Title, still defended today as the WWE United States Championship. Race was determined to eventually regain the NWA World Championship, often moving between territories and collecting several regional titles, including eight Central States Titles, seven Missouri Titles, the Georgia Heavyweight Championship, the Stampede North American Title in Canada, the Japan-based NWA United National and PWF Titles, and becoming the first-ever holder of the Mid-Atlantic U.S. Though Race held the title for only a few months, losing it to Jack Brisco in Houston, Texas in July, he became a worldwide superstar and perennial championship contender. Race emerged from the battle as the new World Champion in a stunning upset. In 1973, Race faced NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk Jr. Race jumped from territory to territory in the early 1970s, renewing his rivalry with Terry Funk in Amarillo and winning a regional title. However, all of these matches were basically just special appearances. Toward the end of his in-ring career, he would challenge Larry Zbyszko for the AWA World title in October 1990 in the main event of an AWA broadcast on ESPN. Race would also wrestle former AWA World Champion Rick Martel at part of WrestleRock '86. The confrontation was fueled by Larry Hennig confronting his former tag team partner at the end of the match. Despite his tag team success, Race left the AWA after several years at the top of the division to pursue a singles career in the NWA.Race returned to the AWA in 1984 to wrestle Curt Hennig. Verne Gagne, in particular, was a hated rival of the team, and recruited many different partners to try to defeat Race and Hennig during their AWA run. Race and Hennig continued to feud with the Bruiser and Crusher and other top teams for the next several years, amassing four title reigns. They quickly became top contenders, and in January 1965, they defeated Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher to capture the AWA World Tag Team Championship. In the AWA, Race and Hennig branded themselves as "Handsome" Harley Race (which was actually a moniker given to him by fans in Japan) and "Pretty Boy" Larry Hennig, a cocky heel tag team with a penchant for breaking the rules to win matches. The two formed a tag team and moved to the American Wrestling Association. In Amarillo, Race met fellow up-and-coming wrestler Larry Hennig (later Larry "The Axe" Hennig and father of "Mr Perfect" Curt Hennig). Race never used a different ring name again. This time, he wrestled under his own name, after his father told him that he shouldn't work to make anyone else's name famous. He returned to the ring in 1964, wrestling for the Funks' Amarillo, Texas territory. Undaunted, Race endured grueling physical therapy for several months and made a full recovery. Although he recovered, doctors told him that he might never walk again, and his wrestling career was over. Karras heard about this and went rushing into the hospital and blocked the planned amputation, stating "Over my dead body" by doing this, he saved Race's leg. Race was seen as a rising star in the business with a bright future, until a car accident put him out of action, with his leg coming close to being amputated. The duo quickly captured the Southern Tag Team Championship. At the age of 18, he moved to Nashville and began wrestling under the alias of "Jack Long", forming a tag team with "brother" John Long. Eventually, Race started wrestling on some of his shows, and some of Karras' veteran wrestlers helped further Race's training. Joseph wrestling promoter Gust Karras, who hired Race to do odd jobs for his promotion.
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