NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship

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NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship
JimmysnukaatMapleleafgardens1981.jpg
Jimmy Snuka is a former NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Champion.
Details
PromotionNWA Tri-State
NWA Mid-America (1960-1974)
Date establishedMarch 31, 1954
Date retiredNo later than March 1982
Other name(s)
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version)

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)[]

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 Whitey Whittler March 31, 1954 House show Joplin, MO 1 28 Defeated Red Berry in a tournament final. [6]
2 Red Berry April 28, 1954 House show Joplin, MO 1

NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version)[]

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 Joe Scarpa September 12, 1960 Tri-State show Memphis, Tennessee 1 [Note 1] Defeated Mario Galento in tournament final to become the first champion.
Championship history is unrecorded from September 12, 1960 to September 1971 (NLT).
2 Jerry Lawler September 1971 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 1 [Note 3] Won a battle royal, last eliminating Jimmy Golden.
Championship history is unrecorded from September 1971 (NLT) to October 29, 1971 (NLT).
3 Jimmy Golden October 29, 1971 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 1 [Note 4]
4 Tony Russo November 5, 1971 Tri-State show Gadsden, Alabama 1 20
5 Gary Martin November 25, 1971 Tri-State show Anniston, Alabama 1 [Note 5]
6 Tony Russo December 1971 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 2 [Note 6]
7 The Golden Hawk December 16, 1971 Tri-State show Anniston, Alabama 1 [Note 7] Still billed as champion on January 6, 1972
Championship history is unrecorded from December 16, 1971 to March 16, 1972 (NLT).
8 Buddy Wayne March 16, 1972 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 1 [Note 8]
9 Jimmy Golden April 6, 1972¤ Tri-State show Anniston, Alabama¤ 2 [Note 9] Still champion as of 72/06/08
Championship history is unrecorded from April 6, 1972¤ to October 5, 1972 (NLT).
10 Ramon Perez October 5, 1972 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 1 [Note 10]
Championship history is unrecorded from October 5, 1972 (NLT) to December 21, 1972 (NLT).
11 Tony Russo December 21, 1972 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 3 [Note 11]
Championship history is unrecorded from December 21, 1972 (NLT) to January 26, 1973 (NLT).
12 Buddy Wayne January 26, 1973 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 2 [Note 12]
Championship history is unrecorded from January 26, 1973 (NLT) to March 7, 1974 (NLT).
13 Jimmy Golden March 7, 1974 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 3 [Note 13]
14 Jack Donovan March 14, 1974¤ Tri-State show Anniston, Alabama¤ 1 70
15 Jimmy Golden May 23, 1974¤ Tri-State show Anniston, Alabama¤ 4 [Note 14]
Championship history is unrecorded from May 23, 1974¤ to October 3, 1974 (NLT).
16 Dennis Condrey October 3, 1974 (NLT) Tri-State show [Note 2] 1 [Note 15]
— Deactivated 1974 — — — — Championship abandoned.

NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Final version)[]

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 Tom Jones 1981 Tri-State show N/A 1
2 Mr. Pogo 1981 Tri-State show N/A 2
3 Tom Jones 1981 Tri-State show N/A 2 [7]
4 Mike George February 28, 1981 Tri-State show Tulsa, OK 1 30 [8]
5 Bob Sweetan March 30, 1981 Tri-State show Tulsa, OK 1 63 [9]
6 Mike George June 1, 1981 Tri-State show Tulsa, OK 2 81
— Vacated August 21, 1981 — — — — Championship vacated when George leaves the territory.
7 Jimmy Snuka January 18, 1982 Tri-State show Tulsa, OK 1 42 Won tournament.
8 Paul Jones March 1, 1982 Tri-State show Tulsa, OK 1 [10]
9 Eddie Mansfield March 1982 Tri-State show N/A 1 [Note 16] [10]
10 Paul Jones March 17, 1982 Tri-State show Springfield, MO 2 [10]
— Deactivated 1982 — — — — 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.
List of combined reigns
Rank Champion No. of reigns Combined days
1 Mike George 2 111
2 Bob Sweetan 1 63
3 Terry Gibbs 1 55¤
4 Jimmy Snuka 1 42¤
5 Mr. Pogo 2 29¤
6 Whitey Whittler 1 28
7 Eddie Mansfield 1 1¤
8 Red Berry 1 N/A
9 Terry Orndorff 1 N/A
10 Tom Jones 2 N/A
11 Paul Jones 2 N/A

Explanatory footnotes[]

  1. ^ The length of this reign is too uncertain to calculate.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i The location of the match was not captured as part of the championship documentation.
  3. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 424 days.
  4. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 64 days.
  5. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 402 days.
  6. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 20 days.
  7. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 91 days.
  8. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 90 days.
  9. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 182 days.
  10. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 258 days.
  11. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 112 days.
  12. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 440 days.
  13. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 404 days.
  14. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 133 days.
  15. ^ The date the championship was won and lost has not been documented which means the championship reign lasted anywhere between 1 day and 221 days.
  16. ^ The exact date on which the title was won is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 1 and 15 days.

References[]

General references[]

  • Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "United States: Louisiana/Oklahoma". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 235. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  • "NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
  • "NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  • Miller, Bob (2004). "Regional Territories: Tri-State". KayfabeMemories.com.

Specific[]

  1. ^ Laffere, Charles (2004). "Regional Territories: UWF #35". KayfabeMemories.com.
  2. ^ Rowland, Sean (2004). "Regional Territories: Mid-South #8 Page #2". KayfabeMemories.com.
  3. ^ Ed Grabianowski. "How Pro Wrestling Works". How Stuff Works. Retrieved April 5, 2009.
  4. ^ Rowland, Sean (2004). "Regional Territories: Mid-South #8 Page #2". KayfabeMemories.com.
  5. ^ a b "NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
  6. ^ "Tri-State Title Tournament 1954". ProWrestlingHistory.com.
  7. ^ "Tom Jones". Online World of Wrestling.
  8. ^ "Mike George". Online World of Wrestling.
  9. ^ "Bob Sweetan". Online World of Wrestling.
  10. ^ a b c Baker, David (July 23, 2011). "Paul Jones". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. David Baker's Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Results.

External links[]

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