24 years ago today, Riki Choshu defeated Big Van Vader to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the second time.
15 years ago today at a Thunder taping in Lubbock, Texas, Lenny Lane defeated Rey Mysterio Jr. to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. It would be Lane's one and only championship in a major wrestling promotion. He would be stripped of the title six weeks later due to WCW's parent company Time Warner's concerns over Lane's homosexual gimmick. The title was "phantom switched" to Psicosis in early October, who would then lose it that night to Disco Inferno.
13 years ago today, WWE presented Summerslam (WWE Network link) from the Compaq Center in San Jose, California. 15,293 were in attendance, with 565,000 homes watching on PPV, a slight dip from 570,000 from 2000's edition.
- In a Sunday Night Heat preshow match, Jacqueline, Molly Holly & Lita defeated Stacy Keibler, Torrie Wilson & Ivory.
- Edge defeated Lance Storm to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
- Test & The Dudley Boyz defeated Spike Dudley & The APA.
- X-Pac defeated Tajiri to unify the WWF Light Heavyweight and WCW Cruiserweight Championships. WWF would use the Cruiserweight Championship going forward until its deactivation in 2007.
- Chris Jericho defeated Rhyno via submission
- Rob Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy in a ladder match to win the WWF Hardcore Championship.
- The Undertaker and Kane defeated Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon in a steel cage match to unify the WWF and WCW Tag Team Championships.
- Kurt Angle defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin via disqualification in a WWF Championship match (Austin retained the WWF Championship).
- The Rock defeated Booker T to win the WCW Championship.
12 years ago today on an episode of RAW from Norfolk, Virginia, Bradshaw defeats Tommy Dreamer to win the WWE Hardcore Championship. He loses it moments later to Crash Holly, who then loses it moments later to Tommy Dreamer. After more than 200 title changes (217 to be exact), the WWE Hardcore Championship 24/7 rule is deactivated; the championship itself would be deactivated the next week when Rob Van Dam defeated Dreamer to unify the hardcore and Intercontinental Championships.
4 years ago today, Jim Kettner quietly announces his retirement from wrestling. Kettner was the longtime promoter and booker of Delaware-based East Coast Wrestling Association and the man that created one of the most prestigious tournaments on the independent circuit, the ECWA Super 8 Tournament, held annually since 1999 (usually in April). Past winners include former ROH World Champions Christopher Daniels, Davey Richards, Low Ki, and Jerry Lynn, former TNA X Division Champion Petey Williams, and former ROH World Television Champion Tommaso Ciampa.
4 years ago today, Ted Lipscomb, aka "Nightmare" Ted Allen, passed away at his home from a heart attack in his home in Cartersville, Georgia. He was 54. As a kid, Allen was multi-talented. He was a four-sport athlete, edited the Cass High School newspaper, and even did play-by-play for some of their games. At age 14, he was the ring announcer for the weekly matches at the Sports Palace in Cartersville. He made his pro wrestling debut in the summer of 1975 shortly after dropping out of college and got married. By 1977, he was wrestling in Nashville under Nick Gulas while maintaining a real job; however, he wasn't gun shy about quitting his real gigs for a good booking. He would wrestle full time by 1980 as one half of the masked Nightmares with Danny Davis. Wrestling under a mask was almost a way of life for Allen: he was a Mr. Wrestling, a Black Tiger, even a Power Ranger for Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Allen's biggest contributions to the business came as a trainer. He trained, among others, Arn Anderson, Ray Traylor (aka Big Boss Man), Scotty Riggs, Bull Buchanan, and referee Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson. Post-in-ring career, he promoted local wrestling shows in Georgia, ran a furniture moving business, and even build wrestling rings. Tribute courtesy of Youtuber brunettesmatthews.
2 years ago today, WWE presented Summerslam (WWE Network link) from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. 14,205 were in attendance, with 350,000 homes watching on PPV, up from 311,000 in 2011.
- In a preshow match, Antonio Cesaro defeated Santino Marella to win the WWE United States Championship.
- Chris Jericho defeated Dolph Ziggler.
- Daniel Bryan defeated Kane.
- The Miz defeated Rey Mysterio to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
- Sheamus defeated Alberto Del Rio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
- Kofi Kingston & R-Truth defeated Primetime Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil) to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship.
- CM Punk defeated Big Show and John Cena in a triple threat match to retain the WWE Championship.
- Brock Lesnar defeated Triple H via submission.