1967

Recap of 1966

Tag teams continued to dominate area cards during 1966 with Len Rossi & Mario Milano, Tojo Yamamoto & various partners including Alex Perez and Professor Ito and The Masked Blue Infernos headlining shows around the Gulas-Welch circuit. The tag team scene revolved around the World tag championship and the Southern tag championship. The area's singles title, the Southern Junior heavyweight championship, wasn't featured very prominently during 1966.

1967 Preview 

1967 would prove to be another big year for the promotion operated out of Nashville by Nick Gulas and Roy Welch. The regulars such as Jackie Fargo, Len Rossi, Mario Milano and Tojo Yamamoto all continued to work in the area during the year. The use of masked tag teams continued also as The Masked Blue Infernos were the top heel team most of the year, after having debuted in 1966. Brother tag teams would also be a big part of the year ahead.

January-March 1967 

The year began with Tojo Yamamoto & Professor Ito holding the World tag titles. Jackie Fargo & Len Rossi would take the titles in March. The tag titles would then be held up between Fargo & Rossi and The Masked Blue Infernos. The Blue Infernos would come out of a subsequent tournament as champions. Corsica Joe & Chin Lee had been recognized as Southern tag champions last in 1966. Jackie Fargo had been the last recognized Southern Junior heavyweight champion. The lineage of Southern Junior title and the Southern tag titles during the early part of 1967 is not clear. 

Working the area during the first quarter of 1967 were such stars as Mario Milano, Ray Gordon, Tojo Yamamoto, Gentleman Saul Weingeroff, Steve Kovacs, Corsica Joe, Chin Lee, Lou Thesz, Don Greene, Al Greene, Herb Welch, Young Anaya, Billy Wicks, Ray Lopez, Bill Sky, Bobby Whitlock, Eric Von Brauner, Danny Dusek, Joe Sky, Rip & Chuck: The Scufflin' Hillbillies managed by Cousin Alford, Alex Perez, Rocket Monroe, The Great Yamaha, Herb Larsen, NWA champion Gene Kiniski, Gene Dundee, Battleship Johnson and more. 

The fabulous ladies of the mat worked often during this time in the area. Female stars such as Emma Wright, The Black Cat, Mae Goodner, Princess Ubangi and Mrs. Sarah Lee worked in the area at this time. 

Don Kent worked the area some at this time. Kent, real name Joe Smith, would achieve his greatest fame in the business as part of a tag team with Al Costello, who would work the area during 1967. Of course Costello & Kent's tag team was an incarnation of the Fabulous Kangaroos. After the team with Costello ended, Kent had some singles success in the Detroit territory and again for Gulas. 

Jim Osborne also ventured into the area at this time. A journeyman performer in the territories, Osborne's most well known run is likely in Leroy McGuirk's territory. There, Osborne donned a mask and worked as Dr. X and feuded with Cowboy Bill Watts, among others.  More...