By Mark Nulty
Photo courtesy of Mitch Hartsey of NWA Midwest Wrestling

Fans and promoters around the world understood the importance of St. Louis wrestling and the importance of the NWA World heavyweight champion defending on a St. Louis card.

Sam Muchnick promoted St. Louis into a Mecca of professional wrestling.

Here are the World heavyweight championship title changes he promoted:

Maybe the best testament of Muchnick's eye for talent was the way he handled his regional belt, the Missouri State heavyweight championship.

One of Sam Muchnick's greatest strengths was making a championship mean something.

Perhaps no other promoter had a better eye for a wrestler that could carry a championship belt than Sam Muchnick.

As National Wrestling Alliance President, Muchnick was great at providing member promoters a strong champion that would draw money.

Muchnick demanded athleticism and credibility from his wrestlers, especially his champions.

Muchnick brought the same values to his regional championship, the Missouri State heavyweight championship. Because so many wrestlers that held the Missouri title would go on to either win the world championship or be leading contenders, magazines often referred to it as "The stepping stone to the World title." At one point, it was considered the most important regional championship in wrestling.

A total of 17 wrestlers held the Missouri State heavyweight championship from 1972 through 1985. Eight  would hold major versions of the World heavyweight championship. Here are the World championship credentials of wrestlers that wore the title:

Several of the other 10 Missouri State heavyweight champions would go on to become leading contenders for World titles. They would also hold versions of the World tag-team championship and the two other major regional singles titles, the NWA United States heavyweight championship and the WWF Intercontinental heavyweight championship:

Mark Nulty is a professional journalist that has been in the professional wrestling industry since the mid-80s as an announcer, referee and promoter.