Tag: WCW

Title Changes On This Day in Wrestling (June 5th)

Posted on by Jake Skudder

According to wrestlingdata.com, a total of 190 title changes have taken place on this date across promotions around the world. Here is a look at some of the bigger championship changes tied to June 5th:

Title changes on June 5th

YearChampionshipNew champion(s)
1975Mexican National Lightweight TitleTauro
1989All Asia Tag Team TitlesDan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
1990All Asia Tag Team TitlesAkira Taue & Shin’ichi Nakano
1990AJPW Unified Triple Crown Heavyweight TitleTerry Gordy
1995CMLL World Mini-Estrellas TitleFili Estrella
1998Mexican National Minis TitleMini Abismo Negro
1998IWGP Tag Team TitlesHiroyoshi Tenzan & Masahiro Chono
2000WCW Hardcore TitleEric Bischoff
2001WWF World Light Heavyweight TitleJeff Hardy
2003WWE Cruiserweight TitleRey Mysterio
2004IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team TitlesGedo & Jado
2004IWGP Heavyweight TitleKazuyuki Fujita
2005GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team TitlesTakashi Sugiura & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
2019IWGP United States Heavyweight TitleJon Moxley

Early title changes (1975-1990)

The earliest June 5th entry comes from 1975, when Tauro captured the Mexican National Lightweight Title. The All Asia Tag Team Titles changed hands on this date in back-to-back years, first to Dan Kroffat and Doug Furnas in 1989, then to Akira Taue and Shin’ichi Nakano in 1990. Terry Gordy also won the AJPW Unified Triple Crown Heavyweight Title in ’90.

Lucha libre and Japan (1995-1998)

Fili Estrella won the CMLL World Mini-Estrellas Title in 1995, and Mini Abismo Negro claimed the Mexican National Minis Title in 1998. Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Masahiro Chono teamed up to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles in New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the same year.

The 2000s: hardcore, cruiserweights, and IWGP gold

In 2000, Eric Bischoff won the WCW Hardcore Title. Jeff Hardy won the WWF World Light Heavyweight Title in 2001, and Rey Mysterio captured the WWE Cruiserweight Title in 2003.

New Japan had two title changes in 2004: Gedo and Jado won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles, while Kazuyuki Fujita claimed the IWGP Heavyweight Title.

Recent title changes (2005-2019)

In 2005, Takashi Sugiura and Yoshinobu Kanemaru won the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles in Pro Wrestling NOAH. The most recent entry came in 2019, when Jon Moxley captured the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title.

Title Changes On This Day in Wrestling (June 3rd): NWA, WCW, WWE, GHC and more

Posted on by Jake Skudder

According to wrestlingdata.com, a total of 287 title changes have taken place on this date across promotions around the world. Here are some of the most important championship moments tied to June 3rd.

Title changes on June 3rd

YearChampionshipNew champion(s)
1965All Asia Tag Team TitlesBilly Red Lyons & The Destroyer
1971WWWF World Tag Team TitlesCrazy Luke Graham & Tarzan Tyler
1983Mexican National Middleweight TitleVacant
1983NWA World Middleweight TitleLizmark
1991WCW World 6-Man Tag Team TitlesBadstreet, Jimmy Garvin & Michael Hayes
1991WCW World Television TitleSteve Austin
2002WWE Hardcore TitleBradshaw
2006ROH Top of the Class TrophyShane Hagadorn
2007ECW World TitleBobby Lashley
2011AJPW World Junior Heavyweight TitleVacant
2011AJPW World Tag Team TitlesVacant
2018AAA Mega TitleJeff Jarrett
2019WWE United States TitleSamoa Joe
2025GHC Heavyweight Tag Team TitlesDaiki Inaba & Manabu Soya

Early title changes (1965-1983)

Billy Red Lyons and The Destroyer captured the All Asia Tag Team Titles in 1965. Six years later, in 1971, Crazy Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler claimed the WWWF World Tag Team Titles.

The Mexican National Middleweight Title was declared vacant, while the NWA World Middleweight Title went to Lizmark.

1991 in WCW

WCW Main Event 1991 took place on this day, seeing Badstreet, Jimmy Garvin, and Michael Hayes win the WCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles. Steve Austin also captured the WCW World Television Title at the same show, years before he reinvented himself as “Stone Cold” and became one of the biggest stars the business has ever produced.

The 2000s: hardcore, ROH, and ECW

In 2002, Bradshaw added the WWE Hardcore Title to his résumé. Shane Hagadorn also won the ROH Top of the Class Trophy in 2026. Bobby Lashley also captured the ECW World Title in 2027

Recent title changes (2011–2025)

All Japan Pro Wrestling saw two of its championships vacated on June 3rd, 2011: the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Title and the AJPW World Tag Team Titles.

In 2018, Jeff Jarrett won the AAA Mega Title in Mexico. In 2019, Samoa Joe claimed the WWE United States Title. In 2025, Daiki Inaba and Manabu Soya teamed to win the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Titles in Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Ted Turner is a surefire WON Hall Of Fame contender | Opinion

Posted on by Bryan Rose

It’s about time Billionaire Ted gets his due.

With Ted Turner’s passing on Wednesday at the age of 87, it is only natural to think about his contributions to pro wrestling and his qualifications for the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. To me, it’s astonishing he isn’t already in considering he’s been on the ballot for a number of years. In 2025 he did well, earning 55% but ultimately falling short of the 60% required to be inducted. Considering the bump some candidates get after their passing, Turner shouldn’t have any problem reaching that percentage this year.

Still, when thinking about Turner’s contributions, he should have been in years ago. I have voted for him consistently in the past and was always bummed to see he hadn’t made the list. After all, he was the one that brought pro wrestling to cable television, something he would go on to dominate in the 1970s and 80s. Adding Georgia Championship Wrestling to what would eventually become TBS gave pro wrestling a new home after being shunned by major television networks.

After Vince McMahon’s attempt to take over TBS’ coveted World Championship Wrestling timeslot failed in 1985, Jim Crockett Promotions took over, bringing back wrestling for fans who didn’t enjoy the cartoonish antics of the WWF. But by 1988, JCP was struggling and time was running out to save the last major wrestling promotion in the United States that wasn’t owned or bought out by Vince McMahon. Turner opted to buy the struggling promotion, keeping wrestling on TBS and paving the way for World Championship Wrestling.

Although Turner saved WCW, many within his media empire didn’t want anything to do with pro wrestling, and didn’t see why Turner chose to save something that struggled business-wise. There were many times when he could have listened to those voices and pulled the plug. But he didn’t, and with the arrival of Hulk Hogan and other former WWF stars in 1994, business began to boom and by the time the nWo angle kicked off a few years later professional wrestling catapulted itself into a new era of cable dominance.

None of that would have been possible without Ted Turner’s resolve to keep pro wrestling on his television networks. It wasn’t until 2001 that he no longer had the ability to shield WCW from corporate interests, and the company’s dismal track record in its final years ultimately sealed its fate. But the company’s enormous success years prior wouldn’t have been possible without Turner.

Granted, his true hands-on involvement with pro wrestling is a blip compared to the rest of the media empire he built which includes of TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, and so on. But the choices he made not only gave professional wrestling a national cable platform, but also prevented it from becoming a monopoly. If he hadn’t bought JCP, Vince McMahon may have gotten full control of the industry.

Ted Turner’s involvement with pro wrestling gave it a new home on television, helped it become a cable juggernaut, and most importantly provided an alternative for both fans and wrestlers. For those reasons, he’s a no-brainer for the Hall of Fame.

Eric Bischoff claims WCW pushing WWF is the only reason WWE or AEW exists today

Posted on by Jake Skudder

Former WCW President Eric Bischoff recently made an extremely bold claim regarding WWE and AEW, saying that if WCW had not forced the-then WWF to go live on television and change their programming to suit the 18-49 demographic in the mid to late 90s, that neither company would exist today.

Ted Turner passed away this week, so there is a lot of talk online about his legacy in pro wrestling and how him giving WCW the chance to go head to head with WWF RAW started the Monday Night Wars and fundamentally changed pro wrestling forever. Bischoff was a major part of that, spearheading World Championship Wrestling into the Nitro era and changing how pro wrestling television would be presented every week, for one, forcing the WWF to start going live rather than some weeks pre-taped on Monday nights.

Eric Bischoff on WCW vs WWF, WWE and AEW

Speaking on a live episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff would discuss the importance of WCW pushing WWF to the limit in the late 90s and why he feels neither WWE or AEW would exist today without WWF having to pivot to combat what World Championship Wrestling was doing in the mid to late 90s.

“Those two decisions [by the WWF], going live and pushing for 18 to 49 [because of Nitro winning] are the only reason that WWE exists today. It’s the only reason that AEW is on a Turner Network today. Had Vince not had WCW curbstomping him for 83 straight weeks, really over a period of two years consistently, they would not exist. He [Vince McMahon] came out and said, ‘OK, we’re not going to do this anymore. We’re not going to insult our audience’s intelligence.’ That was how the Attitude Era was born.

“WWE is now live weekly, that’s one big pivot, the other one was going after the 18 to 49 year old audience with the over the top approach that he [Vince] took to it [in the late 90s], which obviously worked. Those two things are the only reasons WWE exists today.”

Bischoff would end with “I can’t wait for somebody to argue with me about it,” so he’s clearly aware of how this take could be perceived online.

WOR: Ted Turner life and times, Q&A, Dynamite, more!

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the life and times of Ted Turner and what he meant to the wrestling business, your mailbag questions on his life, AEW Dynamite notes plus line-ups for the next two shows, FantasticaMania, ratings and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!

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Eric Bischoff remembers Ted Turner: ‘He changed my life’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

If it wasn’t for Ted Turner, Eric Bischoff doesn’t know what a huge portion of his life would have looked like.

Bischoff made an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show today following the news that Turner has passed away at 87 years old. Reflecting on the time where Turner was his boss in WCW, Bischoff credited the business mogul for being a visionary who allowed so many people to live their dreams.

“He was indeed a great guy. I don’t want to make it sound — because I wasn’t close to Ted, we didn’t go out and have steak dinner together or anything like that. But I did have a chance through working with him to get to know who he was and watching how he operated,” Bischoff said. “Look, he changed my life. He changed the lives of my children. None of us would be where we are today — I would not be involved with Real American Freestyle were it not for the opportunities that Ted Turner provided to me. And I’m just one guy. Think about all of the people that worked at Turner Broadcasting. The thousands of people who, just like me, got opportunities and got to grow and got to pursue their careers because of the entrepreneurial, groundbreaking vision that Ted Turner had when it came to the media landscape. He was the media version of Elon Musk in his time.”

Bischoff said Turner had a great rapport with employees. Despite his wealth, Turner drove a Ford Escort and was happy to interact with everyone, not just other executives.

When it comes to wrestling, Bischoff said Turner was “absolutely hands-off” and did not interfere in what was going on at WCW. But Turner would always call Bischoff when the weekly ratings came out and was especially animated when WCW was beating WWE.

Bischoff believes Turner was drawn to wrestling programming because of how inexpensive it was, and it also fit into how Turner viewed America. Bischoff described WCW, The Andy Griffith Show, and Atlanta Braves baseball games as being the three pillars that allowed Turner Broadcasting to grow into what it ultimately became.

“It fit into that middle America mentality and relationship that Ted had,” Bischoff said. “He grew up in the South. He knew that there were a lot of people that just culturally loved pro wrestling. Just like they loved Andy in Mayberry and they loved the Atlanta Braves. And those three programs really became the pillars, if you go back and look at it, at the Superstation that went on to become Turner Network Television.”

Describing his former boss as a “fighter,” Bischoff said Turner enjoyed the “Billionaire Ted” parodies that WWE aired in the 1990s. Turner saw the skits as evidence of how much he was getting under Vince McMahon’s skin.

Turner’s death comes nearly eight years after he disclosed his battle with Lewy body dementia. When asked how Turner should be remembered by wrestling fans, Bischoff said he hopes people appreciate Turner as one of the great media moguls and entrepreneurs of our time.

Dave Meltzer in 2018: Ted Turner ‘changed the face and history’ of wrestling

Posted on by Ian Carey

If it hadn’t been for Ted Turner, wrestling today would look very different.

Turner’s passing at 87 years old was announced on Wednesday.

In 2018, Turner revealed during an interview with CBS that he was living with Lewy body dementia, a condition similar to Alzheimer’s. This prompted our own Dave Meltzer to write about Turner’s impact on the wrestling industry in the October 8, 2018 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, available in our archives for subscribers.

Dave Meltzer on Ted Turner’s impact on pro wrestling history

Meltzer wrote:

“Turner is obviously a key figure in the shaping of pro wrestling history, and easily the second or third most important player in the U.S. over the past 50 years.

While from a hands-on perspective he did little, but from a big picture perspective, his decisions changed the face and history of the industry more than all but one person, Vince McMahon, in the U.S. in the last 50 years.”

In the article, Meltzer traced Turner’s wrestling influence back to 1972, when his Atlanta station WTCG picked up Georgia Championship Wrestling, through the infamous “Black Saturday” in 1984 and his purchase of Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988.

Dave Meltzer on Ted Turner keeping WCW alive

One of Turner’s greatest contributions to wrestling was his refusal to listen to executives in his company who were concerned with the financial losses the former JCP was incurring. Turner said that wrestling helped build his network, that the industry was cyclical, and that he didn’t want people bringing up the idea of closing WCW down again.

Meltzer wrote:

“There were times between 1989 and 1994 when the Turner executives would note the wrestling losses and want to close down the company. At one such meeting, where basically everyone of the key execs underneath were I agreement to shut down the wrestling company due to losses, Turner, at a meeting pointed out that wrestling has been a key part of TBS, had built the station, that it was a cyclical business and to never bring up closing down the company again.“

After the Time Warner and AOL mergers, however, Turner lacked the ability to save WCW.

Meltzer continued:

“As the years went on, with a Time Warner merger and an AOL merger, Turner lost power and, that, combined with the $62 million in losses in 2000 and nosediving popularity, he could no longer save the company that had gone off the rails.”

The full edition of the October 8, 2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter is available in our archives for subscribers.

Former WCW boss Ted Turner passes away at 87

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ted Turner, the business icon who helped shape American media as we know it, has passed away at 87 years old.

His death was announced on Wednesday via a news release from Turner Enterprises. CNN, which Turner founded, credited him for being a media maverick and philanthropist who revolutionized television news by introducing the 24-hour cable channel.

Turner is also one of the most important figures in professional wrestling history. He first aired wrestling on TV in Atlanta in the early 1970s, with Turner later purchasing Jim Crockett Promotions and bringing it under the Turner Broadcasting umbrella. Turner was always credited for seeing the value in wrestling programming while other media executives were prone to writing it off. While largely hands-off on the actual product, he allowed WCW to grow on TBS/TNT to a point where it overtook WWE for a period of time during the Monday Night Wars. WCW remained on those stations until 2001, when the promotion closed its doors amid the ill-fated AOL/Time Warner merger. Turner was no longer the head of Turner Broadcasting at that time.

During the 1990s, Turner was frequently mentioned on WWE television with Vince McMahon choosing to portray himself as the underdog going against one of the most well-known businessmen in the world in Turner. WWE aired “Billionaire Ted” skits where a parody of Turner did not know anything about “rasslin” and just wanted to rip off WWE and push aging former stars like Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.

Pro wrestling on TBS/TNT is a tradition that was revived in 2019 with AEW launching its weekly programming.

Turner’s death comes nearly eight years after he disclosed that he was battling Lewy body dementia, which causes a progressive decline in mental abilities. It is the most common form of dementia aside from Alzheimer’s disease.

WOL: RAW, WWE contract restructurings, Luke Owen talks 2001!

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm is back with tons to talk about including Chelsea Green’s heart procedure, RAW from Monday Night, WWE and their contract restructurings, plus Luke Owen joins us to talk a very pivotal year in pro-wrestling history, 2001! A fun show as always so check it out~!

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WCW wrestler Van Hammer passes away at 66

Posted on by Ian Carey

Mark Hildreth, better known to wrestling fans as Van Hammer, has passed away.

News of his passing was shared by Marc Mero on Sunday, who noted that they are still awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death. He was 66 years old.

Mero wrote:

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of our dear friend, Mark Hildreth, known to so many as Van Hammer. At this time, we are still awaiting answers regarding the cause, pending an autopsy. Mark was a fighter in every sense of the word. Life threw its share of challenges his way, but he had a resilience about him… he always found a way to rise, to push forward, to keep going.

I have so many incredible memories with him that I’ll carry forever. We first met while he was vacationing in Venice, Florida, working out at a local gym. Not long after, I got the call from Dusty Rhodes to come to his office the next day. Mark didn’t hesitate, he drove me eight hours so I could sign my very first contract with World Championship Wrestling. That’s the kind of person he was loyal, selfless, and always there when it mattered most.

We went through wrestling school together, chased the same dream, and before long, he earned his own contract. We even lived together in Atlanta, training, grinding, and building a life around the passion we both shared. We were also chosen to help promote WCW for the United Kingdom Tour, doing countless personal appearances, television spots, and even promotional work alongside Gladys Knight. Those were unforgettable moments… times I’ll never forget.

My heart goes out to his family, his friends, and the fans who supported him throughout his journey. Rest easy, my friend. You will always be remembered.”

A former member of the United States Navy, Van Hammer was trained by Boris Malenko in the early 1990s.

He wrestled under the “Heavy Metal” Van Hammer gimmick in WCW, later dropping the more over the top parts of the character by the mid-90s. In late 1997, he was added to Raven’s Flock. After the breakup of the stable, he adopted more of a hippie-type gimmick, and in 2000, he joined the Misfits in Action faction under the name Major Stash.

Following the closure of WCW, he wrestled for Maryland Championship Wrestling and toured with Big Japan Pro Wrestling in the fall of 2001.

People from around the wrestling world have been paying tribute to Van Hammer online. Some of their social media posts are below.

WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg announces new business venture

Posted on by Vincent Verhei

Wrestling fans haven’t seen much of Bill Goldberg since he lost his retirement match to Gunther last July. Now, after spending so many years keeping fans entertained, he’s looking to keep them safe. 

Patriot Tactical, a company that manufactures knives and other self-defense gear, announced via press release that Goldberg has joined their organization as a partner and chief executive officer. 

“Goldberg’s leadership now marks a bold new chapter for Patriot Tactical—a brand built on resilience, responsibility, and relentless execution,” the press release states. “Under his direction, Patriot Tactical will expand its mission to equip Americans not only with elite tactical gear, but with the mindset and community required to live stronger, safer, and more prepared lives.”

“For me, this isn’t about putting my name on a brand,” said Goldberg in the release. “It’s about building something that stands for strength, discipline, and protecting what matters most. Patriot Tactical is about empowering people—physically, mentally, and strategically. We’re creating a movement.”

One of the biggest stars of the Monday Night Wars in the late 1990s, Goldberg is a former WCW World Champion, WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and WWE Universal Champion, among various other titles. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. His last match was on Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 12, 2025, in an unsuccessful challenge for Gunther’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship. 

Buff Bagwell still hoping for one more match after leg amputation

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Having one more match remains a goal for Buff Bagwell six months into his post-amputation life.

The former WCW star underwent a right leg amputation last July due to injuries stemming from a 2020 car accident. While losing a leg is devastating, the operation has improved Bagwell’s quality of life. He was miserable for years prior to the amputation because not having the ability to bend his knee made everything so difficult.

After his amputation, Bagwell stated that one of his goals was to get back into the ring for at least one more match. That is still something Bagwell wants to cross off his bucket list, but he isn’t going to force it. He’ll only wrestle again if he’s able to do so in a way that does not look “ugly.”

“I know I could wrestle again — another match or two,” Bagwell said on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. “But if I can’t do it where it’s [not] ugly, I’m not going to do it. And I’m not sure that’s possible. I don’t want it to be ugly. If it’s ugly at all, I’m not going to do it.”

One of the biggest hurdles for Bagwell would be climbing the steps to get into the ring. There’s no way for him to make that look good even with his $135,000 prosthetic leg. Still, Bagwell does hope to have another match and is going to start exploring the possibility in the next couple of months.

“That will be the first thing you got to conquer, is getting in, or sliding in and getting up fast. But again, if I can’t do those things without them being [ugly], I’m not going to do it. But I think I can. I think I can do it where it’s not ugly,” Bagwell said. “I just don’t know yet. So we’re definitely going to, in the next couple of months, I’m going to get in the ring and just see what I can do. But I really do think no matter what, I will do one match just because that’s one of my goals.”

Because Bagwell’s amputation was above the knee, he is more limited than he would have been otherwise. His prosthetic leg is unable to move in the same way that a human knee would.

Bagwell is now more than three years and five months sober. Through that sobriety journey, he feels like he’s found himself again and is back to being a good person. He credits his faith and his wife Stacy for making that transformation possible.

The 56-year-old Bagwell is planning a documentary titled “Still Buff” focused on his amputation recovery. He’s also documented his journey through videos on his YouTube channel. The latest milestone that Bagwell hit was being able to walk without the assistance of a cane.

Raven reflects on working with Goldberg: ‘I was the first good match he had’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

When Raven looks back on his career, one of his proudest moments is the United States title match he had with Goldberg in 1998.

Goldberg won his first pro wrestling title when he defeated Raven for the United States Championship on the April 20, 1998 episode of WCW Nitro. Raven remembers it as a “really good” match and the first good match that Goldberg ever had.

“Goldberg match, just because Goldberg had never had a good match before that,” Raven responded on Insight with Chris Van Vliet when asked about his proudest wrestling moments.

“And it’s one of his, I don’t know, Goldberg might have had good matches in this run he’s had recently. I don’t know, I haven’t watched any of it, as I said. But back in the day, I was the first good match he had. And the first really good match, let alone good match. I was really proud of that, that I was able to get that out of him.”

Goldberg made his pro wrestling debut in 1997 and went on to become one of the biggest stars in the industry. He retired from the ring last year in a loss to Gunther at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Along with the Goldberg bout, Raven named an ECW match against Terry Gordy and WWE match against Rhyno as some of his favorites. In the Gordy match, Raven feels like he was able to bring the old Gordy back one last time after Gordy had suffered from brain damage. Raven said he considers the Backlash 2001 bout against Rhyno the best hardcore match in history up to that point.

“Nevermore: The Raven Effect” — a documentary on Raven — is now available. Real name Scott Levy, the 61-year-old Raven is believed to be suffering from early onset Parkinson’s disease. He describes his overall health as good, though he has a sleep disorder that he attributes to his years of drug abuse and taking chair shots to the head. He is now sober and told Insight that he’s embarrassed by his past drug use.

DragonKingKarl: A look back at AAA’s When Worlds Collide from 1994

Posted on by Karl Stern

Image: WWE

In 1994, the train wreck that was WCW somehow managed to co-produce one of the best PPVs of all-time.

In association with Mexico’s AAA promotion, When Worlds Collide featured not a single bad match. It featured multiple classic clashes including Eddy Guerrero and Art Barr taking on El Hijo del Santo and Octagon.

On a new DragonKingKarl Show, let’s revisit this show through the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and remember one of the greatest shows of the era.

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