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Ray Gunkel


Last updated by on April 28, 2014


Title History

 

  • NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Duke Keomuka (September 4, 1951);
  • NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Miguel Guzman defeating Ivan Kalmikoff & Duke Keomuka (February 1, 1952);
  • NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Mighty Atlas (May 23, 1952);
  • NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Duke Keomuka (February 18, 1953);
  • NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Ricki Starr defeating Kenji Shibuya & Duke Keomuka (December ??, 1953);
  • NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Wilbur Snyder defeating Danny Savich & Duke Keomuka (October 21, 1955);
  • NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Prince Miavia defeating Kenji Shibuya & Duke Keomuka (March 23, 1956);
  • NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Herb Freeman defeating Tony Martin & Duke Keomuka (September 11, 1956);
  • NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Amazing Zuma defeating Len Crosby & Gene Kiniski (October 22, 1956);
  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Don McIntyre defeating Fritz Von Brauner & Kurt Von Brauner (October 4, 1957);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Karl Von Brauner (October 18, 1957);
  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Billy Red Lyons defeating ?????? (February ??, 1958);
  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Ronnie Etchison defeating Don Lee & Jack Dillion (June 13, 1958);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Freddie Blassie (August 22, 1958);
  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Nick Roberts defeating ????? (October ??, 1958);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Freddie Blassie (November 7, 1958);
  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Don McIntyre defeating ???????? (January ??, 1959);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Freddie Blassie (October 2, 1959);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Freddie Blassie (December ??, 1959);
  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Dick Gunkel defeating ??????? (December ??, 1959);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Freddie Blassie (June 10, 1960);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating ??????? (June 13, 1961);
  • NWA (Georgia) Southern Tag Team titles w/Don McIntyre defeating ???????? (November ??, 1961);
  • NWA (Florida) United States Tag Team titles w/Bob Ellis defeating Assassins (May 4, 1962);
  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Dick Gunkel defeating Chief Little Eagle & Bill Dromo (June 14, 1963);
  • NWA (Georgia) World Tag Team titles w/Buddy Fuller defeating Stan & Butcher Vachon (January 19, 1968);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Buddy Fuller defeating Assassin #2 & The Professional (March 21, 1969);
  • NWA (Georgia) World Tag Team titles w/Buddy Fuller defeating Assassins (March 29, 1969);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Buddy Fuller defeating Assassins (October 10, 1969);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Buddy Fuller defeating Assassins (March 20, 1970);
  • NWA Georgia Heavyweight title defeating Buddy Colt (November 27, 1970);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/El Mongol defeating Assassins (April 2, 1971);
  • NWA Georgia Television title defeating Big Bad John (October 15, 1971);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Buddy Fuller defeating Assassins (December 17, 1971);

 

Career Highlights

 

  • January 1, 1960: Ray Gunkel won a Texas Death match against Mike Paidousis..
  • Early 1970s: Ray Gunkel was the promoter of the Georgia territory..
  • August 1, 1972: Ray Gunkel tragically died after a match with Ox Baker..
  • ~~~Ray’s death set off a famous promotional war in Georgia when his widow Ann Gunkel decided to continue promoting..
  • ~~~Ann Gunkel went up against the old NWA promoters, notably Buddy Fuller (Alabama) and Eddie Graham (Florida)..
  • Ann Gunkel was later buried next to her husband at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs, Georigia..

    Robert Louis Howell wrote: June 30, 1972: Ray Gunkel subbed for Beppo Mongol in a Georgia Brass Knucks Title match in Atlanta. Beppo had been Brass Knucks Champion and had lost a match earlier in the same week to Baker in Macon (Tuesday, June 27) on Wednesday June 28 Assassin 1 ( Tom Renesto) Beppos manager appeared on the rerun of Georgia Championship Wrestling and announced that Beppo objected to defending his title against Baker and had left town. Renesto admonished Beppo for lack of fortitude. Gunkel took the match with the title held up and won. It was in defense of the Brass Knucks title against Baker in Savannah a few weeks later that Gunkel again won the match but died in the dressing room. It should be noted that the reason for Beppos departure so suddenly has never been made public.