For the past year or so I have been researching the history of pro wrestling in Barcelona, Spain, starting with 1943 and so far I'm up to 1967. A lot of British wrestlers passed through there over the years and I thought it might be interesting to share a quick list of all the championship matches with British wrestlers in Barcelona. August 20, 1948, at Plaza de toros de las Arenas: Jose Tarres def. Jack Dale (c) to become the new European Middleweight champion.
May 4, 1956, at Sala Gran Price: Pedro Bengoechea (c) def. Billy Joyce to retain his European Light Heavyweight Title.
August 3, 1961, at Plaza de toros de las Arenas: Jose Tarres (c) def. Bill Robinson to retain his European Mid-Heavyweight Title.
August 26, 1962, at Plaza de toros Monumental: Pedro Catarecha (c) def. Jackie Pallo to retain his World Middleweight Title.
June 18, 1964, at Plaza de toros de las Arenas: Pedro Bengoechea (c) def. Al Hayes to retain his World Light Heavyweight Title.
July 17, 1964, at Plaza de toros de las Arenas: Jose Tarres (c) def. Dave Larsen to retain his European Light Heavyweight Title.
March 12, 1965, at Sala Gran Price: Alan Miquet (c) def. Brunet to retain his World Middleweight Title.
June 20, 1965, at Plaza de toros Monumental: Alan Miquet (c) def. Salvador Vento to retain his World Middleweight Title.
July 17, 1966, at Plaza de toros Monumental: Jose Tarres (c) def. Bert Royal to retain his European Light Heavyweight Title.
Not Barcelona, but here's a couple of additional title matches with British wrestlers in Murcia: September 3, 1966, at Plaza de Toros de Murcia: Steve Clements (c) vs. Modesto Aledo for the European Middleweight Title [result unknown] August 22, 1974, at Plaza de Toros de Murcia: Mel Stuart & Johnny Yearsley (c) vs. Jose Marques & Antonio Montoro for the European Light Heavyweight Tag Team Titles [result unknown]
British Light Heavyweight Champion Ernie Riley took the European title off Josef Molnar for a spell in '67/'68.
The World Middleweight title eventually got transplanted permanently to Spain - until the CIC shut down in 1975 and then two years later Brian Dixon set up a replacement version which Adrian Street won.
And yet Miquet won a title ... but seemed to keep it under wraps in the UK.
Clearly world titles remained valid only within countries rather than worldwide!
Has anyone noticed a certain trend here?
Home wrestlers win titles or retain their version on home soil.
It happened in regions in England too.
Thanks yet again Phil for sharing your great research with us! Joyce, Robinson, Hayes, Pallo and Royal, cannon-fodder. Who'd a thunk it!
Great stuff, thank you.