Reclaiming the Glory

Last updated
Reclaiming the Glory
Reclaiming the Glory.jpg
Logo for the tournament
Promotion National Wrestling Alliance
DateJune 2, 2007 – September 1, 2007
City(see below)

Reclaiming the Glory [1] was a professional wrestling tournament held between June 2, 2007 and September 1, 2007. Promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance, the tournament was the result of the dissolution of the licensing agreement between the NWA and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. [2] The tournament included 16 international wrestlers fighting to become the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion. [3]

Contents

The Tournament

Background

On May 13, 2007 NWA Executive Director Bob Trobich announced that the NWA was severing all ties with TNA Wrestling leaving the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Tag Team Championship vacant. Shortly after this, the Reclaiming the Glory tournament was announced to crown a new NWA Worlds Champion. 16 Men were chosen to compete in the tournament with matches taking place throughout the National Wrestling Alliance’s members and affiliates as well as selected matches in non-affiliated groups Chikara, New England Championship Wrestling and IWA Puerto Rico.

Lou Thesz Bracket

First Round Quarterfinals
      
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Glamour Boy Shane
Flag of the United States.svg Fred Sampson
Flag of the United States.svg Fred Sampson
Flag of the United States.svg Brent Albright
Flag of the United States.svg Brent Albright
Flag of Japan.svg Osamu Nishimura

Round One

Quarterfinals

Terry Funk Bracket

First Round Quarterfinals
      
Flag of the United States.svg Pepper Parks
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Claudio Castagnoli
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Claudio Castagnoli
Flag of Mexico.svg Sicodelico, Jr.
Flag of Mexico.svg Sicodelico, Jr.
Flag of the United States.svg Roughneck Ryan

Round One

Quarterfinals

Jack Brisco Bracket

First Round Quarterfinals
      
Flag of the United States.svg Bryan Danielson
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Nelson Creed
Flag of the United States.svg Bryan Danielson
Flag of Ireland.svg Fergal Devitt
Flag of Ireland.svg Fergal Devitt
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mikey Nicholls

First Round

Quarterfinals

Harley Race Bracket

First Round Quarterfinals
      
Flag of the United States.svg Damian Wayne
Flag of the United States.svg Chad Parham
Flag of the United States.svg Chad Parham
Flag of the United States.svg Adam Pearce
Flag of the United States.svg Adam Pearce
Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Aguilera

Round One

Quarterfinals

The Final Four

Semi-Finals Finals
      
Flag of the United States.svg Brent Albright W
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Claudio Castagnoli
Flag of the United States.svg Brent Albright
Flag of the United States.svg Adam Pearce 1 W
Flag of the United States.svg Bryan Danielson W
Flag of the United States.svg Adam Pearce

1. ^ Adam Pearce took the place of Bryan Danielson (see below)

Semi-Finals

Finals

NOTE: A week prior to the finals of the tournament, finalist Bryan Danielson suffered a fractured orbital bone in a match with Japanese fighter Takeshi Morishima. As a result, Adam Pearce was reinserted into the tournament and took Danielson’s place in the finals. Danielson, wearing a protective eye patch, did have a hand in the match as the special enforcer to prevent interference from Pearce’s manager C. Edward Vander Pyle. When the assigned referee was knocked unconscious during the match, Danielson took over and counted the pinfall.

Aftermath

Despite the controversial victory, Pearce would go on to a lengthy and successful eleven-month reign as champion before finally losing the title to Brent Albright on August 2, 2008 in New York City. Due to scheduling conflicts, Bryan Danielson never received his shot at the championship.

In the years following the tournament, many of the participants were signed to successful careers in WWE. Claudio Castagnoli became Cesaro, Fred Sampson as Darren Young, Fergal Devitt as Finn Balor, and Bryan Danielson as Daniel Bryan. Adam Pearce was also signed as a trainer.

See also

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