The NWA World Heavyweight Championship is one of the oldest and most prestigious titles in professional wrestling history. Established in 1948, it became the centerpiece of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and symbolized the pinnacle of wrestling excellence across multiple territories worldwide. Over the years, the title has undergone numerous changes, controversies, and defining moments, shaping its legacy in the wrestling world.
Creation and Early Champions (1948-1960s):
The NWA World Heavyweight Championship was created in July 1948 when a group of regional wrestling promoters came together to form the National Wrestling Alliance. The idea was to have a single World Champion who would travel between the various territories, defending the title against local champions and top contenders. The first recognized champion was Orville Brown, who was the reigning Midwest Wrestling Association (MWA) World Heavyweight Champion.
Orville Brown (1948-1949): Brown was recognized as the first NWA World Heavyweight Champion. However, his reign was cut short due to a career-ending car accident in 1949. He was forced to vacate the title, leading to a pivotal match between Lou Thesz and former American Wrestling Association (Boston) World Heavyweight Champion Buddy Rogers to determine the new champion.
Lou Thesz (1949-1956, 57, 63-66): Thesz won the title and became one of the most iconic and longest-reigning champions in wrestling history. His reign was interrupted only briefly by Whipper Billy Watson in 1956. Thesz unified several titles, including the National Wrestling Association title (Wild Bill Longson) and NAWA (Los Angeles) title (Baron Michele Leone) and San Francisco title (Leo Nomellini) and others, under the NWA banner, becoming the first "undisputed" World Champion.
Whipper Billy Watson (1956):
Edouard Carpentier* (1957-1962): On June 14, 1957 Carpentier was wrestling Thesz in Chicago when Thesz hurt his back and could not continue, and the referee stopped the match. This caused a split in the NWA leading to some promoters recognizing Carpentier and some continuing to recognize Thesz. Carpentier's manager Eddie Quinn of Montreal promoted him as the NWA World Champion in territories like Paul Bowser's Boston, Joe Dusek's Omaha, Johnny Doyle's Los Angeles, Jim Barnett's Indiana, Frank Tunney's Toronto and Wally Karbo & Verne Gagne's Minneapolis promotions.
NWA Split / Forming AWA: When half of the NWA recognized Thesz, a splinter group formed causing Quinn, Bowser, Barnett & Doyle to leave the NWA, and began staging rival shows in big towns like Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicago & St. Louis, pressuring NWA Founders Fred Kohler, Harry Light & Al Haft into retirement not long after Carpentier's reign. This also allowed Verne Gagne, Wally Karbo, Joe Dusek, WIlbur Snyder & others to form the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in 1960 that would steal the shows in the NWA's old Midwest stomping grounds until 1991,,and see Verne Gagne as the first recognized World Heavyweight Champion outside of NWA (Carpentier was an NWA Champion, but only partially recognized.)
Territorial Era and Traveling Champions (1950s-1980s):
During the NWA's golden age, the World Heavyweight Champion traveled to various NWA territories, defending the title against each region's top competitors. The NWA board of directors, composed of territorial promoters, controlled who held the title and how long their reign would last. Key champions of this era included:
Dick Hutton (1957-1961):
Pat O'Connor (1959-1961): An accomplished amateur wrestler from New Zealand, O'Connor was known for his technical skill and sportsmanship. He held the title for nearly two years before losing it to "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers.
Buddy Rogers (1961-1963): Rogers, one of the most charismatic and controversial champions, brought a new level of showmanship to wrestling. Known for his "figure-four leglock" and flamboyant style, Rogers' reign was marked by high-profile matches and drama. However, a dispute over booking fees with certain promoters led to the NWA stripping him of the title in 1963. He also suffered multiple legitimate injuries while champion and was defeated more than once (Bruno Sammartino, Bobo Brazil, Killer Kowalski) but claimed frail health and the title was returned each time. One night in Columbus, OH, two wrestlers (Dr. Bill Miller & Karl Gotch) working for Al Haft confronted him in the locker room and broke his hand, hoping the NWA would force him to drop the title, but to no avail, so Miller would leave the NWA and become the 2nd AWA World Champion in 1961 as Mr. M.
Lou Thesz (1963-1966): After Buddy Rogers' dispute, Thesz regained the title, holding it until 1966. During this period, Thesz was considered the standard-bearer for professional wrestling, and his influence extended far beyond the NWA.
When Thesz beat Rogers in one-fall in Toronto this caused Rogers management group (The Trust) to pull out of the NWA and continue to recognize Rogers as World Heavyweight Champion. The World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) was formed from Vincent J. McMahon's Washington, DC territory (Capitol Wrestling Corporation), his Northeast partners (Toots Mondt, Ray Fabiani, Willie Gilzenberg, Rudy Miller & Phil Zacko) and other Midwest promoters (Johnny Doyle & Fred Kohler) squeezed out by AWA & Bowser/Quinn.
Gene Kiniski (1966-1969): A former football player and powerhouse wrestler, Kiniski defeated Thesz in 1966 to begin a three-year reign as champion. Kiniski was a heel champion who successfully defended the title across multiple territories.
Dory Funk Jr. (1969-1973): Dory Funk Jr.'s reign began in 1969 when he defeated Kiniski. Known for his technical prowess and "spinning toe hold" finisher, Funk held the title for over four years, one of the longest reigns in history.
Harley Race (1973, 77-81, 83): Race first won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1973 by defeating Dory Funk Jr. His 5 reigns during the 1970s solidified his reputation as one of the toughest champions. Race would go on to have eight reigns as champion, a record at that time, becoming synonymous with the NWA title.
Jack Brisco (1973-74-75): A gifted amateur wrestler and fan favorite, Brisco held the title twice in the 1970s. He was known for his athleticism and in-ring storytelling, making him one of the most popular champions of the era.
Shohei Giant Baba (1974, 79 & 80):
Terry Funk (1975-1977): The younger brother of Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, won the title in 1975. Known for his wild brawling style and versatility, Terry defended the title worldwide, including in Japan, before losing it to Harley Race.
Expansion, Controversy, and Decline (1980s-1990s):
The 1980s were a period of transition for the NWA and its World Heavyweight Championship. The rise of cable television and the WWF’s national expansion began to challenge the traditional NWA territory system. During this period, several noteworthy champions emerged:
Ric Flair (1981-1991): Flair became the face of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Known as "The Nature Boy," Flair's charisma, in-ring psychology, and technical skill made him the definitive champion of his era. He won his first NWA World Heavyweight title in 1981 by defeating Dusty Rhodes and went on to hold the title 9 official times, and 4 unofficial times, establishing himself as one of the greatest champions in wrestling history.
Dusty Rhodes (1979, 81, 86): "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes was another popular champion, representing the working-class fanbase of the NWA. His battles with Ric Flair were some of the most memorable feuds in wrestling history.
Wildfire Tommy RIch (1981):
Kerry Von Erich (1984): Kerry Von Erich, from the famous Von Erich family in Texas, won the title from Ric Flair in 1984 at "Parade of Champions," a tribute show for his late brother David. However, his reign was short-lived, lasting just 18 days before Flair regained the belt.
Rugged Ronnie Garvin (1987):
Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat (1989):
Sting (1990): Sting was positioned as the new face of the NWA in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He won his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Flair in 1990 at the "Great American Bash," becoming a major star in the process.
End of the Territory Era:
By the late 1980s, the NWA was under severe pressure due to Vince McMahon’s WWF expansion. Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) became the leading NWA member, but financial problems led to its sale to Ted Turner, who rebranded it as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1988. WCW initially continued to recognize the NWA World Heavyweight Championship but eventually created its own WCW World Heavyweight Championship in 1991, leading to further complications.
Ric Flair (1991-1993): Flair continued as NWA champion in the early 1990s until a contract dispute led to him leaving WCW with the NWA title. When Flair appeared with the belt at a non-NWA member show (WWF), he was stripped of the NWA championship, which was then vacant until Masahiro Chono won it in a tournament in Japan in 1992.
Tatsumi Fujinami (1991):
Masahiro Chono (1992):
Keiji 'The Great Muta' Muto (1993):
Barry Wyndham (1993):
Decline and Revival (1993-Present):
In 1993, WCW officially left the NWA, and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship became disconnected from any major promotion. The title was then defended in various smaller promotions and remained active but lost much of its former prestige.
Shane Douglas (1994): The NWA attempted a revival in 1994 by aligning with Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW). Shane Douglas won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in a tournament but famously threw the belt down, declaring himself ECW World Champion and denouncing the NWA. This moment symbolized the end of the NWA’s era as a significant force in wrestling.
Chris Candido (1994-1995):
Dan Severn (1995-1999, 2002): Severn was the first UFC Triple Crown Champion and had a career MMA record 101-119-1. After making the Team USA Olympic practice team for amateur wrestling in 1980, he began training for MMA and from 1982-1994 Severn won MMA titles in Japan, Hungary, Cuba, France & Turkey. He had just started wrestling in 1993 (trained by Al Snow) when he won the NWA title in 1995 and held it for 4 years before losing it in Japan to Naoya Ogawa in 1999. Severn even defended the title on WWE TV with Jim Cornette as his manager. Severn's 2nd reign was cut short when he refused to defend the title at the TNA debut, and they crowned Ken Shamrock as TNWA Champion.
TNA Partnership (2002-2007): From 2002 to 2007, the NWA World Heavyweight Championship was the primary title in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). During this period, wrestlers like Ken Shamrock, Jeff Jarrett (6x), Ron (R-Truth) Killings (2x), AJ Styles (3x), Sting (2x), Raven, Rhino & Christian Cage (2x) held the championship. However, TNA eventually created its own titles in 2007, severing its relationship with the NWA.
Multiple Champions in Smaller Promotions (2007-2017): The NWA World Heavyweight Championship was defended in various independent promotions around the world, often with little fanfare. The title became largely a symbol of nostalgia
Adam Pearce was a 5-time Champion between 2007-2012 when he retired from the NWA as Champion over a dispute over the new owners as of 2012.
Modern Era Under Billy Corgan (2017-Present):
In 2017, Billy Corgan, lead singer of The Smashing Pumpkins, purchased the NWA. Under his leadership, the NWA rebranded itself, bringing back the tradition of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The title became the focal point of the promotion's events, like "NWA Powerrr" and "NWA 70."
Nick Aldis (2017-2021): One of the most prominent champions of this new era, Nick Aldis won the title from Tim Storm in 2017 and defended it around the world, including against Cody Rhodes at All In (2018). Aldis' reign lasted over 1,000 days, making it one of the longest in modern history.
Other popular NWA World Champions under Corgan include Cody Rhodes, Matt Cardona, Tyrus (wore the belt on Fox News) & Ethan Carter III (EC3).
Current Status: The NWA World Heavyweight Championship continues to be defended in the NWA and has regained some prestige, with ongoing efforts to position the title and promotion as a serious alternative in today's wrestling landscape.
75 Year Legacy:
The NWA World Heavyweight Championship has been active for over 75 years (since 1948) and has a lineage dating back to 1930 and a history to 1905. The NWA Champions are known for solid technical skills (Thesz, Kiniski, Funks, Baba, Race, Brisco, Flair, Steamboat, Fujinami, Douglas, Severn, Shamrock, Styles.), multiple reigns (Thesz, Brisco, Race, Baba, Rhodes, Flair, Sting, Severn, Jarrett, Styles) and long multiple-year reigns (Thesz, O'Connor, Rogers, Kiniski, Brisco, Funks, Race, Flair, Severn). While the title has become lesser known over the last 15 years, the 2 most well-known champions of this time share all 3 of those feats (Adam Pearce & Nick Aldis). Oddly enough, they both became WWE General Managers with Pearce on Raw and Aldis on Smackdown.
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