Deep South Heavyweight Championship

The Deep South Heavyweight Championship was the primary championship in Deep South Wrestling, a former developmental territory of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) between 2005 and 2007. When the title was first introduced, it was awarded to Tommy Rich, who won a tournament to determine the inaugural champion. The final champion of its first run was The Assassin, who vacated the title due to injury and folded the promotion in October 1988.

Deep South Heavyweight Championship
Details
PromotionDeep South Wrestling
Date establishedFebruary 12, 1986
Current champion(s)Najasism
Date wonOctober 21, 2023
Statistics
First champion(s)Tommy Rich
Most reignsBradley Jay and Assassin #1 and Bradley Jay (3 reigns)
Longest reignRandy Rose (341 days)
Shortest reignRoughhouse O'Reilly and Bradley Jay (7 days)

In 2005, after seventeen years of inactivity, Deep South Wrestling was revived as a developmental territory for WWE and revived the championship. It was awarded to Mike Mizanin, who won a tournament to become champion.[1] The title was vacated on April 18, 2007, when WWE ceased using DSW as a developmental territory.[1][2] On July 12, 2007, a tournament was held to crown a new champion, which was won by Austin Creed.[1] In October 2007, DSW closed down a second time. In March 2023, Nick Patrick revealed a brand-new Deep South Heavyweight Championship belt. On August 18, 2023, it was announced that a new champion will be determined in an eight-man tournament on September 9, 2023 in Atlanta.

Tournaments

November 23 – December 1, 2005

The title was first awarded to the winner of an 8-Man Single Elimination Tournament, held over a 2-week period, with the first-round matches being held November 23, 2005, and the semi-final and final matches on December 1.

First Round Semifinals Final
         
Mike Mizanin
Eric Pérez
Mike Mizanin
Kid Kash†
Mac Daddy Johnson
"Silverback" Ryan Reeves
Mike Mizanin
Mike Knox
Mike Knox
Mike Taylor
Mike Knox
Tony Santorelli
Tony Santorelli
Palmer Cannon

July 12, 2007

The title was "held-up" after the agreement between WWE and DSW ended in March 2007, and another tournament was held in on July 12 to crown the new champion.

First Round Semifinals Final
         
Austin Creed
Simon Sermon
Austin Creed
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
Salvatore Rinauro†
Austin Creed
Murder One
Murder One
J-Rod
Murder One
Rick Michaels
Rick Michaels
Pretty Boy Floyd

↑Alexander the Great defeated Salvatore Rinauro by Coin Toss

September 9, 2023

After nearly 16 years of inactivity, a tournament to determine a new champion took place on September 9, 2023. Lamar Diggs was the wild card entrant.

First Round Semifinals Final
         
Najasism
Chad Skywalker
Najasism
Skrilla the Great
Skrilla the Great
Shoot Taylor
Skrilla the Great
Jacob Johnson
Lamar Diggs
Tyson Maddux
Lamar Diggs
Jacob Johnson
Jacob Johnson
Tyler the Wall

Title history
Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
<1 Reign lasted less than a day
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 Tommy Rich February 12, 1986 N/A Marietta, Georgia 1 142 Wins tournament to become the first champion
2 Flame July 4, 1986 N/A Albany, Georgia 1 83
3 Mr. Wrestling II September 25, 1986 N/A Carrollton, Georgia 1 45
4 Flame November 9, 1986 N/A Athens, Georgia 2 77
5 Ranger Ross January 25, 1987 N/A Athens, Georgia 1 35
6 Botswana Beast March 1, 1987 N/A Rome, Georgia 1 87
7 Tommy Rich May 27, 1987 N/A Marietta, Georgia 2 35
8 Randy Rose July 1, 1987 N/A Columbia County, Georgia 1 341
9 Assassin #1 June 6, 1988 N/A Atlanta, Georgia 3 134 Formerly known as Flame
— Vacated October 18, 1988 — — — — Promotion closed
10 Mike Mizanin December 1, 2005 DSW McDonough, Georgia 1 21 Defeated Mike Knox in a tournament final when the promotion reopens as a talent developmental league of WWE [3][4]
11 Derek Neikirk December 22, 2005 DSW McDonough, Georgia 1 182 [5]
12 Roughhouse O'Reilly June 22, 2006 DSW McDonough, Georgia 1 77 [6]
13 Bradley Jay September 7, 2006 DSW TV #21 McDonough, Georgia 1 140 [7]
14 Vito January 25, 2007 DSW TV #40 McDonough, Georgia 1 28 Defeated Bradley Jay and Roughhouse O'Reilly in a three-way round robin match. [8]
15 Bradley Jay February 22, 2007 DSW TV #43 McDonough, Georgia 2 7 [9]
16 Roughhouse O'Reilly March 1, 2007 DSW TV #44 McDonough, Georgia 2 7 [10]
17 Bradley Jay March 8, 2007 DSW TV #44 McDonough, Georgia 3 7 [11]
— Vacated March 15, 2007 — — — — Title held-up after a match with Roughhouse O'Reilly when the agreement between WWE and DSW ends.
18 Austin Creed July 12, 2007 DSW Locust Grove, Georgia 1 91 Defeated Murder One in tournament final; final champion when DSW closes down in October 11, 2007. [12][13]
— Vacated October 11, 2007 — — — — Promotion closed
19 Skrilla the Great September 9, 2023 DSW THE GRAND PRIX Atlanta, Georgia 1 42 Defeated Jacob Johnson in a tournament final for the reactivated title.
20 Najasism October 21, 2023 DSW October Rust Atlanta, Georgia 1 4

Combined reigns
Rank Wrestler No. of reigns Combined days
1 Randy Rose1341
2 Flame/Assassin #13294
3 Derek Neikirk1182
4 Tommy Rich2177
5 Bradley Jay3154
6 Austin Creed191
7 Botswana Beast187
8 Roughhouse O'Reilly284
9 Mr. Wrestling II145
10 Skrilla the Great142
11 Ranger Ross135
12 Vito128
13 Mike Mizanin121
14 Najasism †14

References
  1. "Deep South Wrestling Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  2. "WWE ends its relationship with Deep South Wrestling". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  3. Kreikenbohm, Philip (November 30, 2005). "DSW Heavyweight Title Tournament (2005)". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  4. Kreikenbohm, Philip (November 30, 2005). "Mike Mizanin defeated Mike Knox in a Tournament Final Match for the vacant Championship". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  5. Kreikenbohm, Philip (December 22, 2005). "Derrick Neikirk defeated Mike Mizanin". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  6. Kreikenbohm, Philip (June 22, 2006). "Roughhouse O'Reilly defeated Derrick Neikirk". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  7. Kreikenbohm, Philip (September 7, 2006). "Bradley Jay defeated Roughhouse O'Reilly". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  8. Kreikenbohm, Philip (January 25, 2007). "Vito defeated previous champion Bradley Jay and Roughhouse O'Reilly in a three-way round robin match". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  9. Kreikenbohm, Philip (February 22, 2007). "Bradley Jay defeated Vito to become two-time champion". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  10. Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 1, 2007). "Roughhouse O'Reilly defeated Bradley Jay to become two-time champion". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  11. Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 8, 2007). "Bradley Jay defeated Roughhouse O'Reilly to become three-time champion". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  12. Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 12, 2007). "DSW Heavyweight Title Tournament (2007)". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  13. Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 12, 2007). "Austin Creed defeated Murder-1 in a Tournament Final Match for the vacant Championship". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
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