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NWA Hawaii United States Championship
The NWA Pacific International Heavyweight Championship was the primary singles championship of 50th State Big Time Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, NWA territory based in Hawaii. The title was originally the Hawaiian version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that was defended in Hawaii. It existed from 1962 until 1968. It was renamed the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship ''(Hawaii version)'' in 1968 and renamed again as the NWA Pacific International Heavyweight Championship in 1978, which was the name it used until it was retired in 1980. Title history See also *National Wrestling Alliance References [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
50th State Big Time Wrestling
50th State Big Time Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Hawaii or Mid-Pacific Promotions) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Hawaii. The promotion was founded by Al Karasick in 1936 and became a member of the National Wrestling Alliance in 1949. In 1961, Karasick sold the promotion to "Gentleman" Ed Francis. Along with his business partner Lord James Blears, Francis created a "golden age" of professional wrestling in Hawaii that lasted throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, with ''50th State Big Time Wrestling'' becoming one of Hawaii's most-watched programs. In 1979, Francis sold the promotion to Steve Rickard, who one year later sold it to Peter Maivia, who renamed it Polynesian Pro Wrestling (sometimes referred to as Polynesian Championship Wrestling). The promotion came to an end in 1988. History Mid-Pacific Promotion (1936–1961) Mid-Pacific Promotions ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nick Kozak
Nick may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nick (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Désirée Nick, German actress and writer Places * Nick, Hungary, a village * Nick, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, a village Slang * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing Other uses * Nick, Allied codename for Japanese World War II fighter Kawasaki Ki-45 * Nick (DNA), an element of DNA structure * Nickelodeon, a children's television channel whose name is often shortened to Nick ** Nick (German TV channel) * ''Nick'' (novel), a 2021 novel by Michael Farris Smith * Nick's, a jazz tavern in New York City * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * Nick, short for nickname, informal name of a person, place, or thing See also * Nicks, surname * * * NIC (other) * Nik (other) * Nix (other) * Old Nick (other) Old Nick c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tor Kamata
McRonald Kamaka (March 9, 1937 – July 23, 2007) was an American-Canadian professional wrestler known by the ring name Tor Kamata. He won several heavyweight and tag team championships, most notably the PWF World Heavyweight Championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the AWA World Tag Team Championship in the American Wrestling Association. He was a classic heel, reviled for dirty tricks in the ring, included rubbing salt in his opponent's eyes. Professional wrestling career After returning to Hawaii after leaving the United States Air Force, 50th State Big Time Wrestling promoter Ed Francis convinced Kamaka to try professional wrestling. He was given the name Tor Kamata in reference to Tomas De Torquemada of the Spanish Inquisition. He also worked as Dr. Moto, holding the American Wrestling Association's AWA World Tag Team Championship with Mitsu Arakawa. One of his signature moves, the "judo chop" became a popular phrase for all types of martial arts strikes in the 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Tolos
John Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", (April 5, 1931 – May 28, 2009) was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager. Professional wrestling career Tolos was born on April 5, 1931, in Hamilton, Ontario to Greek parents, Nicolaos and Evangelia (Evangeline) Tolos. During the 1950s and 60s, he was part of The Canadian Wrecking Crew with his brother Chris Tolos. On December 28, 1963, they captured the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in Teaneck, New Jersey in two straight falls from Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski. While both teams were heels at the time, the Tolos Brothers did a television interview prior to the title match, "looking forward" to seeing all of their fans in Teaneck. That night, they were cheered throughout. As a vicious heel known as the "Golden Greek", Tolos also engaged in a long time rivalry with "Classy" Freddie Blassie in the LeBell family's World Wrestling Association, often feuding over the Americas Champ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dusty Rhodes
Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation, later known as WWE. Rhodes was considered a star wrestler and presented the persona of an American everyman, the American Dream personified. Rhodes is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Rhodes was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling, he was a WWE United States Championship, United States Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time WCW Television Championship, World Television, WCW World Tag Team Championship, World Tag Team and NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, World Six-Man Tag Team Champion. He also won many regional championships, and is one of seven men inducted into each of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweet Daddy Siki
Elkin James (June 16, 1933 – December 31, 2024) was an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer, best known as Sweet Daddy Siki. Life and career Siki started wrestling in 1955 in Artesia, New Mexico. He also did some training in Los Angeles with Sandor Szabo and Ray Ortega. He said he weighed about 180 pounds when he started, but within three years weighed in at 230. He moved to Toronto in 1961 because it was a central location from which to travel across North America. He lived there for the rest of his life, and used Toronto as a base for his country & western band and his work as a karaoke DJ at The Duke on Queen Street East. Siki was a top draw in Canada in the 1960s and 1970s. He fought in Stampede Wrestling for years, travelled with Bearman McKigney's circuit and was a mainstay of the eastern scene. Siki is best known for his headbutt or "coco butt" and his "neckbreaker" maneuver.Siki still wonderful…just ask him, By Tom Godfrey, Toronto Sun, June 29, 198 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eddie Morrow
Edouard Etifier (born 1936), better known as Eddie Morrow, is a retired Martinican professional wrestler. He is the brother of Gerard Etifier (aka Gerry/Jerry Morrow). He wrestled as Jack Claybourne (Junior) in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. A reference to the African American wrestler of the 1930s-1960, Jack Claybourne. Championships and accomplishments *50th State Big Time Wrestling :* NWA North American Heavyweight Championship ''(Hawaii version)'' ( 1 time) *All Star Pro Wrestling :* NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version) (1 time) *NWA All-Star Wrestling :* NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship ''(Vancouver version)'' ( 1 time) - with Gerry Morrow *Stampede Wrestling :*Stampede International Tag Team Championship ( 4 times) - with Gerry Morrow (3 times) and Gama Singh (1 time) :*Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship The Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Canadian profession ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sam Steamboat
Samuel K. Mokuahi (May 4, 1934 – May 2, 2006) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Sammy Steamboat. Early life Mokuahi grew up in Honolulu, attending President Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he played multiple sports. Professional wrestling career Mokuahi was trained to wrestle by Lord James Blears and Lou Thesz. He debuted in the 1950s, adopting the ring name "Sam Steamboat,” the English translation of his birth name. Steamboat began his career with the Honolulu-based promotion 50th State Big Time Wrestling. He won his first championship on August 5, 1956, teaming with Billy Varga to defeat Great Togo and Tosh Togo for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship. On January 25, 1961, Steamboat defeated Dick Hutton to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship. He lost the championship to Luigi Macera on April 15, 1961. In the early 1960s, Steamboat relocated to the contiguous United States, where he competed for the Los Ang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Billy Robinson
William Alfred Robinson (18 September 1938 – 27 February 2014) was an English professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and coach. Having trained at Billy Riley's gym, better known as " The Snake Pit" in Wigan, Robinson was one of the leading practitioners of catch wrestling, a British national champion in freestyle wrestling, and a professional wrestling world champion. He had a successful career in the UK and internationally, especially in Japan. Robinson is known for training professional wrestlers and mixed martial artists in the catch wrestling style, including Josh Barnett, Kazushi Sakuraba, Kiyoshi Tamura, and Shayna Baszler. His favourite saying as a coach was "do it again", which came from his trainer Billy Riley. He acted in several movies, including '' The Wrestler'', and inspired the ''Kinnikuman'' character Robin Mask. Early life Robinson was born in Manchester on September 18, 1938 to William James and Frances Hester (nee Exley). The men in the family were ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Beyer
Richard John "Dick" Beyer (July 11, 1930 – March 7, 2019) was an American professional wrestler is best known by his ring names, The Destroyer and Doctor X. Among other places, he worked extensively in Japan and in 2017 he was awarded one of the country's highest honors, the Order of the Rising Sun. Early life As an athlete at Syracuse University, Beyer was a member of the varsity football and wrestling teams. He played in the 1953 Orange Bowl for Syracuse. He graduated with a master's degree in education and was a member of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta's Syracuse Chapter, as well as an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. He was a schoolteacher and swim coach in New York until he began his wrestling career. Beyer worked the first seven years of his mat career near his Western New York home, due in large part to his coaching job and commitment to the U.S. Army Reserve. Beyer was a member of the wrestling team and also served as an assistant to Ben Schwartzwald ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pedro Morales
Pedro Antonio Morales (October 22, 1942 – February 12, 2019) was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). Debuting in 1959, Morales originally came to prominence with WWA in the 1960s, where he held the World Heavyweight Championship and World Tag Team Championship. In 1970, he joined the WWWF, winning its World Heavyweight Championship and United States Championship. In a second run with the by-then World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the 1980s, he won the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship and Tag Team Championship, establishing himself as the promotion's first Triple Crown Champion. He retired from professional wrestling in 1987. A popular champion, Morales had particular appeal to his native Puerto Ricans and the wider Latino audience. The first Latino to hold a world heavyweight championship, his reign as WWWF He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toru Tanaka
Charles J. Kalani Jr. (January 6, 1930 – August 22, 2000) was an American professional wrestler, professional boxer, martial artist and actor. He was known by the ring names Professor Toru Tanaka, or simply Professor Tanaka. He was best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1967 to 1978, and was a 3-time Tag Team Championship (with partner Mr. Fuji) and one-time International Tag Team Champion (with Mitsu Arakawa). In 2019, he was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a Legacy Member. Early life Kalani was born in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, the son of Charles J. Kalani and Christina Leong Kalani. His father was Native Hawaiian, and his mother was of Chinese descent. Kalani began studying judo in 1939, and earned a black belt in Danzan-ryu Jujitsu from Seishiro Okazaki. Kalani graduated from Iolani School in 1949. His wife, Doris Kalani, later credited Kalani's time on the football team and Kenneth A. Bray's influence with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
