Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the wrestler has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
*
If used next to the names of the wrestlers, they may, in fact, not have held the title in the period indicated. If used next to the dates or places, either they are possibly wrong or the title changes are fictitious.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a wrestler held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
+
Broadcast date; the actual recording date is unknown.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the wrestler shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized in HTML files
Initially listed as Eastern champion (Nashville Banner, 57-04-12) but billed as "Central American" champion uon arrival (Nashville Banner, 57-04-19); recognized as Mid-America champion from 57-05 (The Tennessean, 57-05-20); still champion as of 57-06-13.
[...]
Mighty Atlas
1958-02
Billed as champion on arrival (The Birmingham News, 58-02-27); said to have held the title for two or four years depending on the newspaper article.
Held up in Florence, AL on 59-10-23 after the match against Larry Chene ends with a double pinfall in the 3rd fall; Chene wins by default on 59-10-30 in Florence, AL when officials would not allow Yamato to wrestle due to a severe cut over his eye; the commission eventually rules Yamato is still the champion; vacant when Yamato passes away on 60-12-09.
Tony Charles
1972-06-04<
Still champion as of 72-07-23.
[...]
Don Greene *
1974<
Listed as a former champion (The Birmingham News, 74-09-19).
[...]
Don Kent
1974-09-23<
Huntsville, AL *
Billed as having held "the title for eight months after winning it from Jackie Fargo in Huntsville" (Birmingham Post-Herald, 74-11-26); in Chattanooga, TN, Jackie Fargo defeats Kent for the title on 75-01-04.
Rufus R. Jones
1974-11-25
Birmingham, AL
Don Kent [2]
1974-12-20
Birmingham, AL
In Chattanooga, TN, Jackie Fargo defeats Kent for the title on 75-01-04.
Luke Graham
1975-02-03
Birmingham, AL
Repeated in Nashville, TN on 75-02-05; still champion as of 75-04-11.
"Recently" (Birmingham Post-Herald, 75-12-22); still champion as of 76-01-26; Dick Steinborn is billed as champion in Knoxville, TN and Mobile, Al in 76-03.
Phil Hickerson
1976-04-29<
Louisville, KY *
Still champion as of 76-05-10.
[...]
Tommy Gilbert
1976-06<
Roger Kirby
1976-06-14
Birmingham, AL
Repeated in Nashville, TN on 76-06-16.
Bob Armstrong [2]
1976-08-14
Chattanooga, TN
Repeated on 76-08-18 in Nashville, TN and 76-08-23 in Birmingham, AL.
Gen. Big John
1976-09-08
Nashville, TN
Repeated on 76-09-13 in Birmingham, AL.
Bob Armstrong [3]
1976-09-25
Chattanooga, TN
Roger Kirby [2]
1976-10-03
Chattanooga, TN
Repeated on 76-10-04 in Birmingham, AL; Armstrong continues to be billed as champion in Nashville, TN but loses to Jerry Lawler on 76-10-06.
Tommy Rich
1976-10-11
Birmingham, AL
Russian Stomper
1977-01-01
Nashville, TN
Repeated in Chattanooga, TN on 77-01-09 and Birmingham, AL on 77-01-10.
Ken Lucas
1977-02-13
Chattanooga, TN
The Executioner (Curtis Smith)
1977-04-15
Huntsville, AL
Tojo Yamamoto defeats the Executioner on 77-05-23 in Birmingham, AL for the local recognition.
Repeated on 77-05-28 in Chattanooga, TN (or Executioner may have regained sometime in between); also billed as champion in Birmingham, AL as of 77-06-13 fo having won a tournament in Detroit, MI (Birmingham Post-Herald, 77-06-14); vacant in 77-10 when Fargo is injured.
Lanny Poffo
1977-10-09
Chattanooga, TN
Defeats Dennis Hall in one-night 14-man tournament final.
In Chattanooga, TN, Gorgeous George Jr. defeats Eaton on 80-02-17.
Tōjō Yamamoto
1980-02-20
Nashville, TN
Steve Travis
1980-04-03<
"Recently defeated Tojo Yamamoto" for the title (The Chattanooga Times, 80-04-04).
Roger Mason (Roger Smith)
1980-04-05
Chattanooga, TN
Rocky Johnson
1980-05-12
Chattanooga, TN
Great Tōgō (Mr. Pogo)
1980-06
Sometime between 80-06-05 and 80-06-21.
Robert Gibson
1980-06-25
Nashville, TN
Bobby Eaton [5]
1980-07-23
Nashville, TN
Still champion as of 80-09-06; in Chattanooga, TN, Tōjō Yamamoto defeats Great Mephisto for the title on 80-09-27; Eaton is still champion as of 80-10-14; title inactive in 80-10 after Jerry Jarrett takes over the Mid-American titles from Nick Gulas; title is revived by Jarrett about a year later.
