NWA World Tag Team Championship (Chicago version) explained

Championshipname:	NWA World Tag Team Championship (Chicago version)
Promotion:	Fred Kohler Enterprises
Created:	1953
Mostreigns:	Nicolai and Boris Volkoff
Firstchamp:	Lord James Blears and Lord Athol Layton
Longestreign:	Reggie Lisowski and Art Neilson
Shortestreign:	^[1]
Titleretired:	August 1960

The Chicago version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship promoted by the Chicago-based Fred Kohler Enterprises, a member of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The championship was for two-man tag teams only. While the NWA Board of Directors mandated that there would only be one NWA World Heavyweight Championship, they did not regulate the use of championships labeled "NWA World Tag Team Championship", allowing any member that so desired to create their own local version.^[2] As a result, as many as 13 different, regional versions were active in 1957, the highest number of active NWA World Tag Team Championships in existence at the same time.

The championship was introduced in 1953 when the promoters awarded the championship to Lord James Blears and Lord Athol Layton. The championship was promoted from 1953 until 1960 when Fred Kohler left the NWA to help form the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and thus the AWA World Tag Team Championship became the top tag team championship in the Chicago area. The Chicago promotion would later be bought by Dick Afflis, who merged it with his Indianapolis-based territory. The last NWA World Tag Team Championship was won by the Shires brothers, Roy and Ray, on April 9, 1960. The Volkoffs, Boris and Nicoli, held the championship four times, the record for the Chicago version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Art Neilson and Reggie Lisowski held the championship for 371 days, the longest individual reign in the championship's seven-year history. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won or lost competitively, but instead determined by the decision of the bookers of a wrestling promotion. The title is awarded after the chosen team "wins" a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.^[3]

Title history

Key

No.	The overall championship reign
Reign	The reign number for the specific wrestler listed.
Event	The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the title changed hands
N/A	The specific information is not known
—	Used for vacated reigns in order to not count it as an official reign
	Indicates that there was a period where the lineage is undocumented due to the lack of written documentation in that time period.

width=0 data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	No.	width=14% scope="col"	Champions	width=0 scope="col"	Reign	width=16% scope="col"	Date	width=0 data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	Days held	width=14% scope="col"	Location	width=17% scope="col"	Event	width=51% class="unsortable" scope="col"	Notes	width=0 class="unsortable" scope="col"
1	and	1			N/A	N/A	Awarded	^[4]
2	and Billy Darnell	1			Chicago, Illinois	live event	Defeated Blears and Martino Angelo who substituted Layton who had suffered an injury.
3		1			Chicago, Illinois	live event
				N/A	N/A	N/A	Vacated when the Sharpe brothers stop working for the company
4	and Billy Darnell	2			live event	^[5]	Melby and Darnell were awarded the championship.
5	and Art Neilson	1			live event		Defeated Melby and Jack Witzig who substituted for an injured Darnell
6	and Roy McClarity	1			Moline, Illinois	live event
7	and Joe Tangara	1			live event
8	and Danny Plechas	1			Moline, Illinois	live event
9	and Stan Lisowski	1			live event
				N/A	N/A	N/A	Championship vacated for undocumented reasons
10	and Roy McClarity	1			live event	Des Moines, Iowa	Won the championship in a match against Nicolai and Boris Volkoff
				N/A	N/A	N/A	Championship vacated for undocumented reasons
11		1			Milwaukee, Wisconsin	live event	Won the vacant championship in a match against Reggie and Stan Lisowski	^[6]
12	and Stan Lisowski	2				live event	aign=left
13		2			Milwaukee, Wisconsin	live event
14	and Édouard Carpentier	1			Milwaukee, Wisconsin	live event		^[7]
15		3				live event
16	and Stan Lisowski	3			Chicago, Illinois	live event
17		4			Chicago, Illinois	live event		^[8]
18	and Don Fargo	1			Chicago, Illinois	live event
				N/A	N/A	N/A	Championship vacated for undocumented reasons
19	and Ray Shire	1			Indianapolis, Indiana	live event	defeated Angelo Poffo and Dick Afflis in a tournament final
20	and Dick Afflis	1				live event
21	and Ray Shire	2				live event
				N/A	N/A	N/A	Championship retired when promoter Fred Kohler left the NWA to help for the American Wrestling Association, replacing the championship with the AWA World Tag Team Championship

Team reigns by combined length

Key

data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	Rank	Team	data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	No. of reigns	data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	Combined days
1	Nicolai and Boris Volkoff	4
2	Reggie Lisowski and Art Neilson	1	371
3	Roy and Ray Shire	2
4	Pat O'Connor and Roy McClarity	1
5	Reggie and Stan Lisowski	3
6	Bill Melby and Billy Darnell	2
7	Gene Kiniski and Dick Afflis	1	58
8	Jackie and Don Fargo	1
9	Mike DiBiase and Danny Plechas	1
10	Verne Gagne and Édouard Carpentier	1
11	Ben and Mike Sharpe	1
Bobby Bruns and Roy McClarity	1
Guy Brunetti and Joe Tangara	1
Lord James Blears and Lord Athol Layton	1

Individual reigns by combined length

Key

data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	Rank	Wrestler	data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	No. of reigns	data-sort-type="number" scope="col"	Combined days
1	Reggie Lisowski	4
2	Boris Volkoff	4
Nicolai Volkoff	4
4	Art Neilson	1
5	Ray Shire	2
Roy Shire	2
7	Pat O'Connor	1
Roy McClarity	1
9	Stan Lisowski	3
10	Bill Melby	2
Billy Darnell	2
12	Dick Afflis	1	58
Gene Kiniski	1	58
14	Don Fargo	1
Jackie Fargo	1
16	Danny Plechas	1
Mike DiBiase	1
18	Édouard Carpentier	1
Verne Gagne	1
20	Ben Sharpe	1
Bobby Bruns	1
Guy Brunetti	1
Joe Tangara	1
Lord Athol Layton	1
Lord James Blears	1
Mike Sharpe	1
Roy McClarity	1

See also

• National Wrestling Alliance
• NWA World Tag Team Championship

Concurrent championships

Sources for 13 simultaneous NWA World Tag Team Championships

• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles version)^{[9] [10]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version)^{[11] [12]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version)^{[13] [14]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Chicago version)^{[15] [16]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Buffalo Athletic Club version)^{[17] [18]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version)^{[19] [20]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Iowa/Nebraska version)^{[21] [22]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Indianapolis version)^{[23] [24]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Salt Lake Wrestling Club version)^{[25] [26]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version)^{[27] [28]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Minneapolis version)^{[29] [30]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version)^{[31] [32]}
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)^{[33] [34]}

Notes and References

1. Several reigns have unknown length, it is impossible to determine who had the shortest
2. Book: Hornbaker, Tim . National Wrestling Alliance, The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling . ECW Press . 2007 . 978-1-55022-741-3. The Origins of a Wrestling Monopoly.
3. Book: Mazer. Sharon. Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle. February 1, 1998. University Press of Mississippi. 1-57806-021-4. 18–19. June 19, 2016.
4. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Illinois & Wisconsin] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
5. The location of the match was not captured as part of the documentation.
6. Web site: Daily Pro Wrestling history (11/24): The First Starcade . . November 24, 2019 . November 24, 2019 . Brian . Hoops.
7. Web site: On this day in pro wrestling history (May 25): Rockers last match in AWA, Tiger Mask wins NWA Jr. Heavyweight gold, Russian amateur wrestler beats Vader . May 25, 2015 . February 19, 2017 . Brian . Hoops . Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online.
8. Web site: Daily pro wrestling history (02/22): Sting defeats Hogan to win vacant WCW title . February 22, 2017 . February 27, 2017 . Brian . Hoops . Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online.
9. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Los Angeles) California: NWA World Tag Team Title [Nichols, Doyle & Eaton].
10. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Los Angeles – 1950s| work=Wrestling-Titles | accessdate=February 21, 2017].
11. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (San Francisco) California: NWA World Tag Team Title[Joe Malcewicz].
12. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [San Francisco 1950s] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
13. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Kansas and Western Missouri) Kansas City: NWA World Tag Team Title [Karras & Geigel].
14. Web site: NWA World Tag Team Title [Central States] ]. wrestling-titles.com . March 24, 2015.
15. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4. (Chicago) Illinois: NWA World Tag Team Title [Kohler].
16. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Illinois & Wisconsin] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
17. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Ohio and Upstate New York: NWA World Tag Team Title [George & Bruins].
18. Web site: NWA World Tag Team Title [Ohio / Northern New York] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
19. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Georgia: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gunkel & Barnett].
20. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Georgia] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
21. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Iowa / Nebraska: NWA World Tag Team Title [George & Clayton].
22. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Iowa/Nebraska ] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
23. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Indianapolis) Indiana: NWA World Tag Team Title [Kohler, Patton & Estes].
24. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Indianapolis] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
25. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Idaho / Utah: NWA World Tag Team Title [Reynolds].
26. Web site: World Tag Team Title [Northwest Tri-State] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
27. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Amarillo) Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Sarpolis and Funk].
28. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Titles [W. Texas] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
29. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Minneapolis) Minnesota: NWA World Tag Team Title [Karbo & Gagne].
30. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Minneapolis] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
31. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Siegel, Boesch and McLemore].
32. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [E. Texas] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.
33. Book: Royal . Duncan . Gary . Will . Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Pennsylvania . 2000 . Archeus Communications . 0-9698161-5-4 . (Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gulas and Welsh] .
34. Web site: National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Mid-America] ]. Wrestling-Titles . February 21, 2017.