This Day In Wrestling History – August 8th

1960 – The Bastiens (Red & Lou) defeat The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan), to win the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship

1961 – The AWA World Tag Team Championship is vacated, after title holders Hard Boiled Haggerty & Gene Kiniski decide to split up.  The decision to split comes after Haggerty attempted to interfere in a Cage Match, for the World Heavyweight Championship, between Kiniski and Verne Gagne.  Haggerty’s actions backfire, allowing Gagne to defeat Kiniski, and win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship for the second time.

1963 – Two years after defeating Gene Kiniski for the title, Verne Gagne defeats Fritz Von Erich, to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Gagne’s 5th title win).

1966 – Waldo Von Erich defeats Tony Borne, to win the NWA (Texas) Brass Knuckles Championship.

1972 – Tojo Yamamoto & Bill Dromo defeat The Interns (Tom Andrews & Jim Starr), to win the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship.

1973 – Exactly one year later Tojo Yamamoto & new partner Johnny Marlin defeat Joey Rossi & Don Greene, to win the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship.

1979 – Ric Flair & Blackjack Mulligan defeat Paul Jones & Baron Von Raschke, to win the NWA (Mid-Atlantic) World Tag Team Championship.

1981 – Wahoo McDaniel defeats Roddy Piper, to win the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.

1983 – The Grapplers (Tony Anthony & Len Denton) defeat The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn & Stan Lane), to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship.  Elsewhere, Jerry Lawler & Austin Idol defeat The Assassins (Don Bass & Roger Smith), to win the CWA World Tag Team Championship.

1985 – Jerry Lawler & Bam Bam Bigelow defeat Eddie Gilbert & Tommy Rich, to win the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship.

1987 – Badd Company (Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond) defeat Jeff Jarrett & Billy Travis, to win the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship.

1992 – The Dirty White Boy defeats Brian Lee, to win the SMW Heavyweight Championship.  Also, The Fantastics (Bobby and Jackie Fulton) defeat The Heavenly Bodies (Tom Prichard and Stan Lane), to win the SMW Tag Team Championship.

1992 – Razor Ramon makes his WWF in-ring debut, on an episode of Superstars.  His first match is a victory over jobber Paul Van Dow.

1993 – Tito Santana defeats Don Muraco, to win the ECW Heavyweight Championship.  Also, The Dark Patriot & Eddie Gilbert defeat Sal Bellomo & The Sandman, to win the NWA-ECW World Tag Team Championship (aired on TV September 7th).

1994 – Lance Storm defeats Chris Candido, to win the SMW Television Championship;  the match aired on TV August 27th.  Also, The Rock n Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) defeat Chris Candido & Brian Lee, to win the SMW Tag Team Championship;  this match aired on TV August 20th.

1997 – Steven Dunn & Flash Flanagan defeat PG-13 (J.C. Ice & Wolfie D), to win the USWA World Tag Team Championship.  Also, Dutch Mantel defeats Jerry Lawler, to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship.  Mantel is the final competitor to hold the title, prior to USWA’s closing in November 1997.

1998 – WCW’s Road Wild is held at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota.  There were 8,500 fans in attendance, up from 6,500 for the 1997 event.  Once the wrestling event concluded, country star Travis Tritt performed a mini-concert.

– Meng defeats The Barbarian (with Jimmy Hart).
– The Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge & Rocco Rock) defeat The Dancing Fools (Alex Wright & Disco Inferno).
– In a Raven’s Rules Match, Saturn defeats Raven and Chris Kanyon.

– Steve McMichael defeats Brian Adams (with Vincent).
– Stevie Ray defeats Chavo Guerrero, Jr., to retain the WCW World Television Championship.
– Rey Misterio, Jr. defeats Psychosis, to become #1 contender for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.                                                                                                                                                                                               – Juventud Guerrera defeats Chris Jericho, to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.  Dean Malenko was the special guest referee.
– Goldberg wins a Battle Royal, last eliminating The Giant, to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.  Unlike most Battle Royals, eliminations could occur by tossing a competitor over the top rope OR by pinfall.
– Diamond Dallas Page & Jay Leno defeat Hollywood Hogan & Eric Bischoff.

1998 – Masahiro Chono defeats Tatsumi Fujinami, to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.  Also, Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa defeat Dr. Wagner Jr. & Koji Kanemoto, to become the inaugural IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.

2002 – Brock Lesnar goes one-on-one with Hulk Hogan, in a #1 Contender’s Match, on SmackDown.  The winner would get a shot at The Rock and his Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam.  Lesnar dominates for most of the match.  But Hogan would eventually get the upper hand.  While attempting to drop a third big boot on Lesnar, Paul Heyman grabs Hogan’s foot which causes a distraction.  Lesnar takes advantage and hits Hogan with an F-5.  Rather than pin Hogan, Lesnar opts to but Hogan in a Bear Hug.  Lesnar is declared the winner after Hogan’s arm is raised and dropped a third time.  After the match is officially over, Lesnar continues his assault on Hogan;  not releasing the bear hug, kicking Hogan in the face, attacking Hogan with a steel chair to the skull, and spitting on Hogan, before leaving the ring.

2004 – The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) make their professional wrestling debuts, at an Alternative Wrestling Show/C4/Revolution Pro joint event.

2010 – TNA’s Hardcore Justice, ECW reunion event, is held at the Impact Zone in Orlando, in front, of 1,100 fans.  Tommy Dreamer was the man behind the idea, having just signed with the company.  Jerry Lynn was supposed to face Rob Van Dam in the main event, but was forced to pull out due to a back injury.

– In a Six-Man Tag Team Match, The FBI (Guido Maritato, Tracy Smothers, & Tony Luke) defeat Kid Kash, Simon Diamond, & Johnny Swinger.
– Too Cold Scorpio defeats C.W. Anderson.
– Stevie Richards (with Hollywood Nova & The Blue Tilly) defeats P.J. Polaco (aka Justin Credible).
– In a Three-Way Dance, Rhino defeats Brother Runt and Al Snow.
– In a South Philadelphia Street Fight, Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon) (with Joel Gertner) defeat Axl Rotten & Kahoneys (aka Balls Mahoney).
– Raven defeats Tommy Dreamer;  Mick Foley served as special guest referee.
– Rob Van Dam defeats Sabu in a Hardcore Match.

2010 – Colby Lopez (aka Seth Rollins) signs a developmental contract with WWE and is assigned to their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW).

2010 – Jimmy Yang defeats KAI, to win the AJPW Junior League.

2014 – At EVOLVE 31, Drew Galloway defeats Chris Hero, to win the EVOLVE Championship.

2015 – At Combat Zone Wrestling’s Retribution event, Matt Tremont defeats BLK JEEZ, to win the CZW World Heavyweight Championship.

2016 – It is reported that Joey Styles, who had been working as Vice President of Digital Media Content, had been released by WWE.  Some have pointed to Styles’ Facebook Q&A session from late-July, as one reason for his release.  In the Q&A Styles discussed, among other things, his dislike of the new WWE Universal Championship and hating the 3-man commentary booth.  The video, which had been posted on WWE’s official Facebook & YouTube pages, was removed within a few days.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:  former WWE wrestler Eric Angle (50 years old, Kurt’s older brother);  GFW Vice President of International Relations Scott D’Amore (43 years old);  current CMLL World Middleweight Champion Angel de Oro (29 years old);  CMLL’s Hombre Bala Jr. (26 years old);  British wrestler Rampage Brown (34 years old);  Mae Young Classic finalist Shayna Baszler (37 years old);  and former WWF Women’s Champion Sable (50 years old).

Today would’ve been the 89th birthday for former WWF commentator & manager Lord Alfred Hayes.