SSW Heavyweight Championship

SSW Heavyweight Championship
Details
PromotionSouthern States Wrestling
Date establishedOctober 1, 1990
Current champion(s)Daniel Richards
Date wonNovember 3, 2018
Statistics
First champion(s)Tennessee Equalizer
Most reignsBeau James (8 reigns)
Longest reignDaniel Richards ( 2,209+ days)
Shortest reignBuddy Landel (<1 day)

The Southern States Wrestling (SSW) Heavyweight Championship is the primary professional wrestling championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by The Tennessee Equalizer when he defeated George Hiatt in Elizabethton, Tennessee on February 16, 1991. The title is generally defended in the Southern United States, most often in its home base in East Tennessee, but also as far away as Virginia and West Virginia.[1] In August 2004, then champion Ray Idol began wrestling for rival promotion NWA Championship Wrestling. Although he was immediately stripped of the title, Idol continued defending a different NWA Championship Wrestling-version under the SSW name. However, this was short-lived and the title became a regular title within the main promotion. There are 41 recognized champions with a total of 69 title reigns and 8 vacancies.[2][3] Wayne Adkins is the current Champion in his second reign. He won the title off of Lord Murphy Costigan at a house show in Kingsport.

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
<1 Reign lasted less than a day
+ Current reign is changing daily
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 Tennessee Equalizer February 16, 1991 House show Elizabethton, Tennessee 1 146 Defeated George Hiatt to become the inaugural champion. [1][2][3]
2 Skyfire July 12, 1991 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 111 [1][2][3]
3 Stan Lee October 31, 1991 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 250 [1][2][3]
4 Wayne Rogers July 7, 1992 House show Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 185 [1][2][3]
5 G.Q. Stratus January 8, 1993 House show Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 196 [1][2][3]
6 Jimmy Golden March 30, 1993 House show Weber City, Virginia 1 115 [1][2][3]
7 Wayne Rogers July 23, 1993 House show Fall Branch, Tennessee 2 218 [1][2][3]
8 Mike Samson February 26, 1994 House show Morristown, Tennessee 1 69 [1][2][3]
9 The Mongolian Stomper May 6, 1994 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 186-216 This reign's length is uncertain. [1][2][3]
— Vacated September 1994 — — — — The Mongolian Stomper vacated the title somewhere in September after he announced his retirement from professional wrestling due to a legitimate injury. Therefore, his reign's exact length is uncertain.
10 Chic White October 1, 1994 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 97 Defeated Danny Christian to win the vacant title. [1][2][3]
11 Steve Flynn January 6, 1995 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 75 [1][2][3]
12 Mike Samson March 21, 1995 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 2 143 [1][2][3]
13 Steve Flynn August 11, 1995 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 2 57 [1][2][3]
14 Iron Man October 7, 1995 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 104 [1][2][3]
15 Eddie Bruiser January 19, 1996 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 42 Defeated Iron Man by forfeit due to Iron Man not showing up to the defense. [1][2][3]
16 Tennessee Equalizer March 1, 1996 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 2 227 [1][2][3]
17 Danny Christian September 2, 1996 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 33 [1][2][3]
18 K. C. Thunder October 5, 1996 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 118 [1][2][3]
19 Dan Cooley January 31, 1997 House show Shawsville, Virginia 1 68 [1][2][3]
— Vacated April 9, 1997 — — — — Title was declared vacated after Dan Cooley was stripped out of it due to unknown circumstances.
20 Steve Flynn May 2, 1997 House show Fall Branch, Tennessee 3 122 Defeated Frank Parker in a tournament final to win the vacant title. [1][2][3]
— Vacated September 1, 1997 — — — — Steve Flynn was stripped of the championship after he failed to appear for a scheduled title defense. The title was subsequently vacated.
21 Johnny Thunder September 1, 1997 House show Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 54 This was a tag team match in which Thunder pinned Otto Schwanz to win the vacant title. [1][2][3]
22 The War Machine October 25, 1997 House show Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 49 This was a four corners match also involving Johnny Thunder, Steve Flynn and Ricky Harrison. [1][2][3]
23 Ricky Harrison December 13, 1997 SSW Mountain City, Tennessee 1 118 [1][2][3]
24 Buddy Landel April 10, 1998 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 <1 [1][2][3]
25 Beau James April 10, 1998 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 1 7 [1][2][3]
26 Ricky Harrison April 17, 1998 SSW Fall Branch, Tennessee 2 274 This was a loser leaves the company match. [1][2][3]
27 Beau James January 16, 1999 SSW Kingsport, Tennessee 2 140 [1][2][3]
28 Iron Cross June 5, 1999 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 124 [1][2][3]
29 The War Machine October 7, 1999 House show Johnson City, Tennessee 2 148 [1][2][3]
30 Tracy Smothers March 3, 2000 House show Saltville, Virginia 1 190 [1][2][3]
31 Iron Cross September 9, 2000 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 2 128 [1][2][3]
32 Stan Sierra January 15, 2001 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 11 [1][2][3]
33 Brian Overbay January 26, 2001 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 <1 Won the title by forfeit. [1][2][3]
34 Steve Phillips January 26, 2001 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 15 [1][2][3]
35 Brian Overbay February 10, 2001 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 2 111 Overbay was awarded the title via referee's reverse decision. [1][2][3]
36 Ricky Harrison June 1, 2001 SSW Kingsport, Tennessee 3 207 [1][2][3]
37 Beau James December 25, 2001 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 3 186-217 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
38 Heinrich Von Keller July 2002 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 31-62 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
— Vacated September 1, 2002 — — — — The title was declared vacated after Von Keller was stripped of it due to attacking a local televisiob sponsor.
39 Jesse Taylor October 15, 2002 SSW Kingsport, Tennessee 1 71 Defeated Beau James in tournament final to win the vacant title. [1][2][3]
40 Scotty McKeever December 25, 2002 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 47-75 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
41 Jesse Taylor February 2003 House show Beaver, West Virginia 2 70-98 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
42 Robbie Cassidy May 9, 2003 House show Greeneville, Tennessee 1 59 [1][2][3]
43 Jesse Taylor July 7, 2003 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 3 59 [1][2][3]
44 Brad Batten September 4, 2003 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 26-57 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
45 Beau James October 2003 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 4 0-92 James was awarded the title via forfeit. The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
46 Ray Idol January 2004 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 0-220 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
47 John Noble August 7, 2004 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 1 57 Noble was awarded the title after Idol left for rival promotion, NWA Championship Wrestling. Idol's stripping was not recognized as a vacancy but as an official title change without a proper match taking place. [1][2][3]
48 Beau James October 3, 2004 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 5 173 [1][2][3]
49 Danny Ray March 25, 2005 Event held at the National Guard Armory Kingsport, Tennessee 1 N/A The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
— Vacated 2005 — — — — The title was vacated somewhere in 2005 due to unknown circumstances.
50 Wayne Adkins September 27, 2008 SSW Kingsport, Tennessee 1 61 Defeated Ryan Dookie in a tournament final to win the vacant title. [1][2][3]
51 K. C. Thunder November 27, 2008 SSW Kingsport, Tennessee 2 43 [1][2][3]
— Vacated January 9, 2009 — — — — The title was vacated somewhere in 2005 due to unknown circumstances.
52 Cody Ices January 9, 2009 SSW New Year's Bash Kingsport, Tennessee 1 283 This was a 15-man rumble match for the vacant title. [1][2][3]
53 Ray Idol October 19, 2009 SSW Kingsport, Tennessee 2 130 [1][2][3]
54 Frank Parker February 26, 2010 SSW 19th Anniversary Kingsport, Tennessee 1 94-124 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
55 Ray Idol June 2010 House show Kingsport, Tennessee 3 148-178 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
56 Frank Parker November 25, 2010 SSW 19th Annual Thanksgiving Night Extravaganza Kingsport, Tennessee 2 234 Cagematch.net says this match was also for the SSW Young Guns Championship which was held by Beau James at the moment. However, the site recognizes Ray Idol as the Heavyweight champion instead of Beau James, not specifying a match where Parker took the title from James. Yet this title change appears to be real but no other evidence for this has been recorded. [1][2][3]
57 Ray Idol July 17, 2011 House show Mt. Carmel, Tennessee 4 140 [1][2][3]
58 Frank Parker November 24, 2011 House show Mt. Carmel, Tennessee 3 234 [1][2][3]
59 Beau James July 15, 2012 House show Mt. Carmel, Tennessee 6 76 [1][2][3]
60 Eric Darkstorm September 29, 2012 House show Mt. Carmel, Tennessee 1 400 [1][2][3]
61 Kyle Matthews November 3, 2013 House show Mt. Carmel, Tennessee 1 26 [1][2][3]
62 Eric Darkstorm November 29, 2013 House show Mt. Carmel, Tennessee 2 140 [1][2][3]
63 Kyle Kool April 18, 2014 House show Rogersville, Tennessee 1 162 [1][2][3]
64 DeAndre Jackson September 27, 2014 SSW Kingsport, Tennessee 1 620 [1][2][3]
— Vacated June 8, 2016 — — — —
65 Iron Cross July 9, 2016 House show Gray, Tennessee 3 N/A The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
66 Krunch The Equalizer 2017 House show Gray, Tennessee 1 0-189 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
67 Beau James July 8, 2017 House show Gray, Tennessee 7 176-281 The exact length of this reign is uncertain. [1][2][3]
— 2018 — — Cagematch.net shows an unknown status of the title from the beginning of 2018 until October but doesn't say if it is a vacancy or the continuation of James' reign.
68 Beau James October 8, 2018 House show Gray, Tennessee 8 26 [1][2][3]
69 Daniel Richards November 3, 2018 SSW Gray, Tennessee 1 2,209+ [1][2][3]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br Royal Duncan; Gary Will; Matt Benaka; Brian Westcott (2005). "SSW Heavyweight Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br Kreikenbohm, Philip (2004). "SSW Heavyweight Championship". Cagematch.de.