| Note: From 1970 to 1974 there was a Southern Junior Heavyweight Title and a U.S. Junior Heavyweight Title defended in the territory. There are records of both titles being defended on the same card so it's not just a matter of different names in different cities. However, many title histories mix up the lineage. I've used Memphis newspaper clippings, Chattanooga results from the Wrestling Archive Project, and Wrestling Title Histories to try to straighten it out. I'm sure there are missing title changes because some of the reigns are quite long by Tennessee standards. If anyone has results from Nashville or Birmingham from this time frame, we may be able to compile a more complete record. Also note that starting in 1974 this listing assumes that the Memphis branch is the main title lineage. Any title changes that are known to contradict the Memphis lineage are footnoted. |
| 1952/04/19 | Henry Harrell | Jackson, MS |
| Beat Tex Riley in tournament final | ||
| 1952/07 | Herb Welch | Knoxville, TN |
| 1952/08/21 | Al Galento | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1952/11< | Tex Riley | |
| [...] | ||
| 1953/01< | Red Roberts | |
| 1954/03/17 | Ray Piret | Nashville, TN |
| 1955/02/21 | Sonny Myers | Birmingham, AL |
| 1955/07/25 | Frank Jares | Birmingham, AL |
| 1956/05/22 | The Masked Bat (Bob O’Shocker) | Nashville, TN |
| 1956/05/29 | Frank Jares [2] | Nashville, TN |
| 1956/07/24 | Jesse James [2] | Nashville, TN |
| One report shows the title being vacant after Jares Then James won a tournament final over Herb Welch in Birmingham, AL | ||
| 1956/08/07 | Frank Jares [3] | Nashville, TN |
| 1956/08/27 | Herb Welch [2] | Birmingham, AL |
| 1956/09/19 | The Great Malenko (Frank Fozo) | Mobile, AL |
| This title reign was not recognized outside of Mobile | ||
| 1956/10/16 | Herb Welch [3] | Mobile, AL |
| 1957/02/25 | Tor Yamata | Birmingham, AL |
| 1957/06/17 | Cyclone Anaya | Birmingham, AL |
| 1957/08/21 | Mario Galento | Mobile, AL |
| 1957/09 | VACANT | |
| Galento does not defend title | ||
| 1957/09 | Cyclone Anaya [2] | |
| Awarded | ||
| 1957/10/01 | Tor Yamata [2] | Nashville, TN |
| 1957/11/11 | Ray Stevens | Birmingham, AL |
| 1958/01< | Tor Yamata [3] | |
| 1958/03/17 | Herb Welch [4] | Memphis, TN |
| [...] | ||
| 1958/05< | Freddie Blassie | |
| [...] | ||
| 1958/06< | Ray Stevens [2] | |
| 1958/08< | Corsica Jean | Nashville, TN |
| 1958/10< | Ray Stevens [3] | |
| 1958/10 | VACANT | |
| Stevens leaves territory | ||
| 1959/01< | Yvon Robert | Birmingham, AL |
| Beat Chris Zaharias | ||
| 1959/01/12 | Jesse James [2] | Birmingham, AL |
| 1959/09/30 | Jackie Fargo | Mobile, AL |
| 1959/12/28 | Mike Clancy | Birmingham, AL |
| 1960/12/22 | Bill Monroe (Bill Fletcher) | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1960/12/27 | Len Rossi | Nashville, TN |
| 1961/07/22 | Don Greene | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1962/01/08 | Len Rossi [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1962/02/17 | Taro Sakura | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1962/06/07 | Joe Lanza | Chattanooga, TN |
| [...] | ||
| 1962/08< | Jackie Fargo [2] | |
| [...] | ||
| 1962/09< | Hans Steiner | |
| [...] | ||
| 1963/05< | Len Rossi [3] | |
| 1963/05 | Frankie Cain | Memphis, TN |
| [...] | ||
| 1965/01< | Alex Perez | |
| 1965/01 | Rocky Smith | |
| 1965/02/08 | Alex Perez [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1965/03/22 | Rocky Smith [2] | Memphis, TN |
| Held-up vs. Hiro Matsuda 1965/12/16 in Chattanooga, TN Smith won rematch 1965/12/20 in Chattanooga, TN | ||
| 1966/01/18 | Alex Perez | Nashville, TN |
| 1966/04/06 | Al Costello | Nashville, TN |
| 1966/04/28 | Karl Von Brauner | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1966/07/27 | Jackie Fargo [3] | Nashville, TN |
| [...] | ||
| 1967/04< | Len Rossi [4] | |
| 1967/08/19 | The Great Yamaha (Kantaro Hoshino) | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1967/08/31 | Len Rossi [5] | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1968/09/19 | Tojo Yamamoto | Chattanooga, TN |
| [...] | ||
| 1970/03< | Len Rossi [6] | |
| 1971/07/01 | Sputnik Monroe | Chattanooga, TN |
| 1971/08 | Len Rossi [7] | |
| 1973 | VACANT | |
| Rossi injured | ||
| 1973 | Tommy Gilbert | Birmingham, AL |
| 1973 | Lou Thesz | |
| 1973 | Tommy Gilbert [2] | |
| 1973/12< | Ronnie Garvin | |
| 1974/01 | Tommy Gilbert [3] | Birmingham, AL |
| 1974/03/18 | Lou Thesz [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1974/04/01 | Tommy Gilbert [4] | Nashville, TN |
| 1974/04/15 | Jerry Lawler | Memphis, TN |
| 1974/06/03 | Ricky Gibson | Memphis, TN |
| 1974/06/10 | Jerry Lawler [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1974/06/24 | Jackie Fargo [4] | Memphis, TN |
| 1974/07/08 | Jerry Lawler [3] | Memphis, TN |
| Jackie Fargo beat Jerry Lawler 1974/07/20 in Chattanooga, TN Jerry Lawler beat Jackie Fargo 1974/07/27 in Chattanooga, TN | ||
| 1974/08 | RENAMED SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE | |
| Robert Fuller beat Jerry Lawler 1974/10/23 in Nashville, TN Jerry Lawler beat Robert Fuller 1974/10/30 in Nashville, TN | ||
| 1974/12 | VACANT | |
| 1974/12/29 | Ron Fuller | Memphis, TN |
| Won tournament | ||
| 1975/06/09 | The Mongolian Stomper | Memphis, TN |
| 1975/07/14 | Jerry Lawler [4] | Memphis, TN |
| 1975/07 | The Mongolian Stomper [2] | |
| Held-up vs. Bob Armstrong 1975/09/09 in Memphis, TN Armstrong won rematch | ||
| 1975/09 | Bob Armstrong | |
| 1975/11 | VACANT | |
| 1975/12/15 | Jerry Lawler [5] | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Ron Fuller in tournament final Held-up vs. Ricky Gibson 1976/01 Lawler won rematch 1976/01/19 in Memphis, TN | ||
| 1976/02/22 | Tommy Rich | Memphis, TN |
| 1976/03/20 | Jerry Lawler [6] | Memphis, TN |
| 1976/08/09 | Jack Brisco | Memphis, TN |
| 1976/08/19 | Jerry Lawler [7] | Memphis, TN |
| 1976/09/14 | Tommy Rich [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1976/10< | Jerry Lawler [8] | |
| 1976/11/01 | Rocky Johnson | Memphis, TN |
| Held-up vs. Jerry Lawler Lawler won rematch | ||
| 1977/04/11 | Jerry Lawler [9] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/04/28 | Bob Armstrong [3] | Knoxville, TN |
| 1977/05/01 | Jerry Lawler [10] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/05/29 | Paul Orndorff | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/07/18 | Jerry Lawler [11] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/07/25 | Bill Dundee | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/08/01 | Jerry Lawler [12] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/08/22 | Bill Dundee [3] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/08/29 | Jerry Lawler [13] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/09/13 | VACANT | Memphis, TN |
| Lawler briefly retired | ||
| 1977/09/19 | Jimmy Valiant | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Mr. Wrestling (Tim Woods) in tournament final | ||
| 1977/10/10 | Jerry Lawler [14] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/11/28 | Jimmy Valiant [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1977/12/05 | Jerry Lawler [15] | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/08/07 | Jos LeDuc | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/08/14 | Jerry Lawler [16] | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/08/28 | Jos LeDuc [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/10< | Jerry Lawler [17] | |
| 1978/11< | Don Fargo | |
| 1978/11/20 | Tommy Gilbert [5] | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/11/27 | Don Fargo [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/12/02 | Tommy Gilbert [6] | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/12/04 | Jerry Lawler [18] | Memphis, TN |
| 1978/12/25 | Austin Idol | Memphis, TN |
| 1979/01/15 | Ron Fuller [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1979/02/12 | Toru Tanaka | Memphis, TN |
| Won via forfeit Ron Fuller beat Toru Tanaka 1979/03/19 via forfeit in Memphis, TN However, the title was returned to Tanaka | ||
| 1979/03/31 | Buzz Sawyer | Memphis, TN |
| Held-up vs. The Mongolian Stomper 1979/04/02 Stomper won rematch | ||
| 1979/04 | The Mongolian Stomper [2] | |
| 1979/06/04 | Robert Fuller [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1979/07 | Ron Bass | Memphis, TN |
| Allegedly won title in Bluefield, WV | ||
| 1979/08/27 | Bill Dundee [4] | Memphis, TN |
| Held-up vs. Ron Bass 1979/09/11 in Memphis, TN Dundee won rematch 1979/09/17 in Memphis, TN | ||
| 1979/09/24 | Jerry Lawler [19] | Memphis, TN |
| 1979/10/01 | Bill Dundee [5] | Memphis, TN |
| 1979/10/15 | Jerry Lawler [20] | Memphis, TN |
| 1979/11/22 | Jackie Fargo [5] | Jackson, TN |
| 1980/01/03 | Jimmy Valiant [3] | Lexington, KY |
| 1980/04/07 | Paul Ellering | Memphis, TN |
| 1980/07/07 | Bill Dundee [6] | Memphis, TN |
| 1980/08/04 | VACANT | Memphis, TN |
| Dundee won CWA World Title | ||
| 1980/08/11 | Bill Irwin | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Jimmy Valiant in tournament final Held-up vs. Jimmy Valiant 1980/08/18 in Memphis, TN Valiant won rematch | ||
| 1980/08/25 | Jimmy Valiant [4] | Memphis, TN |
| 1980/09/01 | Tommy Rich [3] | Memphis, TN |
| 1980/09/09 | Jimmy Valiant [5] | Memphis, TN |
| 1980/09/01 | Tommy Rich [4] | |
| 1980/12< | VACANT | |
| 1981/01/17 | Jimmy Valiant [6] | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Hector Guerrero in tournament final | ||
| 1981/02/15 | Jerry Lawler [21] | Memphis, TN |
| 1981/06/22 | Jimmy Hart | Memphis, TN |
| 1981/06/27 | Chick Donovan | Memphis, TN |
| 1981/07 | VACANT | |
| Donovan stripped due to winning the title when Hart just laid down and let himself be pinned | ||
| 1981/07/20 | Steve Keirn | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Bugsy McGraw in tournament final | ||
| 1981/08/16 | Dream Machine | Jackson, TN |
| 1981/08/24 | Jerry Lawler [22] | Memphis, TN |
| 1981/09/07 | Dream Machine [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1981/09/14 | Jimmy Valiant [7] | Memphis, TN |
| 1981/10< | Dream Machine [3] | |
| 1981/10/26 | Dutch Mantel | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/01/18 | Jerry Lawler [23] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/02/15 | Dutch Mantel [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/03/01 | Jerry Lawler [24] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/03/22 | Dutch Mantel [3] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/03/29 | Jerry Lawler [25] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/05 | Kendo Nagasaki | |
| 1982/05/24 | Jerry Lawler [26] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/06/07 | Kimala | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/08/09 | Jerry Lawler [27] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/10/11 | Nick Bockwinkel | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/11/08 | Jerry Lawler [28] | Memphis, TN |
| 1982/11/15 | Sabu (Cocoa Samoa) | Memphis, TN |
| Sabu & Jimmy Hart beat Lawler in a handicap match | ||
| 1982/11/29 | Terry Taylor | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/01/31 | Jacques Rougeau, Jr. | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/02/14 | Terry Taylor [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/03/21 | Bill Dundee [7] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/05/09 | Dutch Mantel [4] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/05/16 | Bill Dundee [8] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/05/23 | Dutch Mantel [5] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/05 | Jerry Lawler [29] | |
| 1983/05/30 | Bill Dundee [9] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/06/06 | Jerry Lawler [30] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/06/13 | Man Mountain Link | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/06/20 | Jerry Lawler [31] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983 | VACANT | |
| Lawler stripped due to not defending title within 30 days | ||
| 1983/09/05 | Jerry Lawler [32] | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Bill Dundee in tournament final | ||
| 1983/09/12 | Jesse Ventura | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/10/03 | Jerry Lawler [33] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/10/10 | Jesse Ventura [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1983/11 | Jerry Lawler [34] | |
| Allegedly beat Ventura in Chicago, IL | ||
| 1984/04/23 | Humongous (Mike Stark) | Memphis, TN |
| 1984/05/21 | Jerry Lawler [35] | Memphis, TN |
| 1984/06/11 | Rick Rude | Memphis, TN |
| 1984/07/16 | Tommy Rich [5] | Memphis, TN |
| 1984/07/30 | King Kong Bundy | Memphis, TN |
| 1984/11/12 | Jerry Lawler [36] | Memphis, TN |
| Held-up vs. Eddie Gilbert 1985/01/28 in Memphis, TN Gilbert won rematch | ||
| 1985/02< | Eddie Gilbert | |
| 1985/02/11 | Jerry Lawler [37] | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/03/17 | Randy Savage | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/05/07 | Jerry Oske | Louisville, KY |
| 1985/05/13 | Randy Savage [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/06/03 | Jerry Lawler [38] | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/06/24 | Bota the Witch Doctor | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/07/29 | Jerry Lawler [39] | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/08/16 | Tarras Bulba | Selmer, TN |
| 1985/09/06 | Jerry Lawler [40] | Martin, TN |
| 1985/10/19 | Bill Dundee [10] | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/12/21 | Jerry Lawler [41] | Memphis, TN |
| 1985/12/30 | Bill Dundee [11] | Memphis, TN |
| 1986/04/07 | Jerry Lawler [42] | Memphis, TN |
| 1986/05/02 | Bill Dundee [12] | Jackson, TN |
| 1986/06/02 | Buddy Landel | Memphis, TN |
| Held-up after the title win and later declared vacant | ||
| 1986/06 | VACANT | |
| 1986/06/16 | Buddy Landel [2] | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Flame in tournament final | ||
| 1986/07 | VACANT | |
| Landel leaves the promotion | ||
| 1986/07/28 | Bam Bam Bigelow | Memphis, TN |
| Won battle royal | ||
| 1986/09/08 | Jerry Lawler [43] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/01/12 | VACANT | Memphis, TN |
| Lawler injured | ||
| 1987/02/03 | Austin Idol [2] | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Soul Train Jones in tournament final | ||
| 1987/04/20 | Jerry Lawler [44] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/04/27 | Austin Idol [3] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/06/08 | Jerry Lawler [45] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/07/06 | Brickhouse Brown | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/07/13 | Jerry Lawler [46] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/08/03 | Don Bass | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/08 | Jerry Lawler [47] | |
| 1987/08/24 | Don Bass [2] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/08/31 | Jerry Lawler [48] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/10 | VACANT | |
| Vacated after winning AWA Tag Title | ||
| 1987/10/20 | Bobby Jaggers | Memphis, TN |
| Beat Billy Travis in tournament final | ||
| 1987/11/21 | Jerry Lawler [49] | Memphis, TN |
| 1987/12/07 | TITLE UNIFICATION | Memphis, TN |
| Unified with Mid-America Title and International Title to create CWA Title | ||