NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship

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]

NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship
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 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

Footnotes
  1. The length of this reign is too uncertain to calculate.
  2. 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. "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. Baker, David (July 23, 2011). "Paul Jones". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. David Baker's Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Results.
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