Forgotten Titles
Chapter Four: NWA (WCW) Austra-Asian Heavyweight Title: The Kolonie, O'Day & Miller Years
#PWHS #Article #ForgottenTitles #FT #WCW # NWA #Australia
As we discussed in Part One, Jim Barnett sold the company at the very end of 1973. Tony Kolonie was the purchaser and he'd own the company until the end of 1974. At which point it was sold to Ron Miller and Larry O'Day. Together they ran the company until it closed it's doors in December 1978. Now let's look at this part of the lineage of the NWA Austra-Asian Heavyweight Championship.
So, Who Held It?
Von Erich to Gouliovas
Just to recap, Waldo Von Erich was awarded the championship in February of 1974 following the sale of the promotion and Spiros leaving WCW (see Part One for further details). Over the course of the next year the title changed hands on three separate occasions. Twice in an unusual manner where the title was on the lines in a tag-team encounter.
Each time it would be a new champion though, it seems as though with Arion no longer in the company they were struggling to find a replacement for him and trying various wrestlers and hoping one would catch on. You will also notice they continued with the foreigner theme as champion. Whilst many Greeks were present in the main cities, there were all kinds of different nationalities scattered across the country, especially Europeans.
So, Who Held It?
Von Erich to Gouliovas
Just to recap, Waldo Von Erich was awarded the championship in February of 1974 following the sale of the promotion and Spiros leaving WCW (see Part One for further details). Over the course of the next year the title changed hands on three separate occasions. Twice in an unusual manner where the title was on the lines in a tag-team encounter.
Each time it would be a new champion though, it seems as though with Arion no longer in the company they were struggling to find a replacement for him and trying various wrestlers and hoping one would catch on. You will also notice they continued with the foreigner theme as champion. Whilst many Greeks were present in the main cities, there were all kinds of different nationalities scattered across the country, especially Europeans.
Through-out 1974 the title was held by a string of wrestlers from a German (at least sounding), Ciclon, a Greek and it would continue on that way in the following year. But, before we go into 1975, Geoff Brown has provided some insight on what was going on. Frankie Cain, better known as The Great Mephisto was booking at the time and this was his work. He went on to explain that Mario Milano who had a short reign was as popular as Arion was in Greece due to the large Italian communities also in Australia.
In late 1974 the title went to George Gouliovas, a Greek, in an attempt to recapture Arion's popularity of a couple of years back. Once again thanks to George Brown we have the valuable information that Gouliovas was some-what of a flop. Unlike the hero-esque wrestlers Milano and Arion, Gouliovas could only speak Greek. Milano and Arion spoke to audiences in both English and their respective home languages allowing them to capture all areas of the audience.
Two Arabs & a Moose
It's February 28, 1975. Miller and O'Day are now in charge. Gouilovas starts the day as the champion, but the Great Mephisto scores a victory in Sydney and becomes the new champion. Gouilovas would win the title back the next month and hold it for five months. Gouilovas would be heading back to America after the loss and a new direction to keep things fresh was needed in WCW.
Moose Morowski would be that man, however, it didn't last along and this time Skandor Akbar won the championship only a month after Morowski had. Again it was a short lived reign as 29 days later Mephisto regained the championship and held onto it into 1976 after his October victory. Unfortunately it looks like history repeated itself here.
Downward Spiral
Ever since Barnett's departure the company had been on a downward spiral. Still there were moments and things looked good at times. Overall though things didn't look brilliant. Again at this point we're faced with conflicting information that I believe ends in the same outcome as Arion. Some sources state Ron Miller defeated Mephisto over in New Zealand, other's state Mephisto was never beaten and Miller was simply awarded the title, but the match was used as a reason.
One of the reasons I suspect that Mephisto left them high and dry is that Ron Miller after gaining full possession of World Championship Wrestling in January 1976, never lost the title. That's something a promoter normally does when he feels no-one else can be trusted with the title, and I feel that was the case here. Sadly when the promoter becomes a long term champion, quite often business doesn't do so well and that was the case here as business declined until the TV station ended their deal in December 1978.
It's February 28, 1975. Miller and O'Day are now in charge. Gouilovas starts the day as the champion, but the Great Mephisto scores a victory in Sydney and becomes the new champion. Gouilovas would win the title back the next month and hold it for five months. Gouilovas would be heading back to America after the loss and a new direction to keep things fresh was needed in WCW.
Moose Morowski would be that man, however, it didn't last along and this time Skandor Akbar won the championship only a month after Morowski had. Again it was a short lived reign as 29 days later Mephisto regained the championship and held onto it into 1976 after his October victory. Unfortunately it looks like history repeated itself here.
Downward Spiral
Ever since Barnett's departure the company had been on a downward spiral. Still there were moments and things looked good at times. Overall though things didn't look brilliant. Again at this point we're faced with conflicting information that I believe ends in the same outcome as Arion. Some sources state Ron Miller defeated Mephisto over in New Zealand, other's state Mephisto was never beaten and Miller was simply awarded the title, but the match was used as a reason.
One of the reasons I suspect that Mephisto left them high and dry is that Ron Miller after gaining full possession of World Championship Wrestling in January 1976, never lost the title. That's something a promoter normally does when he feels no-one else can be trusted with the title, and I feel that was the case here. Sadly when the promoter becomes a long term champion, quite often business doesn't do so well and that was the case here as business declined until the TV station ended their deal in December 1978.
List of Champions: The Kolonie, O'Day, & Miller Years
06 - Waldo Von Erich, February 1974 (Date not confirmed)
07 - Mario Milano, May 19, 1974
08 - Ciclon Negro, June 19, 1974
09 - George Gouliovas, November 1, 1974
10 - Great Mephisto, February 28, 1975
11 - George Gouliovas, March 7, 1975
12 - Moose Morowski, August 2, 1975
13 - Skandor Akbar, September 12, 1975
14 - Great Mephisto, October 11, 1975
15 - Ron Miller, January 1976
// - Retired, December 1978
06 - Waldo Von Erich, February 1974 (Date not confirmed)
07 - Mario Milano, May 19, 1974
08 - Ciclon Negro, June 19, 1974
09 - George Gouliovas, November 1, 1974
10 - Great Mephisto, February 28, 1975
11 - George Gouliovas, March 7, 1975
12 - Moose Morowski, August 2, 1975
13 - Skandor Akbar, September 12, 1975
14 - Great Mephisto, October 11, 1975
15 - Ron Miller, January 1976
// - Retired, December 1978
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Forgotten Titles: Chapter Four.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: August 21, 2014.
Article: #56.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Forgotten Titles: Chapter Four.
Author: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: August 21, 2014.
Article: #56.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
A big thank you goes out to Geoff Brown who proof read this article for me and confirmed that the Spiros Arion-Waldo Von Erich title change was definitely a phantom title change. He also provided me with both of the pictures used in this article. Mr. Brown currently co-runs the World Championship Wrestling (Australia 1964-1978) Facebook page and runs the The Oklahoma Kid- Elmer 'Ray' Gearlds Tribute Page.
As with the majority of NWAlliance titles, this was a title that bore the brand, but was not officially sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance board. It was controlled and recognized only by the territory it was from.
As with the majority of NWAlliance titles, this was a title that bore the brand, but was not officially sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance board. It was controlled and recognized only by the territory it was from.
Forgotten Titles: Chapter Five - Read Here
Forgotten Titles: Chapter Three - Read Here
Other articles by Jimmy can be Read Here.