This Day In Wrestling History – July 19th

1960 – Hard Boiled Haggerty & Gene Kiniski defeat Leo Nomellini & Wilbur Snyder, to win the AWA World Tag team Championship.

1968 – Gary Hart & Spoiler #4 defeat Spoiler #1 & #2, to win the NWA American Tag Team Championship.

1971 – Thunderbolt Patterson & Toru Tanaka defeat Johnny Valentine & Wahoo McDaniel to win the NWA American Tag Team Championship.

1980 – Pierre Martel defeats Mr. Fuji, to win the WWC North American Heavyweight Championship.

1982 – Bill Irwin defeats Brian Adias, to win the WCCW Television Championship.

1990 – The Great Kabuki & Jumbo Tsuruta defeat The Miracle Violence Connection (Terry Gordy & Steve Williams), to win the AJPW World Tag Team Championship.

1996 – Aquarius defeats Dr. Wagner Jr., to win the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship.  However, this title change is not recognized by the promotion.

1997 – Yoshiko Tamura defeats Toshie Uematsu, to win the WCW Women’s Cruiserweight Championship.

1997 – ECW’s Heat Wave is held at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, in front of 1,600 fans.  This was an internet pay-per-view.

Dark Match:
–Francine Fournier defeats Beulah McGillicutty.
iPPV:
– In a Handicap Match, Mikey Whipwreck & Spike Dudley defeat Jason and PG-13 (J.C. Ice & Wolfie D.).
– Axl Rotten defeats Tracy Smothers.
– John Kronus defeats Pablo Marquez.
– Bam Bam Bigelow & Chris Candido defeat Chris Chetti & Balls Mahoney.
– Taz defeats Lance Storm, to retain the ECW World Television Championship.
– Terry Funk defeats Shane Douglas, via disqualification, to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
– In a Steel Cage Match, The Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa Saed) defeat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray & D-Von), to win the ECW Tag Team Championship.
– A Six-Man Steel Cage Match between Rob Van Dam, Jerry Lawler, & Sabu vs. The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, & Rick Rude ends in a no-contest.

1998 – In a tournament final, Yoshinari Ogawa defeats Satoru Asako, to win the vacant AJPW Junior Heavyweight Championship.

1999 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (6.3 TV rating) beats the 200th episode of WCW Monday Nitro (3.3 rating).

2002 – Koji Kanemoto defeats Minoru Tanaka, to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

2003 – In a tournament final, Kohei Sato & Hirotaka Yokoi defeat Tomoaki Honma & Kazushi Miyamoto to win the vacant AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship.

2009 – TNA Victory Road is held at the Impact! Zone in Orlando, in front of 1,100 fans.

– Angelina Love (with Madison Rayne & Velvet Sky) defeats Tara, to win the TNA Knockouts Championship.
– Matt Morgan defeats Christopher Daniels.
– Abyss defeats Dr. Stevie, in a No Disqualification Match.
– Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon) defeat The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams), to retain the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
– Jenna Morasca (with Awesome Kong) defeats Sharmell (with Sojourner Bolt).
– In a Title vs Career Match, Kevin Nash defeats AJ Styles, to win the TNA Legends Championship.
– The Main Event Mafia (Booker T & Scott Steiner) defeat Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode & James Storm) to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
– Samoa Joe defeats Sting
– Kurt Angle defeats Mick Foley, to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

2010 – Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi) defeat El Samurai Koji Kanemoto, to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.

2015 – WWE Battleground is held in St. Louis in front of 11,000 fans.

– In the pre-show match, King Barrett defeats R-Truth to retain his King of the Ring Crown.
– Randy Orton defeats Sheamus.
– The Prime Time Players (Titus O’Neil & Darren  Young) defeat The New Day (Big E. & Kofi Kingston), to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
– Bray Wyatt defeats Roman Reigns.
– In a Triple Threat Match, Charlotte defeats Brie Bella and Sasha Banks via submission;  Brie taps out to Charlotte’s Figure-Eight Leglock.
– John Cena defeats Kevin Owens, via submission, to retain the WWE United States Championship.
– Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins ends in a no-contest;  Rollins retains the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  Lesnar had performed an F5 and covered Rollins.  The lights went out before the referee could make the pinfall.  When the lights came back on, The Undertaker emerged and assaulted Lesnar.

2016 – As its “New Era” begins, WWE’s first weekly edition of SmackDown Live airs the USA Network;  SmackDown Live would air every Tuesday, rather than Thursdays on tape delay.  The WWE Draft was held for the first time since 2011, as the Brand Extension was brought back.  RAW had the first overall draft pick.  For every two picks made by SmackDown Live, RAW received three picks (as the shows ran for two and three hours, respectively).  Making RAW selections were Commissioner Stephanie McMahon and General Manager Mick Foley.  Making SmackDown Live selections were Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan.  Thirty selections were made on TV, with another 29 on WWE Network.

– Seth Rollins is drafted to RAW.
– WWE Champion Dean Ambrose is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte is drafted to RAW.
– AJ Styles is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– NXT’s Finn Balor is drafted to RAW.  Roman Reigns is also drafted to RAW.
– John Cena is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– Brock Lesnar is drafted to RAW.
– Randy Orton is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day (Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, & Big E.) are drafted to RAW.  Sami Zayn is also drafted to RAW.

– Bray Wyatt is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– Sasha Banks is drafted to RAW.
– Becky Lynch is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– Chris Jericho is drafted to RAW.  United States Champion Rusev (and Lana) are also drafted to RAW.
– Intercontinental Champion The Miz (and Maryse) are drafted to SmackDown Live.
– Kevin Owens is drafted to RAW.
– Baron Corbin is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– Enzo Amore & Big Cass are drafted to RAW.  Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson are also drafted to RAW.
– NXT’s American Alpha (Chad Gable & Jason Jordan) are drafted to SmackDown Live.

– Big Show is drafted to RAW.
– Dolph Ziggler is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– NXT’s Nia Jax is drafted to RAW.  Neville is also drafted to RAW.
– Natalya is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– Cesaro is drafted to RAW.
– Alberto Del Rio is drafted to SmackDown Live.
– With the last televised pick, Sheamus is drafted to RAW.
– WWE Draft Center Live aired on the WWE Network, with 29 more selections made between RAW and SmackDown Live.  Heath Slater was the only active superstar not to be drafted by either brand.  SmackDown Live would draft three from NXT:  Alexa Bliss, Mojo Rawley, and Carmella.  SmackDown Live also drafted Eva Marie, though Eva would never actually compete in a match (initially unable to due to wardrobe malfunctions, traffic jams, etc., then getting suspended 30 days for a Wellness Policy violation, and then just quietly leaving the company to pursue other interests).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:  WWE Hall of Famer Robert Gibson (59 years old);  current WWE Champion Jinder Mahal (31 years old);  former GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Michael Modest (46 years old);  former ROH & ECW World Tag Team Champion Tony Mamaluke (40 years old);  4-time CMLL World Tag Team Champion Rey Bucanero (43 years old);  5-time AJPW World Tag Team Champion Yoshiaki Yatsu (61 years old);  WWE Cruiserweight Hoho Lun (30 years old);  and current GFW Impact Wrestling commentator Jeremy Borash (43 years old).