2006 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.
List of notable promotions These promotions held notable events in 2006. Promotion NameAbbreviationNotesConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreCMLLGCWHustle–Lucha Libre AAA WorldwideAAAThe "AAA" abbreviation has been used since the mid-1990s and had previously stood for the promotion's original name Asistencia Asesoría y Administración.New Japan Pro-WrestlingNJPWPro Wrestling GuerrillaPWGRing of HonorROHSal Corrente–Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTNAWorld Wrestling CouncilWWCWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWWEWWE divided its roster into two storyline divisions, Raw and SmackDown!, referred to as brands, where wrestlers exclusively performed on their respective weekly television programs. A third brand, ECW, was launched in June, a relaunch of the former Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion, which WWE had acquired in 2003.
Calendar of notable shows January Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 4 NJPW Toukon Shidou Chapter 1 Tokyo, Japan Brock Lesnar (c) defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 8 WWE: New Year's Revolution Albany, New York Edge defeated John Cena (c) for the WWE Championship when he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase 15 TNA Final Resolution Orlando Christian Cage and Sting defeated Jeff Jarrett and Monty Brown in a Tag team match This event was Sting's debut in TNA 29 WWE: Royal Rumble Miami, Florida Kurt Angle (c) defeated Mark Henry in a Singles match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship Rey Mysterio won the Royal Rumble match and chose to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
February Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 12 TNA Against All Odds Orlando Christian Cage defeated Jeff Jarrett (c) in a Singles match to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 19 WWE: No Way Out Baltimore, Maryland Kurt Angle (c) defeated The Undertaker in a Singles match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship Rey Mysterio lost his WrestleMania 22 World Heavyweight Championship opportunity to Randy Orton, but still ended up being in the championship match at WrestleMania 25 ROH Fourth Anniversary Show Edison, New Jersey Generation Next (Austin Aries & Roderick Strong) (c) defeated A.J. Styles & Matt Sydal to retain ROH Tag Team Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
March Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 4WWE:WWE SmackDown Road to WrestleMania 22 TourWellington, New ZealandKurt Angle (c) defeated Mark Henry and The Undertaker by disqualification in a Triple Threat match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship 5 Sal Corrente World Wrestling Legends Orlando, Florida Scott Steiner defeated Buff Bagwell in a Singles match 10 AAA Rey de Reyes Ciudad Madero, Mexico Elimination match for the 2006 Rey de Reyes trophy 12 TNA Destination X Orlando Christian Cage (c) defeated Monty Brown in a Singles match to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 18 WWE: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXII Detroit, Michigan Shane McMahon defeated Shawn Michaels in a Street Fight 25 ROH Best in the World New York, New York KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji defeated Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson 31 ROH Supercard of Honor Chicago Ridge, Illinois Bryan Danielson (c) defeated Roderick Strong to retain the ROH World Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
April Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 2 WWE: WrestleMania 22 Rosemont, Illinois John Cena (c) defeated Triple H in a Singles match to retain the WWE Championship This was CM Punk's first appearance in WWE – who wrestled in Ohio Valley Wrestling at the time 23 TNA Lockdown Orlando Sting's Warriors (Sting, A.J. Styles, Ron Killings and Rhino) defeated Jeff Jarrett's Army (Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, Chris Harris and James Storm) This event was Christy Hemme's debut in TNA 28 CMLL 50. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico Los Guerreros de la Atlantida (Rey Bucanero and Tarzan Boy) defeated Los Perros del Mal (Damián 666 and Mr. Águila) in a Best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuestas hair vs. hair match 30 WWE: Backlash Lexington, Kentucky John Cena (c) defeated Triple H, and Edge in Triple threat match to retain the WWE Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
May Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 12 CMLL International Gran Prix Mexico City, Mexico Black Warrior defeated Místico (c) in a Best two-out-of-three falls match for the NWA World Middleweight Championship 14 TNA Sacrifice Orlando Christian Cage (c) defeated Abyss in the Full Metal Mayhem match to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 21 WWE: Judgment Day Phoenix, Arizona Rey Mysterio (c) defeated John "Bradshaw" Layfield in a Singles match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
June Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 7 WWE: WWE vs. ECW Head-to-Head Dayton, Ohio John Cena (WWE) defeated Sabu (ECW) by disqualification in a Singles match 11 WWE: One Night Stand New York City Rob Van Dam cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and defeated John Cena (c) in an Extreme Rules match to win the WWE Championship First WWE PPV for the ECW brand, a relaunch of the former Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion. 18 AAA Triplemanía XIV Naucalpan, Mexico La Parka defeated Muerta Cibernética in a Best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuesta, "Mask vs. Mask" match. As a result, Muerte Cibernetica was unmasked and revealed to be Ricky Banderas 18 TNA Slammiversary Orlando Jeff Jarrett defeated Christian Cage (c), Abyss, Ron Killings and Sting in the King of the Mountain match to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 25 WWE: Vengeance Charlotte, North Carolina D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) defeated The Spirit Squad (Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky, and Mikey) in a Handicap match Last WWE PPV appearance for Kurt Angle as an in-ring performer until 2017(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
July Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 9-11 Hustle Hustle King Memorial Six Man Tag Team Tournament Kanagawa and Tokyo, Japan Various matches15 ROH Death Before Dishonor IV Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ROH (Samoa Joe, Adam Pearce, B. J. Whitmer, Ace Steel and Homicide) defeated CZW (Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Necro Butcher, Nate Webb and Eddie Kingston) in a Cage of Death WWE: Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIII Dallas, Texas John Cena defeated Edge (c) by disqualification in a Singles match for the WWE Championship 16 TNA Victory Road Orlando Sting defeated Scott Steiner, Samoa Joe and Christian Cage in the Road to Victory match 23 WWE: The Great American Bash Indianapolis, Indiana King Booker defeated Rey Mysterio (c) in a Singles match to win the World Heavyweight Championship First event to feature a Punjabi Prison match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
August Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 12 WWC 33rd WWC Aniversario Bayamón, Puerto Rico Carlito defeated X-Pac in a Singles match 6-13NJPWG1 ClimaxTokyoHiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Satoshi Kojima in a G1 Climax tournament 13 TNA Hard Justice Orlando Jeff Jarrett (c) defeated Sting in a Singles match to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 16 N/A NZPWI Invitational Lynfield, New Zealand Alfred Valentine defeated Sweet Ass in a Singles match 20 WWE: SummerSlam Boston, Massachusetts Edge (c) defeated John Cena in a Singles match to retain the WWE Championship This PPV is notable for being the last WWE event to feature a match for Hulk Hogan who wrestled Randy Orton(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
September Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes1-3PWGBattle of Los AngelesReseda, CaliforniaDavey Richards defeated Cima and Super Dragon in a via pinfall in 13:42 to win the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles tournament 15 ROH Glory By Honor V East Windsor, Connecticut KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji defeated The Briscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark Briscoe) 16 ROH New York City, New York Bryan Danielson (c) defeated KENTA to retain the ROH World Championship 17 AAA Verano de Escándalo Naucalpan, Mexico Gronda, Octagón, and La Parka defeated La Legión Extranjera (Abyss, Jeff Jarrett, and Konnan) by disqualification in a Six-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match 17 WWE: Unforgiven Toronto, Ontario John Cena defeated Edge (c) in the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match to win the WWE ChampionshipHad Cena lost, Cena would leave Raw for SmackDown! This event featured Trish Stratus's retirement match. She won the match after forcing Lita to submit to the sharpshooter, thus becoming a record setting seven time WWE Women's Champion. She would periodically return later and had a second retirement match in 2019. 23 GCW Third Annual Fred Ward Memorial Show Columbus, Georgia Chris Stevens (c) defeated Elix Skipper and Johnny Swinger in a No-DQ Three-Way Dance match for the GCW Heavyweight Championship 24 TNA No Surrender Orlando Samoa Joe defeated Jeff Jarrett in a "Fan's Revenge" Lumberjack match At the end of the event, it was announced that Kurt Angle had been signed with TNA 29 CMLL CMLL 73rd Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico Místico defeated Black Warrior in a Lucha de Apuestas mask vs. mask match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
October Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 8 WWE: No Mercy Raleigh, North Carolina King Booker (c) defeated Bobby Lashley, Batista and Finlay in Fatal 4-way match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship 20 N/A Pitbull/Public Enemy Memorial Cup Philadelphia, Pennsylvania All Money Is Legal (K-Murda and K-Pusha) defeated The Rottweilers (Homicide and Ricky Reyes) 22 TNA Bound for Glory Plymouth Township, Michigan Sting defeated Jeff Jarrett (c) in Title vs. Career match to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship with Kurt Angle as the special outside enforcer This event was Kurt Angle's first appearance in TNA PPV(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
November Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 5 WWE: Cyber Sunday Cincinnati, Ohio King Booker (c) (SmackDown) defeated John Cena (Raw) and Big Show (ECW) in a Triple threat match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship 19 TNA Genesis Orlando Kurt Angle defeated Samoa Joe in a Singles match 26 WWE: Survivor Series Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Batista defeated King Booker (c) in Last Chance match to win the World Heavyweight Championship This featured Lita's retirement match, where she lost the WWE Women's Championship to Mickie James. Lita would return for a couple of matches in 2018.(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
December Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 3 WWE: December to Dismember Augusta, Georgia Bobby Lashley defeated Big Show (c), Rob Van Dam, Hardcore Holly, CM Punk, and Test in an Extreme Elimination Chamber match to win the ECW World Championship This PPV event was universally panned and is often considered to be the worst wrestling PPV event of all timeLast WWE PPV appearance for Paul Heyman until 2012This event received the lowest buyrate in WWE history until the introduction of the WWE Network in 2014. Final ECW-exclusive PPV before all WWE PPVs became tri-branded. 8 AAA Guerra de Titanes Madero, Mexico Cibernético defeated Muerte Cibernetica in a Singles match 10 TNA Turning Point Orlando Samoa Joe defeated Kurt Angle in a Singles match 15 CMLL Sin Piedad Mexico City Shocker and Universo 2000 defeated Kenzo Suzuki and Marco Corleone 17 WWE: Armageddon Richmond, Virginia Batista and John Cena (Raw) defeated King Booker and Finlay in a Tag team match 23 ROH Final Battle New York, New York Homicide defeated Bryan Danielson (c) to win the ROH World Championship 25WWE:Tribute to the TroopsBaghdad, IraqCarlito defeated Randy Orton in a Singles match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
Accomplishments and tournaments
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