Americans have, as a general rule, always preferred things that are big. While the Japanese car dealers were manufacturing Toyotas and Datsuns, Detroit was turning out Lincolns, Caddilacs and Chevys. Perhaps that's why the "lighter weight" classes in wrestling don't draw the attention in the US today as they once did. This despite the lighterweight divisions being the highlight of many companies in Japan and Mexico.
I've always thought it a bit unfair that wrestlers who were so muscle-bound as to be virtually immobile or who were simply large men were bigger draws than the "light heavyweights" or "junior heavyweights", many of who had infinitely more talent and mat skills. It also seemed that junior heavyweight titles were never involved in angles and storylines like the heavyweight and tag titles in most promotions were.
Truth be told, most promotions had no junior heavyweight title but would put their top "small" worker up against the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion when he traveled through the area. Some notable exceptions were the Southern Junior Heavyweight Title (which later became the Southern Heavyweight Title defended in the Memphis and Nashville territories for many years) and the US Junior Heavyweight Title from the Southeastern territories. In fact, The Great Hisa's Pro Wrestling Titles website lists long time "heavyweights" like Lou Thesz and Ray Stevens as former holders of the Southern Junior Heavyweight belt!
Over the years, there has been World Junior Heavyweight, World Light Heavyweight, World Junior Light Heavyweight, World Middleweight and World Welterweight titles in the NWA. There has also been Light Heavyweight titles in the AWA and WWWF/WWF. The WCW Cruiserweight title featured some of the best wrestlers in the world at one time (anyone remember the old WCW Light Heavyweight title that Brian Pillman held?).
Most of these titles were absorbed into promotions in Mexico and Japan and only resurfaced briefly during Ultimo Dragon's appearances in WCW while he held the "J-Crown" Lightweight titles. Ironically, one of the belts that Dragon carried to the ring was the old WWF Light Heavyweight title. With the reclamation of the WWF Light Heavyweight title by WWFE, the J-Crown title has now been broken up. The WWWF also had a Junior Heavyweight Title that remains inactive.
Yet despite the fact that the "lighter" wrestlers are some of the most dominant workers today, and the long history of the lower weight divisions, the perceptions of many promoters remains that these titles are simply for "filler matches." In a shoot interview, Vince Russo commented that "I'd rather watch (Norman) Smiley and Ralphus than …a cruiserweight match." In an article on WCW.com, Power Plant "coach" Paul Orndorff indicated that the "big boys" were the meat of the business that "people pay to see." While there is some truth to that, I tend to believe that the prominent placement of heavyweight matches has a lot to do with the way weight divisions have been divided in most sports. On a boxing card, the lighter weight competitors usually go at it first. The same goes for amateur wrestling, shootfighting, martial arts, etc. The "Heavyweight Champ" has always been the feature in contact sports, not just in wrestling.
Another good reason that lightweight matches are usually lower on the card was pointed out to me by a long-time booker…time. "Unless you've got a Flair/Steamboat, Brisco/Funk, or Hart/Michaels type match in the main event, there ain't no way two big guys are going to do a 30 minute-plus match. There'd be more rest holds than a person could possibly stand. It would take a pretty good heavyweight (today) with a lot of stamina and psychology to keep the crowd in a long match."
"However, if you just had a slam-bang, all out match between two junior heavyweights, that should be picked up on and run right into the main event. You end up with better work and not just two big bulls ramming into each other for 15 minutes."
I did an informal survey (I excel at anything informal) of names mentioned frequently on the 1wrestlinglegends.com egroup. Not surprisingly, many of the wrestlers that are frequently discussed were those that were primarily junior heavyweights. Danny McShane, Danny Hodge, and Sputnik Monroe are just a few of those frequently discussed. Other than the heavyweight champs of the "old" Big 3 (NWA, AWA, WWWF), it seems that the talents of the lighter weight workers seem to stand out in fans' minds.
The list of men who held the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title is pretty impressive. Here are just a few: Dory Funk, Sr. (making the Funks the only family I know of to have a father and two sons to hold NWA World titles), Verne Gagne, Danny McShane, Baron Michele Leon, "Iron" Mike DiBiase, Angelo Savoldi, Danny Hodge, Hiro Matsuda, Sputnik Monroe, "Cowboy" Nelson Royal, and Les Thornton. Also on that list is a man that I'm proud to say allowed me to sit under his "learning tree" several times and welcomed me into the locker room from the very beginning, "Gorgeous" Gary Royal.
Former holders of the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight title included Jesse James, Great Malenko, Tor Yamata, Fred Blassie, Ray Stevens, Jackie Fargo, Al Costello, Tojo Yamamoto, Johnny Walker, Tommy Gilbert, Ron Garvin, Thez and Monroe, and of course, Jerry Lawler. According to Hisa's records, the title was renamed the Southern Heavyweight Title in 1974. By the looks of that list, it's probably a good thing they did change it!
The NWA also recognized a World Light Heavyweight title (which is still defended in EMLL in Mexico today). Some of the notables that held that belt include Leroy McGirk, "Count" Billy Varga, "Wild" Red Berry, Danny McShane (10 times), Raul Mata and (believe it or not) a young "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
It seems that the "little guys" made a big impression on the business after all.
