On this day in pro wrestling history (June 26): Bret Hart wins Stampede title, Inoki vs. Tiger Jeet Singh, Davey Richards becomes ROH champ
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1929 – At the Outdoor Battery Arena in St. Louis, Missouri; Dick Shikat defeated Jim Clinstock, Rudy Dusek defeated Jack Washburn, Joe “Toots” Mondt and Charles Strack went to a time limit draw.
1936 – Everett Marshall defeated Ali Baba for the NWA (National Wrestling Association) Heavyweight Wrestling Title
1941 – In Kansas City; World Heavyweight Champion Lee Wykoff defeated Orville Brown in 2 out of 3 falls, (Brown was unable to continue for the third fall after missing a flying tackle and smashing his head on a ringpost) (Brown was carried to his dressing room). Also, Jack Kennedy beat Steve Brody in 2 out of 3 falls and Joe Cox beat Rudy Strongberg. George Simpson was the promoter and Gust Karras the referee.
1947 – In Kansas City; Orville Brown beat Jack McDonald to retain the MWA Title, Wally Dusek beat Fred Blassie, Tug Carlson beat Ralph Garibaldi and Jack Hader beat Jack Page
1962 – Before 3,229 fans in Minneapolis, MN; AWA Champion Mr. M beat Larry Hennig, Verne Gagne & Doug Gilbert beat Bob Geigel & Crybaby Cannon and Joe Scarpello beat Stan Kowalski.
1964 – In Denver, Colorado; AWA Champion Verne Gagne beat Fritz von Erich dq, The Crusher beat Art Thomas, Wahoo McDaniel beat Mitsu Arakawa and Larry Hennig beat Doug Gilbert
1965 – In Minneapolis, MN; Verne Gagne beat AWA Champion Mad Dog Vachon on a 3rd fall count out, The Crusher beat Chris Markoff, Mighty Igor Vodik beat Harley Race, Larry Hennig beat Ivan Kalmikoff and Wilbur Snyder beat Pampero Firpo dq. Attendance was 9,712.
1967 – In El Paso, Texas; AWA Tag Team Champions Larry Hennig & Harley Race beat The Medics, Light Heavyweight Champion Gory Guerrero beat Jerry Kozak, North American Champion Dory Funk Jr beat Thunderbolt Patterson and Texas Women’s Champion Kay Noble beat Pat Howard.
1968 – In Minneapolis, Verne Gagne & Bill Watts beat Larry Hennig & Harley Race in 2 out of 3 falls, Wilbur Snyder beat Dr X 2-0, 2nd fall by dq, Man Mountain Mike beat Big K and Dutch Savage beat Frankie Laine; Peter Maivia and Billy White Wolf defeated Curtis Iaukea and Ripper Collins to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii
1971 – In Milwaukee; In a Loser Leaves Town Match, The Crusher beat Strong Kobayashi, Nick Bockwinkel beat Bull Bullinski, Larry Hennig & Lars Anderson beat Moose Cholak & Paul Diamond, Don Muraco beat Black Jack Lanza dq and Big K beat Bill Howard. Attendance was 10,374; In Chicago, Illinois; AWA Tag Team Champions Red Bastien & Hercules Cortez beat Mad Dog Vachon & Butcher Vachon, Baron Von Raschke beat Wilbur Snyder, Hans Schmidt beat Sailor Art Thomas and Billy Robinson beat Angelo Poffo; Ripper Collins and Mad Dog Mayne defeated Sunni War Cloud and Steven Little Bear for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii
1973 – Johnny Valentine defeated Ron Fuller for the Florida version of the NWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.
1975 – Antonio Inoki defeated Tiger Jeet Singh to win the National Wrestling Federation World Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan
1982 – Bret Hart defeated Leo Burke to win the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title
1982 – In Salt Lake City, Utah; AWA Tag Team Champions Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell beat Ken Patera & Bobby Duncum dq, Sheik Adnan beat Baron Von Raschke, Jerry Blackwell beat Brad Rheingans and Buck Zumhofe beat Jacques Goulet. Attendance was 9,600; Invader I and Pierre Martel defeated The Kangaroos (Don Kent and Johnny Heffernan) for the WWC World Tag Team Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1983 – The Sheik’s Army (Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera) defeated The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) in Minneapolis, Minnesota to win the AWA World Tag Team Title. Also on the card, AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Wahoo McDaniel, Baron Von Raschke no contest Blackjack Lanza, Bobby Heenan beat Kenny Jay, Buck Zumhofe beat Mr. Saito dq and Brad Rheingans drew Rick Martel. Attendance was 14,000.
1987 – Frank Lancaster and Eric Embry defeated The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers and Bobby Fulton) to win the World Class Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas
1988 – Bull Nakano defeated Yumiko Hotta in the finals of the fourth-annual AJW Grand Prix Tournament in Tokyo, Japan.
1992 – The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) defeated Big Van Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow to win the IWGP World Tag Team Title reign. Also, El Samurai pinned Jushin Liger to win the IWGP World Junior Heavyweight Title
1995 – Yoshiko Tamura defeated Misae Watanabe for the vacant AJW Junior Title in Sapporo, Japan; Billy Jack Haynes defeated Brian Christopher for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
1996 – Masato Tanaka, Kouji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda defeated Super Leather and The Headhunters (A and B) to win the FMW World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
1997 – J.C. Ice defeated Tyrin for the IWA Mid-South Light-Heavyweight Title in Louisville, Kentucky.
1997 – The Masked Maniac defeated Chris Michaels for the USA Pro Wrestling U.S. Heavyweight Title in New York.
2001 – Albert (A-Train) defeated Kane for the WWF Intercontinental Title in New York City at Madison Square Garden
2011 – At the ROH Best of the World IPPV in New York City; Davey Richards defeated Eddie Edwards to win the ROH World Title and El Generico defeated Christopher Daniels to win the ROH TV Title. Also, ROH Tag Team champions Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin defeated Kings of Wrestling (with Sara del Rey and Shane Hagadorn) the Briscoes and the All Night Express to retain the titles.