NWA Title Defenses on Thanksgiving
for Jim Crockett Promotions
1963-1987
The 1960s
1963: Lou Thesz successfully defends
the title against Swede Hanson (Greensboro NC)
1965: Lou Thesz defeats Pat O'Conner
via count out in the 3rd fall (Greensboro NC)
1966: Gene Kiniski successfully defends
against the Missouri Mauler Larry Hamilton (Greensboro)
1967: Gene Kiniski wrestles Johnny
Weaver to a 1-hour draw to retain the title (Greensboro NC)
The 1970s
1970: Dory Funk Jr. wrestles Jerry
Brisco to a 1-hour draw to retain title (Greensboro NC)
1971: Dory Funk Jr. defeats Jerry
Brisco, winning the final 2 falls to retain title (Norfolk VA)
1972: Dory Funk, Jr. and Dory Funk, Sr.
lost to Jack & Jerry Brisco (Greensboro)*
1973: Jack Brisco defeats Dory Funk Jr.
in 24 minutes to retain the championship (Greensboro NC)
1974: Jack Brisco is disqualified
against Wahoo McDaniel and retains the title (Greensboro NC)
1975: Jack Brisco lost to Wahoo
McDaniel by count out and retains title (Greensboro NC)
1976: Terry Funk successfully defends
the title against Rufus R. Jones (Norfolk VA)
1977: Harley Race successfully defends
the title against Ricky Steamboat (Norfolk VA)
1978: Harley Race successfully defends
the title against Paul Jones (Norfolk VA)
The 1980s
1981: Ric Flair successfully defends
against Ivan Koloff (Knoxville 3PM)
1981: Ric Flair defeats Ole Anderson
(Greensboro 8 PM)*
1982: Ric Flair successfully defends
the title against Roddy Piper (Greensboro NC)
1983: Ric Flair defeats Harley Race to
win his 2nd NWA World Title (Greensboro NC)
1984: Ric Flair defeats Dusty Rhodes by
TKO to retain title (Greensboro NC)
1985: Ric Flair retains title over
Dusty Rhodes following NWA ruling on DQ (Atlanta GA)
1986: Ric Flair retains title over
Nikita Koloff by DQ (Atlanta GA)
1987: Ric Flair defeats Ron Garvin to
win the NWA World Title (Chicago IL)
* In 1972 and 1981, the NWA champion
was on the Thanksgiving card in Greensboro, but did not defend the
championship.
Knoxville was affiliated with Jim
Crockett promotions in 1981.
© The Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Research by Dick Bourne and Mark
Eastridge. Thanks also to Carroll Hall.
Clippings from the collection of Mark
Eastridge.
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