Today In Wrestling History– July 29th

Trivia

1991 – Bobby Heenan, holding the NWA World championship belt, announced during a TV Taping in Worcester, MA that Ric Flair, the “Real World’s champion” was coming to the WWF during a segment of Paul Bearer’s “The Funeral Parlor”

1996 – The Monday Night War continued: WCW Monday Nitro defeated WWF Monday Night Raw: 3.0 to 2.1 in the ratings

2007 – TNA came to terms to bring in Andrew “Test” Martin.  He would be gone from the promotion after only a few appearances

2008 – Dawn Marie launched Wrestler’s Rescue

2012 – Hiroshi Yamato won the AJPW Junior League (dubbed the ‘Junior Hyper League’ this year), defeating Shuji Kondo in the final

Events

In 1996, WCW Monday Nitro was held at the Disney’s MGM Studios, in Orlando, Florida. With an attendance of 450:

– Jim Duggan defeated Mike Enos
– Sting, Lex Luger, & Randy Savage fought The Four Horsemen (Steve McMichael, Ric Flair, & Chris Benoit) to a double countout
– The Steiner Brothers (Scott & Rick) defeated High Voltage (Robbie Rage & Kenny Kaos)
– Eddy Guerrero defeated Big Bubba
– The Giant defeated Greg Valentine

In 2006, CZW Tournament of Death V was held in Smyrna, Delaware. The format changed slightly for this show, with the first round matches being three-way elimination matches, the second round matches being 4-way double elimination matches, and the final being a single elimination 4 way match:

1st Round Tournament Matches:
– Brandon Prophet & Nick Gage eliminated Andy Sumner in a Barbed Wire Ropes & Light Tubes Match
– JC Bailey & Drake Younger eliminated Lobo in a Light Tubes & Barbed Wire Spider Webs Match
– Brain Damage & Necro Butcher eliminated Toby Klein in a Barbed Wire Ropes, Fans Bring The Weapons Match
– Danny Havoc & DJ Hyde eliminated John Zandig in a Barbed Wire Ropes, Barbed Wire Boards, & Panes Of Glass Match
Non Tournament Matches:
– Eradication defeated Dragon Boy & Blood in a Triple Threat Match
– The Blackout (Ruckus & Robbie Mireno) defeated Jimmy Dream & Drew Gulak
– Kylie defeated Chad Austin in an Intergender Match
Semi-Final Tournament Matches:
– 
Nick Gage & Brain Damage eliminated Brandon Prophet & Necro Butcher in a Fans Bring The Weapons Match
– 
Drake Younger & JC Bailey eliminated DJ Hyde & Danny Havoc in a Light Tubes, Ladders, & Lemons Match
Tournament of Death Finals:
– Nick Gage defeated Brain Damage, Drake Younger, & JC Bailey in a Light Tubes, Panes of Glass, & Fans Bring The Weapons Match

In 2006, ROH Generation Now was held at Grays Armory, in Cleveland, Ohio:

– Delirious defeated Claudio Castagnoli
– Jimmy Rave & Sal Rinauro defeated Ace Steel & Colt Cabana
– Jay Briscoe defeated Jimmy Jacobs
– Homicide defeated Mark Briscoe
– Davey Richards, Jerrelle Clark, David Crist, & Jake Crist defeated Matt Sydal, Roderick Strong, Jack Evans, & Austin Aries in a 8-man tag match
– BJ Whitmer defeated Chris Maddox
– Christopher Daniels defeated Christian Cage
– Bryan Danielson defeated Nigel McGuinness to retain the ROH World Heavyweight Title

Title Changes

1964 – Lord James Blears & Neff Maivia defeated Mr. Moto & Nikita Mulkovich to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Titles in Honolulu, Hawaii

1967 – the WWWF United States Tag Team Titles are retired. The final champions were Bruno Sammartino & Spiros Arion

1974 – Arman Hussein defeated Bull Ramos to win the TSW North American Title

1976 – Tiger Jeet Singh defeated Seiji Sakaguchi to become the 1st NWF Asian Heavyweight Champion (a New Japan title) in Osaka, Japan

1977 – Ric Flair defeated Bobo Brazil to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic United States Title in Richmond, Virginia

1978 – Paul Orndorff defeated Stan Hansen to win the TSW North American Title

1979 – Bruiser Brody defeated Mark Lewin to win the Texas Brass Knuckles Title

1980 – Bill Dundee defeated Paul Ellering to win the Southern Heavyweight Title in Louisville, Kentucky

1985 – Jerry Lawler defeated Bota The Witchdoctor to win the Southern Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee

1985 – Brian Adias defeated Gino Hernandez to win the Texas Heavyweight Title

1988 – Terry Gordy & Stan Hansen defeated Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu to win the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Titles in Takasaki, Japan

1988 – Yoshihiro Asai (Ultimo Dragon) defeated Ray Richard to win the UWA World Welterweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico

1989 – Super Medic I defeated Chicky Starr to win the WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico

1991 – Awesome Kong defeated Jerry Lawler to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title

2002 – on Raw, Chris Benoit defeated Rob Van Dam to win the WWE Intercontinental Title. Also, the WWE Hardcore Title’s 24/7 Rule sees the belt pass from Bradshaw to Johnny Stamboli to Tommy Dreamer

2010 – The TNA Global Title is renamed the TNA Television Title by champion AJ Styles

Birthdays

Happy birthday to WCW Triple Crown Champion Scott Steiner & Mexican star Pirata Morgan (both 52)

Also, today would have been the birthday of WWE Hall of Famers (interestingly, both members of the Class of ’96) Captain Lou Albano (81) & Baron Mikel Scicluna (85)