Wrestling History

June 16th – On This Day In Wrestling History

June 16th - On This Day In Wrestling History

1992 – WCW ‘Clash of the Champions XIX: NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament’ was held in Charleston, South Carolina. The show was the first round of a tournament to crown the new NWA Tag Team Champions and would air on June 22nd. The main event was the first match in the quarter finals, in which Steve Williams and Terry Gordy defeated The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner).

1993 – WCW Clash of the Champions XXIII took place in Norfolk, Virginia, in front of 6,000 fans, and was most notable for the WCW in-ring return of Ric Flair. On the show:

  • Ron Simmons defeated Dick Slater.
  • Lord Steven Regal defeated Marcus Bagwell.
  • Maxx Payne defeated Johnny B. Badd via forfeit.
  • Barry Windham retained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Too Cold Scorpio.
  • Big Van Vader, Rick Rude, and Sid Vicious defeated Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes, and Sting.
  • Arn Anderson and Ric Flair defeated The Hollywood Blondes (Flyin’ Brian and Stunning Steve) 2-0 in a 2 Out Of 3 Falls Tag Team match. As the second fall was won via disqualification, The Blondes retained both the NWA and WCW Tag Team Titles.

1996 – WCW The Great American Bash was held in Baltimore, Maryland, in front of 9,000 fans. On the PPV:

  • The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) defeated Fire and Ice (Scott Norton and Ice Train) to become the Number One Contenders for the WCW Tag Team Titles.
  • Konnan defeated El Gato with a Spinebuster to get the pin and to retain the WCW United States Championship.
  • Diamond Dallas Page defeated Marcus Bagwell.
  • Dean Malenko defeated a debuting Rey Mysterio, Jr. to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.
  • John Tenta defeated Big Bubba Rogers by pinfall. After the match Tenta cut Rogers’ goatee off with a pair of scissors.
  • Chris Benoit defeated Kevin Sullivan in a falls count anywhere match.
  • Sting defeated Lord Steven Regal by submission when Regal tapped out to the Scorpion Deathlock.
  • Ric Flair and Arn Anderson defeated Kevin Greene and Steve McMichael. When Flair had the Figure Four Leglock on Greene, McMichael hit his own partner with a briefcase, allowing Flair to get the pinfall win on Greene. After the win Chris Benoit came out and joined in attacking Greene. The Four Horsemen were reformed with Flair, Anderson, Benoit, and McMichael.
  • The Giant defeated Lex Luger with a Chokeslam to get the pin and retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

1998 – At a taping of WWF Monday Night Raw in Austin, Texas, Edge made his in-ring debut against Jose Estrada Jr. Not long in to the match Edge launched himself to the outside onto Estrada, legitimately injuring Estrada’s neck meaning he couldn’t get back in the ring before the 10-count. Edge would go on to be one of the most successful wrestlers in the company’s history, winning the Royal Rumble (twice), the King of the Ring, Money in the Bank and over 30 championship titles.

2001 – At the TV taping of MCW (Memphis) in Jackson, Tennessee, Joey Abs defeated Steve Bradley in a TLC (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs) match to win the MCW Southern Heavyweight Championship.

2002 – MLW Genesis was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The main event of the show saw Shane Douglas outlast both Taiyo Kea and Vampiro in a Three-Way Dance to become the MLW World Heavyweight Champion.

2007 – At AAW Point of No Return, held at the Eagles Club in Berwyn, Illinois, Conrad Kennedy III and Trik Davis won the AAW Tag Team Championship Titles after beating the teams of Krotch and Zach Gowen, Dan Lawrence and Ryan Boz, and N8 Mattson and Truth Martini in a Four-Way Tag Team match.

2010 – James “Moose” Thomas won the OVW Heavyweight Title at the OVW TV taping in Louisville, Kentucky, after defeating both Beef Wellington and Mike Mondo in a Triple-Threat match.

2012 – WSU Uncensored Rumble V took place in Deer Park, New York. In the opening match Marti Belle defeated Jessicka Havok for the WSU Spirit Title. Then in the main event of the show Jessicka Havok retained the WSU Championship in a Casket match against Mercedes Martinez.

2012 – In Osaka, Japan, NJPW Dominion 6.16 took place. Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask IV defeated Suzuki-gun (Taichi and TAKA Michinoku) to win the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles and in the main event Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada to become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

2013 – Crazy Boy and Joe Lider won the AAA Tag Team Titles at AAA Triplemania XXI after outlasting the teams of Angélico and Jack Evans, Daga and Psicosis, Drago and Fénix, and Mr. E and Sexy B in a Five-Way Tag Team match. Later on in the show Blue Demon, Jr. defeated El Mesias to take the AAA Latin American Title.

2013 – WWE Payback was held at the Allstate Arena in Illinois, in front of 14,623 fans. On the PPV:

  • Curtis Axel defeated Wade Barrett and The Miz in a triple threat match to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Axel won the match after pinning Barrett while Miz had Barrett in the Figure-Four Leglock.
  • AJ Lee defeated Kaitlyn to win the WWE Divas Championship and would hold the title for almost 300 days, a then record.
  • Dean Ambrose defeated Kane by countout to retain the United States Championship.
  • Alberto Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler to win the World Heavyweight Championship following a Superkick to get the pinfall.
  • CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho by pinfall after hitting him with the GTS twice in a row.
  • The Shield (Roman Reigns amd Seth Rollins) defeated Team RKNo (Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan) to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
  • John Cena defeated Ryback 2-1 in a Three Stages of Hell match to retain the WWE Championship. In stage one Ryback defeated John Cena in a lumberjack match, stage two saw Cena pick up the win in a tables match, then in the third and final stage Cena won the Ambulance match.

2016 – WCPW Born to Destroy was in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in England. In the main event Big Damo (now known as Killian Dain) defeated Rampage to win the WCPW World Title.

2017 – WCPW Built to Destroy was in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in England. Kay Lee Ray defeated Viper to become the WCPW Women’s Champion and then later in the show Primate beat Jimmy Havoc in a Hardcore match to win the WCPW Hardcore Title.

2018 – NXT TakeOver: Chicago II took place in Chicago, Illinois. On the show:

  • The Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong) retained the NXT Tag Team Titles against Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan.
  • Ricochet defeated The Velveteen Dream by pinfall after hitting the 630º Senton.
  • Shayna Baszler beat Nikki Cross to retain the NXT Women’s Title after Cross passed out to the Kirifuda Clutch.
  • Aleister Black pinned Lars Sullivan to retain the NXT Championship and giving Sullivan his first pinfall loss in NXT.
  • In the main event Tommaso Ciampa outlasted Johnny Gargano in a 35-minute Street Fight and won the match by pinfall following a DDT on to the floor.

2018 – At WSU Breaking Barriers 5 in Voorhees, New Jersey, Jordynne Grace defeated Kiera Hogan to win the WSU Spirit Title. In the main event of the show Tessa Blanchard pinned Mercedes Martinez for the WSU Championship.

2018 – In the main event of ROH State of the Art: Dallas in Texas, Punishment Martinez defeated Silas Young to become the ROH World Television Champion.

2019 – AAA Verano De Escandalo was in Merida, Mexico. In the opening match of the show Keyra won a Three-Way match against Chik Tormenta and La Hiedra to become the AAA Reina De Reinas Champion and then later in the show the AAA Tag Team Titles changed hands when Fénix and Pentagon Jr. defeated The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson).

2019 – On Day Three of NJPW Kizuna Road ’19 in Tokyo, Japan, El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship belts when they beat Roppongi 3K (SHO and YOH).

Notable Wrestling Birthdays:

  • Rezar (1994)
  • Masada (1981)
  • Cash Flo (1976)
  • The Sandman (1963)
  • The Ultimate Warrior (1959)