This Day In Wrestling History – June 21st
1963 –Pepper Gomez defeats Bill Watts, to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship for the 13th time.
1981 – Dusty Rhodes defeats Harley Race, to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
1982 – Junkyard Dog defeats Bob Roop, to win the Mid-South North American Championship.
1985 – Sgt. Slaughter defeats Larry Zbyszko, to win the AWA America’s Championship. Sgt. Slaughter is the final holder of this title; he would hold the title until his departure from AWA in August 1986. The title was retired August 26, 1986.
1987 – Al Perez defeats The Dingo Warrior, to win the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship.
1993 – Owen Hart defeats Papa Shango, to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship. At the same event, New Jack & Homeboy defeat Rex King & Steve Doll, to win the USWA World Tag Team Championship.
1999 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (6.0 TV rating) beats WCW Monday Nitro (3.1 rating). On RAW, Mideon finds the deactivated European Championship in Shane McMahon’s duffel bag. The title is reactivated and awarded to Mideon. The European Championship had been deactivated since April 4th, 1999, when Shane retired as the European Champion.
2001 – On SmackDown, The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & Devon) defeat Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho, to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. Also, commentator Michael Cole takes a beating from Stone Cold Steve Austin. Cole had implied that he didn’t like Stone Cold’s chances, of retaining the WWF Championship (in a Triple Threat Match), at King of the Ring. Cole had also said Stone Cold hadn’t been the same since Austin had “sold his soul to the devil” (aka Vince McMahon).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGVsQJGPA1U
Following SmackDown on UPN, WWF Tough Enough debuts on MTV. Season One would eventually be won by Nidia and Maven. Season One also featured Christopher Nowinski (runner-up) and Josh Mathews (second runner-up, eventually signed by WWE as commentator).
2007 – In a Three-Way Match on Impact!, Samoa Joe defeats Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal, to win the TNA X Division Championship.
2007 – Vince McMahon is among the names announced, as being honored with a star. on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. The announcement was made by The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame Committee.
2009 – TNA Slammiverary is held at The Palace of Auburn Hills, in Auburn Hills, Michigan. There were 4,000 fans in attendance. This marked the approximate seventh anniversary of TNA Wrestling.
Pre-Show:
– The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus & Douglas Williams) (with Rob Terry) defeat Rhino & Eric Young.
PPV:
– In a King of the Mountain Match, Suicide defeats Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed, Chris Sabin, and Alex Shelley, to retain the TNA X Division Championship.
– Daniels defeats Shane Douglas, to retain his place in TNA. Had Daniels lost, Douglas would have replaced Daniels on the TNA roster.
– Angelina Love (with Madison Rayne & Velvet Sky) defeats Tara, to retain the Women’s Knockout Championship.
– Abyss & Taylor Wilde defeat Raven & Daffney, in a Monster’s Ball Mixed Tag Team Match.
– Sting defeats Matt Morgan. If Morgan had won, he would’ve been guaranteed a position in The Main Event Mafia.
– Beer Money, Inc .(James Storm & Robert Roode) defeat Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon), to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
– In a King of the Mountain Match, Kurt Angle defeats Mick Foley, Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, and Samoa Joe, to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
2014 – Bad Luck Fale defeats Shinsuke Nakamura, to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. At the same event, The Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & Kushida), defeat The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
2016 – On Impact Wrestling, Mike Bennett defeats Eddie Edwards, to win the TNA X Division Championship. Bennett has recently debuted in WWE, along with Maria Kanellis. Both will be on the SmackDown roster.
2016 – Two days after losing the World Heavyweight Championship at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Roman Reigns receives a 30-day suspension, for violating WWE’s Wellness Policy.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Former ECW wrestler Anthony ‘Snot Dudley’ Michaels (47 years old); and former WCW wrestler (for two matches) Mancow Muller (51 years old, current morning show host for Chicago’s 97.9 The Loop). Despite info posted on some wrestling sites, today is NOT Matt Striker’s birthday. His birthday is June 26th, as confirmed by his verified Twitter account.
