This day in history - 23rd June

On this day in history on 23rd June.

1939 - Bronko Nagurski defeats Lou Thesz for the NWA (National Wrestling Association) World Heavyweight Wrestling Title in Houston, Texas.

1944 - Firpo Segra defeats Doc Macias to win the Mexico National Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico.

1961 - Waldo Von Erich defeats Pepper Gomez in Houston, Texas to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title, ending Gomez's 11th reign.

1978 - Thunderbolt Patterson and Tony Atlas defeat Ole Anderson and Ivan Koloff for the NWA Georgia Tag Team Title in Atlanta, Georgia.

1978 - Ringo Mendoza wins his third NWA World Middleweight Title, defeating Perro Aguayo in Mexico City, Mexico, ending his third reign.

1980 - Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada defeat José Lothario and Tiger Conway, Jr. for the World Class American Tag Team Title in Houston, Texas, beginning their second reign.

1982 - Ted DiBiase defeats Junkyard Dog for the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Title in Shreveport, Louisiana, ending JYD's reign after only two days (Dog won it from Bob Roop). This began DiBiase's fourth run with the title.

1984 - Gino Hernandez, replacing an injured Kerry Von Erich, defeats Ric Flair in a tournament final in San Antonio, Texas, to win the vacant World Class Texas Heavyweight Title, beginning his fifth reign. The title had been vacated after the February 11 death of then-champion David Von Erich.

1984 - Ole Olson and Randy Rich defeat The Warlords (Snake Williams and Easy Rider) to win the NWA Canadian Tag Team Title.

1986 - Jerry Lawler and Giant Hillbilly Elmer defeat The MOD Squad (Basher and Spike) to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee.

1987 - The Sheepherders (Luke Williams and Butch Miller) defeat Mike Graham and Steve Keirn for the NWA Florida Tag Team Title in Tampa, Florida, ending Graham and Keirn's seventh reign.

1989 - Robert Fuller and Brian Lee defeat Jeff Jarrett and Mil Mascaras to win the World Class Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas.

1989 - The AWA held "War in the Windy City" at the Odeon Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois. The results:
- Tommy Jammer defeated Johnny Stewart.
- Mike George defeated Rockin' Randy.
- Akio Sato defeated Paul Diamond by disqualification.
- Chavo, Mando and Hector Guerrero defeated The Texas Hangmen and The Executioner.
- Wendi Richter defeated Candi Divine to retain the AWA World Women's Title.
- Ken Patera and Scott Norton defeated The Destruction Crew (Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom).
- AWA World Heavyweight Champion Larry Zbyszko drew with Greg Gagne. Zbyszko retained the title.
- Colonel DeBeers defeated Derrick Dukes in a "loser gets painted yellow" match.

1990 - Rex King & Joey Maggs defeat Tony Anthony & Tom Burton for the USWA Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee.

1992 - ECW ran at the Original Sports Bar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was ECW's seventh-overall show in its history, and featured a four-team tournament to determine the first ECW Tag Team Champions. The results were:
- Hurricane Curry defeated Super Ninja by disqualification.
- ECW Heavyweight Champion Johnny Hot Body, Don E. Allen, Mr. Sandman and Peaches defeated Tony Stetson, Larry Winters and Vivacious Veronica in a handicap match, when Hot Body pinned Veronica.
- Don Muraco and King Kaluha fought to a double disqualification.
- Jim Neidhart pinned Salvatore Bellomo.
- Jim Neidhart pinned Stevie Wonderful.
- The Super Destroyers (A.J. Petrucci and Doug Stahl in masks) defeated Jimmy Jannetty and J.T. Smith in a semifinal match.
- Max Thrasher and Glenn Osbourne defeated Mr. Anthony and Mr. Perez in the other semifinal.
- The Super Destroyers defeated Max Thrasher and Glenn Osbourne to become the first ECW Tag Team Champions.

1993 - Danny and Bam Bam Christian win their second Southern States Wrestling Tag Team Title, defeating Chic White and Tennessee Equalizer in Fall Branch, Tennessee.

1994 - The 27th Clash of the Champions event is held by WCW at the North Charleston, South Carolina Coliseum. The show got a 3.0 rating. The results:
- Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan defeated The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags), when Jack pinned Knobbs, to retain the WCW World Tag Team Title.
- The Guardian Angel pinned Tex Slazenger.
- Lord Steven Regal pinned Larry Zbyszko to win the WCW World Televison Title, beginning his second reign. That would be the last major title Zbyszko would hold (he came out of retirement for the Regal feud).
- Johnny B. Badd defeated Steve Austin by disqualification. Austin retained the WCW United States Heavyweight Title.
- WCW International World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting to unify the titles.

1995 - All three Border City Wrestling titles change hands in LaSalle, Ontario. Scott D'Amore wins his fourth BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Title, defeating Bruiser Bedlam. Otis Apollo defeats Max Anthony to become the first BCW Can-Am Television Champion, and Rico Rodriguez and Calavera Cortez defeat Ric Austin and Mike Legacy for the BCW Can-Am Tag Team Title.

1995 - Apolo Dantes defeats Silver King for the CMLL World Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico.

1996 - WWF held their King of the Ring Pay-per-view in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Mecca Arena. Here are the results:
In matches held prior to the PPV:
- The Bodydonnas defeated The New Rockers after interference by Kloudy (the short-lived gimmick of male wrestler Jimmy Shoulders dressing up like Sunny).
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Aldo Montoya.
In matches held on the PPV:
- In a King Of The Ring semifinal match, Steve Austin defeated Marc Mero with a stunner. This ended Mero's WWF undefeated streak. After the match, Austin went to the hospital and had 16 stitches put in his upper lip, then returned to the arena for the finals.
- In a King Of The Ring semifinal match, Jake Roberts defeated Vader via DQ when Vader grabbed the referee to avoid a DDT. After the match, Vader beat up Roberts, injuring his ribs.
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns defeated Henry & Phineas Godwinn when Billy pinned Phinneas.
- The Ultimate Warrior defeated Jerry Lawler with a flying shoulderblock.
- Mankind defeated The Undertaker with the Mandible Claw after Paul Bearer accidentally hit him with the urn.
- Ahmed Johnson defeated Goldust with the Pearl River Plunge to win the WWF Intercontinental Title.
- Steve Austin defeated Jake Roberts to win the King of the Ring Tournament. While the storyline was that Roberts was supposed to have the sympathy of the fans due to his "injured ribs", Austin had a legitimate injury with his busted lip, and many fans rallied behind Austin, who won with a stunner. After the match, Austin delivered one of the most remembered promos ever spoken. All Michael Hayes had to do was "give him the floor" and there it was: "The first thing I want is to get that piece of crap out of my ring! Don't just get him out of the ring, get him out of the WWF, because I've proven, son, without a shadow of a doubt, you [Roberts] ain't got what it takes anymore! You sit there and you thump your bible and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere. Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16... Austin 3:16 says 'I just whipped your ass'! All he's gotta do is buy himself a cheap bottle of Thunderbird, and try to dig back some of that courage, he had in his prime." And with that, a new phrase was born.
- WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Davey Boy Smith with a superkick. Curt Hennig was the special referee, but WWE president Gorilla Monsoon made him the outside referee, and assigned Earl Hebner to be the in-ring official for the match. Post-match, Owen Hart and Vader helped Smith attack Michaels, but Ahmed Johnson and the Ultimate Warrior made the save.

1997 - WCW Monday Nitro beats WWF RAW is WAR in the ratings, 3.3 to 2.4, in this chapter of the Monday Night War. WCW's broadcast featured a Diamond Dallas Page vs. Scott Hall main event with DDP winning by disqualification, and the WWF's featured a main event of Faarooq and D'Lo Brown of the Nation of Domination defeating WWF World Champion The Undertaker and Vader in a quarterfinal match in the tournament for the vacant WWF Tag Team Championship.

2000 - The Disciples of Synn (Slash and Damian) defeat Scotty Sabre and B.J. Payne for the OVW Southern Tag Team Title in Louisville, Kentucky, ending Sabre and Payne's second reign.

2000 - Dakota defeated Brianna Starr and Alben Thunder in a three-way match to become the first NWA Mid-South Women's Champion in Dyersburg, Tennessee.

2001 - Los Boricuas (Miguel Pérez and Jesús Castillo) defeat D'Lo Brown and Glamour Boy Shane to win the IWA World Tag Team Title in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. At the same show, Super Crazy wins his second IWA Junior Heavyweight Title, defeating Lobo.

2002 - WWE held their final King of the Ring Pay-per-view in Columbus, Ohio at the Nationwide Arena. Here are the results of the show:
- In a match that aired on Heat, The Hardys defeated Raven & Steven Richards.
- In a King Of The Ring semifinal match, Rob Van Dam defeated Chris Jericho with a five-star Frog Splash.
- In a King Of The Ring semifinal match, Brock Lesnar defeated Test with the F5.
- Jamie Noble defeated Hurricane Helms to win the WWE Cruiserweight Title with a powerbomb.
- Ric Flair defeated Eddie Guerrero after Bubba Ray Dudley interfered and gave Guerrero a Bubba Bomb while the referee was distracted by Chris Benoit, who had come out and put Flair in a Crippler Crossface at ringside.
- Molly Holly defeated Trish Stratus to win the WWE Women's Title by pulling the tights for a pinfall.
- Kurt Angle defeated Hulk Hogan via submission with the ankle lock. Hogan missed a legdrop, and Angle applied the ankle lock, keeping Hogan in the hold for over a minute before he tapped out clean in the middle.
- Brock Lesnar defeated Rob Van Dam to win the King Of The Ring Tournament with the F5.
- WWE World Champion The Undertaker defeated Triple H with a low blow and using the tights after interference by The Rock.

2002 - Bam Bam Bambi defeats Madison in a steel cage match in Winnipeg, Manitoba for the NWA Canadian Women's Title.

2002 - In Guadalajara, Mexico, Los Infernales (Averno, Mephisto and Satánico) defeat Mr. Niebla, Olímpico and Safari to win the Mexico National Trios Title.

2003 - WWE Raw at Madison Square Garden ends in eerie fashion, as Kane, after losing a Mask vs. Title match to World Heavyweight Champion Triple H, unmasks for the first time since the Kane character was introduced nearly six years earlier. After unmasking, Kane chokeslammed his then-tag team partner Rob Van Dam, who convinced him to put the mask on the line in the first place. This led to a feud between the two for the remainder of the summer.

2006 - Ring of Honor runs in Detroit, Michigan at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum. The results were:
- Gutter defeated Bobby Dempsey.
- C.J. Otis defeated Rhett Titus.
- The Irish Airborne (Dave and Jake Crist) defeated Keith Walker and Shane Hagadorn.
- Nigel McNiguiness defeated CK3 to retain the ROH Pure Title.
- The Briscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark Briscoe) defeated Colt Cabana and Ace Steel.
- Delirious defeated Samoa Joe, Davey Richards and Jimmy Rave in a Four Corners Survival match.
- Adam Pearce defeated Necro Butcher by disqualification.
- Homicide defeated Claudio Castagnoli.
- Bryan Danielson defeated Jimmy Jacobs and B.J. Whitmer in an Elimination match to retain the ROH World Heavyweight Title.
- KENTA defeated ROH World Tag Team Champion Roderick Strong.

2006 - 2 Cold Scorpio defeats Trent Acid for the PWU Heavyweight Title in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.