This Day In Wrestling History – June 20th

Trivia

2002 – 2 years after jumping to WCW with Ed Ferrara, Vince Russo returned to WWE as head television writer. He would leave the company again 3 weeks later, heading to the newly formed Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Events

In 1992, the 1st WCW Beach Blast was held at the Mobile Civic Center, in Mobile, Alabama. With an attendance of 5,000:

Dark Match:
– The Junkyard Dog, Big Josh, & Tom Zenk defeated Diamond Dallas Page, Tracy Smothers, & Ricky Morton in a 6-man tag team match
PPV:
– Scotty Flamingo defeated Brian Pillman to win the WCW Light Heavyweight Title
– Ron Simmons defeated Terry Taylor
– Greg Valentine defeated Marcus Bagwell
– Missy Hyatt defeated Madusa (with Paul E. Dangerously) in a Bikini Contest
– Sting defeated Cactus Jack in an Falls Count Anywhere Match
– Ricky Steamboat defeated Rick Rude in an Iron Man Match
– Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham, & Nikita Koloff defeated The Dangerous Alliance (Arn Anderson, Steve Austin, & Bobby Eaton) (with Madusa & Paul E. Dangerously) via DQ with Ole Anderson as special guest referee
– The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) fought The Miracle Violence Connection (Terry Gordy & Steve Williams) to a time-limit draw to retain the WCW World Tag Team Titles

In 2004, AAA TripleMania XII was held in Naucalpan, Mexico:

– Mr Aguila defeated El Zorro to win the UWA Light Heavyweight Title
– Latin Lover, Hector Garza, & Gronda defeated Abyss, Chessman, & Abismo Negro
– Charly Manson defeated Electroshock in a Retirement Match. After the match, Electroshock’s wife Lady Apache sacrificed her hair so her husband was not forced to retire. In support of his wife, Electroshock also shaved his head
– La Parka defeated Cibernetico in a Mask vs Mask Match

In 2010, the 1st WWE Fatal Four Way was held at the Nassau Veterans Memorial, in Uniondale, New York. With an attendance of 10,000:

Dark Match:
– Zack Ryder defeated MVP
PPV:
– Kofi Kingston defeated Drew McIntyre to retain the WWE Intercontinental Title
– Alicia Fox defeated Eve, Gail Kim, & Maryse in a Fatal Four Way Match to win the WWE Divas Title
– Evan Bourne defeated Chris Jericho
– Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Jack Swagger, CM Punk & The Big Show in a Fatal Four Way Match to win the World Heavyweight Title
– The Miz defeated R-Truth to retain the WWE United States Title
– The Hart Dynasty (DH Smith, Tyson Kidd, & Natalya) defeated The Uso Twins (Jimmy & Jey), & Tamina Snuka in a 6-person mixed tag team match
– Sheamus defeated John Cena, Randy Orton, & Edge in a Fatal Four Way Match to win the WWE Title

In 2013, TNA Impact Wrestling was live from the Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Illinois:

– Mr. Anderson defeated Joseph Park in a Bound For Glory Series Match
– Austin Aries defeated Jay Bradley in a Bound For Glory Series Match
– Christopher Daniels defeated Hernandez in a Bound For Glory Series Match
– Magnus defeated Kazarian in a Bound For Glory Series Match
– AJ Styles fought Samoa Joe to a time limit draw in a Bound For Glory Series Match
– Jeff Hardy defeated Robert Roode in a Bound For Glory Series Match

Title Changes

1977 – Bill Watts defeated Stan Hansen with Pat O’Connor as special guest referee to win the vacant TSW North American Title

1978 – Dos Caras defeats Canek for the Mexico National Light Heavyweight Title in Pachuca, Mexico

1979 – Ricky & Robert Gibson defeated The Twin Devils to win the NWA Americas Tag Team Title

1981 – Don Muraco defeated Pedro Morales to win the WWF Intercontinental Title

1981 – Les Thornton defeated Terry Taylor to win the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title

1983 – Man Mountain Link defeated Jerry  Lawler to win the AWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee

1986 – Wayne Farris defeated Bad News Allen to win the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title in Calgary, Alberta. The title would be vacated on August 29 when Farris left Stampede Wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation, where he would become known as The Honky Tonk Man.

1987 – Barry Windham defeated Black Bart in the final of a tournament to become the 1st UWF Western States Heritage Champion

1991 – The Bruise Brothers (Ron & Don Harris) defeated Steve Doll & Jimmy Jack Funk to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles in Portland, Oregon

1997 – The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray & D-Von) defeated Kronus in a Handicap Match to win the ECW Tag Team Titles. Kronus’ partner Saturn was injured and could not compete

1998 – The Brooklyn Brawler defeated Gene Austin to win the NWA Michigan Heavyweight Title in Tecumseh, Michigan

2000 – on Smackdown, Rikishi defeated Chris Benoit to win the WWF Intercontinental Title

2001 – Klondike Kate defeated Sweet Saraya (this is WWE Paige’s mother) to win the British Women’s Title in Barking, England

2003 – Duke Durrango defeated Bruce Hart to win the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title in Calgary, Alberta

2003 – Octagon & La Parka Jr. defeated Electro Shock & Chessman to win the Mexico National Tag Team Title in Veracruz, Mexico

2005 – on Raw, Carlito defeated Shelton Benjamin to win the WWE Intercontinental Title

2009 – Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Manabu Nakanishi to win the IWGP Heavyweight Title

2011 – Kelly Kelly defeated Brie Bella to win the WWE Diva’s Title

2012 – Chaos (Takashi Iizuka & Toru Yano) are forced to vacate the IWGP Tag Team Titles

Birthdays

Happy birthday to WWE Hall of Famer Koko B. Ware (58), UK indy regular Bubblegum (31), former FMW star Mr. Gannosuke (47), &  former TNA announcer Don West (52)

Also, today would have been the birthday of Japanese star Umanosuke Ueda (74)

In Memoriam

In 2004, Puerto Rican IWA wrestler & then Hardcore Champion Victor “The Bodyguard” Rodriguez died of a heart attack at the age of 39, at an IWA event in Yauco, Puerto Rico