The British Heavyweight Championship is a top British wrestling championship found throughout the country's circuit. The championship was recognised and defended on matches screened by UK national television network ITV as part of the professional wrestling slot on World of Sport as well as standalone broadcasts. [1] [2] Pre-publicity for these championship match broadcasts was given in ITV's nationally published listings magazine TVTimes . [3] [4]
Multiple versions of the British Heavyweight Championship may exist in the wrestling circuit of the United Kingdom at any given time, however some versions have been undisputed by dint of being the only active version during that period. The British Wrestling Association version was undisputed 1930-1934 and 1938-1950. The Joint Promotions version was undisputed 1952-1958, 1966-1974 and 1975-1982. This version was then transferred to All Star Wrestling where it remained undisputed until 1985 and became so again from 1989 until the late 1990s (as smaller, often American-style promotions increasingly set up their own versions).
This is the combined list of different versions of the British Heavyweight Titles, each of which was probably the most significant version at the time. Each version may or may not be connected to another. However, all title changes are either actual or "official" unless indicated otherwise.
| Symbol | Meaning |
| No. | The overall championship reign |
| Reign | The reign number for the specific wrestler listed. |
| Event | The event in which the championship changed hands |
| N/A | The specific information is not known |
| — | Used for vacated reigns in order to not count it as an official reign |
| [Note] | Indicates that the exact length of the title reign is unknown, with a note providing more details. |
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atholl Oakeley | 1 | 1930 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Won a series of matches to become the first champion. | |
| — | Vacated | — | 1935 | — | N/A | N/A | Vacated when Oakeley retired due to injuries | |
| 2 | Bill Garnon | 1 | 1935 | [Note 1] | London, England | Live event | ||
| 3 | Fazal Mohammed | 1 | 1937 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 4 | Alan Muir | 1 | 1938 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 5 | Michael O'Leary | 1 | 1939 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | Michael O'Leary was killed during the outbreak of the war, he died undefeated. | |
| 6 | Bert Assirati | 1 | 27 January 1945 | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | Assirati had been claiming the title since 1940. | |
| — | Vacated | — | 1950 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated when Assirati left Britain for India. |
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill Garnon | 1 | 1934 | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Some claim Garnon's first reign began one year earlier | |
| 2 | Douglas Clark | 1 | 2 November 1934 | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | ||
| 3 | George Gregory | 1 | 1938 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Won by default when Clark fails to appear for a scheduled defence. | |
| — | Vacated | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | Until Bert Assirati is recognised as champion |
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ernie Baldwin | 1 | January 1952 | [Note 1] | Newcastle | Live event | Defeated Dave Armstrong in a tournament final. | |
| 2 | Alf Rawlings | 1 | 1953 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 3 | Dai Sullivan | 1 | 1953 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 4 | Ernie Baldwin | 2 | 1953 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 5 | Tony Mancelli | 1 | 9 September 1955 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | 1955 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated for undocumented reasons. | |
| 6 | Bert Assirati | 2 | 19 October 1955 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Defeated Ernie Baldwin | |
| — | Vacated | — | 1958 | — | N/A | N/A | Stripped by Joint Promotions; Assirati would continue to claim the title in BWF | |
| 7 | Billy Joyce | 1 | 15 April 1958 | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Defeated Gordon Nelson. | |
| 8 | Ernie Baldwin | 3 | November 1959 | [Note 1] | Glasgow | Live event | ||
| 9 | Billy Joyce | 2 | December 1959 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 10 | Dennis Mitchell | 1 | December 1959 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 11 | Billy Joyce | 3 | 15 July 1960 | 1,333 | Bradford | Live event | ||
| 12 | Geoff Portz | 1 | 9 March 1964 | 17 | Bradford | Live event | ||
| 13 | Billy Joyce | 4 | 26 March 1964 | 693 | Middlesbrough | Live event | ||
| 14 | Albert Wall | 1 | 17 February 1966 | 3 | Nottingham | Live event | ||
| 15 | Gwynn Davies | 1 | 20 February 1966 | 25 | Nottingham | Live event | ||
| 16 | Billy Joyce | 5 | 17 March 1966 | 48 | Nottingham | Live event | ||
| 17 | Ian Campbell | 1 | 4 May 1966 | 55 | Perth, Scotland | Live event | ||
| 18 | Billy Joyce | 6 | 28 June 1966 | 204 | Edinburgh | Live event | Became the undisputed champion when Shirley Crabtree vacated the BWF version. | |
| 19 | Billy Robinson | 1 | 18 January 1967 | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | [5] | |
| — | Vacated | — | February 1970 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated when Robinson left for North America. | |
| 20 | Albert Wall | 2 | 13 April 1970 | 280 | Nottingham | Live event | Defeated Steve Veidor to win the vacant championship | |
| 21 | Gwynn Davies | 2 | 18 January 1971 | 110 | Loughborough | Live event | ||
| 22 | Albert Wall | 3 | 8 May 1971 | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | 1974 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated when Wall "retired" (in fact left Joint to work for independent promoters and continued to claim title - see All Star below) [6] | |
| 23 | Gwynn Davies | 3 | 15 February 1975 | 833 | Manchester | Live event | ||
| 24 | Tony St. Clair | 1 | 28 May 1977 | 543 | Manchester | Live event | ||
| 25 | Giant Haystacks | 1 | 22 November 1978 | 154 | London | Live event | ||
| 26 | Tony St. Clair | 2 | 25 April 1979 | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Moved to #All Star Wrestling in 1982 with the title | |
| — | Vacated | — | 1985 | — | N/A | N/A | Recognition was withdrawn by Joint Promotions in 1985 | |
| 27 | Ray Steele | 1 | 14 May 1985 | 377 | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 28 | Pat Roach | 1 | 26 April 1986 | 159 | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 29 | Dalbir Singh | 1 | 2 October 1986 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | 1989 | — | N/A | N/A | All Star's Tony St. Clair becomes undisputed champion after Singh joins All Star and renounces his claim. |
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bert Assirati | 2 | 1958 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Stripped by Joint Promotions - Continued to claim title and was recognised by BWF | |
| — | Vacated | — | 1960 | — | N/A | N/A | Assirati stripped by BWF while recovering from injury. | |
| 2 | Shirley Crabtree | 1 | 1960 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Won a tournament | |
| — | Vacated | — | 1966 | — | N/A | N/A | Crabtree retired after a legitimate campaign of harassment by Assirati. [7] No replacement was crowned, making Joint Promotions' Billy Joyce an Undisputed Champion. |
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Albert Wall | 3 | 8 May 1971 | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | Continued to defend title on shows by Wrestling Enterprises (as All Star then known) for some months after 1974 "retirement" from Joint | [6] |
| — | Vacated | — | mid/late 1970s | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated when Wall retires completely. | [6] |
| 1 | Tony St. Clair | 2 | 25 April 1979 | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Came to All Star in 1982 with the title from Joint Promotions. No direct lineage to above Albert Wall splinter claim. | |
| 2 | Kendo Nagasaki | 1 | 1988 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 3 | Tony St. Clair | 3 | 1988 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Became undisputed champion after Joint Promotions' champion Singh joins All Star in 1989 and renounces his claim. | |
| 4 | Dave 'Fit' Finlay | 1 | 5 February 1990 | 425 | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 5 | Dave Taylor | 1 | 6 April 1991 | 759 | King's Lynn | Live event | ||
| 6 | Tony St. Clair | 4 | 4 May 1993 | [Note 1] | Croydon | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | 1995 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated for undocumented reasons. | |
| 7 | Dave Taylor | 2 | August 1995 | [Note 1] | Croydon | Live event | Defeated Marty Jones in a tournament final. | |
| 8 | Marty Jones | 1 | 1996 | [Note 1] | Croydon | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | 1996 | — | N/A | N/A | Upon Marty Jones' retirement | |
| 9 | Karl Krammer | 1 | circa 1998 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Claimed title by 1998 | |
| 10 | Doug Williams | 1 | 2001 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Claiming title by 2001. Would later take the title to the Universal title tournament. | |
| 11 | Robbie Brookside | 1 | 29 September 2002 | 982 | Liverpool | Live event | Williams was still considered the Universal champion | |
| 12 | Drew McDonald | 1 | 7 June 2005 | 224 | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 13 | Steve Sonic | 1 | 17 January 2006 | 129 | Croydon | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | 26 May 2006 | — | N/A | N/A | Sonic would relinquish the title to return to WWE's developmental promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling. | |
| 14 | James Mason | 1 | 12 November 2006 | 232 | [Note 2] | Live event | Mason defeated Drew McDonald, Doug Williams, and Robbie Brookside in a 4-way elimination match to win the vacant title. | |
| 15 | Brody Steele | 1 | 2 September 2007 | 162 | Liverpool | Live event | [8] | |
| 16 | Robbie Brookside | 2 | 11 February 2008 | Liverpool | Live event | |||
| — | Vacated | — | May 2009 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated due to a knee injury. | |
| 17 | Rampage Brown | 1 | 16 May 2009 | 270 | Hanley | Live event | Won 4-way elimination final of an 8-man tournament against James Mason, Doug Williams, and Karl Kramer. | |
| 18 | Dean Allmark | 1 | 2 October 2010 | 774 | Hanley | Live event | ||
| 19 | Rampage Brown | 2 | 25 March 2012 | 356 | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 20 | Dean Allmark | 2 | 16 March 2013 | 566 | Hanley | Live event | ||
| 21 | Thunder (Darren Walsh) | 1 | 3 October 2014 | 333 | Croydon | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | September 2015 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated due to a knee injury. | ; |
| 22 | Sam Adonis | 1 | 3 October 2015 | <332 | Croydon | Live event | Defeats James Mason in tournament final | |
| — | Vacated | — | August 2016 | — | N/A | N/A | Stripped of title due to lack of defences. | ; |
| 23 | Robbie Dynamite | 1 | 30 August 2016 | <1 | Rhyl | Live event | Defeats James Mason in match for vacant title | |
| 24 | Dean Allmark | 3 | 30 August 2016 | 150 | Rhyl | Live event | Earned title shot at new champion Robbie Dynamite after winning Money In The Bank earlier in the evening | |
| 25 | Harlem Bravado | 1 | 27 January 2017 | 273 | New Brighton | Live event | ||
| 26 | Oliver Grey | 1 | 27 October 2017 | 2,603 | Ipswich | Live event | ||
| 27 | Niwa | 1 | 19 February 2020 | 1,758 | Gravesend | Live event | Niwa returned to his native New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic, returning to the UK in 2022. He was excused from defending his title during this period. | |
| 28 | Oliver Grey | 2 | 14 October 2022 | 790 | Telford | Live event | ||
| 28 | Mickey Long | 1 | 28 October 2024 | 45 | Gravesend | Live event |
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Eventd | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robbie Brookside | 1 | 1999 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Recognised as champion by TWA | |
| 2 | Drew McDonald | 1 | March 2001 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 3 | Justin Starr | 1 | 7 May 2001 | 66 | Weymouth | Live event | ||
| — | Vacated | — | 12 July 2001 | — | N/A | N/A | Following a controversial finish in the Starr/MacDonald rematch. | |
| — | Vacated | — | 16 December 2001 | — | N/A | N/A | Brookside was suspended and stripped of the belts-after sanctioning his own defences resulting in a breach of contract. | |
| 4 | Justin Starr | 2 | 17 January 2002 | 9 | Southampton | Live event | ||
| 5 | Doug Williams | 1 | 26 January 2002 | 0 | Bognor Regis | FWA Champion, Williams defeated Justin Starr to win recognition by The Wrestling Alliance. | ||
| 6 | Robbie Brookside | 2 | 26 January 2002 | Bognor Regis | ||||
| — | Vacated | — | 1 February 2002 | — | N/A | N/A | Rumble match would be held the same night to declare new champion. | |
| 7 | Justin Starr | 3 | 1 February 2002 | 160 | Exmouth | Live event | Won a royal rumble match to win the vacant championship | |
| 8 | Ricky Knight | 1 | 11 July 2002 | [Note 1] | Weymouth | Live event | ||
| 9 | Justin Starr | 4 | November 2002 | Bristol | Live event | |||
| — | Vacated | — | 2002 | — | N/A | N/A | Championship vacated due to injury. | |
| 10 | Alex Shane | 1 | 23 March 2003 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Defeated James Mason for the vacant belt. | |
| — | Vacated | — | 25 March 2003 | — | N/A | N/A | TWA's owner, Scott Conway would strip the title from Shane following his actions in a match against Jake "The Snake" Roberts. | |
| — | Vacated | — | 2003 | — | N/A | N/A | Conway closes the company and emigrates to Thailand. |
On 10 July 2002 All-Star's Champion, Doug Williams along with other top title holding wrestlers entered into a tournament to be recognised as Universal British Heavyweight Champion by The Wrestling Alliance, Frontier Wrestling Alliance, World Association of Wrestling, All Star Wrestling, and Premier Promotions. Doug Williams would first defeat the then-TWA British Heavyweight Champion, Justin Starr (though Starr would continue to be recognised as champion), before going on to defeat The Zebra Kid in a tournament final to become the Universal British Heavyweight Champion.
The Universal version of this title would not last long with all the promotions splitting out their British Heavyweight titles, but Williams continued to be recognised as the Universal British Heavyweight Champion.
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