1963 in professional wrestling

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1963 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions

Only one promotion held notable shows in 1963.

Promotion Name	Abbreviation
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre	EMLL

Calendar of notable shows

Date	Promotion(s)	Event	Location	Main Event
April	EMLL	7. Aniversario de Arena México	Mexico City, Mexico
September 6		EMLL 30th Anniversary Show (1)		Ruben Jaurez defeated Espanto II in a best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuesta mask vs. hair match^[1]
September 27		EMLL 30th Anniversary Show (2)		Espanto I defeated Ruben Jaurez in a best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuesta mask vs. hair match ^[1]
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Notable events

January 24 – Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) breaks away from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).

Championship changes

EMLL

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship
incoming champion – Gory Guerrero^[2]
August 6	Ali Bey	EMLL show	^[2]
September 24	Gory Guerrero	EMLL show	^[2]

NWA World Middleweight Championship
incoming champion – Rayo de Jalisco^[3]
No title changes^[3]

NWA World Welterweight Championship
incoming champion – Karloff Lagarde^[4]
No title changes^[4]

Mexican National Heavyweight Championship
incoming champion - Pepe Mendieta^[5]
No title changes^[5]

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
Mexican National Middleweight Championship
incoming champion – Karloff Lagarde^[6]
June 28	El Santo	EMLL show	^[6]

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
Mexican National Lightweight Championship
incoming champion – Juan Diaz^[7]
October 17	Chanoc	EMLL show	^[7]

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship
incoming champion – Rubén Juárez^[8]
September 14	Espanto I	EMLL 27th Anniversary Show	^[8]
November 30	Ray Mendoza	EMLL show	^[8]

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
Mexican National Welterweight Championship
incoming champion – Karloff Lagarde^[9]
Unknown	Vacated	N/A	Championship vacated, as Lagarde already held the NWA World Welterweight Championship
November 15	Javier Escobedo	EMLL show	^[9]

Mexican National Tag Team Championship
incoming champion – Los Rebeldes (Rene Guajardo and Karloff Lagarde) or Los Espantos (Espanto I and Espanto II)^[10]
No title changes^[10]

Mexican National Women's Championship
incoming champion – Uncertain^[11]
No title changes^[11]

NWA

Date	Winner	Event/Show	Note(s)
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
Incoming Champion – Buddy Rogers^[12]
January 24	Lou Thesz	NWA show	^[12]

Debuts

Births

January 3:
- Vic Grimes^[14]
- New Jack^[15]
January 6 – Tony Halme^[15](died in 2010) [1]
January 10 – Firebreaker Chip^[16]
January 29 – Hardcore Holly^[16]
February 22 – Maxx Muscle^[15](died in 2019) [2]
February 28 – Joey Marella^[16](died in 1994) [3]
March 7 – Bruce Prichard^[16]
March 19 – Brazo de Plata^[16]
March 20 – Terry Simms^[15]
April 18 – Universo 2000^[15] (died in 2018) [4]
May 2 – Big Boss Man^[16](died in 2004) [5]
May 18 – Gary Albright^[16](died in 2000) [6]
June 12:
- Jerry Lynn^[16]
- Johnny Hotbody^[15]
June 16 – The Sandman^[15]
June 20 – Don West^[16]
June 21 – Mark Youngblood^[15]
June 22 – John Tenta^[15](died in 2006) [7]
June 24 – Ángel Azteca^[16](died in 2007) [8]
June 25 – Bobby Blaze^[16]
July 11 – Mike Enos^[15]
July 18 – Al Snow^[16]
July 21 – Giant Silva^[16]
July 28 – Lioness Asuka^[15]
August 5 – Pat Tanaka^[15]
August 12 – Koji Kitao^[15](died in 2019) [9]
August 15 – Tamon Honda^[15]
August 16 – Tarzan Goto^[15]
August 20 – Bob Cook^[16]
August – El Hijo del Santo^[16]
September 17 – Masahiro Chono^[15]
September 24 – Sonny Beach^[15]
September 28 – Steve Blackman^[15]
October 8 – Diana Hart^[16]
October 9 – Tadao Yasuda^[15]
October 16 – Missy Hyatt^[15]
November 11 – Billy Gunn^[16]
December 3 – Steve Simpson^[15]
December 7 – Bruiser Bedlam^[17](died in 2017) [10]
December 8 – Toshiaki Kawada^[15]

Deaths

January 19 – Gus Pappas^[18]
May 22 – Great Gama^[18]
December 15 – Rikidozan^[18]
December 26 – Gorgeous George^[18]

References

^ ^a ^b Ruiz Glez, Alex (September 7, 2010). "CMLL: 79 historias, 79 Aniversario, las 79 luchas estelares" [CMLL: 79 stories, 79 anniversaries, the 70 main events]. Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved February 2, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c 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. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Middleweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 389–390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. pp. 390–391. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Middleweight Championship". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: Mexican National Tag Team TItle". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 396. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Women's Title[Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 394. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). ""United States: 19th century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: NWA World Heavyweight Title"". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 15. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l "Wrestlers debuted in 1963: 1 - 24 of 24". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ "Wrestlers born in 1963: 101 - 104 of 104". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v "Wrestlers born in 1963: 51 - 100 of 104". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "Wrestlers born in 1963: 1 - 50 of 104". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ "Wrestlers born in 1965: 1 - 50 of 131". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Wrestlers deceased in 1963: 1 - 25 of 25". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[79Anniversaries-1] Ruiz Glez, Alex (September 7, 2010). "CMLL: 79 historias, 79 Aniversario, las 79 luchas estelares" [CMLL: 79 stories, 79 anniversaries, the 70 main events]. Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved February 2, 2020.

[NWALHeavy-2] 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. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[NWALMiddle-3] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Middleweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 389–390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[NWALWelter-4] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[MexHeavy-5] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. pp. 390–391. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[MexMiddle-6] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Middleweight Championship". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[MexLight-7] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[MexLHeavy-8] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[MexWelter-9] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Welterweight Title [Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[MexTag-10] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: Mexican National Tag Team TItle". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 396. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[MexWomenBook-11] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Women's Title[Lutteroth]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 394. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[NWAWorlds-12] Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). ""United States: 19th century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: NWA World Heavyweight Title"". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 15. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

[WD1963Debuts-13] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l "Wrestlers debuted in 1963: 1 - 24 of 24". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1963BirthsPage3-14] "Wrestlers born in 1963: 101 - 104 of 104". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1963BirthsPage2-15] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v "Wrestlers born in 1963: 51 - 100 of 104". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1963Births-16] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "Wrestlers born in 1963: 1 - 50 of 104". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1965Births-17] "Wrestlers born in 1965: 1 - 50 of 131". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[WD1963Deaths-18] "Wrestlers deceased in 1963: 1 - 25 of 25". Wrestling Data. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

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v t e Years in professional wrestling
1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
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