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8/2 THIS DAY IN HISTORY: RON SIMMONS WINS THE WCW WORLD TITLE FOLLOWING JAKE ROBERTS' WCW DEBUT

August 2nd

On this day in history in ....

1962 - Almost a year before their famous WWF World Title match, Bruno Sammartino defeats Buddy Rogers for the NWA World Heavyweight Title in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  However, Sammartino refused to accept the championship since Rogers was injured, and the title remained with Rogers.

1975 - Jose Rivera & Ciclon defeated Pierre & Michael Martel in Caguas, Puerto Rico for the WWC North American Tag Team Title.

1977 - Antonio Inoki defeats kickboxer Eddie Everett in Tokyo, Japan at Budokan Hall in the fifth round of a Wrestler vs. Kickboxer match via knockout.

1983 - Ric Flair & Roddy Piper defeated NWA Tag Team Champions Jack & Jerry Brisco via disqualification in the main event of a Jim Crockett Promotions event in Columbia, SC.

1984 - New Japan Pro Wrestling ran Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan, with Antonio Inoki defeating Riki Choshu in a highly anticipated singles match.

1984 - Dusty Rhodes defeated Tully Blanchard in the main event of a Jim Crockett Promotions event in Norfolk, VA.

1985 - Harley Race defeats Jerry Blackwell in St. Louis, Missouri for the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title. This marked the record setting seventh and final Missouri Title run for Race. The belt would be vacated when Jim Crockett Promotions purchased the Missouri territory.

1985 - Jim Crockett Promotions ran Charlotte, NC at the Coliseum with the following results:
Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey defeated Pat Tanaka & Denny Brown
National Tag Team Champion Arn Anderson defeated Starship Eagle
National Tag Team Champion Ole Anderson defeated Sam Houston
Ron Bass defeated Buddy Landell in a Texas Death Match
NWA Tag Team Champions Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated Ivan Koloff & Krusher Kruschev via disqualification
NWA TV Champion Dusty Rhodes fought Nikita Koloff to a no contest
Magnum TA defeated NWA US Champion Tully Blanchard via count-out

1986 - Jim Crockett Promotions closed the 1986 Great American Bash Tour in Atlanta, GA at Fulton County Stadium before a crowd of 12,000, featuring the following results:

Steve Regal defeated NWA Jr. Heavyweight Champion Denny Brown to win the title
Don Kernodle defeated the Barbarian
Baron Von Raschke & Ivan Koloff & Krusher Kruschev defeated Manny Fernandez & Todd Champion, & Sam Houston
Jimmy Valiant defeated Shaska Whatley
Wahoo McDaniel defeated Jimmy Garvin
Magnum TA defeated Nikita Koloff
NWA National Heavyweight Champion Tully Blanchard defeated Ron Garvin in a brass knuckles match
The Rock N' Roll Express defeated Ole & Arn Anderson
The Road Warriors & Baby Doll defeated Jim Cornette & NWA World Tag Team Champions Midnight Express, Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey
NWA World Champion Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair

1987 - The feud between The Rock N' Roll Express and The Midnight Express continued over two separate Jim Crockett Promotions events on the same day.  During a matinee event in Huntington, WV, NWA World Tag Team Champions Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated NWA U.S. Tag Team Champions Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane in a bout with neither championship at stake.  That evening at the Charlotte Coliseum in NC, The RNR defeated The Midnights in a Bunkhouse match.

1989 - The NWA ran Columbia, SC at the Township Auditorium featuring the following reworked card as Butch Reed and Sid Vicious missed their flights from Atlanta:

Norman The Lunatic defeated Zan Panzer
Tommy Rich pinned Buddy Landell
Mark Callous pinned the Italian Stallion
El Gigante defeated Dr. X (Randy Culley)
NWA U.S. Champion Lex Luger & Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Mark Callous & the Samoan Swat Team
The Rock N' Roll Express, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated the Masked Hit Man (David Sierra) (substituting for Reed) & NWA World Tag Team Champion Ron Simmons 

1991 - Takako Inoue & Mariko Yoshida defeats Esther & Cynthia Moreno for the All Japan Women's Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.

1992 - Ron Simmons defeats Big Van Vader in Baltimore, Maryland to win the WCW World Heavyweight Title during a TV Taping.  Sting was originally scheduled to defend against Sting who was attacked by the debuting Jake Roberts and laid out with a DDT on a chair.  With Sting unable to compete, Bill Watts put all the wrestlers' names in a hat.  Simmons' name was pulled and he went on to defeat Vader for his first and only World title, where he was billed as the first African-American World champion.

The complete results of the taping saw:

Madusa pinned Heidi Lee Morgan
Nikita Koloff fought WCW US Champion Rick Rude (w/ Madusa) to a double disqualification when Cactus Jack attacked the challenger before Sting, who did guest commentary for the match alongside Jim Ross, made the save; moments later, Sting press slammed Rude onto Cacuts on the floor before Jake Roberts came through the crowd, attacked Sting with a steel chair, and twice dropped him with a DDT onto the chair; Roberts then went to open his snake bag but left the ring after Barry Windham, Ron Simmons, Rick & Scott Steiner came out to check on Sting (Roberts' surprise debut)
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Mike Sampson & GQ Stratus when Scott pinned Stratus with the Frankensteiner
Van Hammer pinned Eric Davidson with the slingshot suplex
Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton (w/ Paul E. Dangerously) defeated Brian Pillman & Marcus Alexander Bagwell when Bagwell submitted to Eaton's armbar
Barry Windham pinned Tracy Smothers with a lariat
Ron Simmons pinned Doug Superior with the powerslam
Cactus Jack defeated Ricky Steamboat via count-out when, after both men fell to the floor following a Steamboat crossbody block, Cactus hit an elbow drop from the apron to the floor
 Ron Simmons (sub. for Sting) pinned WCW World Champion Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race) to win the title with a powerslam at 9:42 after avoiding the powerbomb
Scotty Flamingo pinned Rick Tango
Tom Zenk pinned Tracy Smothers
The Barbarian & Dan Spivey defeated AJ Jackson & Vince Young when Barbarian pinned Young with the boot to the face
Marcus Alexander Bagwell fought Bob Starr to a no contest when Big Van Vader attacked both men before the match began
Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes defeated Greg Valentine & Dick Slater when Windham pinned Slater; the show ended before the match ended, but the conclusion was shown at the beginning of the following week's episode

Dark match after the taping: WCW/NWA Tag Team Champions Steve Williams & Terry Gordy defeated Rick & Scott Steiner in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match

1993 - Luna Vachon defeats Miss Texas (Jacqueline) in Memphis, Tennessee for the USWA Heavyweight Title, ending Miss Texas' fifth and final run with the belt.

1993 - WCW drug tested the entire roster.  However, since the roster was told they would be tested, there were likely a number of clean tests.

1993 - WCW held a WCW Saturday Night taping in Atlanta, GA at Center Stage, featuring:

Frankie Lancaster defeated Chris Sullivan
Scott Studd & Tommy Angel defeated the Ringlords
Arn Anderson & Paul Roma defeated Bobby Eaton & Dick Slater when Roma pinned Slater
Yoshi Kwan defeated Brad Armstrong
Sting pinned Richard Ingram
Sid Vicious (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated an unknown
Ricky Steamboat, 2 Cold Scorpio & Marcus Alexander Bagwell defeated Paul Orndorff, Lord Steven Regal (w/ Sir William), & Maxx Payne when Steamboat pinned Regal after Sir William's interference backfired
Sid Vicious & Harlem Heat (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated Ron Simmons, 2 Cold Scorpio, & Marcus Alexander Bagwell at 10:20 when Vicious pinned Bagwell with the powerbomb
The Equalizer defeated Ron Preston via submission at 2:16 with the full nelson
Charlie Norris pinned Fury at 6:39 with a double-chop to the chest (Norris' Saturday Night debut)
Johnny B. Badd pinned Mike Thor at 4:10 after the left hook punch; moments before delivering the punch, Badd removed his mask, as he had promised to do, to reveal no damage to his face; after the bout, Jesse Ventura conducted a ringside interview with Badd, who claimed he was still the prettiest man in WCW
Ice Train (w/ Thunderbolt Patterson) pinned Rage at the 54-second mark with a powerslam; after the match, Tony Schiavone conducted a ringside interview with Train & Patterson, with Train stating he was there to learn, and Patterson stating that Train would take anyone on (Ice Train's in-ring debut)
WCW World Champion Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race) pinned JD Stryker at 1:08 with the powerbomb; after the bout, Tony Schiavone interviewed Vader & Race at the announce area regarding Vader's upcoming War Games match at Fall Brawl
NWA World Champion Ric Flair defeated Sting via countout at 39:35 when Sid Vicious, who was doing guest commentary, pulled the challenger off the ring apron behind the referee's back; after the bout, Flair & Sting fought off Vicious & Harlem Heat

1996 - Guerrero de la Muerte defeats Mascara Magica in Mexico City, Mexico to win the CMLL World Welterweight Title.

1996 - Sabu faced Chris Jericho for the first and only time at an Extreme Championship Wrestling live event in Plymouth Meeting, PA at the LuLu Temple.  The results of the event saw:

Mikey Whipwreck pinned the Dirt Bike Kid to win the European Junior Heavyweight championship.
The Bruise Brothers defeated the Bad Crew
Axl Rotten pinned Devon Storm
Taz defeated El Puerto Ricano via submission
Salvatore Bellomo pinned JT Smith
2 Cold Scorpio pinned Johnny Smith
Louie Spicolli pinned Buh Buh Ray Dudley
Rob Van Dam pinned Hack Myers
Shane Douglas & Brian Lee & The Eliminators defeated Tommy Dreamer & Pitbull #2 & The Gangstas when Douglas pinned Pitbull #2
Sabu pinned Chris Jericho at 21:44 with a triple jump moonsault.

1997 - ECW ran the Goldendome in Monaca, PA, featuring the following results:

Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Lou Marconi
Buh Buh Ray & D-Von Dudley defeated Nova & Barry Hardy
Chris Candido defeated Spike Dudley
Chris Chetti defeated Jason
Louie Spicolli pinned Wolfie D
Balls Mahoney & Axl Rotten defeated Tracy Smothers & Little Guido when Balls pinned Guido
Rob Van Dam pinned Mikey Whipwreck
ECW World Champion Terry Funk defeated Shane Douglas
Tommy Dreamer fought Sabu to a no contest

1997 - New Japan Pro Wrestling ran Tokyo, Japan at Sumo Hall featuring the following results:

Jushin Liger, El Samurai, & Norio Honaga defeated Shinjiro Ohtani, Koji Kanemoto, & Tatsuhito Takaiwa at 15:41 when Honaga pinned Kanemoto
Michiyoshi Ohara, Tatsutoshi Goto, & Kuniaki Kobayashi defeated Takashi Iizuka, Osamu Kido, Kazuo Yamazaki at 13:18 when Ohara pinned Iizuka
Kengo Kimura, Akira Nogami, & Akitoshi Saito defeated Tadao Yasuda, Manabu Nakanishi, & Satoshi Kojima at 12:04 when Kimura pinned Yasuda
Lord Steven Regal defeated Hiro Saito at 9:36 via submission
Don Frye defeated Kazuyuki Fujita at 6:40 via submission
Kensuke Sasaki pinned Buff Bagwell at 8:04
Hiroyoshi Tenzan pinned Satoshi Kojima at 11:43
Scott Norton pinned the Great Muta at 6:31
Shinya Hashimoto defeated Masahiro Chono at 5:45 via submission

1998 - ECW holds their Heatwave Pay-per-view in the Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio.  ECW World Champion Shane Douglas, out of action with an arm injury, did color commentary with announcer Joey Styles for the show.  Here are the results of the show:
- In a dark match, Balls Mahoney & Axl Rotten defeated the FBI (Tracey Smothers & Little Guido).
- Justin Credible defeated Jerry Lynn.
- Chris Candido defeated Lance Storm.
- Masato Tanaka defeated Mike Awesome.
- ECW World Tag Team Champions Sabu & Rob Van Dam defeated Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki when Sabu pinned Shinzaki.
- FTW Champion Taz defeated Bam Bam Bigelow via submission in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
- Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman, & Spike Dudley defeated Buh Buh Ray, D-Von, & Big Dick Dudley.

1999 - The Monday Night Wars continued, with WWF getting the win this week.  WWF Monday Night Raw, headlined by Steve Austin vs. Undertaker in a no-contest, D'Lo Brown defeating Jeff Jarrett for the Intercontinental Title, and Edge defeating Gangrel in a Bloodbath match, earned a 5.9 rating.  WCW Monday Nitro, headlined by Chris Benoit defeating Dallas Page, Vampiro defeating Eddie Guerrero, and Sting & Bill Goldberg defeating Rick Steiner & Sid Vicious via DQ did a 3.1.

 The Nitro broadcast, held in Sioux Falls, SD at the Arena, featured the following results:

Harlem Heat defeated WCW World Tag Team Champions Bam Bam Bigelow & Kanyon in a non-title match
Ernest Miller defeated Lenny Lane
Disco Inferno defeated Evan Karagias
Shane Douglas & Dean Malenko defeated Hugh Morrus & Jerry Flynn
Perry Saturn defeated Curt Hennig via disqualification
Chris Benoit defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Vampiro defeated Eddie Guerrero
Sid Vicious & WCW World TV Champion Rick Steiner defeated Sting & Bill Goldberg via disqualification

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