June 26th – On This Day In Wrestling History
1976 – Antonio Inoki and Muhammed Ali took part in a ‘Boxer vs Wrestler’ match in Tokyo, Japan. The match went to a 15-round draw after Inoki spent the entire match laying on his back aiming kicks at Ali. The wrestler was barred from using throws, suplexes or submissions during the match.
1978 – Yukon Eric & Yikon Pierre defeated Dino Bravo & Dominic DeNucci for the WWWF International Tag Team Titles at a WWWF house show in Madison Square Garden, New York.
1990 – The Road Warriors Hawk & Animal were repackaged and made their WWF TV debut as The Legion of Doom at the WWF Wrestling Challenge TV tapings in Huntingdon, West Virginia.
1992 – “The Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers passed away peacefully aged 71 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rogers was one of the biggest wrestler superstars at the beginning of the television wrestling era in the early 1960s, and he influenced many professional wrestlers including Ric Flair, who used Rogers’ nickname, look and his finisher the figure-four leglock. Rogers became the very first recognised WWWF World Champion in 1963, and won thirteen world championships including the NWA title. Rogers is one of very few competitors to have held both the NWA and WWWF world titles, and as a tribute to his legacy and influence was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame Class of 1994 in Baltimore, Maryland.
1992 – In Tokyo Japan, Rick and Scott Steiner defeated Big Van Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Also on the show, Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship to El Samurai.
1995 – On the live edition of WWF Monday Night Raw from Danville, Pennsylvania the official coronation of King Mabel took place, whilst Shawn Michaels joined Vince McMahon on commentary after the kayfabe no-show of Jerry “The King” Lawler. During the main event Intercontinental Title match between Jeff Jarrett and Savio Vega, Vega picked up a disqualification win over Jarrett after outside interference from The Roadie. Michaels saved Vega from a double team attack from Jarrett and The Roadie and landed a superkick on Jarrett once the show went off-air setting up their Intercontinental title match at In Your House 2. On one of the following taped editions IRS made his final competitive WWF TV appearance after being defeated by Michaels.
1999 – The Rock defeated the Big Boss Man in a ‘Nightstick’ match at a live WWF house show in Madison Square. Also The Big Show defeated Triple H, The Acolytes (Faarooq & Bradshaw) retained the WWF Tag Team Titles against Kane & X-Pac. And ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin retained the WWF Championship by disqualification over The Undertaker in the main event.
2000 – Mick Foley was named as the new WWF commissioner by Shawn Michaels on WWE Raw from Worcester, Massachusetts and he immediately set up a Triple Threat main event to determine the number one contender for the WWF Championship between Triple H, the new King of the Ring Kurt Angle, and the new WWF Champion The Rock. In the main event The Rock was victorious and neither Triple H or The Rock were named the number one contender for the title.
2000 – Jeff Jarrett defeated Goldberg, Kevin Nash & Scott Steiner in a Fatal Fourway match in the main event of WCW Monday Nitro from Des Moines, Iowa.
2001 – Albert defeated Kane for the Intercontinental Championship at the Smackdown taping in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
2003 – WWE announce the release of ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper.
2005 – Batista retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Triple H in a Hell In A Cell match in the main event of the Vengeance PPV in Las Vegas, Nevada.
2006 – Rob Van Dam and John Cena fought to a no-contest for the WWE Championship in the main event of Raw from Fayetteville, North Carolina. Also, Randy Orton picked up a victory over Kane, Umaga defeated Kamala, and Mickie James pinned Trish Stratus in the opening match.
2009 – Kurt Angle and Sting fought to a no-contest in the main event Steel Cage match at the TNA Impact taping in Orlando, Florida.
2009 – At ‘ROH Violent Tendencies’ in Detroit, Michigan, Tyler Black defeated Jimmy Jacobs in a Steel Cage match in the main event. Also Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards retained the ROH World Tag Team Titles. And AJ Styles was victorious over Delirious, Joey Ryan, Petey Williams, Rasche Brown, and Sami Callihan.
2011 – Davey Richards defeated Eddie Edwards for the ROH World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of ‘ROH Best In The World’ at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, New York. Also on the show, El Generico defeated Christopher Daniels to win the ROH World Television Championship.
2012 – Sheamus retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler in the main event of the Smackdown taping from Evansville, Indiana.
2016 – William Eaver defeated Marty Scrull for the PROGRESS Title in the main event of PROGRESS Chapter 32: 5000 to 1 at The Electric Ballroom in London, England.
2016 – At the tapings for Lucha Underground ‘Ultima Lucha Tres Part 4’ The Lucha Underground World Championship changed hands twice. Firstly, Prince Puma (Ricochet) defeated Johnny Mundo (John Morrison) in a ‘Title vs Career’ match. Following this, Puma dropped the title to Pentagon Dark in a ‘Loser Leaves Town’ match.
2017 – Sasha Banks wins a ‘Run The Gauntlet’ final match over Nia Jax to become the number one contender for the Raw Women’s Championship on WWE Raw from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Also Samoa Joe blindsides and attacks Brock Lesnar ahead of their Universal Championship match at Great Balls of Fire.
Notable Wrestling Birthdays:
- Mark Jindrak (1977)
- Matt Striker (1974)
- Larry Sharpe (1951)
- Jackie Fargo (1930)