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Wrestling Pro


Last updated by Sean Sweeny on June 15, 2012


Title History

 

  • NWA (Tri State) North American Heavyweight title (as Tarzan Baxter) defeating Chuck Karbo (????, 1969);
  • NWA (Tri State) United States Tag Team titles (as Tarzan Baxter) w/Karl Karlson defeating Medics (November 2, 1969);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team titles w/Eddie Sullivan defeating Rocket Monroe & Don Carson (May 25, 1970);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Bob Kelly (November 4, 1970);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Bob Kelly (February 28, 1971);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) United States Tag Team titles w/Mike Boyette defeating Mr. Koma & Great Ota (May 19, 1971);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) United States Tag Team titles w/Mike Boyette Awarded (July 14, 1971);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Ken Lucas (October 26, 1971);
  • City of Mobile Heavyweight title defeating Mike Boyette (November 11, 1971);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Bob Kelly (September 27, 1972);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Bob Kelly (October 18, 1972);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating ?????? (December ??, 1972);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) United States Tag Team titles w/Mysterious Medic defeating Rocket & Flash Monroe (December 5, 1972);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Ricky Gibson (January 12, 1973);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Mississippi Heavyweight title defeating Bob Kelly (April 12, 1973);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Dick Dunn (January 25, 1974);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Mississippi Heavyweight title defeating Bob Kelly (April 25, 1974);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team titles w/Mighty Yankee defeating Don & Ron Bass (August 6, 1974);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team titles w/Duke Miller defeating Mighty Yankees (September 10, 1974);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) World Junior Heavyweight title defeating Ken Mantell (disputed decision) (September 17, 1974);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team titles w/Wrestling Pro #2 defeating Nick Kozak & Ken Lucas (August 19, 1975);
  • NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles (as Masked Superstars) w/Masked Superstar #2 defeating ???????? (April ??, 1976);
  • NWA (Mid America) World Tag Team titles (as Masked Superstars) w/Masked Superstar #2 defeating ??????? (August ??, 1976);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Greg Peterson (October 22, 1976);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Greg Peterson (November 12, 1976);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Bob Kelly (November 23, 1976);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Ken Lucas (December 3, 1976);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Ken Mantell (May 24, 1977);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight title defeating Billy Spears (September 23, 1977);
  • NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team titles w/Ken Lucas Awarded (December 2, 1977);

 

Career Highlights

 

  • Leon Baxter started his career in Oklahoma under the name Tarzan Baxter..
  • Leon Baxter worked in Oklahoma, Gulf Coast, Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas under that name..
  • Leon Baxter also teamed with Juan Sebastian in the Carolinas and Georgia as the masked “Gauchos”..
  • 1970: Leon Baxter came to the Gulf Coast under a mask as the “Wrestling Pro” (a name he used until retirement)..
  • 1975: The Wrestling Pro made a short run in Oklahoma as The Wrestling Pro..
  • The Wrestling Pro had a longer run in Tennessee teaming with Dick Dunn as the “Masked Superstars”..
  • Leon Baxter held a fulltime job as a Sheriff’s Deputy in Houston County (Dothan, Alabama) during his days as the Wrestling Pro..
  • Leon Baxter now occasionally works at the local stockyard in Dothan, Alabama..

    Justin Murphy wrote (June 2009): He appeared at that retirement show for Jerry Stubbs and Bullet Bob Armstrong (which I could not attend due to being in Orlando.) in a brief segment where he mentioned being raised in Malone, Florida despite claiming for years he was raised in Dothan. Although Malone is in Jackson County, the same county Marianna and Graceville are in, and they are both close to the Dothan area. So that still counts as being raised in Dothan to some degree.

 

Justin Murphy wrote (December 2009): Hisaharu Tanabe confirmed Leon toured Japan with Danny Hodge in Summers 1971 and 1972. It was a bit shocking since since there is no record of him wrestling outside The South other than these tours. The first was JWA’s Golden Series, the promotion Baba took over after Rikidozan’s death, before founding All-Japan the year of his second tour. Ironically the second tour was one he worked for New Japan and Inoki when they started. As stated in the Wrestlers Who Saved Their Money…And Those Who Didn’t article, he did not care to discuss his years in the business, and largely washed his hands of it.