya Naito | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 4 | Kota Ibushi | Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome Night 1 |
|
March 4 | Unified | — | The championship was unified with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to create the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. An official title unification match was held between defending champion Kota Ibushi and El Desperado at NJPW's 49th Anniversary Show on March 4. |
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | |||
(Title created) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 4 | Kota Ibushi | 49th Anniversary Show | Defeated El Desperado in a title unification match to officially unify the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship and be recognized as the inaugural IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Ibushi held both former titles going into the match. |
April 4 | Will Ospreay | Sakura Genesis | |
May 20 | Vacated | — | Will Ospreay vacated the championship due to suffering a legitimate neck injury. |
June 7 | Shingo Takagi | Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall | Defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the vacant title. |
IWGP United States Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Jon Moxley | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
July 21 | Lance Archer | AEW Fyter Fest Night 2 |
First time the title changed hands on an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) program. |
August 14 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Resurgence | |
November 6 | Kenta | Power Struggle |
IWGP Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr.) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 4 | Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) |
Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome Night 1 |
|
June 1 | Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr.) |
Road to Dominion | |
July 11 | Los Ingobernables de Japón (Tetsuya Naito and Sanada) |
Summer Struggle in Sapporo Night 2 |
|
July 25 | Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr.) |
Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome |
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Taiji Ishimori | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 5 | Hiromu Takahashi | Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome Night 2 |
|
February 25 | Vacated | Road to Castle Attack | The championship was vacated after Takahashi suffered a pect injury. |
February 28 | El Desperado | Castle Attack Night 2 |
Defeated Bushi and El Phantasmo in a three-way match to win the vacant title. |
July 25 | Robbie Eagles | Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome | |
November 6 | El Desperado | Power Struggle |
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 23 | Bullet Club (El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori) |
Road to The New Beginning | |
February 25 | Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) |
Road to Castle Attack | |
April 4 | Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) |
Sakura Genesis | |
June 23 | Bullet Club (El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori) |
Kizuna Road | |
October 26 | Flying Tiger (Robbie Eagles and Tiger Mask) |
Road to Power Struggle Night 3 |
NEVER Openweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Shingo Takagi | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 30 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | The New Beginning in Nagoya | |
May 3 | Jay White | Wrestling Dontaku Night 1 |
|
November 13 | Tomohiro Ishii | Battle in the Valley | Last Chance match |
NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Chaos (Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 6 | House of Torture (Evil, Sho, and Yujiro Takahashi) |
Power Struggle |
KOPW | ||||
Incoming Champion – Toru Yano | ||||
No title changes |
Strong Openweight Championship | |||
(Title created) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 23 | Tom Lawlor | Strong | Defeated Brody King in the New Japan Cup USA finals to become the inaugural champion. |
NWA
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Nick Aldis | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 29 | Trevor Murdoch | 73rd Anniversary Show | Title vs. Career match. This was Murdoch's Champion Series title match. |
NWA World Women's Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Serena Deeb | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
June 6 | Kamille | When Our Shadows Fall |
NWA World Television Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Elijah Burke | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 6 | Tyrus | ExtraPowerrr | No Time Limit |
NWA World Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Aron Stevens and JR Kratos | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 29 | La Rebelión (Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf 450) |
73rd Anniversary Show |
NWA National Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Trevor Murdoch | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 30 | Chris Adonis | Power | No disqualification match |
May 25 | Vacated | — | Adonis vacated the championship to compete in an NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship #1 contender's battle royal |
July 5 | Chris Adonis | Power | Defeated JTG to win the vacant title. |
NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship | |||
(Title reactivated) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 28 | The Hex (Allysin Kay and Marti Belle) |
EmPowerrr | Defeated Red Velvet and KiLynn King in a tournament final to win the revived championship. |
Noah
GHC Heavyweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Go Shiozaki | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
February 12, 2021 | Keiji Muto | Destination 2021 | ||
June 6 | CyberFight Festival 2021 | Naomichi Marufuji | ||
October 10 | Katsuhiko Nakajima | Grand Square 2021 in Osaka |
GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Daisuke Harada | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
February 12, 2021 | Seiki Yoshioka | Destination 2021 | ||
March 14 | Atsushi Kotoge | Great Voyage 2021 in Fukuoka | ||
June 27 | Hayata | Muta The World |
GHC National Championship | ||||
Incoming champion – Kenoh | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 21 | Kazuyuki Fujita | The Infinity 2021 | ||
April 29 | Takashi Sugiura | The Glory 2021 | ||
October 28 | Masaaki Mochizuki | Go On The Demolition Stage 2021 |
GHC Tag Team Championship | ||||
Incoming champions – Sugiura-gun (Kazushi Sakuraba and Takashi Sugiura) | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 7 | The Aggression (Katsuhiko Nakajima and Masa Kitamiya) |
Great Voyage 2021 In Yokohama | Kitamiya and Nakajima won the titles on this occasion as part of the Kongo stable. Kitamiya turned on Nakajima following their lone title defense from Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial from May 31, 2021. Despite that, they remained champions until a decision match was held. | |
July 22 | Kaito Kiyomiya and Masa Kitamiya | NOAH Up To Emotion 2021 | Katsuhiko Nakajima teamed with Manabu Soya to defend against Kitamiya and Kiyomiya to determine new champions. | |
November 13 | M's Alliance (Keiji Muto and Naomichi Marufuji) |
Demolition Stage 2021 In Yokohama |
GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship | ||||
Incoming champions – Stinger (Hayata and Yoshinari Ogawa) | ||||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 31 | Daisuke Harada and Hajime Ohara | Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial 2021 In Korakuen Hall: Forever In Our Hearts | ||
August 1 | Scramble Time (Seiki Yoshioka and Yuya Susumu) |
Cross Over in Hiroshima 2021 | ||
September 12 | Atsushi Kotoge and Hajime Ohara | N-1 Victory (Night 1) | ||
October 10 | Los Perros del Mal de Japón (Eita and Nosawa Rongai) |
Grand Square 2021 in Osaka | ||
November 28 | Stinger (Hayata and Yoshinari Ogawa) |
The Best 2021 |
ROH
ROH World Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Rush | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
July 11 | Bandido | Best in the World | |
December 11 | Vacated | Final Battle | The title was vacated after Bandido contracted COVID-19 |
December 11 | Jonathan Gresham | Defeated Jay Lethal to win the vacant title, represented by the original design |
ROH World Television Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Dragon Lee | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 26 | Tracy Williams | ROH 19th Anniversary Show | Defeated Kenny King, who subbed in for an injured Lee. |
N/A (aired May 1) |
Tony Deppen | Ring of Honor Wrestling | The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. |
July 11 | Dragon Lee | Best in the World | |
N/A (aired November 20) |
Dalton Castle | Ring of Honor Wrestling | The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. |
December 11 | Rhett Titus | Final Battle | Four Corner Survival match, also featuring Joe Hendry and Silas Young. Titus pinned Young |
ROH Pure Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Jonathan Gresham | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
September 12 | Josh Woods | Death Before Dishonor |
ROH Women's World Championship | |||
(Title introduced) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
September 12 | Rok-C | Death Before Dishonor | Defeated Miranda Alize in a tournament final to win the inaugural championship. |
ROH World Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – The Foundation (Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
N/A (aired February 27) |
La Faccion Ingobernable (Dragon Lee and Kenny King) |
Ring of Honor Wrestling | Pure Rules tag team match. The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. |
March 26 | The Foundation (Rhett Titus and Tracy Williams) |
ROH 19th Anniversary Show | Defeated King and La Bestia del Ring, who was subbing for an injured Lee. |
July 11 | Violence Unlimited (Chris Dickinson and Homicide) |
Best in the World | Fight Without Honor match; defeated Titus and Jonathan Gresham, who was subbing for an injured Williams. |
N/A (aired September 11) |
La Faccion Ingobernable (Dragon Lee and Kenny King) |
Ring of Honor Wrestling | The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. |
November 14 | The OGK (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) |
Honor for All | |
December 11 | The Briscoe Brothers (Mark Briscoe and Jay Briscoe) |
Final Battle |
ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – MexiSquad (Bandido, Flamita, and Rey Horus) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
N/A (aired February 20) |
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Moses, and Kaun) |
Ring of Honor Wrestling | The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. O'Shay Edwards would occasionally defend the titles under the Freebird Rule. |
December 11 | The Righteous (Bateman, Dutch, and Vincent) |
Final Battle Pre-Show |
Defeated Kaun, Moses, and O'Shay Edwards, who took Taylor's place, as Taylor would have a match the same night |
The Crash
The Crash Heavyweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Bandido | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 5 | El Hijo del Vikingo | The Crash 10th Anniversary Show | This was a four-way match that also included Dragon Lee and Willie Mack. |
The Crash Cruiserweight Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Oraculo | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 5 | Dinámico | The Crash 10th Anniversary Show | This was a three-way match that also included Black Danger. |
The Crash Junior Championship |
Incoming champion – Dinamico |
No title changes. |
The Crash Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Los Traumas (Trauma I and Trauma II) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
November 5 | La Rebelión Amarilla (Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf) |
The Crash 10th Anniversary Show | This was a tag team four-way match that also included Los Mercenarios (Taurus & Rey Escorpión) and Funnybone & Super Beast |
The Crash Women's Championship |
Incoming champion – Lady Flamer |
No title changes. |
WWE
Raw and SmackDown
Raw and SmackDown each have a world championship, a secondary championship, a women's championship, and a male tag team championship.
WWE Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Drew McIntyre | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 21 | The Miz | Elimination Chamber | This was Miz's Money in the Bank contract cash-in match. |
March 1 | Bobby Lashley | Raw | This was a Lumberjack match. |
September 13 | Big E | Raw | This was Big E's Money in the Bank contract cash-in match. |
WWE Universal Championship |
Incoming champion – Roman Reigns |
No title changes. |
WWE United States Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Bobby Lashley | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
February 21 | Riddle | Elimination Chamber | This was a triple threat match, also involving John Morrison, who Riddle pinned. |
April 11 | Sheamus | WrestleMania 37 Night 2 |
|
August 21 | Damian Priest | SummerSlam |
WWE Intercontinental Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Big E | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 11 | Apollo Crews | WrestleMania 37 Night 2 |
This was a Nigerian Drum Fight. |
August 13 | King Nakamura | SmackDown | His ring name reverted to Shinsuke Nakamura on October 8 out of respect for the King of the Ring tournament. |
WWE Raw Women's Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Asuka | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 11 | Rhea Ripley | WrestleMania 37 Night 2 |
|
July 18 | Charlotte Flair | Money in the Bank | |
July 19 | Nikki A.S.H. | Raw | This was A.S.H.'s Money in the Bank contract cash-in match. |
August 21 | Charlotte Flair | SummerSlam | This was a triple threat match, also involving Rhea Ripley. |
October 22 | Becky Lynch | SmackDown | During the 2021 WWE Draft, Charlotte Flair was drafted by SmackDown, while Lynch, who held the SmackDown Women's Championship, was drafted by Raw. To keep the championships on their respective brands, Lynch and Flair exchanged titles. |
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Sasha Banks | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 10 | Bianca Belair | WrestleMania 37 Night 1 |
|
August 21 | Becky Lynch | SummerSlam | |
October 22 | Charlotte Flair | SmackDown | During the 2021 WWE Draft, Becky Lynch was drafted by Raw, while Flair, who held the Raw Women's Championship, was drafted by SmackDown. To keep the championships on their respective brands, Flair and Lynch exchanged titles. |
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – The Hurt Business (Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 15 | The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) |
Raw | |
April 10 | AJ Styles and Omos | WrestleMania 37 Night 1 |
|
August 21 | RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) |
SummerSlam |
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 8 | The Dirty Dawgs (Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode) |
SmackDown | |
May 16 | The Mysterios (Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio) |
WrestleMania Backlash | First-ever father and son team to win a tag team championship in WWE. |
July 18 | The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) |
Money in the Bank Kickoff |
NXT
NXT Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Finn Bálor | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 8 | Karrion Kross | TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2 |
|
August 22 | Samoa Joe | TakeOver 36 | |
September 12 | Vacated | — | Samoa Joe vacated the title due to an undisclosed injury. |
September 14 | Tommaso Ciampa | NXT 2.0 | This was a fatal four-way match for the vacant title, also involving L. A. Knight, Pete Dunne, and Von Wagner. |
NXT North American Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Johnny Gargano | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
May 18 | Bronson Reed | NXT | This was a Steel Cage match. |
June 29 | Isaiah "Swerve" Scott | NXT | |
October 12 | Carmelo Hayes | NXT 2.0 | This was Hayes' NXT Breakout Tournament contract cash-in match. |
NXT Women's Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Io Shirai | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 7 | Raquel González | TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 1 |
|
October 26 | Mandy Rose | NXT 2.0: Halloween Havoc |
This was a Chucky's choice Trick or Street Fight match (a Halloween-themed Street Fight). |
NXT Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 23 | Vacated | — | NXT General Manager William Regal vacated the championship after Danny Burch suffered a shoulder injury the week prior. |
April 7 | MSK (Wes Lee and Nash Carter) |
TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 1 |
This was a triple threat tag team match for the vacant title, also involving Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson) and Legado Del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde). |
October 26 | Imperium (Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel) |
NXT 2.0: Halloween Havoc |
This was a Lumber Jack-o'-Lantern Tag Team match (a Halloween-themed lumberjack tag team match). |
NXT Cruiserweight Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Jordan Devlin and Santos Escobar (interim) | |||
Due to a travel ban as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, an interim champion was determined in the United States as Jordan Devlin, who resides in the United Kingdom, was unable to travel to the U.S. and defend the title until March 2021. Santos Escobar became the U.S.-based interim champion, while Devlin defended the title on NXT UK. Both Devlin and Escobar were recognized as champion until Escobar defeated Devlin in a ladder match to determine the undisputed champion at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2 on April 8. | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
April 13 | Kushida | NXT | |
September 21 | Roderick Strong | NXT 2.0 |
NXT Women's Tag Team Championship | |||
(Title created) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
March 10 | Dakota Kai and Raquel González | NXT | After winning the inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, Kai and González received a match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship against champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler on the March 3 episode of NXT; following a controversial finish resulting in a win for Jax and Baszler, NXT General Manager William Regal introduced the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship the following week and awarded them to Kai and González on account of winning the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The WWE Women's Tag Team Championship subsequently ceased appearing on NXT. |
Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart | |||
May 4 | The Way (Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell) |
NXT | This was a Street Fight. |
July 6 | Io Shirai and Zoey Stark | NXT: The Great American Bash |
|
October 26 | Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne) |
NXT 2.0: Halloween Havoc |
This was a triple threat tag team Scareway to Hell Ladder match (a Halloween-themed ladder match), also involving the team of Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta. |
Million Dollar Championship | |||
(Title reactivated) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
June 13 | L. A. Knight | TakeOver: In Your House |
Ted DiBiase reintroduced the championship on the June 8, 2021 episode of NXT. It was previously unsanctioned but became recognized by WWE with its reintroduction on NXT. Knight defeated Cameron Grimes in a ladder match to win the revived title. |
August 22 | Cameron Grimes | TakeOver 36 | Had Grimes lost, Ted DiBiase would have become L. A. Knight's butler. |
August 23 (aired August 24) |
Deactivated | NXT | Cameron Grimes gave the title back to Ted DiBiase, thus deactivating the title and being recognized as the final champion. |
NXT UK
NXT United Kingdom Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Walter | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
August 22 | Ilja Dragunov | NXT TakeOver 36 |
NXT UK Heritage Cup | |||
Incoming champion – A-Kid | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
N/A (aired May 20) |
Tyler Bate | NXT UK | The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. |
October 6 (aired October 28) |
Noam Dar | NXT UK |
NXT UK Women's Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Kay Lee Ray | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
N/A (aired June 10) |
Meiko Satomura | NXT UK | The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. |
NXT UK Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Gallus (Mark Coffey and Wolfgang) | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
N/A (aired February 25) |
Pretty Deadly (Lewis Howley and Sam Stoker) |
NXT UK | The actual date the match took place is currently unknown. |
N/A (aired December 9) |
Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate and Trent Seven) |
NXT UK | The actual date the match took place is unknown. |
Unbranded
These titles are not brand exclusive. The colors indicate the home brand of the champions (names without a color are former WWE wrestlers, Hall of Famers, or non-wrestlers).
WWE 24/7 Championship | |||
Incoming champion – Angel Garza | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 4 | R-Truth | Raw Legends Night |
Pinned Angel Garza backstage after Garza had been scared by The Boogeyman. |
January 31 | Alicia Fox | Royal Rumble | During the women's Royal Rumble match, R-Truth ran out to the ring. Several other wrestlers attempted to attack Truth. During the distraction, Fox rolled up Truth in the ring to win the title. |
R-Truth | After Alicia Fox was eliminated from the women's Royal Rumble match, Truth pinned her outside the ring with a rollup to win back the title. | ||
Peter Rosenberg | Rosenberg, who had served as a panelist during the Royal Rumble Kickoff pre-show, rolled up R-Truth by the panelist table to win the title. Rosenberg is a radio personality who often serves as a panelist during the pre-shows of WWE pay-per-views. Eighth non-wrestler to win the title. | ||
February 1 | R-Truth | The Michael Kay Show | During the live remote broadcast, which aired on the YES Network and WEPN Radio, Truth pinned Peter Rosenberg in the latter's hotel room. |
February 6 | Doug Flutie | Celebrity Flag Football Game | At Clearwater Beach during halftime of the game, which aired on ESPNEWS, Flutie rolled up R-Truth to win the title. Flutie is a former National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League player. Ninth non-wrestler to win the title. |
R-Truth | Shortly after, Truth snuck up from behind and rolled up Doug Flutie to win back the title, which also aired on ESPNEWS. | ||
February 15 | Akira Tozawa | Raw | Following a scuffle, Tozawa pinned R-Truth backstage. |
Bad Bunny | After witnessing Akira Tozawa win the title, Damian Priest attacked Tozawa and allowed guest star Bad Bunny to pin him and become champion. Bad Bunny is a rapper, singer, and songwriter. 10th non-wrestler to win the title. | ||
March 15 | R-Truth | Raw | Bad Bunny relinquished the title to R-Truth in exchange for Stone Cold Steve Austin memorabilia. |
March 21 | Joseph Average | Fastlane | Old Spice representative Joseph Average accidentally pinned R-Truth backstage during an Old Spice advertisement after a shelf full of deodorants fell over. Joseph Average was portrayed by NXT and WWE Performance Center trainee Rik Bugez. |
R-Truth | Pinned Old Spice representative Joseph Average with a roll up to win back the title. | ||
N/A (aired April 19) |
Akira Tozawa | N/A | Pinned R-Truth in the backstage area of Tropicana Field. This title change was shown on WWE's YouTube channel. The actual date the title change took place is unknown. WWE's official title history currently does not recognize this reign. |
Joseph Average | Pinned Akira Tozawa in the backstage area of Tropicana Field. This title change was shown on WWE's YouTube channel. The actual date the title change took place is unknown. WWE's official title history currently does not recognize this reign. | ||
R-Truth | Pinned Joseph Average in the backstage area of Tropicana Field. This title change was shown on WWE's YouTube channel. The actual date the title change took place is unknown. WWE's official title history currently does not recognize this reign. | ||
May 17 | Akira Tozawa | Raw | Pinned R-Truth backstage in a stairwell. |
June 29 | Drew Gulak | Raw | Pinned Akira Tozawa at ringside during a battle royal. |
R-Truth | Pinned Drew Gulak at ringside during a battle royal. | ||
Akira Tozawa | Pinned R-Truth at ringside during a battle royal | ||
July 19 | Reginald | Raw | Pinned Akira Tozawa in the ring after Tozawa had been chased to the ring by other wrestlers. His ring name was changed to Reggie on July 23. |
November 8 | Drake Maverick | Raw | This was an official watch where Maverick pinned Reggie in-ring to win the title. |
Akira Tozawa | |||
Corey Graves | |||
Byron Saxton | |||
Drake Maverick | |||
Reggie | |||
November 22 | Cedric Alexander | Raw | This was an official match where Alexander pinned Reggie in-ring to win the title. |
Dana Brooke |
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship | |||
Incoming champions – Asuka and Charlotte Flair | |||
Date | Winner | Event/Show | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
January 31 | Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler | Royal Rumble Kickoff |
|
Following the establishment of the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship on March 10, the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship became no longer available to NXT, with the title now being shared across just Raw and SmackDown. | |||
May 14 | Natalya and Tamina | SmackDown | |
September 20 | Nikki A.S.H and Rhea Ripley | Raw | |
November 22 | Queen Zelina and Carmella | Raw |
Awards and honors
WWE
WWE Hall of Fame
Category | Inductee |
---|---|
Individual | Molly Holly[13] |
Eric Bischoff[14] | |
Kane[15] | |
The Great Khali[16] | |
Rob Van Dam[17] | |
Celebrity | Ozzy Osbourne[18] |
Warrior Award | Rich Hering[19] |
Legacy | Dick the Bruiser[20] |
Pez Whatley[20] | |
Buzz Sawyer[20] | |
Ethel Johnson[20] | |
Paul Boesch[20] |
Impact
Impact Hall of Fame
Inductee |
---|
Awesome Kong |
Debuts
- February 14 – Yuto Nakashima (NJPW)
- March 11
- April 1 – Arisu Endo
- April 2 – Logan Paul
- April 30 – Minorita (Dragon Gate)
- May 3 – Aoi
- June 9 – Saito Brothers
- July 1 – Maya Fukuda (Gleat)
- August 24 – Brutus Creed,[21] Julius Creed,[22] Kosei Fujita and Ryohei Oiwa (NJPW)
- September 20 – Ishin Iihashi
- October 5 – Trick Williams (NXT)
- October 12 – Yuki Ishida (DDT)
- October 19 – Ru Feng (NXT)[23]
- October 22 – Natsuki (Actwres girl'Z)
- November 2 – Erica Yan (NXT)[24]
- November 13 – Kiku (Ice Ribbon)[25]
- December 8 – Hook
- December 18 – Evan Golden
Retirements
- January – Lars Sullivan[26] (2015-2021)
- March – The Brian Kendrick[27]
- April 20 – Kenny Dykstra[28] (2001-2021)
- April 28 – Sadie Gibbs[29]
- May 6 – Solo Darling (2011–2021)
- June 16 – A. C. H.[30]
- June 27 – Matsuya Uno[31]
- July 31 - David Arquette (2000-July 31, 2021)
- August 1 – Masato Yoshino[32]
- August 22 – Ryo Kawamura
- August 28 – Awesome Kong (1999-2021)
- November 5 – Sabu[33] (1984-2021)
- November 23 – Rina Shingaki (2018–2021)
Deaths
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/New_Jack_in_the_ECW%2C_1998.jpg/115px-New_Jack_in_the_ECW%2C_1998.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Paul_Orndorff_%28cropped%29.jpg/115px-Paul_Orndorff_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Bobeaton.jpg/115px-Bobeaton.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Daffney_July_2010_crop.jpg/115px-Daffney_July_2010_crop.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Black_Jack_Lanza_%26_Bobby_Heenan_-_The_New_Illustrated_Wrestling_News_A.W.A._Edition_-_1971_No.46_%28cropped%29.jpg/115px-Black_Jack_Lanza_%26_Bobby_Heenan_-_The_New_Illustrated_Wrestling_News_A.W.A._Edition_-_1971_No.46_%28cropped%29.jpg)
- January 7 - Bobby Davis (born 1937)
- January 10 - Danie Voges (born 1954)
- January 11 - David Khakhaleishvili (born 1971)
- January 16 – Paul Varelans (born 1969)[34]
- February 1 – Dustin Diamond (born 1977)[35]
- February 5 – Butch Reed (born 1954)[36]
- February 5 – Leon Spinks (born in 1953)
- February 11 – Rusty Brooks (born 1958)[37]
- February 20 – Dean Ho (born 1940)[38]
- February 23 – Art Michalik (born 1930)[39]
- February 24 - Jocephus (born 1977)
- February 26 – Johnny De Fazio (born 1940)[40]
- March 1 – Ann Casey (born 1938)[41]
- March 3 – Jim Crockett Jr. (born 1944)[42]
- March 5 – Buddy Colt (born 1936)[43]
- March 19 – Barry Orton (born 1958)[44]
- March 21 – Jimmy Abbott (born 1959)[45]
- April 6 – Jack Veneno (born 1942)[46]
- April 8 – John da Silva (born 1934)
- May 14 – New Jack (born 1963)[47]
- May 17 – Don Kernodle (born 1950)[48]
- May 24 – Paul Christy (born 1939)[49]
- May 28 – Tony Marino (born 1931)[50]
- June 2 – Pasión Kristal (born 1976)[51]
- June 23 – Melissa Coates (born 1971)[52]
- June 30 – The Patriot (born 1961)
- July 7 – Chris Youngblood (born 1966)[53]
- July 12 – Paul Orndorff (born 1949)[54]
- July 26 – Brazo de Plata (born 1963)[55]
- July 28 – Ted Lewin (born 1935)
- August 2 – Hideki Hosaka (born 1971)[56]
- August 3 – Jody Hamilton (born 1938)[57]
- August 4
- – Bobby Eaton (born 1958)[58]
- – Bert Prentice (born 1958)[59]
- August 12 – Dominic DeNucci (born 1932)[60]
- August 14 - Fez Whatley (born 1964)
- August 21 - Jarvis Astaire (born 1923)
- August 23 – Brick Bronsky (born 1964)[61]
- September 1
- September 2
- – Steve Lawler (born 1965)[63]
- – Ryan Sakoda (born 1974)
- September 7 – Bill White (born 1945)
- September 21 – Rumi Kazama (born 1965)
- October 7 – Reggie Parks (born 1934)
- October 17 – Hido (born 1969)
- November 6 – Angelo Mosca (born 1937)
- November 11 - Buzz Tyler (born 1948)
- November 14 - John Lees (born 1930)
- November 15 – Estrella Blanca (born 1938)
- November 28 – Pat Barrett (born 1936)
- December 1 – Kal Rudman (born 1930)
- December 8 – Blackjack Lanza (born 1935)
- December 13 – Jimmy Rave (born 1982)[64]
- December 22 - Corporal Kirchner (born 1957)
- December 27 - Markus Crane (born 1988)
- December 31 - Strong Kobayashi (born 1940)[65]
See also
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, WWE Raw special episodes, WWE SmackDown special episodes, and WWE NXT special episodes
- List of AEW pay-per-view events, AEW Dynamite special episodes, and AEW Rampage special episodes
- List of Impact Wrestling pay-per-view events and Impact Plus Monthly Specials
- List of NJPW major events and NJPW Strong special episodes
- List of ROH pay-per-view events
- List of World Wonder Ring Stardom major events
- List of major Pro Wrestling Noah events
- List of major DDT Pro-Wrestling events
- List of MLW events
- List of NWA pay-per-view events
- WWE ThunderDome
References
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- ^ "Wrestle Grand Slam in Yokohama Stadium, Tokyo Dome postponed 【WGS】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ a b "Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome Set for July 25; Shingo Ibushi Main Event【WGS】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
- ^ "NJPW, AJPW, Noah, Six More Companies Coming Together for 'LEGACY' 70th Anniversary Show". lastwordonsports.com. 18 June 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
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- ^ Delelice, Robert (September 25, 2020). "Report: NXT UK TakeOver: Dublin Now Rescheduled For 6/20/2021". Fightful. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy (April 30, 2021). "NXT UK TakeOver: Dublin Officially Canceled By WWE". Fightful. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ "WWE Has Canceled The TLC 2021 Pay-Per-View". October 14, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- ^ Lizarranga, Alfonso (October 17, 2018). "Ultimo Guerrero nuevo campeón completo del CMLL". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved March 4, 2020.
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- ^ Melok, Bobby (March 18, 2021). "Eric Bischoff to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021". WWE. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Melok, Bobby (March 24, 2021). "Kane to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021". WWE. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Melok, Bobby (March 24, 2021). "The Great Khali to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021". WWE. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Melok, Bobby (March 29, 2021). "Rob Van Dam to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021". WWE. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ Renner, Ethan (April 4, 2021). "OZZY OSBOURNE TO BE INDUCTED INTO WWE HALL OF FAME". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ "Long-Time WWE® Employee Rich Hering to Receive "Warrior Award"". WWE. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Wells, Kelly (April 6, 2021). "WWE HALL OF FAME 2020 & 2021: Wells's alt-perspective coverage of the induction ceremony for both the 2020 and 2021 classes". PWTorch. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (2021). "Brutus Creed". Cagematch.net. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (2021). "Julius Creed". Cagematch.net. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Ru Feng, Cagematch, 2023, retrieved 12 April 2023
- ^ Erica Yan, Cagematch, 2022, retrieved 12 April 2023
- ^ 43歳・二児の母がプロレスデビュー!「頑張れば色んな事を掴めるということを子どもたちに伝えたい」 [43-year-old mother of two makes professional wrestling debut! “I want to tell the children that if they work hard, they can achieve many things.”], Battle News, 2023, retrieved 13 March 2023
- ^ Lee, Joseph (February 3, 2021). "Lars Sullivan Says He Told WWE He Was Done With Wrestling Due To Anxiety". 411 Mania.
He added that his anxiety issues had become so bad that he wasn't able to eat on days he was set to appear on TV and had trouble sleeping... He said he likely wouldn't wrestle anymore and called his past actions "idiocy" and "selfish behavior"
- ^ Waddon, Mitch (April 1, 2021). "WWE's Brian Kendrick Confirms Retirement From Wrestling". cultaholic.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
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- ^ "Former AEW Star Sadie Gibbs Announces Retirement". Wrestletalk. WrestleTalk. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- ^ Former NXT Star ACH Claims To Have Retired From Professional Wrestling
- ^ Iversen, Stuart (June 29, 2021). "Ice Ribbon After The Rain, Ribbon ~ Goodbye Our Matsuya Uno (27/6/21) Review". ramblingsaboutwrestling.com. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Pollock, John (August 1, 2021). "Masato Yoshino's retirement, new Open the Dream Gate champion in Kobe". postwrestling.com. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Sabu Retiring From In-Ring Competition?
- ^ Raimondi, Marc (January 19, 2021). "Early UFC fighter Paul Varelans dies at 51 due to COVID-19". espn.com. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Mark Kennedy (February 1, 2021). "Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond dead of cancer at 44". CBC. The Associated Press.
- ^ Nature, Heel By (2021-02-05). "Butch Reed Passes Away At Age 66". Retrieved 2021-02-05.
- ^ Haulotte, Kellie (February 11, 2021). "Rusty Brooks Passes Away At Age 63". wrestlinginc.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Greer, Jamie (February 28, 2021). "Former NWA and WWWF Star Dean Ho Passes Away at 80". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Machlin, Tzvi (February 24, 2021). "Former San Francisco 49ers Star Has Passed Away". thespun.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Greer, Jamie (February 26, 2021). "Former WWWF Star "Jumping" Johnny DeFazio Passes Away at 80". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Johnson, Steven (March 1, 2021). "WOMEN'S GREAT ANN CASEY DIES". slamwrestling.net. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Chiari, Mike (March 4, 2021). "Legendary Wrestling Promoter Jim Crockett Jr. Dies at Age 76". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
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- ^ Zifo, Mesuli (March 22, 2021). "Former South African heavyweight turned preacher Jimmy Abbott dies". TimesLive. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Muere Jack Veneno, el Campeón de la Bolita del Mundo Archived 2021-04-06 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
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- ^ Fallece "Super Genie" Melissa Coates a los 50 años
- ^ Chris Youngblood of famed Romero clan dies
- ^ Paul Orndorff, WWE Hall of Famer Known as ‘Mr. Wonderful,’ Dies at 71
- ^ Murió Súper Porky, Brazo de Plata, leyenda de la Lucha Libre (in Spanish)
- ^ Hideki Hosaka passes away aged 49
- ^ 'The Assassin' Jody Hamilton Passes Away
- ^ Pro Wrestling Legend Bobby Eaton Passes Away At Age 62
- ^ Wrestling Star Bert Prentice Passes Away, Statements From Impact, Dixie Carter, Others
- ^ Dominic DeNucci Dies
- ^ Wrestler-turned-actor Brick Bronsky dies
- ^ Former wrestler Shannon 'Daffney' Spruill died of apparent gunshot wound, according to police
- ^ Southern wrestler Steve ‘The Brawler’ Lawler dies of COVID
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