This Day in Wrestling History (June 14)

In the spirit of Flag Day, most of the events of today's This Day in Pro Wrestling History revolve around the stars and stripes. Don't blame me, it was just coincidence.

Today's the 25^th anniversary of NWA Clash of the Champions VII: Guts and Glory (WWE Network link) from Fort Bragg, North Carolina at the Ritz-Epps Fitness Center. The show is highlighted by the final four of the tournament to crown new NWA World Tag Team Champions.

• The Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) defeated The Dynamic Dudes (Shane Douglas & Johnny Ace) in the semifinals of a tournament for the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
• Ranger Ross defeated The Terrorist (a masked Jack Victory) in just 85 seconds.
• The Ding Dongs (masked wrestlers who came to the ring with bells on their outfits, ringing larger bells as they came to the ring--yes, this was a real thing) defeated Cougar Jay & George South.
• The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) defeated The Samoan Swat Team in the semifinals of a tournament for the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
• Terry Gordy vs. Steve Williams ended in a double DQ.
• Norman The Lunatic defeated Mike Justice in just 47 seconds.
• The Varsity Club (Mike Rotunda & Kevin Sullivan) defeated Rick & Scott Steiner.
• NWA Television Champion Sting defeated Bill Irwin.
• The Freebirds defeated The Midnight Express in a tournament final for to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship. They would hold the titles until November 1, when they were defeated by the Steiner Brothers on WCW Saturday Night.
• Ricky Steamboat defeated Terry Funk via disqualification. After the match, Lex Luger, who had come out to help Steamboat, turned on him and laid him out.

21 years ago today, the Steiner Brothers defeated Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster) to win the WWF Tag Team Championship at a house show in Columbus, Ohio. This would be the first of three times the belts changed hands at a house show in less than a week. Money Inc. got the titles back two days later in Rockford, IL, only to lose them again three days later in St. Louis to the Steiners.

16 years ago today, WCW held the Great American Bash (WWE Network link) from the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, MD. 12,810 were in attendance, with 290,000 homes buying the PPV, which was 70,000 more than the same show the previous year (and 120,000 more than 1996). Total gross revenue at the arena was just under $400,000.

• Booker T defeated Chris Benoit with a pair of sidekicks and a missile dropkick from the top rope. As a result, Booker earned the right to challenge for the WCW Television Title later in the show.
• Chris Kanyon defeated Perry Saturn with a legsweep into a faceplant. This match featured interference from Mortis, and a second Mortis (fighting with the first Mortis), who was revealed to be Raven.
• Chris Jericho defeated Dean Malenko via disqualification to win the vacant WCW Cruiserweight Title when Malenko hit Jericho with a chair after Jericho berated Malenko's deceased father. Post-match, Malenko chased Jericho out of the building.
• Juventud Guerrera defeated Ron Reis when Lodi distracted the referee, allowing Van Hammer to run in and hit Reis with a chairshot.
• Chavo Guerrero, Jr. defeated Eddie Guerrero when Eddie missed a frog splash and Chavo hit a Tornado DDT for the pin.
• Booker T defeated Fit Finlay to win the WCW Television Title with a piledriver following a missed shoulderblock in the corner by Finlay.
• United States Champion Bill Goldberg defeated Konnan in under two minutes with the spear and jackhammer. Post-match, Curt Hennig and Rick Rude attacked Konnan, and revealed that they were leaving NWO Wolfpack to join NWO Hollywood. This was Goldberg's 100th consecutive win without a defeat.
• Hulk Hogan & Bret Hart defeated Roddy Piper & Randy Savage when Hart made Savage submit to the Sharpshooter after Hogan had rammed Savage's leg into the ringpost.
• Roddy Piper defeated Randy Savage via submission in under two minutes. Piper, who agreed to team for the previous match with Savage under the condition that they would settle their own differences afterwards, said he didn't want to wrestle Savage while he was hurt. Savage swung at Piper, and the match was on, with Piper winning via submission with the figure four leglock.
• Sting defeated The Giant to gain control of the WCW Tag Team Championship with a Scorpion Death Drop from the second rope. Sting & Giant were the champions, but had joined different factions of the NWO. Sting would choose Kevin Nash as his new partner.

4 years ago today, The Miz defeats R-Truth, John Morrison, and Zack Ryder to win the WWE United States Championship on an episode of RAW from Charlotte, NC. He would hold the title for the duration of the summer before losing it to his NXT protege Daniel Bryan at Night of Champions in September.