The Southern Heavyweight Championship

This past weekend Brandon, Brandy, my son Joe and myself found ourselves in Winston Salem NC attending Wrestlecade. I will do a bigger entry later as I’m waiting on one of my photo oops to be available.

This Belt entry will focus on the Southern Heavyweight Title. I won’t go into the long history, but what I will share is why I LOVE this belt.

I love the Southern title because of its look.  It’s not clunky or too big like some of the titles today. It’s smaller sleek look always caught my eye.

Another plus is that it was defended only in a certain area which, to me gave it more value. The fact is wasn’t one of many “World” titles made it cool to me.

When I was in middle school we finally got cable and to my surprise every afternoon at 4pm ESPN showed USWA wrestling. It was here that I cut my teeth on Jerry “The King” Lawler, Bill Dundee, Eric Embry, and Jeff Jarrett. I loved how the titles were always on the line and a title change seemed to happen weekly. It was here that I got my first look at the Southern Title and my love for a territory title was born. I connect my love for the Southern title to my love for the Television title.

I managed to gain a replica of the Southern title and brought it with me to have signed by two of my favorite wrestlers, Lawler and Dundee, who actually feuded for the title. I was able to have them sign the belt and take a picture as well. Please know that I made an error. Jerry held the title 58 times not 52, I was in awe of the King.