British Welterweight Championship

The British Welterweight Championship is the welterweight professional wrestling championship competed for throughout the British wrestling circuit.

The championship was recognised and defended on matches screened by UK national television network ITV as part of the professional wrestling slot on World of Sport as well as standalone broadcasts. Pre-publicity for these championship match broadcasts was given in ITV's nationally published listings magazine TVTimes

History A British Welterweight Championship was first set up in 1938 under All-In rules and won by Harold Angus. The Mountevans Committee in 1947 called for the establishment of a British Welterweight Title and so recognised the still-incumbent All In titleholder Angus as champion. This lineage was recognised by Joint Promotions following its 1952 formation. The title would later be transplanted to All Star Wrestling following champion Danny Collins' defection in the late 1980s, where it would remain active until the mid-1990s. In the 21st century, revivals of the title have been hosted by The Wrestling Alliance in 2000-2003 and Revolution British Wrestling in 2003-2005 before most recently being contested for in LDN's Academy/Spirit League since 2006.

The title first became recognised by RBW in August 2003, when a decider contest was held between Spud and Jack Hazard which saw Spud crowned RBW's first British Welterweight Champion. The last RBW holder would be Kid Regis who would hold the belt at the time of RBW's eventual closedown in late 2005.

Regis continued to defend the Welterweight Championship on the independent circuit, eventually losing it to Tex Benedict in 2006 in LDN, who in turn lost it to current champion Alan Travis in 2008.

Title histories This is the combined list of different versions of the British Welterweight Titles, each of which was probably the most significant version at the time. Each version may or may not be connected to another. However, all title changes are either actual or "official" unless indicated otherwise.

British independent circuit (1938-1953) Wrestler: Reign:Date: Place:Notes: Harold Angus11938Champion under 'All-In' rules, granted recognition as incumbent champion by Mountevans Committee in 1947. Vacated in 1948 when Angus dies following a firearms-related accident.Mick McManus11949Defeated Eddie Capelli.Jack Dempsey11951Alan Colbeck1??/05/1952Defeated Les Stent.

Joint Promotions (1953-1989) Wrestler: Reign:Date: Place:Notes: Tony Lawrence11953Jack Dempsey21953Mick McManus205/01/1957LondonJack Dempsey323/04/1958LondonVacated in October 1966 when Dempsey temporarily retired due to illness.Alan Sargeant126/11/1966Hemel HempsteadDefeats Alan Wood in tournament final.Jim Breaks106/11/1967LeedsAlan Sargeant2??/09/1968N/ABrian Maxine130/09/1969CroydonMay have won the title earlier in the month and defend against Sarjeant on this day; vacates in June 1971 after winning the middleweight title.Vic Faulkner120/07/1971CroydonDefeats Adrian Street.Jim Breaks231/05/1976BradfordVic Faulkner228/08/1976ManchesterJim Breaks309/03/1977BuxtonVic Faulkner305/07/1977LeicesterTitle immediately held up by Joint Promotions because of the interference by Bert Royal.Jim Breaks430/11/1977LondonDefeats Faulkner in rematch.Dynamite Kid125/01/1978PrestonVacant in 1979 when Kid left the country.Jim Breaks527/06/1979LondonDefeats Steve Grey in 8-man tournament final.Alan Dennison111/06/1980LondonJim Breaks629/03/1983CroydonSteve Grey125/05/1982CroydonAlan Dennison221/06/1982N/AJim Breaks729/03/1983CroydonMay have won the title from Dennison before this date.Alan Dennison329/04/1983Jim Breaks809/12/1983BarnsleyDanny Collins121/03/1984 CroydonSteve Grey221/06/1984MalvernDanny Collins222/06/1984BathSteve Grey321/08/1984MalvernDanny Collins301/11/1984ManchesterSid Cooper123/05/1985BristolDanny Collins426/08/1985Takes title to All Star circa 1988Title vacated on 04/07/1989 when Collins wins the heavy middleweight title.

All Star Wrestling (1989-1993) Wrestler: Reign:Date: Place:Notes: Mal Sanders121/12/1989BristolDefeated Steve Grey.Doc Dean125/10/1990SouthamptonBlondie Barrett117/12/1991ChelmsfordDoc Dean218/07/1992NorwichSteve Prince109/10/1993CroydonMay have been in October.

The Wrestling Alliance (2002-2003) Wrestler: Reign:Date: Place:Notes: Jonny Storm117/01/2002SouthamptonDefeated Jody Fleisch.Jody Fleisch103/10/2002SouthamptonJonny Storm227/11/2002PlymouthTitle abandoned with TWA's closure in 2003.

Revolution British Wrestling (2003-2005) Wrestler: Reign:Date: Place:Notes: Spud130/08/2003Defeated Jack Hazard in a match to be crowned first championRoss Jordan 107/12/2003Sammy Ray 127/03/2004Ross Jordan 224/07/2004Chingford, LondonKid Regis105/02/2005Chingford, LondonRBW closes in late 2005, Regis continued to claim title (as detailed below).

LDN Wrestling (2006-2009) Wrestler: Reign:Date: Place:Notes: Tex Benedict104/06/2006Walthamstow, LondonDefeats Kid Regis, thus keeping continuity with RBW versionAlan Travis120/09/2008Hanley, StaffordshireLDN withdraws from sanctioning the championship 2009, recognises Travis as LDN Capital Champion. Travis, under Mountevans Rules, remains dormant British Welterweight champion pending further developments

British Welterweight Championship

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