History Lesson: The Great American Bash
July 20th 2008 | Posted by Erin


THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH

With the Great American Bash taking place tonight, we’ve decided to take a look back at the past “Bash”es in the third edition of a feature we’d like to call “History Lesson”. Pay attention - there will be a quiz!

The Great American Bash was originally an NWA event, starting in 1985 and rumored to have been “invented” by ring legend Dusty Rhodes. In 1991, WCW took over the reigns and held the annual PPV until WWE bought the company. It wasn’t until 2004 that the WWE resurrected the summer event, keeping the familiar name and patriotic theme. Every year since, there has been a Diva match of some kind, ranging from Bra & Panties matches to tussles for the Women’s Championship. Needless to say, the Bash in never predictable..

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2004 - Sable vs. Torrie Wilson
Sable and Torrie were long-time rivals on SmackDown, and it was inevitable that the two would face off in an actual match after the long run of bikini contests and other more T&A-oriented affairs. Torrie, ever the patriotic one, donned a star-and-stripes attire and had the full force of the fans behind her as she took on her arch rival:

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2005 - Melina vs. Torrie Wilson - Bra & Panties match (Candice Michelle as referee)
Melina and Torrie had a short-lived feud in the summer of 2005, but it wasn’t without it’s own share of fireworks. Prima-donna Melina challenged Torrie to a match, and the SmackDown veteran upped the ante, making it a Bra & Panties match. Melina was not keen on the idea of possibly being “exposed”, but went ahead with it nevertheless. Candice, Torrie’s then-BFF, served as referee for the match, being pulled into the feud after Melina attacked her for seemingly no reason. For such a quick feud, the two seemed to have plenty of distate for one another, and with Candice tossed into the mix, this surely was not going to be a by-the-books matchup:

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2006 - Ashley Massaro vs. Jillian Hall vs. Kristal Marshall vs. Michelle McCool - Four-Way Bra & Panties match
Michelle and Kristal were snotty heels back in 2006, aligning themselves against the babyface duo of Jillian and Ashley in various matches and encounters. However, these allegiances meant nothing as the four went up against one another, every woman for herself, in a Bra & Panties match:

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2007 - Candice Michelle vs. Melina - Women’s Title match
Candice and Melina became fierce rivals pretty fast - Candice gained a series of upsets over Melina, angering the arrogant Diva and prompting her to put her Women’s Championship on the line against the less-experienced Candice. When Candice pulled out another upset, she walked off with Melina’s title. Melina was determined to win back her belt, coming in focused and most definitely angry in a long and surprisingly technical match against the popular new Women’s Champion, determined to not let yet another upset go down:

With only one Championship match in the Bash’s history, tonight’s Divas Championship match has the potential to knock the rest of them out of the water. Not only is it a history making match, being the first time the Champion is to be crowned, but it features two of the most promising Divas in the WWE, both with bright careers ahead of them. Honestly, I’m just glad that there’s not another Bra & Panties match this year. I’m definitely counting on this year’s Bash to upstage the others in a big way.

Now for that quiz I mentioned. Below, I’ve posed a question for you based on the required reading (er, viewing..) above. Take a crack at the question and check out the corresponding video to see if you were right!
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Categories: History Lesson, The Great American Bash    Tags: , , , , , , ,

14 comments

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  1. Mike on Jul 20, 2008, 4:24 am:

    I am looking forward to tomorrow’s match. Not sure if it’ll be the best as I cannot see WWE giving them more time then Candice and Melina last year, which has been the best match so far. I was shocked by last years as their Vengeance match was just passable and then they went on to put on a great performance at the Bash.

    The other matches were okay to decent. Torrie vs. Sable sucked for me. Melina vs. Torrie was nice. It had some nice buildup leading into it. The four way match I don’t think anyone cared for. It was okay, nothing special. Nice to see them include the divas though.

    As for tomorrow, I expect a good match. Unless one of them are worn out or don’t feel like doing much then it might stink, but I doubt we’ll see that. I see a 4 minute match TBH, nothing longer unless they do give the women a 7-9 minute match, which I just DO NOT see happening. I see a short but sweet match to crown a new champion. Whoever wins (please dear god make it Natalya), celebrates and we move one.

    The crowd won’t care for the match. That’s a given. The only pop I can see is if Natalya locks in her Sharpshooter and wins.

    But like I said, it should be good.

  2. pat on Jul 20, 2008, 4:36 am:

    Michelle McCool vs. Natalya Neidhart is going to be history in the making. Obviously the crowning of a new champion for a new title will be historic, but should Natalya win, this would mean a Canadian winning in the Great AMERICAN Bash. Also, not sure if this counts, but this would also mean if Michelle won, the first time a Diva Search Contestant has won the Divas Championship. Whoever wins, take a bow, because they are both WWE’s premiere Divas, and will be making history tonight.

  3. Mike on Jul 20, 2008, 4:45 am:

    The divas title isn’t the World Heavyweight title you know?

    McCool winning the title would of course mean she;s the first Diva Search girl to get it. Who else has had it? lol She isn’t the first Diva Search girl to get a title. Candice and I’m guessing no one else off the top of my head have had titles before her.

    I also hope this match is good because if they do good then maybe it’ll change WWE’s minds and start giving the ladies more PPV time. You like 2 matches,etc? Or is that stretch?

  4. Vassy on Jul 20, 2008, 5:41 am:

    Wrong Mike. They say Candice is the first Diva Search to held the Women’s Title but it isn’t her. It was indeed Melina because I remember seeing her in the 2004 Diva Search show where they were cutting people down to the final 10. They don’t say it’s Melina because it would of hurten her character.

  5. kristen on Jul 20, 2008, 6:11 am:

    Melina was never a diva search girl because she has been in the business longer then the dive search ever started vassy

  6. pat on Jul 20, 2008, 6:31 am:

    Melina was actually part of Tough Enough. Perhaps you’re thinking of MILENA Roucka?

  7. Jennifer on Jul 20, 2008, 7:02 am:

    Erin, you made a typo in the pop quiz. Instead of 2004, I think you meant 2005. =)

  8. Vassy on Jul 20, 2008, 8:09 am:

    Actually I’m not Pat. And Kristen, I know that. But she didn’t get though Tough Enough and Al Snow told her to keep trying and do whatever it takes to get into the WWE. So she try out for the Diva Search in 2004 than after that, she got sign a contract.

  9. Mike on Jul 20, 2008, 9:26 am:

    Melina wasn’t apart of the Diva Search. What do you think her whole feud with Candice was basically about? Women who entered the business without busting their ass, and that’s how most DS women got into the business.

  10. marco on Jul 20, 2008, 12:15 pm:

    hey guys you got the pop quiz question wrong
    in 2004 it was torrie vs sable not melina vs torrie i just wanted to point that out

    but anyways tonights match is going to be good. I really can’t wait to see what chemistry Michelle and Natalya have in the ring.

  11. Erin on Jul 20, 2008, 3:18 pm:

    Oops.. Thank for pointing that out. I’ll change it. ;)

  12. Peter on Jul 20, 2008, 11:07 pm:

    Listen Vassy get your facts straight before you make your self look like a complete Dumbass!Melina WAS NEVER in the Diva Search!!!! She tried out for Tough Enough but she didn’t make it and Al Snow told her to keep trying! Then Melina would wrestler for WWE when they were on the West Coast and she even had a 5 Minute Match With Molly Holly!Tom Prichard a WWE Agent Liked Melina and she signed a Contract! Then she moved from Hesperia California to Louisville Kentucky for OVW and They Put Joey Mathews and John Hennigan with Melina as MNM for two years and made it to WWE on 2005!!!!

  13. CC on Jul 21, 2008, 5:57 am:

    Kristal & Michelle embarrassing Ashley at GAB 06 was fun and Melina looked SMOKIN at GAB 05.

  14. TERRELL on Jul 21, 2008, 2:26 pm:

    Last nights match made history-Michelle McCool first Divas champ. and first diva search contestant to win it,
    last year at N.O.C. Candice became first diva search contestant to win Womens champ.

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