The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world championship and secondary title in the National Boxing/Wrestling Association that was for the lighter wrestlers. It started in 1936 and was unified with the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship in 1952.[1]
Title history
- Key
| #
|
Order in reign history
|
| Reign
|
The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed
|
| Event
|
The event in which the title was won
|
| —
|
Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign
|
| N/A
|
The information is not available or is unknown
|
Reigns
| #
|
Wrestlers
|
Reign
|
Date
|
Days
held
|
Location
|
Event
|
Notes
|
Ref.
|
| 1
|
Albion Britt
|
1
|
April 20, 1936
|
245
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
Britt defeated Ted Christy in a tournament final to become the first NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion. Subsequent title reigns are recognized by the National Wrestling Association.
|
[2]
|
| 2
|
Dude Chick
|
1
|
December 21, 1936
|
623
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
[3]
|
| 3
|
Sgt. Bob Kenaston
|
1
|
September 5, 1938
|
203
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
[4]
|
| 4
|
John Swenski
|
1
|
March 27, 1939
|
84
|
Tulsa, Oklahoma
|
Live event
|
|
[5]
|
| 5
|
Leroy McGuirk
|
1
|
June 19, 1939
|
[Note 1]
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
[6]
|
| —
|
Vacated
|
—
|
1947
|
—
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
The championship is vacated in Los Angeles sometime after February 1947 and a 40-man tournament is held to crown a new champion. McGuirk, however, continues to be billed as champion in other territories.
|
|
| 6
|
Billy Varga
|
1
|
September 29, 1947
|
56
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
Varga defeated Danny McShain in a tournament final to win the vacant championship.
|
[7]
|
| 7
|
Martino Angelo
|
1
|
November 24, 1947
|
133
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 8
|
Leo Wallick
|
1
|
April 5, 1948
|
30
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 9
|
Gorilla Ramos
|
1
|
May 5, 1948
|
40
|
Bakersfield, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 10
|
Maurice La Chapelle
|
1
|
June 14, 1948
|
21
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
[8]
|
| 11
|
Danny McShain
|
1
|
July 5, 1948
|
42
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 12
|
Billy Darnell
|
1
|
August 16, 1948
|
210
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 13
|
Billy Varga
|
2
|
March 14, 1949
|
119
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 14
|
Danny McShain
|
2
|
July 11, 1949
|
49
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 15
|
Red Berry
|
1
|
August 29, 1949
|
8
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 16
|
Johnny Demchuck
|
1
|
September 6, 1949
|
20
|
San Diego, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 17
|
Sonny Myers
|
1
|
September 26, 1949
|
57
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 18
|
Ivan Kalmikoff
|
1
|
November 22, 1949
|
57
|
San Diego, California
|
Live event
|
Kalmikoff defeats Danny McShain, who is billed as champion, at a January 4, 1950 title defence in Bakersfield, California.
|
|
| 19
|
Billy Varga
|
3
|
January 18, 1950
|
44
|
Bakersfield, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 20
|
Leo Garibaldi
|
1
|
March 3, 1950
|
87
|
Los Angeles, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 21
|
Billy Varga
|
4
|
May 29, 1950
|
43
|
Hollywood, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 21
|
Leo Garibaldi
|
2
|
July 11, 1950
|
42
|
San Diego, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 22
|
Baron Michele Leone
|
1
|
August 22, 1950
|
310
|
San Diego, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 23
|
Leo Garibaldi
|
3
|
June 28, 1951
|
97
|
Salt Lake City, Utah
|
Live event
|
|
[9]
|
| 24
|
Red Berry
|
2
|
October 3, 1951
|
196
|
Los Angeles, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 25
|
Rito Romero
|
1
|
April 16, 1952
|
39
|
Los Angeles, California
|
Live event
|
|
|
| 26
|
Danny McShain
|
3
|
May 25, 1952
|
<1
|
Los Angeles, California
|
Live event
|
The championship is unified with the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship and ceases to exist.
|
[10][11]
|
- ^ The exact date on which the title was lost is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 2,784 and 3,084 days.
References
- ^ Stern, Karl, ed. (2005). "The Time Line of Wrestling Part II" (PDF). DragonKing Wrestling. No. 83. Haleyville, Alabama: DragonKing Press. p. 7.
- ^ Hornbaker, Tim (September 11, 2010). "Hollywood Wrestling Results - 1936". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ Hoops, Brian (December 21, 2016). "Daily Pro Wrestling History (12/21): Jerry Lawler Wins The AWA Southern Title". F4Wonline.com. Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Weekly.
- ^ "Old Hill Crab Versus Spin Of Chick Top Card". Medford Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. August 20, 1939.
- ^ Hornbaker, Tim. "Tulsa Wrestling Results - 1939". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ Hornbaker, Tim (March 6, 2007). "Hollywood Wrestling Results - 1939". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ Hornbaker, Tim (September 16, 2010). "Hollywood Wrestling Results - 1947". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ Hornbaker, Tim (September 11, 2010). "Hollywood Wrestling Results - 1948". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ Taylor, Becky. "Salt Lake City Wrestling Results - 1951". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ Bryant, Steve (January 12, 2016). "Biggest match in SoCal history?". SoCalUncensored.com.
- ^ Hornbaker, Tim (2007). National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Professional Wrestling. Toronto: ECW Press. p. 227. ISBN 1554902746.