This Day in Pro Wrestling History (July 10)

26 years ago today, the NWA held the Great American Bash (WWE Network link) from the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Though the Great American Bash had been around since 1985, it's the first one on PPV. About 13,000 were in attendance, with around 190,000 homes purchasing the event on PPV. It's the first PPV for Jim Crockett Promotions since the failed Bunkhouse Stampede (WWE Network link) in January.

• NWA World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard fought Sting and Nikita Koloff to a 20-minute time limit draw.
• The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane) defeated The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) to win the NWA United States Tag Team Championship.
• The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal), Steve Williams, Jimmy Garvin and Ron Garvin defeated Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, Al Perez, The Russian Assassin and Ivan Koloff in a Tower of Doom match.
• Barry Windham defeated Dusty Rhodes to retain the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.
• Ric Flair defeated Lex Luger via referee stoppage to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The match produced quite the controversial finish: Luger, on the verge of winning the title via Human Torture Rack of Doom, was profusely bleeding, and the bout was stopped by the Maryland State Athletic Commission, awarding the bout to Flair.

16 years ago today, WCW held LA Melee from the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. A sold out crowd of 15,678 were in attendance for an Internet audio PPL (pay-per-listen) event. This was the last of six such events WCW held. (All video for the event is via handheld cam, so the quality is not that high.)

• WCW TV Champion Booker T defeated Fit Finlay.
• Eddie Guerrero defeated Chavo Guerrero.
• Juventud Guerrera, Psychosis, & Ciclope defeated Damien, Villano IV, & Villano V.
• The Ultimo Dragon defeated Dean Malenko via count-out when Malenko left the ring to chase WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho backstage.
• WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho defeated Rey Mysterio Jr. via disqualification when Dean Malenko interfered and attacked the champion.
• Konnan defeated Vincent by submission.
• Kevin Nash & Lex Luger defeated Bret Hart & the Giant via disqualification.
• WCW world heavyweight champion Bill Goldberg defeated Curt Hennig.
• Sting defeated Hollywood Hogan in a steel cage match via submission.

13 years ago today, at a Smackdown taping in Birmingham, Alabama, Jeff Hardy defeats Mike Awesome to win the WWF Hardcore Championship.

3 years ago today, TNA held Destination X (pay link) from the Impact Zone at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

• Kazarian defeated Samoa Joe.
• Douglas Williams defeated Mark Haskins in an open challenge match.
• Eric Young and Shark Boy defeated Generation Me (Jeremy Buck and Max Buck). It would be Generation Me's last appearance with the company, as the next day they asked for and was granted their release.
• Alex Shelley defeated Robbie E, Shannon Moore & Amazing Red in a Ultimate X match to become the new number one contender for the TNA X Division Championship.
• Rob Van Dam defeated Jerry Lynn.
• Austin Aries defeated Zema Ion, Low Ki & Jack Evans in a 4-way match to win a TNA contract.
• Brian Kendrick defeated Abyss (c) to win the TNA X Division Championship.
• A.J. Styles defeated Christopher Daniels.