Deep South Heavyweight Championship

Last updated
Deep South Heavyweight Championship
Details
Promotion Deep South Wrestling
Date establishedFebruary 12, 1986
Current championJacob Johnson
Date wonJuly 27, 2024
Statistics
First champion Tommy Rich
Most reigns Bradley Jay and Assassin #1 (3 reigns)
Longest reign Randy Rose (341 days)
Shortest reign Roughhouse O'Reilly and Bradley Jay (7 days)

The Deep South Heavyweight Championship was the primary championship in Deep South Wrestling, a former developmental territory of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) between 2005 and 2007. When the title was first introduced, it was awarded to Tommy Rich, who won a tournament to determine the inaugural champion. The final champion of its first run was The Assassin, who vacated the title due to injury and folded the promotion in October 1988.

Contents

In 2005, after seventeen years of inactivity, Deep South Wrestling was revived as a developmental territory for WWE and revived the championship. It was awarded to Mike Mizanin, who won a tournament to become champion. [1] The title was vacated on April 18, 2007, when WWE ceased using DSW as a developmental territory. [1] [2] On July 12, 2007, a tournament was held to crown a new champion, which was won by Austin Creed. [1] In October 2007, DSW closed down a second time. In March 2023, Nick Patrick revealed a brand-new Deep South Heavyweight Championship belt. On August 18, 2023, it was announced that a new champion will be determined in an eight-man tournament on September 9, 2023 in Atlanta.

Tournaments

WWE Developmental years

November 23 – December 1, 2005

The title was first awarded to the winner of an 8-Man Single Elimination Tournament, held over a 2-week period, with the first-round matches being held November 23, 2005, and the semi-final and final matches on December 1.

First Round Semifinals Final
         
Mike Mizanin
Eric Pérez
Mike Mizanin
Kid Kash†
Mac Daddy Johnson
"Silverback" Ryan Reeves
Mike Mizanin
Mike Knox
Mike Knox
Mike Taylor
Mike Knox
Tony Santorelli
Tony Santorelli
Palmer Cannon

Post-WWE

July 12, 2007

The title was "held-up" after the agreement between WWE and DSW ended in March 2007, and another tournament was held in on July 12 to crown the new champion.

First Round Semifinals Final
         
Austin Creed
Simon Sermon
Austin Creed
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
Salvatore Rinauro†
Austin Creed
Murder One
Murder One
J-Rod
Murder One
Rick Michaels
Rick Michaels
Pretty Boy Floyd

↑Alexander the Great defeated Salvatore Rinauro by Coin Toss

September 9, 2023

After nearly 16 years of inactivity, a tournament to determine a new champion took place on September 9, 2023. Lamar Diggs was the wild card entrant.

First Round Semifinals Final
         
Najasism
Chad Skywalker
Najasism
Skrilla the Great
Skrilla the Great
Shoot Taylor
Skrilla the Great
Jacob Johnson
Lamar Diggs
Tyson Maddux
Lamar Diggs
Jacob Johnson
Jacob Johnson
Tyler the Wall

Title history

Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
<1Reign lasted less than a day
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDays
1 Tommy Rich February 12, 1986N/A Marietta, Georgia 1142Wins tournament to become the first champion
2 Flame July 4, 1986N/A Albany, Georgia 183
3 Mr. Wrestling II September 25, 1986N/A Carrollton, Georgia 145
4 Flame November 9, 1986N/A Athens, Georgia 277
5 Ranger Ross January 25, 1987N/A Athens, Georgia 135
6 Botswana Beast March 1, 1987N/A Rome, Georgia 187
7 Tommy Rich May 27, 1987N/A Marietta, Georgia 235
8 Randy Rose July 1, 1987N/A Columbia County, Georgia 1341
9 Assassin #1 June 6, 1988N/A Atlanta, Georgia 3134Formerly known as Flame
— Vacated October 18, 1988————Promotion closed
10 Mike Mizanin December 1, 2005DSW McDonough, Georgia 121Defeated Mike Knox in a tournament final when the promotion reopens as a talent developmental league of WWE [3] [4]
11 Derek Neikirk December 22, 2005DSW McDonough, Georgia 1182 [5]
12 Roughhouse O'Reilly June 22, 2006DSW McDonough, Georgia 177 [6]
13 Bradley Jay September 7, 2006DSW TV #21 McDonough, Georgia 1140 [7]
14 Vito January 25, 2007DSW TV #40 McDonough, Georgia 128Defeated Bradley Jay and Roughhouse O'Reilly in a three-way round robin match. [8]
15 Bradley Jay February 22, 2007DSW TV #43 McDonough, Georgia 27 [9]
16 Roughhouse O'Reilly March 1, 2007DSW TV #44 McDonough, Georgia 27 [10]
17 Bradley Jay March 8, 2007DSW TV #44 McDonough, Georgia 37 [11]
— Vacated March 15, 2007————Title held-up after a match with Roughhouse O'Reilly when the agreement between WWE and DSW ends.
18 Austin Creed July 12, 2007DSW Locust Grove, Georgia 191Defeated Murder One in tournament final. [12] [13]
— Vacated October 11, 2007————Promotion closed
19Skrilla the GreatSeptember 9, 2023DSW THE GRAND PRIX Atlanta, Georgia 142Defeated Jacob Johnson in a tournament final for the reactivated title.
20NajasismOctober 21, 2023DSW October Rust Atlanta, Georgia 156
21Skrilla the GreatDecember 16, 2023DSW FINAL CONFLICT Atlanta, Georgia 2224
22Jacob JohnsonJuly 27, 2024DSW NO ESCAPE Atlanta, Georgia 1294It was a Barbed wire steel cage match.

Combined reigns

RankWrestlerNo. of reignsCombined days
1 Randy Rose 1341
2Jacob Johnson1294
3 Flame/Assassin #1 3294
4Skrilla the Great2266
5 Derek Neikirk 1182
6 Tommy Rich 2177
7 Bradley Jay 3154
8 Austin Creed 191
9Botswana Beast187
10 Roughhouse O'Reilly 284
11Najasism156
12 Mr. Wrestling II 145
13 Ranger Ross 135
14 Vito 128
15 Mike Mizanin 121

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Deep South Wrestling Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  2. ↑ "WWE ends its relationship with Deep South Wrestling". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  3. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (November 30, 2005). "DSW Heavyweight Title Tournament (2005)". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  4. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (November 30, 2005). "Mike Mizanin defeated Mike Knox in a Tournament Final Match for the vacant Championship". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  5. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (December 22, 2005). "Derrick Neikirk defeated Mike Mizanin". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  6. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (June 22, 2006). "Roughhouse O'Reilly defeated Derrick Neikirk". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  7. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (September 7, 2006). "Bradley Jay defeated Roughhouse O'Reilly". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  8. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (January 25, 2007). "Vito defeated previous champion Bradley Jay and Roughhouse O'Reilly in a three-way round robin match". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  9. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (February 22, 2007). "Bradley Jay defeated Vito to become two-time champion". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  10. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 1, 2007). "Roughhouse O'Reilly defeated Bradley Jay to become two-time champion". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  11. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 8, 2007). "Bradley Jay defeated Roughhouse O'Reilly to become three-time champion". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  12. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 12, 2007). "DSW Heavyweight Title Tournament (2007)". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  13. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 12, 2007). "Austin Creed defeated Murder-1 in a Tournament Final Match for the vacant Championship". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
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