Today in history: May 26 in wrestling

Discover what happened A day like today in The history of wrestling: epic combat, debuts memorables, titles won, key facts And much more.

May 26 in …

WWE

1979: Ashley Massaro (Ashley Marie Massaro) is born in Babylon, New York (United States).

1987: In a notorious incident outside WWE, The Iron Sheik and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan are arrested while driving in New Jersey due to suspicion of drug possession and driving under the influence of alcohol. Both are news in all media in the United States. As a result, the two fighters are fired. Although in the following they will return.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan & The Iron Sheik may have played bitter rivals on TV, but behind-the-scenes, they were actually great friends who would travel together and on this day in 1987 were arrested by New Jersey State Police..picked up by TV 📺 & Newspaper 📰 shook the wrestling world pic.twitter.com/Fj6hsEOAHV

— Ultimate Wrestling Trivia (@UltWresTrivia) May 27, 2024

1994: Trick Williams.

1996: WWF in Your House 8 is celebrated: Beware of Dog, where The Smoking Gunns (Bart Gunn and Billy Gunn) beat The Godwinns (Henry O. Godwinn and Phineas I. Godwinn) to win the couples championship for the third and last time. The event loses energy in the building due to a thunderstorm, which causes chaos in the live broadcast of the PPV. The spectators at home do not see most of the event until electricity is restored just before the main combat. Two nights later, WWE repeats the event as compensation for both the attendees live and for the PPV public.

Silver Vision presents WWF In Your House 8: Beware of Dog on video cassette! 🏡📼 #WWF #WWE #Wrestling #InYourHouse pic.twitter.com/8DgE4DKcnm

— WWF Wrestling (@WWFWrestling1) May 27, 2024

1997: At WWF Raw Is War, Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin defeat Owen Hart and The British Bulldog to win the Couples Championship. In the same show, Brian Pillman and D'A lo Brown make their debut, the first falling defeat with Jim Neidhart at the hands of The Legion of Doom, and the second defeating Bob Holly.

2006: During an episode of Friday Night Smackdown, Bobby Lashley wins the first title of his career by destroying John “Bradshaw” Layfield as the United States champion.

CMLL

1990: In the Arena Puebla in Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza (Mexico), Pierroth Jr. and Wild Beast dethrone Atlantis and Ángel Azteca as National Couples Champions.

#Enundo as But from 1990, Pierroth Jr. and the wild beast became new national couples champions after dethroning the Angel Azteca and Atlantis after a great battle in the Arena Puebla. Great couple! pic.twitter.com/trlJw6RCRs

– Wrestling and already (@luchalibreyya) May 26, 2024

2009: Ephesus (Ringa del Ring) becomes the new world champion of semi -filled weight CMLL when King Buarno is injured.

2023: Sovereign Jr. wins the Jr. VIP Cup defeating Red Dragon Jr. in the final.

AAA

2013: The legend of Mexican wrestling Héctor Garza dies at the age of 43 in Monterrey, Nuevo León (Mexico).

2017: During a televised wrestling program AAA Worldwide, two titular changes are given. The Messiah and Pagan defeats the sect (Cuervo and Scotland) to win the AAA and Mini Psycho Clown World Championship defeats the World Championship of Minis AAA.

AEW

2024: All Elite Wrestling celebrates the PPV Double or Nothing. Will Ospreay defeats Roderick Strong and wins his first title in the company and for the first time the international championship. Mercedes Moné also expires Willow Nightingale and gets his first belt in the company, the TBS Championship. In the main fight, The Elite defeats Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin and FTR.

TNA

1987: Steve Maclin (Steven Kupryk) is born in Rutherford, New Jersey (United States).

Several

1982: «Dr. Death »Steve Williams begins his wrestling career. Billy Starr expires on a MID-South Wrestling television show.

Mitsuharu Misawa x “Dr. Death” Steve Williams. Legendary clash. (7.28.1994) 🌟
pic.twitter.com/qeFRWytie7

— Vintage Puroresu Pro Wrestling (@vintagepuro) May 25, 2025

2019: Ricky Smokes debuts as a fighter. Under the name of Ricky Archer, he participates in the Rumble For Tomorrow X combat in the What X promoter Wrestling Has to Tomorrow.