2003 in professional wrestling

List of years in professional wrestling

2003 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

Calendar of notable live events

January

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
NJPW Wrestling World 2003 January 4 Tokyo Dome Tokyo, Japan 30,000
WWE Royal Rumble (2003) January 19 Fleet Center Boston, Massachusetts 15,338[1]

February

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
ROH One Year Anniversary Show February 8 Elks Lodge Queens, New York N/A
WWE No Way Out (2003) February 23 Bell Centre Montreal, Quebec 15,100[2]

March

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
AAA Rey de Reyes (2003) March 16 N/A Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico N/A
WWE WrestleMania XIX March 30 Safeco Field Seattle, Washington 54,097

April

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
CMLL 47. Aniversario de Arena México April 4 Arena México Mexico City, Mexico
WWE Backlash (2003) April 27 Worcester Centrum Worcester, Massachusetts 10,000

May

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
CMLL International Gran Prix May 9 Arena Mexico Mexico City, Mexico N/A
WWE Judgment Day (2003) May 18 Charlotte Coliseum Charlotte, North Carolina 13,000
WWA The Reckoning May 25 North Shore Events Centre Auckland, New Zealand 3,000
N/A Second Annual Big Dick Dudley Memorial Show May 31 Franklin Square Firehouse Franklin Square, New York N/A

June

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
WWE (Raw brand) Insurrextion (2003) June 7 Telewest Arena Newcastle, England 10,000
AAA Triplemanía XI June 15 Convention Center Naucalpan, Mexico 15,000
WWE (Raw brand) Bad Blood (2003) June 15 Compaq Center Houston, Texas 10,000

July

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
ROH Death Before Dishonor July 19 Rex Plex Elizabeth, New Jersey N/A
WWC WWC 30th Aniversario N/A Carolina, Puerto Rico N/A
WWE (SmackDown brand) Vengeance (2003) July 27 Pepsi Center Denver, Colorado 9,500

August

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
NJPW G1 Climax August 10-17 N/A Tokyo N/A
WWE SummerSlam (2003) August 24 America West Arena Phoenix, Arizona 16,113
AAA Verano de Escándalo-A August 31 Arena Solidaridad Monterrey, Mexico N/A

September

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
AAA Verano de Escándalo-B September 16 Arena Miguel Barragán San Luis Potosí, Mexico N/A
CMLL CMLL 70th Anniversary Show September 19 Arena México Mexico City, Mexico N/A
ROH Glory By Honor II September 20 Murphy Recreation Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania N/A
WWE (Raw brand) Unforgiven (2003) September 21 Giant Center Hershey, Pennsylvania 10,347[3]
AAA Verano de Escándalo-C September 28 El Coliseo de Universidad de Guadalajara Guadalajara, Mexico N/A

October

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
WWE (SmackDown brand) No Mercy (2003) October 19 1st Mariner Arena Baltimore, Maryland 8,500[4]

November

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
PWI Mike Lockwood Memorial Show November 15 Lathrop Community Center Lathrop, California N/A
WWE Survivor Series (2003) November 16 American Airlines Center Dallas, Texas 13,487
AAA Guerra de Titanes (2003) November 30 El Toreo Veracruz, Mexico 18,000

December

Promotion(s) Event Date Venue Location Attendance
CMLL Sin Piedad (2003) December 5 Arena México Mexico City, Mexico N/A
WWE (Raw brand) Armageddon (2003) December 14 TD Waterhouse Centre Orlando, Florida 12,672[5]
WWE WWE Tribute to the Troops December 25 N/A Baghdad, Iraq. N/A
ROH Final Battle (2003) December 27 Pennsylvania National Guard Armory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania N/A

Accomplishments and tournaments

AAA

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Rey de Reyes La Parka Jr. March 16

Ring of Honor

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Field of Honor Matt Stryker December 27

TNA

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
TNA Hard 10 Tournament The Sandman
TNA Anarchy Alliance Tag Team Tournament America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm) June 11
2003 TNA Super X Cup Tournament Chris Sabin September 3

TNA Year End Awards

Poll Winner(s)
Tag Team of the Year America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm)
Babe of the Year Trinity
Finisher of the Year The Styles Clash
Who To Watch in 2004 Abyss
Memorable Moment of the Year Jeff Jarrett attacks Hulk Hogan in Japan
X Division Star of the Year Matt Bentley
Match of the Year The first ever Ultimate X Match
Mr. TNA A.J. Styles

WWE

Accomplishment Winner Date won Notes
Royal Rumble Brock Lesnar January 19 Last eliminated The Undertaker of the SmackDown! brand to win a match for his brand's WWE Championship at WrestleMania XIX
WWE Championship #1 Contender's Tournament John Cena April 15
WWE United States Championship Tournament Eddie Guerrero July 27

Awards and honors

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

Category Winner
PWI Wrestler of the Year Kurt Angle
PWI Tag Team of the Year The World's Greatest Tag Team
(Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin)
PWI Match of the Year Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar (SmackDown!, September 16)
PWI Feud of the Year Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Kurt Angle
PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Triple H
PWI Comeback of the Year Kurt Angle
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year John Cena
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Zach Gowen
PWI Rookie of the Year Zach Gowen
PWI Woman of the Year Trish Stratus
PWI Lifetime Achievement Bret Hart

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame

Inductee
Chris Benoit
Earl Caddock
Francisco Flores
Shawn Michaels

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

Category Winner
Wrestler of the Year Kenta Kobashi
Most Outstanding Kurt Angle
Feud of the Year Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar
Tag Team of the Year Kenta and Naomichi Marufuji
Most Improved Brock Lesnar
Best on Interviews Chris Jericho

Title changes

NJPW

Incoming champion – Yuji Nagata
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
May 2 Yoshihiro Takayama Ultimate Crush
November 3 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Yokohama Dead Out
December 9 Shinsuke Nakamura Battle Final 2003
Incoming champions – Cho-Ten (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Masahiro Chono)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
June 13 Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yutaka Yoshie Crush
December 14 Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Osamu Nishimura Battle Final 2003
Incoming champion – Koji Kanemoto
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
April 23 Tiger Mask Strong Energy 2003
September 23 Vacant N/A
October 13 Jado Ultimate Crush
December 14 Heat Battle Final 2003
Incoming champions – Tsuyoshi Kikuchi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 26 Jushin Thunder Liger and Koji Kanemoto The First Navigation 2003
November 4 Vacant N/A
November 29 Gedo and Jado Battle Final 2003

WWE

    Raw
    SmackDown
Incoming champion – Triple H
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
September 21 Goldberg Unforgiven Career vs. title match
December 14 Triple H Armageddon Triple threat match, also involving Kane.
Incoming champion – Kurt Angle
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 30 Brock Lesnar WrestleMania XIX
July 27 Kurt Angle Vengeance Triple threat match, also involving Big Show.
September 16 Brock Lesnar SmackDown! 60-minute Iron Man match. Aired on tape delay on September 18.
Incoming champion – Vacant
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
May 18 Christian Judgment Day Raw Co-General Manager Stone Cold Steve Austin reactivated the title. Christian won the revived title in a battle royal.
July 7 Booker T Monday Night Raw
August 10 Christian House show
September 29 Rob Van Dam Monday Night Raw Ladder match
October 27 Chris Jericho Monday Night Raw
Rob Van Dam Steel cage match
December 14 Randy Orton Armageddon Mick Foley was the guest referee.
Incoming champion – Vacant
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
July 27 Eddie Guerrero Vengeance Formerly the WCW United States Championship, the title was reactivated as an exclusive title of the SmackDown! brand. Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit in a tournament final for the revived title.
October 19 Big Show No Mercy
Incoming champion – Victoria
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
March 30 Trish Stratus WrestleMania XIX Triple threat match, also involving Jazz.
April 27 Jazz Backlash
June 30 Gail Kim Monday Night Raw Seven-woman battle royal, also involving Ivory, Jacqueline, Molly Holly, Trish Stratus, and Victoria.
July 28 Molly Holly Monday Night Raw
Incoming champions – Booker T and Goldust
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
January 6 William Regal and Lance Storm Monday Night Raw
January 19 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)
Royal Rumble
January 20 William Regal and Lance Storm Monday Night Raw
March 24 Vacated Monday Night Raw Vacated due to William Regal getting injured.
Chief Morley and Lance Storm Morley awarded himself and Storm the titles.
March 31 Kane and Rob Van Dam Monday Night Raw Three-way tag team elimination match, also involving The Dudley Boyz.
June 15 La Résistance
(René Duprée and Sylvain Grenier)
Bad Blood
September 21 The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)
Unforgiven Handicap tables match in which Robért Conway teamed with La Résistance.
December 14 Evolution
(Batista and Ric Flair)
Armageddon Tag team turmoil match, also involving Robért Conway and René Duprée, The Hurricane and Rosey, Mark Jindrak and Garrison Cade, Val Venis and Lance Storm, and Test and Scott Steiner.
Incoming champions – Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo Guerrero)
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February 4 Team Angle
(Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas)
SmackDown! Aired on tape delay on February 6.
May 18 Eddie Guerrero and Tajiri Judgment Day Ladder match. Los Guerreros had invoked their rematch clause, but Chavo Guerrero got injured prior to the match. Instead of forfeiting, Tajiri replaced Chavo.
July 1 The World's Greatest Tag Team
(Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas)
SmackDown! After Benjamin and Haas lost the titles to Eddie Guerrero and Tajiri, they were "fired" from Team Angle. They then became known as The World's Greatest Tag Team. Aired on tape delay on July 3.
September 16 Los Guerreros
(Eddie and Chavo Guerrero)
SmackDown! Aired on tape delay on September 18.
October 21 The Basham Brothers
(Doug and Danny Basham)
SmackDown! Aired on tape delay on October 23.
Incoming champion – Billy Kidman
Date Winner Event/Show Note(s)
February 23 Matt Hardy No Way Out
June 3 Rey Mysterio SmackDown! Aired on tape delay on June 5.
September 23 Tajiri SmackDown! Aired on tape delay on September 25.
December 30 Rey Mysterio SmackDown! Aired on tape delay on January 1.

Debuts

  • Uncertain debut date

Retirements

Deaths

See also

References

  1. "Royal Rumble Event Results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  2. "WWE No Way Out 2003". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  3. "Unforgiven 2003". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  4. "No Mercy 2003 at Pro Wrestling History". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
  5. "Armageddon 2003 results". Pro Wrestling History. Archived from the original on June 23, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  6. Vance Nevada's Canadian Wrestling Results Archive (Stampede, December 2, 1972)
  7. CLEVETT, Jason (October 24, 2003). "Friends and family celebrate Stu". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer.
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