1978 in professional wrestling

1978 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of years in professional wrestling

List of notable promotions

These promotions held notable shows in 1978.

Promotion Name Abbreviation
Championship Wrestling from Florida CWF
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre EMLL
National Wrestling Alliance NWA
World Wide Wrestling Federation WWWF

Calendar of notable shows
Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event
January 25 NWA
WWWF
CWF		 Superbowl of Wrestling Miami, Florida Superstar Billy Graham (c - WWWF World Championship) vs. Harley Race (c - NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship) ended in a 60-minute time limit draw during a three fall match
April 21 EMLL 22. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico El Faraón and Ringo Mendoza defeated Alfonso Dantés and Sangre Chicana in a Lucha de Apuestas hair vs. hair match[1]
September 22 EMLL 45th Anniversary Show Sangre Chicana and Rubí Rubalcava defeated El Cobarde and Dragón Rojo in a Lucha de Apuestas hair and mask vs. hair and hair match[2]
December 8 Juicio Final Kung Fu defeated El Idolo in a Lucha de Apuestas, mask vs. mask match[3]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Awards and honors
1978 PWI Wrestler of the Year, Dusty Rhodes

Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Main article: List of Pro Wrestling Illustrated awards
Category Winner
PWI Wrestler of the Year Dusty Rhodes
PWI Tag Team of the Year Ricky Steamboat and Paul Jones
PWI Match of the Year Superstar Billy Graham vs. Bob Backlund
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Dusty Rhodes
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Ric Flair
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year Dino Bravo
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Blackjack Mulligan
PWI Rookie of the Year Tommy Rich
PWI Manager of the Year Arnold Skaaland

Championship changes

EMLL
NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship
incoming champion – Alfonso Dantés[4]
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
June 2 El Faraón EMLL show [4]
December 8 Pak Choo EMLL show [4]
NWA World Middleweight Championship
Incoming champion – El Faraón
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February 17 Ringo Mendoza EMLL show
April 9 Perro Aguayo EMLL show
June 23 Ringo Mendoza EMLL show
August 13 Tony Salazar EMLL show
NWA World Welterweight Championship
Incoming champion – Mano Negra
No title changes
Mexican National Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Raul Mata
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
July 1 El Nazi EMLL show
October 27 TNT EMLL show
Mexican National Middleweight Championship
Incoming champion – Vacant
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
No title changes[5]
Mexican National Lightweight Championship
Incoming champion – Mario Valenzuela[6]
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
August 30 Talisman EMLL show [6]
Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Dr. Wagner
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 15 El Canek EMLL show
June 20 Dos Caras EMLL show
Mexican National Welterweight Championship
Incoming champion – Kung Fu
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February 7 Americo Rocca EMLL show
June 20 Lizmark EMLL show
Mexican National Women's Championship
Incoming champion – Uncertain
No title changes

NWA
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
Incoming champion – Harley Race
No title changes

Births

Debuts

Retirements

Deaths
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References
  1. Flores, Manuel (May 25, 2009). "Los Hermano Mendoza - Ringo y Cachorro están de regreso". Super Luchas (in Spanish). pp. 22–23. issue 316.
  2. "Lucha Libre: Conoce la historia de las leyendas de cuadrilátero". Sangre Chicana (1951) (in Spanish). Mexico. 2008. p. 53. Grandes Figuras de la Lucha Libre.
  3. "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Kung Fu (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico. October 2007. pp. 10 and 12. Tomo III.
  4. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Light Heavyweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 389. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  5. Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. "Tamina Snuka". Online World of Wrestling.
  8. Kamchen, Richard. "Sheamus". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  9. "Maria Menounos: Biography". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
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