NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version)
Rank Wrestler No . of reigns Combined days
1 Ernie Dusek 7 670¤
2 Joe Dusek 7 567¤
3 Mike George 3 271
4 Lord Alfred Hayes 2 258¤
5 Sonny Myers 2 241¤
6 Intern # 2 / Super Intern 3 217¤
7 Bob Brown 3 190¤
8 Thor Hagen 1 188¤
9 Roger Kirby 1 165¤
10 Intern # 2 1 144
11 Scott Casey 1 126
12 Pat O'Connor 3 120¤
13 Emil Dusek 3 104¤
14 Mike George and Jim Brunzell 2 85¤
14 Jim Brunzell 2 85¤
16 Ken Mantell 1 80¤
16 Ron Bass 1 80¤
18 Bob Sweetan 1 79¤
19 Jerry Oates 3 75¤
20 Yasu Fuji 1 63
Individual reigns by combined length
Key Symbol Meaning ¤ The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain , so the shortest possible length is used .
The Central States version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship was the main professional wrestling championship for tag teams in Heart of America Sports Attractions, later known as Central States Wrestling (CSW) from 1951 to 1959, then again from 1962 to 1963 and then finally from 1973 to 1979. CSW was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), whose bylaws allowed any of their members, referred to as NWA territories, to create their own version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship that would be promoted within their territory. The Central States version was primarily defended in CSW's home town of Kansas City and during their shows across Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. As it was a professional wrestling championship, it was not won or lost competitively but instead by the decision of the bookers. The title was awarded after the chosen team wins a match to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport. In 1957 there were at least 13 different versions of the NWA World Tag Team Championship being promoted in various NWA territories across the United States. [Championships]
The Battling Duseks (Emil Dusek and Joe Dusek) were the first NWA World Tag Team Champions in the Hearts of America promotion. Records do not indicate if the Duseks won a tournament or were simply awarded the championship by the promoters prior to being presented as champions on May 26, 1950. Joe and Ernie Dusek would later hold the championship as well as the combination of Emil and Ernie holding the championship twice before the championship was abandoned in 1960. From 1960 to 1962 the championship was inactive and instead the NWA Central States Tag Team Championship was recognized as the main tag team championship in the territory. On October 10, 1962 Pat O'Connor and Sonny Myers defeated Bob Geigel and Lee Hennig to win the NWA World Tag Team Champions as the promoters brought the championship back. The second era of the championship lasted for around two years until it was abandoned in lieu of the newly created NWA North American Tag Team Championship around 1963.