NWA Mid-America

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
NWA Mid-America
HeadquartersDyersburg, 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)
ParentGulas Wrestling Enterprises Inc.
FormerlyGulas-Welch Enterprisees Inc.
SuccessorContinental 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

In the 1940s, wrestler and promoter

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

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

These are the results of the last known NWA Mid-America show held on September 13, 1980.[5]

No.Results[5]Stipulations
1Bobby Eaton (c) vs. Jerry Barber ended in a no-contestSingles match for the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship
2Roger Howell and Robert Gibson defeated The Manchurians (Tio and Tapu) by disqualificationTag team match
3Bobby Eaton defeated Mike MillerSingles match
4Ginger the wrestling bear defeated Terry SawyerBear Wrestling match
5Larry Latham vs. Ken Lucas ended in a no-contestSingles match
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

Championships

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 revivewed 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

  • Lawler, Jerry (2002). It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes.
    ISBN 978-0-7434-5768-2
    .
NWA Mid-America in Memphis
NWA Mid-America in Tennessee
NWA Mid-America in Nashville

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "NWA Membership Rosters: 1949". Retrieved 2014-01-06.
  2. ^
    ISBN 9781554902743
    .
  3. ISBN 978-1-5502-2683-6
    .
  4. ISBN 1-4781347-2-0
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 1-4935686-6-3
    .
  6. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  7. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  8. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  9. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  10. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  11. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  12. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  13. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  14. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  15. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  16. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  17. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  18. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  19. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  20. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  21. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  22. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  23. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  24. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  25. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .
  26. ISBN 0-9698161-1-1
    .

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NWA_Mid-America&oldid=1218031901"