NWA Mid-America: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Former professional wrestling promotion}} |
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{{Infobox wrestling promotion |
{{Infobox wrestling promotion |
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|name =NWA Mid-America |
|name =NWA Mid-America |
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|image = |
|image =Gulas Wrestling Enterprises.png |
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|caption =Gulas Wrestling Enterprises logo, the company that owned NWA Mid-America |
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|caption = |
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|acronym = |
|acronym = |
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|established =1940s<ref name="nwa1949">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/members/1949.html |title=NWA Membership Rosters: 1949 | |
|established =1940s<ref name="nwa1949">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/members/1949.html |title=NWA Membership Rosters: 1949 |access-date=2014-01-06}}</ref> |
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|folded =1981 |
|folded =1981 |
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|style =[[Rasslin']] / Southern Style |
|style =[[Rasslin']] / Southern Style |
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|location =[[Dyersburg, Tennessee]]<br>[[Memphis, Tennessee]]<br>[[Knoxville, Tennessee]]<br>[[Birmingham, Alabama]] |
|location =[[Dyersburg, Tennessee]]<br>[[Memphis, Tennessee]]<br>[[Knoxville, Tennessee]]<br>[[Birmingham, Alabama]] |
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|founder =[[Nick Gulas]]<br>[[Roy Welch]]<ref name="nwa1949"/> |
|founder =[[Nick Gulas]]<br>[[Roy Welch]]<ref name="nwa1949"/> |
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|owner =Nick Gulas ( |
|owner =Nick Gulas (1940s–1981)<br>Roy Welch (1940s–1977)<br>John Cazana (1953–1974)<br>Joe Gunther (1940–1970s) |
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|parent =Gulas Wrestling |
|parent =Gulas Wrestling Enterprises Inc. |
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|sister = |
|sister = |
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|successor = [[Continental Wrestling Association]] |
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|formerly =Gulas-Welch |
|formerly =Gulas-Welch Enterprisees Inc. |
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|website = |
|website = |
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}} |
}} |
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'''NWA Mid-America''' was a [[professional wrestling promotion]] territory under the umbrella of the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA) that promoted shows in [[Tennessee]], [[Kentucky]] and [[Alabama]] from the 1940s until 1981. The company was founded in the 1940s by [[Nick Gulas]] and [[Roy Welch]] and was one of the first promotions to join the NWA after it was founded in 1948. From 1953 until late 1974, John Cazana promoted the [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]] area and Joe Gunther promoted the [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] area from around 1940 until some point in the 1970s. In 1977, promoter [[Jerry Jarrett]] and wrestler [[Jerry Lawler]] broke away from NWA Mid-America, breaking the [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] area off to start on the own under the name the [[Continental Wrestling Association]] (CWA). Mid-America stopped promoting in 1981 and the CWA took over most of their territory as well as some of the championships promoted by NWA Mid-America |
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==History== |
==History== |
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In the 1940s |
In the 1940s, wrestler and promoter [[Roy Welch]] started promoting shows on a regular basis in and around [[Memphis, Tennessee]] and would later be joined by [[Nick Gulas]] who had been promoting shows in [[Florida]] between 1945 and 1947 before joining with Welch to create the Gulas Welch Enterprises Inc. company in the mid 1940s as they began promoting shows primarily in Memphis and [[Nashville]] with occasional shows in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]], [[Jackson, Tennessee|Jackson]], [[Louisville, Kentucky]], [[Lexington, Kentucky]], [[Bowling Green, Kentucky]]. They also worked with Joe Gunther, a promoter working out of [[Birmingham, Alabama]] to expand their promotion into Alabama as well as occasional shows in [[Mississippi]], [[Ohio]], [[West Virginia]], [[Missouri]], [[Georgia (U.S. State)|Georgia]] and [[North Carolina]]. In 1949, The group joined the [[National Wrestling Alliance]], a national sanctioning body that divided the US into territories.<ref name="nwa1949">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/members/1949.html |title=NWA Membership Rosters: 1949 |access-date=2014-01-06}}</ref> The promotion became known as the NWA Mid-America.<ref name=NWABook/> In 1953, they added [[Knoxville, Tennessee]] to their territory as promoter John Cazana joined the group. The group recognized a number of NWA "World" Championships that were shared across the territories as well as promoting their own NWA branded championships that were mainly defended in the Mid-America territory.<ref name=NWABook>{{cite book | last = Hornbaker | first = Tim | title = National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Professional Wrestling | publisher = [[ECW Press]] | year = 2007 | isbn = 9781554902743}}</ref> |
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Over the years [[tag team]] wrestling became very popular in the Mid-America territory leading to seven different tag team championships being recognized at the same time in the 1970s by NWA Mid-America: [[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship]], [[NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-America Version)|NWA United States Tag Team Championship]], [[AWA Southern Tag Team Championship|NWA Southern Tag Team Championship]], [[NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship]], [[NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship]], |
Over the years [[tag team]] wrestling became very popular in the Mid-America territory leading to seven different tag team championships being recognized at the same time in the 1970s by NWA Mid-America: [[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship]], [[NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-America Version)|NWA United States Tag Team Championship]], [[AWA Southern Tag Team Championship|NWA Southern Tag Team Championship]], [[NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship]], [[NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship]], NWA Kentucky Tag Team Championship and the [[NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship (Alabama version)|NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship]]. This also meant that a host of well known tag teams either worked in NWA Mid-America on a regular basis or passed through the territory at one point, teams such as [[The Von Brauners]], The Interns, The Infernos, The Bounty Hunters, [[Tojo Yamamoto]] and [[Jerry Jarrett]], [[The Heavenly Bodies (1960s) (professional wrestling)|The Heavenly Bodies]] (Don and Al Green), [[Bobby Hart (wrestler)|Bobby Hart]] and [[Lorenzo Parente]], [[The Fabulous Kangaroos]], [[Jerry Lawler]] and [[Jim White (wrestler)|Jim White]], The Fabulous Fargos, and a host of other teams were regulars.<ref name=TagBook>{{cite book | author=Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson | title= The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams | publisher=ECW Press | chapter= Replace from list | year=2005| isbn=978-1-5502-2683-6}}</ref> |
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In the mid-1970s the territory was split as Memphis promoter Jerry Jarrett broke away from the Mid-America territory due to disagreements over how Gulas was promoting his son [[George Gulas]], pushing him as one of the top names in the promotion despite not being very talented in the ring.<ref name=1977Book>{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History Presents: 1977 The War For Memphis | chapter=Foreword|pages= |
In the mid-1970s, the territory was split as Memphis promoter Jerry Jarrett broke away from the Mid-America territory due to disagreements over how Gulas was promoting his son [[George Gulas]], pushing him as one of the top names in the promotion despite not being very talented in the ring.<ref name=1977Book>{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History Presents: 1977 The War For Memphis | chapter=Foreword|pages=13–16|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=June 5, 2015|isbn=1-4781347-2-0}}</ref> Many of the wrestlers in the promotion were upset at Nick Gulas for over-booking his son [[George Gulas]] in the extremely profitable Memphis half of the territory. At this point Roy Welch retired from promotion, leaving Nick Gulas as the man in charge of a dwindling territory. With Gulas' insistence on pushing his son and Jarrett's [[Continental Wrestling Association]] (CWA) becoming very popular led to a drop in ticket sales and by 1981, Gulas closed the promotion and sold the territory and its championships to the CWA. |
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==Last show== |
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These are the results of the last known NWA Mid-America show held on September 13, 1980.<ref name=LastShow>{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History: Cards, Matches and Results 1970-1985|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform| chapter=September, 1980 | date=October 1, 2013|isbn=1-4935686-6-3}}</ref> |
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{{Pro Wrestling results table |
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|results=<ref name=LastShow/> |
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|match1 =[[Bobby Eaton]] (c) vs. Jerry Barber ended in a no-contest |
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|stip1 =[[Professional wrestling match types#Variations of singles matches|Singles match]] for the [[NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship]] |
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|time1= |
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|match2 =Roger Howell and [[Robert Gibson (wrestler)|Robert Gibson]] defeated The Manchurians (Tio and Tapu) by disqualification |
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|stip2 =[[Professional wrestling tag team match types|Tag team match]] |
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|time2 = |
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|match3=[[Bobby Eaton]] defeated Mike Miller |
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|stip3 =Singles match |
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|time3 = |
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|match4=Ginger the wrestling bear defeated Terry Sawyer |
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|stip4 =Bear Wrestling match |
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|time4 = |
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|match5 =[[Moondog Spot|Larry Latham]] vs. [[Ken Lucas (wrestler)|Ken Lucas]] ended in a no-contest |
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|stip5 =Singles match |
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|time5 = |
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}} |
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{|class="wikitable" width=100% |
{|class="wikitable" width=100% |
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!Championship |
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!Last Recognized Champion |
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!From |
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!style="background: #e3e3e3;" |From |
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!Until |
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!style="background: #e3e3e3;" |Until |
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!Notes |
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!style="background: #e3e3e3;" |Notes |
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|[[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] || [[Harley Race]] || January 5, 1948 || Still Active || Champion when Mid-America closed.<ref name=NWAHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition= |
|[[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] || [[Harley Race]] || January 5, 1948 || Still Active || Champion when Mid-America closed.<ref name=NWAHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=United States: 19th century and widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: National Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Title|isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship]] || [[Terry Taylor]]/[[Les Thornton]] || May 1945 || Still Active || Champion when Mid-America closed.<ref name=NWAJrHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition= |
|[[NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship]] || [[Terry Taylor]]/[[Les Thornton]] || May 1945 || Still Active || Champion when Mid-America closed.<ref name=NWAJrHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=United States: 19th century and widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: National Wrestling Alliance Junior Heavyweight Title|isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA World Women's Championship]] || [[The Fabulous Moolah]] || 1935 || Still Active || Champion when Mid-America closed.<ref name=NWAWomen>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition= |
|[[NWA World Women's Championship]] || [[The Fabulous Moolah]] || 1935 || Still Active || Champion when Mid-America closed.<ref name=NWAWomen>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=United States: 19th century and widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: National Wrestling Alliance Women's Title|isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship]] || [[Mike Graham (wrestler)|Mike Graham]] and [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]] || February 5, 1957 || 1977 || <ref name=NWATagMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition= |
|[[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship]] || [[Mike Graham (wrestler)|Mike Graham]] and [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]] || February 5, 1957 || 1977 || <ref name=NWATagMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA World Tag Team Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch] | pages= 191–193 |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship]] || George Gulas, Rocky Brewer and Mystery Man || November 14, 1974 || 1981 || Championship later used by [[Jim Crockett Promotions]].<ref name=NWA6TagMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition= |
|[[NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship]] || George Gulas, Rocky Brewer and Mystery Man || November 14, 1974 || 1981 || Championship later used by [[Jim Crockett Promotions]].<ref name=NWA6TagMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Six-Man Tag Team Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch] |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA World Brass Knuckles Championship]] || Don Fargo || November 15, 1978 || 1981 || <ref name=NWABrass>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition= |
|[[NWA World Brass Knuckles Championship]] || Don Fargo || November 15, 1978 || 1981 || <ref name=NWABrass>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA World Brass Knuckles Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch] |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA United States Heavyweight Championship]] || |
|[[NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship]] || Don Greene || February, 1959 || July, 1974 || CWA brought the championship back in 1981.<ref>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch] |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA United States |
|[[NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA United States Tag Team Championship]] || [[Dennis Condrey]] and [[Phil Hickerson]] || March, 1962 || April, 1974 || <ref name=NWAUSTagMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA United States Tag Team Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch] |pages=194 |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[ |
|[[Memphis Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Championship|NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship]] || [[Rocky Johnson]] || July 27, 1974 || March 20, 1977 || Moved to the CWA.<ref name=NWASouthMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Southern Heavyweight Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch] |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[ |
|[[NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship]] || [[Jerry Lawler]] || April 19, 1952 || July 27, 1974 || Became the Southern Heavyweight Championship.<ref name=NWASouthJrMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch] |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA Southern |
|[[AWA Southern Tag Team Championship|NWA Southern Tag Team Championship]] || The Bicentennial Kings ([[Dennis Condrey]] and [[Phil Hickerson]]) || November, 1945 || March 20, 1977 || Moved to the CWA.<ref name=NWASouthTagMA>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welch & Nick Gulas; Jerry Jarrett from 1977] | pages= 185–189 |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[ |
|[[NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship]] || Johnny Justice || April, 1957 || Still Active || Later revived by the CWA.<ref>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|NWA Mid-America Junior Heavyweight Championship || [[Dick Steinborn]] || 1980 || 1980 || <ref name=NWAMAJr>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Junior Heavyweight Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA Mid-America |
|[[NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship]] ||Rob Conway and Josh Lewis|| January, 1972 || Still Active || <ref name=NWAMATag>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title | pages= 194–195 |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|NWA Mid-America Television Championship || [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]] || November 8, 1980 || 1981 || <ref name=NWAMATV>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Television Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA |
|[[NWA Tennessee Heavyweight Championship]] || [[Sputnik Monroe (wrestler)|Sputnik Monroe]] || June 29, 1959 || March 28, 1960 || <ref name=NWATennHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=Tennessee: National Wrestling Alliance Tennessee Heavyweight Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA Tennessee |
|[[NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship]] || Don Greene and Joey Rossi || July 10, 1956 || May, 1977 || <ref name=NWATennTag>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=Tennessee: NWA Tennessee Tag Team Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|NWA Kentucky Heavyweight Championship || Buck Moore || 1950s || 1950s || <ref name=NWAKYHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=Kentucky: NWA Kentucky Heavyweight Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|NWA Kentucky Tag Team Championship || The Masked Superstars || March, 1975 || February, 1979 || <ref name=NWAKYTag>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=Kentucky: NWA Kentucky Tag Team Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA |
|[[NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship (Alabama version)|NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship]] (Alabama version) || [[Tojo Yamamoto]] and [[George Gulas]] || October, 1971 || August, 1977 || <ref name=NWATriTag>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=Alabama: NWA Tri-State Tag Team Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA Tri-State |
|[[NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship]] (Tri-State version) || [[Dennis Condrey]] || September 12, 1960 || October, 1970 || <ref name=NWATriHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=4|chapter=Alabama: NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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|[[NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship]] (Tri-State version) || [[Dennis Condrey]] || September 12, 1960 || October, 1970 || <ref name=NWATriHeavy>{{cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|author2=Royal Duncan |title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|date=1994|edition=3|pages=23|chapter=Alabama: National Wrestling Alliance Tri-State Heavyweight Title |isbn=0-9698161-1-1}}</ref> |
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==Further reading== |
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*{{Cite book | author = Lawler, Jerry | title = It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes | year = 2002 | publisher = [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] | isbn = 978-0-7434-5768-2 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/itsgoodtobekings00lawl }} |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History Presents: the 1950s|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=November 6, 2012|isbn=1-4801145-5-3}} |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History Presents: the 1960s|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=June 29, 2011|isbn=1-4636503-1-0}} |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History Presents: the 1970s|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=January 20, 2012|isbn=1-4699345-9-0}} |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History: Cards, Matches and Results 1970-1985|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=October 1, 2013|isbn=1-4935686-6-3}} |
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;NWA Mid-America in Tennessee |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History: Tennessee Record Book 1960-1972|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=June 26, 2014|asin=B00N4IZVMM}} |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History: Tennessee Record Book 1973-1979|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=December 7, 2013|isbn=1-4937025-3-X}} |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History: Tennessee Record Book 1980-1989|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=November 29, 2013|isbn=1-4943258-1-0}} |
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;NWA Mid-America in Nashville |
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*{{cite book|first=Mark|last=James|title=Memphis Wrestling History: Nashville Programs 1951-1952|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=November 1, 2013|isbn=1-4936550-8-6}} |
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==See also== |
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*[[List of National Wrestling Alliance territories]] |
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*[[List of independent wrestling promotions in the United States]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{ |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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{{NWA Mid-America championships}} |
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{{National Wrestling Alliance}} |
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{{Professional wrestling in the United States}} |
{{Professional wrestling in the United States}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:NWA Mid-America| ]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Independent professional wrestling promotions based in Tennessee]] |
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[[Category:Entertainment companies disestablished in 1981]] |
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[[Category:National Wrestling Alliance members]] |
[[Category:National Wrestling Alliance members]] |
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[[Category:Professional wrestling in Alabama]] |
[[Category:Professional wrestling in Alabama]] |
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[[Category:Professional wrestling in Kentucky]] |
[[Category:Professional wrestling in Kentucky]] |
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[[Category:Professional wrestling in Tennessee]] |
[[Category:Professional wrestling in Tennessee]] |
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[[Category:Defunct professional wrestling promotions]] |
Latest revision as of 21:41, 12 September 2024
Founded | 1940s[1] |
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Defunct | 1981 |
Style | Rasslin' / Southern Style |
Headquarters | Dyersburg, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Birmingham, Alabama |
Founder(s) | Nick Gulas Roy Welch[1] |
Owner(s) | Nick Gulas (1940s–1981) Roy Welch (1940s–1977) John Cazana (1953–1974) Joe Gunther (1940–1970s) |
Parent | Gulas Wrestling Enterprises Inc. |
Formerly | Gulas-Welch Enterprisees Inc. |
Successor | Continental Wrestling Association |
NWA Mid-America was a professional wrestling promotion territory under the umbrella of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) that promoted shows in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama from the 1940s until 1981. The company was founded in the 1940s by Nick Gulas and Roy Welch and was one of the first promotions to join the NWA after it was founded in 1948. From 1953 until late 1974, John Cazana promoted the Knoxville area and Joe Gunther promoted the Birmingham area from around 1940 until some point in the 1970s. In 1977, promoter Jerry Jarrett and wrestler Jerry Lawler broke away from NWA Mid-America, breaking the Memphis area off to start on the own under the name the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA). Mid-America stopped promoting in 1981 and the CWA took over most of their territory as well as some of the championships promoted by NWA Mid-America
History
[edit]In the 1940s, wrestler and promoter Roy Welch started promoting shows on a regular basis in and around Memphis, Tennessee and would later be joined by Nick Gulas who had been promoting shows in Florida between 1945 and 1947 before joining with Welch to create the Gulas Welch Enterprises Inc. company in the mid 1940s as they began promoting shows primarily in Memphis and Nashville with occasional shows in Chattanooga, Jackson, Louisville, Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, Bowling Green, Kentucky. They also worked with Joe Gunther, a promoter working out of Birmingham, Alabama to expand their promotion into Alabama as well as occasional shows in Mississippi, Ohio, West Virginia, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. In 1949, The group joined the National Wrestling Alliance, a national sanctioning body that divided the US into territories.[1] The promotion became known as the NWA Mid-America.[2] In 1953, they added Knoxville, Tennessee to their territory as promoter John Cazana joined the group. The group recognized a number of NWA "World" Championships that were shared across the territories as well as promoting their own NWA branded championships that were mainly defended in the Mid-America territory.[2]
Over the years tag team wrestling became very popular in the Mid-America territory leading to seven different tag team championships being recognized at the same time in the 1970s by NWA Mid-America: NWA World Tag Team Championship, NWA United States Tag Team Championship, NWA Southern Tag Team Championship, NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship, NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship, NWA Kentucky Tag Team Championship and the NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship. This also meant that a host of well known tag teams either worked in NWA Mid-America on a regular basis or passed through the territory at one point, teams such as The Von Brauners, The Interns, The Infernos, The Bounty Hunters, Tojo Yamamoto and Jerry Jarrett, The Heavenly Bodies (Don and Al Green), Bobby Hart and Lorenzo Parente, The Fabulous Kangaroos, Jerry Lawler and Jim White, The Fabulous Fargos, and a host of other teams were regulars.[3]
In the mid-1970s, the territory was split as Memphis promoter Jerry Jarrett broke away from the Mid-America territory due to disagreements over how Gulas was promoting his son George Gulas, pushing him as one of the top names in the promotion despite not being very talented in the ring.[4] Many of the wrestlers in the promotion were upset at Nick Gulas for over-booking his son George Gulas in the extremely profitable Memphis half of the territory. At this point Roy Welch retired from promotion, leaving Nick Gulas as the man in charge of a dwindling territory. With Gulas' insistence on pushing his son and Jarrett's Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) becoming very popular led to a drop in ticket sales and by 1981, Gulas closed the promotion and sold the territory and its championships to the CWA.
Last show
[edit]These are the results of the last known NWA Mid-America show held on September 13, 1980.[5]
No. | Results[5] | Stipulations | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bobby Eaton (c) vs. Jerry Barber ended in a no-contest | Singles match for the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship | ||
2 | Roger Howell and Robert Gibson defeated The Manchurians (Tio and Tapu) by disqualification | Tag team match | ||
3 | Bobby Eaton defeated Mike Miller | Singles match | ||
4 | Ginger the wrestling bear defeated Terry Sawyer | Bear Wrestling match | ||
5 | Larry Latham vs. Ken Lucas ended in a no-contest | Singles match | ||
|
Championships
[edit]Championship | Last Recognized Champion | From | Until | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
NWA World Heavyweight Championship | Harley Race | January 5, 1948 | Still Active | Champion when Mid-America closed.[6] |
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship | Terry Taylor/Les Thornton | May 1945 | Still Active | Champion when Mid-America closed.[7] |
NWA World Women's Championship | The Fabulous Moolah | 1935 | Still Active | Champion when Mid-America closed.[8] |
NWA World Tag Team Championship | Mike Graham and Kevin Sullivan | February 5, 1957 | 1977 | [9] |
NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship | George Gulas, Rocky Brewer and Mystery Man | November 14, 1974 | 1981 | Championship later used by Jim Crockett Promotions.[10] |
NWA World Brass Knuckles Championship | Don Fargo | November 15, 1978 | 1981 | [11] |
NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship | Don Greene | February, 1959 | July, 1974 | CWA brought the championship back in 1981.[12] |
NWA United States Tag Team Championship | Dennis Condrey and Phil Hickerson | March, 1962 | April, 1974 | [13] |
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship | Rocky Johnson | July 27, 1974 | March 20, 1977 | Moved to the CWA.[14] |
NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship | Jerry Lawler | April 19, 1952 | July 27, 1974 | Became the Southern Heavyweight Championship.[15] |
NWA Southern Tag Team Championship | The Bicentennial Kings (Dennis Condrey and Phil Hickerson) | November, 1945 | March 20, 1977 | Moved to the CWA.[16] |
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship | Johnny Justice | April, 1957 | Still Active | Later revived by the CWA.[17] |
NWA Mid-America Junior Heavyweight Championship | Dick Steinborn | 1980 | 1980 | [18] |
NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship | Rob Conway and Josh Lewis | January, 1972 | Still Active | [19] |
NWA Mid-America Television Championship | Kevin Sullivan | November 8, 1980 | 1981 | [20] |
NWA Tennessee Heavyweight Championship | Sputnik Monroe | June 29, 1959 | March 28, 1960 | [21] |
NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship | Don Greene and Joey Rossi | July 10, 1956 | May, 1977 | [22] |
NWA Kentucky Heavyweight Championship | Buck Moore | 1950s | 1950s | [23] |
NWA Kentucky Tag Team Championship | The Masked Superstars | March, 1975 | February, 1979 | [24] |
NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship (Alabama version) | Tojo Yamamoto and George Gulas | October, 1971 | August, 1977 | [25] |
NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Tri-State version) | Dennis Condrey | September 12, 1960 | October, 1970 | [26] |
Further reading
[edit]- Lawler, Jerry (2002). It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes. World Wrestling Entertainment. ISBN 978-0-7434-5768-2.
- NWA Mid-America in Memphis
- James, Mark (November 6, 2012). Memphis Wrestling History Presents: the 1950s. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4801145-5-3.
- James, Mark (June 29, 2011). Memphis Wrestling History Presents: the 1960s. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4636503-1-0.
- James, Mark (January 20, 2012). Memphis Wrestling History Presents: the 1970s. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4699345-9-0.
- James, Mark (October 1, 2013). Memphis Wrestling History: Cards, Matches and Results 1970-1985. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4935686-6-3.
- NWA Mid-America in Tennessee
- James, Mark (June 26, 2014). Memphis Wrestling History: Tennessee Record Book 1960-1972. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ASIN B00N4IZVMM.
- James, Mark (December 7, 2013). Memphis Wrestling History: Tennessee Record Book 1973-1979. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4937025-3-X.
- James, Mark (November 29, 2013). Memphis Wrestling History: Tennessee Record Book 1980-1989. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4943258-1-0.
- NWA Mid-America in Nashville
- James, Mark (November 1, 2013). Memphis Wrestling History: Nashville Programs 1951-1952. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4936550-8-6.
See also
[edit]- List of National Wrestling Alliance territories
- List of independent wrestling promotions in the United States
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "NWA Membership Rosters: 1949". Retrieved 2014-01-06.
- ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim (2007). National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Professional Wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN 9781554902743.
- ^ Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson (2005). "Replace from list". The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-5502-2683-6.
- ^ James, Mark (June 5, 2015). "Foreword". Memphis Wrestling History Presents: 1977 The War For Memphis. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. pp. 13–16. ISBN 1-4781347-2-0.
- ^ a b James, Mark (October 1, 2013). "September, 1980". Memphis Wrestling History: Cards, Matches and Results 1970-1985. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1-4935686-6-3.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "United States: 19th century and widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: National Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "United States: 19th century and widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: National Wrestling Alliance Junior Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "United States: 19th century and widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA: National Wrestling Alliance Women's Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA World Tag Team Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 191–193. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Six-Man Tag Team Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA World Brass Knuckles Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA United States Tag Team Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 194. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Southern Heavyweight Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title [Nick Gulas & Roy Welsch]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welch & Nick Gulas; Jerry Jarrett from 1977]". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 185–189. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Junior Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 194–195. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA Mid-America Television Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "Tennessee: National Wrestling Alliance Tennessee Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "Tennessee: NWA Tennessee Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "Kentucky: NWA Kentucky Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "Kentucky: NWA Kentucky Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "Alabama: NWA Tri-State Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
- ^ Will, Gary; Royal Duncan (1994). "Alabama: NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4 ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1.
External links
[edit]- NWA Mid-America
- Independent professional wrestling promotions based in Tennessee
- Entertainment companies disestablished in 1981
- National Wrestling Alliance members
- Professional wrestling in Alabama
- Professional wrestling in Kentucky
- Professional wrestling in Tennessee
- Defunct professional wrestling promotions