Today In Wrestling History– July 31st

Trivia

1979 – Roddy Piper made his WWF television debut at a taping in Allentown, Pennsylvania, defeated Steve King

2000 – The Monday Night War continued: WWF Monday Night Raw defeated WCW Monday Nitro: 6.4 to 2.3 in the ratings

2007 – Matt Morgan signed with TNA

Events

In 1988, WWF Wrestlefest was held at the Milwaukee County Stadium, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With an attendance of 25,866. The show was later released on Coliseum Home Videos:

– Big Boss Man defeated Scott Casey
– Brutus Beefcake defeated Hercules Hernandez
– The Fabulous Rougeaus, (Jacques & Raymond Rougeau) defeated The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell)
– Bad News Brown defeated Bret Hart
– Jim Duggan defeated Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) via DQ
– The Powers of Pain (Warlord & Barbarian) (with Mr. Fuji) defeated The Bolsheviks (Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zuhkov)
– Jim Neidhart defeated Lanny Poffo
– Randy Savage defeated Ted DiBiase to retain the WWF World Title
– Curt Hennig defeated Terry Taylor
– Jake Roberts vs. Rick Rude ended in a double countout
– Haku defeated Sam Houston
– Ultimate Warrior defeated Bobby Heenan in a “Loser Wears A Weasel Suit” match
– Demolition (Ax & Smash) defeated The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith) to retain the WWF World Tag Team Titles
– Dino Bravo defeated Ken Patera
– Hulk Hogan defeated Andre The Giant in a Steel Cage Match

In 2009, PWG Threemendous II was held at the American Legion Post #308, in Reseda, California:

–Brandon & Dustin Cutler, & Charles Mercury defeated Johnny Goodtime, Brandon Gaston, & Jerome Robinson
– Alex Shelley defeated Scott Lost
– Bryan Danielson defeated Chris Sabin
– Chuck Taylor defeated Colt Cabana
– Roderick Strong defeated Davey Richards
– Two Skinny Black Guys (Human Tornado & El Generico) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
– Chris Hero defeated Joey Ryan to retain the PWG World Title in a Guerrilla Warfare Match

In 2011, AAA Verano de Escandalo was held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The event did not return for 2012 due to a rescheduling of TripleMania, casting doubt over it’s future:

– Pimpinela Escarlata defeated Cynthia Moreno, Faby Apache, Jennifer Blake, Lolita, Mari Apache, Mickie James, & Sexy Star in an Elimination Match to win the AAA Reina de Reinas Title
– Ejercito AAA (Drago, Electroshock, & Heavy Metal) defeated La Sociedad (Samoa Joe, Silver King, & Ultimo Gladiator)
– Chessman defeated Abyss, Extreme Tiger, & Joe Lider in a Monster’s Ball Match
– Jeff Jarrett defeated Dr. Wagner Jr. & LA Park in an Elimination Match to retain the AAA Heavyweight Title
– Los Psycho Circus (Monster Clown, Murder Clown, & Psycho Clown) defeated Los Perros del Mal (Damian 666, Halloween, & X-Fly) in a Hair vs Mask Cage Match. X-Fly was the last man left in the cage so was forced to shave his head

Title Changes

1959 – Dick Gunkel defeated Fred Blassie to win the NWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Atlanta, Georgia

1964 – Karl Kox defeated Bull Curry to win the Texas Brass Knuckles Title

1976 – Hurricane Castillo defeated Jose Lothario to win the Caribbean Heavyweight Title in Bayamon, Puerto Rico

1979 – Pampero Firpo defeated Abdullah The Butcher to win the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title in Bayamon, Puerto Rico

1984 – Giant Baba defeated Stan Hansen to win the PWF World Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan

1986 – Stan Hansen defeated Jumbo Tsuruta to win the NWA International Heavyweight Title

1986 – Hiro Saito defeated Brad Armstrong in the final of a tournament to become the 1st AJPW Junior Heavyweight Champion

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

1992 – the WCW United States Tag Team Titles are retired. The final champions were The Barbarian & Dick Slater

1992 – The Ebony Experience (Booker T & Stevie Ray) defeated Gary Young & Steve Dane to win the Global Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title in Dallas Texas. On the same show, Alex Portmanteau defeated Terry Simms to win the GWF Light Heavyweight Title

1997 – Bull Pain defeated Ian Rotten to win the IWA Mid–South Heavyweight Title in Louisville, Kentucky

2000 – on Nitro, WCW US & Hardcore Champion Lance Storm defeated Lieutenant Loco (with Gen. Rection & Cpl. Cajun) to win the WCW Cruiserweight Title. To become WCW Triple Crown Champion

2011 – Adam Pearce defeated Chance Prophet, Jimmy Rave, & Shaun Tempers in a Four-Way Match to win the vacant NWA World Title

Birthdays

Happy birthday to WWE personality John Laurinaitis (49), former ECW Television & TNA X-Division Champion Kid Kash (45), & one-time ROH Pure Champion John Walters (35)