NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship |
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Jimmy Snuka is a former NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Champion. |
Details |
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Promotion |
NWA Tri-State NWA Mid-America (1960-1974) |
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Date established |
March 31, 1954 |
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Date retired |
No later than March 1982 |
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Other name(s) |
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NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version) |
Statistics |
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First champion(s) |
Whitey Whittler |
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Final champion(s) |
Paul Jones |
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Most reigns |
Jimmy Golden (4) |
---|
Longest reign |
Mike George (81 days) |
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Shortest reign |
Whitey Whittler (28 days) |
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|
The NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship in Tri-States Wrestling (NWA Tri-State). The original version was created in 1954, however, it was phased out in favor of the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.[1][2]
The Alabama version of the NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship existed from 1960 until 1974. It was defended primarily in Alabama under the banner of NWA Tri-State Wrestling, and at times in Tennessee for NWA Mid-America. 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.[3]
The title was revived to replace the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship as the promotion's top singles title after Bill Watts left to form Mid-South Wrestling in 1979.[4] It was vacated and decommissioned when Tri-State promoter Leroy McGuirk closed the promotion in 1982.
Title history
- Key
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. |
¤ |
Indicates that the data presented in this cell is uncertain. |
Names
Name[5] |
Years[5] |
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship |
March 31, 1954 – April 28, 1954 |
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version) |
September 12, 1960 – October 3, 1974 |
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship |
September 7, 1980 – 1982 |
NWA-MCW Heavyweight Championship |
1982 – March 1982 |
Title history
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Original version)
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version)
# |
Team (team members) |
Reign |
Date |
Days held |
Location |
Event |
Notes |
1 |
Joe Scarpa |
1 |
September 12, 1960 |
[Note 1] |
Memphis, Tennessee |
Live event |
Defeated Mario Galento in tournament final to become the first champion. |
|
2 |
Jerry Lawler |
1 |
September 1971 (NLT) |
[Note 2] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
Won a battle royal, last eliminating Jimmy Golden. |
|
3 |
Jimmy Golden |
1 |
October 29, 1971 (NLT) |
[Note 4] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
4 |
Tony Russo |
1 |
November 5, 1971 |
7001200000000000000♠20 |
Gadsden, Alabama |
Live event |
|
5 |
Gary Martin |
1 |
November 25, 1971 |
[Note 5] |
Anniston, Alabama |
Live event |
|
6 |
Tony Russo |
2 |
December 1971 (NLT) |
[Note 6] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
7 |
The Golden Hawk |
1 |
December 16, 1971 |
[Note 7] |
Anniston, Alabama |
Live event |
Still billed as champion on January 6, 1972 |
|
8 |
Buddy Wayne |
1 |
March 16, 1972 (NLT) |
[Note 8] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
9 |
Jimmy Golden |
2 |
April 6, 1972¤ |
[Note 9] |
Anniston, Alabama¤ |
Live event |
Still champion as of 72/06/08 |
|
10 |
Ramon Perez |
1 |
October 5, 1972 (NLT) |
[Note 10] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
|
11 |
Tony Russo |
3 |
December 21, 1972 (NLT) |
[Note 11] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
|
12 |
Buddy Wayne |
2 |
January 26, 1973 (NLT) |
[Note 12] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
|
13 |
Jimmy Golden |
3 |
March 7, 1974 (NLT) |
[Note 13] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
14 |
Jack Donovan |
1 |
March 14, 1974¤ |
7001700000000000000♠70 |
Anniston, Alabama¤ |
Live event |
|
15 |
Jimmy Golden |
4 |
May 23, 1974¤ |
[Note 14] |
Anniston, Alabama¤ |
Live event |
|
|
16 |
Dennis Condrey |
1 |
October 3, 1974 (NLT) |
[Note 15] |
[Note 3] |
Live event |
|
— |
Retired |
N/A |
1974 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Championship abandoned. |
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Final version)
No. |
Champion |
Reign |
Date |
Days held |
Location |
Event |
Notes |
Ref. |
1 |
Tom Jones |
1 |
1981 |
N/A |
N/A |
Live event |
|
|
2 |
Mr. Pogo |
2 |
1981 |
N/A |
N/A |
Live event |
|
|
3 |
Tom Jones |
2 |
1981 |
N/A |
N/A |
Live event |
|
[7] |
4 |
Mike George |
1 |
February 28, 1981 |
7001300000000000000♠30 |
Tulsa, OK |
Live event |
|
[8] |
5 |
Bob Sweetan |
1 |
March 30, 1981 |
7001630000000000000♠63 |
Tulsa, OK |
Live event |
|
[9] |
6 |
Mike George |
2 |
June 1, 1981 |
7001810000000000000♠81 |
Tulsa, OK |
Live event |
|
|
— |
Vacated |
— |
August 21, 1981 |
— |
N/A |
N/A |
Championship vacated when George leaves the territory. |
|
7 |
Jimmy Snuka |
1 |
January 18, 1982 |
7001420000000000000♠42 |
Tulsa, OK |
Live event |
Won tournament. |
|
8 |
Paul Jones |
1 |
March 1, 1982 |
N/A |
Tulsa, OK |
Live event |
|
[10] |
9 |
Eddie Mansfield |
1 |
March 1982 |
[Note 16] |
N/A |
Live event |
|
10 |
Paul Jones |
2 |
March 17, 1982 |
N/A |
Springfield, MO |
Live event |
|
— |
Deactivated |
— |
1982 |
— |
N/A |
N/A |
NWA Tri-State closed in 1982, and the championship was subsequently abandoned. |
List of top combined reigns
Mr. Pogo, who was the fifth longest-reigning Tri-State Heavyweight Champion
¤ |
The exact length of several title reigns are uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used. |
- ↑ The length of this reign is too uncertain to calculate.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002424000000000000♠424 days.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The location of the match was not captured as part of the championship documentation.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7001640000000000000♠64 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002402000000000000♠402 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7001200000000000000♠20 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7001910000000000000♠91 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7001900000000000000♠90 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002182000000000000♠182 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002258000000000000♠258 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002112000000000000♠112 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002440000000000000♠440 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002404000000000000♠404 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002133000000000000♠133 days.
- ↑ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 7002221000000000000♠221 days.
- ↑ The exact date on which the title was won is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 7000100000000000000♠1 and 7001150000000000000♠15 days.
References
- General references
- Specific