British Heavy Middleweight Championship

The British Heavy Middleweight Championship was a top British wrestling championship found throughout the country's circuit. The title's history dates back to its foundation by Joint Promotions in 1953. Officially heavy middleweights were required to weight between 12 st 8 lb (176 lbs) and 13 st 5 lb (187 lb).[1]

British Heavy Middleweight Championship
Details
PromotionWorld of Sport
Date established1953
Date retired4 September 1990
Statistics
First champion(s)Eric Taylor
Final champion(s)Danny Boy Collins
Most reignsDave Finlay (6 reigns)

The championship was recognised and defended on matches screened by UK national television network ITV as part of the professional wrestling slot on World of Sport as well as standalone broadcasts.[2][3][4] Pre-publicity for these championship match broadcasts was given in ITV's nationally published listings magazine TVTimes[5][6][7] The entire 31 October 1987 edition of the standalone Wrestling broadcast was given over to Fit Finlay's recapture of the title from Chic Cullen in Bradford, 17 September 1987[4] and highlights of this match were included on the official ITV wrestling compilation VHS release Mayhem and Mystery.[8] Similarly, highlights of Alan Kilby's capture of the vacant title in a tournament final over King Ben in Preston, 7 October 1981, were included on official ITV wrestling compilation DVD release The Best Of British Wrestling A-Z.[9]

Title history

The title was founded in 1953 and remained in Joint Promotions until the mid-1980s when it was taken over by All Star Wrestling. The title remained active until the mid-1990s.[10]

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
Eric Taylor 1953 House show N/A 1 N/A Vacated the title in 1966 when he left Joint Promotions. [11]
Bert Royal 4 May 1966 (NLT) House show N/A 1 N/A   [11]
Bert Royal 16 January 1968 House show Blackburn 2 N/A Defeated Peter Preston, having lost the title at some point before this date. [11]
Jackie Pallo 21 April 1969 House show Nottingham 1 N/A   [11]
Bert Royal May 1969 (NLT) House show N/A 3 N/A   [11]
Steve Logan 29 August 1975 House show Liverpool 1 N/A   [11]
Bert Royal 11 November 1975 House show Manchester 4 N/A   [11]
Mark Rocco 11 June 1977 House show Manchester 1 N/A   [11]
Marty Jones 13 September 1978 House show Woking 1 N/A Jones, already the holder of the British Light Heavyweight Championship, vacated the title immediately. [11]
Mark Rocco 6 December 1978 House show Blackburn 2 N/A Won a tournament final against Chris Adams. Vacated title in August 1981 after winning the world title [11]
Alan Kilby 7 October 1981 House show Preston 1 N/A Won a tournament for the belt, defeating King Ben in the final [11]
Dave Finlay 9 June 1982 House show Bath, Somerset 1 N/A   [11]
Alan Kilby August 1982 (NLT) House show N/A 2 N/A   [11]
Dave Finlay 14 September 1982 House show Croydon 2 N/A   [11]
Alan Kilby 10 November 1982 House show London 3 N/A   [11]
Dave Finlay 15 November 1982 House show Bradford 3 N/A   [11]
Alan Kilby November 1982 House show N/A 4 N/A

location=

   [11]
Dave Finlay 21 December 1982 House show Wolverhampton 4 N/A   [11]
Alan Kilby January 1983 House show N/A 5 N/A   [11]
Chic Cullen 21 March 1983 House show London 1 N/A   [11]
Dave Finlay 29 September 1984 (NLT) House show N/A 6 N/A Legacy from Cullen uncertain [11]
Chic Cullen 1985 (NLT) House show N/A 2 N/A Legacy from Finlay uncertain [11]
Rocky Moran 7 January 1986 House show Croydon 1 N/A   [11]
Kung Fu (Ed Hamill) 3 March 1986 House show Bradford 1 N/A   [11]
Chic Cullen May 1987 (NLT) House show N/A 3 N/A   [11]
Dave Finlay 17 September 1987 House show Bradford 6 N/A   [11]
Danny Boy Collins 4 July 1989 House show Croydon 1 N/A   [11]
Richie Brooks 29 May 1990 House show Croydon 1 N/A Wins title by disqualification when Collins, dazed from falling head-first to ringside, attacks the referee. [11]
Danny Boy Collins 4 September 1990 House show Croydon 2 N/A Last known title claimant. Won the British Light Heavyweight Championship in 1996 [11]

See also

References
  1. Peter Bills, Wrestling, David & Charles, 1983, p. 62
  2. "Marty Jones capture of British Heavy Middleweight title from Mark Rocco in Woking 13 September 1978". World Of Sport - Wrestling. ITV. 23 September 1978.
  3. "Alan Kilby capture of vacant British Heavy Middleweight title in tournament final over King Ben in Preston 7 October 1981". World Of Sport - Wrestling. ITV. 31 October 1981.
  4. "Fit Finlay capture of British Heavy Middleweight title from Chic Cullen in Bradford 17 September 1987,". Professional Wrestling. ITV. 31 October 1987.
  5. "Champion vs Champion: British Light-heavyweight champion Marty Jones v British Heavy-Middleweight champion Mark Rocco". Saturday 23 September - Friday 29 September 1978 - Saturday listings page. TVTimes. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  6. ""For the vacant British Heavy Middleweight championship: Alan Kilby v King Ben"". Saturday 7 October - Friday 13 October 1981 - Saturday listings page. TVTimes. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  7. ""British Heavy Middleweight Championship: Chic Cullen v Fit Finlay"". Saturday 31 October - Friday 6 November 1987 - Saturday listings page. TVTimes. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  8. Mayhem and Mystery, The Video Collection, VC2181, 1991
  9. The Best of British Wrestling A-Z (Bonus Feature: Forgotten Heroes) Granada Home Video 2006
  10. "British Heavy Middleweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  11. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Europe - Great Britain: British Heavy Middleweight Title". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 403. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
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