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-Americaprofessional 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.[1] 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.[2][3] 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.[4]
The Mid-America version was primarily defended in the Tennessee/Alabama territory, occasionally also being defended in surrounding states. The first recognized champions of the Mid-America branch of the championship were the Corsicans (Corsica Joe and Corsica Jean), who were presented as champions on February 5, 1957. Records do not specify if the team won a tournament of if they were simply awarded the championship by promoter Nick Gulas.[G1][G2] There were at least 148 championship reigns between 1957 and 1977, when the championship was abandoned, split between 77 different teams and a total of 99 individual wrestlers. Mike Graham and Kevin Sullivan were the last Mid-America-recognized NWA World Tag Team Champions, having won the championship in April 1977, a short time before NWA Mid-America abandoned the championship.[G1][G2] At that point the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship became the main championship in the territory.[5]
The reign of Len Rossi and Bearcat Brown from October 2, 1969, until some time in May 1970, lasted at least 211 days and possibly as long as 241 days, making it the longest individual reign on record. The Von Brauners (Kurt Von Brauner and Karl Von Brauner) hold the records for most championship reigns, a total of 17 reigns that combined to at least 510 days, probably more.[G1][G2][Note 1] Karl Von Brauner also held the championship with Luke Graham, making his 18 individual championship reigns the most of any wrestler. Due to lack of detail on a multiple championship reigns, it is impossible to determine which team had the shortest reign; the shortest confirmed reign of seven days belonged to Yvon Robert and Billy Wicks, who held the championship from January 5 to January 12, 1959.[G1][G2]
Title history
Key
No.
Overall reign number
Reign
Reign number for the specific team—reign numbers for the individuals are in parentheses, if different
Announced as Inoki having broken his leg; Inoki returns to Japan where Inoki and Matsuda form Tokyo Pro Wrestling and bill themselves as the NWA World Tag Team Champions.
↑ Due to lack of information of many of the Von Brauners' reigns, it is impossible to determine the length of most of them; the 510 days represent the minimum number of days possible.
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)[G1][G2]
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References
General sources
[G1] – Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gulas and Welsh]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Hornbaker, Tim (2007). "The Origins of a Wrestling Monopoly". National Wrestling Alliance, The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN978-1-55022-741-3.
1 2 Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Kansas and Western Missouri) Kansas City: NWA World Tag Team Title [Karras & Geigel]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Alabama & Tennessee: Mid-America Tag Team Title [Gulas and Welsh]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Los Angeles) California: NWA World Tag Team Title [Nichols, Doyle & Eaton]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(San Francisco) California: NWA World Tag Team Title[Joe Malcewicz]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Chicago) Illinois: NWA World Tag Team Title [Kohler]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Ohio and Upstate New York: NWA World Tag Team Title [George & Bruins]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Georgia: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gunkel & Barnett]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Iowa / Nebraska: NWA World Tag Team Title [George & Clayton]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Indianapolis) Indiana: NWA World Tag Team Title [Kohler, Patton & Estes]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Idaho / Utah: NWA World Tag Team Title [Reynolds]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Amarillo) Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Sarpolis and Funk]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Minneapolis) Minnesota: NWA World Tag Team Title [Karbo & Gagne]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
↑ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Siegel, Boesch and McLemore]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
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