| IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The championship belt | |||||||||||||
| Details | |||||||||||||
| Promotion | Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South | ||||||||||||
| Date established | January 6, 1996 | ||||||||||||
| Date retired | 2013 | ||||||||||||
| Other name(s) | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
The IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship is one of the major titles in the Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South. The title debuted as the Lightweight Title in 1996, evolving to the current weight class in 1998.
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Length: | Place: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Kickboxer | 1 | January 6, 1996 | 284 | New Albany, Indiana | Defeated El Perro to become the first Lightweight champion. |
| El Perro (Tarek The Great) | 1 | October 17, 1996 | 14 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| American Kickboxer | 2 | October 31, 1996 | <1-28 | Louisville, Kentucky | Won a mask vs. mask match against Perro, who unmasked as Tarek the Great. |
| Tarek the Great | 2 | 1996 | <1-28 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Wild Child | 1 | November 28, 1996 | 7 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Tarek the Great | 3 | December 5, 1996 | <1-77 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| American Kickboxer | 3 | Date Unknown | <1-77 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Tarek the Great | 4 | February 20, 1997 | 7 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| American Kickboxer | 4 | February 27, 1997 | 6 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Tarek the Great | 5 | March 5, 1997 | 1 | Campbellsville, Kentucky | |
| American Kickboxer | 5 | March 6, 1997 | 6 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Tarek the Great | 6 | March 12, 1997 | 1 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| American Kickboxer | 6 | March 13, 1997 | 14 | Louisville, Kentucky | Stripped on March 27, 1997. |
| Danny Dee | 1 | March 27, 1997 | 13 | Louisville, Kentucky | Defeated Tarek the Great; stripped on April 10, 1997. |
| Wild Child | 2 | April 10, 1997 | <1 | Louisville, Kentucky | Wins a 4-way match. |
| Bull Pain | 1 | April 10, 1997 | 35 | Louisville, Kentucky | Stripped on May 15, 1997 when Pain exceeded the weight limit. |
| American Kickboxer | 7 | May 15, 1997 | 21 | Louisville, Kentucky | Defeated J. C. Ice. |
| Tarek the Great | 7 | June 5, 1997 | 7 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Tyrin | 1 | June 12, 1997 | 14 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| J. C. Ice | 1 | June 26, 1997 | 7 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Tyrin | 2 | July 3, 1997 | 16 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| American Kickboxer | 8 | July 19, 1997 | 13 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Tarek the Great | 8 | August 1, 1997 | 34 | Louisville, Kentucky | Stripped on September 4, 1997. |
| Reckless Youth | 1 | September 4, 1997 | 65 | Louisville, Kentucky | Defeated The American Kickboxer; stripped on November 8, 1997. |
| American Kickboxer | 9 | November 8, 1997 | 19 | Lexington, Kentucky | Won a 3-way match. |
| Twiggy Ramirez | 1 | November 27, 1997 | 119 | Louisville, Kentucky | Stripped on March 26, 1998. |
| Tarek the Great | 9 | March 26, 1998 | 7 | Louisville, Kentucky | Defeated The American Kickboxer and The Suicide Kid in a 3-way match; stripped on April 2, 1998. |
| The Suicide Kid | 1 | April 2, 1998 | 1 | Louisville, Kentucky | Defeated The American Kickboxer. |
| Tarek the Great | 10 | April 3, 1998 | 27 | Scottsburg, Indiana | |
| Tyrin | 3 | April 30, 1998 | <1 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Harry Palmer | 1 | April 30, 1998 | 42 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Mike Sensation | 1 | June 11, 1998 | 14 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Became "Light Heavyweight Championship." | |||||
| Cash Flo | 1 | June 25, 1998 | 35 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Adam Pearce | 1 | July 30, 1998 | 161 | Louisville, Kentucky | Stripped on January 7, 1999 due to non-defense. |
| BDL | 1 | January 7, 1999 | 26 | Louisville, Kentucky | Defeated Twiggy Ramirez and The Suicide Kid in a 3-way match. |
| Harry Palmer | 1 | February 2, 1999 | 85 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Suicide Kid | 2 | April 29, 1999 | <1-281 | Salem, Indiana | |
| J Prodigy (BDL) | 2 | Date Unknown | <1-281 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Harry Palmer | 3 | February 4, 2000 | 12 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Held up on February 16, 2000; no champion was crowned in a rematch on February 23, 2000. | |||||
| Mike Sensation | 2 | March 4, 2000 | <1 | Charlestown, Indiana | Awarded. |
| Hy-Zya | 1 | March 4, 2000 | <1 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| American Kickboxer | 10 | March 4, 2000 | 28 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Hy-Zya | 2 | April 1, 2000 | <1-21 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Vacant. | |||||
| Suicide Kid | 3 | April 22, 2000 | 84 | Charlestown, Indiana | Defeated Prophet Daniel Quinn in a 3-man tournament final. |
| Paul E. Smooth | 1 | July 15, 2000 | 21 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Prophet Daniel Quinn | 1 | August 5, 2000 | 25 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Hy-Zya | 3 | August 30, 2000 | 24 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Richard X | 1 | September 23, 2000 | 7 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Hy-Zya | 4 | September 30, 2000 | 13 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Richard X | 2 | October 13, 2000 | <1-60 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Vacant. | |||||
| Hy-Zya | 5 | December 16, 2000 | 4 | Charlestown, Indiana | Defeated Todd Morton. |
| Mark Wolf | 1 | December 20, 2000 | 9 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Paul E. Smooth | 2 | December 29, 2000 | 1 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Mark Wolf | 2 | December 30, 2000 | 11 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Paul E. Smooth | 3 | January 10, 2001 | 87 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Hy-Zya | 6 | April 7, 2001 | 29 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Mark Wolf | 3 | May 6, 2001 | 34 | Charlestown, Indiana | Defeated Hy-Zaya and Richard X in a 3-way match. |
| CM Punk | 1 | June 9, 2001 | 35 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Tarek the Great | 11 | July 14, 2001 | 77 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Mark Wolf | 4 | September 29, 2001 | 7 | Charlestown, Indiana | Defeated Tarek and Hy-Zya in a 3-way match. |
| Tarek the Great | 12 | October 6, 2001 | 28 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| CM Punk | 2 | November 3, 2001 | 59 | Charlestown, Indiana | Stripped for no-defense. |
| Kurt Krueger | 1 | February 1, 2002 | 7 | Charlestown, Indiana | Defeated Cuefa in tournament final. |
| Ace Steel | 1 | February 8, 2002 | 28 | Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| Vic Capri | 1 | March 8, 2002 | 57 | Charlestown, Indiana | |
| Ace Steel | 2 | May 3, 2002 | 30-60 | Clarksville, Indiana | Stripped in June 2002 for not defending it within 30 days. |
| Vacant. | |||||
| Kurt Krueger | 2 | August 3, 2002 | 63 | Clarksville, Indiana | Defeated Tarek the Great in an 8-man tournament final. |
| Nate Webb | 1 | October 5, 2002 | 42 | Clarksville, Indiana | |
| Danny Daniels | 1 | November 16, 2002 | 42 | Clarksville, Indiana | |
| Shark Boy | 1 | December 28, 2002 | 73 | Clarksville, Indiana | |
| Nate Webb | 2 | March 11, 2003 | 18 | Clarksville, Indiana | |
| J. C. Bailey | 1 | March 29, 2003 | 55 | Clarksville, Indiana | |
| Michael Todd Stratton (Todd Morton) | 1 | May 24, 2003 | 7 | Clarksville, Indiana | |
| J. C. Bailey | 2 | May 31, 2003 | 70 | Clarksville, Indiana | |
| Sonjay Dutt | 1 | August 9, 2003 | 104 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| J. C. Bailey | 3 | November 21, 2003 | 57 | Highland, Indiana | Defeated Sonjay Dutt and Nate Webb in 3-way match. |
| Matt Sydal | 1 | January 17, 2004 | 160 | Highland, Indiana | |
| Delirious | 1 | June 26, 2004 | 56 | Oolitic, Indiana | |
| Held up on August 21, 2004 in Highland, Indiana when a match against Jimmy Jacobs ended with a double pin. | |||||
| Jimmy Jacobs | 1 | September 17, 2004 | 86 | Highland, Indiana | Defeated Delirious in a ladder match |
| Delirious | 2 | December 12, 2004 | 180 | Highland, Indiana | |
| Josh Abercrombie | 1 | June 11, 2005 | 126 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| Tyler Black | 1 | October 15, 2005 | 98 | Midlothian, Illinois | Defeated Abercrombie in a best of 7 series. |
| Josh Abercrombie | 2 | January 21, 2006 | 447 | Midlothian, Illinois | |
| Brandon Thomaselli | 1 | April 14, 2007 | 139 | Shelbyville, Indiana | |
| Chuck Taylor | 1 | August 31, 2007 | 1 | Midlothian, Illinois | |
| Mike Quackenbush | 1 | September 1, 2007 | 97 | Pelham, Alabama | |
| Chuck Taylor | 2 | December 7, 2007 | 126 | Plainfield, Illinois | Defeated Quackenbush in a match also involving Chris Hero and Eddie Kingston. |
| Jason Hades | 1 | April 12, 2008 | <1-280 | Joliet, Illinois | |
| Dingo | 1 | n\a | <1-280 | Joliet, Illinois | |
| Quick Carter Gray | 1 | January 17, 2009 | 49 | Joliet, Illinois | |
| Jimmy Jacobs | 2 | March 7, 2009 | 89 | Joliet, Illinois | |
| Jason Hades | 2 | June 5, 2009 | 259 | Joliet, Illinois | |
| Ryan Phoenix | 1 | February 19, 2010 | 126 | Bellevue, Illinois | |
| Jaysin Strife | 1 | June 26, 2010 | 275 | Bellevue, Illinois | This was a No DQ match. Matt Cage, Hunter Matthews and Markus Crane beat down Phoenix en route to Strife gaining the victory. |
| Title retired on March 28, 2011, when IWA Mid-South ceases its operations. [1] | |||||
| BJ Whitmer | 1 | September 16, 2011 | 28 | Bellevue, Illinois | Defeated Bucky Collins for the vacant title when Jaysin Strife could not appear to defend it when IWA-MS reopened under new ownership. |
| Bucky Collins | 1 | October 14, 2011 | 140 | Bellevue, Illinois | |
| Oliver Cain | 1 | March 2, 2012 | 105 | Bellevue, Illinois | Triple threat with Bucky Collins and CZW World Champ Scotty Vortex, whose title was also on the line where the belt changed hands if the title-holder was pinned. |
| Bucky Collins | 2 | June 16, 2012 | 77 | Bellevue, Illinois | 2/3 Fall Match won 2-1 over Cain |
| Devon Moore | 1 | September 1, 2012 | – | Bellevue, Illinois | Won in a Chicago Street Fight |
| Retired in 2013 | |||||
Christopher Scoville is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jimmy Jacobs. He is signed to Impact Wrestling as a member of the creative team and producer. He is best known for his 12-year career in Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a five-time World Tag Team Champion. He has also worked for WWE as a writer in the past.
Benjamin Whitmer is an American professional wrestler, trainer, and color commentator currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a producer. He is best known for his work in Ring of Honor (ROH) as wrestler and backstage producer, where he is a four time World Tag Team Champion.
Dylan Keith Summers, better known by the ring name Necro Butcher, is an American professional wrestler. Throughout the years he has worked for various promotions, including Ring of Honor, Full Impact Pro, IWA Mid-South, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Big Japan Pro Wrestling, and Combat Zone Wrestling. He is known for his willingness to participate in a dangerous mix of deathmatch wrestling styles, as well as his appearance in the 2008 film The Wrestler.
The Ted Petty Invitational tournament is an independent wrestling tournament in North America, run and promoted by Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South. Created as the Sweet Science Sixteen in 2000 by Ian Rotten, the tournament was originally supposed to showcase the top technical independent wrestlers. After the death of Ted Petty in September 2002, Rotten changed the name to honor his friend. The tournament was expanded to 24 participants, with a three-way final, in 2003. Over the years, the tournament has attracted numerous famous independent wrestlers from Ken Anderson, A.J. Styles to James Gibson.
Kevin Canady is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Mad Man Pondo. Best known for his hardcore wrestling style, Canady has wrestled for various wrestling promotions, including Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, Combat Zone Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling, and Juggalo Championship Wrestling. He is also the owner of IWA East Coast, and is currently employed by Juggalo Championship Wrestling.
Nicholas William Wilson is an American deathmatch wrestler and convicted felon, better known under his ring name Nick Gage. He is currently working for Game Changer Wrestling (GCW). He also wrestles for various other promotions on the independent circuit. He is the only man to win the "big three" of American deathmatch tournaments: the Tournament of Death, the King of the Deathmatch, and GCW's Tournament of Survival.
Independent Wrestling Association (IWA) Mid-South is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in New Albany, Indiana. It was formed by Ian Rotten in 1996.
Joshua Raymond, better known by his ring name Josh Abercrombie, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Ring of Honor and the short-lived Wrestling Society X.
Mario Bulfone, better known by his ring name Mario Milano, was a professional wrestler. Milano got his start in wrestling in Venezuela and later competed in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa, Mexico and North America.
Anthony Borcherding, better known by his ring name 2 Tuff Tony, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style. Throughout his professional wrestling career, Tony has wrestled for various wrestling promotions, including Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, Combat Zone Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling, and Juggalo Championship Wrestling. He is currently employed by Juggalo Championship Wrestling.
Drake Wuertz is an American professional wrestling referee and professional wrestler.
Stephen Robinson, known by the ring name Corporal Robinson, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style, Robinson has wrestled for various wrestling promotions, including Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling, UPW Pro Wrestling, and Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South. He is a former four-time JCW Heavyweight Champion.
Frank Vizi is a German born American professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Bull Pain, Rick Gantner and Psycho. He is best known for his appearances with promotion such as the American Wrestling Association, World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling, as well as for independent promotions such as the World Wrestling Council, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, Juggalo Championship Wrestling and Chikara.
Douglas Adam Becker is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone Wrestling. In addition, he also made short appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
John Benson Williams is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Ian Rotten. He has wrestled in the Global Wrestling Federation (GWF), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), and his own wrestling promotion IWA: Mid-South.
Tony Kozina is an American professional wrestler who is best known for his work in the Pacific Northwest especially in Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling and National Wrestling Alliance. He has also made appearances in Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Full Impact Pro, IWA-Mid South, World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Joseph Carl Bailey Jr. was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name J. C. Bailey. He wrestled for numerous American-based professional wrestling promotions including Combat Zone Wrestling, IWA Mid-South, and IWA East Coast.
Mance Warner is an American professional wrestler currently wrestling on the independent circuit. He has previously competed in Major League Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling where he is a former CZW World Heavyweight Champion and with IWA Mid-South where he has held both IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship and Tag Team championship. Warner is also a former AAW Heavyweight Champion, with his run being the longest in company history.
Christopher Heyward III is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Calvin Tankman. He is currently working as a freelancer and is best known for his tenures with Major League Wrestling and IWA Mid-South. He has also made appearances for Deadlock Pro Wrestling from 2021-present.
John Wayne Murdoch is an American professional wrestler, and is best known for his time in IWA Mid-South (IWA) and ICW No Holds Barred, where he is the current ICW No Holds Barred American Deathmatch Champion. He also won the 2020 IWTV Independent Wrestler of the Year.