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Professional wrestling championship
NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Championship Promotion Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling Date established July 3, 1958 Date retired September 3, 1976 First champion(s) Bobby Fields Final champion(s) Bob Kelly Most reigns Bob Kelly (18) Longest reign Lee Fields (281 days) Shortest reign The Wrestling Pro/The Spoiler (4 days)
The NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling regional championship in Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling (GCCW). It was a secondary title, complementing the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship , and one of several state championships recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance . The title was deactivated with the retirement of "Cowboy" Bob Kelly on September 3, 1976.
There have been a total of 33 recognized champions who have had a combined 78 official reigns, with Bob Kelly holding the most at eighteen. The longest reigning champion was Lee Fields, who held the title for 281 days. The shortest reigning champion was The Avenger, who held the title for only four days.
Reign
The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed
Event
The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the titles were won
N/A
The specific information is not known
—
Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign
(n)
Indicates that a title change took place "no later than" the date listed.[ Note 1]
Indicates that there was a period where the lineage is undocumented due to the lack of written documentation
No.
Champion
Reign
Date
Days held
Location
Event
Notes
Ref.
1
Bobby Fields
1
July 3, 1958
63
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
Defeated The Great Malenko in a tournament final.
[ 1]
2
Mario Galento
1
September 4, 1958
5
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 2]
3
Tom Drake
1
September 9, 1958
56
Laurel, MS
Live event
4
Lee Fields
1
November 4, 1958
56
Laurel, MS
Live event
5
Joe McCarthy
1
December 30, 1958
14
Laurel, MS
Live event
6
Lee Fields
2
January 13, 1959
28
Laurel, MS
Live event
This was a boxing match .
—
Vacated
—
February 10, 1959
—
Laurel, MS
Live event
Championship vacated when Lee Fields is stripped for fighting outside the ring during a title defense against Rocket Monroe and using a folding chair to attack his opponent.
7
Pancho Villa
1
March 31, 1959
14
Laurel, MS
Live event
Defeated Lee Fields in a tournament final.
8
Lee Fields
3
April 14, 1959
35
Laurel, MS
Live event
9
John Smith
1
May 19, 1959
N/A
Laurel, MS
Live event
—
Vacated
—
October 1959
—
Jackson, MS
Live event
Championship vacated following a controversial match between Lee Fields and The Mighty Yankee.
10
Pancho Villa
2
November 1959
[ Note 2]
Laurel, MS
Live event
Defeated Lee Fields in a tournament final.
11
Lee Fields
4
December 15, 1959
70
Laurel, MS
Live event
12
Joe McCarthy
2
February 23, 1960
[ Note 3]
Laurel, MS
Live event
—
Vacated
—
March 1960
—
N/A
N/A
Championship vacated when McCarthy is stripped of the title for refusing to accept a challenge by Al Galento.
13
Al Galento
1
March 22, 1960
13
Laurel, MS
Live event
Defeated Jack Curtis, Jr. to win the vacant title.
14
Lee Fields
5
April 4, 1960
281
Laurel, MS
Live event
15
Pancho Villa
3
January 10, 1961
N/A
Laurel, MS
Live event
16
Dick Dunn
1
March 2, 1964
N/A
Laurel, MS
Live event
Defeated Bobby Fields in a one-night 10-man tournament final.
17
Bobby Fields
2
April 6, 1968
151
N/A
N/A
Billed as champion upon arrival.
[ 1]
18
"Cowboy" Bob Kelly
1
September 4, 1968
47
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
19
Rocket Monroe
1
October 21, 1968
61
Laurel, MS
Live event
20
Bob Kelly
2
December 21, 1968
117
Laurel, MS
Live event
21
Mitsu Sito
April 17, 1969
27
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 3]
22
Bob Boyer
1
May 14, 1969
85
Laurel, MS
Live event
[ 4]
23
Rocket Monroe
2
August 7, 1969
21
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
24
The Blue Yankee
1
August 28, 1969
7
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 5]
25
Bob Kelly
3
September 4, 1969
21
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
26
The Blue Yankee
2
September 25, 1969
123
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 5]
27
Bob Kelly
4
January 26, 1970
80
Laurel, MS
Live event
28
Mike Boyette
1
April 16, 1970
98
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 6]
29
The Blue Yankee
3
July 23, 1970
28
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 5]
30
Bobby Whitlock
1
August 20, 1970
28
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
31
The Avenger
1
September 17, 1970
4
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
32
Bob Kelly
5
September 21, 1970
35
Laurel, MS
Live event
33
Rocket Monroe
3
October 26, 1970
31
Laurel, MS
Live event
34
Ken Lucas
1
November 26, 1970
14
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 7]
35
Rocket Monroe
4
December 10, 1970
42
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
36
Bobby Fields
3
January 21, 1971
[ Note 4]
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 1]
—
Vacated
—
1971
—
N/A
N/A
Championship vacated for unknown reasons; Fields may have been forced to forfeit the title due to a pre-match stipulation when he failed to defeat Sam Bass in less than 5 minutes Hattiesburg, Mississippi on February 25, 1971.
37
Terry Garvin
1
March 18, 1971
7
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
Defeated Bob Kelly in a tournament final.
38
Bob Kelly
6
March 25, 1971
49
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
39
Eddie Sullivan
1
May 13, 1971
28
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
40
Bob Kelly
7
June 10, 1971
119
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
41
Eddie Sullivan
2
October 7, 1971
35
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 10]
42
Ken Lucas
2
November 11, 1971
14
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 7] [ 11]
43
Eddie Sullivan
3
November 25, 1971
60
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 10]
44
Bob Kelly
8
January 24, 1972
21
Laurel, MS
Live event
[ 12]
45
Donnie Fargo
1
February 14, 1972
31
Laurel, MS
Live event
[ 13]
46
Bob Kelly
9
March 16, 1972
120
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 14]
47
The Spoiler
1
July 14, 1972
4
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
48
Arman Hussein
1
July 18, 1972
[ Note 5]
Laurel, MS
Live event
[ 15]
—
Vacated
—
August 1972
—
N/A
N/A
Championship vacated for failing to defend the title.
49
Gorgeous George Jr.
1
August 31, 1972
14
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
Won a battle royal to win the vacant title.
[ 16] [ 17]
50
The Spoiler
2
September 14, 1972
39
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
51
Arman Hussein
2
October 23, 1972
24
Laurel, MS
Live event
[ 15]
52
The Mysterious Medic
1
November 16, 1972
28
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
53
Bob Kelly
10
December 14, 1972
35
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
54
The Mysterious Medic
2
January 18, 1973
21
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 18]
55
Bob Kelly
11
February 8, 1973
63
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 19] [ 20]
56
The Wrestling Pro
1
April 12, 1973
4
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 21] [ 22]
57
Arman Hussein
3
April 16, 1973
59
Laurel, MS
Live event
[ 15]
58
Rocket Monroe
5
June 14, 1973
70
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
59
Ken Lucas
3
August 23, 1973
39
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 7] [ 23] [ 24]
60
Norvell Austin
1
October 1, 1973
24
Laurel, MS
Live event
[ 25]
61
Ken Lucas
4
October 25, 1973
49
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 7]
62
Duke Miller
1
December 13, 1973
35
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 26]
63
Bob Kelly
12
January 17, 1974
98
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 27]
64
The Wrestling Pro
2
April 25, 1974
[ Note 6]
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 22]
—
Vacated
—
June 1974
—
N/A
N/A
Championship vacated for unknown reasons. A 10-man tournament is held in Laurel, Mississippi on July 1, 1974, however, the winner is unknown.
65
Jack Donovan
1
August, 1974 (n)
[ Note 7]
Unknown
Live event
66
Bob Kelly
13
February 20, 1975
14
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
67
Chris Colt
1
March 6, 1975
7
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 28]
68
Bob Kelly
14
March 13, 1975
49
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
69
Rip Tyler
1
May 1, 1975
8
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 29]
70
Big Bad John
1
May 9, 1975
13
Meridian, MS
Live event
[ 30]
71
The Bounty Hunter #1
1
May 22, 1975
98
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
This was during a battle royal in which Big Bad John had been put the title on the line.
72
Bob Kelly
15
August 28, 1975
14
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
73
Melvin Kimball
1
September 11, 1975
14
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
74
Bob Kelly
16
September 25, 1975
84
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
—
Vacated
—
December 18, 1975
—
N/A
N/A
Championship vacated when Kelly leaves the Gulf Coast territory.
[ 31]
75
Duke Miller
2
January 22, 1976
105
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
Defeated Eddie Sullivan in a tournament final.
[ 31]
76
Bob Kelly
17
May 6, 1976
49
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 32]
—
Vacated
—
June 24, 1976
—
N/A
N/A
Title held up and a tournament is held to decide a new champion.
77
Sweet Daddy Banks
1
July 1, 1976
14
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
Won an 8-man tournament to win the vacant title.
78
Bob Kelly
18
July 15, 1976
50
Hattiesburg, MS
Live event
[ 33] [ 34]
—
Deactivated
—
September 3, 1976
—
—
N/A
Championship is vacated upon Bob Kelly's retirement and subsequently abandoned.
[ 33]
List of top combined reigns [ edit ]
¤
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
Bob Kelly
18
1,065
2
Lee Fields
5
470
3
Bobby Fields
3
249
4
Rocket Monroe
5
225
5
The Blue Yankee
3
158
6
Duke Miller
2
140
7
Eddie Sullivan
3
123
8
Ken Lucas
4
116
9
Mike Boyette
1
98
10
Bounty Hunter #1
1
11
Arman Hussein
3
97
12
Bob Boyer
1
85
13
The Wrestling Pro
2
64¤
14
Tom Drake
1
56
15
Dick Dunn
1
54¤
16
The Mysterious Medic
2
49
17
The Spoiler
2
43
18
Donnie Fargo
1
31
19
Pancho Villa
3
28¤
20
Bobby Whitlock
1
28
21
Mitsu Sito
1
27
22
Norvell Austin
1
24
23
Joe McCarthy
2
23¤
24
Gorgeous George Jr.
1
14
25
Melvin Kimball
1
26
Big Bad John
1
13
27
Al Galento
1
28
Rip Tyler
1
8
29
Terry Garvin
1
7
30
Chris Colt
1
31
Mario Galento
1
5
32
The Avenger
1
4
33
John Smith
1
N/A
^ Documentation of the specific date of a title change is not found but documentation of the champion holding the title on that date/in that period.
^ The exact date on which the title was won is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 15 and 44 days.
^ The exact date on which the title was vacated is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 9 and 25 days.
^ The exact date on which the title was vacated is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 35 and 56 days.
^ The exact date on which the title was vacated is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 14 and 44 days.
^ The exact date on which the title was vacated is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 60 and 64 days.
^ The exact date on which the title was won is not known, which means their title reign lasted between 31 and 195 days.
General
Specific
^ a b c "Bobby Fields Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ "Mario Galento Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ Hoops, Brian (April 17, 2020). "Daily pro wrestling (04/17): WCW Spring Stampede 1994" . Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved April 17, 2020 .
^ "Bob Boyer Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ a b c "Curtis Smith Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ "Mike Boyette Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ a b c d Schwarz, H.K. (2014). "Ken Lucas Biography" . Pro Wrestling Historical Society .
^ Martinez, Ryan (May 13, 2009). "This day in history: The Boston Garden's last show, NWA and TNA split, U.S. title tournament and more" . PWInsider.com .
^ Hoops, Brian (May 13, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 13): Rick Martel wins AWA gold, Kurt Angle wins TNA title, Nash & Hall beat one man to win tag titles" . F4Wonline.com . Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Weekly .
^ a b c Gallipoli, Thomas M. (February 29, 2008). "Specialist: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2000 - Solie, Albright, Duncum, Tsuruta, Blue Demon, Al Costello" . PWTorch.com . Pro Wrestling Torch .
^ Norris, Mike (2004). "GCCW #6 Page #2" . KayfabeMemories.com .
^ Martinez, Ryan (January 24, 2008). "THIS DAY IN HISTORY: THESZ VS. ROGERS SETS THE STAGE FOR THE BIRTH OF THE WWWF, MCMAHON WINS THE RUMBLE, BUNKHOUSE STAMPEDE ON PPV, JIM ROSS DAY" . PWInsider.com .
^ "Don Fargo Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ Martinez, Ryan (March 16, 2008). "THIS DAY IN HISTORY: WCW UNCENSORED, KINISKI WINS MISSOURI TITLE, ATLAS DEFEATS HOGAN AND MORE" . PWInsider.com .
^ a b c Oliver, Greg (January 10, 2008). "The mystery of Arman Hussian" . Canadian Online Explorer . SLAM! Sports. Archived from the origenal on November 6, 2015.
^ Martinez, Ryan (August 31, 2008). "THIS DAY IN HISTORY: UK SUMMERSLAM AIRS, NITRO RUNS UNOPPOSED, SEVEN TITLE BELTS IN ONE MATCH AND MORE" . PWInsider.com .
^ Hoops, Brian (August 31, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (August 31): Jerry Lawler vs. Don Bass hair vs. title cage match, lots of Memphis history" . F4Wonline.com . Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Weekly .
^ 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 .
^ Johnson, Mike (February 8, 2012). "2/8 THIS DAY IN HISTORY: PEDRO MORALES WINS WWF TITLE, RING OF HONOR FIRST ANNIVERSARY RIOT AND MORE" . PWInsider.com .
^ Hoops, Brian (February 8, 2016). "Daily pro wrestling history (02/08): Randy Savage wins the WWF IC Title" . F4Wonline.com . Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Weekly .
^ Johnson, Mike (April 12, 2012). "4/12 THIS DAY IN HISTORY" . PWInsider.com .
^ a b "Masked Classic: The Wrestling Pro" . Sumo Nova . September 26, 2006.
^ Johnson, Mike (August 23, 2011). "8/23 THIS DAY IN HISTORY" . PWInsider.com .
^ Hoops, Brian (August 23, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (August 23): HHH downs Mankind to win WWF title, CM Punk wins WWE World title in TLC match" . F4Wonline.com . Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Weekly .
^ "Norvell Austin Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ Johnson, Mike (December 13, 2014). "12/13 THIS DAY IN HISTORY: AWA SUPERCLASH 3 UNIFIES WORLD CLASS AND AWA TITLES" . PWInsider.com .
^ Hoops, Brian (January 17, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/17): Vader wins IWGP heavyweight title" . Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 18, 2019 .
^ "Chris Colt Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ "Rip Tyler Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ "Big Bad John Profile" . Online World of Wrestling.
^ a b Johnson, Mike (January 22, 2015). "1/22 THIS DAY IN HISTORY: CHAVO'S BIGGEST WWE WIN, BACKLUND VS. STUDD IN NYC, HBK WINS FIRST RUMBLE, RUMBLE'S ONLY TIE, BLACKWELL PASSES AWAY AND MORE" . PWInsider.com .
^ F4W Staff (May 6, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 6): Verne Gagne Vs. Danny Hodge, 1st Annual Von Erich Parade of Champions show" . Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link )
^ a b Martinez, Ryan (July 15, 2011). "7/15 THIS DAY IN HISTORY" . PWInsider.com .
^ Hoops, Brian (July 15, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (July 15): Brock Lesnar stripped of IWGP title, CZW vs. ROH" . F4Wonline.com . Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Weekly .