Mike Lebelle was the Los Angeles area promoter from 1966 through 1982. Previously under promoter Cal Eaton, the promotion recognized a WWA World Championship going back to the late 1950s when Eaton left the NWA. The promotion rejoined the NWA in 1968 and once again recognized the NWA World Champion.
The promotion was called NWA Hollywood Wrestling, and under LeBelle, was an innovator in closed-circuit broadcasts for wrestling.
In this photograph, Lebelle, who also hosted the TV program, interviews NWA World Heavyweight
Champion Gene Kiniski on the set of the Los Angeles TV wrestling
program, circa 1968.
According to Dave Meltzer at the Wrestling Observer, Mike LeBelle was the brother of Gene LeBell, and the two spelled there last names differently, despite the legitimate relationship.
Thanks to William Murdock for sending this photo.
