The United States Championship

TITLE HISTORY OF THE RED STRAP

DEFENDED FROM JULY 1975 - JULY 1980

Harley Race
Brought into Greensboro by Crockett Promotions as U.S. Champion - 7/3/75

Won title in a fictitious tournament in Florida, defeating Johnny Weaver in the finals.

Johnny Valentine
7/3/75 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Vacant
Title vacated following 10/4/75 Wilmington NC plane crash

which ended the career of reigning champion Johnny Valentine.
Tournament scheduled for 11/9/75 in Greensboro

Terry Funk
11/9/75 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
Defeats Paul Jones in the finals of a one-night U.S. Title tournament to fill the vacancy

left by Johnny Valentine following the Oct. 1975 Plane Crash

Paul Jones
11/27/75 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Blackjack Mulligan
3/13/76 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro NC

Paul Jones (2)
10/16/76 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro NC

Blackjack Mulligan (2)
11/28/76, Charlotte Coliseum, in Charlotte, NC

Paul Jones (3)
12/9/76, Winston-Salem Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC
Jones pins Blackjack Mulligan to win U.S. Title,

but Mulligan files a post match protest challenging the title switch with the NWA Board of Directors.

Blackjack Mulligan (3)
12/15/76 WRAL TV Studios, Raleigh, NC
On the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV show that aired on Saturday, December 18, 1976, Jim Crockett, Jr. forces Paul Jones to turn the U.S. Title back over to Blackjack Mulligan after NWA President Eddie Graham in a video taped ruling upholds Mulligan’s protest and requires the title to be returned to Mulligan.

Bobo Brazil
7/7/77 Scope Coliseum, Norfolk, Virginia

Ric Flair
7/29/77 Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia (Feature)

Ricky Steamboat
10/21/77 County Hall, Charleston SC

Blackjack Mulligan (4)
1/1/78 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

"Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods
3/19/78 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Ric Flair (2)
4/9/78 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC

Ricky Steamboat (2)
12/30/78 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC

It is also reported that Flair lost the title to Steamboat in Toronto two weeks earlier on 12/17. The Greensboro change is recognized as official because Flair still maintained and defended the U.S. title belt at shows following Toronto 12/17 before losing to Steamboat 12/30, where Steamboat then began defending the title.

Ric Flair (3)
4/1/79 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Vacant

8/15/79 - Ric Flair vacates title at WRAL TV tapings, Raleigh NC

Title vacated by Ric Flair after winning the NWA World Tag Team championship with Blackjack Mulligan on 8/12/79 in Greensboro NC

Jimmy Snuka

with manager Gene Anderson
9/1/79 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
Snuka defeats Ricky Steamboat in the finals of a 12 man tournament to determine a new U.S. Champion

Ric Flair (4)
4/20/80 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Greg Valentine
7/26/80 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC

Red Strap version of the U.S. title retired
7/30/80 WRAL TV Studio, Raleigh NC

The red-strap version of the United States title is retired, last seen held by Greg Valentine on 7/30/80 at the TV tapings in Raleigh NC.

The 2nd version of the title belt debuts on August 6, 1980, a similar cast belt on a black leather strap.

“This belt still smells like Ric Flair, it’s still got his name across the front. I’m going to have a belt made for me by the N.W.A., it’s going to be presented to me. It’s not even going to be the same color, you understand. But it’s going to represent the same thing; the most prestigious belt in all the land, the United States championship.”

– Greg Valentine, July 30, 1980