NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship

Last updated
NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
Details
Promotion NWA Hollywood Wrestling
Date establishedJune, 1967
Date retiredDecember 26, 1982
Other name(s)
  • WWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
Statistics
First champion(s) Pampero Firpo
Most reigns Chavo Guerrero Sr. (17 reigns)
Longest reign Freddie Blassie
(295 days)
Shortest reignThe Monster
(24 hours,1 day)
Oldest champion Bobo Brazil (56 years, 177 days)

The NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, known officially as NWA Hollywood Wrestling , from 1968 until the promotion closed in 1982. The title was first established in 1967 as a secondary championship in NWA Hollywood's predecessor, Worldwide Wrestling Associates. [1] [2] Although the name of the title implies that it was defended throughout North, Central and South America, it was rarely defended outside of Southern California. As a result, the title was essentially a regional title rather than a national one. A number of NWA affiliated promoters at various points over the years have used their own regional versions or variations of "national" championships for the purpose of giving crowds the idea that the company was larger than it actually was, or that the company was the biggest or most successful within the ranks of the National Wrestling Alliance.

Contents

Title history

Wrestler:Times:Date:Location:Notes:
WWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
Pampero Firpo 11967 Mexico Defeats Coloso Colosetti in a fictitious match
Mike DiBiase 1June 16, 1967 Los Angeles, CA
Mark Lewin 1July 28, 1967Los Angeles, CA
Fred Blassie 1August 25, 1967Los Angeles, CA
VacantMarch 1968Blassie is suspended by WWA.
Mil Mascaras 1June 7, 1968Los Angeles, CADefeats Buddy Austin in tournament final.
El Mongol 1September 20, 1968Los Angeles, CA
Renamed NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
Bobo Brazil 1October 4, 1968Los Angeles, CAHas abandoned the WWA World Heavyweight title on October 1, 1968, when WWA rejoined the NWA.
Fred Blassie 2January 10, 1969Los Angeles, CA
Bobo Brazil 2February 7, 1969Los Angeles, CA
The Sheik 1February 21, 1969Los Angeles, CA
Held upMarch 21, 1969Title held up after Blassie defeats The Sheik in a non-title match
Fred Blassie 3April 11, 1969Los Angeles, CADefeats The Sheik in rematch.
The Sheik 2April 25, 1969Los Angeles, CA
Mil Mascaras 2May 9, 1969Los Angeles, CA
Held upMay 23, 1969Title held up after a match against Black Gordman in Los Angeles, CA
Mil Mascaras 3June 6, 1969Los Angeles, CADefeats Gordman in rematch.
The Great Kojika 1December 19, 1969Los Angeles, CA
Rocky Johnson 1January 16, 1970Los Angeles, CA [3]
Fred Blassie 4March 6, 1970Los Angeles, CA
Held upMarch 20, 1970Title held up after a match against Rocky Johnson in Los Angeles, CA
Rocky Johnson 2May 15, 1970Los Angeles, CADefeats Blassie in rematch
Fred Blassie 5June 12, 1970Los Angeles, CA
Kinji Shibuya 1March 26, 1971Los Angeles, CA
Fred Blassie 6April 23, 1971Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 1May 7, 1971Los Angeles, CA
Don Carson1July 16, 1971Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 2July 30, 1971Los Angeles, CA
Mil Mascaras 4September 24, 1971Los Angeles, CAHeld up after a match against John Tolos.
Mil Mascaras 51971Los Angeles, CAWins rematch.
Black Gordman1November 5, 1971Los Angeles, CA
Frankie Laine 1December 8, 1971Los Angeles, CA
Killer Kowalski 1January 31, 1972Tampa, FLFictitious title change
John Tolos 3March 10, 1972Los Angeles, CA
Black Gordman2June 30, 1972Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 4July 14, 1972Los Angeles, CAWins rematch.
Ernie Ladd 1July 28, 1972Los Angeles, CA
Victor Rivera 1December 1, 1972Los Angeles, CA
Black Gordman3March 9, 1973Los Angeles, CA
Victor Rivera 2April 20, 1973Los Angeles, CA
Terry Funk 1July 3, 1973Odessa, TXFictitious title change.
Victor Rivera 3July 27, 1973Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 5August 24, 1973Los Angeles, CA
Pak Song 1November 16, 1973Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 6January 15, 1974Long Beach, CA [4]
Porkchop Cash 1March 22, 1974Los Angeles, CA
Black Gordman4May 31, 1974Los Angeles, CA
Porkchop Cash 2June 14, 1974Los Angeles, CA
Ernie Ladd 2July 12, 1974Los Angeles, CA [5]
Pampero Firpo 2August 16, 1974Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 7November 8, 1974Los Angeles, CAIn San Diego, CA, Firpo defends against Tolos on 74/11/12 but loses to Tolos on 74/11/19.
Pampero Firpo 3November 22, 1974Los Angeles, CATolos may continue to be billed as champion in San Diego, CA but loses to Firpo on 74/11/26.
John Tolos 8November 27, 1974Los Angeles, CA
Edouard Carpentier 1December 25, 1974 San Diego, CA
Greg Valentine 1February 14, 1975Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 9March 27, 1975Los Angeles, CA
Greg Valentine 2April 4, 1975Los Angeles, CA
VacantApril 1975Valentine gives up the belt to wrestle for the NWA World Heavyweight title
Don Muraco 1May 2, 1975Los Angeles, CAWins tournament
Les Thornton 1May 16, 1975Los Angeles, CA
Louie Tillet1June 13, 1975 Hollywood, CA
Ernie Ladd 3October 1975 Philadelphia, PA Fictitious title change.
Chavo Guerrero 1October 31, 1975Los Angeles, CA
Inferno I1January 30, 1976Los Angeles, California
Chavo Guerrero 2February 6, 1976
Roddy Piper 1March 12, 1976Los Angeles, CA
Chavo Guerrero 3April 23, 1976
Crusher Verdu1June 11, 1976Los Angeles, CADefeats Gori Guerrero.
Chavo Guerrero Sr. 4July 16, 1976Los Angeles, California
The Hangman1September 3, 1976Los Angeles, California [6]
Chavo Guerrero 5October 1, 1976
Ken Mantell1October 15, 1976
Chavo Guerrero 6November 19, 1976
Dr. Hiro Ota1November 26, 1976Los Angeles, California
Chavo Guerrero 7December 3, 1976
Dory Funk Jr. 1January 14, 1977Los Angeles, CA [7]
Chavo Guerrero 8February 4, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Toru Tanaka 1February 12, 1977San Bernardino, CA [8]
The Hangman2March 18, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Keith Franks 1May 13, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Mando Guerrero 1May 20, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Texas Red 1July 1, 1977Los Angeles, CA [9]
Chavo Guerrero 9August 6, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Roddy Piper 2August 12, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Chavo Guerrero 10August 19, 1977 San Bernardino, CA
Texas Red 2September 7, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Choi Sun1September 16, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Chavo Guerrero 11September 18, 1977San Bernardino, CA
The Masked Canadian 3November 4, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Mando Guerrero 2December 9, 1977Los Angeles, CA
The Masked Canadian 4December 16, 1977Los Angeles, CA
Hector Guerrero 1February 10, 1978Los Angeles, CA [10]
Moondog Lonnie Mayne 1April 2, 1978San Bernardino, CA
Hector Guerrero2June 30, 1978Los Angeles, CA
Moondog Lonnie Mayne2August 11, 1978Los Angeles, CA
VacantAugust 13, 1978Mayne is killed in an auto accident
Chavo Guerrero 12August 25, 1978Los Angeles, CAWins tournament.
Roddy Piper 5September 29, 1978Los Angeles, CA
Twin Devil #11October 1, 1978San Bernardino, CA
Chavo Guerrero 13December 1978
Twin Devil #12January 12, 1979Los Angeles, CA [11]
Chavo Guerrero 14January 26, 1979Los Angeles, CA
Eddie Mansfield1March 16, 1979Los Angeles, CA
Chavo Guerrero 15March 23, 1979Los Angeles, CA
Leroy Brown 1April 26, 1979Los Angeles, CA
Al Madril 1June 15, 1979Los Angeles, CA
Bull Ramos 1June 28, 1979Los Angeles, CAAl Hobman is billed as champion in San Bernardino, CA as of 79/08/12.
Pat Barrett 1August 8, 1979 Bakersfield, CA
Pat Patterson 1November 1979 Hawaii Fictitious title change and Sometime after 79/09/30.
Chavo Guerrero 16November 16, 1979Los Angeles, CA
The Hood (Johnny Mantell)11980Sometime after 80/01/26.
Chavo Guerrero 17March 14, 1980Los Angeles, CA
The Spoiler #2 1April 18, 1980Los Angeles, CA
Walter Johnson 1May 9, 1980Los Angeles, CA
John Tolos 10August 8, 1980Los Angeles, CA
El Medico1October 26, 1980Sometime after 80/08/24.
Victor Rivera 4December 1980Sometime after 80/12/07; still champion as of 81/02/08.
Bobo Brazil 21981
Chris Adams 1March 01, 1981
John Tolos 111981
Victor Rivera 5March 1981
Mike Masters1March 27, 1981Los Angeles, CA
Bobo Brazil 3April 10, 1981Los Angeles, CA
Rick Davidson1April 17, 1981Los Angeles, CA
Victor Rivera 6May 01, 1981Los Angeles, CA
Peter Maivia 1May 25, 1981 San Jose, CA
Chino Chou1August 7, 1981Los Angeles, CAStarts claiming the title after his match against Maivia ends as a draw; Maivia is still billed as champion in San Bernardino, CA as of 81/08/23.
The Monster1October 17, 1981
Timothy Flowers1October 18, 1981Los Angeles, CA
Gran Hamada 1November 6, 1981
Timothy Flowers2November 13, 1981
Bobby Lane1December 13, 1982Sometime after 81/11/29.
Sweet Brown Sugar 1February 12, 1982Los Angeles, CA [8]
Adrian Street 1March 12, 1982Los Angeles, CA
Timothy Flowers3May 1982Los Angeles, CA
Kid Koby 1July 18, 1982San Bernardino, CA
Black Gordman5August 20, 1982Los Angeles, CA
Killer Kim1September 17, 1982
Chris Adams 21982
El Monarca1November 5, 1982Los Angeles, CA
Ciclon Negro 1November 12, 1982Los Angeles, CA
El Monarca2November 26, 1982Los Angeles, CA
Title retiredDecember 26, 1982Promotion closes on 82/12/26; Falco de Oro is billed as champion San Bernardino, CA on 83/07/16

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AWA World Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling tag team championship

The American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA National Heavyweight Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The NWA National Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the U.S.-based, National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

The NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship was a singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's St. Louis Wrestling Club and Central States Wrestling promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. It was considered a "stepping stone" to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. A version of the Missouri Championship has been documented to exist in 1899, 1921, 1933 to 1934, 1937, 1947, 1950, and 1954 to 1955, but it was only in 1972 that a serious championship was established. Prior to the creation of the NWA the championship was not recognized outside of the region and used by regional promoters, it is even possible that competing Missouri Heavyweight Championships existed. The championship was abandoned in 1986, as the Central States promotion was being consolidated under Jim Crockett Promotions in order to counter the World Wrestling Federation's national expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship was a major title in Championship Wrestling from Florida and is now the major title in NWA Florida Wrestling Alliance. It started in 1937 and was abandoned in 1949. It was picked back up in 1966 by CWF and lasted until 1987 when the company was purchased by Jim Crockett Promotions. In 1988, the newly created Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), soon renamed Pro Wrestling Federation (PWF), picked it back up in 1988 and it continued its lineage through NWA Florida, until they ceased operations in 2006. In 2009, Pro Wrestling Fusion revived the title until they left the NWA in 2011. For several months in 2012, a new Championship Wrestling from Florida affiliated with the NWA, briefly reviving the title until NWA Florida Underground Wrestling took over the championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCWA World Heavyweight Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area–based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The championship was originally created in June 1966 by WCWA's predecessor NWA Big Time Wrestling (BTW), billed as the local version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship before being renamed the NWA American Heavyweight Championship in May 1968. In 1982, Big Time Wrestling rebranded themselves as "World Class Championship Wrestling" (WCCW) and the championship was renamed the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship. In 1986 WCCW withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance, creating the World Class Wrestling Association, replacing the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship with the WCWA Heavyweight Championship, replacing the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship as the top title recognized by the promotion. In 1989, the WCWA championship was unified with the AWA World Heavyweight Championship to become the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship as WCWA merged with the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) to become the United States Wrestling Association. In 1990 WCWA split from the USWA, but the promotion folded without determining a WCWA World Heavyweight Champion. As it is a professional wrestling championship, the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship was not won by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match.

The NWA Detroit United States Heavyweight Championship was a version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship contested in Big Time Wrestling from 1959 until 1980. It was first introduced as the Chicago version of the championship and contested on shows produced by Fred Kohler Enterprises before moving to Big Time Wrestling in Detroit six years later. While the National Wrestling Alliance recognized only one World Heavyweight Champion, there were multiple "NWA United States Heavyweight Champion"s, as many NWA-affiliated promotions/"territories" across the U.S. each had its own version of an "American" or "United States" championship. For most such territories -- including Detroit -- the U.S. Title was the promotion's primary singles championship. Over its history, the title was held by stars including Bobo Brazil, The Sheik, Wilbur Snyder, Johnny Valentine, and multi-time AWA World Heavyweight Champions Verne Gagne and Dick the Bruiser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship was a major professional wrestling title in the Continental Wrestling Association during the 1970s and 1980s. The title is part of a long lineage that was started when the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship, in use since 1939, was renamed the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Memphis version) in 1974. The title's name changed again in 1978, when it was renamed the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship due to a partnership with the American Wrestling Association. It was also called the Mid-Southern Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling Illustrated and its sister publications, in order for this title to not be confused with Championship Wrestling from Florida's version of the title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USWA World Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling tag team championship

The USWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary professional wrestling tag team championship promoted by the Memphis, Tennessee-based United States Wrestling Association (USWA). The Continental Wrestling Association and World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA) merged in 1989 to form the USWA. In the merger the USWA replaced both the WCWA World Tag Team Championship and the CWA Tag Team Championship with the USWA version. The promotion awarded Cactus Jack and Scott Braddock the championship after they won the WCWA championship on August 4, 1989. The USWA closed in 1997, with PG-13 as the final champions. There were a total of 116 reigns in the eight year lifetime of the championship.

The WWC North American Tag Team Championship, also known as the Puerto Rican version of the NWA North American Tag Team Championship, was a major tag team championship that was used and defended in Capitol Sports Promotions. The promotion, still in operation today, is based out of Puerto Rico and was a National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) affiliate until 1988. This title was the third NWA sanctioned championship to use the "NWA North American Tag Team Championship" name and, while its name suggests it was a title defended across the continent, it was actually only used within the Puerto Rico territory.

The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and is defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which is still currently defended, began in 1935. From February 1940 through 1942 the title was known as the Hawaii Junior Heavyweight Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top championship, the Calgary version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship, was abandoned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling tag team championship

The NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling tag team championship

The NWA Mid-America Tag Team championship was a tag team title promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion NWA Mid-America that ran more or less exclusively in Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky, United States, from the 1940s until 1980. Originally the NWA Mid-America promoted their version of the NWA World Tag-Team titles but when they became defunct in 1977 the "Mid-America" title became the main title for the promotion. The titles were reactivated in 2001 under NWA Nashville's patronage and continued to exist until 2011 when they were again abandoned.

This was a regional NWA championship based in Japan. For the version of this title that was promoted in NWA All Star Wrestling in Canada, see NWA International Tag Team Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Southern Division)</span> Professional wrestling championship

The NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Southern Division) was originally the primary singles championship for Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling and was originally named the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship. As the name indicates the title was recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as a local title promoted in the Tennessee, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi region from 1957 until 1977 when its name was changed for the Southern Division of Southeast Championship Wrestling. In 1980 the title was abandoned and the Northern division of the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship became the main title of SECW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title for lighter wrestlers, board-controlled by the National Wrestling Alliance since December 1949.

The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of the National Wrestling Alliance, aside from the period from June 1966 to December 1967, when the promotion had a version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which was abandoned after that time.

The NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title of 50th State Big Time Wrestling and was defended between 1952 and 1979 when it was phased out. The title was later revived by the current incarnation of NWA Hawaii in 2000. It is the earliest regional tag team title in to be defended in the Pacific coast of the United States, along with the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship, and was originally defended in Honolulu, Hawaii. As of 2007, it is defended in Kalihi, Kaneohe and Wahiawa, Hawaii.

References

  1. ↑ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  2. ↑ WWA/NWA Americas Heavyweight title history
  3. ↑ Hoops, Brian (January 16, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/16): Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton win WCW Tag Team Titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  4. ↑ Hoops, Brian (January 15, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/15): Big John Studd wins 1989 Royal Rumble". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  5. ↑ Hoops, Brian (July 12, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (July 12): Gagne, Bruiser & Crusher, Ladd wins Americas title, 1992 Bash with Sting vs. Vader". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  6. ↑ Hoops, Brian (September 3, 2015). "ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY (SEPT. 3): RIC FLAIR VS. TERRY FUNK TEXAS DEATH MATCH, GREAT MUTA VS. STING, TED DIBIASE AND STAN HANSEN WINS AJPW TAG TITLES". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  7. ↑ Hoops, Brian (January 14, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/14): Christian wins NWA World Title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  8. 1 2 Hoops, Brian (February 12, 2017). "On this day in pro wrestling history (Feb 12): Christian Cage wins gold in TNA". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  9. ↑ Hoops, Brian (July 1, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (July 1): Ric Flair stripped of WCW title, Von Erich win WCCW Tag titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  10. ↑ Hoops, Brian (February 10, 2017). "DAILY PRO WRESTLING HISTORY (02/10): MASA SAITO WINS AWA GOLD AT THE TOKYO DOME". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  11. ↑ Hoops, Brian (January 12, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/12): The Outsiders win WCW Tag team titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 18, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.