Today In Pro Wrestling History: August 14th

Today was pretty easy compared to a lot of the last week or so. Not sure if it’s a set up or a positive harbinger, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Let’s see what today graced us with!

• WCW Nitro (2000)

In the one bit of positivity Lance Storm officially created his Team Canada faction after Jacques Rougeau, Carl Ouelett and Elix Skipper helped him retain the Canadian Heavyweight Title (United States Title). He rewarded Carl and Elix for their assistance by gifting them two of his three titles. Carl got the Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title (Hardcore) and Elix received the Under 100kg Title (Cruiserweight). This plays into the rest of the night because both men had to defend their newly gifted titles. Elix defeated Kwee Wee, but Carl lost the Hardcore title a few segments later to Norman Smiley. The Dark Carnival also lost the tag titles they won the day before to Juventud Guerrera and Rey Mysterio Jr. This was also the episode where Vince Russo just chastised Bill Goldberg with a profanity laden “worked shoot” style of promo for his actions, blamed Turner execs for not letting him fire Bill and then undermined Kevin Nash’s number one contender win from the PPV saying it didn’t count because Goldberg just walked out of the match. The entire episode was a car crash, but at least Team Canada was fun.

• NJPW G1 Climax Finals: Masahiro Chono vs Kazuyuki Fujita (2005)

This was Chono’s record setting 5th G1 Climax victory. To build off his last win in 2002, when he needed Back to Back Yakuza Kicks to out Takayama, Fujita was a similar monster. A freelance MMA Powerhouse, Fujita encapsulated Inoki-ism and Chono was the last remaining Original Three Musketeer. In what would be Chono’s quickest Finals and the second quickest Finals in G1 Climax history at just under 9 minutes, Chono needed a Low Blow and 3 Consecutive Yakuza Kicks to put down the MMA Monster and solidify himself as Mr August/Mr G1. At the time, this made Chono the second oldest winner after Riki Choshu and also the youngest winner (until Okada eventually became the youngest in 2012).

• WWE SummerSlam (2011)

There are two matches/moments to be talked about here. The Heavyweight Championship match, Christian vs Randy Orton. Fans were happy to see Christian get a second run with one of the top titles again, even though oddly Christian never won either via pinfall. Recently retired Edge, who was supposed to be in Christian’s corner, called him a whiny disgrace and refused to stand by his long time partner and best bud in the No Holds Barred Match. We got a brutal technical classic which ended with Christian stopping the first attempt at the RKO with a Kendo Stick, going for a Springboard move but Orton caught him with an RKO onto steel steps that were in the middle of the ring. What is considered the highlight of the show from a match quality perspective, Randy Orton took the title from Christian yet again. As for the other moment, I think we all know. CM Punk vs John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Champion. Following the Pipebomb, the contract expiration walk out, Cena being crowned the new champ just for Punk to return with the belt he walked out with…this match had all the story build. Triple H being guest referee added an expected level of shenanigans, but it didn’t take too much away from the clash. Cena went for an AA, Punk slipped it, Roundhouse Kick and a GTS later, Triple H counted Punk as the winner. Even though Cena’s foot was on the rope, Trips missed it and kept his decision, because this would turn into a greater plan where Kevin Nash laid out CM Punk, which set the perfect stage for Alberto Del Rio to run down and cash in his Money in the Bank Briefcase.

• NJPW G1 Climax Finals: Shinsuke Nakamura vs Tetsuya Naito (2011)

This Finals was double validation in a way. Shinsuke came up short in 2009 to Togi Makabe in the Finals after going undefeated through the entire tournament. So the fact that he couldn’t duplicate Chono’s undefeated run chewed at him, while Naito, was rising with the Stardust Genius gimmick (we know how it ends, but the story at the time had promise). Shinsuke’s one and only G1 win, helped to cement CHAOS as the premier faction in NJPW. It also firmly established the swagger and iconic style of Nakamura and the current generation of New Japan. This was further validation of his inclusion in the New Three Musketeers (Tanahashi, Nakamura & Shibata).

• AAA Triplemania XXIX: Reina de Reinas & Knockouts World Championship: Faby Apache (c) vs Deonna Purrazzo (c) (2021)

Deonna Purrazzo and Faby Apache made some real waves during the pandemic era. This was easily one of the most hyped and high profile matches in overall women’s wrestling in quite some time. Faby Apache is a highly decorated Luchadora from a prestigious family and Deonna was always known as being a great in-ring technician outside of the NXT run we don’t talk about. While the match itself is considered a dumpster fire, that wasn’t really the fault of the women in the match and was just the AAA melodramatic way of constantly overbooking the match with interference and Tirantes the heel referee being far too relevant, especially calling a ghost finish. The wrestlers were never given the time to create any chemistry, so it was just a disjointed mess, but the historical aspect of Deonna becoming the first woman to hold the Reina de Reinas & Knockouts World Championship simultaneously, is something that can’t be taken away. Deonna’s “Champ Champ” era was much better than the mess that birthed it.

One of those weird times that Kevin Nash is relevant in two different moments on the same day. Also a little Musketeer love for the G1 winners. When it comes to “classic” puroresu people tend to overlook just how important the Musketeers were to the overall landscape running parallel to the Four Pillars/Heavenly Kings of  AJPW. Talk about a embarrassment of riches for 90s puroresu when the Heavenly Kings overshadow much of the dialogue, but the opposition had a group with nearly as much aura and impact.