NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version)

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.[3] 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.[4]

NWA World Tag Team Championship
(Florida version)
One of the belts representing the championship
Details
PromotionChampionship Wrestling from Florida[1][2]
Date establishedJanuary 1961[1][2]
Date retired1969[1][2]

CWF, the NWA's Florida territory, introduced their version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship in January 1961 when they introduced the Von Brauners (Kurt and Karl Von Brauner) as the NWA World Tag Team Champions. Records are unclear on how the Von Brauners became champions; it is possible that they were simply billed as champions upon arrival.[1][2] In 1969 CWF abandoned the NWA World Tag Team Championship, with the Masked Infernos as the last champions.[1][2] CWF later used the NWA North American Tag Team Championship, NWA Southern Tag Team Championship, NWA United States Tag Team Championship, and NWA Florida Global Tag Team Championship.[5][6][7][8]

The Von Brauners hold the record for most championship reigns, six in total, as well as the longest combined reigns, with at least 540 days. The Von Brauners' first reign, and the first reign of the championship, lasted at least 196 days, the longest individual reign. Eddie Graham held the championship on seven occasions with various partners. The shortest individual reign lasted nine days as Eddie Graham and Jose Lothario held it from October 25 to November 3, 1966.[1][2]

Title history
Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 The Von Brauners
(Kurt and Karl Von Brauner)		 January 1961 CWF show Florida 1 [Note 1]   [1][2]
2 Eddie Graham and Ike Eakins August 15, 1961 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 7   [1][2]
3 The Von Brauners
(Kurt and Karl Von Brauner)		 August 22, 1961 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 9   [1][2]
4 Eddie Graham and Ike Eakins August 31, 1961 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 2 [Note 2]  
— Vacated September 1961 — — — — Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [1][2]
5 The Von Brauners
(Kurt and Karl Von Brauner)		 September 7, 1961 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 3 203 Defeated Ike Eakins and Eddie Graham in a Three team tournament final [1][2]
5 Don Curtis and Joe Scarpa March 29, 1962 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 72   [1][2]
— Vacated June 9, 1962 — — — — Title was held up after the match between Don Curtis and Joe Scarpa and The Von Brauners. [1][2]
6 The Von Brauners
(Kurt and Karl Von Brauner)		 June 14, 1962 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 4 5 Defeated Don Curtis and Georgia Boy Smith in a three-team tournament final to win the championship. [1][2]
7 Don Curtis and Joe Scarpa June 19, 1962 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 2 16  
8 The Assassins
(Assassin #1 and Assassin #2)		 July 5, 1962 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 [Note 3]   [1][2]
— Vacated August 1962 — — — — Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [1][2]
9 Boris Malenko and Russian Crusher August 30, 1962 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 44 Defeated The Kentuckians in a four-team tournament final [1][2]
10 Flying Frenchmen
(Tony Baillargeon and Maurice Lapoine)		 October 13, 1962 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 40   [1][2]
11 The Fabulous Kangaroos
(Al Costello and Roy Heffernan)		 November 22, 1962 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 63   [1][2]
12 Don Curtis (2) and Mark Lewin January 24, 1963 CWF show Florida 1 [Note 4]   [1][2][9]
— Vacated January 1963 — — — — Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [1][2]
13 The Von Brauners
(Kurt and Karl Von Brauner)		 January 29, 1963 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 5 [Note 5] Defeated Yukon Eric and Don Curtis in a three-team tournament final. [1][2]
14 Torres
(Alberto Torres and Ramón Torres)		 April 1963 CWF show Florida 1 [Note 6]   [1][2]
15 Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka June 6, 1963 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 [Note 7]   [1][2]
— Vacated August 1963 — — — — Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [1][2]
16 The Von Brauners
(Kurt and Karl Von Brauner)		 September 5, 1963 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 6 [Note 8] Defeated The Assassins in a five-team tournament final. [1][2]
17 The Assassins
(Assassin #1 and Assassin #2)		 November 1963 CWF show Florida 2 [Note 9]   [1][2]
18 Don Curtis (3) and Mark Lewin November 21, 1963 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 2 [Note 10]   [1][2]
— Vacated January 1964 — — — — Lewin left the Florida territory [1][2]
19 Skull Murphy and Brute Bernard January 28, 1964 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 [Note 11] Defeated Don Curtis and Haystacks Calhoun to win the vacant championship [1][2]
20 Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka February 1964 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 [Note 12]   [1][2]
21 Skull Murphy and Brute Bernard February 18, 1964 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 21   [1][2]
22 Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka March 10, 1964 CWF show Tampa, Florida 3 56   [1][2]
23 Don Curtis (4) and Abe Jacobs May 5, 1964 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 37   [1][2][10]
24 Chris and John Tolos June 11, 1964 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 12   [1][2]
25 Eddie Graham (2) and Sam Steamboat June 23, 1964 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 133   [1][2]
26 Tarzan and Tim Tyler November 3, 1964 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 37   [1][2]
27 Eddie Graham (3) and Sam Steamboat December 10, 1964 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 2 48   [1][2]
28 Fred Blassie and Tarzan Tyler January 27, 1965 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 54   [1][2]
29 Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka March 22, 1965 CWF show Tampa, Florida 4 134   [1][2]
30 Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson August 3, 1965 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 60   [1][2]
31 Sam Steamboat (3) and Ron Etchison October 2, 1965 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 21   [1][2]
32 Kurt and Skull Von Stroheim October 23, 1965 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 32   [1][2]
33 Hiro Matsuda (5) and Dick Steinborn (2) November 24, 1965 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 15   [1][2][11]
34 Dick Steinborn (3) December 9, 1965 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 [Note 13] Defeated Matsuda to win both championship belts [1][2]
— Vacated January 1966 — — — — Championship vacated after Steinborn left the Florida territory [1][2]
35 The Medics
(Medic #1 and Medic #2)		 February 22, 1966 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 56 Defeated Jose Lothario and Tito Carrión in a tournament final [1][2]
36 Eddie Graham (4) and Bob Orton April 19, 1966 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 [Note 14]   [1][2]
— Vacated May 1966 — — — — Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [1][2]
37 Eddie Graham (5) and Bob Orton May 17, 1966 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 [Note 15] Won a three-team tournament. [1][2]
— Vacated May 1966 — — — — Championship vacated when Orton left the Florida territory [1][2]
38 Jose Lothario and Wahoo McDaniel June 28, 1966 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 [Note 16]   [1][2]
— Vacated July 1966 — — — — McDaniel was told by the Miami Dolphins to stop wrestling while he played for them [1][2]
39 The Infernos
(Frankie Cain and Rocky Smith)		 October 6, 1966 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 1 19   [1][2]
40 Eddie Graham (6) and Jose Lothario (2) October 25, 1966 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 9   [1][2]
41 The Infernos
(Frankie Cain and Rocky Smith)		 November 3, 1966 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 [Note 17]   [1][2]
— Vacated November 1966 — — — — Title was held up after the match between The Infernos and José Lothario and Sam Steamboat.
42 Jose Lothario (3) and Sam Steamboat (4) November 29, 1966 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 14   [1][2]
43 The Infernos
(Frankie Cain and Rocky Smith)		 December 13, 1966 CWF show Tampa, Florida 3 112   [1][2]
44 Sputnik and Rocket Monroe April 4, 1967 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 35   [1][2]
45 Jose Lothario (4) and Wahoo McDaniel (2) May 9, 1967 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 16   [1][2]
46 Sputnik and Rocket Monroe May 25, 1967 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 2 49   [1][2]
47 Eddie Graham (7) and Sam Steamboat (5) July 13, 1967 CWF show Jacksonville, Florida 3 54   [1][2]
48 Kurt and Skull Von Stroheim September 5, 1967 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 49   [1][2]
49 Paul DeMarco and Lorenzo Parente October 24, 1967 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 28   [1][2]
50 Terry and Ron Garvin November 21, 1967 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 56   [1][2]
51 Paul DeMarco and Lorenzo Parente January 16, 1968 CWF show Tampa, Florida 2 28   [1][2][12]
52 The Infernos
(Frankie Cain and Rocky Smith)		 February 13, 1968 CWF show Tampa, Florida 4 364   [1][2]
53 The Masked Infernos
(Masked Inferno #1 and Masked Inferno #2)		 February 11, 1969 CWF show Tampa, Florida 1 1   [1][2]
— Deactivated 1969 — — — — The championship was abandoned by the promotion [1][2]

Team reigns by combined length
Key
Symbol Meaning
¤ The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used.
Rank Team # of reigns Combined days
1 The Von Brauners (Kurt and Karl Von Brauner)6540¤
2 Eddie Graham and Sam Steamboat3235
3 The Infernos (Frankie Cain and Rocky Smith)4159
4 Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka4137¤
5 Sputnik and Rocket Monroe284
6 Kurt and Skull Von Stroheim281
7 The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan)163
8 Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson160
9 Terry and Ron Garvin156
The Medics (Medic #1 and Medic #2)156
11 Eddie Graham and Ike Eakins154
12 Boris Malenko and Russian Crusher144
13 Skull Murphy and Brute Bernard243¤
14 Don Curtis and Mark Lewin242¤
15 Tony Baillargeon and Maurice Lapoine140
16 Don Curtis and Abe Jacobs137
Torres Brothers (Alberto Torres and Ramón Torres)137¤
Tarzan and Tim Tyler137
17 Paul DeMarco and Lorenzo Parente128
Paul DeMarco Paul DeMarco and Lorenzo Parente128
The Assassins (Assassin #1 and Assassin #2)228¤
19 Dick Steinborn123¤
20 Sam Steamboat and Ron Etchison121
21 Jose Lothario and Wahoo McDaniel219¤
22 Fred Blassie and Tarzan Tyler115
Hiro Matsuda and Dick Steinborn115
24 Jose Lothario and Sam Steamboat114
25 Eddie Graham and Bob Orton213¤
26 Chris and John Tolos112
27 Eddie Graham and Jose Lothario19
28 Don Curtis and Joe Scarpa11¤

Individual reigns by combined length
Key
Symbol Meaning
¤ The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used.
Rank Wrestler # of reigns Combined days
1 Kurt Von Brauner6540¤
Karl Von Brauner6540¤
3 Eddie Graham7311¤
4 Sam Steamboat5270
5 Frankie Cain4159
Rocky Smith4159
7 Hiro Matsuda5152¤
8 Duke Keomuka4137¤
9 Rocket Monroe284
Sputnik Monroe284
11 Kurt Von Stroheim281
Skull Von Stroheim281
13 Don Curtis480¤
14 Al Costello163
Roy Heffernan163
16 Steinborn361¤
17 Rip Hawk160
Swede Hanson160
19 Paul DeMarco256
Terry Garvin156
Lorenzo Parente256
Ron Garvin156
Medic #1156
Medic #2156
25 Ike Eakins154
25 Tarzan Tyler252
25 Boris Malenko144
Russian Crusher144
27 Brute Bernard243¤
Skull Murphy243¤
29 Jose Lothario442¤
Mark Lewin242¤
31 Tony Baillargeon140
Maurice Lapoine140
33 Abe Jacobs137
Tim Tyler137
Alberto|Torres137¤
Ramón Torres137¤
37 Assassin #1228¤
Assassin #2228¤
39 Ron Etchison121
40 Wahoo McDaniel219¤
41 Fred Blassie115
42 Bob Orton213¤
43 Chris Tolos112
John Tolos112
45 Joe Scarpa11¤

Tournaments

1961
Semifinals Finals
Ike Eakins and Eddie Graham W
The Mighty Yankees [13] Ike Eakins and Eddie Graham
The Von Brauners   The Von Brauners [13]
Bye [13]

June 1962
Semifinals Finals
The Von Brauners W
The Masked Assassins [14] The Masked Assassins W
Don Curtis and Georgia Boy Smith   Don Curtis and Georgia Boy Smith [14]
Bye [14]

August 1962
Semifinals Finals
Boris Malenko and the Russian Crusher W
The Kenutuckians [15] Boris Malenko and the Russian Crusher W
Lenny Montana and Mike Paidousis W Lenny Montana and Mike Paidousis [15]
The Assassins [15]

January 1963
Semifinals Finals
Yukon Eric and Don Curtis W
The Fabulous Kangaroos [16] Yukon Eric and Don Curtis [16]
The Von Brauners   The Von Brauners W
Bye [16]

September 1963
Quarterfinals   Semifinals   Final
                   
The Assassins    
Bye [17]     The Assassins    
      Bye [17]  
  [17]       The Assassins [17]
Boris Malenko and Killer Karl Kox Draw       Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka W
The Kentuckians [17]     Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka  
Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka W   Bye [17]  
Eddie Graham and Dick Steinborn [17]  

Footnotes
  1. The date where the Von Brauners won the championship has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 196 and 226 days.
  2. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 6 days.
  3. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 27 and 55 days.
  4. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 4 days.
  5. The date where the championship was lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 62 and 91 days.
  6. The date where the championship was won has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 37 and 66 days.
  7. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 90 days.
  8. The date where the championship was lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 57 and 76 days.
  9. The date where the championship was lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 21 days.
  10. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 41 and 67 days.
  11. The date where the championship was lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 2 days.
  12. The date where the championship was lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 16 days.
  13. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 23 and 53 days.
  14. The date where the championship was vacted has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 12 and 27 days.
  15. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 14 days.
  16. The date where the championship was lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 3 and 32 days.
  17. The date where the championship was vacated has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 24 days.

References
  1. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Miami) Florida: NWA World Tag Team Title [Luttrell]". Wrestling title histories: Professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  2. "National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Florida]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  3. Hornbaker, Tim (2007). "The Origins of a Wrestling Monopoly". National Wrestling Alliance, The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN 1-55022-741-6.
  4. Mazer, Sharon (February 1, 1998). Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 18–19. ISBN 1-57806-021-4. Retrieved June 19, 2016. page 18 / page 19
  5. "NWA North American Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  6. "NWA SOuthern Tag Team Title [Florida]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  7. "NWA United States Tag Team Title [Florida]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  8. "NWA Global Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  9. Hoops, Brian (January 24, 2020). "Pro wrestling history (01/24): WWF Royal Rumble 1999". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  10. F4W Staff (May 5, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 5): Bruno Vs. Gorilla in Puerto Rico, 2nd annual Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  11. Hoops, Brian (November 24, 2019). "Daily Pro Wrestling history (11/24): The First Starcade". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  12. Hoops, Brian (January 16, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/16): Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton win WCW Tag Team Titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  13. "NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament 1961". Pro Wrestling History. September 7, 1961. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  14. "NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament 1962". Pro Wrestling History. June 14, 1962. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  15. "NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament 1962". Pro Wrestling History. August 30, 1962. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  16. "NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament 1963". Pro Wrestling History. January 29, 1963. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  17. "NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament 1963". Pro Wrestling History. September 5, 1963. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
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