NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship
Professional wrestling championship
NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship
Championship belt
Details
PromotionNWA Mid-America
Date establishedMay 25, 1939
Date retiredJuly 27, 1974
Statistics
First champion(s)Joe Gunther
Most reignsLen Rossi (7 reign)
Longest reignTojo Yamamoto (512 days)
Shortest reignSiki Samara (<1 day)

The NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title for lighter wrestlers, board-controlled by the National Wrestling Alliance since December 1949.

It originally was used by various promotions across the Southeastern United States, most prevalently in NWA Mid-America based Tennessee. In August 1974, it was renamed the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Memphis version).

The title was revived by the NWA in December 1999, and is used in the NWA Mid-South promotion, based in Humboldt, Tennessee.[1]

Title history

Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDays
1Joe GuntherMay 25, 1939 (NLT)GCCW showNew Orleans1N/ARecognized in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.[2]
—N/A——
2Tommy WardMarch 20, 1950 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/ARecognized in Florida and Georgia.
—N/A——
3Karl KowalskiSeptember 18, 1950 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/ARecognized in Georgia.
—N/A——
4Henry HarrellApril 19, 1952GCCW showJackson, Mississippi1N/ADefeated Tex Riley in a tournament final.
5Herb WelchJuly 1952GCCW showKnoxville, Tennessee1N/A
6Al GalentoAugust 21, 1952GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee1N/A
7Tex RileyOctober 1952GCCW showKingsport, Tennessee1N/A
8Jesse JamesN/AGCCW showN/A1N/A
—N/A——
9Red RobertsJanuary 1953 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/ARecognized in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.
10Ray PiretMarch 17, 1954GCCW showNashville, Tennessee1341
11Sonny MyersFebruary 21, 1955GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama1155
12Frank JaresJuly 26, 1955GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama1301[3]
13The Masked BatMay 22, 1956GCCW showNashville, Tennessee17
14Frank JaresMay 29, 1956GCCW showNashville, Tennessee256
15Jesse JamesJuly 24, 1956GCCW showNashville, Tennessee214
16Frank JaresAugust 7, 1956GCCW showNashville, Tennessee320
17Herb WelchAugust 27, 1956GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama223
18The Great MalenkoSeptember 19, 1956GCCW showMobile, Alabama127
19Herb WelchOctober 16, 1956GCCW showMobile, Alabama3132
20Tor YamataFebruary 25, 1957GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama1112
21Cyclone AnayaJune 17, 1957GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama165
22Mario GalentoAugust 21, 1957GCCW showMobile, Alabama1N/A
—VacatedSeptember 1957————Vacated due to Galento not defending.
23Cyclone AnayaSeptember 1957GCCW showN/A2N/A
24Tor YamataOctober 1, 1957GCCW showNashville, Tennessee241
25Ray StevensNovember 11, 1957GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama1N/A
26Tor YamataJanuary 1958 (NLT)GCCW showN/A3N/A
27Herb WelchMarch 17, 1958GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee3N/A
—N/A——
28Fred BlassieMay 1958 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/A
—N/A——
29Ray StevensJune 1958 (NLT)GCCW showN/A2N/A
30Corsica JeanJuly 22, 1958GCCW showNashville, Tennessee1N/A
31Ray StevensOctober 1958 (NLT)GCCW showN/A3N/A
—VacatedOctober 1958————Stevens left the territory.
32Yvon Robert1958GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama1N/A
33Jesse JamesJanuary 12, 1959GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama3261[4]
34Jackie FargoSeptember 30, 1959GCCW showMobile, Alabama189
35Mike ClancyDecember 28, 1959GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama1360
36Bill MonroeDecember 22, 1960GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee15
37Len RossiDecember 27, 1960GCCW showNashville, Tennessee1207
38Don GreeneJuly 22, 1961GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee1170
39Len RossiJanuary 8, 1962GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee241
40Taro SakuroFebruary 18, 1962GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee1109
41Joe LanzaJune 7, 1962GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee1N/A
—N/AGCCW show—N/A
42Jackie FargoAugust 1962 (NLT)GCCW showN/A2N/A
—N/AGCCW show—N/A
43Hans SteinerSeptember 1962 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/A
—N/AGCCW show—N/A
44Len RossiMay 1963 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/A
45Frankie CainMay 1963GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee1N/A
—N/AGCCW show—N/A
46Alex PerezJanuary 1964 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/A
47Rocky SmithNovember 1964 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/A
48Alex PerezFebruary 8, 1965GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee2N/A
49Rocky SmithNovember 1965 (NLT)GCCW showN/A2N/A
—VacatedDecember 16, 1965GCCW show———Held up after a match against Hiro Matsuda
50Rocky SmithDecember 23, 1965GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee326Defeated Matsuda in a rematch.
51Alex PerezJanuary 18, 1966GCCW showNashville, Tennessee380[5]
52Al CostelloApril 8, 1966GCCW showNashville, Tennessee120
53Karl von BraunerApril 28, 1966GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee190
54Jackie FargoJuly 27, 1966GCCW showNashville, Tennessee3N/A
—N/AGCCW show—N/A
55Len RossiApril 1967 (NLT)GCCW showN/A4N/A
56The Great YamahaAugust 19, 1967GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee112
57Len RossiAugust 31, 1967GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee5201
58Tojo YamamotoMarch 19, 1968GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee1512
—N/AGCCW show—0
59Siki SamaraAugust 13, 1969GCCW showMobile, Alabama10Samara was awarded the title.
60Jimmy JonesAugust 13, 1969GCCW showMobile, Alabama17
61Siki SamaraAugust 20, 1969GCCW showMobile, Alabama20
62Siki SamaraAugust 20, 1969GCCW showMobile, Alabama2N/A
—N/AGCCW show—N/A
63Len RossiMarch 1970 (NLT)GCCW showN/A6N/A
64Sputnik MonroeJuly 1, 1971GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee1N/A[6]
65Len RossiAugust 1971GCCW showN/A7N/A
—Vacated1973GCCW show———Rossi suffers a broken ankle.
66Tommy Gilbert1973GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama1N/A
67Lou Thesz1973GCCW showN/A1N/A
68Tommy Gilbert1973GCCW showN/A2N/A
69Ron GarvinDecember 1973 (NLT)GCCW showN/A1N/A
70Tommy GilbertJanuary 1974GCCW showBirmingham, Alabama3N/A
71Lou TheszMarch 18, 1974GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee223
72Tommy GilbertApril 10, 1974GCCW showNashville, Tennessee45
73Jerry LawlerApril 15, 1974GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee149
74Ricky GibsonJune 3, 1974GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee17
75Jerry LawlerJune 10, 1974GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee214[7]
76Jackie FargoJune 24, 1974GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee414
77Jerry LawlerJuly 8, 1974GCCW showMemphis, Tennessee312
78Jackie FargoJuly 20, 1974GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee57
79Jerry LawlerJuly 27, 1974GCCW showChattanooga, Tennessee4N/A
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship

See also

References

  1. ^ "NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  2. ^ "Southern Junior Heavyweight Title (U.S.)". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  3. ^ Hoops, Brian (July 26, 2015). "On this day in history - Demon Vs. Santo, Gagne Vs. Kiniski". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  4. ^ Hoops, Brian (January 12, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/12): The Outsiders win WCW Tag team titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  5. ^ Hoops, Brian (January 18, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/18): Ivan Koloff defeats Bruno Sammartino for WWWF title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  6. ^ Hoops, Brian (July 1, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (July 1): Ric Flair stripped of WCW title, Von Erich win WCCW Tag titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  7. ^ F4W Staff (June 10, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (June 10): Harley Race beats Ric Fair for NWA title, Jerry Blackwell turns babyface". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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