This Day In Wrestling History – August 12th‏

THIS DAY IN WRESTLING HISTORY – AUGUST 12TH
By Bill Fenbers (on Twitter @billbeingbill)

1979 – Ric Flair vacates the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship; four days after he and Blackjack Mulligan become the new NWA World Tag Team Champions.

1983 – Riki Chosu is officially awarded the WWF International Heavyweight Champion. Tatsui Fujinami had defeated Chosu for the title on August 4th via count out, but had refused to accept the title. The rematch was scheduled for the following week in Calgary, but Chosu was unable to get into Canada. Since Fujinami had refused to accept the title, it was awarded back to Chosu.

1992 – Johnny Hotbody defeats Larry Winters, to become the very first ECW World Television Champion.

2002 – Stacy Kiebler makes her debut on WWE RAW.

2005 – In a Four-Way Elimination Match, James Gibson becomes the new ROH World Champion, defeating previous champion CM Punk, along with Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe.

2006 – In a Title Unification Match in Liverpool, England, Bryan Danielson defeats Nigel McGuiness, to win McGuiness’ ROH Pure Championship. It is unified with Danielson’s ROH World Championship and afterwards retired.

2007 – TNA holds “Hard Justice” from the Impact Zone.
-In a three-way tag team match, Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt defeat the teams of Triple X (Christopher Daniels and Senshi) and The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Saban and Alex Shelley).
-Kaz defeats Raven in a singles match.
-James Storm defeats Rhino in a Bar Room Brawl.
-In a tag team match, The Latin American Exchange (Homicide and Hernandez) defeat The Voodoo Kin Mafia (B.G. James and Kip James).
-Robert Roode defeats Eric Young in a Humiliation Match.
-In a singles match, Chris Harris defeats Black Reign via disqualification.
-In a tag team match, The Steiner Brothers defeat Team 3D.
-In a Doomsday Chamber of Blood Match, the team of Abyss, Andrew Martin, and Sting defeat Christian’s Coalition (Christian Cage, AJ Styles, and Tomko).
-In a Winner Takes All Match, Kurt Angle (holder of both the TNA and IWGP World Heavyweight Championships) defeats Samoa Joe. As a result, Angle wins Joe’s TNA X Division and World Tag Team Championship. Joe was the sole possessor of the World Tag Team Titles; he had previously opted not to have a partner. Kurt Angle becomes the first person to hold all of TNA’s active championships at the same time.

2009 – On WWE Friday Night Smackdown! Cody Rhodes defeats Ezekiel Jackson, to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

2010 – TNA holds “The Whole F’n Show.” The matches were supposed to be on the card for the Hardcore Justice PPV, before it was decided to give the PPV to the ECW Originals. “The Whole F’n Show” aired on SpikeTV.
-Kurt Angle defeats AJ Styles. If Angle had lost, he had promised to retire.
-Angelina Love defeats Madison Rayne, to become the new TNA Women’s Knockout Champion.
-In a three-way match, Matt Morgan defeats Mr. Anderson, D’Angelo Dinero.
-Jeff Hardy defeats Shannon Moore in a singles match.
-In a two-out-of-three falls match, The Motor City Machine Guns retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship, defeating Beer Money, Inc.
-In a Ladder Match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Rob Van Dam defeats Abyss. Eric Bischoff was the special guest referee.

2010 -In a three-way match, Derrick Bateman and Johnny Curtis defeat Brodus Clay and Donny Marlow, along with champions Los Aviadores (Epico and Hunico), to win the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship.

2012 – TNA holds “Hardcore Justice” from the Impact Zone.
-In a tag team match, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez defeat Gunner and Kid Kash.
-Rob Van Dam defeats Mr. Anderson and Magnus, in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, to gain 20 points in the Bound For Glory Series Standings.
-Devon retains the TNA Television Championship, defeating Kazarian.
-Madison Rayne defeats Miss Tessmacher, to become the new TNA Women’s Knockout Champion.
-In a Tables Match, Bully Ray defeats James Storm, Jeff Hardy, and Robbie E. Bully Ray gains 20 points in the Bound For Glory Series Standings.
-In a Ladder Match, AJ Styles defeats Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, and Kurt Angle. Styles gains 20 points in the Bound For Glory Series Standings.
-Austin Aries retains the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Bobby Roode. The stipulation was, if Aries had lost the title, he would waive his rematch clause. But since Roode lost, Roode lost his right to a rematch. Roode had held the World Heavyweight Championship for 256 days.

BIRTHDAYS
Dr. Wagner, Jr (born 1965)