On This Day in Pro Wrestling History – April 27 | Tommy Rich Wins the NWA Title, Memphis Chaos & John Cena’s Early Days

April 27

On This Day in Pro Wrestling History

April 27 feels like a storyteller’s dream.

You’ve got historic “firsts,” one of the wildest Memphis finishes ever, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it world title change, and a future global icon quietly starting his climb under a completely different name.

It’s one of those days where wrestling reminds you just how unpredictable it can be.

A Quiet but Important First

Let’s rewind all the way back to 1957.

On this day, the first-ever women’s tag team match in the United States took place in St. Louis, Missouri.

June Byers & China Mira vs. Penny Banner & Bonnie Watson

It might not have had the spotlight it deserved at the time, but looking back, this is a foundational moment. Women’s wrestling today stands on decades of progress, and moments like this were early building blocks.

Not loud. Not flashy. But important.

The Birth of The Destroyer

In 1962, something iconic quietly stepped into the ring for the first time.

Dick Beyer debuted as The Destroyer, defeating Seymour Koenig in San Diego.

That mask would go on to become legendary, especially in Japan, where The Destroyer became one of the most respected and influential foreign stars of all time.

Sometimes history doesn’t arrive with fireworks. Sometimes it just walks down the aisle, puts on a mask, and changes everything slowly.

Tommy Rich Shocks the World

Now we hit one of the biggest moments of the day.

In 1981, Tommy Rich defeated Harley Race to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Augusta, Georgia.

Let that breathe for a second.

Harley Race was the definition of a traveling world champion. Tough, respected, and built to carry the NWA banner. And on this night, Tommy Rich, a fiery babyface with deep Southern roots, pulled off the upset.

But here’s the twist.

Rich would lose the title back to Race just four days later.

That short reign has become one of wrestling’s most fascinating “what if” moments. A flash of magic, a hometown eruption, and then… gone almost as quickly as it came.

Still, for those four days, Tommy Rich was the man.

Memphis Goes Completely Off the Rails

Then comes 1987… and Memphis wrestling decides to empty the chaos tank.

Austin Idol defeated Jerry Lawler to win the Southern Heavyweight Title inside a steel cage.

But this wasn’t just any cage match.

This was the one where:

Idol promised refunds to every fan if he lost

Lawler put both the title and his hair on the line

The cage covered not just the ring, but the entire ringside area

And then came the moment.

After a referee bump, Tommy Rich, who had flown in from Japan that very morning and reportedly spent the day hiding under the ring with a six-pack and an air mattress, popped out and helped Idol win.

Yes. That actually happened.

The crowd erupted… not in celebration, but in absolute fury.

Fans shook the cage. Emotions ran wild. Lawler’s hair was cut down. And one of the most unforgettable moments in Memphis wrestling history was sealed.

This wasn’t just a match. This was controlled chaos with a wrestling ring in the middle of it.

WCW Keeps Moving

In 1992, Barry Windham defeated Steve Austin to win the WCW Television Championship.

Two future legends, crossing paths early.

At this point, Austin was still carving his path, long before “Stone Cold” would take over the industry. Windham, meanwhile, was already a polished, respected name.

It’s always fun to see these intersections before the full picture comes into focus.

Memphis Stays Busy

Also in 1992, Brian Christopher defeated Tom Prichard in a rematch to capture the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title after it had been held up.

And in 1997, Jerry Lawler added another chapter, defeating King Reginald to win the USWA Unified Heavyweight Title, marking his 27th and final reign with that championship.

Lawler and Memphis are forever linked. Days like this just add another layer to that connection.

The Prototype Begins His Climb

And then we get one of those moments that feels small… until you look back.

In 2000, The Prototype defeated Smelly in San Diego to win the Ultimate Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Title.

The Prototype would later be known as John Cena.

No massive stage. No global spotlight. Just another match on another show.

But history has a funny way of hiding its biggest stars in plain sight before the world catches up.

April 27 Matters

April 27 is a perfect example of how layered wrestling history can be.

You get:

the first women’s tag match in the United States

the debut of a legendary masked character

a shocking NWA World Title change

one of Memphis wrestling’s wildest and most emotional moments

early career intersections of future icons

and the quiet rise of a future megastar

Some days are about one big moment.

April 27 is about range.

Support Wrestling History

At WFIA, we believe every layer of wrestling history matters.

The legendary. The chaotic. The forgotten. The moments that seemed small at the time but grew into something massive.

That’s how the full story gets told.

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