2012 in professional wrestling Professional wrestling-related events during the year of 2012
Overview of the events of 2012 in professional wrestling
List of years in professional wrestling
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2012 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling .
These promotions held notable events in 2012.
Calendar of notable shows
January
February
March
April
May
June
Date
Promotion(s)
Event
Location
Main Event
10
TNA
Slammiversary
Arlington, Texas
Bobby Roode (c) defeated Sting in a Singles match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
16
NJPW
Dominion
Osaka
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada (c) in a Singles match to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
17
WWE
No Way Out
East Rutherford, New Jersey
John Cena defeated Big Show in a steel cage match.
Since Cena won, John Laurinaitis was fired, Had Show won, Cena would have been fired.
24
Progress
Progress Chapter Two: The March Of Progress
London, England
Nathan Cruz (c) defeated Marty Scurll score (2-1) in a Best two out of three falls match to retain the PROGRESS World Championship
ROH
Best in the World
New York, New York
Kevin Steen (c) defeated Davey Richards in the Anything Goes match for the ROH World Championship
29
CMLL
Infierno en el Ring
Mexico City, Mexico
10-woman Infierno en el Ring, Lucha de Apuestas Hair vs. Hair Steel cage match
30
WWC
39th WWC Aniversario
Bayamon, Puerto Rico
The Invaders defeated Mr. X & Masked Man
(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
July
August
September
October
November
December
Accomplishments and tournaments
AAA
JWP
Ring of Honor
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
WWE
Sheamus won the 2012 Royal Rumble
Accomplishment
Winner
Date won
Notes
Royal Rumble
Sheamus
January 29
Winner received their choice of a championship match for either the WWE Championship or World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXVIII ; Sheamus last eliminated Chris Jericho to win and chose to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship, which he subsequently won from Daniel Bryan .
Money in the Bank ladder match
Dolph Ziggler
July 15
Defeated Damien Sandow , Tyson Kidd , Christian , Santino Marella , Tensai , Cody Rhodes , and Sin Cara to win a World Heavyweight Championship match contract. Ziggler cashed in the contract on the April 8, 2013 episode of Raw and won the title from Alberto Del Rio .
Money in the Bank ladder match
John Cena
Defeated Kane , Chris Jericho , Big Show , and The Miz to win a WWE Championship match contract. Cena cashed in the contract on the July 23 episode of Raw but won the match against champion CM Punk by disqualification thanks to interference from Big Show , thus Cena did not win the title.
Gold Rush Tournament
Seth Rollins
July 26(aired August 29)
Defeated Jinder Mahal in the tournament final to win the inaugural NXT Championship .
WWE Tag Team Championship #1 Contender's Tournament
Team Rhodes Scholars(Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow )
October 22
Defeated Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara in the tournament final to win a WWE Tag Team Championship match at Hell in a Cell , but were unsuccessful in winning the title from Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane ).
Title changes
AAA
NJPW
ROH
TNA
WWE
NXT
Awards and honors
AAA Hall of Fame
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
TNA Hall of Fame
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
WWE
WWE Hall of Fame
Slammy Awards
Debuts
Charlotte Flair
Retirements
Ric Flair
Ron Simmons
Hulk Hogan (1977–January 27, 2012)
Christina Crawford (July 8, 2010 – 2012)
Chuck Palumbo (1998-2012)
Doug Somers (1971 – February 23, 2012)
Ron Simmons (1986-March 17, 2012)
Sage Beckett (2007 - June 24, 2012) (return wrestling in 2014 and retired in 2018)
Sylvester Terkay (2000 - March 31, 2012)
Dominic DeNucci (1958-April 14, 2012)
Kenny Jay (1958-June 16, 2012)
Tiger Jeet Singh (1965-July 1, 2012)
Road Warrior Animal (1982-July 17, 2012)
Tyler Reks (February 2007 – August 22, 2012)
Jerry Lawler (1970-September 10, 2012, had a heart attack and returned to wrestling in 2013)
Sara Del Rey (2001 – September 2012) (moved to a trainer)
Vladimir Kozlov (April 7, 2006 – October 16, 2012)
Richie Steamboat (July 25, 2008 – October 25, 2012)
Beth Phoenix (May 2001 – October 29, 2012) (Commentator in NXT, occasional wrestler)
Ric Flair (December 10, 1972 – December 3, 2012) (full retirement, return for one in 2022 for Ric Flair's Last Match )
Kelly Kelly (June 13, 2006 – December 4, 2012) (brief return in 2018 - Royal Rumble and WWE Evolution , 2020 event )
Dave Finlay (1974 – December 22, 2012)
Deaths
January 12- MS-1 (wrestler) , 55
January 12 - Savannah Jack , 63
February 26 - Don Joyce (American football) , 82
February 29 - Woody Farmer , 76
March 2 – Doug Furnas , 52
March 13 - Joe McCarthy , 82
March 22 - Joe Blanchard , 83
April 3 – Chief Jay Strongbow , 83
April 14 - Dom Travis , 31
May 26 – Hans Schmidt , 87
June 23 - Adorable Rubí , 68
July 12 - Dara Singh , 83
July 16 - Bob Babbitt , 74
July 20 - Goldie Rogers , 61
August 12 - Red Bastien , 81
August 17 - Joey Kovar , 29
September 29 - Eric Pomeroy , 79
September 30 – Bobby Jaggers , 64
October 10 - Alex Karras , 77
October 18 – Brain Damage , 34
c. October 19 – Mike Graham , 61
November 1 – Brad Armstrong , 50
November 15 - Awesome Kong , 54
November 29 – Buddy Roberts , 65
December 9 - Mike Boyette , 69
December 22 - Rip Hawk , 82
December 28 -
See also
References