NWA Roster in 1959: Full List of Wrestlers, Teams, Champions
On this page you find the full NWA Roster in the year 1959. This includes the list of all NWA Wrestlers, division between Men and Women Rosters, active Tag Teams & Stables, the current reigning Champions, as well as Managers, Announcers, Authority figures, Producers and other personalities in National Wrestling Alliance.
Our complete Pro Wrestlers Database allows you to travel through time and see the NWA Roster by Year or any specific Date in history. Simply use the filters below! You even have the option to view a breakdown of the rosters split by Face and Heel divisions.
1959NWA: All (88)
Adnan Kassie
Aileen Eaton
Al Costello
Angelo Poffo
Angelo Savoldi
Antonino Rocca
Arnold Skaaland
Baron Gattoni
Bearcat Wright
Bob Orton
Bobo Brazil
Bruno Sammartino
Cora Combs
Corsica Jean
Corsica Joe
The Crusher
Danny Hodge
Dick Beyer
Dick The Bruiser
Dominic Bravo
Dory Funk
Dr. Jerry Graham
Eddie Graham
Emile Koverly
Ethel Johnson
The Fabulous Moolah
Freddie Blassie
Fritz von Erich
Gene Kiniski
Gene LeBell
Gorgeous George
Gory Guerrero
The Great Lotario
Happy Humphrey
Haystacks Calhoun
J. Wellington Radcliffe
Jackie Fargo
Jim Barnett
Joe Blanchard
Joe Hamilton
Joe Scarpa
John Tolos
Johnny Barend
Johnny Valentine
Johnny Walker
Judy Grable
June Byers
Karl Krauser
Killer Kowalski
Lance Russell
Larry Hennig
Len Rossi
Leroy McGuirk
Little Beaver
Lord James Blears
Lou Albano
Lou Thesz
Luther Lindsay
Mae Young
Maurice Vachon
Michiaki Yoshimura
Mike DiBiase
Mikel Scicluna
"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
Nick Bockwinkel
Nick Gulas
Otto von Krupp
Pat O'Connor
Paul Boesch
Paul Bunyan
Pedro Morales
Pinkie George
Primo Carnera
Ray Shire
Rikidōzan
Ron Wright
Roy Heffernan
Salvador Lutteroth
Sam Muchnick
Saul Weingeroff
The Sheik
Sputnik Monroe
Stu Hart
Terrible Ted
Toots Mondt
Toyonobori
Verne Gagne
Vincent J. McMahon
Men
Adnan Kassie
Al Costello
Angelo Poffo
Angelo Savoldi
Antonino Rocca
Arnold Skaaland
Baron Gattoni
Bearcat Wright
Bob Orton
Bobo Brazil
Bruno Sammartino
Corsica Jean
Corsica Joe
The Crusher
Danny Hodge
Dick Beyer
Dick The Bruiser
Dominic Bravo
Dory Funk
Dr. Jerry Graham
Eddie Graham
Emile Koverly
Freddie Blassie
Fritz von Erich
Gene Kiniski
Gene LeBell
Gorgeous George
Gory Guerrero
The Great Lotario
Happy Humphrey
Haystacks Calhoun
J. Wellington Radcliffe
Jackie Fargo
Jim Barnett
Joe Blanchard
Joe Hamilton
Joe Scarpa
John Tolos
Johnny Barend
Johnny Valentine
Johnny Walker
Karl Krauser
Killer Kowalski
Lance Russell
Larry Hennig
Len Rossi
Leroy McGuirk
Little Beaver
Lord James Blears
Lou Albano
Lou Thesz
Luther Lindsay
Maurice Vachon
Michiaki Yoshimura
Mike DiBiase
Mikel Scicluna
"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
Nick Bockwinkel
Nick Gulas
Otto von Krupp
Pat O'Connor
Paul Boesch
Paul Bunyan
Pedro Morales
Pinkie George
Primo Carnera
Ray Shire
Rikidōzan
Ron Wright
Roy Heffernan
Salvador Lutteroth
Sam Muchnick
Saul Weingeroff
The Sheik
Sputnik Monroe
Stu Hart
Terrible Ted
Toots Mondt
Toyonobori
Verne Gagne
Vincent J. McMahon
Women
Teams
The Corsicans
The Fabulous Kangaroos
The Golden Grahams
Rikidozan and Toyonobori
Champions
NWA World Heavyweight Championship | | Pat O'Connor Won: January 9, 1959 St. Louis, MO | House show During this reign, Gene LeBell defeated O'Connor, but then he struck a Texas wrestling commissioner with the title belt and the decision was reversed. The title was returned to O'Connor and these two title changes were not recognized. | 356+ days |
![Dick Hutton[1]](/images/wrestling/wrestlers/v/vacant.png "Dick Hutton[1]") | Dick Hutton Won: November 14, 1957 Toronto, Ontario, Canada | House show | 421 days |
NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship | | Nick Kozak Won: October 1, 1959 Texas | House show Records unclear as to whom he defeated. | 91+ days |
| Nick Kozak Won: July 10, 1959 Texas | House show | 83 days | |
| Corsica Joe Won: June 25, 1959 San Antonio, Texas | House show | 15 days | |
& Luis Hernandez Won: May 8, 1959 Houston, Texas | House show | 48 days | ||
& Joe Christie Won: January 20, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show Defeated Gomez in rematch. | 108 days | ||
| Vacant Won: January 13, 1959 Texas | House show After a match against Joe Christie. | 7 days | |
| Pepper Gomez Won: December 31, 1958 Texas | House show | 13 days |
NWA Louisiana State Championship | | Mickey Sharpe Won: November 5, 1959 New Orleans, Louisiana | Live Show Defeats Firpo Zybysko in tournament final. | 56+ days |
| Vacant Won: October 1, 1959 Title vacated | 35 days | |
| Chris Belkas Won: July 15, 1959 New Orleans, Louisiana | Live Show | 78 days | |
| Firpo Zybysko Won: June 1, 1959 Monroe, Louisiana | Live Show Also defeats Chuck Benson on June 18, 1959 in New Orleans, LA, possibly for the vacant local recognition. | 44 days | |
| Bill Barney Won: September 22, 1958 Monroe, Louisiana | Live Show Defeats Al Massey. | 252 days |
NWA International Heavyweight Championship | | Antonino Rocca Won: July 2, 1959 New York, NY | House Show Defeated Buddy Rogers to win the new title. | 182+ days |
NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship | | Tor Yamata Won: April 24, 1958 Chattanooga, TN | House show The title history is unrecorded from 1958-04-24 to July 1971. | 616+ days |
NWA United States Television Championship | | Johnny Valentine Won: April 7, 1959 Baltimore, Maryland | CWC House show | 268+ days |
| Don Joyce Won: March 10, 1959 Baltimore, Maryland | CWC House show | 28 days | |
| Johnny Valentine Won: December 24, 1958 Las Vegas, Nevada | CWC House show Defeating Verne Gagne in tournament final in Chicago, IL. | 76 days |
NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship | | Danny McShain Won: December 11, 1959 Houston, Texas | House show Defeated Mr. Moto | 20+ days |
| Vacant Won: December 1, 1959 Championship vacated for undocumented reasons | 10 days | |
| Iron Mike DiBiase Won: November 1, 1959 Texas | House show | 30 days | |
| Danny McShain Won: October 27, 1959 Texas | House show It is not clear who McShain defeated to win the championship | 5 days | |
| The Zebra Kid Won: June 16, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 133 days | |
| Golden Giant Won: June 9, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 7 days | |
| Bull Curry Won: April 7, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 63 days | |
| Joe Christie Won: January 6, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show Defeated Danny McShain, Tosh Togo and Al Costello in a tournament to win the vacant championship. | 91 days |
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship | | Verne Gagne Won: April 12, 1958 Chicago, Illinois | House show The title was split from the original championship, which retained the same joint lineage in the Chicago territory. Minneapolis version renamed "AWA United States Championship" in 1960. | 628+ days |
NWA United States Tag Team Championship | | Dr. Jerry Graham & Johnny Valentine Won: November 14, 1959 West Hempstead, NY | House Show Defeated Don Curtis & Mark Lewin to win the vacant titles. | 47+ days |
| Vacant Won: August 1, 1959 The titles were vacated when Eddie Graham left the promotion. | 105 days | |
| The Golden GrahamsEddie Graham & Dr. Jerry Graham Won: May 27, 1959 Bridgeport, CT | House Show | 66 days | |
| Don Curtis & Mark Lewin Won: December 11, 1958 Washington, D.C. | House Show | 167 days |
NWA World Tag Team Championship | | Antonino Rocca and Miguel PérezAntonino Rocca & Miguel Pérez Won: March 30, 1957 New York City, NY | Manhattan Wrestling Enterprises This was two-out-of-three falls match, in which Rocca and Pérez won 2–1. | 1006+ days |
NWA Texas Tag Team Championship | | Cyclone Anaya & Leo Garibaldi Won: December 15, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 16+ days |
| Danny McShain & Bad Boy Hines Won: November 1, 1959 Texas | House show | 44 days | |
| Nick Kozak & Jerry Kozak Won: September 2, 1959 San Antonio, Texas | House show | 60 days | |
| The CorsicansCorsica Joe & Corsica Jean Won: May 26, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show Defeated Angelo Martinelli and Luis Hernandez. | 99 days | |
| Vacant Won: May 1, 1959 championship vacated for undocumented reasons | 25 days | |
| Ben & Mike Sharpe Won: April 14, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 17 days | |
| Chief Big Heart & Little Eagle Won: April 7, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 7 days | |
| Frank Valois & Andre Bollet Won: March 10, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 28 days |
NWA World Tag Team Championship | | Pepper Gomez & Ciclone Anaya Won: December 8, 1959 Dallas, Texas | House show | 23+ days |
| Duke Keomuka & Mr. Moto Won: September 1, 1959 Texas | House show | 98 days | |
| Pepper Gomez & Rito Romero Won: December 1, 1958 Ft. Worth, Texas | House show | 274 days |
NWA Mid-Southern Tag Team Championship | | Bobby Fields & Don Fields Won: November 11, 1959 Mobile, Alabama | House Show | 50+ days |
| John Smith & Tosh Togo Won: October 28, 1959 Mobile, Alabama | House Show Defeated Bobby and Don Fields in a tournament final for the vacant Gulf Coast version; may not be recognized outside the territory. | 14 days | |
| Don Fields & Luke Fields Won: October 13, 1959 Tennessee | House Show | 15 days | |
| Vacant Won: July 1, 1959 | 104 days | |
| Len Rossi Tex Riley Won: May 12, 1959 Tennessee | House Show | 50 days | |
| The Fabulous FargosJackie Fargo Don Fargo Won: May 12, 1959 Tennessee | House Show | 0 days | |
| Don Fields & Luke Fields Won: April 1, 1959 Tennessee | House Show | 41 days | |
| The Corsicans Corsica Jean & Corsica Joe Won: October 3, 1958 Knoxville, Tennessee | House Show | 180 days |
NWA World Tag Team Championship | | Vacant Won: September 2, 1959 The championship was vacated when Leo Nomellini returned to play for the San Francisco 49ers in 1959. | 120+ days |
| Butch Levy & Leo Nomellini Won: July 14, 1959 Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show | 50 days | |
| The Kalmikoffs Ivan Kalmikoff & Karol Kalmikoff Won: June 3, 1959 The Kalmikoffs were awarded the championship because Verne Gagne was on tour outside the territory. | 41 days | |
| Verne Gagne Butch Levy Won: April 28, 1959 Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show | 36 days | |
| The Kalmikoffs Ivan Kalmikoff & Karol Kalmikoff Won: March 5, 1959 Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show In April 10, 1959 Ivan gave his half to Baron Gattoni after being injured. | 54 days | |
| The Lisowski BrothersThe Crusher & Stan Lisowski Won: January 22, 1959 Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show | 42 days | |
| Herb Freeman & Seymour Freeman Won: January 15, 1959 Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show | 7 days | |
| The Lisowski BrothersThe Crusher & Stan Lisowski Won: November 5, 1958 Minnesota | House show The Lisowski Brothers won a tournament to win the vacant championship. | 71 days |
NWA International Tag Team Championship | | Murder Inc. Tiny Mills & Stan Kowalski Won: December 12, 1959 Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show | 19 days |
| Frank Townsend & Butch Levy Won: November 28, 1959 Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show | 14 days | |
| Murder Inc. Tiny Mills & Stan Kowalski Won: November 21, 1959 Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show | 7 days | |
| Frank Townsend & Butch Levy Won: November 14, 1959 Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show | 7 days | |
| Murder Inc. Tiny Mills & Stan Kowalski Won: November 1, 1959 Minnesota | House show Start claiming the title. | 13 days | |
| Fabulous Kangaroos Al Costello & Roy Heffernan Won: March 1, 1959 Minnesota | House show Claim the title (The Minneapolis Star, 59-03-25). | 245 days | |
| Ivan Kalmikoff & Karol Kalmikoff Won: October 1, 1955 Minnesota | House show Claim the title "after winning tournaments in Canada, South America, and various European countries" (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 55-11-01); start claiming World Title sometime after 56-01-03 and defeat another claimant team Lord Athol Layton & Bobby Managoff on 56-03-06 in Minneapolis, MN. | 1247 days |
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship | | Angelo Savoldi Won: August 21, 1959 Oklahoma City, OK | House show | 132+ days |
| Mike DiBiase Won: May 29, 1959 Oklahoma City, OK | House show | 84 days | |
| Angelo Savoldi Won: March 6, 1959 Oklahoma City, OK | House show | 84 days | |
| Ivan the Terrible Won: February 20, 1959 Oklahoma City, OK | House show | 14 days | |
| Angelo Savoldi Won: July 11, 1958 Oklahoma City, OK | House show | 224 days |
NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship | | Ray Mendoza Won: September 11, 1959 Guadalajara, Jalisco | Live event | 111+ days |
| Dory Dixon Won: February 13, 1958 Mexico City, Mexico | Live event Dixon defeated Al Kashley to win the vacant championship. | 575 days |
NWA World Middleweight Championship | | Rolando Vera Won: October 19, 1956 Monterrey, Nuevo León | Live event | 1168+ days |
NWA World Welterweight Championship | | Karloff Lagarde Won: January 31, 1958 Mexico City, Mexico | EMLL show | 699+ days |
NWA Women's Championship | | The Fabulous Moolah Won: September 18, 1956 Baltimore, MD | Live Event During this reigns the following title changes took place: Bette Boucher, then The Fabulous Moolah, then Yukiko Tomoe, then The Fabulous Moolah, then Evelyn Stevens, then The Fabulous Moolah; however, WWE recognizes Moolah's reign as being uninterrupted until 1984. The title was known as the NWA World Women's Championship until May 19, 1984, when Moolah sold the rights to the championship to the WWF, and the title was renamed to WWF Women's Championship. | 1199+ days |
NWA Women's Championship | | The Fabulous Moolah Won: September 18, 1956 Baltimore, MD | Live event Won a 13-Woman Battle Royal to win the vacant title. | 1199+ days |
NWA United States Women's Championship | ![Nell Stewart[1]](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/images/jch-optimize/ng/images_wrestling_wrestlers_v_vacant-women.webp "Nell Stewart[1]") | Nell Stewart Won: July 7, 1959 Knoxville, TN The title history is unrecorded from 1957-12-03 to 1959-07-07, and then from 1959-07-07 to 1961-09-24. | 177+ days |
| Barbara Baker Won: July 26, 1957 The title history is unrecorded from 1957-12-03 to 1959-07-07. Baker was recognized as champion in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and probably other states. | 711 days |
NWA Minnesota Women's Championship | | Mars Monroe Won: August 29, 1959 Sheboygan, MinnesotaI | House Show Billed as champion in Sheboygan, WI. Unofficial or disputable claim. | 124 days |
| Shirley Strimple Won: December 30, 1955 St. Paul, Minnesota | House Show Defeats Lorraine Johnson to win the vacant championship. | 1338 days |
NWA World Ladies Tag Team Championship | & Kay Noble & Lolita Martinez Won: December 4, 1958 Amarillo, TX | Live event The titles history is unrecorded from 1958-06-16 to 1958-12-04, and then from 1958-12-04 to 1961-11-23. As of 1959-02-24, Penny Banner is listed as a co-holder of the titles, since she wasn't involved in losing them. | 392+ days |
Extras
Part Time Wrestlers
Managers
Commentators
Presidents
Promoters
Aileen Eaton
Dory Funk
Jim Barnett
Leroy McGuirk
Nick Gulas
Pinkie George
Rikidōzan
Salvador Lutteroth
Sam Muchnick
Stu Hart
Toots Mondt
Coaches
The profile of each NWA wrestler features their Career History, Ring Names, Face / Heel Turns, Accomplishments, Pictures, Bio and more information and statistics.
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