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NWL Heavyweight Championship | |||||||||||
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Details | |||||||||||
Promotion | National Wrestling League | ||||||||||
Date established | 1989 | ||||||||||
Current champion(s) | Antony Atom | ||||||||||
Date won | July 28, 2018 | ||||||||||
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The NWL Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in the National Wrestling League promotion. It was created on March 3, 1989, when John Rambo defeated "Russian" Ivan Koloff in Elk Garden, West Virginia. The title is defended primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast, most often in Hagerstown, Maryland, but also as far west as Ohio. In October 1991, the title changed twice during a tour of Guam when Cactus Jack defeated John Rambo to win the first singles title of his career. [1] On October 23, 1991, John Rambo regained the title from Cactus Jack in front of 15,000 fans at the University of Guam Athletic Complex. [2]
Many former champions include ex-World Wrestling Federation veterans such as The Iron Sheik, The Patriot, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Headshrinker Samu [1] and Gangrel. Independent wrestlers Corporal Punishment and Morgus the Maniac have also held the title. There are 21 recognized known champions with a total of 38 title reigns. [2] [3]
Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Rambo | 1 | March 3, 1989 | Elk Garden, West Virginia | Defeated "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff to become first champion. [1] [2] [3] |
The Iron Sheik | 1 | 1990 | Virginia | [2] |
John Rambo | 2 | 1990 | Virginia | [2] |
Cactus Jack | 1 | October 22, 1991 | Guam | [1] [2] [3] |
The title is vacated by NWL President Dick Caricofe due to a match technicality. A rematch is sanctioned for the following day between Cactus Jack and John Rambo at the University of Guam Athletic Complex. | ||||
John Rambo | 3 | October 23, 1991 | Guam | [1] [3] |
The title is vacated by John Rambo. [1] [2] [3] | ||||
Neil Superior | 1 | November 1991 | Guam | Defeated Helmut Hesler to win vacant title. [1] [2] [3] |
Superior briefly lost the title in a November 1995 match against Shane Shadows in Clear Spring, Maryland, however the referee's decision was reversed when it was discovered that Shadows' had used his feet on the ropes to pin Superior. The title is eventually vacated following Superior's death on August 23, 1996. [1] [2] [3] | ||||
John Rambo | 4 | 1997 | Hagerstown, Maryland | Defeated Bob Starr for vacant title. [1] [2] [3] |
Gutterboy | 1 | April 22, 1999 | Waynesboro, Pennsylvania | [1] [2] [3] |
John Rambo | 5 | May 13, 1999 | Hagerstown, Maryland | [1] [2] [3] |
The title is vacated on December 13, 2000, when John Rambo surrendered the championship so it could be awarded to the NWL Wrestler of the Year at the end of the month. [1] [2] [3] | ||||
Spazman Anthony | 1 | December 29, 2000 | Hagerstown, Maryland | Awarded vacant title after being named NWL Wrestler of the Year. [1] [2] [3] |
Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka | 1 | February 1, 2001 | Frederick, Maryland | [1] [2] [3] |
Spazman Anthony | 2 | May 29, 2001 | Cumberland, Maryland | [1] [2] [3] |
John Rambo | 6 | June 26, 2001 | Hagerstown, Maryland | [1] [2] [3] |
Spazman Anthony | 3 | January 15, 2002 | Won title in special 6-man match. [1] [2] [3] | |
John Rambo | 7 | April 20, 2002 | Bainbridge Township, Ohio | [1] [2] [3] |
Jake "The Machine" Davis | 1 | January 11, 2003 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | [1] [2] [3] |
Headshrinker Samu | 1 | February 8, 2003 | Greencastle, Pennsylvania | Won title in a "Special Stipulations" 6-man tag team match. [1] [2] [3] |
Corporal Punishment | 1 | April 12, 2003 | Keyser, West Virginia | Match held at Potomac State College. [2] |
Headshrinker Samu | 2 | April 26, 2003 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | Match held at the Apollo Civic Theater. [2] |
Aidean | 1 | May 24, 2003 | Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania | [1] [2] [3] |
Morgus the Maniac | 1 | July 19, 2003 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | [1] [2] [3] |
Leslie Leatherman | 1 | November 1, 2003 | Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania | [1] [2] [3] |
The Patriot | 1 | January 23, 2004 | Newville, Pennsylvania | [1] [2] [3] |
Leslie Leatherman | 2 | January 24, 2004 | Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania | [1] [2] [3] |
Headshrinker Samu | 3 | February 14, 2004 | Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania | [1] [2] [3] |
Leslie Leatherman | 3 | May 8, 2004 | Hagerstown, Maryland | [1] [2] [3] |
Headshrinker Samu | 4 | June 18, 2004 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | Wins title but vacates it immediately after because he would not be able to make the next title defense in Newville, Pennsylvania on June 26. The title is put up in a 10-man Royal Rumble at the event. [1] [2] [3] |
Pirate of the Caribbean | 1 | June 26, 2004 | Newville, Pennsylvania | Won the vacant title in a 10-man battle royal. [1] [2] [3] |
Dorian Devile | 1 | July 3, 2004 | Hagerstown, Maryland | [1] [2] [3] |
OGB | 1 | July 8, 2004 | Won the title by forfeit when Devile failed to show up. [1] [2] [3] | |
Super Destroyer | 1 | July 17, 2004 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | [1] [2] [3] |
Snatch Haggis | 1 | September 18, 2004 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | Won title via forfeit when Super Destroyer failed to show up. [1] [2] [3] |
The title is vacated on October 7, 2004. [1] [2] [3] | ||||
Headshrinker Samu | 5 | October 9, 2004 | Defeated Gutterboy, John Rambo, and Carnage in a four way dance to win the vacant title. [1] [2] [3] | |
Genesis | 1 | March 19, 2005 | Newville, Pennsylvania | Defeated Headshrinker Samu and Kage in a triple threat match. [2] [3] |
Jason Static | 1 | May 21, 2005 | Newville, Pennsylvania | Won title by forfeit when Genesis was unable to compete due to injury. [2] [3] |
Gutterboy | 2 | August 13, 2005 | Newville, Pennsylvania | Defeated Jason Static, John Rambo and Nikita Annilov in a 4-Way Dance. [2] [3] |
John Rambo | 8 | December 17, 2005 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | [2] [3] |
Gutterboy | 3 | May 20, 2006 | Newville, Pennsylvania | Defeated John Rambo, Asian Sinsation and Ryot in a 4-Way Dance. [2] [3] |
Leslie Leatherman | 4 | March 31, 2007 | Gettysburg, Pennsylvania | Defeated Gutterboy, Professor Egon Ecton and LT in a 4-Way Dance elimination match. [2] [3] |
Gangrel | 1 | May 25, 2007 | Hagerstown, Maryland | Match held at South Hagerstown High School. [2] [3] |
The title is vacated on June 4, 2007, when Gangrel announced he would not be able to appear for the next scheduled title defense in Cambridge, Maryland at the end of the month. [2] [3] | ||||
Headshrinker Samu | 6 | June 30, 2007 | Cambridge, Maryland | Pinned Leslie Leatherman in a singles match to win the title. [2] [3] |
The title is vacated in January 2008. [2] [3] | ||||
Todd Hill | 1 | January 26, 2008 | Hagerstown, Maryland | Won title in a battle royal. [2] [3] |
Shane Shadows | 1 | July 7, 2009 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | Defeated Todd Hill and Thomas William Farnsworth in a Three Way Match. [2] [3] |
Cory Bush | 1 | 2010 | [2] | |
The title is vacated on 2012. [2] [3] | ||||
Gustin Uberstud | 1 | June 22, 2012 | Hagerstown, Maryland | Won title in a battle royal. [2] [3] |
Brandon Scott | 1 | 2014 | [2] | |
LA Starr | 1 | November 11, 2015 | [2] | |
Butch Hess | 1 | March 20, 2016 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | [2] |
The title is vacated on July 24, 2016. [2] [3] | ||||
Shorty Smalls | 1 | August 14, 2016 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | [2] |
Butch Hess | 2 | October 15, 2016 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | [2] |
The title is vacated on October 15, 2016. [2] [3] | ||||
Animal | 1 | November 20, 2016 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | |
The title is vacated on March 3, 2017. [2] [3] | ||||
Lance Anoa'i | 1 | April 1, 2017 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | |
Jake "The Machine" Davis | 2 | July 22, 2017 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | |
Ishman Martinez | 1 | October 21, 2017 | Martinsburg, West Virginia | Defeated Jake "The Machine" Davis.. [2] [3] |
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