The Light-Heavyweight Domed Globe

The NWA Lightheavyweight Championship Belt (1975-1988, 1992-1996)

Thanks to Yuhki Kihara and Atsushi Kanie for the following information:

This NWA World Light Heavyweight belt is "The Third Race Model" which was entrusted to Mexico EMLL(CMLL). It was used during the years 03/07/1975-1988, and 04/18/1992 - 08/1996, though another versionwas used in the period between 1998-1992. (Please refer to http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world/nwa-lh.html for more information about the successive champions.)

In 04/08/1997, Chavo Guerrero Challenged Harley Race who was NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The "Dome Globe" is like a legacy in Mexico. 

News of Rich's NWA title win in Japan

Thanks to Scott Bowden (Kentucky Fried Rasslin') for sending us this image from a Japanese magazine in 1981. 

Sonny Fargo holds the NWA title

A friend forwarded this photo to me he came across on Facebook. One of my favorite referees growing up was Sonny Fargo. Always dressed in colorful attire, Sonny is pictured here in a fan snapshot holding the ten pounds of gold up before the a match between Ric Flair and Blackjack Mulligan, Jr. (Barry Windham.)

NWA Referee Sonny Fargo

(We don't know the origin of the photograph. 

If you know who took the photo, we'd love to post credit here.)

www.TenPoundsOfGold.com

Harley Race Japan Covers

Japanese Magazine Covers of Harley Race wearing the Ten Pounds of Gold.

Ten Pounds of Gold (book cover)

TEN POUNDS OF GOLD

This book is a complete history of this belt, the famous ten pounds of gold, including who made it, where it was made, how it was delivered that first night it was presented, and the ceremony that awarded it to the first champion to wear it.

Plus a look at the eight NWA champions who wore it, and a complete title history of this belt from 1973-1986.

Featuring rare photographs provided by Harley Race and champion portraits from some of wrestlings great local photographers. 

www.TenPoundsOfGold.com

More Great Pretenders

...pretenders to the throne, that is.

Last September (2012), we posted some cool photos of some great pro-wrestlers who came close to getting the ten pounds of gold, but in the end fell just a bit short. Each of those wrestlers were photographed holding the gold, and as we stated before, no doubt that some fans may have left the buildings that night thinking the title had changed hands.

We came across one more, thanks to our friend Brian Rogers, who found this photo of the famous Jumbo Tsuruta with the belt after a match with Harley Race in a Japanese wrestling magazine.

Tommy "Jumbo" Tsuruta

Don't miss the other pictures that we featured in that post last September, including Bruiser Brody, Mr. Wrestling II, Wahoo McDaniel, Jerry Lawler, and Buddy Landel. (Great Pretenders)

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I know there have to be more photos like this out there. If you have a photo similar to these of someone who came close to winning the NWA title (1973-1986) and want to forward it to us, please do so using the mail link on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway or send to us via Facebook.

Check out Ten Pounds of Gold, the book that takes a close look at the 1973-1986 NWA title belt: www.TenPoundsOfGold.com