2009 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.
List of notable promotions These promotions held notable events in 2009. Promotion NameAbbreviationNotesConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreCMLLGeorgia Championship WrestlingGCWJCWLucha 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.NWA-NJNew Japan Pro-WrestlingNJPWPro Wrestling GuerrillaPWGRing of HonorROHTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTNAWorld Wrestling CouncilWWCWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWWEWWE divided its roster into three storyline divisions, Raw, SmackDown, and ECW, referred to as brands, where wrestlers exclusively performed on their respective weekly television programs.
Calendar of notable shows January Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 3 WWC Euphoria Bayamón, Puerto Rico The Sons of Tonga vs Los Aéreos (Hiram Tua y El Sensacional Carlitos) 4 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom III Tokyo Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Keiji Mutoh (c) in a Singles match to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 11 CMLL La Hora Cero Mexico City Pierrothito defeated Shockercito in a 13-man Steel Cage "elimination" match 11 TNA Genesis Charlotte Mick Foley and The TNA Front Line (A.J. Styles and Brother Devon) defeated Cute Kip and The Main Event Mafia (Booker T and Scott Steiner) in a Six-man tag team hardcore match 25 WWE: Royal Rumble Detroit Randy Orton won the 30-man Royal Rumble match by last eliminating Triple H to earn a world championship match at WrestleMania XXV Randy Orton chose to challenge for the WWE Championship. 31 ROH Caged Collision Chicago Ridge Brent Albright, Roderick Strong, Erick Stevens, Jay Briscoe and Ace Steel defeated Sweet & Sour Inc. (Adam Pearce, Tank Toland, Eddie Edwards, Davey Richards and Bobby Dempsey) in the Steel Cage Warfare match.(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
February Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 8 N/A Eddie Graham Memorial Battle of the Belts Brooksville, Florida N/A 8 TNA Against All Odds Orlando Sting (c) defeated Kurt Angle, Brother Ray and Brother Devon in a Fatal 4-Way match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 15 WWE: No Way Out Seattle, Washington Edge defeated John Cena (c), Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Mike Knox, and Kane in the Elimination Chamber match to win the World Heavyweight Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
March Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 15 AAA Rey de Reyes Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico Rey de Reyes Finals Elimination match 15 TNA Destination X Orlando Sting (c) defeated Kurt Angle in a Singles match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship with Jeff Jarrett as the special guest referee and Mick Foley as the special guest enforcer.(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
April Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 4 ROH Take No Prisoners Houston Kenta and Tyler Black defeated Austin Aries and Katsuhiko Nakajima in a tag team match 5 WWE: WrestleMania 25 Houston Triple H (c) defeated Randy Orton in a Singles match to retain the WWE ChampionshipHad Triple H been counted out or disqualified, he would have lost the title 12 CMLL 53. Aniversario de Arena México Mexico City, Mexico Negro Casas (c) defeated Místico in a Best two-out-of-three falls match for the CMLL World Welterweight Championship 19 TNA Lockdown Philadelphia Mick Foley defeated Sting (c) in a Six Sides of Steel Cage match to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 26 WWE: Backlash Providence Edge defeated John Cena (c) in a Last Man Standing match to win the World Heavyweight Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
May Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 3 NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Fukuoka Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Hirooki Goto in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 17 WWE: Judgment Day Rosemont Edge (c) defeated Jeff Hardy in a Singles match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship 24 TNA Sacrifice Orlando Sting defeated Mick Foley, Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett in a Four-way Ultimate Sacrifice match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
June Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 7 WWE: Extreme Rules New Orleans Jeff Hardy defeated Edge (c) in a Ladder match to win the World Heavyweight Championship, then CM Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and defeated Jeff Hardy (c) to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Final PPV appearance for Umaga 13 AAA Triplemanía XVII Mexico City, Mexico Team AAA (El Hijo del Santo, La Parka, Vampiro, Octagón, and Jack Evans) defeated La Legion Extranjera (Silver King, Chessman, Kenzo Suzuki, Electroshock, and Teddy Hart) in a Six Sided Steel cage match for control of AAA 18 NJPW Dominion Osaka Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Manabu Nakanishi (c) in a Singles match to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 21 TNA Slammiversary Auburn Hills Kurt Angle defeated Mick Foley (c), Jeff Jarrett, A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe in the King of the Mountain match to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 28 WWE: The Bash Sacramento Randy Orton (c) defeated Triple H 2-1 in a Three Stages of Hell match to retain the WWE Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
July Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 11 WWC 36th WWC Aniversario San Juan, Puerto Rico Ray Gonzalez defeated La Pesadilla 19 TNA Victory Road Orlando Kurt Angle (c) defeated Mick Foley in a Singles match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 26 WWE: Night of Champions Philadelphia Jeff Hardy defeated CM Punk (c) in a Singles match to win the World Heavyweight Championship 31 CMLL Infierno en el Ring Mexico City, Mexico 15-man Infierno en el Ring, Lucha de Apuestas hair vs. hair Steel cage match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
August Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 9 JCW Bloodymania III Cave-In-Rock, Illinois 10-man Tag Team match 7-16NJPWG1 Climax finalTokyoTogi Makabe defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in a G1 Climax tournament 16 TNA Hard Justice Orlando Kurt Angle (c) defeated Sting and Matt Morgan in a Three-way match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 14 AAA Verano de Escándalo Zapopan, Mexico Dr. Wagner Jr. (c) defeated El Mesias and Cibernético in a Steel cage match for the AAA Mega Championship. 23 WWE: SummerSlam Los Angeles CM Punk defeated Jeff Hardy (c) in the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match to win the World Heavyweight Championship This event was Jeff Hardy's last PPV match in WWE until 2017, as he lost to CM Punk on the following SmackDown in Steel cage match in which the loser left WWE.(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
September Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 13 WWE: Breaking Point Montreal CM Punk (c) defeated The Undertaker in a Submission match for the World Heavyweight Championship 17 GCW Sixth Annual Fred Ward Memorial Show Phenix City, Alabama Jimmy Rave (c) defeated Murder One in a Singles match for the GCW Heavyweight Championship 18 CMLL CMLL 76th Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico Místico defeated Negro Casas in a Best two-out-of-three falls Lucha de Apuestas mask vs. hair match 20 TNA No Surrender Orlando A.J. Styles defeated Kurt Angle (c), Matt Morgan, Sting and Hernandez in a Five-way match to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (This was Hernandez's Feast or Fired title opportunity.) 26 AAA Héroes Inmortales III Monterrey, Mexico Dr. Wagner, Jr. (c) defeated El Mesías in a Singles match for the AAA Mega Championship 26 NWA-NJ Dennis Coralluzzo Invitational Wayne, New Jersey Crowbar defeated Judas Young in a tournament final(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
October Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event Notes 4 WWE: Hell in a Cell Newark D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) defeated The Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase) in a Hell in a Cell match 18 TNA Bound for Glory Irvine A.J. Styles (c) defeated Sting in a Singles match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship This event was Booker T's last PPV match in TNA 25 WWE: Bragging Rights Pittsburgh John Cena defeated Randy Orton (c) 6–5 in a 60-minute Iron Man match to win the WWE ChampionshipHad Cena lost, he would have been fired from Raw.(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
November Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 8 NJPW Destruction Tokyo Shinsuke Nakamura (c) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 15 TNA Turning Point Orlando A.J. Styles (c) defeated Daniels and Samoa Joe in a Three-way match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship20-21PWGBattle of Los AngelesReseda, CaliforniaKenny Omega defeated Roderick Strong in a Battle of Los Angeles tournament 22 WWE: Survivor Series Washington, D.C. John Cena (c) defeated Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a Triple threat match to retain the WWE Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
December Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main Event 4 CMLL Sin Salida Mexico City, Mexico El Texano Jr. and El Terrible defeated No Limit (Yujiro and Naito) 11 AAA Guerra de Titanes Madero, Tamaulipas, Mexico El Mesías defeated Dr. Wagner Jr. (c) in a Domo De La Muerte cage match for the AAA Mega Championship 13 WWE: TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs San Antonio D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) defeated Jeri-Show (Chris Jericho and Big Show) (c) Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship19WWE:Tribute to the TroopsJoint Base Balad, IraqJohn Cena (c) defeated Chris Jericho in a Singles match for the WWE Championship 19 ROH Final Battle New York City Austin Aries (c) wrestled Tyler Black to a time-limit draw in a Singles match for the ROH World Championship 20 TNA Final Resolution Orlando A.J. Styles (c) defeated Daniels in a Singles match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)
Accomplishments and tournaments AAA
AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesRey de ReyesElectroshockMarch 15
AAA Hall of Fame
InducteePepe "Tropi" Casas
DDT AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesYoung Drama CupKeisuke IshiiOctober 25
Sendai Girls
AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesJaja Uma Tournament Sendai SachikoApril 19
TNA
AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesTNA X Division Championship TournamentAlex ShelleyJanuary 11Team 3D Invitational Tag Team TournamentBeer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm)May 24TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship TournamentTaylor Wilde and SaritaSeptember 20TNA Championship SeriesBobby LashleyNovember 26New Year's Knockout Eve TournamentODBDecember 31
WWE AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesRoyal RumbleRandy Orton January 25Winner received their choice of a championship match for either Raw's World Heavyweight Championship, SmackDown's WWE Championship, or the ECW Championship at WrestleMania XXV; Orton from Raw last eliminated Triple H to win and chose to challenge for SmackDown's WWE Championship, which Triple H had since won at Elimination Chamber, but Orton was unsuccessful against Triple H at WrestleMania.Money in the Bank ladder matchCM PunkApril 5Defeated Christian, Finlay, Kane, Kofi Kingston, Mark Henry, Montel Vontavious Porter, and Shelton Benjamin to win a world championship match contract; Punk from SmackDown cashed in the contract at Extreme Rules and won his own brand's World Heavyweight Championship from Jeff Hardy, who had just won the title from Edge.
WWE Hall of Fame
CategoryInducteeInducted byIndividualGroupThe Funks (Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr.)Dusty RhodesThe Von ErichsMichael Hayes
Slammy Awards