PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: RHODES WINS HIS THIRD WORLD TITLE, FULLY LOADED, PWG DEBUTS, IRON MEN ON RAW AND MORE

July 26th

On this day in history in ....

1946 - Dave Levin defeats Kay Bell for the Texas Heavyweight Title in Houston, Texas, to begin his second reign.

1950 - Ray Clements defeats Frank Murdoch to win Amarillo's Southwest Junior Heavyweight Title in Lubbock, Texas.

1956 - Tommy Rich is born in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

1960 - Curly Gagnon defeats Andy Galipeau in Winnipeg, Manitoba for the Madison Wrestling Club Middleweight Title, to begin his second reign.

1967 - Anthony Durante is born in Hammonton, New Jersey.

1968 - Fritz Von Erich defeats Spoiler #1 in Houston, Texas for the held-up NWA American Heavyweight Title. This was a rematch from a match two weeks earlier in Houston.

1969 - The WWWF held an event at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The results:
- John L. Sullivan (Johnny Valiant) defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna.
- Joe Cox defeated Louis Cerdan.
- Cowboy Bradley and Joey Russell defeated Billy the Kid and Frenchy Lamont.
- Antonio Pugliese defeated Luke Graham.
- WWF International Tag Team Champions The Rising Suns (Mitsu Arakawa and Toru Tanaka) defeated Haystacks Calhoun and Victor Rivera.
- Killer Kowalski defeated Dominic DeNucci.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino fought George Steele to a draw to retain the title.

1970 - Miyoko Hoshino and Yoshiko Miyamoto defeat Masked Killer and Masked Lee in Fuchu, Japan to win the American Girls' Wrestling Association International Tag Team Title.

1972 - Fred Blassie defeats Johnny Barend for the Hawaii NWA North American Heavyweight Title, ending Barend's second reign.

1972 - Miyoko Hoshino defeats Sarah Lee in Kasugabe, Japan for the WWWA World Singles Title. At the same event, Aiko Kyo and Jumbo Miyamoto win their third WWWA World Tag Team Title from Opearl Anston and Masked Lee.

1975 - The WWWF held an event at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Pat Barrett defeated Mike Paidousis.
- Gorilla Monsoond defeated Butcher Vachon.
- Bugsy McGraw defeated Dean Ho.
- George Steele defeated Tony Garea.
- André the Giant and Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Spiros Arion and Baron Mikel Scicluna.
- WWWF World Tag Team Champions Dominic DeNucci and Victor Rivera defeated The Blackjacks (Lanza and Mulligan) by disqualification to retain the title.
- WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino defeated Waldo Von Erich to retain the title.

1976 - Mil Máscaras and Lou Thesz wrestle to a time-limit draw in Mexico City, Mexico at Universal Wrestling Association's first event. As a result, Thesz was declared the first UWA World Heavyweight Champion on August 15, 1977.

1977 - Ken Lucas wins his 10th NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title in Mobile, Alabama, ending Kurt Von Hess' second reign.

1980 - Greg Valentine defeats Ric Flair to win the NWA United States Heavyweight Title in Charlotte, North Carolina, ending Flair's fourth reign.

1980 - Barry Windham defeats Masa Saito for the NWA Florida Television Title in St. Petersburg, Florida.

1980 - Cien Caras defeats Tony Benetto for the Mexican National Heavyweight Title in Puebla, Mexico.

1981 - Angelo Mosca defeats Mr. Fuji in Toronto, Ontario to win the Toronto NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title for the third time.

1983 - Roderick Strong is born in Wisconsin.

1983 - Tiger Jeet Singh and Umanosuke Ueda defeat Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta to win the NWA International Tag Team Title in Nagasaki, Japan, to end Baba and Tsuruta's fifth reign.

1984 - The Grapplers (Tony Anthony and Len Denton) defeat The Uptown Boys (Marty Jannetty and Tommy Rogers) for the NWA Central States Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas, to begin their second reign.

1984 - Chamaco Valaguez defeats Mocho Cota to win the NWA World Welterweight Title in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

1986 - Jim Crockett Promotions held the 12th of 13 events of the "Great American Bash" tour at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The results were.
- Steve Regal defeated Sam Houston.
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Black Bart and Konga the Barbarian defeated NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Denny Brown and The Italian Stallion.
- Manny Fernandez defeated Baron Von Raschke (with Paul Jones) in a Loaded Glove on a Pole match
- Wahoo McDaniel defeated Jimmy Garvin (with Precious) in an Indian Strap match.
- NWA National Heavyweight Champion Tully Blanchard (with James J. Dillon) defeated Ron Garvin in a Taped Fist match.
- The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton) fought The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (NWA World Television Champion Arn and Ole Anderson) to a draw.
- Paul Jones (with Shaska Whatley) defeated Jimmy Valiant in a Hair vs. Hair match.
- Magnum T.A. defeated Nikita Koloff (with Ivan Koloff) to make their best-of-seven series for the NWA United States Heavyweight Title 3-1 in favor of Magnum.
- Baby Doll and NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) (with Paul Ellering) defeated Jim Cornette and NWA World Tag Team Champions The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey) in a Steel Cage match.
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair in a Steel Cage match to win the title. This began Rhodes' third reign and ended Flair's fourth (official and eighth unofficial) reign.

1987 - Espanto, Jr. defeats El Hijo del Santo for the UWA World Lightweight Title in Torreón, Mexico.

1990 - Shinobu Kandori and Rumi Kazama defeat Miss A and Harley Saito to win the JWP Pacific Coast Tag Team Title in Yokohama, Japan, ending their second reign.

1991 - The Can-Am Express (Doug Furnas and Dan Kroffat) defeat Billy Black and Joel Deaton to win the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Title in Matsudo, Japan, to begin their fourth reign.

1994 - Peggy Lee Leather defeats Bambi in East Ridge, Tennessee for the unofficial NWA World Women's Title, recognized by Jim Crockett Promotions.

1996 - Espectrito defeats Super Muñequito to win the Mexican National Minis Title in Actopan, Mexico.

1997 - Octagoncito defeats Pentagoncito in Tulancingo, Mexico for the Mexican National Minis Title.

1998 - The WWF held its 23rd "In Your House" event, "Fully Loaded", at Fresno, California's Selland Arena. 9,855 fans attended the show, which got a 0.9 buyrate. The results were:
- Val Venis pinned Jeff Jarrett (with Tennessee Lee) with a roll-up.
- D'Lo Brown (with The Godfather) pinned X-Pac (with Chyna) with the Sky High.
- Faarooq and Scorpio defeated Justin Bradshaw and Terry Funk, when Scorpio pinned Funk after a 450° splash.
- Mark Henry pinned Vader with a splash.
- The Disciples of Apocalypse (8-Ball and Skull (with Paul Ellering)) defeated L.O.D. 2000 (Animal and Hawk (with Sunny)), when Animal was pinned.
- Owen Hart defeated Ken Shamrock in a Dungeon match, by knocking him out with a dumbbell and tapping Shamrock's hand on the floor as if he tapped out. This match was taped days earlier in the Hart family Dungeon in Calgary, and Dan Severn was the guest referee.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion The Rock fought Triple H (with Chyna) to a 30-minute time-limit draw in a best-of-three falls match to retain the title. Rock pinned Triple H after a Rock Bottom and Triple H pinned Rock after Chyna ran in and DDT'd Rock. The time limit expired right after Triple H had Pedigreed Rock.
- Sable defeated Jacqueline in a Bikini contest. This decision was reversed the following night on RAW due to Sable not wearing a bikini top, as she had handprints painted on her chest.
- WWF Champion Steve Austin and The Undertaker defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Kane and Mankind, when Undertaker pinned Kane after the Tombstone piledriver, to win the title.

1999 - The WWF's "RAW is WAR" more than doubles "WCW Monday Nitro"'s rating in this week of the Monday Night War, 7.1 to 3.4.

"RAW is WAR" was live from Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The results:
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Acolytes (Bradshaw and Faarooq) defeated Edge and Christian.
- The Godfather and Val Venis defeated Droz and Prince Albert in a Street Fight.
- Kane defeated The Big Show and The Undertaker by disqualification in a Handicap match.
- Triple H (with Chyna) defeated Ken Shamrock.
- The Rock fought Chyna and Billy Gunn to a no-contest in a Handicap match.

"Nitro" was live from the historic Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee. The results were:
- Bobby Duncum, Jr. and Kendall Windham (with Barry Windham and Curt Hennig) defeated Juventud Guerrera and Psychosis.
- Rey Misterio, Jr. defeated Vampiro (with The Insane Clown Posse (Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J)) by disqualification.
- Stevie Ray defeated Vincent (with Horace).
- Prince Iaukea defeated Lash LeRoux by disqualification.
- Evan Karagias defeated Ernest Miller (with Sonny Onoo).
- Steven Regal (with Dave Taylor) defeated Mikey Whipwreck.
- Goldberg defeated Curt Hennig (with Bobby Duncum, Jr. and Barry and Kendall Windham) by disqualification.
- Madusa defeated Patty Stone Grinder.
- Shane Douglas defeated Scott Putski.
- WCW United States Heavyweight Champion David Flair (with Asya and Torrie Wilson) defeated Chris Benoit to retain the title.
- WCW World Television Champion Rick Steiner defeated Chase Tatum to retain the title.
- Kevin Nash and& Sid Vicious defeated Hulk Hogan and Sting.

2000 - Rojo del Sol defeats "Showa" for the DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Title in Tokyo, Japan. At the same show, Koichiro Kimura defeats Masao Orihara to win the DDT KO-D Openweight Title.

2000 - The Kingpins defeat The Mean Street Posse (Joey Abs and Rodney) for the Memphis Championship Wrestling Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee.

2002 - Disco Fury defeats Asian Cougar in Surrey, British Columbia to win the NWA Canadian Junior Heavyweight Title in Surrey, British Columbia, beginning his sixth reign.

2002 - The Lynch Mob (2 Tuff Tony and Corporal Robinson) defeat The Backseat Boyz (Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere) for the vacant Insane Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title in Hamtramck, Michigan.

2003 - CZW held "Tournament of Death II" at Rack's Bar and Billiards in Dover, Delaware. The results:
Tournament of Death quarterfinals:
- Zandig defeated Nate Webb in a Panes of Glass match.
- Nick Mondo defeated JC Bailey in a Lighttubes and Ladders match.
- Necro Butcher defeated Corporal Robinson in a Four Corners of Pain match.
- Ian Rotten defeated CZW World Tag Team Champion Nick Gage in a Barbed Wire Boards and Lighttube Tables match.
Non-tournament:
- Trent Acid (with Johnny Kashmere) defeated Z-Barr.
- Ian Knoxxx defeated Chris Ca$h, Rick Feinberg, Jude, Cory Kastle and Niles Young in a six-way match. Jon Dahmer was the guest referee.
- Johnny Kashmere (with Trent Acid) defeated Nick Berk.
Tournament of Death semifinals:
- Ian Rotten defeated Necro Butcher in a Fans Bring the Weapons match.
- Nick Mondo defeated Zandig in a Best-of-Three Lighttube Log Cabins match.
Non-tournament:
- The Hi-V (B-Boy and CZW World Heavyweight Champion The Messiah) defeated Sonjay Dutt and Ruckus.
Tournament of Death finals:
- Nick Mondo defeated Ian Rotten in a 200 Lighttubes and Barbed Wire Ropes match.

2003 - Ricky Banderas defeats Chicano for the IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

2003 - PWG held its debut event at Frank and Sons in City of Industry, California. The results were:
- Charles Mercury, Sara Del Rey and Supa Badd defeated Ryan Drago, Topgun Talwar and Zokre.
- Excalibur defeated Chris Bosh.
- Super Dragon defeated M-Dogg 20.
- TARO defeated Babi Slymm.
- Hook Bomberry and Apolo Kahn defeated Mr. Excitement and Disco Machine.
- Hardkore, Inc. (The Hardkore Kidd, Alkatrazz and Adam Pearce) defeated The X-Foundation (Funky Billy Kim, Scott Lost and Joey Ryan).
- NWA World Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles defeated Frankie Kazarian.

2003 - Masahiro Chono defeats Lopaka for the HCW Kamehameha Heritage Title in Kapolei, Hawaii.

2003 - The NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title changes hands twice in Columbia, Tennessee. Jeff Daniels and Lone Star win the title from Justin Sain and Natas in the afternoon, and Kory Williams and Mike Woods beat them for the title that evening.

2003 - One day after losing the title to him, Grail regains the Global Wrestling Alliance United States Heavyweight Title from Draegan Frost, making him the first two-time champion.

2003 - T.J. Dalton and J.T. Stahr defeat Cody Hawk and Chet Jablonski to win the HWA Tag Team Title in Columbus, Ohio, ending Hawk and Jablonski's second reign.

2003 - Breyer Wellington defeats Jimmy Jacobs for the Independent Wrestling Revolution King of the Indies Title in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Jacobs wouldn't be without gold for long, as he and Gavin Starr defeated Truth Martini and Anthony Rivera in the very next match on the show to win the IWR Tag Team Title.

2004 - WWE held a live "RAW" at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which got a 3.6 rating on Spike TV. The results were:
- Randy Orton won a 20-man Battle Royal, last eliminating Chris Jericho, to earn a World Heavyweight Title match at August 15's SummerSlam. Also in the match were: Batista, Rob Conway, WWE Intercontinental Champion Edge, Ric Flair, Sylvain Grenier, Matt Hardy, The Hurricane, Kane, Rodney Mack, Maven, Chuck Palumbo, William Regal, Rhyno, Steven Richards, Rosey, Tajiri, Tyson Tomko and Val Venis.
- World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit defeated Triple H in a 60-minute Iron Man match to retain the title. Benoit pinned Triple H with a crucifix; Triple H pinned Benoit after the Pedigree; Benoit was counted out; Triple H pinned Benoit; Benoit made Triple H submit with the Sharpshooter; Benoit made Triple H submit with the Crippler Crossface; and Benoit pinned Triple H after Eugene gave Triple H a Rock Bottom, after he saved Benoit from a triple-team attack from Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista.

2005 - Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kensuke Sasaki defeated Shuji Kondo and "brother" YASSHI for the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.

2005 - Bully Douglas wins a 16-man Battle Royal in Lebanon, Tennessee, last eliminating Chase Stevens, to win the vacant NWA Southern Heavyweight Title.

2005 - Both of Full Throttle Wrestling's titles are decided in Elkmont, Alabama. In a three-way match, Sinn City (Dave Mitchell & Brandon Smith) defeated BMW (Shaun Peete & Charlie Swinger) and The Dogg Pound (Big T & Little E) to become the first FTW Tag Team Champions. Insane Lane defeats Chris Lee to win the FTW Heavyweight Title, making him the first two-time champion.

2005 - Lotus defeats Rob Matrix for the HWA Television Title in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2007 - Caleb Konley and Sal Rinauro defeat Pretty Boy Floyd and Simon Sermon in Locust Grove, Georgia to become Deep South Wrestling's first post-WWE Deep South Tag Team Champions.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet