1965 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions

Only one promotion held notable shows in 1965.

Calendar of notable shows

Notable events

• November – Fred Kohler Enterprises closed after 40 years of operations. World Wrestling Association, based in Indianapolis, bought the rights to promote wrestling in Chicago.

Accomplishments and tournaments

EMLL

Championship changes

EMLL

NWA

Debuts

• Debut date uncertain:
  • Adorable Rubí^[17]
  • Black Man^[17]
  • Bobby Heenan^[17]
  • Bob Sweetan^[17]
  • Buddy Roberts^[17]
  • Butch Miller^[17]
  • Carlos Colón^[17]
  • Dick Murdoch^[17]
  • Jerry Jarrett^[17]
  • Jos LeDuc^[17]
  • Lonnie Mayne^[17]
  • Luke Williams^[17]
  • Tiger Jeet Singh^[17]
• February 7 – Tony Salazar^[17]
• February – Ivan Koloff^[17]
• April 2 – Rusher Kimura^[17]
• May 15 – Jack Brisco^[17]
• June 3 – Masa Saito^[17]
• June – Mil Máscaras^[17]
• July 21 – Kato Kung Lee^[17]
• July – Rocky Johnson^[17]
• November – El Cobarde^[17]
• December 6 – Terry Funk^[17]

Retirements

• Andreas Lambrakis (1936-1965)
• John Pesek (1914-1965)

Births

• January 4 – Derrick Dukes
• January 11 – Mascarita Sagrada
• January 24:
  • Mike Awesome^[18](died in 2007) [1]
  • Steve Lawler (died in 2021)
• January 26 – Rip Sawyer^[18]
• February 2 – Naoki Sano^[19]
• February 21 – The Terminator
• February 24 – Bas Rutten^[20]
• February 26 – James Mitchell
• February 28 – Norman Smiley^[18]
• March 1 – Booker T^[20]
• March 3 – Danie Brits (died in 2020)
• March 16 – Steve Armstrong^[19]
• March 24 – The Undertaker^[19]
• April 5 – Villano IV^[19]
• April 13 – Bracito de Oro^[20]
• April 18 – Biff Wellington (died in 2007)
• April 26 – Tank Abbott^[19]
• May – Dick Vrij
• May 7 – Owen Hart^[18](died in 1999) [2]</ref>
• June 7 – Mick Foley^[18]
• June 8 – Tatanka^[19]
• June 9 – Val Puccio^[19](died in 2011) [3]
• June 10 – Ephesto^[20]
• June 11 – Mascarita Sagrada^[18]
• June 16 – Tatsuo Nakano^[19]
• June 17 – Clarence Mason^[20]
• July 3 – Shin'ya Hashimoto^[19](died in 2005) [4]
• July 7 – Chris Duffy (died in 2000)
• July 22 – Shawn Michaels^[19]
• August 7 – Johnny Smith^[18]
• August 8 – Akitoshi Saito
• August 12 – Dr. Wagner Jr.^[20]
• August 16 – Masaaki Satake
• August 21 – Muffy Mower
• August 26 – Bobby Duncum Jr.^[20](died in 1999) [5]
• August 31 – K. C. Thunder
• September 5 – Hoshitango Imachi
• September 9 – J.W. Storm^[20]
• September 11 – Paul Heyman^[18]
• September 12 – Midnight^[18]
• September 16 – Discovery (died in 2020)
• September 27 – Ricky Fuji^[18]
• September 28 – La Diabólica^[20]
• October 11:
  • Rikishi^[18]
  • Tonga Kid
• October 16 – The Renegade^[18](died in 1999) [6]
• October 17 – Rossy Moreno^[18]
• October 21:
  • Charlie Norris^[20]( died in 2023)
  • Horace Hogan^[20]
• October 25 – Too Cold Scorpio^[19]
• October 27 – Harvey Wippleman^[20]
• October 28 – Jun Izumida (died in 2017)
• November 8 – Boni Blackstone
• November 14 – L.A. Park^[18]
• November 23 – Don Frye^[20]
• November 28 – Rumi Kazama (died in 2021)
• November 30 – Bart Sawyer^[20] (died in 2023)
• November 23 – Ron Waterman^[18]
• December 1 – Noriyo Tateno
• December 6 – Olímpico^[18]
• December 16 – Jason Neidhart
• December 19 – Shoichi Arai (died in 2002)
• December 27 – Bart Gunn^[18]

Deaths

• January 16 – Yukon Eric^[21] 48
• February 12 – Henry Kulky 53
• May 15 – Frank Townsend (wrestler)^[21] 32