2012 in professional wrestling

2012 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions These promotions held notable events in 2012. Promotion NameAbbreviationNotesAll Japan Pro WrestlingAJPWCMLLJCWLN PromotionsLNLucha 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 GuerrillaPWGPro Wrestling NoahNOAHRing of HonorROHTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTNAWorld Wrestling CouncilWWCWWE—WWE stands for World Wrestling Entertainment, which is still the legal name, but the company ceased using the full name in April 2011, with the WWE abbreviation becoming an orphaned initialism.

Calendar of notable shows January Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event Notes 4 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom VI Tokyo Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Minoru Suzuki in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 6/7/8 WWC Euphoria San Juan, Puerto Rico Various 8 TNA Genesis Orlando, Florida Jeff Hardy defeated Bobby Roode (c) by disqualification in a singles match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 29 WWE Royal Rumble St. Louis, Missouri Sheamus won the 30-man Royal Rumble match by last eliminating Chris Jericho to earn a world championship match at WrestleMania XXVIII Sheamus chose to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship.This was Chris Jericho's first match in WWE since 2010(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

February Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event 11 LN A Nightmare To Remember II Villa Rica, Georgia Kyle Matthews defeated Jimmy Rave 12 NJPW The New Beginning Osaka Kazuchika Okada defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) in a Singles match to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 12 TNA Against All Odds Orlando, Florida Bobby Roode (c) defeated Bully Ray, James Storm, and Jeff Hardy in a Four-Way match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship with Sting as the Special Guest Ringside Enforcer 19 AJPW NJPW NOAH All Together: Mōikkai, Hitotsu ni Narō ze Sendai Hiroshi Tanahashi, Suwama and Takeshi Morishima defeated Go Shiozaki, Seiya Sanada and Tetsuya Naito in a Six-man Tag team match 19 WWE Elimination Chamber Milwaukee, Wisconsin John Cena defeated Kane in an Ambulance match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

March

Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event 4 ROH 10th Anniversary Show: Young Wolves Rising New York City, New York Adam Cole and Eddie Edwards defeated Team Ambition (Davey Richards and Kyle O'Reilly) in a Tag team match 12 AAA Rey de Reyes Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico Rey de Reyes final four-way elimination match 18 TNA Victory Road Orlando, Florida Bobby Roode defeated Sting in a No Holds Barred match 25 Progress Progress Chapter One: In The Beginning London, England Nathan Cruz defeated El Ligero, Marty Scurll and Mike Mason to become the inaugural Progress World Champion 30–31 ROH Showdown in the Sun Fort Lauderdale, Florida Davey Richards (c) defeated Eddie Edwards and Roderick Strong in a three-way elimination match for the ROH World Championship (Day 1)Davey Richards (c) defeated Michael Elgin in a Singles match for the ROH World Championship (Day 2)(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

April Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event Notes 1 WWE WrestleMania XXVIII Miami Gardens, Florida The Rock defeated John Cena in a singles match This was The Rock's first WrestleMania match since WrestleMania XX in 2004 15 TNA Lockdown Nashville, Tennessee Bobby Roode (c) defeated James Storm in a Steel cage match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 29 WWE Extreme Rules Rosemont, Illinois John Cena defeated Brock Lesnar in an Extreme Rules match This was Brock Lesnar's first match in WWE since 2004(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

May Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event 3 NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Fukuoka Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Hirooki Goto in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 12 ROH Border Wars Toronto, Ontario Kevin Steen defeated Davey Richards (c) in a Singles match for the ROH World Championship 13 TNA Sacrifice Orlando, Florida Bobby Roode (c) defeated Rob Van Dam in a Ladder match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 20 WWE Over the Limit Raleigh, North Carolina John Laurinaitis defeated John Cena in a No Disqualification match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

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.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 Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event 3 WWE SuperSmackDown LIVE: The Great American Bash Corpus Christi, Texas Zack Ryder won by last eliminating Kane in a 20-Man Battle Royal to determine the guest General Manager for next week's SmackDown. 8 TNA Destination X Orlando, Florida Austin Aries defeated Bobby Roode (c) in a Singles match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 15 WWE Money in the Bank Phoenix, Arizona John Cena defeated Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, and The Miz in a Money in the Bank ladder match for a WWE Championship match contract(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

August Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event 5 AAA Triplemanía XX Mexico City, Mexico Dr. Wagner Jr. defeated Máscara Año 2000 Jr. (with Máscara Año 2000) 11 ROH Boiling Point Providence, Rhode Island Kevin Steen (c) defeated Eddie Kingston in an Anything Goes match for the ROH World Championship1-11NJPWG1 Climax finalTokyoKazuchika Okada defeated Karl Anderson in a G1 Climax tournament 12 JCW Bloodymania 6 Cave-In-Rock, Illinois 2 Tuff Tony (c) defeated Kongo Kong for the JCW World Heavyweight Championship 12 TNA Hardcore Justice Orlando, Florida Austin Aries (c) defeated Bobby Roode in a Last Chance match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 19 WWE SummerSlam Los Angeles, California Brock Lesnar defeated Triple H in a No Disqualification match(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

September Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event1-2PWGBattle of Los AngelesReseda, CaliforniaAdam Cole defeated Michael Elgin in a Battle of Los Angeles tournament 9 TNA No Surrender Orlando, Florida Jeff Hardy defeated Bully Ray in the final of the 2012 Bound for Glory Series 14 CMLL CMLL 79th Anniversary Show Mexico City, Mexico Rush defeated El Terrible in a two-out-of three-falls Lucha de Apuestas, Hair vs. Hair match 15 ROH Death Before Dishonor Chicago Ridge, Illinois Kevin Steen (c) defeated Rhino in a No Disqualification match for the ROH World Championship 16 WWE Night of Champions Boston, Massachusetts CM Punk (c) vs John Cena for the WWE Championship ended in a draw 23 NJPW Destruction Kobe Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Naomichi Marufuji in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 30 Progress Progress Chapter Three: Fifty Shades Of Pain London, England Dave Mastiff and Greg Burridge defeated El Ligero and Nathan Cruz(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

October Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event 7 AAA Heroes Inmortales San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí Jack Evans and La Secta Bizarra Cibernetica (Cibernético, Dark Cuervo and Dark Ozz) defeated Los Perros del Mal (Halloween, El Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Psicosis and Teddy Hart) 8 NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling Tokyo Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Minoru Suzuki in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 13 ROH Glory By Honor Mississauga, Ontario Kevin Steen (c) defeated Michael Elgin in a Singles match for the ROH World Championship 14 TNA Bound for Glory Phoenix, Arizona Jeff Hardy defeated Austin Aries (c) in a Singles match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 28 WWE Hell in a Cell Atlanta, Georgia CM Punk (c) defeated Ryback in a Hell in a Cell match to retain the WWE Championship(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

November Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event Notes 11 NJPW Power Struggle Osaka Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Yujiro Takahashi in a Singles match to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 11 TNA Turning Point Orlando, Florida Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Austin Aries in a Ladder match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 18 WWE Survivor Series Indianapolis, Indiana CM Punk (c) defeated John Cena and Ryback in a Triple threat match to retain the WWE Championship This event was notable for the onscreen debut of The Shield(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

December Date Promotion(s) Event Location Main event Notes9WWETribute to the TroopsNorfolk, VirginiaJohn Cena defeated Antonio Cesaro in a Singles match 9 TNA Final Resolution Orlando, Florida Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Bobby Roode in a Singles match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship 14 CMLL Sin Piedad Mexico City, Mexico La Sombra defeated Tama Tonga in a Singles match for the 2012 La Copa Junior Tournament Final 16 WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs Brooklyn, New York Dolph Ziggler (contract holder) defeated John Cena in a Ladder match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank contract This marked The Shield's in-ring debut 16 ROH Final Battle 2012: Doomsday New York, New York Kevin Steen (c) defeated El Generico in the Ladder War IV for the ROH World Championship This was El Generico's last match in ROH before signing with the WWE as the new ring name Sami Zayn on NXT(c) – denotes defending champion(s)

Accomplishments and tournaments AAA AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesRey de ReyesEl Hijo del Perro AguayoMarch 18

JWP AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesTag League the Best 2012Ran Yu-Yu and Toshie UematsuApril 8

Ring of Honor AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesRise and Prove TournamentTMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste)February 17March Mayhem TournamentTommaso CiampaMarch 13ROH World Tag Team Championship TournamentS.C.U.M. (Jimmy Jacobs and Steve Corino)September 15

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling AccomplishmentWinnerDate wonNotesWild Card TournamentMagnus and Samoa JoeJanuary 8TNA X Division Championship TournamentZema IonJuly 8Turkey BowlEric YoungNovember 22

WWE