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
Defeats Ali Pasha, who holds the local version of the world title, and is recognized as the southern champion; an official annoucement is made by NWA on 51-05-28 that Verne Gagne is the "national" (world) champion and Tex Riley is the southern champion (The Knoxville Journal, 51-05-29); declared vacant after the match against Eduardo Perez on 51-06-01; tournament starts in Knoxville and Chattanooga in 51-06.
In Birmingham, AL, the title is declared vacant by the Southern Wrestling Alliance on 56-04-15 for failure to make the weight (The Birmingham News, 56-04-17); Jares continues to be billed as champion in other towns.
Mario Galento defeats Anaya on 57-08-21 in Mobile, AL but is most likely not recognized outside Mobile and eventually stripped of the title in 57-09 for not defending it.
Defeats Blassie; held up after the match against Yamato on 58-06-17 in Nashville, TN; the title returned to Stevens due to an illegal hold used by Yamato.
Repeated on 61-07-28 in Knoxville, TN; Len Rossi defeats Greene on 62-01-08 in Memphis, TN but is probably not recognized in other towns.
Taro Sakuro
1962-02-08
Chattanooga, TN
Joe Lanza
1962-06-07
Chattanooga, TN
Hans Steiner
1962-08-15
Birmingham, AL
Still champion as of 62-09-06; former champion as of 62-09-30.
Don Greene [2]
1962-09
Still champion as of 62-10-05.
[...]
El Medico / Jim Siksay
1962-11-21<
Unmasked in 62-12.
Len Rossi [2]
1962-12-10
Owensboro, KY
Frankie Cain
1963-02
Oklahoma City, OK *
"Six weeks ago in Oklahoma City" (The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, 63-04-07); or "recent match in Memphis" (The Tennessean, Nashville, TN, 63-05-12); still champion as of 63-08-14.
Johnny Long
1963-08-26?
Johnson City, TN?
Long faces Cain on this card (result unknown) and is billed as champion by 63-09-01.
Sam Steamboat
1964-01-22
Kingsport, TN
Vacant in 64-06 after Steamboat leaves the area.
Rocky Smith
1964-09-15<
Kingsport, TN *
Wins a tournament; still champion as of 64-12-27.
Alex Perez
1965-02-08
Memphis, TN
Rocky Smith [2]
1965-03-22
Memphis, TN
Held up after the match against Hiro Matsuda on 65-12-16 in Chattanooga, TN.
