| British Heavy Middleweight Championship | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details | |||||||||
| Promotion | Joint Promotions /All Star Wrestling | ||||||||
| Date established | 1953 | ||||||||
| Date retired | circa 1996 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
TheBritish Heavy Middleweight Championship was a topBritish wrestlingchampionship found throughout the country's circuit. The title's history dates back to its foundation byJoint Promotions in 1953. Officially heavy middleweights were required to weight between12 st 8 lb(176 lbs) and13 st 5 lb(187 lb).[1]
The championship was recognised and defended on matches screened by UK national television networkITV as part of the professional wrestling slot onWorld 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 magazineTVTimes[5][6][7] The entire 31 October 1987 edition of the standaloneWrestling broadcast was given over toFit Finlay's recapture of the title from Chic Cullen inBradford, 17 September 1987[4] and highlights of this match were included on the official ITV wrestling compilation VHS releaseMayhem and Mystery.[8] Similarly, highlights ofAlan Kilby's capture of the vacant title in a tournament final over King Ben inPreston, 7 October 1981, were included on official ITV wrestling compilation DVD releaseThe Best Of British Wrestling A-Z.[9]
The title was founded in 1953 and remained in Joint Promotions until the mid-1980s when it was taken over byAll Star Wrestling. The title remained active until the mid-1990s.[10]
| 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 theBritish Light Heavyweight Championship, vacated the title immediately. | [11] | |
| Mark Rocco | 6 December 1978 | House show | Blackburn | 2 | N/A | Won a tournament final againstChris 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 theBritish Light Heavyweight Championship in 1996 | [11] | |
