Kiniski: A Chip Off the Old Block

 One of Gene Kiniski's trademark moments during ring introductions when he was NWA World Champion was to lift up his ring jacket to show off the NWA World title belt he wore underneath. He was known for it. So much so, a great color photo of him doing that exact thing with the NWA 1959-1973 "crown belt" graced the cover of his biography. 

Years later, when his son Kelly Kiniski worked in the Mid-Atlantic territory, he briefly teamed with One Man Gang (George Grey) and the two held the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team championships under the management of Sir Oliver Humperdink as part of Hump's stable, the House of Humperdink.

As a tribute to his father, Kelly would often do the same thing, holding up his ring jacket for photos and ring introductions, as seen in the photo above from 1983.

Incidentally, Kiniski and Gang were the last team to hold these particular belts, title straps that went all the way back to 1975 beginning with the Gene and Ole, the Anderson Brothers. 

I was happy to come across this photograph, as it's a nice call back from son to father, the latter being one of the great NWA World Champions.

Originally published October of 2020 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Poster: Valiant/Koloff War Continues in Tag Team Battle (1982)

by Jody Shifflett
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This card was from 1982 and I was actually at this event. It was a great night of wrestling. I was 10 years old and can remember it like it was yesterday. 

Jimmy Valiant back then could really work a crowd and especially the ones at the spot shows. We would get about 3 to 4 events a year and there was nothing like standing out back waiting for the wrestlers to pull up in their cars and sign autographs for us; they were all great!

The main event was a classic from back then with the Ivan Koloff - Jimmy Valiant feud going strong. Throw in Jake Roberts and the Ninja and it was pandemonium. 

The match that really sticks out to me was the Kelly Kiniski and Ali Bey match because a local man jumped in the ring to attack Ali Bey but Kiniski actually punched the man in the mouth and my stepdad, who was a deputy sheriff at the time, stormed the ring with a couple of his other police buddies and took the guy down. It was great! 

Great colors and the classic 8:15 PM bell time!

NO. 9 IN THE SHIFFLETT POSTER SERIES

A Chip off the Old Block

 One of Gene Kiniski's trademark moments during ring introductions when he was NWA World Champion was to lift up his ring jacket to show off the NWA World title belt he wore underneath. He was known for it. So much so, a great color photo of him doing that exact thing with the NWA 1959-1973 "crown belt" graced the cover of his biography. 

Years later, when his son Kelly Kiniski worked in the Mid-Atlantic territory, he briefly teamed with One Man Gang (George Grey) and the two held the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team championships under the management of Sir Oliver Humperdink as part of Hump's stable, the House of Humperdink.

As a tribute to his father, Kelly would often do the same thing, holding up his ring jacket for photos and ring introductions, as seen in the photo above from 1983.

Incidentally, Kiniski and Gang were the last team to hold these particular belts, title straps that went all the way back to 1975 beginning with the Gene and Ole, the Anderson Brothers. 

I was happy to come across this photograph, as it's a nice call back from son to father, the latter being one of the great NWA World Champions.