Title History
NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Harley Race August 21, 1979 Tampa; lost to Harley Race August 26, 1979 Orlando; def. Harley Race June 21, 1981 Atlanta; lost to Ric Flair September 17, 1981 Kansas City; as Midnight Rider def. Ric Flair February 9, 1983 Miami Beach; Vacated title when refusing to remove his mask; def. Ric Flair July 26, 1986 Greensboro; lost to Ric Flair August 9, 1986 St. Louis
NWA WORLD TAG TEAM: w/Dick Slater def. Gene & Ole Anderson September 23 1977 Atlanta; lost to Gene & Ole Anderson October 14, 1977 Atlanta; w/Manny Fernandez def. Ivan Koloff & Don Kernodle October 20, 1984 Greensboro; lost to Ivan & Nikita Koloff March 18, 1985 Fayetteville
NWA WORLD TAG TEAM (Michigan/Ohio version): w/Dick Murdoch def. Ben Justice & The Stomper (Guy Mitchell) March 18, 1970 Mansfield, OH; lost to Bobo Brazil & Lord Athol Layton August 8, 1970 Detroit
IWA WORLD TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Mark Lewin & Mario Milano January 22, 1971 Sydney; lost to Mark Lewin & Killer Kowalski February 27, 1971 Melbourne
NWA WORLD SIX MAN: w/Road Warriors def. Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff & Baron Von Raschke (replacing Krusher Khrushchev on team) May 17, 1986 Baltimore; lost to Ivan Koloff & Warlord & Barbarian February 12, 1988 Philadelphia (Paul Ellering replaced injured Road Warrior Animal in match); w/Road Warriors def. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard July 9, 1988 Chicago to win vacant titles; Rhodes lost his share of titles after Road Warriors turned heel and Animal beat Rhodes December 7, 1988 Chattanooga
NWF WORLD TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Ben Justice & The Stomper in tournament final to create first champions March 12, 1970 Cleveland; lost to Johnny Powers & Chief White Owl August 29, 1970 Akron
NWA UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Lex Luger November 26, 1987 Chicago; Title vacated April 5, 1988 for attacking Jim Crockett
NWA UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT (West Coast): def. Dick Slater November 8, 1980 San Francisco to win vacant title; Held title when promotion folded January 1981
NWA NATIONAL HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Buddy Landel in fictitious match when Landel was unable to appear at a television taping due to stance issues December 19, 1985; lost to Tully Blanchard March 4, 1986 Spartanburg, SC
NWA WORLD TELEVISION: def. Tully Blanchard March 6, 1985 Greensboro; lost to Tully Blanchard April 28, 1985 Charlotte; def. Tully Blanchard July 6, 1985 Charlotte; Title vacated October 19, 1985 based on being unable to defend title after broken leg angle after attack by The Four Horseman; def. Arn Anderson September 5, 1986 Columbia, SC; lost to Tully Blanchard in First blood match November 27, 1986 Greensboro
NWA SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Bill Dromo September 5, 1973 Miami Beach; lost to Thunderbolt Patterson October 2,1973 Tampa; def. Thunderbolt Patterson October 9, 1973 Tampa; Title held up vs. Paul Jones October 16, 1973 Tampa; def. Paul Jones October 23, 1973 Tampa; lost to Jos LeDuc February 5, 1974 Tampa; def. Jos LeDuc March 12, 1974 Tampa; Title held up after match with Pak Song July 18, 1974 Jacksonville; def. Pak Song July 20, 1974 St. Petersburg; lost to Pak Song July 25, 1974 Jacksonville; def. Harley Race September 25, 1975 West Palm Beach; lost to Harley Race September 1975; def. The Assassin (Jody Hamilton) May 4, 1976 Tampa; lost to The Assassin June 8, 1976 Tampa; def Dick Slater June 18, 1978 Sarasota; lost to Dick Slater 1978; def. Bad Leroy Brown February 16, 1980 Jacksonville; Vacated title July 1980 to train for world title shot; def. Jimmy Garvin October 31, 1982 Orlando; lost to Kevin Sullivan November 22, 1982 West Palm Beach
NWA FLORIDA HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Bill Watts October 22, 1974 Tampa; lost to Cowboy Bill Watts November 12 1974 Tampa; def. Cowboy Bill Watts November 28, 1974 Jacksonville; lost to Cowboy Bill Watts December 6, 1974 Jacksonville; def. Bob Roop September 16, 1975 Tampa; Title vacated after October 28, 1975 match with King Curtis Iaukea; def. Bob Orton Jr. July 27, 1976 Tampa; lost to Superstar Billy Graham November 22, 1976 West Palm Beach; def. Superstar Billy Graham February 15, 1977 Tampa; def. Buddy Wolfe June 1977; lost to Ernie Ladd July 15, 1977 Tallahassee; Title returned to Rhodes August 1977 when Ladd left territory; lost to Lars Anderson September 20, 1977 Tampa; def. Lars Anderson November 26, 1977 St. Petersburg; lost to Lars Anderson December 15, 1977 Jacksonville; def. The Spoiler June 19, 1978 West Palm Beach; lost to The Spoiler September 23, 1978 Lakeland; def. Bob Roop in tournament final for vacant title November 25, 1978 St. Petersburg; lost to Mr. Uganda (Ciclon Negro) December 12, 1978 Tampa; def. King Curtis Iaukea July 4, 1979 Miami Beach; Title vacated when Rhodes won NWA world heavyweight title; def. Bobby Jaggers October 26, 1980 Fort Lauderdale; lost to Dory Funk Jr. November 4, 1980 Tampa
NWA GEORGIA HEAVYWEIGHT: def. The Spoiler January 30, 1976 Atlanta; lost to The Spoiler February 6, 1976 Atlanta
NWA FLORIDA TV: def. Bobby Duncum 1978; Vacated title upon winning NWA world title; Held title 1979
NWA FLORIDA TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Jose Lothario & Argentina Apollo September 17,1970 Jacksonville; Titles stripped December 1970; w/Dick Slater def. Mike Graham & Kevin Sullivan October 6, 1973 St. Petersburg; lost to Jos & Paul LeDuc November 22, 1973 Tampa; Chosen by Mike Graham to be partner as champions after champions Graham & Dick Slater split up, Graham def. Slater September 17, 1974 Tampa; lost to Dick Slater & Toru Tanaka October 1, 1974 Tampa; w/Bobo Brazil def. Ivan Koloff & Nikolai Volkoff August 1980; Titles vacated; w/Andre the Giant def. Bobby Jaggers & R.T. Tyler (Randy Tyler) February 12, 1981 Gainesville; Titles vacated
NWA UNITED STATES TAG TEAM (Florida): w/Bugsy McGraw def. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk July 4, 1980 Tampa in tournament final; Vacated titles; w/Blackjack Mulligan vs. Elijah Akeem (Leroy Brown) & Kareem Muhammad (Ray Candy) November 5, 1983 Lakeland; lost to Ron Bass & One Man Gang November 22, 1983 Tampa
NWA GLOBAL TAG TEAM (Florida): as Midnight Rider w/Terry Allen (Magnum T.A.) Def. The Kangaroos (Don Kent & Johnny Heffernan February 15, 1983 Tampa; Gave his half of title to Scott McGhee when Midnight Rider left area and Dusty Rhodes returned
NWA FLORIDA BRASS KNUX: def. Jose Lothario December 1, 1970 Tampa; stripped of title December 1970; held title December 1972; Stripped of title in angle December 1972 after argument with NWA President Sam Muchnick
NWA NORTH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT (McGuirk): def. Cowboy Bill Watts May 21, 1971 Shreveport; lost to Cowboy Bill Watts September 22, 1971 Jackson, MS
NWA UNITED STATES TAG TEAM (Tri States pre Mid South): w/Andre the Giant def. Ernie Ladd & Stan Hansen in tournament final for vacant title December 25, 1978 New Orleans; chose The Spoiler as partner after Andre left the territory; lost to The Assassin (Jody Hamilton) & The Angel (Frank Morrell) when Spoiler turned on Rhodes January 25, 1979 New Orleans
NWA NORTH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT (Hawaii): def. Sammy Steamboat November 25, 1972 Honolulu; lost to Billy Robinson June 6, 1973 Honolulu
NWA AMERICAN TAG TEAM: w/Baron Von Raschke def. Jose Lothario & Tony Gonzalez August 18, 1969 Fort Worth; lost to Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson August 25, 1969 Fort Worth (Rhodes teamed with Dick Murdoch in title loss as a sub for Von Raschke); w/Dick Murdoch def. Killer Karl Kox & Mike York December 1970; lost to Mr. Wrestling (Tim Woods) & George Scott December 15, 1970 Dallas
NWA TEXAS BRASS KNUX: def. Mark Lewin January 7, 1979 Houston; lost to Mark Lewin January 28, 1979 Houston; def. Mark Lewin December 21, 1979 Houston; lost to Mark Lewin January 1980
NWA CENTRAL STATES HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Tommy Martin (Leo Burke) December 13, 1968 St. Joseph; lost to Don Kent January 10, 1969 St. Joseph
NWA NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Terry Martin (Bobby Burke/Terry Kay) & Tommy Martin (Leo Burke) November 7, 1968 Kansas City; lost to Bob Geigel & The Viking December 27, 1968 Kansas City
NWA BAHAMA ISLANDS HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Angelo Mosca July 1983 Nassau; vacated title 1984 when leaving for Jim Crockett Promotions
PWF HEAVYWEIGHT (Florida Championship Wrestling): def. Big Steel Man (Fred Ottman/Tugboat) February 15, 1989 Tampa; lost to Big Steel Man May 13, 1989 Sarasota
NWA MID ATLANTIC TAG TEAM: w/Buff Bagwell def. Terry Taylor & Rikki Nelson January 22, 2005 Seoul, South Korea; Vacated titles 2005
WRESTLING OBSERVER AWARDS
Best Babyface - 1980
Most Charismatic - 1982
Best Booker - 1986
Most Overrated 1987, 1988
Worst Feud of Year - as Midnight Rider vs. Tully Blanchard 1988
Worst TV announcer - 1997
WCW HALL OF FAME (1995)
WRESTLING OBSERVER HALL OF FAME (1996)
WWE HALL OF FAME (2007)
PRO WRESTLING HALL OF FAME (2010)
Thanks to the Wrestling Observer for title history.
NWA WORLD TAG TEAM: w/Dick Slater def. Gene & Ole Anderson September 23 1977 Atlanta; lost to Gene & Ole Anderson October 14, 1977 Atlanta; w/Manny Fernandez def. Ivan Koloff & Don Kernodle October 20, 1984 Greensboro; lost to Ivan & Nikita Koloff March 18, 1985 Fayetteville
NWA WORLD TAG TEAM (Michigan/Ohio version): w/Dick Murdoch def. Ben Justice & The Stomper (Guy Mitchell) March 18, 1970 Mansfield, OH; lost to Bobo Brazil & Lord Athol Layton August 8, 1970 Detroit
IWA WORLD TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Mark Lewin & Mario Milano January 22, 1971 Sydney; lost to Mark Lewin & Killer Kowalski February 27, 1971 Melbourne
NWA WORLD SIX MAN: w/Road Warriors def. Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff & Baron Von Raschke (replacing Krusher Khrushchev on team) May 17, 1986 Baltimore; lost to Ivan Koloff & Warlord & Barbarian February 12, 1988 Philadelphia (Paul Ellering replaced injured Road Warrior Animal in match); w/Road Warriors def. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard July 9, 1988 Chicago to win vacant titles; Rhodes lost his share of titles after Road Warriors turned heel and Animal beat Rhodes December 7, 1988 Chattanooga
NWF WORLD TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Ben Justice & The Stomper in tournament final to create first champions March 12, 1970 Cleveland; lost to Johnny Powers & Chief White Owl August 29, 1970 Akron
NWA UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Lex Luger November 26, 1987 Chicago; Title vacated April 5, 1988 for attacking Jim Crockett
NWA UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT (West Coast): def. Dick Slater November 8, 1980 San Francisco to win vacant title; Held title when promotion folded January 1981
NWA NATIONAL HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Buddy Landel in fictitious match when Landel was unable to appear at a television taping due to stance issues December 19, 1985; lost to Tully Blanchard March 4, 1986 Spartanburg, SC
NWA WORLD TELEVISION: def. Tully Blanchard March 6, 1985 Greensboro; lost to Tully Blanchard April 28, 1985 Charlotte; def. Tully Blanchard July 6, 1985 Charlotte; Title vacated October 19, 1985 based on being unable to defend title after broken leg angle after attack by The Four Horseman; def. Arn Anderson September 5, 1986 Columbia, SC; lost to Tully Blanchard in First blood match November 27, 1986 Greensboro
NWA SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Bill Dromo September 5, 1973 Miami Beach; lost to Thunderbolt Patterson October 2,1973 Tampa; def. Thunderbolt Patterson October 9, 1973 Tampa; Title held up vs. Paul Jones October 16, 1973 Tampa; def. Paul Jones October 23, 1973 Tampa; lost to Jos LeDuc February 5, 1974 Tampa; def. Jos LeDuc March 12, 1974 Tampa; Title held up after match with Pak Song July 18, 1974 Jacksonville; def. Pak Song July 20, 1974 St. Petersburg; lost to Pak Song July 25, 1974 Jacksonville; def. Harley Race September 25, 1975 West Palm Beach; lost to Harley Race September 1975; def. The Assassin (Jody Hamilton) May 4, 1976 Tampa; lost to The Assassin June 8, 1976 Tampa; def Dick Slater June 18, 1978 Sarasota; lost to Dick Slater 1978; def. Bad Leroy Brown February 16, 1980 Jacksonville; Vacated title July 1980 to train for world title shot; def. Jimmy Garvin October 31, 1982 Orlando; lost to Kevin Sullivan November 22, 1982 West Palm Beach
NWA FLORIDA HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Bill Watts October 22, 1974 Tampa; lost to Cowboy Bill Watts November 12 1974 Tampa; def. Cowboy Bill Watts November 28, 1974 Jacksonville; lost to Cowboy Bill Watts December 6, 1974 Jacksonville; def. Bob Roop September 16, 1975 Tampa; Title vacated after October 28, 1975 match with King Curtis Iaukea; def. Bob Orton Jr. July 27, 1976 Tampa; lost to Superstar Billy Graham November 22, 1976 West Palm Beach; def. Superstar Billy Graham February 15, 1977 Tampa; def. Buddy Wolfe June 1977; lost to Ernie Ladd July 15, 1977 Tallahassee; Title returned to Rhodes August 1977 when Ladd left territory; lost to Lars Anderson September 20, 1977 Tampa; def. Lars Anderson November 26, 1977 St. Petersburg; lost to Lars Anderson December 15, 1977 Jacksonville; def. The Spoiler June 19, 1978 West Palm Beach; lost to The Spoiler September 23, 1978 Lakeland; def. Bob Roop in tournament final for vacant title November 25, 1978 St. Petersburg; lost to Mr. Uganda (Ciclon Negro) December 12, 1978 Tampa; def. King Curtis Iaukea July 4, 1979 Miami Beach; Title vacated when Rhodes won NWA world heavyweight title; def. Bobby Jaggers October 26, 1980 Fort Lauderdale; lost to Dory Funk Jr. November 4, 1980 Tampa
NWA GEORGIA HEAVYWEIGHT: def. The Spoiler January 30, 1976 Atlanta; lost to The Spoiler February 6, 1976 Atlanta
NWA FLORIDA TV: def. Bobby Duncum 1978; Vacated title upon winning NWA world title; Held title 1979
NWA FLORIDA TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Jose Lothario & Argentina Apollo September 17,1970 Jacksonville; Titles stripped December 1970; w/Dick Slater def. Mike Graham & Kevin Sullivan October 6, 1973 St. Petersburg; lost to Jos & Paul LeDuc November 22, 1973 Tampa; Chosen by Mike Graham to be partner as champions after champions Graham & Dick Slater split up, Graham def. Slater September 17, 1974 Tampa; lost to Dick Slater & Toru Tanaka October 1, 1974 Tampa; w/Bobo Brazil def. Ivan Koloff & Nikolai Volkoff August 1980; Titles vacated; w/Andre the Giant def. Bobby Jaggers & R.T. Tyler (Randy Tyler) February 12, 1981 Gainesville; Titles vacated
NWA UNITED STATES TAG TEAM (Florida): w/Bugsy McGraw def. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk July 4, 1980 Tampa in tournament final; Vacated titles; w/Blackjack Mulligan vs. Elijah Akeem (Leroy Brown) & Kareem Muhammad (Ray Candy) November 5, 1983 Lakeland; lost to Ron Bass & One Man Gang November 22, 1983 Tampa
NWA GLOBAL TAG TEAM (Florida): as Midnight Rider w/Terry Allen (Magnum T.A.) Def. The Kangaroos (Don Kent & Johnny Heffernan February 15, 1983 Tampa; Gave his half of title to Scott McGhee when Midnight Rider left area and Dusty Rhodes returned
NWA FLORIDA BRASS KNUX: def. Jose Lothario December 1, 1970 Tampa; stripped of title December 1970; held title December 1972; Stripped of title in angle December 1972 after argument with NWA President Sam Muchnick
NWA NORTH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT (McGuirk): def. Cowboy Bill Watts May 21, 1971 Shreveport; lost to Cowboy Bill Watts September 22, 1971 Jackson, MS
NWA UNITED STATES TAG TEAM (Tri States pre Mid South): w/Andre the Giant def. Ernie Ladd & Stan Hansen in tournament final for vacant title December 25, 1978 New Orleans; chose The Spoiler as partner after Andre left the territory; lost to The Assassin (Jody Hamilton) & The Angel (Frank Morrell) when Spoiler turned on Rhodes January 25, 1979 New Orleans
NWA NORTH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT (Hawaii): def. Sammy Steamboat November 25, 1972 Honolulu; lost to Billy Robinson June 6, 1973 Honolulu
NWA AMERICAN TAG TEAM: w/Baron Von Raschke def. Jose Lothario & Tony Gonzalez August 18, 1969 Fort Worth; lost to Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson August 25, 1969 Fort Worth (Rhodes teamed with Dick Murdoch in title loss as a sub for Von Raschke); w/Dick Murdoch def. Killer Karl Kox & Mike York December 1970; lost to Mr. Wrestling (Tim Woods) & George Scott December 15, 1970 Dallas
NWA TEXAS BRASS KNUX: def. Mark Lewin January 7, 1979 Houston; lost to Mark Lewin January 28, 1979 Houston; def. Mark Lewin December 21, 1979 Houston; lost to Mark Lewin January 1980
NWA CENTRAL STATES HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Tommy Martin (Leo Burke) December 13, 1968 St. Joseph; lost to Don Kent January 10, 1969 St. Joseph
NWA NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM: w/Dick Murdoch def. Terry Martin (Bobby Burke/Terry Kay) & Tommy Martin (Leo Burke) November 7, 1968 Kansas City; lost to Bob Geigel & The Viking December 27, 1968 Kansas City
NWA BAHAMA ISLANDS HEAVYWEIGHT: def. Angelo Mosca July 1983 Nassau; vacated title 1984 when leaving for Jim Crockett Promotions
PWF HEAVYWEIGHT (Florida Championship Wrestling): def. Big Steel Man (Fred Ottman/Tugboat) February 15, 1989 Tampa; lost to Big Steel Man May 13, 1989 Sarasota
NWA MID ATLANTIC TAG TEAM: w/Buff Bagwell def. Terry Taylor & Rikki Nelson January 22, 2005 Seoul, South Korea; Vacated titles 2005
WRESTLING OBSERVER AWARDS
Best Babyface - 1980
Most Charismatic - 1982
Best Booker - 1986
Most Overrated 1987, 1988
Worst Feud of Year - as Midnight Rider vs. Tully Blanchard 1988
Worst TV announcer - 1997
WCW HALL OF FAME (1995)
WRESTLING OBSERVER HALL OF FAME (1996)
WWE HALL OF FAME (2007)
PRO WRESTLING HALL OF FAME (2010)
Thanks to the Wrestling Observer for title history.