Terry Funk with Les Thatcher

In 1976, Les Thatcher conducted a number of promotional interviews with NWA World Heavyweight champion Terry Funk which would appear later during the "halftime" interview slot in the Mid-Atlantic and Wide World Wrestling TV shows. The promos would only be seen in markets where Funk was set to defend the NWA title. At that time his number one challengers in the Mid-Atlantic territory were Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel.

Classic Audio: Terry Funk confronts Paul Jones

Baltimore Jack · NWA Champ Terry Funk confronts U.S. Champ Paul Jones (1976)

"In the Tiger's Den"

On the February 14, 1976 episode of Jim Crockett Promotions' "Wide World Wrestling" television show, host Ed Capral interviews NWA world champion Terry Funk. Funk was frustrated with the fact that Paul Jones held a victory over him which took place only a few weeks before Funk won the NWA title from Jack Brisco.

That victory was on the annual Thanksgiving night show at the Greensboro Coliseum when Jones pinned Funk to win the United States Heavyweight Championship. Jones' win paired with the title made him the undisputed number one contender for Terry Funk's NWA World Championship.

In this vintage audio recording, Funk calls out Paul Jones and a brief confrontation occurs. It takes place during the 2-minute "halftime" interview segment of the program. This is a classic Terry Funk promo during his reign as champion.

Republished in May 2021 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

www.TenPoundsOfGold.com

Ric Flair and the Ten Pounds of Gold

Photograph by Sheree Spivey

NWA World Champion Ric Flair with the famous ten pounds of gold. A great shot of the belt (and Ric's rolex as well!)

Photograph by Sheree Spivey

Update: On August 16, 2012, this photo by Sheree Spivey was the featured "Classic Photo" on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Check out the book with all the details on wrestling's most famous title belt on the official Ten Pounds of Gold website: www.TenPoundsofGold.com

NWA Champs in the Mid-Atlantic Era

The years 1973-1986 are wonderful years for me in pro-wrestling. Not only were these the years that Jim Crockett promotions identified their company as "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling", they were also the years that the domed-globe version of the NWA world heavyweight championship belt was defended in the ring. They were also, not so coincidentally, my favorite years to follow professional wrestling

The two eras overlap almost perfectly. These, more or less, are the appropriate dates:

Mid-Atlantic Wrestling:
Date began: 9/6/1973 - Eastern Heavyweight Champion Jerry Brisco presented with the first Mid-Atlantic championship belt in Greensboro NC. (See "The Origin and Evolution of the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship")

Date ended: 12/27/1986 - Ron Garvin surrenders the Mid-Atlantic belt in Atlanta GA after winning the U.S. tag team championship with Barry Windham. The title is retired.

NWA "Domed-Globe" Belt:
Date first defended: 7/20/1973 - The "Thesz" version of the NWA belt is retired and the new "domed-globe" belt is presented to NWA champion Harley Race in Houston, TX.

Date retired: 2/14/1986 - Ric Flair debuts the new "bog gold" version of the NWA belt before a title match in Orlando, FL.

Below are photos of the NWA champions during the "Mid-Atlantic" era.

Images from the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Archives: NWA Champs in the Mid-Atlantic Era

For more information, visit "NWA Champions During the Mid-Atlantic Era" and "What's in a Name? Defining the Mid-Atlantic Era as 1973-1976"

For info on the "Ten Pounds of Gold" book, visit www.TenPoundsOfGold.com.