| NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details | |||||||
| Promotion | NWA Mid-America | ||||||
| Date established | 1955 | ||||||
| Date retired | 1974 | ||||||
| |||||||
The NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship was a National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) sanctioned professional wrestling championship promoted by NWA Mid-America in and around their Tennessee and Kentucky territory from 1955 until 1974. The championship was limited to wrestlers in the Junior Heavyweight division, limited to wrestlers weighing less than 220 lb (100 kg). The NWA also sanctioned the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, with the United States version serving as one of several local level Junior Heavyweight Championships. Because the championship was a professional wrestling championship, it was not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship was awarded after the chosen wrestler "won" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport. [1]
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| # | The overall championship reign |
| Reign | The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed. |
| Event | The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the title changed hands |
| — | Used for vacated reigns in order to not count it as an official reign |
| Indicates periods of unknown lineage | |
| (NLT) | Indicates that the championship changed hands "No Later Than" a certain date. |
| # | Team (members) | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jesse James | 1 | February 15, 1959(NLT) | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | N/A | Announced as a new champion; still billed as champion as of on February 23, 1959 |
| 2 | Yoshinosato | 1 | February 1962(NLT) | [Note 3] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 3 | Johnny Walker | 1 | May 1967 | [Note 4] | [Note 2] | Live event | Won a tournament sometime after May 16, 1967 |
| 4 | Kenny Mack | 1 | June 14, 1967 | 14 | Kingsport, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 5 | Johnny Walker | 2 | June 28, 1967 | [Note 5] | Kingsport, Tennessee | Live event | Still billed as champion on October 17, 1967 |
| 5 | Johnny Walker | 3 | February 9, 1970(NLT) | [Note 6] | Hawaii | Live event | Defeated Johnny Valentine. |
| 7 | Bobby Hart | 1 | May 27, 1970 | 62 | Nashville, Tennessee | Live event | The title change was repeated in Memphis on May 30, 1970 |
| 8 | Johnny Walker | 4 | July 28, 1970 | [Note 7] | Louisville, Kentucky | Live event | |
| — | Vacated | N/A | 1970 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated for undocumented reasons |
| 9 | Don Greene | 1 | September 14, 1970 | [Note 8] | Memphis, Tennessee | Live event | Defeated Dennis Hall in 4-man tournament final. |
| 10 | Johnny Walker | 5 | September 21, 1970(NLT) | [Note 9] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 11 | Bobby Hart | 2 | November 25, 1970 | [Note 10] | Nashville, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 12 | Don Greene | 2 | March 23, 1971(NLT) | [Note 11] | [Note 2] | Live event | Still billed as champion on October 27, 1971 |
| 13 | Len Rossi | 1 | February 3, 1972(NLT) | [Note 12] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 14 | Tony Charles | 1 | May 10, 1972(NLT) | [Note 13] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 15 | Don Greene | 3 | August 1972(NLT) | [Note 14] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 16 | Johnny Walker | 6 | October 6, 1972(NLT) | [Note 15] | [Note 2] | Live event | Change took place sometime between September 28 and October 16, 1972 |
| 17 | Don Greene | 4 | October 17, 1972 | 279 | Memphis, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 18 | Lorenzo Parente | 1 | July 23, 1973 | [Note 16] | Memphis, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 19 | Don Greene | 5 | July 1973 | [Note 17] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 20 | Lorenzo Parente | 2 | August 1, 1973 | [Note 18] | Nashville, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 21 | Don Greene | 6 | October 2, 1973(NLT) | [Note 19] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 22 | Intern #1 | 1 | October 25, 1973 | [Note 20] | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 23 | Don Greene | 7 | December 23, 1973(NLT) | [Note 21] | [Note 2] | Live event | |
| 24 | Ali Baba | 1 | March 11, 1974 | [Note 22] | Birmingham, Alabama | Live event | |
| 25 | Don Greene | 8 | March 1974 | [Note 23] | Birmingham, Alabama | Live event | |
| 26 | Ali Baba | 2 | March 21, 1974 | 20 | Florence, Alabama | Live event | Title change was repeated on March 27 in Nashville |
| 27 | Steve Kovac | 1 | April 10, 1974 | 24 | Nashville, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 28 | Jerry Lawler | 1 | May 4, 1974 | [Note 24] | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Live event | |
| 29 | Don Greene | 9 | June 6, 1974(NLT) | [Note 25] | [Note 2] | Live event | Still billed as champion in July 1974 |
| — | Abandoned | N/A | 1974 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Championship abandoned. |
The NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and originally promoted in Chicago as the NWA World Three-Man Tag Team Championship. The NWA Mid-America territory based out of Tennessee re-introduced the title as the NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship, promoting it from 1974 until 1981. In 1984, another NWA territory Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) brought the concept back, this time as the "NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship", which continued to be promoted by JCP's successor World Championship Wrestling until 1989. The championship was briefly revived in February 1998 by Dennis Coralluzzo's NWA New Jersey territory, also known as Championship Wrestling America. The championship was retired in December 1998. As the name indicates the championship was exclusively for three man teams that competed in six-man tag team matches. Because the championship was a professional wrestling championship, it was won or lost by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion.
The AWA United States Championship was a short-lived title in the early days of the American Wrestling Association. It started out as the NWA United States Championship promoted in the Chicago, Illinois from 1953 until 1958. in 1958 then champion Verne Gagne created the American Wrestling Association (AWA) based on Minneapolis, Minnesota and took the championship with him, claiming the lineage of the Chicago version. The Chicago promotion recognized Wilbur Snyder as their next champion, splitting the lineage into their own NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. The Minneapolis version of the championship was renamed the AWA United States Championship in 1960.
The Florida version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary professional wrestling championship for tag teams in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) that was used between 1961 and 1969. When the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) was created in 1948, the board of directors decided to allow each NWA member to create its own local version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. As it is a professional wrestling championship, it is not won or lost competitively, but instead determined by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The title is awarded after the chosen team "wins" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship was a singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's St. Louis Wrestling Club and Central States Wrestling promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. It was considered a "stepping stone" to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. A version of the Missouri Championship has been documented to exist in 1899, 1921, 1933 to 1934, 1937, 1947, 1950, and 1954 to 1955, but it was only in 1972 that a serious championship was established. Prior to the creation of the NWA the championship was not recognized outside of the region and used by regional promoters, it is even possible that competing Missouri Heavyweight Championships existed. The championship was abandoned in 1986, as the Central States promotion was being consolidated under Jim Crockett Promotions in order to counter the World Wrestling Federation's national expansion.
From January 8, 1957, through August 1960 the NWA Minneapolis Wrestling and Boxing Club promoted the Minneapolis version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship as the main professional wrestling championship for tag teams on their shows held in and around Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Wrestling and Boxing Club was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) from its formation in 1948, but left the group in 1960 to help form the American Wrestling Association (AWA). The NWA Board of Directors allowed each member, referred to as a NWA territory, to create and control its own individual "NWA World Tag Team Championship" to be defended within its territory. At one point in 1957, no less than 13 different versions of the NWA World Tag Team Championship were recognized across the United States.[Championships] As with all professional wrestling championships, this championship was not contested for in competitive matches, but in matches with predetermined outcomes to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) member NWA San Francisco promoted a professional wrestling tag team championship under the name NWA World Tag Team Championship from 1950 until 1961 in and around their local territory until it closed. When San Francisco based Big Time Wrestling became a member of the NWA in 1968 they began promoting their version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship as part of their shows until the championship was abandoned in 1979. The NWA rules allowed each individual member to promote a championship under that name, which meant there were several NWA World Tag Team Championships promoted across North America at some point between 1950 and 1982, with two different versions being promoted in San Francisco, although not at the same time. At one point in 1957 no less than 13 different versions of the NWA World Tag Team Championship were recognized across the United States.[Championships] At least 21 different regional branches of the NWA World Tag Team Championship have identified as being active at some point between 1950 and 1991. In 1992 the NWA Board of Directors sanctioned one main NWA World Tag Team Championship under their control. As it is a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via legitimate competition; it is instead won via a scripted ending to a match or on occasion awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline.
The Mid-America version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship was a regional professional wrestling championship for tag teams that was used in the National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) NWA Mid-America professional wrestling promotion from 1957 until 1977.[G1][G2] The championship, promoted by Nick Gulas, was one of many NWA World Tag Team Championships in existence in the period between 1949 and 1992, each of which was a regional championship restricted to an NWA territory and not a true "world" championship. At one point in 1957 there were at least 13 different, concurrently promoted NWA World Tag Team Championships across the United States.[Championships] The Mid-America version was in use for 20 years, the second longest of any of the NWA World Tag Team Championships of that era, only behind the Central States version. Being a professional wrestling championship, the NWA World Tag Team Championship was not won or lost in competitive matches, but determined by the decision of the bookers of NWA Mid-America.
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The NWA World Brass Knuckles Championship was a short-lived title promoted by National Wrestling Alliance NWA Mid-America territory from 1978 until 1981. The championship was used in specialty matches in which the combatants would wear brass knuckles. There were other such championships used in a number of NWA territories throughout the United States of America, including versions in the Florida territory, Amarillo, New England, the Mid-Atlantic region and in NWA Tri-State. Because the championship was a professional wrestling championship, it was not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship was awarded after the chosen wrestler "won" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The NWA Central States United States Championship was the version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that was defended in the Central States Wrestling territory around Missouri. It existed from 1961 until 1968. Records indicate that Bob Orton, The Viking and The Destroyer also held championship but no specific dates were found for those reigns.
The NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship that served as the main title for the National Wrestling Alliance promotion, NWA Central-States Championship Wrestling. For most of its existence, however, the title was defended in the NWA affiliate Central States Wrestling from 1950 to 1989.
The ICW Southeastern Heavyweight Championship was a secondary singles championship in International Championship Wrestling. Because the championship is a professional wrestling championship, it is not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship is awarded after the chosen team "wins" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The NWA Tennessee Heavyweight Championship was the primary championship in the National Wrestling Alliance territory promotion NWA Top Rope, based in Lebanon, Tennessee. The Championship was created in 2005 and was active until 2013 when NWA Top Rope closed. That version of the championship was preceded by the original NWA Tennessee Heavyweight Championship that existed from the late 1950s into the 1960s, promoted by NWA Mid-America. Because the championship is a professional wrestling championship, it is not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship is awarded after the chosen wrestler "wins" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The AWA Southern Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the Tennessee area from the 1940s through the late 1980s. It was originally named the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) from its inception through 1977, when it was renamed the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship due to a partnership with the American Wrestling Association. The title existed until 1988 when it was replaced with the Continental Wrestling Association Tag Team Championship.
This was a regional NWA championship based in Japan. For the version of this title that was promoted in NWA All Star Wrestling in Canada, see NWA International Tag Team Championship.
The NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship was a secondary tag team title promoted as the name indicates mainly in the Tennessee region from 1967 until 1977, first by Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling and occasionally NWA Mid-America from 1967 to 1974 then by its successor Southeast Championship Wrestling from 1974 to 1977 when it was abandoned. Because the championship was a professional wrestling championship, it was not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship was awarded after the chosen wrestler "won" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The NWA Central States Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team championship for the Heart of America Sports Attractions / Central States Wrestling promotion from 1979 until the promotion ceased to exist in 1988. The Central States Tag Team Championship had originally existed for a brief period of time in 1961, but its glory days date from 1979 to 1988, where it replaced the Central States version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Because the championship is a professional wrestling championship, it is not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship is awarded after the chosen team "wins" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The Heart of America Sports Attractions, or "NWA Central States" version of the NWA North American Tag Team Championship was a secondary Tag team championship promoted by the Heart of America Sports Attraction promotion, a National Wrestling Alliance territory based out of Kansas City, Missouri and was defended in Missouri, Kansas and the surrounding states. The Championship was active from 1963 until 1973, originally designed to be a replacement for the NWA Central States Tag Team Championship and after 10 years was replaced with the Central States version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Because the championship was a professional wrestling championship, it was not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship was awarded after the chosen team "won" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
The NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship in Tri-States Wrestling. The original version was created in 1954, however, it was phased out in favor of the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
The Mid-America version of the NWA United States Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s NWA Mid-America territory from 1962 until 1976. The title was intended solely for tag teams in tag team matches, not individuals, and was the secondary tag team championship in NWA Mid-America, with the Mid-America version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship being the primary championship. The promotion also had a third tag team championship at its peak, a testament to the popularity of tag team wrestling in the territory, as they promoted the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship as well. The championship was established around March 6, 1962, when Yoshinosato and Taro Sakuro were named champions upon arrival by NWA Mid-America instead of holding a tournament to establish the championship. With a number of NWA territories active at the time this version of the United States Tag Team Championship was one of at least six championships that shared the same name under the NWA's supervision. The team of Dennis Condrey and Phil Hickerson, also known as "The Bicentennial Kings", held the championship the most times, five in total including the last reign when the titles were abandoned in 1976. Because the championship was a professional wrestling championship, it was not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The championship was awarded after the chosen wrestler "won" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.
