THIS MONTH IN NWA HISTORY: GENE KINISKI
Gene Kiniski
Jan. 7, 1966
St. Louis has seen its share of historic National Wrestling Alliance moments. Among those was Gene Kiniski (Left) capturing the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship.
On Jan. 7, 1966, Kiniski ended the last of Lou Thesz’s six legendary NWA World title reigns. A handful of years after first facing Thesz for the belt, and losing two falls in a row, Kiniski became champion in front of more than 11,000 fans at the Kiehl Auditorium.
It was the second recognized World Heavyweight Championship for “Canada’s Greatest Athlete.” Several years prior, he won the American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Championship, holding it only a scant 28 days.
Kiniski’s time atop NWA proved much more impressive. He held the belt for three years uninterrupted, defending it around the globe against the top names of his generation. Bobo Brazil, Dick the Bruiser, Abdullah the Butcher, Haystacks Calhoun and many more tried — and failed — to wrest the gold.
Kiniski’s reign finally ended at the hands of another celebrated NWA legend: Dory Funk, Jr. On Feb. 11, 1969, Funk won the championship with a spinning toe hold in Tampa, FL.
In addition to his impressive in-ring career, Kiniski also dabbled in acting. He appeared in the 1979 Sylvester Stallone film Paradise Alley among others.
Inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2009, Kiniski passed a year later. He died April 14, 2010, at the age of 81.
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