The BELT That SAVED a Dying Wrestling TERRITORY

He wore the most famous championship belt in the American South for years, and he never once showed the world its full design. What Magnum T.A. hid, on accident, took collectors decades to uncover. This is the complete history of the Mid South North American Heavyweight Championship, one of the most fought over titles of the territory era of professional wrestling. From its 1969 origin under promoter Leroy McGuirk, through the 1973 walkout that split the championship in two, to Bill Watts crowning himself champion nine times after he bought the promotion outright, this belt carried more real backstage politics than almost any prop in wrestling history. We break down the legendary 1984 dual plated redesign, the 27 pound masterpiece of metal and leather that Magnum T.A. made iconic, and the champions who built this territory into a national name, Ted DiBiase, Ernie Ladd, The Junkyard Dog, Jake Roberts, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan, several of whom went on to become major stars of the WWF Golden Era under Vince McMahon and alongside Hulk Hogan. We also cover the mid 1980s oil industry collapse that gutted the territory's fan base, the chaotic title changes of early 1986, and the final champion to ever hold this belt before it was retired for good. If you grew up watching NWA and territory era wrestling before it became WWF and WCW, this one is for you.