This is a list of various things that took place in 1971.
Significant events
No dates/undetermined
- The World Wide Wrestling Federation rejoins the National Wrestling Alliance
- The Mongols (Geto and Bepo), the reigning WWWF International Tag Team Champions, leave the promotion early in the year and take their belts with them to the WWWF-affiliated Studio Wrestling promotion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Late summer or early fall
- Ray Morgan quits as play-by-play announcer for the WWWF's television programs shortly before a television taping, following a pay dispute with WWWF owner Vince McMahon Sr. Needing an announcer on-the-spot, the elder McMahon turns to his 25-year-old son, Vince Jr. -- he had promoted several events beforehand, but was looking for a bigger role in the company -- to handle commentary. A natural behind the mike (he had clearly studied the successful styles of veteran announcers, including Morgan), Vince Jr. made a successful debut and would be the primary voice of the WWWF (and later, WWF) for the next 26 years (until shortly after the Montreal Screwjob)
Births
January
- 1 - Josseline
- 5 - Monje Negro Jr.
- 7 - Chris Wright (Emit, North Carolina)
February
- 8 - The Big Show (Aiken, South Carolina)
- 10 - Lisa Marie Varon (San Bernadino, California)
- 10 - Louie Spicolli
- 14 - Tommy Dreamer (Yonkers, New York)
- 22 - Super Caló
- 23 - Hikari Fukuoka (Akita, Japan)
March
- 2 - Manami Toyota
- 5 - American Chippendale
- 6 - Sean Morley (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada)
- 10 - Debbie Malenko
- 17 - Cocolores
- 24 - Christopher Daniels
April
- 4 - John Zandig (Sewell, New Jersey)
- 5 - Estrella de Fuego
- 21 - Axl Rotten (Baltimore, Maryland)
May
- 12 - Doug Basham (Louisville, Kentucky)
- 19 - Nicho el Millionario
- 22 - Halloween
- 31 - Marcela
June
- 4 - Rockero Tri
- 12 - Mark Henry (Sisby, Texas)
- 15 - Chuck Palumbo
- 16 - Super Yens
July
- 1 - Abismo Negro
- 7 - Antifaz
- 7 - Chi Chi
- 14 - Bully Ray (Massapequa, New York)
- 21 - Shinjiro Ohtani
August
- 25 - Green Ghost
September
- 12 - Nishimura
- 12 - Shocker
- 24 - April Hunter
October
- 8 - Al Katrazz (Vista, California)
- 9 - Stevie Richards (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- 19 - Sweet Saraya (Cornwall, England)
- 20 - Kaoru Ito
- 21 - Rey Apóstol
- 22 - Adam Flash (York Pennsylvania)
- 22 - Andrew Anderson (Ridgefield, New Jersey)
- 28 - Axxel
December
- 12 - Kumo
- 24 - Oro
- 28 - John Saxon
- 30 - Bobby Lee Jr.
Deaths
June
- 17 - Alberto Torres 37 (Internal injuries)
July
- 23 - Hercules Cortez (Car accident)
Debuts
January
- 1 - El Hijo Del Gladiador
May
- 9 - Tatsumi Fujinami
- 30 - Tigro
June
- 21 - Kendo Nagasaki
July
- 15 - Relámpago Ramírez
August
- 20 - Tinieblas
September
- 16 - El Signo
October
- 1 - Mano Negra
- 23 - La Parca
December
- 13 - Asesino Negro (70s)
Events
August
Title changes
January
- 18 – Ivan Koloff wins the WWWF Heavyweight Championship from Bruno Sammartino in New York City
February
- 8 – Pedro Morales wins the WWWF title from Ivan Koloff in New York City
- 15 – John Quinn and Dutch Savage win the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship from Don Leo Jonathan and Steven Little Bear in Vancouver, British Columbia
- 22 – Fritz Von Erich wins the NWA American Heavyweight Championship from Toru Tanaka in Fort Worth, Texas
- 23 – Toru Tanaka regains the NWA American title from Fritz Von Erich in Dallas, Texas
March
- 5 – Wahoo McDaniel wins the NWA American title from Toru Tanaka in Houston, Texas
- 15 – Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from John Quinn and Dutch Savage in Vancouver
- 27 – Stan Stasiak wins the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship from Dutch Savage in Portland, Oregon
May
- 1 – Kurt Von Steiger wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Stan Stasiak in Portland
- 15 – Red Bastien and Hercules Cortez win the AWA World Tag Team Championship from Mad Dog and Butcher Vachon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
June
- Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler are awarded the WWWF Tag Team Championship as the first titleholders; they are claimed to have beaten Dick the Bruiser and The Sheik in a fictitious tournament final in New Orleans, Louisiana
- 14 – The Skull Brothers win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear in Vancouver
- 18 – Bruno Sammartino and Dominic DeNucci win the WWWF International Tag Team Championship from The Mongols in Pittsburgh
July
- 2 – The Mongols regain the WWWF International Tag Team title from Bruno Sammartino and Dominic Denucci in Pittsburgh
- 5 – Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear regain the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from The Skull Brothers in Vancouver
- 19 – Steven Little Bear wins the NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship from Gene Kiniski in Vancouver
- 31 – Jonathan Boyd wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Kurt Von Steiger
August
- Red Bastien chooses The Crusher as his new AWA World Tag Team Championship partner after Hercules Cortez is killed in a car accident near St. Cloud, Minnesota on July 23
September
- 20 – "Bulldog" Bob Brown wins the NWA Pacific Coast title from Steven Little Bear in Vancouver
October
- 11 – "Bulldog" Bob Brown and Gene Kiniski win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear in Vancouver
- 24 – Dutch Savage wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Jonathan Boyd
November
- 12 – Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler win the WWWF International Tag Team title from The Mongols in a title vs. title match in Pittsburgh (Graham and Tyler were also the reigning WWWF Tag Team Champions)
- 28 – Jonathan Boyd regains the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Dutch Savage
- 29 – Mark Lewin and Steven Little Bear win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from "Bulldog" Bob Brown and Gene Kiniski in Vancouver
December
- 11 – The Spoiler wins the NWA American title from Wahoo McDaniel in San Antonio, Texas
- 28 – Dutch Savage regains the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Jonathan Boyd in Portland