2021/08/16
Welcome to AustralianWrestling.org!
The website devoted to preserving the history of Australian wrestling.
We're in the process of renovating and moving some things around so some things may look a little strange but the aim is to minimise disruption.
This website was designed in 2012 with a scope of covering present and past wrestling in Australia.
The scope will change to prioritise the older stuff and make that a bit more accessible.
Thank you for your patience.
I also have another website (with my good buddy Greg) The Wrestling Roadshow which has more of a global scope. We have a podcast by the same name too and discuss all sorts of wrestling.
-CD
Harley Race
Name: - Harley Race
Height: - 6'1” (185cm)
Weight: - 245lb (111kg)
Born: - April 11, 1943
Died: - August 1, 2019
From: - Quitman, Missouri
Trained by: - Stanislaus Zbyszko, Wladek Zbyszko, Buddy Austin, Ray Gordon, Gust Karras
Debut: - 1960
Retired: - 1991
Also known as: - Jack Long, The Great Mortimer
Finishers: - Suplex Slam, Diving headbutt
Toured Australia; 1966, 1977, 1978, 1979
8-time NWA World champion, Race was involved in a serious car accident at the start of his career (which claimed the life of his then-wife), and was only prevented from having a leg amputated by the insistence of his then-promoter, Gust Karras. Race first made his name in tag matches. Wrestled an epic series of matches for the NWA title with Ron Miller, with Miller holding the advantage with a non-title victory. Went to WWF in 1986, and won the “King of the Ring”, leading to him being known as “King Harley Race”. Retired in 1991, but went on to manage Vader in WCW in the early 90s. Runs World League Wrestling. Was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
Titles held: - NWA World Hwt (8), US Hwt, Southern Hwt, Central States Hwt (9), Missouri Hwt (7), WWA Hwt, Caribbean Hwt, PWF World Hwt, United National Hwt, Mid-American Hwt (2), Georgia Hwt, (Can) North American Hwt, Stampede North American Hwt, IWA World Tag (w/ Larry Hennig), AWA World Tag (4, w/ Larry Hennig [3], w/ Chris Markoff), Florida Tag (3, w/ Roger Kirby [2], w/ Bob Roop), North American Tag (w/ Roger Kirby), Southern Tag (as Jack Long, w/ Johnny Long), Macon Tag (w/ Buddy Colt)
Harley Race v Dory Funk Jr, NWA 1973
Credit: Mark Dalgleish, Wikipedia, Libnan Ayoub's 100 Years of Australian Professional Wrestling, HarleyRace.com
Photo credit: HarleyRace.com
Harley with the NWA title.