Welcome to the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Daily Chronicle. The daily newsletter for an injection of events that happened on this day and relative time frames in Territory Pro Wrestling History
September 12th in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
"Moondog" Lonnie Mayne 1943
John Harris\Silo Sam 1952
Joe Laurenitis\Road Warrior Animal
Happy Birthday:
(none)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Chris Von Erich 9-12-1991 at the age of 21
Manuel Rivera\Dr. Wagner 9-12-2004 at the age of 68
50 Year Flashback
September 1975 Review of NWA Hollywood Promotions, Los Angeles, California Territory
The NWA Hollywood Wrestling territory, operated by promoters Mike LeBell and Judo Gene LeBell, was a key Southern California hub for the National Wrestling Alliance in the mid-1970s. Based primarily in Los Angeles at the iconic Olympic Auditorium, it drew crowds with a mix of technical wrestling, high-flying lucha influences, and brawling styles. September 1975 was a typical month for the territory, featuring weekly house shows in Los Angeles and nearby areas like San Bernardino, Bakersfield, and Fresno. Attendance averaged 2,000–4,000 per event, with tickets priced at $5–$8. The promotion aired on local TV via NWA Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, building hype for live events through interviews and clips. The roster was stacked with established stars and rising talents, including babyfaces like Chavo Guerrero Sr., Dennis Stamp and booker Louis Tillet; heels like Greg Valentine, and the Hollywood Blonds (Jerry Brown and Buddy Roberts); and international flavor from wrestlers like Black Gordman and Great Goliath. Matches emphasized storytelling, with referees often playing up dramatic finishes like disqualifications or count-outs to extend feuds.
Key Storylines
Americas Heavyweight Championship Feud: Greg Valentine, the reigning NWA Americas Heavyweight Champion (having won the title earlier in 1975), was central to the main event scene. His arrogant, hammer-wielding persona clashed with fan favorites like Victor Rivera and Dennis Stamp in a storyline about "brutal dominance" vs. "underdog resilience." Valentine defended the title regularly, but no change occurred in September. This built toward his defenses against Chavo Guerrero in late 1975.
Pictured: Greg Valentine, NWA Americas Heavyweight Champion
Tag Team Rivalries and Lucha Influence: The tag division highlighted family ties and masked teams, with Chavo Guerrero Sr. transitioning from singles to tags. A major storyline involved Guerrero's quest for gold alongside Raul Mata, positioning them as high-flying technicians against powerhouses like the Infernos (masked flames-themed heels) or Black Gordman/Great Goliath. This feud emphasized teamwork and betrayal teases, common in Hollywood's blend of American and Mexican styles.
Heel Dominance and Battle Royal Teases: Heels like Ernie Ladd were booked as "unstoppable forces," feuding with younger talent like Reno Tuufuli. While no major battle royal happened in September (the famous Andre the Giant-led one was in January 1975), multi-man matches often served as "gauntlets" to spotlight rising stars and set up larger rivalries. Overall, storylines focused on territorial pride, with TV segments hyping "LA vs. the world" against touring NWA talent.
NWA World Title: No NWA World Heavyweight Title defenses by Jack Brisco occurred in September 1975.
Matches and Events: Match results for September 1975 are limited in historical records, as many house show cards from the era were not fully documented beyond local newspaper ads or TV recaps. However, based on promotion patterns and available listings, there were at least 4–6 events. Typical cards ran 8–10 matches, starting with preliminaries (jobber vs. midcard) and building to 20–30-minute main events.
Pictured: The Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California
September 12, 1975 – Los Angeles, CA (Olympic Auditorium approx. attendance: 3,000)
Louis Tillet defeated Greg Valentine (ch) to win a non-title match NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
The Infernos defeated Chavo Guerrero & Raul Mata (ch) to win the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship
Reno Tuufuli defeated The Outlaw
September 18, 1975 – Bakersfield, CA (Strelich Stadium; approx. attendance: 2,500)
A standard house show.
Black Gordman & great Goliath defeated The Infernos by DQ
Chavo Guerrero defeated Fabulous Aussie
Raul Mata defeated Bengali
September 19, 1975 – Los Angeles, CA (Olympic Auditorium approx. attendance: 3,000)
Louis Tillet (ch) defeated Hiroshima Joe to retain the NWA Americas Heavyweight Title
Black Gordman & Great Goliath defeated The Infernos
Chavo Guerrero defeated Frank Hester
September 23, 1975 – San Diego, CA (Coliseum approx. attendance: 3,000)
Ernie Ladd defeated Reno Tuufuli
Black Gordman & Goliath defeated The Infernos
Vicki Williams defeated Donna Christinaello
September 26, 1975 – Los Angeles, CA (Olympic Auditorium approx. attendance: 3,000)
Butcher Brannigan defeated Frank Hester
The Infernos & Ernie Ladd defeated Raul Mata, Black Gordman & Great Goliath
Chavo Guerrero defeated Micky Doyle
Recap September 1975, NWA Hollywood:
Overall, September 1975 was a transitional month for NWA Hollywood, solidifying the tag division while Valentine's singles feud with Tillet anchored the top. The promotion emphasized live spectacle over long-term arcs, setting up bigger October shows.
One Thing I Learned Today About Pro Wrestling History
NWA Hollywood was founded in 1958 as the North American Wrestling Alliance, a member of the NWA. It broke away from the NWA in 1959 and was renamed the Worldwide Wrestling Associates in 1961. In 1968, it rejoined the NWA and adopted its final name of NWA Hollywood, remaining a member of the organization until it closed in 1982.
Thank You for Reading
I'm Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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