List of professional wrestling memorial shows

This is a list of professional wrestling memorial shows from the 1980s until the present day. Memorial shows have been historically important in the history of professional wrestling, usually held in memory of a recently deceased wrestler, promoter or other well-known personality, and used to pay tribute to a particular individual's accomplishments and contributions to the industry. The proceeds are generally donated to family members or charitable organizations.

These shows were often held as a form of supercard, a major wrestling event not aired on pay-per-view, and sometimes resulted interpromotional shows. These types of shows were rarely seen in the United States, the earliest being the Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions held in memory of David Von Erich from 1984–1988, but have been common in Japan since the late 1980s. In North America, memorial shows are most often held by independent wrestling promotions although mainstream organizations like WWE have occasionally dedicated specific episodes of WWE Raw or WWE SmackDown to then current WWE wrestlers such as Owen Hart (1999), Eddie Guerrero (2005), Chris Benoit (2007), and Bray Wyatt (2023), and All Elite Wrestling on AEW Dynamite to then current AEW wrestler Brodie Lee (2020).

List edit

1980s edit

NamePromotionOrganizer(s)Years activeNotes
Mike Marino Memorial ShieldDale Martin PromotionsDale Martin1981
Von Erich Memorial Parade of ChampionsWorld Class Championship WrestlingFritz Von Erich1984-1988[1]
Johnny Rougeau Memorial Show1984
Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial CupJim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett, Jr.1986-1988[2]
Eddie Graham Memorial ShowChampionship Wrestling from FloridaHiro Matsuda
Duke Keomuka
1987-1988Each show was held under different banners,[3] the second being promoted by Mike Graham and Florida Championship Wrestling.[4]
Frank Tunney, Sr. Memorial Tag Team TournamentWorld Wrestling FederationVince McMahon1987
Ikki Kajiwara Memorial ShowMultiple promotionsGiant Baba
Antonio Inoki
1988Interpromotional event including All Japan Pro Wrestling, Japan Women's Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.[5]
Bruiser Brody Memorial ShowAll Japan Pro WrestlingGiant Baba1988[6]

1990s edit

NamePromotionOrganizer(s)Years activeNotes
Pat O'Connor Memorial International Cup Tag Team TournamentWorld Championship WrestlingOle Anderson1990Hosted at Starrcade '90.[7]
Kerry Von Erich Memorial ShowGlobal Wrestling FederationGrey Pierson1993Headlined by Kevin Von Erich (with Fritz Von Erich) and a mystery wrestler managed by Skandor Akbar.[8]
Rikidozan Memorial ShowMultiple promotions1996Interpromotional event including All Japan Pro Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Gaea Japan, IWA Japan, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, UWFi and others.[9]
Ilio DiPaolo Memorial ShowWorld Championship WrestlingDennis DiPaolo
Eric Bischoff
1996-1999[10]
Eddie Gilbert Memorial BrawlNational Wrestling AllianceDennis Coraluzzo1996-1999[11]
Eddie Gilbert Memorial ShowIWA Mid-SouthIan Rotten1997-1998
Ikki Kajiwara Memorial ShowMultiple promotionsGiant Baba
Antonio Inoki
1997Interpromotional event including All Japan Pro Wrestling, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and others.[12]
Plum Mariko Memorial ShowJWP Joshi Puroresu1997-1998[13]
Brian Pillman Memorial ShowHeartland Wrestling AssociationHarley Race1998-2001[14]
Tojo Yamamoto Memorial ShowMusic City WrestlingBert Prentice1998[15]
Junkyard Dog Memorial ShowLong Island Wrestling FederationBobby Lombardi1998
Shane Shamrock Memorial CupMaryland Championship WrestlingDan McDevitt
Mark Shrader
1999-
Curtis Comes HomeMultiple promotionsCody Michaels1999Interpromotional event including Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation.
Giant Baba Memorial ShowAll Japan Pro WrestlingMitsuharu Misawa1999[16]
Raw Is OwenWorld Wrestling FederationVince McMahon1999Hosted on the May 24 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw.[17]

2000s edit

NamePromotionOrganizer(s)Years activeNotes
Rikidozan Memorial ShowMultiple promotions2000Interpromotional event including All Japan Pro Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Gaea Japan, UWFi and others.[18]
Gary Albright Memorial ShowWorld Xtreme WrestlingAfa Anoaʻi2000[19]
Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of ChampionsSouthern States WrestlingBeau James2000-2003[20][21]
Todd The Bod Memorial TournamentCanadian Wrestling FederationErnie Todd2000
Tony Rumble Memorial ShowCentury Wrestling AllianceKnuckles Nelson
Jeff Katz
2000-2007
Robert "Diceman" Hornack Memorial ShowAllied Powers Wrestling FederationChris Lash2000
Bruiser Brody MemorialIWA Puerto RicoVíctor Quiñones2000First Bruiser Brody memorial show held in Puerto Rico.[22][23]
Giant Baba Memorial SpectacularAll Japan Pro Wrestling2001Also served as retirement show for Stan Hansen.[24]
Lee Sanders Memorial TournamentWindy City Pro WrestlingSam DeCero2001-2010
Terry Gordy Memorial ShowLegends of Pro WrestlingLinda Marx Keebles2001[25]
Manfred Koch Memorial CupEuropean Wrestling PromotionChristian Eckstein
Jörg Vespermann
2001
Yokozuna Memorial ShowWorld Xtreme WrestlingAfa Anoaʻi2001[26]
Giant Baba Memorial CupAll Japan Pro WrestlingKeiji Mutoh2002[27]
Russ Haas Memorial ShowJersey All Pro WrestlingFrank Iadeavia2002
Giant Baba Memorial Six Man Tag Team TournamentAll-Japan Pro WrestlingKeiji Mutoh2002[28]
Big Dick Dudley Memorial ShowUSA Pro WrestlingFrank Goodman2002-2003[29]
Russ Haas Memorial Tag Team TournamentPhoenix Championship WrestlingDonnie Bucci2002
Ted Petty Memorial Inventational TournamentIWA Mid-SouthIan Rotten2002-2008[30]
Jeff Peterson Memorial CupMultiple promotionsHoward Brody2003-Interpromotional event including Full Impact Pro, IPW Hardcore and NWA Florida.[31]
Mike Lockwood Memorial ShowPro Wrestling IronDonovan Morgan2003[32]
Johnny Weaver Memorial TournamentCWF Mid-AtlanticJeff Rudd
Danny Wenkel
2004-The tournament was attended by Johnny Weaver until his death in 2008 and subsequently held as a memorial event by the promotion.
Fred Ward Memorial ShowGreat Championship WrestlingJerry Oates2004-2009[33]
Mike Lockwood Memorial TournamentNew Breed Wrestling AssociationMike Wallace2005[34]
Ray Mendez Memorial TournamentPro Wrestling eXpressJim Miller2005-2006
Chris Candido Memorial J-CupNational Wrestling SuperstarsJoe Panzarino
Gino Moore
2005-Hosted at the 5th annual J-Cup tournament.[35]
Mark Curtis Memorial ReunionPam Hildebrand-Clark2005
Chris Candido Memorial ShowUSA Pro WrestlingFrank Goodman2005-2006[36]
Victor The Bodyguard Memorial CupIWA Puerto RicoVíctor Quiñones2005
Bruiser Brody Memorial CupWorld Wrestling CouncilVictor Jovica
Carlos Colón
2005-2006[37]
Chris Candido Memorial Tag Team TournamentTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingJerry Jarrett2005[38]
Chri$ Ca$h Memorial ShowCombat Zone WrestlingJohn Zandig
D. J. Hyde
2005-
Raw Is EddieWorld Wrestling EntertainmentVince McMahon2005Hosted on the November 14 edition of WWE Raw.[39]
Jay Youngblood Memorial Tag Team Cup TournamentProfessional Wrestling Federation2006-2008
Great Goliath Memorial Battle RoyalEmpire Wrestling FederationJesse Hernandez
Bill Anderson
2006-[40]
Shinya Hashimoto Memorial Six-Man Tag Team TournamentHUSTLENobuhiko Takada2006[41]
Jose Miguel Perez Memorial CupIWA Puerto RicoSavio Vega
Miguel Pérez, Jr.
2006-[42]
Pitbull/Public Enemy Tag Team Memorial CupPro Wrestling UnpluggedTod Gordon
Johnny Kashmere
2006-[43]
Eddie Graham Memorial Battle of the BeltsFull Impact ProSal Hamaoui2007, 2009[44]
Steve Ranton Memorial TournamentValley Championship Wrestling2007
Chris Candido Cup Tag Team TournamentIWA Mid-SouthIan Rotten2007-2008[45]
Chris Benoit Memorial ShowWorld Wrestling EntertainmentVince McMahon2007Hosted on the June 25 edition of WWE Raw.[46] Due to the circumstances of Benoit’s death, this show is not available as a rerun on the WWE Network. Also, as other countries received the airing later, a highlight show of John Cena’s title wins played in its place.[47]
Tiger Khan Memorial ShowTotal Mayhem Pro WrestlingEvan Ginzburg2007[48]
Antonio Peña Memorial ShowAsistencia Asesoría y AdministraciónDorian Roldan2007-[49]
Sensational Sherri Memorial Cup TournamentAssociation de Lutte FéminineKim Leduc2007-2008[50]
Dewey Robertson Memorial TournamentStranglehold WrestlingBill Skullion2007
Devil Bhudakahn Memorial ShowTurnbuckle EntertainmentBobby Williams2008, 2010[51]
Shinya Hashimoto Memorial Legacy Cup TournamentPro Wrestling Zero1Yoshiyuki Nakamura
Steve Corino
2008-[52]
Danno O'Mahony Memorial ShowIrish Whip Wrestling2008-
Sean "Shocker" Evans Memorial TournamentPro Wrestling eXpressJim Miller2008-
Dynamite D Memorial ShowSantino Brothers WrestlingJoey Kaos
Jezabel Romo
Robby Phoenix
Rico Dynamite
Famous B
2009-
Kerry Brown Memorial TournamentSteeltown Pro WrestlingRob Stardom2010-2012
Walter "Killer" Kowalski Memorial ShowMultiple promotionsRichard Byrne2008Interpromotional event including Big Time Wrestling and the United States Wrestling Federation.[53]
Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial ShowPro Wrestling NoahAkira Taue2009[54]
Dennis Coralluzzo InvitationalNWA New JerseyRicky Otazu2009Coralluzzo was posthumously inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame.[55]

2010s edit

NamePromotionOrganizer(s)Years activeNotes
Marie Ewaschuk Memorial ShowReal Canadian WrestlingSteve Ewaschuk2010-
Acid-Fest: A Tribute to Trent AcidCombat Zone WrestlingD. J. Hyde2010-2011Organized to both eulogize late independent professional wrestler Trent Acid, and to help pay for the funeral costs of said wrestler.
Dick Murdoch Memorial Tag Team CupMultiple promotions2010Interpromotional event including NWA Southwest and the Professional Wrestling Federation.
A Nightmare To RememberLN PromotionsTerry Lawler2011-2012
Joe Williams Memorial TrophyWorld Association of WrestlingRicky Knight2011
El Bandito Memorial TournamentBritannia Wrestling PromotionsSteve Saxon2011-
Brain Damage Memorial ShowCombat Zone WrestlingD. J. Hyde2012
Samuel J. Thompson Memorial TournamentResistance Pro WrestlingBilly Corgan2013-2014
Brad Armstrong Memorial CupArmstrong family2013
Brad Armstrong Memorial ShowKnoxville Wrestling PromotionsArmstrong family2013-2014
Nagaharu Imai Memorial ShowMultiple promotions2013Interpromotional event including Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Ice Ribbon, JWP Joshi Puroresu, Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling, OZ Academy, Pro-Wrestling Diana, Pro Wrestling Wave Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling and STARDOM.
Roland Alexander Memorial ShowAll Pro WrestlingMarkus Mac2013
Rikidozan's Death 50th Anniversary Memorial ShowMultiple promotions2013Interpromotional event including All Japan Pro Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling and others.
Jumbo Tsuruta Memorial ShowPro Wrestling NOAHAkira Taue2014
Ryan Buckley Memorial TournamentProving Ground Pro2015
Takeshi Onaga Memorial Show: BJW Eternal DreamBig Japan Pro WrestlingEiji Tosaka2015

2020s edit

NamePromotionOrganizer(s)Years activeNotes
La Noche de Mr. NieblaConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreSalvador Lutteroth III2020
Brodie Lee Celebration of LifeAll Elite WrestlingTony Khan2020Hosted on the December 30 edition of AEW Dynamite.
Giant Baba Anniversary ShowAll Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Big Japan Pro Wrestling
2021
Hana Kimura Memorial ShowMultiple promotionsKyoko Kimura2021–present
Jay Briscoe Celebration of LifeRing of HonorTony Khan2023Hosted on ROH Honor Club and YouTube for free, on the ROH channel.
Bray Wyatt and Terry Funk Tribute ShowWWE2023The August 25, 2023 episode of WWE SmackDown was a tribute to active wrestler Wyatt and retired wrestler Funk, both of whom had died shortly before.

References edit

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