This Day In Wrestling History- June 18th

Trivia

2006 – Minoru won the NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Tournament, defeating Tiger Mask IV in the final

2012 – In a segment taped for her reality series, Cyndi Lauper made her 1st appearance for WWE since 1985

Events

In 1994, the WWF Hall of Fame Ceremony is held in Baltimore, Maryland. The Class of 94 were:

– Arnold Skaaland (inducted by Shane McMahon)
– Bobo Brazil (inducted by Ernie Ladd)
– “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers (inducted by Bret Hart)
– Chief Jay Strongbow (inducted by Tatanka)
– Freddie Blassie (inducted by Regis Philbin)
– Gorilla Monsoon (inducted by Jim Ross)
– James Dudley (inducted by Vince McMahon)

In 1995, WCW’s The Great American Bash was held at Hara Arena, in Dayton, Ohio. With an attendance of 6,000:

WCW Main Event Matches:
– Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray & Booker T) defeated The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton). (Fulton & Rogers were subbing for The Rock ‘n Roll Express who no showed)
– Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated Scott D’Amore (D’Amore was mistakenly billed as Chris Kanyon in this match)
– Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater defeated Frankie Lancaster & Barry Houston
PPV:
– Alex Wright defeated Brian Pillman
– Dave Sullivan (with his rat named Ralph) defeated Diamond Dallas Page (with the Diamond Doll & Max Muscle) in an Arm Wrestling Contest
– Jim Duggan defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman via DQ
– Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) (with Sister Sherri) defeated Dick Slater & Bunkhouse Buck (with Col. Robert Parker)
– The Renegade defeated Arn Anderson to win the WCW Television Title
– The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags) defeated The Blue Bloods (Earl Robert Eaton & Lord Steven Regal) to retain the WCW World Tag Team Titles
– Sting defeated Meng (with Col. Robert Parker) to win the vacant WCW United States Title
– Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage (with Angelo Poffo)

In 1995, AAA TripleMania III-B was held in Tonala, Mexico:

– Juventud Guerrera defeated Perro Aguayo Jr in an Olympic Rules Match
– El Hijo Del Santo, Octagon, Rey Misterio Jr., & La Parka defeated Pentagon, Blue Panther, Psicosis, & Fuerza Guerrera
– Cien Caras & Mascara Ano 2000 defeated Perro Aguayo & Konnan in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Tag Team Match to retain the UWA World Title (Caras) & the IWC Heavyweight Title (Mascara)
– Winners defeated Marabunta in a Mask vs Mask Match

In 2006, AAA TripleMania XIV was held in Naucalpan, Mexico

– Abismo Negro, Gran Apache, La Diabolica & Tiffany defeated El Alebrije, Billy Boy, Estrellita & Faby Apache
– The Black Family (Chessman, Cuervo, Escoria & Ozz) fought Real Fuerza Aerea (Laredo Kid, Nemesis, Rey Cometa & Super Fly) to a no contest. As a result, the Mexican National Atomicos Title is vacated
– Charly Manson defeated El Zorro in a Last Man Standing Hair vs Hair Cage Match to win the Mexican National Heavyweight Title and force El Zorro to shave his head
– La Parka defeated Muerte Cibernetica in a Mask vs Mask Match

In 2006, TNA Slammiversary was held at the Impact Zone, in Orlando, Florida. With an attendance of 900. It marked the approximate 4-year anniversary of TNA Wrestling:

Pre-Show:
– Team Canada (A-1 & Eric Young) defeated The Naturals (Andy Douglas & Chase Stevens)
PPV:
– Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon) defeated The James Gang (Kip & BG) in a Bingo Hall Brawl
– Rhino defeated Team Canada (Bobby Roode & Coach D’Amore) in a 2 on 1 Handicap Match
– Senshi defeated Shark Boy, Alex Shelley, Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, & Petey Williams in a X-Division Rankings Elimination Match
– Kevin Nash (with Alex Shelley) defeated Chris Sabin
– AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels defeated America’s Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm) (with Gail Kim) to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles
– Samoa Joe defeated Scott Steiner
– Jeff Jarrett defeated Christian Cage, Abyss (with James Mitchell), Ron Killings, & Sting in a King of the Mountain Match to win the NWA World Title

In 2011, AAA TripleMania XIX was held in Mexico City. The event saw Octagón inducted as the 6th member of the AAA Hall of Fame:

– La Legion Extranjera (Angelina Love, Mickie James, Sexy Star, & Velvet Sky) defeated Cynthia Moreno, Faby Apache, Mari Apache & Lolita
– Electroshock, Heavy Metal & Joe Lider defeated La Maniarquia (Chessman, Silver Cain & Ultimo Gladiator) in a TLC Match
– Extreme Tiger & Jack Evans defeated Abyss & Mr. Anderson in a Cage Match to retain the AAA Tag Team Titles
– Los Perros del Mal (Damian 666, Halloween & X-Fly) defeated Los Psycho Circus (Monster Clown, Murder Clown & Psycho Clown) in a Hardcore Match in the final of a tournament to become the 1st AAA Trios Champions
– Jeff Jarrett defeated El Zorro to win the AAA World Title
– LA Park defeated El Mesias in a Mask vs Hair Match forcing El Mesias to shave his head
– Dr. Wagner Jr. defeats Rob Van Dam to become the first AAA Latin American Champion

Also in 2011, NJPW Dominion was held in Osaka, Japan

– Mascara Dorada defeated Ryusuke Taguchi to win the CMLL World Welterweight Title
– Yujiro Takahashi defeated Tetsuya Naito
– Kota Ibushi defeated Prince Devitt to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title
– MVP defeated Toru Yano to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title
– Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson) defeated Yoshihiro Takayama & Takuma Sano in a Champion vs Champion Match to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles and win the GHC Tag Team Titles
– Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Hirooki Goto to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Title

Title Changes

1968 – Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk defeated Kurt & Karl Von Brauner to win the Texas version of the NWA World Tag Team Title in San Angelo, Texas

1971 – Bruno Sammartino & Dominic DeNucci defeated The Mongols (Geeto & Bepo) to win the WWWF International Tag Team Title in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1977 – Hercules Ayala defeated Huracan Castillo to win the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico

1978 – Dusty Rhodes defeated Dick Slater to win the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title in Miami, Florida

1982 – Ringo Mendoza & Cachorro Mendoza defeated Satanico & Espectro Jr. to win the Mexico National Tag Team Title.

1983 – Jack & Jerry Brisco defeated Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood to win the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA World Tag Team Title in Greenville, South Carolina

1984 – Davey Boy Smith defeated Bad News Allen to win the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title in Vancouver, British Columbia

1984 – Phil Hickerson & The Spoiler (Frank Morrell) defeated Tommy Rich & Eddie Gilbert to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee

1990 – The Snowman defeated Jerry Lawler to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title

1997 – Mima Shimoda & Etsuko Mita defeat Tomoko Watanabe & Kumiko Maekawa to win the WWWA World Tag Team Title in Sapporo, Japan

2002 – Doug Williams defeated Justin Starr to win the British Heavyweight Title in Southampton, England

2005 – in England, Naomichi Marufuji & Minoru Suzuki defeated Scorpio & Doug Williams to win the GHC Tag Team Titles

2005 – CM Punk defeated Austin Aries to win the ROH World Title

Birthdays

Happy birthday to 4-time AWA Tag Team Champion Larry ‘The Axe’ Hennig (78), former WWF jobber Salvatore Bellomo (63), 2-time WCW Tag & Hardcore Champion Big Vito (50), former WWE wrestler Bam Neely (39) & one-time WCW Tag Team Champion Kenny Kaos (44)

Also, today would have been the birthday of 2-time AJPW World’s Strongest Tag League winner Bruiser Brody (68), & Japanese legend Mitsuharu Misawa (52)

In Memoriam

On this day in 2010, the wrestling world lost former ROH, CZW and JAPW Tag Team Champion Trent Acid aged just 29. Acid made his wrestling debut in 1995, rising to prominence in 1999 after debuting for the upstart CZW promotion. He soon began teaming with Johnny Kashmere, forming The Backseat Boyz, a partnership which would continue until Acid’s death. The pair joined ROH in 2002, competing in an interpromotional match at the first Glory By Honor event. After an impressive run, Acid quit the company in 2004, preferring to compete in CZW (though he would leave them soon after as well), & PWU. Despite (or perhaps due to) gaining a higher profile on the independent scene, Acid developed a drug abuse problem and his ring-work began to suffer. He made attempts to get clean and competed in JCW & PWS, but he frequently relapsed, eventually leading to an arrest for possession of heroin. This, combined with previous charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication, saw him sentenced (on April 2nd) to a maximum 23 months in jail. A further trial was set for July 13th, but Acid wouldn’t live to see it. He was found dead at his home of a drug overdose. At the following ROH & CZW shows, a 10-bell salute was held in his honour. Also, JAPW & CZW co-produced a tribute show, titled ‘Acid-Fest’, featuring several friends, colleagues and students of Acid’s. He was inducted to the Hardcore Hall of Fame during the show