This Day In Wrestling History – July 8th

Happy birthday to Kiara Dillon!

1968 – Klondike Bill & Skull Murphy defeat Kintaro Ohki & Michiaki Yoshimura, to win the JWA All Asia Tag Team Championship.  Elsewhere, Fritz Von Erich defeats El Mongol, to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship.

1972 – Johnny Valentine defeats Billy Red Lyons, to win the NWA American Heavyweight Championship.

1985 – WWF’s inaugural King of the Ring Tournament is held at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. (the former home of the New England Patriots), in front of 23,000 fans.

First Round Tournament Matches:
– Jim Brunzell defeats The Spoiler.
– Tito Santana defeats Terry Funk via disqualification.
– The Iron Sheik defeats B. Brian Blair.
– Ricky Steamboat defeats Greg Valentine.
– Les Thornton defeats Steve Lombardi.
– Don Muraco defeats The Junkyard Dog.
– Pedro Morales defeats Johnny V.
– Paul Orndorff fought Bob Orton, Jr. to a double disqualification.  Neither advances in the tournament.
Quarterfinal Round Matches:
– Tito Santana fought Jim Brunzell to a draw (Brunzell advances after winning a coin toss).
– The Iron Sheik defeats Ricky Steamboat.
– Don Muraco defeats Les Thornton.
Semifinal Matches:
– The Iron Sheik defeats Jim Brunzell.
– Don Muraco defeats Pedro Morales.
King of The Ring Tournament Final:
– Don Muraco defeats The Iron Sheik, to become WWF’s first ever King of the Ring.
– In the main event of the evening, Hulk Hogan defeats Nikolai Volkoff, to retain the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.

1988 – Kerry Von Erich, Kevin Von Erich, & Michael Hayes defeat Buddy Roberts, Iceman Parsons, & Kamala (subbing for Terry Gordy), to win the WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship.  This was the final title reign, as the titles were retired later in the year.

1991 – The Barroom Brawlers (Bonecrusher & Crowbar) defeat Jeff Jarrett & Robert Fuller, to win the USWA World Tag Team Championship.  Elsewhere, Johnny Ace & Kenta Kobashi defeat Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat, to win the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship.

1996 – In the Monday Night Wars, WCW Monday Nitro (3.5 TV rating) beats WWF Monday Night RAW (2.5 rating).  On Nitro, Rey Misterio, Jr. defeats Dean Malenko, to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.

2002 – On RAW, Jeff Hardy defeats William Regal, to win the WWE European Championship.  Also, during a Ten-Man Tag Team Match, Kevin Nash tears his left quadriceps muscle.  This was Nash’s first match since suffering a biceps injury in March.  On this night, Nash tripped over Booker T’s foot after hitting a big boot to the face on Booker. After he hit the boot, Nash was running across the ring to hit Bubba Ray Dudley, who was on the apron.  Because he had tripped on Booker’s foot, Nash landed awkwardly on his left leg.

2004 – On SmackDown, Billy Kidman & Paul London defeat The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von), to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.  Also, John Cena is stripped of the United States Championship, after attacking SmackDown General Manager Kurt Angle.

2006 – At Combat Zone Wrestling’s A Prelude to Violence, seXXXy Eddy defeats Niles Young, to win the CZW World Junior Heavyweight Championship.  Elsewhere, Gedo & Jado defeat El Samurai & Ryusuke Taguchi, to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.

2007 – Dos Caras, Jr. defeats Universo 2000, to win the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship.  Dos Caras, Jr. is better known today as Alberto El Patron.

2008 – In a tournament final, Tiger Mask IV defeats Prince Devitt, to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

2008 – Manager James Mitchell, along with Rellik, are released from their TNA contracts.

2010 – Triple H undergoes surgery for a biceps injury, suffered while filming The Chaperone.

2012 – Former Straight Edge Society member Serena is arrested and cited in Tampa, FL, for Boating Under the Influence (BUI).  She was released from jail after posting a $150 bond.

2012 – TNA’s Destination X is held in Orlando in front of 1,100 fans.  The event featured a one-night tournament for the vacant X Division Championship.  Austin Aries vacated the title (cashed it in), for a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.  This was the first year the X Division Champion could do so.  Jesse Sorensen also made his first TNA appearance since his neck injury at February’s Against All Odds pay-per-view.

– In a Four-Way Match, Mason Andrews defeats Lars Only, Dakota Darsow, and Rubix.  Andrews earns the final spot in the X Division Title Tournament.
– Mason Andrews defeats Kid Kash, in a X Division Title Tournament Semifinal Match.
– Kenny King defeats Douglas Williams, in a X Division Title Tournament Semifinal Match.
– Sonjay Dutt defeats Rashad Cameron, in a X Division Title Tournament Semifinal Match.
– Zema Ion defeats Flip Cassanova, in a X Division Title Tournament Semifinal Match.
– Samoa Joe defeats Kurt Angle, via submission knockout, in a Bound For Glory Series Match.
– AJ Styles defeats Christopher Daniels, in a Last Man Standing Match.
– In an Ultimate X Match (X Division Title Tournament Final), Zema Ion defeats Mason Andrews, Sonjay Dutt, and Kenny King, to become the new TNA X Division Champion.
– Austin Aries defeats Bobby Roode, to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

2013 – The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, & Luke Harper) make their WWE TV debut on this evening’s Monday Night RAW.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:  2013 Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup winner, Luke Hawx  (37 years old);  NXT wrestler Marcel Barthel (28 years old);  3-time Maryland Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, Romeo Valentino (50 years old);  Mexico indie wrestler Millennium (39 years old);  2-time Vendetta Pro Wrestling Vixen of The Year, Kiara Dillon (age unknown);  WWP World Ladies Champion, Shanna (age unknown);  and former indie wrestler Addy Starr (30 years old).

Today would’ve been the 77th birthday for WWWF Tag Team Champion, ‘Gentleman’ Jerry Valiant.