On this day in pro wrestling history (July 4): WWF champion Bob Backlund vs. NWA champion Ric Flair, first WarGames match, infamous Lex Luger/Yokozuna angle
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1922 – In Wichita, Kansas; World Heavyweight Champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis beat Alan Eustace in 2 out of 3 falls.
1963 – In Kansas City; In a Hair vs Masks match, Pat O’Connor and Tiny Mills beat Masked Medic #1 (Pedro Godoy) and Masked Medic #2 (Sir Nelson Royal). Also, Rock Hunter beat Steve Kovacs 2 falls to 1.
1964 – In St Paul, Minnesota at Met Stadium (where the Minnesota Twins and Vikings played in 1964 and now the home of the Mall of America); AWA Champion Verne Gagne beat Dick the Bruiser (sub Crusher) in 2 out of 3 falls. Also, Mad Dog Vachon beat Doug Gilbert, Wilbur Snyder & Sailor Art Thomas & Dale Lewis beat Larry Hennig & Hans Schmidt & Mitsu Arakawa and Bob Geigel beat Rene Goulet
1966 – Don Leo Jonathan & Haystacks Calhoun defeated John Tolos & Tony Borne to win the NWA Canadian Tag Team Title.
1971 – In Robbinsdale, Minnesota; Larry Hennig & Lars Anderson beat Hercules Cortez & Bull Bullinski dq, Big K beat Bill Christy and Billy Robinson beat Dave Cox
1972 – In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Billy Robinson & George Gordienko beat Ivan Koloff & Big K (Stan Kowalski), Wahoo McDaniel beat Dusty Rhodes dq and Don Muraco beat Larry Hennig
1974 – Ric Flair & Rip Hawk defeated Paul Jones & Bob Bruggers in Greensboro, North Carolina to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title; In Winnipeg, AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens beat Verne Gagne & Billy Robinson, Ivan Putski beat Baron Von Raschke dq and Billy Graham beat Wahoo McDaniel.
1981 – In Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel wrestled Bret Hart, Dynamite Kid vs Bruce Hart, David Shultz vs Randy Tyler and Duke Myers & Kerry Brown vs Bill Irwin & Duffy O’Rourke.
1982 – In San Antonio, Texas at HemisFair Arena; Bruiser Brody won a two ring, 22 man Battle Royal, Scott Casey beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel via dq, Southwest Champion Dick Slater beat Alexis Smirnoff and Tully Blanchard & Gino Hernandez beat Terry Funk & Tito Santana; In the Atlanta Omni, WWF champion Bob Backlund went to a double countout against NWA World champion Ric Flair.
1983 – David Von Erich defeated Jimmy Garvin to win the vacant World Class Texas Heavyweight Title. Also, The Von Erichs (Kerry, Kevin & David) defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) in a three falls match in Fort Worth, Texas.
1984 – in Fort Worth, Texas The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) defeated The Von Erichs (Kerry, Kevin & Mike) to win the World Class Six-Man Tag Team Title when Hayes pinned Kevin. Also, Iceman King Parsons defeated Bill Irwin in a singles match to win the World Class American Tag Team Title. Parsons chose Buck Zumhoffe as his partner.
1986 – In Fort Worth, Texas Buzz Sawyer defeated Brian Adidas to win the World Class Texas Heavyweight Title.
1987 – The War Games match debuted in Atlanta’s Omni. The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard & Lex Luger) & manager JJ Dillon lost to the team of Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, The Road Warriors & manager Paul Ellering.
1990 – John Tatum defeated Bill Dundee in Dallas, Texas to win the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title
1993 – In an angle to make Lex Luger an All American babyface, Lex Luger arrived via helicopter on the deck of the U.S.S Intrepid in New York City and bodyslammed WWF champion Yokozuna.
2013 – Chris Sabin defeated Manic and Austin Aires to win the TNA X Division Title.
2015 – Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens to win the NXT Title.