By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

On this patriotic day in the U.S., we're looking back at fun facts, good memories, and not so good memories from the Great American Bash PPVs 10 and 20 years ago. (Reserve the bad memories for ten years ago.)

GAB 1989 took place on July 23, 1989 featuring Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk for the NWA World Title. 1989 + Flair typically brings up memories of the amazing three-match series between Flair and Ricky Steamboat.

In the middle of the series was a match between Flair and Funk at the GAB that followed Funk piledriving Flair through a table after Flair captured the NWA Title from Steamboat at Wrestle War '89.

That was the good from one of the all-time great PPVs. Ten years later, WCW featured one of the worst PPVs of all-time. The main event of Kevin Nash vs. Randy Savage for the WCW Title ended in a typical DQ finish when Savage's entourage of women attacked Nash. Earlier on the card, Sting was attacked by a pack of dogs. Not the Wolfpack, but actual, living, breathing dogs from Rick and Scott Steiner. Thanks, WCW.

Fun Facts

-- Sting, Rick Steiner, and Ric Flair are the only three wrestlers who wrestled on the '89 and '99 editions of the GAB.

Scott Steiner wrestled on the 1989 card, but he did not have an official match in 1999. He was simply the dog handler for Rick Steiner.

Sid Vicious won a King of the Hill Battle Royal with Dan Spivey on the 1989 card. In 1999, he did a run-in during the PPV main event.

-- Ric Flair defeated Terry Funk in the '89 PPV main event. He defeated Roddy Piper via DQ on the undercard ten years later.

-- Many wrestlers and managers pulled double-duty in the 1989 edition. Brian Pillman and Bill Irwin wrestled in the first and second matches. The Steiners wrestled in the first and fifth matches. Eddie Gilbert wrestled in the first match, then accompanied Sting for his TV Title match against Great Muta in the sixth match.

Sid Vicious & Dan Spivey won the first match, then beat the Dynamic Dudes (WWE VP Johnny Ace & Shane Douglas) in the third match. Terry Gordy wrestled in the first match and the semi-main event War Games match. Jim Cornette faced Paul Heyman in a Tuxedo match, then both men were managers in the War Games match.

In 1999, no one pulled double duty. Ten years later in 2009, Chris Jericho pulled double-duty when he lost the Intercontinental Title to Rey Mysterio, but won the Unified tag titles with Edge two matches later at The Bash PPV.

-- Sting was the WCW TV champion going into the 1989 Bash to face Great Muta. Sting retained the title, but the belt was held up after a "controversial finish." Ten years later at the 1999 GAB, Sting challenged Rick Steiner for the TV Title. Sting was attacked by dogs rather than green mist, cutting off his attempt at another TV Title.

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