NO. |
CHAMPION |
DATE |
LOCATION |
EVENT |
REIGN |
1 |
Orville Brown |
7/01/1948 |
Waterloo, IA, United States |
(1st Meeting) |
512 days |
|
National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) was founded and Brown was recognized as the first official NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Orville Brown unified the following championships with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[1/05/1948-7/01/1948] (Des Moines) World Heavyweight Championship won from Lee Wyckoff in Des Moines, IA.
[5/04/1948-7/01/1948] MWA World Heavyweight Championship won from Bobby Bruns in Kansas City, Kansas.
|
2 |
Lou Thesz |
11/27/1949 |
Waterloo, IA, United States |
(NWA event) |
2185 days |
|
National Wrestling Alliance awarded the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Lou Thesz via forfeight;
Orville Brown was injuried in auto accident before the National Wrestling Assiocation & National Wrestling Alliance unification match .
Lou Thesz unified the following championships with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to be considered the Undisputed Champion:
[7/10/1948-unified] NWA-(Association) World Heavyweight Championship won from Bill Longson in Indianapolis, IN;
[7/27/1950-unified] AWA-(Boston) World Heavyweight Championship won from Gorgeous George in Chicago, IL.
[5/21/1952-unified] (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight Championship won from Baron Michele Leone in Los Angeles, CA.
[9/01/1952-unified] (Maryland) World Heavyweight Championship given recognition and awarded.
|
- |
Leo Nomellini |
3/22/1955 |
San Francisco, CA, United States |
(NWA event) |
- |
|
Leo Nomellini defeated Lou Thesz via count-out in the (2nd fall) and via disqualification in the (3rd fall);
National Wrestling Alliance considered Lou Thesz still the NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
California Athletic Commission recognized the Lou Nomellini as there World Heavyweight Champion. |
3 |
Billy Watson |
3/15/1956 |
Toronto, ON, Canada |
(NWA event) |
239 days |
|
Whipper Billy Watson held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[10/12/1950-3/16/1956] NWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship won from Yvon Robert in Toronto, ON. |
4 |
Lou Thesz (2) |
11/09/1956 |
St. Louis, MO, United States |
(NWA event) |
330 |
- |
Édouard Carpentier |
6/14/1957 |
Chicago, IL, United States |
(NWA event) |
- |
|
Édouard Carpentier defeated Lou Thesz via disqualification when Thesz could no longer compete due to back injury.
Atlantic Athletic Commission, Nebraska Athletic Commission and World Wrestling Association recognized Carpentier as there World Heavyweight Champions.
National Wrestling Alliance considered Lou Thesz still the NWA World Heavyweight Champion; no longer billed as Undisputed World Championship. |
5 |
Dick Hutton |
11/14/1957 |
Toronto, ON, Canada |
(NWA event) |
421 days |
6 |
Pat O'Connor |
1/09/1959 |
St. Louis, MO, United States |
(NWA event) |
903 days |
|
Pat O'Connor held the following championships inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[5/18/1960-8/16/1960] AWA World Heavyweight Championship recognized as first champion; failed to defend in 90 days.
[9/21/1960-7/20/1961] (Montreal) International Heavyweight Championship won from Killer Kowalski in Montreal, QB. |
7 |
Buddy Rogers |
6/30/1961 |
Chicago, IL, United States |
(NWA event) |
903 days |
|
"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[7/05/1962-3/07/1963] NWA-(northeast) United States Tag Team Championships w/Johnny Barend won from Valentine & Ellis in Washington, D.C. |
- |
Bruno Sammartino |
8/02/1962 |
Toronto, ON, Canada |
(NWA event) |
- |
- |
Bobo Brazil |
8/18/1962 |
Newark, NJ, United States |
(NWA event) |
- |
- |
Killer Kowalski |
11/21/1962 |
Montreal, QB, Canada |
(NWA event) |
- |
|
Killer Kowalski given recognition in Texas as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. |
8 |
Lou Thesz (3) |
1/24/1963 |
Toronto, ON, Canada |
(NWA event) |
1079 days |
|
Northeast Promoters don't regconize Thesz's on fall victory over Rogers and leave the NWA;
Rodgers recgonized as the first WWWF World Heavyweight Champion.
Lou Thesz unified the following championships into the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[2/01/1963-unified] NWA-(Texas) World Heavyweight Championship won from Killer Kowalski in Houston, TX.
[9/07/1964-unified] AWA-(Alliance) World Heavyweight Championship won from Karl Krauser in Columbus, OH.
|
9 |
Gene Kiniski |
1/07/1966 |
St. Louis, MO, United States |
(NWA event) |
1131 days |
10 |
Dory Funk Jr. |
2/11/1969 |
Tampa, FL, United States |
(NWA event) |
1563 days |
|
Dory Funk Jr. held the following championships inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[3/30/1971-4/13/1971] NWA Florida Tag Team Championships w/Terry Funk won from The Brisco's in Tampa, Fla.
[12/07/1971-5/19/1972] NWA-(Japan) International Tag Team Championships w/Terry Funk won from Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki in Los Angeles, CA. |
11 |
Harley Race |
5/24/1973 |
Kansas City, MO, United States |
(NWA event) |
57 days |
12 |
Jack Brisco |
7/20/1973 |
Houston, TX, United States |
(NWA event) |
500 days |
13 |
Giant Baba |
12/02/1974 |
Kagoshima, Japan |
(NWA event) |
6 days |
|
Giant Baba held the following championships inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[2/27/1973-6/01/1978] PWF World Heavyweight Championship won 10-match series tournament in Tokyo, Japan. |
14 |
Jack Brisco (2) |
12/08/1974 |
Toyohashi, Japan |
(NWA event) |
367 days |
15 |
Terry Funk |
12/10/1975 |
Miami, FL, United States |
(NWA event) |
424 days |
16 |
Harley Race (2) |
2/06/1977 |
Toronto, ON, Canada |
(NWA event) |
926 days |
17 |
Dusty Rhodes |
8/21/1979 |
Tampa, FL, United States |
(NWA event) |
5 days |
|
Dusty Rhodes held the following championships inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[1/01/1979-10/01/1979] NWA Florida Television Championship won from Bugsy McGraw in Florida.
[7/04/1979-8/22/1979] NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship won from King Curtis Iaukea in Miami, FL. |
18 |
Harley Race (3) |
8/26/1979 |
Orlando, FL, United States |
(NWA event) |
66 days |
19 |
Giant Baba (2) |
10/31/1979 |
Nagoya, Japan |
(NWA event) |
7 days |
|
Giant Baba held the following championships inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[10/29/1977-4/13/1981] All-Asia Heavyweight Championship won from Kintaro Ohki in Kuroiso, Japan.
[2/10/1979-10/26/1982] PWF World Heavyweight Championship won from Abdullah the Butcher in Kuroiso, Japan.
[10/19/1979-4/12/1983] NWA-(Japan) International Tag Team Championships w/Jumbo Tsuruta won from Abdullah the Butcher & Ray Candy in Tokyo, Japan. |
20 |
Harley Race (4) |
11/07/1979 |
Amagasaki, Japan |
(NWA event) |
302 days |
21 |
Giant Baba (3) |
9/04/1980 |
Saga, Japan |
(NWA event) |
5 days |
|
Giant Baba held the following championships inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[10/29/1977-4/13/1981] All-Asia Heavyweight Championship won from Kintaro Ohki in Kuroiso, Japan.
[2/10/1979-10/26/1982] PWF World Heavyweight Championship won from Abdullah the Butcher in Kuroiso, Japan.
[10/19/1979-4/12/1983] NWA-(Japan) International Tag Team Championships w/Jumbo Tsuruta won from Abdullah the Butcher & Ray Candy in Tokyo, Japan.
[6/28/1980-10/01/1980] NWA-(Detroit) World Tag Team Championships defeated John Bonello & Randy Scott in Detroit, MI. |
22 |
Harley Race (5) |
9/09/1980 |
Ohtsu, Japan |
(NWA event) |
230 days |
23 |
Tommy Rich |
2/27/1981 |
Augusta, GA, United States |
(NWA event) |
4 days |
24 |
Harley Race (6) |
5/01/1981 |
Gainesville, GA, United States |
(NWA event) |
51 days |
25 |
Dusty Rhodes (2) |
6/21/1981 |
Atlanta, GA, United States |
(NWA event) |
88 days |
|
Dusty Rhodes held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[2/15/1981-6/22/1981] NWA Florida Tag Team Championships w/Andre the Giant won from Cowboy Connection
in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. |
26 |
Ric Flair |
9/17/1982 |
Kansas City, MO, United States |
(NWA event) |
631 days |
- |
Masked Rider [Dusty Rhodes] |
2/09/1982 |
Miami, FL, United States |
(NWA event) |
- |
- |
Jack Veneno |
9/06/1982 |
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
(NWA event) |
- |
- |
Carlos Colón |
1/06/1983 |
San Juan, Puerto Rico |
(NWA event) |
- |
- |
Victor Jovica |
2/08/1983 |
Couva, Trinidad |
(NWA event) |
- |
27 |
Harley Race (7) |
6/10/1983 |
St. Louis, MO, United States |
(NWA event) |
167 days |
|
Harley Race held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[5/13/1983-6/11/1983] NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championships won from Jerry Blackwell
in St. Louis, Missouri.
[6/02/1983-6/10/1983] NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship won from Dewey Robertson in Kansas City, Kansas. |
28 |
Ric Flair (2) |
11/24/1983 |
Greensboro, NC, United States |
(Starrcade) |
164 days |
- |
Harley Race |
3/21/1984 |
Wellington, New Zealand |
(NWA event) |
- |
29 |
Kerry Von Erich |
5/06/1984 |
Irving, TX, United States |
(Parade of Champions 1) |
18 days |
|
Harley Race held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[5/06/1984-5/07/1984] NWA(Texas) World 6-man Tag Team Championships w/Von Erich's won from Freebirds
in Irving, TX. |
30 |
Ric Flair (3) |
5/24/1984 |
Yokosuka, Japan |
(NWA event) |
793 days |
- |
Bruiser Brody |
2/14/1985 |
Kansas City, Kansas, United States |
(NWA event) |
- |
31 |
Dusty Rhodes (3) |
7/26/1986 |
Greensboro, NC, United States |
(Great American Bash) |
14 days |
|
Dusty Rhodes held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[5/17/1986-2/12/1988] NWA(Mid-Atlantic) World 6-man Tag Team Championships w/ Road Warriors won from Russians in Baltimore, MD. |
32 |
Ric Flair (4) |
8/09/1986 |
St. Louis, MO, United States |
(NWA event) |
412 days |
33 |
Ronnie Garvin |
9/25/1987 |
Detroit, MI, United States |
(NWA event) |
62 days |
34 |
Ric Flair (5) |
11/26/1987 |
Chicago, IL, United States |
(Starrcade) |
452 days |
35 |
Ricky Steamboat |
2/20/1989 |
Chicago, IL, United States |
(Chi-Town Rumble) |
76 days |
36 |
Ric Flair (6) |
5/07/1989 |
Nashville, TN, United States |
(WrestleWar) |
426 days |
37 |
Sting |
7/07/1990 |
Baltimore, MD, United States |
(Great American Bash) |
188 days |
38 |
Ric Flair (7) |
1/11/1991 |
East Rutherford, NJ, United States |
(WCW Event) |
171 days |
|
World Championship Wrestling dropped all consideration of the NWA name referred as WCW World Heavyweight Championship. |
39 |
Tatsumi Fujinami |
3/21/1991 |
Tokyo, Japan |
(WCW/New Japan Supershow I) |
59 days |
|
Tatsumi Fujinami held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[1/11/1991-7/01/1991] IWGP Heavyweight Championship won from Big Van Vader in Hiroshima, Japan. |
40 |
Ric Flair (8) |
5/19/1991 |
St. Petersburg, FL, United States |
(SuperBrawl I) |
112 days |
|
[7/01/1991] World Championship Wrestling fired Ric Flair an set up match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
[9/08/1991] Ric Flair was stripped of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship upon signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Ric Flair took "Big Gold" championship to WWF as the "Real Worlds Heavyweight Championship" . |
41 |
Masahiro Chono |
8/12/1992 |
Tokyo, Japan |
(WCW/New Japan event) |
145 days |
|
Masahiro Chono defeated Rick Rude in G-1 Climax Tournament Final for vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship. |
42 |
Great Muta |
1/04/1993 |
Tokyo, Japan |
(WCW/New Japan Supershow III) |
48 days |
|
Tatsumi Fujinami held the following championship inconjuction the NWA World Heavyweight Championship:
[8/16/1992-9/20/1993] IWGP Heavyweight Championship won from Riki Choshu in Fukuoka, Japan.
[8/16/1992-9/23/1992] NJPW Greatest 18 Championship won from Riki Choshu in Fukuoka, Japan.
[12/28/1992-1/04/1993] WCW Battle Bowl Championship last eliminated Barry Windham in Atlanta, Georgia at Starrcade. |
43 |
Barry Windham |
2/21/1993 |
Asheville, NC, United States |
(SuperBrawl III) |
147 days |
44 |
Ric Flair (9) |
7/18/1993 |
Biloxi, MS, United States |
(Beach Blast) |
108 days |
|
[9/19/1993] World Championship Wrestling withdraw from the National Wrestling Alliance; recognized as WCW-International World Heavyweight Championship.
[WCW-International was World Championship Wrestling's story line replacement for the National Wrestling Alliance in international dealings.] |
45 |
Rick Rude |
9/19/1993 |
Houston, TX, United States |
(Fall Brawl) |
184 days |
46 |
Hiroshi Hase |
3/16/1994 |
Tokyo, Japan |
(WCW/NJ Supershow) |
8 days |
47 |
Rick Rude (2) |
3/24/1994 |
Kyoto, Japan |
(WCW/New Japan event) |
24 days |
48 |
Sting (2) |
4/17/1994 |
Rosemont, IL, United States |
(Spring Stampede) |
68 days |
49 |
Rick Rude (3) |
5/01/1994 |
Fukuoka,Japan |
(Wrestling Dontaku) |
- |
|
World Championship Wrestling considered Championship vacant after Rude used belt as weapon to defeat Sting (Rick Rude was forced to retire due to back injury WCW stripped Rude) . |
50 |
Sting (3) |
5/22/1994 |
Philadelphia, PA, United States |
(Slamboree) |
32 days |
|
Sting defeated Big Van Vader for vacant WCW-International World Heavyweight Championship. |
51 |
Ric Flair (10) |
6/23/1994 |
Charleston, SC, United States |
(Clash of the Champions XXVII) |
- |
|
Ric Flair unified the WCW-International World Heavyweight Championship into the following Championship:
[12/27/1993-7/17/1994] WCW World Heavyweight Championship won from Big Van Vader in Charlotte, North Carolina at Starrcade.
[6/24/1994] WCW-International World Heavyweight Championship considered retired following unification with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. |
