This Day In Wrestling History – August 18th

1950 – ‘Wild’ Bill Longson defeats Sonny Myers, to become the inaugural NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion.

1962 – Bobo Brazil defeats Buddy Rogers, to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.  Brazil, however, refuses to accept the title due to an apparent groin injury Rogers claimed to have.  Brazil would be declared champion three weeks later, after it is revealed Rogers did NOT have an injury.  Despite Brazil being declared champion, the title change is not recognized by the NWA.

1978 – Mil Mascaras defeats The Destroyer, to win the Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF) United States Heavyweight Championship.

1978 – The Mongolian Stomper defeats Robert Fuller to win the NWA (Northern Division) Southeastern Heavyweight Championship.

1985 – After the WWF buys out Montreal’s Lutte Internationale promotion, it awards Canada-favorite Dino Bravo with the Canadian Championship.  The title would be defended primarily in Canadian cities.  Bravo had developed a strong fan base, especially in Quebec.  WWF’s thinking was it could appease the Canadians’ love for Bravo by awarding him the Canadian Championship, without taking the actual WWF World Championship off of Hulk Hogan.  The Canadian Championship is abandoned in January 1986.  This comes after Bravo quits the WWF due to disagreements regarding a match he was scheduled to have, against Hogan in Montreal in the final Lutte vs. WWF series.

1989 – Eric Embry defeats P.Y. Chu-Hi, to win the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship.  Following this match, World Class Wrestling Association is renamed United States Wrestling Association (USWA).

1991 – Cien Caras defeats Konnan el Barbaro, to win the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship.

1993 – WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV is held in Daytona Beach, FL in front of 8,903 fans.  The event featured the infamous botched debut of The Shockmaster (video below the Clash results).

– Arn Anderson & Paul Roma defeat Steve Austin & Lord Steven Regal, to win the NWA & WCW World Tag Team Championship.  Regal was subbing for an injured Brian Pillman.
– 2 Cold Scorpio defeats Bobby Eaton (subbing for Lord Steven Regal).
– In a Mask vs. Guitar Match, Johnny B. Badd defeats Maxx Payne.  Per match stipulation, Johnny wins Payne’s guitar.
– Ricky Steamboat defeats Paul Orndorff, to win the WCW World Television Championship.
– Sting & Ric Flair defeat The Colossal Kongs (King Kong & Awesome Kong).
– Road Warrior Hawk & Dustin Rhodes (with Road Warrior Animal) defeat Rick Rude & The Equalizer.
– Big Van Vader (with Harley Race) defeats Davey Boy Smith, to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

1996 – WWF’s 9th annual SummerSlam is held in Cleveland, OH in front of 17,000 fans.

Airing on Free For All:
– Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats Yokozuna.  The top rope broke in this match, when Yokozuna attempted a Banzai Drop.
SummerSlam:
– Owen Hart defeats Savio Vega.
– In a Four-Way Elimination Tag Team Match, The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart) defeat The Bodydonnas (Skip & Zip), The New Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy), and The Godwinns (Henry O. & Phineas I.), to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
– Sycho Sid defeats The British Bulldog.
– Goldust (with Marlena) defeats Marc Mero (with Sable).
– Jerry Lawler defeats Jake Roberts.
– Mankind defeats The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) in a Boiler Room Brawl, when Bearer turned on Undertaker, to align himself with Mankind.
– Shawn Michaels (with Jose Lothario) defeats Vader (with Jim Cornette), to retain the WWF Championship.

1997 – In the Monday Night Wars, WCW Monday Nitro (4.0 TV rating) beats WWF RAW IS WAR (3.2 rating).

1997 – World Championship Wrestling’s Robert ‘Jeep’ Swenson dies of heart failure at the age of 40.

1998 – The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) defeat Jimmy Cicero & Julio Sanchez, to become the first Maryland Championship Wrestling Tag Team Champions.

1998 – Maryland Championship Wrestling’s Shane Shamrock is shot & killed during an altercation with police officers.  A month after his death, the MCW Light Heavyweight Championship, which he held at the time, would be retired.  Each year, MCW holds the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup Tournament in his honor.

2000 – Lady Apache is stripped of the CMLL World Women’s Title, after jumping to AAA.

2002 – At a house show in Evansville, Indiana, the WWE Hardcore Championship is passed from Tommy Dreamer to Shawn Stasiak, to Steven Richards, and back to Dreamer (via the 24/7 Rule).

2008 – Primo makes his WWE television debut on Monday Night RAW.

2011 – On Impact Wrestling, Mexican America (Hernandez & Anarquia) defeat Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm & Bobby Roode), to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.

2012 – After she signs a contract with WWE, Mercedes KV vacates the Chaotic Wrestling Women’s Championship.  Mercedes KV is better known today, as 3-time RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks.

2013 – WWE’s 26th annual SummerSlam is held in Los Angeles, in front of either 14,166 or 17,739, depending on what source you trust.

Pre-Show Match:
– Rob Van Dam defeats United States Champion Dean Ambrose, via disqualification;  Ambrose retains the title.
SummerSlam:
– Bray Wyatt (with Luke Harper & Erick Rowan) defeats Kane, in a Ring of Fire Match.
– Cody Rhodes defeats Damien Sandow.
– Alberto Del Rio defeats Christian, via submission, to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
– Natalya defeats Brie Bella, via submission.
– Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) defeats CM Punk, in a No Disqualification Match.
– In a Mixed Tag Team Match, Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn defeat Big E. Langston & AJ Lee.
– Daniel Bryan defeats John Cena, to win the WWE Championship;  Triple H was the special guest referee.
– After Cena shakes Daniel Bryan’s hand and leaves the ring, Randy Orton appears with his Money In The Bank briefcase.  Triple H attacks Daniel Bryan with a Pedigree.  Orton hands over the MITB briefcase and Triple H demands the bell be rung.  Orton pins Bryan, with Triple H counting the pinfall, to become the new WWE Champion.  This would mark the debut of The Authority, though not named officially so until two months later.

2016 – Eva Marie is suspended by WWE for 30 days for violating the company’s Wellness Policy.   As it turned out, Eva would opt to pursue interests outside of professional wrestling, and would not return to a WWE ring.  Eva Marie’s 30-day suspension occurs the day after Paige and Alberto Del Rio were both suspended 30 days, for Wellness Policy violations.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Former All Pro Wrestling Universal Heavyweight Champion Bobby Quance (36 years old);  2-time OVW Heavyweight Champion Anthony Bravado (38 years old);  and former WWF Tag Team Champion Dr. Tom Prichard (58 years old).