Terry recaptured the title in 1971.  The belt was removed from him by Ciclon Negro that Summer.  The Western States title was the first of many championships for Negro in the region.  It also started a feud with the Funk family which lasted until the territory folded.  Negro also feuded with Lord Alfred Hayes.  At the end of 1971 through the Spring of 1972, the belt was traded between Hayes and Negro four times.  Terry later downed Negro again for a run with title.  By the end of 1972, the belt had found its way around the waist of Karl von Steiger.

In 1973, Rickey Romero captured the belt.  Romero became involved in a feud with King Curtis Iaukea.  Romero asserted that bad blood had existed between he and Iaukea ever since the King stabbed him in the jaw with an iron stake at the Cow Palace many years before.  Curtis eventually captured the belt from Romero.  However, Iaukea's occasional tag partner, Ciclon Negro took the title from him later that year.  Terry Funk had the belt around his waist again by October and held the belt through the end of the year.

As 1974 began, Terry Funk was still champion.  He turned back a challenge from Jim Dillon in February at the Sports Arena.  By March, there was a new champion in town, Bob Backlund.  Backlund held the belt through the Spring downing grapplers such as Black Jack Mulligan and the Patriot.  His reign was cut short by Karl von Steiger whose second run with belt was ended by Dick Murdoch.  In July, a four man tournament was held in Amarillo to determine a challenger for Murdock.  Participating were Zigfried Stanke, Lord Hayes, Akio Sato and The Patriot.  Stanke won the tournament and prevailed over Murdoch in the title bout.  Stanke turned back a challenge from Mark Lewin in Lubbock, but lost the title to the most frequent title holder in the history of the championship, Terry Funk.

The title was vacant for the early part of 1975.  Bobby Jaggers captured the title by winning a tournament in Lubbock.  Jaggers had a pretty funny gimmick at the time, calling himself " the cowboy's dream".  Jaggers dropped the belt to Ray Candy at a Parade of Champions card in Lubbock on July 30.  Candy held the belt until encountering Frank Goodish in October.  Goodish stopped Candy's reign, again with title switch occurring in Lubbock.

In January, 1976, Scott Casey became the champion.  Casey became involved in a feud with Jerry Brisco over the title.  Brisco captured the title and the two had a great steel cage match in Lubbock.  Casey regained the title and held the belt through the summer.  In October, Casey dropped the belt to Tank Patton.    Patton prevailed in a challenge with Cowboy Bob Ellis.  Patton also went to a no contest with Terry Funk in a Belt vs. Belt match.  Of course, the belt Terry was risking at the time was the NWA world title.   Patton also turned back Ted DiBiase on several occasions.  Patton held the belt through the end of the year.

In 1977, Doug Somers came to the area and captured the belt.  The title at this time seemed to be defended on an infrequent basis.  The Sheik and Abby were in the area at the time and drew the lion's share of attention.  Bull Ramos also captured the belt.  The eve-popular Rickey Romero wrested the title from Ramos and held the belt through the end of the year.

In 1978, Nature Boy Roger Kirby grabbed the title.  Again, the title seemed to be defended on an irregular basis.  Kirby spent most of his time in the area teaming with Doug Somers and Lord Johnathan Boyd.  Romero captured the title again, but the championship unfortunately faded into the background.  When M&M Promotions took over in 1979, I don't recall the title ever being defended.  In the Duncan and Will book, champions for 1980 are listed as Larry Lane and Bob Morgan, and for 1981, Romero is identified.  Obviously, in the late 70's the promotion had started a down hill slide from which it wouldn't recover.  However, in the heyday of the territory, some truly great wrestlers wore the Western States title belt.

Ed. Note:  This marks Ashley Parrish's last piece on KM.  I want to thank him for all his great work on the Amarillo territory, and wish him good luck in future endeavors.