This week in history...

Welcome to this week in history! I will be your host, The Nemesis.

Come with me as we take a look deep into the history of wrestling of the past dates of the week from July 4^th to July 10^th.

Let’s see what we can find…

U.S Independence Day - July 4^th
Births: Vladimir Kozlov – 1972
Ohio Valley Wrestling Champion
Deaths: Adrian Adonis (Sep 15^th 1954 – July 4^th 1988)
WCCW Independence Day Star Wars Show was run every year on the 4^th of July.
1983 saw David Von Erich walk out with the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Championship.
Gino Hernandez retained the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship in 1984 over Jules Strongbow.
1986 had Abdullah the Butcher defeat The Great Kabuki for the WCCW Brass Knuckles Title, Brian Adias lose the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Championship to Buzz Sawyer, The Von Erichs retain the WCCW 6-Man Tag Titles over Butch Reed, Buzz Sawyer and Matt Borne. And Chris Adams won the WCCW World Championship from Rick Rude.
1987 – NWA Presented The Great American Bash.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Express retained their NWA Tag Team Titles with a disqualification victory over The Midnight Express.
The Main Event saw a War Games match. Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Hawk, Animal & Paul Ellering defeated Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Tully Blanchard & J. J. Dillon.
2000 – Val Venis won the Intercontinental Championship from Rikishi on the Smackdown Taping and on the same show, Steve Blackman retained the Hardcore Championship against Big Boss Man
2002 - Minoru Tanaka and Jushin Thunder Liger retained the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships on Day 8 of the NJPW Summer Fight Series by defeating Koji Kanemoto and AKIRA.

July 5^th
Births: Hillbilly Jim – 1952
Deaths: Waldo Von Erich (Oct 2^nd 1933 – July 5^th 2009)
1986 – NWA presented The Great American Bash: Night 4
Denny Brown retained the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title against Steve Regal
In the Main Event, Ricky Morton faced Ric Flair in a Steel Cage match for the NWA World Championship.
2000 – Big Vito retained the WCW Hardcore Title over The Demon on the WCW Thunder Taping.
2002 – Former Frontier Wrestling Alliance Champion Doug Williams failed to recapture the FWA World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Vendetta against Flash Barker.
2008 – SHIMMER Vol. 19
Jetta won a 21 Woman Battle Royale for the right to face SHIMMER Champion, MsChif.
In the Main Event, MsChif defeated Jetta to retain her championship.
SHIMMER Vol. 20
MsChif defended the SHIMMER Championship against Mercedes Martinez.
2009 - Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships from The Motor City Machine Guns on Day 1 of NJPW Circuit ’09.
2010 – Alicia Fox retained the WWE Divas Championship over Eve Torres on Monday Night Raw.

July 6^th
Births: Vincent J. McMahon – 1914 (Died May 24^th 1984)
Founder of WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation) which is known today as World Wrestling Entertainment
1985 – NWA holds The Great American Bash.
NWA Tag Team Champions, Krusher Khruschev & Ivan Koloff and AWA Tag Team Champions, The Legion of Doom fought to a Double Disqualification.
Ric Flair defended the NWA World Championship in a match against Nikita Koloff.
And in the Main Event, NWA TV Title was won by Dusty Rhodes in a Steel Cage match from Tully Blanchard.
1997 – WWF PPV In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede.
Undertaker defeated Vader to retain the WWF Championship
The Main Event featured The Hart Foundation (Bret, Owen, Jim Neidhart, The British Bulldog & Brian Pillman) beating Stone Cold, Goldust, Ken Shamrock & The Legion of Doom.
1997 – El Samurai defeated Jushin Thunder Liger for the J-Crown Championship on Day 12 of NJPW Summer Struggle.
1998 – On WCW Nitro, the undefeated Goldberg won the WCW World Championship from Hulk Hogan in front of over 41,000 people in Atlanta in one of the most famous matches in WCW history.
2003 – Tiger Mask IV retained the IGWP World Title by defeating Masahito Kakihara on Day 3 of NJPW Summer Struggle.
2004 – Paul London and Billy Kidman won the WWE Tag Team Championships from the Dudley Boys during the Smackdown Taping.
2007 – NJPW 35^th Anniversary Tour: Day 1
TAKA Michinoku and Dick Togo defeated Wataru Inoue and Koji Kanemoto to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Ryusuke Taguchi outlasted Minoru to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title
And in the Main Event, the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship was defended with Yuji Nagata defeated Togi Makabe to retain.
2008 – Pro Wrestling Guerilla held its Life During Wartime show.
PWG Tag Titles were on the line with Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs prevailing over Roderick Strong and El Generico.
The Main Event saw a Guerilla Warfare Steel Cage Match for the PWG Championship with Human Tornado losing the championship to Chris Hero.

July 7^th
1990 – NWA holds The Great American Bash PPV.
Doom (Butch Reed & Ron Simmons) retain the NWA Tag Team Championships against The Rock ’n’ Roll Express.
Lex Luger defeated Mark Callous (Before he was known as The Undertaker) for the NWA United States Championship.
Ric Flair lost the NWA World Championship to Sting by Submission.
1996 – WCW holds The Bash at the Beach PPV.
The opening contest between Rey Mysterio and Psicosis was given a 4.75 star rating.
Dean Malenko retains the WCW Cruiserweight Championship over Disco Inferno.
Ric Flair wins the WCW United States Title by defeating Konnan.
This was also the night that the nWo was created. In the Main Event, The Outsiders (Hall & Nash) faced Savage, Sting and Lex Luger in the Main Event with Hulk Hogan interfering and becoming the third man in the nWo.
2000 – Justin Credible retained the ECW World Title on “ECW on TNN” by defeating Tajiri. While in the Hardcore TV Taping, Raven missed a shot at the ECW TV Title when he was beaten by the current Champion, Rhino.
2001 – At CZW A New Beginning, Nick Mondo retained the Ironman Title over Johnny Kashmere and Wifebeater lost the CZW World Title to Justice Pain.
2003 – Booker T won the Intercontinental Title over Christian on the opening match of Raw.

July 8^th
1985 – Don Muraco defeats the Iron Sheik to become King of the Ring ’85. Also at the same event, Hulk Hogan retains the WWF Championship over Nikolai Volkoff.
1996 – Rey Mysterio wins the WCW Cruiserweight Championship from Dean Malenko on Nitro.
2002 – Jeff Hardy defeats William Regal for the European Championship. Jeff would be the last person to hold the championship on its own before he Jeff lost it to Rob Van Dam who unified the title with the Intercontinental Championship.
2005 – CM Punk retained the ROH World Title over Jay Lethal at ROH Sign of Dishonor.
2007 – NJPW 35^th Anniversary Tour: Day 2
Travis Tomko (Tomko) and Giant Bernard (Albert/A-Train) defeated Naofumi Yamamoto (Yoshi Tatsu) and Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain their IGWP World Tag Team Titles.

July 9^th
Births: Kevin Nash – 1954
WWE: WWF/E Champion, Intercontinental Champion, 2 Time World Tag Team Champion.
WCW: 5 Time WCW World Champion, 9 Time WCW Tag Team Champion, World War 3 Winner.
TNA: 2 Time Legends Champion, TNA Tag Team Champion.
Wrestling Observer Most Improved ‘94.
Ranked #1 in the PWI 500 in ’95, PWI Match of the Year, PWI Most Improved Wrestler ‘94, PWI Wrestler of the Year ’95, PWI Tag Team of the Year ’97 (w/ Hall).

Marc Mero – 1960
WWE: Intercontinental Champion
WCW: 3 Time WCW TV Champion
PWI Rookie of the Year ’91.

Shelton Benjamin – 1975
3 Time Intercontinental Champion. United States Champion,  2 Time WWE Tag Team Champion.
4 Time OVW Southern Tag Team Champion.
PWI Tag Team of the Year ‘03 (w/ Haas).
Wrestling Observer Most Underrated ’05, ’06, ’07.

1999 – Taz retains his ECW Championship over Tajiri and RVD defends the ECW TV Championship over Vito at ECW Cocoa Beach.
2000 – WCW Presents the Bash at the Beach PPV.
Big Vito won a handicap match for the WCW Hardcore Title.
KroniK won the WCW Tag Team Titles against Perfect Event (Stasiak & Palumbo).
Mike Awesome won by DQ over Scott Steiner for the WCW US Title.
Hulk Hogan won the WCW World Title over Jeff Jarrett. This was the match where Jarrett was told to lay down in front of Hogan by Vince Russo and threw the title to Hogan. Hogan covered Jarrett with his foot and walked out on WCW.
In the Main Event, Booker T won the WCW World Title in another match against Jeff Jarrett.
2001 – The APA defeated The Dudley Boyz for the WWE Tag Team Championships on Monday Night Raw
2003 – NWA TNA Weekly PPV #52
America’s most wanted retained the Tag Team Titles over Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger
Frankie Kazarian won a 6 man Elimination Match for the right to face Chris Sabin for the X Division Title. Chris Sabin defeated Kazarian later in the night.
In the Main Event AJ Styles retained the NWA World Title over D’Lo Brown.
2003 – Yutaka Yoshie Hiroshi Tanahashi defended the  IWGP World Tag Team Titles against Makai #5, Makai #4 on Day 5 of Summer Struggle 2003.
2005 – Pro Wrestling Guerilla held their 2^nd Annual Birthday Show.
Christopher Daniels retained the TNA X Division Title over Chris Sabin.
In a Tag Titles vs. Masks match, Scorpio Sky & Quicksilver won the PWG Tag Team Championships from Scott Lost & Chris Bosh.
In the Main Event, AJ Styles & Frankie Kazarian went to a Double Countout for the PWG Championship.
2005 – ROH Escape from New York show.
B.J Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs lost the ROH Tag Team Championships to H.C Loc & Tony DeVito.
Samoa Joe defended the ROH Pure Wrestling Title over Austin Aries.
In the Main Event, CM Punk retained the ROH World Championship against Roderick Strong.
2007 – Santino Marella failed to regain the Intercontinental Championship, one week after losing it to Umaga.

July 10^th
Births: Bobo Brazil – 1923 (Died Jan 20^th 1998)
4 Time WWWF United States Champion, WWF/E Hall of Fame Class of 1994.
2 Time WWA World Heavyweight Champion, WWA Tag Team Champion.
12 Time NWA US Heavyweight Champion (9 Detroit, 1 San Francisco, 1 Mid-Atlantic & 1 Toronto)

Billy Jack Haynes – 1953
5 Time NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion
WCCW TV Champion
PWI Most Improved Wrestler ’84

Johnny Grunge – 1966 (Died: Feb 16^th 2006)
WCW: WCW Tag Team Champion
ECW: 4 Time ECW Tag Team Champion
Total Tag Championships with Rocco Rock as “The Public Enemy”: 15

1970 – The Mongols retain the WWWF International Tag Team Championship over Gorilla Monsoon & Dr. Bill Miller. In the same show, Bruno Sammartino defeated Crusher Verdu to retain the WWWF Championship.
1988 – NWA Presents The Great American Bash PPV
The opening contest saw the NWA Tag Team Championships, the Brain Busters against Nikolai Volkoff & Sting go to a Time Limit Draw.
The Midnight Express captured the NWA United States Tag Team Titles over The Fantastics.
Barry Windham defended the United States Championship over Dusty Rhodes.
In the Main Event, Ric Flair was victorious against Lex Luger to retain the NWA World Championship.
2000 – The night after Bash at the Beach, Big Vito retained the WCW Hardcore Title in another Handicap Match on Nitro.
2001 – Jeff Hardy won the Hardcore Title over Mike Awesome during the Smackdown taping.
2002 – TNA Weekly PPV #4
AJ Styles & Jerry Lynn retain the NWA Tag Team Titles over Slash & Tempest and in the NWA World Title match, Ken Shamrock vs. Takao Omori went to a no contest.
2004 – NOAH Departure PPV
Jushin Liger lost the Junior Heavyweight Title to Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
Yoshinari Ogawa (c), Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Taiyo Kea, Keiji Mutoh to retain the GHC Tag Team Titles.
And in the Main Event, Kenta Kobashi retained the GHC Heavyweight Championship over Jun Akiyama in a 5 star match.
2004 – Adam Pearce lost a “Loser Leaves Town” Steel Cage match for the PWG Title against Kazarian.
2006 – Eugene defeats both Mr. McMahon and Shane McMahon in a handicap match on Monday Night Raw.

Comments

1. Comment #1

   Please leave comments.
   I'm hoping that this article is educational and is well received. If it is, I shall continue to bring it to everyone.
   
   - Nem

   Posted by The Nemesis on Sunday, July 11, 2010

2. Comment #2

   Another great article from our walking wrestling encyclopedia

   Posted by Mr "Crowly" Murder on Sunday, July 11, 2010

3. Comment #3

   I wonder how you did that, without spending ages of research but well done!!!
   

   Posted by Nick Hardy on Sunday, July 11, 2010

4. Comment #4

   I did spend hours of research. 3 days of it in fact. I'm thinking of doing this every week... but I'm not sure if it will take off or if people will get sick of it, which is why I've just posted this just to see what happens and if the people like it enough.
   I'm asking for TONNES of comments so I know if its good and people continue to want it or if its not good and it shouldn't go on.

   Posted by The Nemesis on Sunday, July 11, 2010

5. Comment #5

   Wow great work Nem

   Posted by "Unstoppable" Jack Johnson & TBH on Sunday, July 11, 2010

6. Comment #6

   Well Nem, it is good info... one that is very difficult to collect. Hats off to your dedication but I gotta say that I really didn't finish the article coz I got bored reading 5 lines of it. To me it was just too much History class.
   But hey, that's what I feel and I'm sure most others beg to differ. Good job for trying sth new.

   Posted by Bart on Sunday, July 11, 2010

7. Comment #7

   I could just blend it into one massive journey, instead of just having the dates and such...

   Posted by The Nemesis on Sunday, July 11, 2010

8. Comment #8

   I read it all, but cause i've only maybe 2 years into wrestling in such, I really couldn't relate to any of it and be able to say "I remember that". Lots of Dedication, but you are kinda just relying everyone has been watching wrestling for the last 10-15 years. And most people probably have but a small portion are going to have no idea what you are talking about until you start talkin about the 00's. Good job tho. :)

   Posted by Mad Dragon on Sunday, July 11, 2010

9. Comment #9

   To #8; that seems like a reason you SHOULD read to; to learn the vast history of wrestling and see how far we're come since the 1880's (when it first started popping up around the country). It's a lot of history to cover, and I think to be a true fan, you need to know this. It's like being a Dallas Cowboy fan and knowing why they're America's team :P.
   
   Nem; I say keep it up! And see if you can find any history from the United States Wrestling Association and Continental Wrestling Association :) Like Andy Koufman said "if you can make it in Memphis, you can make it anywhere"!

   Posted by Laz Langston on Sunday, July 11, 2010

10. Comment #10

    Hate to say it, but i remember a lot of these events (not all as some are WAY before my time).
    Very informative article (a little on the dull side) but well researched. Keep up the good work

    Posted by Anesthesia on Sunday, July 11, 2010

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