NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship
| NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship / AIWF Mid-America Heavyweight Championship | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Details | |||||||||||||||||||
| Current champion(s) | Toby Farley | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date won | November 1, 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date established | May 1957 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Promotion |
Allied Independent Wrestling Federations NWA Mid-America (1957–1981) | ||||||||||||||||||
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The NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title defended in the US states of Tennessee and Alabama.
The title began in 1957 and lasted first 1980 when it was first abandoned when Jerry Jarrett took over the Mid-American titles from Nick Gulas. Jarrett revived it in 1981, making it a part of the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association, and it then lasted until 1987 when it was unified with the newly created CWA (now renamed Championship Wrestling Association) Heavyweight Championship.[1]
Main Event Wrestling left the NWA in 2013 and joined the AIWF. Soon after, Main Event Wrestling brought back the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight championship and renamed it the AIWF Mid-America Heavyweight Championship.
Toby Farley, who won the title on November 1, 2013 is the current AIWF Mid-America Heavyweight Champion.
Title history
Mid-America / CWA
Silver marks in the history indicate periods of unknown lineage.
NLT — No later than
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buddy Rogers | 1 | NLT May 1957 | ||
| Mighty Atlas | 1 | NLT April 1958 | ||
| Tor Yamata | 1 | April 24, 1958 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Len Rossi | 1 | NLT July 1971 | ||
| Tony Charles | 1 | NLT June 1972 | ||
| Don Kent | 1 | NLT October 1974 | ||
| Jackie Fargo | 1 | January 4, 1975 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Don Kent | 2 | January 1975 | ||
| Luke Graham | 1 | February 5, 1975 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Don Kent | 3 | April 1975 | ||
| Luke Graham | 2 | May 7, 1975 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Harley Race | 1 | 1975 | ||
| Magnificent Zulu | 1 | NLT September 1975 | ||
| Harley Race | 2 | September 9, 1975 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jackie Fargo | 2 | NLT December 1975 | ||
| Dick Steinborn | 1 | NLT March 1976 | ||
| Roger Kirby | 1 | NLT June 1976 | ||
| Bob Armstrong | 1 | August 14, 1976 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Big Bad John | 1 | September 1976 | ||
| Bob Armstrong | 2 | September 25, 1976 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Roger Kirby | 2 | October 1976 | ||
| Tommy Rich | 1 | NLT November 1976 | ||
| Russian Stomper | 1 | January 1977 | ||
| Ken Lucas | 1 | February 13, 1977 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| The Executioner | 1 | April 15, 1977 | Huntsville, Alabama | |
| Jackie Fargo | 3 | May 28, 1977 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Title vacated in 1977 when Fargo was injured. | ||||
| Lanny Poffo | 1 | October 9, 1977 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Defeated Dennis Hall in a tournament final to win the vacant title. |
| Don Kent | 4 | December 10, 1977 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Randy Savage | 1 | January 3, 1978 | Birmingham, Alabama | |
| Dutch Mantel | 1 | March 26, 1978 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Don Garfield (Don Fargo) | 1 | May 21, 1978 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 2 | May 28, 1978 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Whipper Watson, Jr. | 1 | July 12, 1978 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 3 | July 22, 1978 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Blue Yankee | 1 | August 12, 1978 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Title vacated in September 1978 after a match against Dutch Mantel. | ||||
| Mexican Angel | 1 | September 20, 1978 | Nashville, Tennessee | Won a 13-man tournament to win the vacant title. |
| Dutch Mantel | 4 | November 11, 1978 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Randy Savage | 2 | November 11, 1978 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 1 | NLT February 1979 | ||
| Chris Colt | 1 | April 29, 1979 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Ron Garfield | 1 | May 23, 1979 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Dennis Condrey | 1 | June 2, 1979 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Defeated Gorgeous George, Jr. |
| Dutch Mantel | 5 | October 20, 1979 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 2 | October 24, 1979 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Chris Colt | 2 | November 25, 1979 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 3 | December 1979 | ||
| Gorgeous George, Jr. | 1 | February 17, 1980 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 4 | February 1980 | ||
| Tojo Yamamoto | 1 | NLT February 1980 | ||
| Steve Travis | 1 | NLT April 1980 | ||
| Roger Mason (Roger Smith) | 1 | April 5, 1980 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Rocky Johnson | 1 | May 10, 1980 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| The Great Togo | 1 | May 1980 | ||
| Robert Gibson | 1 | June 25, 1980 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 5 | July 23, 1980 | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| Title abandoned in October 1980 when Jerry Jarrett took over the Mid-American titles from Nick Gulas. Jarrett revived the title as part of the Continental Wrestling Association in 1981. | ||||
| Ron Bass | 1 | NLT July 1981 | Awarded the title. | |
| Steve Keirn | 1 | July 6, 1981 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Bugsy McGraw | 1 | August 24, 1981 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Steve Keirn | 2 | September 7, 1981 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 6 | September 21, 1981 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Title vacated and inactive after Mantel wins the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship on October 26, 1981 in Memphis, Tennessee. The title was reactivated in April 1982. | ||||
| Dream Machine | 1 | April 19, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 7 | May 17, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 6 | May 24, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| King Cobra | 1 | May 31, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 8 | July 5, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 7 | July 12, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Bill Dundee | 1 | July 1982 | ||
| Dutch Mantel | 9 | September 6, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jesse Barr | 1 | November 15, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 10 | November 22, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Apocalypse | 1 | November 29, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jacques Rougeau | 1 | December 5, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Sabu the Wildman | 1 | December 27, 1982 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jacques Rougeau | 2 | January 2, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Bobby Eaton | 8 | January 10, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Title vacated in January 1983. | ||||
| Bobby Eaton | 9 | February 14, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | Defeated Sweet Brown Sugar in a tournament final to win the vacant title. |
| Sweet Brown Sugar | 1 | February 25, 1983 | Tupelo, Mississippi | |
| Bobby Eaton | 10 | February 28, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | This was a loser leaves town match. Sweet Brown Sugar would reappear as the masked Stagger Lee. |
| Stagger Lee | 2 | March 7, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Frankie Laine | 1 | July 4, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 11 | July 18, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Buddy Landel | 1 | August 15, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Stagger Lee / Koko Ware | 3 | August 22, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | Ware removed his mask before the match with Landel. |
| Buddy Landel | 2 | September 10, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Terry Taylor | 1 | December 1, 1983 | Lexington, Kentucky | |
| Randy Savage | 3 | December 26, 1983 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jerry Lawler | 1 | April 9, 1984 | Lexington, Kentucky | The title may have been vacated since Lawler also held the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship when he won the Mid-America title. |
| Korstia Korchenko | 1 | November 19, 1984 | Memphis, Tennessee | Defeated Jacques Rougeau. |
| Mike Sharpe | 1 | NLT December 17, 1984 | ||
| Jimmy Valiant | 1 | February 11, 1985 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Man Mountain Link | 1 | July 1985 | Awarded the title. | |
| Jerry Lawler | 2 | July 15, 1985 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Title vacated when Lawler wins the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship on July 29, 1985 in Memphis, Tennessee. | ||||
| Koko Ware | 4 | August 12, 1985 | Memphis, Tennessee | Defeated Bota the Witch Doctor in a tournament final to win the vacant title. |
| Bota the Witch Doctor | 1 | August 1985 | ||
| Koko Ware | 5 | September 1985 | ||
| Harley Race | 3 | October 7, 1985 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Tom Branch | 1 | November 1985 | Kansas City, Missouri | |
| Koko Ware | 6 | November 16, 1985 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Buddy Landel | 3 | January 21, 1986 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| Dirty Rhodes (Roger Smith) | 2 | February 2, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Buddy Landel | 4 | February 18, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 12 | April 7, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Rip Rogers | 1 | May 19, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dutch Mantel | 13 | June 16, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Title vacated in July 1986 when Mantel left the area. | ||||
| Tracy Smothers | 1 | August 11, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Boy Tony (Tony Falk) | 1 | October 7, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Tracy Smothers | 2 | October 20, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Big Bubba | 1 | October 27, 1986 | Memphis, Tennessee | Also held CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Championship. |
| Bubba vacated the title in November 1986. | ||||
| The Great Kabuki | 1 | November 1986 | Jackson, Tennessee | Defeated Paul Diamond in a tournament final. |
| Title vacated in December 1986 when Kabuki left the area. | ||||
| Moondog Spot | 1 | May 1987 | Billed as champion on arrival. | |
| Jeff Jarrett | 1 | May 11, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Moondog Spot | 2 | May 25, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | Won the title by disqualification. |
| Jeff Jarrett | 2 | June 1, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Moondog Spot | 3 | June 8, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jeff Jarrett | 3 | June 22, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Carl Fergie | 1 | September 7, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jeff Jarrett | 4 | September 14, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jimmy Jack Funk (Jesse Barr) | 2 | November 2, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jeff Jarrett | 5 | November 9, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Jerry Lawler | 3 | December 7, 1987 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Lawler also defeats Manny Fernandez on December 7, 1987 to win the CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Championship and unifies the two titles with his AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship to create the CWA Heavyweight Championship. | ||||
NWA Main Event
NLT — No later than
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title revived by the NWA for use in NWA Main Event in 2001. | ||||
| Kory Williams | 1 | March 17, 2001 | Nashville, Tennessee | Defeated Doug Gilbert to win the revived title. |
| Title vacated in June 2001 when Williams leaves the promotion. | ||||
| Rex Sexton | 1 | December 25, 2002 | Columbia, Tennessee | Won a battle royal, last eliminating Mikey Woods, to win the vacant title. |
| Mike Woods | 1 | March 22, 2003 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Kory Williams returns to the promotion in May 2003, claiming to still be champion, since he was never defeated for the title. | ||||
| Kory Williams | 2 | June 20, 2003 | Columbia, Tennessee | Defeated Woods to become undisputed champion. |
| Mike Woods | 2 | September 13, 2003 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Lonestar | 1 | November 8, 2003 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Tommy Capone | 1 | April 3, 2004 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Mike Woods | 3 | May 3, 2004 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Buzz Dupp | 3 | July 17, 2004 | Columbia, Tennessee | Won the title by forfeit. |
| Mike Woods | 4 | NLT January 2005 | ||
| L.A. Player | 1 | January 8, 2005 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Mike Woods | 5 | NLT September 2005 | ||
| Kevin Rhodes | 1 | October 7, 2005 | Springfield, Tennessee | |
| Title vacated NLT March 31, 2006. | ||||
| J.T. Quest | 1 | April 1, 2006 | Columbia, Tennessee | Defeated Jason Cain to win the vacant title. |
| Larry Cooter | 1 | April 29, 2006 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| J.T. Quest | 2 | May 20, 2006 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Steve O | 1 | July 22, 2006 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| J.T. Quest | 3 | November 4, 2006 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Lee Condry | 1 | December 23, 2006 | Columbia, Tennessee | Won a four-corners survival match. |
| Johnny Swinger | 1 | April 13, 2007 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
| Lee Condry | 2 | April 14, 2007 | Columbia, Tennessee | |
AIWF Main Event
NLT — No later than
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title revived under the AIWF banner for use in AIWF Main Event in 2013 | ||||
| Zack Hartnell | 1 | October 11, 2013 | Gallatin, Tennessee | reinstated under the AIWF |
| Toby Farley | 1 | November 1, 2013 | Gallatin, Tennessee | |
See also
References
- ↑ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.