British Light Heavyweight Championship
Encyclopedia
The British Light Heavyweight Championship was a top British wrestling
championship
found throughout the country's circuit. The title's broken history dates back to the 1920s and it was last claimed actively in 2004.
Professional wrestling in the United Kingdom
Professional wrestling in the United Kingdom spans over 100 years but became popular when the then new Independent Television station - ITV began showing it in 1955 firstly on Saturday afternoons and then also in a late night mid week slot...
championship
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
found throughout the country's circuit. The title's broken history dates back to the 1920s and it was last claimed actively in 2004.
Title history
This is the combined list of different versions of the British Heavyweight Titles, each of which was probably the most significant version at the time. Each version may or may not be connected to another. However, all title changes are either actual or "official" unless indicated otherwise.Original
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Place: | Notes: |
| Sam Clapham | 1 | 1920s | First recorded champion. | |
| Atholl Oakeley Atholl Oakeley Atholl Oakeley, or Sir Edward Atholl Oakeley, 7th Baronet of Shrewsbury was a heavyweight wrestler and author. Born in Rhoscolyn, Anglesey he was the eldest of four children, a son of Sir Charles Richard Andrew Oakeley, 6th Baronet and Everilde Anne Beaumont... |
1 | 1930 | Legacy from Clapham uncertain | |
| Dick Wills | 1 | 1932 | ||
| Bill McDonald | 1 | 1947 | Legacy from Wills uncertain | |
| Charley Fisher | 1 | June 1950 | ||
| Sonny Wallis | 1 | July 1950 | Vacated title | |
| Norman Walsh | 1 | February 1951 | Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... |
Defeated Tony Baer to win the title. |
| Les Kellett Les Kellett Les Kellett was a British professional wrestler who rose to prominence due to the popularity of televised wrestling in the 1960s and 1970s... |
1 | |||
Joint Promotions
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Place: | Notes: |
| Dennis Mitchell | 1 | 1952 | ||
| Ernie Riley | 1 | 1952 | Defeats Steve Logan to win the title. | |
| Charley Fisher | 2 | Legacy from Riley uncertain. Vacates the title in 1955 after leaving the Light Heavyweight division. | ||
| Ernie Riley | 2 | 1955 | Defeats Steve Logan to win the vacant title. | |
| Billy Joyce | 1 | 1957 | ||
| Ernie Riley | 3 | |||
| Roy St. Clair | 1 | 1960 | Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group... |
|
| Ernie Riley | 4 | May 1961 | Riley reitres as champion in December 1969 | |
| Billy Joyce | 2 | 27/03/1971 | Blackburn | Defeated Tony Charles for the vacant title. Retired as champion in 1976. |
| Marty Jones Marty Jones Marty Jones is a retired English professional wrestler best known for his work in All Star Promotions throughout the 1980s and 90s. Jones was also responsible for training Darren Matthews. Jones was trained by Billy Robinson.... |
1 | 12/11/1976 | Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region... |
Defeats Mark Rocco Mark Rocco Mark Hussey is a retired English professional wrestler who competed for All-Star Wrestling as Mark "Rollerball" Rocco and as the original masked Black Tiger in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1970s and 80s... for the vacant title. Jones vacates the title in 1982 after winning the World Mid-Heavyweight Championship. |
| Dave Finlay Dave Finlay David John "Fit" Finlay Jr. is a Northern Irish professional wrestler and road agent. He is perhaps best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and WWE as an active wrestler and later as a road agent... |
1 | 24/2/1983 | Oldham Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester... |
Defeats Ringo Rigby in a tournament final |
| Marty Jones | 2 | 26/11/1983 | Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... |
|
| Dave Finlay | 2 | before February 1984 | ||
| Marty Jones | 3 | 8/2/1984 | Leamington | Jones vacates the title in 1984 after regaining the World Mid-Heavyweight Championship. |
| Alan Kilby Alan Kilby Alan Kilby is a professional wrestler from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He was born in the 1940s and made his debut in the 1960s then went on to hold many British championships especially in the Mid-Heavyweight and Light-Heavyweight classes... |
1 | 16/1/1985 | Walsall Walsall Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative... |
Defeats Steve Logan to win the vacant title. |
Independent
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Place: | Notes: |
| King Ben | 1 | 25/3/1988 | Keighley Keighley Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth... |
|
| Alan Kilby | 2 | 1988 | ||
| Skull Murphy (Peter Northey) | 1 | 25/3/1995 | Norwich Norwich Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom... |
|
| Alan Kilby | 3 | Before September 1995 | ||
| Danny Boy Collins | 1 | 2/4/1996 | Croydon Croydon Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross... |
|
| Alan Kilby | 4 | Before January 1998 | ||
| Ian Wilson | 1 | 10/10/1998 | Norwich | |
| Alan Kilby | 5 | November 1998 | Norwich | Last claimed the title on 1/11/2004. |