July 23rd – On This Day In Wrestling History

1984 – The WWF The Brawl To End It All took place in Madison Square Garden in New York City. In the only televised match from the event, which was shown live on MTV in the USA, Wendi Richter defeated The Fabolous Moolah for the WWF Women’s Championship. This event was a pivotal moment during the Rock n Wrestling Connection era which was a period in wrestling during the 1980s where there was regular cross promotion between pro-wrestling and the mainstream music and entertainment industries.

1989 – The very first Great American Bash WCW pay-per-view took place in Baltimore, Maryland. In the main event Ric Flair retained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Terry Funk.

In the opening match The Skyscrapers Sid Vicious & Dan Spivey won the Triple Crown King of the Hill Double Ring Battle Royale, and Sting retained the NWA World Television Championship against The Great Muta in a match that ended with a double pin. Also, Jim Cornette defeated Paul E. Dangerously in a Tuxedo Match, Lex Luger retained the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship by disqualification against Ricky Steamboat.

In the main event The Road Warriors, The Midnight Express, and Steve Williams defeated the Fabolous Freebirds, Terry Gordy and The Samoan Squat Team in a WarGames match.

1995 – The second WWF In Your House pay-per-view took place in Nashville, Tennessee. In the main event WWF Champion Diesel retained his title against Sid in a Lumberjack match. Owen Hart & Yokozuna retained the WWF Tag Team Titles against The Allied Powers Lex Luger & The British Bulldog.

Also Shawn Michaels defeated Jeff Jarrett to win his third Intercontinental Championship, after The Roadie accidentally tripped Jarrett from outside the ring. Prior to the match earlier in the evening Jarrett made his live singing debut by performing “With My Baby Tonight” without The Roadie being present. The fallout feud from this match was booked between Jarrett and The Roadie, however Jarrett left the WWF due to personal reasons, along with The Roadie. The duo walked out of the arena and the company literally whilst this PPV was still on air.

1996 – At the WWF Superstars tapings in Yakima, Washington Sid defeated Marty Jannetty and The British Bulldog pinned Savio Vega.

1996 – At the WCW Saturday Night Taping in Orlando The Giant retained the WCW World Heavyweight Championship against The Booty Man, and Randy Savage & Sting defeated The Nasty Boys Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs. The Four Horseman Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael defeated Chavo Guerrero Jnr, Jim Powers, Marcus Bagwell and Scotty Riggs in an eight-man tag team match.

2000 – The third and final WWF Fully Loaded pay-per-view took place in Dallas, Texas and featured a Triple Main event. The Rock retained the WWF Championship against Chris Benoit in the main event, the match stipulation allowed the title to change hands by disqualification which happened during the match but the bout was restarted by WWF Commissioner Mick Foley and Rock eventually won.

Triple H defeated Chris Jericho in a Last Man Standing match, The Undertaker defeated Kurt Angle and Val Venis retained the Intercontinental Title against Rikishi in a Steel Cage match. The APA picked up a disqualification win over the WWF Tag Team Champions Edge & Christian and Perry Saturn pinned Eddie Guerrero to win the WWF European Championship.

2001 – The fallout from the Invasion pay-per-view was felt on WWF Raw from Buffalo, New York when Lance Storm pinned Albert to win the Intercontinental Championship. In the main event Booker T and The Dudley Boyz defeated Kurt Angle, Edge & Christian in a six-man tag team elimination match.

2002 – Edge defeated Chris Jericho in the main event Steel Cage match at the WWE SmackDown taping in Indianapolis, Indiana. Also Hulk Hogan & The Rock beat The Un-Americans Christian & Lance Storm in tag-team action.

2004 – At ROH Death Before Dishonour II Part One in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin C.M. Punk & Colt Cabana retained the ROH World Tag Team titles in a 2 out of 3 falls match against Jay & Mark Briscoe in the main event. Also, Samoa Joe retained the ROH World Heavyweight Title against Homicide, and Doug Williams retained the ROH Pure Wrestling Title against Alex Shelley.

2005 – C.M. Punk and Christopher Daniels fought to a sixty minute time limit draw for the ROH World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of ROH Homecoming in Philadelphia. Also, Jimmy Rave pinned AJ Styles in a Street Fight and BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs defeated The Carnage Crew HC Loc & Tony DeVito for the ROH World Tag Team Championship.

2006 – Rey Mysterio’s three month World Heavyweight Championship reign came to an end when King Booker defeated Mysterio for the title in the main event of WWE’s Great American Bash in Indianapolis when Chavo Guerrero turned on Mysterio. Also The Undertaker defeated The Big Show the very first Punjabi Prison Match on pay-per-view. The match was supposed to have seen ‘Taker face The Great Khali in the gimmick match but Khali was pulled from the bout on medical grounds.

2007 – WWE Champion John Cena & Candice Michelle defeated Lance Cade, Trevor Murdoch & Umaga in a handicap tag-team match in the main event of WWE Raw from Sacremento, California.

2010 – Bryan Danielson defeated Bobby Fish in the main event of Evolve #4 at the ACE Arena in Union City, New Jersey.

2012 – The 1000th episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast live from St Louis in Missouri, and the three hour permanent format of the show started from this hallmark edition which was seen by six million viewers in the USA. In the main event, John Cena cashed in his Money In The Bank contract against WWE Champion C.M. Punk, Cena won by disqualification after outside interference from The Big Show. At the conclusion of the show The Rock intervened, and was attacked by Punk who turned heel. Also on the show, The Miz defeated Christian for the Intercontinental Championship, the wedding segment between AJ Lee and Daniel Bryan ended with Lee walking out on Bryan after being named as the new Raw General Manager by Mr McMahon and Triple H challenged Brock Lesnar to a match at Summerslam.

2017 – At WWE Battleground in Philadelphia Jinder Mahal retained the WWE Championship against Randy Orton in a Punjabi Prison Match in the main event and John Cena was victorious over Rusev in a Flag Match. Also, The New Day Xaiver Woods & Kofi Kingston defeated The Usos for the Smackdown Tag Team Titles and Kevin Owens pinned A.J. Styles for the United States Championship.

2017 – British Strong Style Trent Seven & Tyler Bate retained the PROGRESS Tag Team Championship against War Machine (Hanson & Ray Rowe) in a Tornado Tag Team match in the main event of PROGRESS Chapter 52: Vote Pies in Manchester, England.

Notable Wrestling Birthdays:

• Zack Sabre Jr. (1987)
• Sonny Siaki (1974)
• Al Perez (1960)