This Day in Pro Wrestling History (June 19)

Lots of TNA! But first, we try to find out how much this guy weighs.

20 years ago today was the WWF's eighth King of the Ring (WWE Network link) tournament, but the second on PPV from the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, MD. About 12,000 were in attendance, with about 185,000 homes buying the event. Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Donovan joined Gorilla Monsoon and "Macho Man" Randy Savage on commentary, and...well, he was quite the hoot. Donovan died of respiratory disease in Baltimore on August 4, 2013.

• Diesel defeats Bret Hart by DQ (Hart retains the WWF Championship).
• The Headshrinkers (Samu & Fatu) defeat Crush & Yokozuna to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
• Owen Hart wins the King of the Ring Tournament, beating Razor Ramon in the final. Hart defeated the 1-2-3 Kid and Tatanka in earlier rounds on the same evening.
• Roddy Piper defeats Jerry Lawler.

(Photo via WWE.com)

14 years ago today, Gerald Brisco defeated Crash Holly to win the WWF Hardcore Championship on RAW is WAR from Nashville. Brisco loses the title moments later to Pat Patterson. In addition, The Rock, Kane, and The Undertaker all won handicap matches, setting up a six-man tag team match for King of the Ring between Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon, and Triple H versus The Rock, Kane, and The Undertaker for Triple H's WWF Championship.

13 years ago today, The Dudley Boyz defeated Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. This was the Dudleys' fourth tag team championship since joining the WWF and twelfth overall.

12 years ago today, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling holds its very first weekly PPV from the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In the first ever TNA bout, the Flying Elvises (Jimmy Yang, Jorge Estrada, and Sonny Siaki) defeated the team of Jerry Lynn, AJ Styles, and Low Ki. In the main event, Ken Shamrock survived a 20-man battle royal to become the new NWA world heavyweight champion. TNA's second weekly PPV was also taped that evening, and AJ Styles won a fatal-four way double elimination match to become the first NWA X Division champion.

9 years ago today was TNA's first Slammiversary PPV (pay link) from the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida. This was (and to this day, still is) the only Slammiversary to be held on TNA's anniversary, June 19. Slammiversary was the debut of former ROH world champion Samoa Joe.

• The Naturals (Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas) defeat Team Canada (Petey Williams & Eric Young) to retain the NWA World Tag Team Titles
• Christopher Daniels defeats Chris Sabin & Michael Shane in a 3-Way Elimination Match to retain the TNA X-Division Title
• Raven defeats AJ Styles, Monty Brown, Abyss & Sean Waltman in a King of the Mountain Match to win the NWA World Title

(Photo via ImpactWrestling.com)

8 years ago today, Senshi defeats Sonjay Dutt and Samoa Joe in a three-way dance to win the TNA X Division Championship.

7 years ago today, Samoa Joe defeats Jay Lethal to win the TNA X Division Championship.