PWF World Heavyweight Championship

Last updated
Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF) World Heavyweight Championship
PWFhebiJi Wang Zuo CIMG8754.jpg
The PWF Heavyweight Championship belt
Details
Promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling
Date establishedFebruary 27, 1973
Date retired1989
Statistics
First championGiant Baba
Most reigns Stan Hansen/Giant Baba (4 reigns)
Longest reignGiant Baba (1920 days)
Shortest reign Jumbo Tsuruta (<1 day)

The Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF) World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and one of the three titles that make up the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. It was created in 1973 by All Japan owner Giant Baba, after he won a series of ten matches against Bruno Sammartino (twice - one win, one draw), Terry Funk, Abdullah the Butcher, The Destroyer, Wilbur Snyder (twice - one win, one draw), Don Leo Jonathan, Pat O'Connor and Bobo Brazil.

Contents

The title, which had originally been classed as a world title, was downgraded to regional status after All Japan joined the National Wrestling Alliance but retained its status as the top All Japan singles title until 1983. In 1989 Jumbo Tsuruta and Stan Hansen would unify this, the NWA United National Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight title to create the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. The original belt remained in use as part of the Triple Crown until 2013, when the three belts were replaced by a single belt. As the original top belt in All Japan, its design formed the front plate of the new belt; the other two belts' designs took the sides. [1]

Title history

Key
SymbolMeaning
No.The overall championship reign
ReignThe reign number for the specific wrestler listed.
EventThe event in which the championship changed hands
N/AThe 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.
#WrestlerReignDateDays heldLocationEventNotesRef.
Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF)
1 Giant Baba 1February 27, 19731,920 Tokyo, Japan House show Baba originally defeats The Destroyer on December 19, 1972 via count out in a decision match. Unsatisfied with the result, Baba decides to earn the championship by winning a series of 10 matches, the last against Bobo Brazil. [2]
2 Tor Kamata 1June 1, 197811 Akita, Japan House show   [3]
3 Billy Robinson 1June 12, 1978128 Ichinomiya, Japan House show   
4 Abdullah the Butcher 1October 18, 1978115 Utsunomiya, Japan House show   
5 Giant Baba 2February 10, 19791,354 Chicago, Illinois, United States House show   [4]
6 Harley Race 1October 26, 1982108 Obihiro, Japan House show   
7 Giant Baba 3February 11, 1983209 St. Louis, Missouri, United States House show   [5]
8 Stan Hansen 1September 8, 1983327 Chiba, Japan House show   
9 Giant Baba 4July 31, 1984364Tokyo, Japan House show   [6]
10 Stan Hansen 2July 30, 1985249 Fukuoka, Japan House show   
11 Riki Choshu 1April 5, 1986 [Note 1] Yokohama, Japan House show Hansen's AWA World Heavyweight Championship was also on the line. The match ended in a disqualification. Because the PWF Championship could be won by disqualification but the AWA Championship could not, Choshu only won the PWF Championship. 
- Vacated -March 1987-N/AN/AVacated when Choshu left for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. 
12 Stan Hansen 3April 24, 1987320 Yokohama, Japan House show Defeated Hiroshi Wajima in a decision match. 
13 Genichiro Tenryu 1March 9, 1988140 Yokohama, Japan House show Tenryu also held the NWA United National Championship at this point in time 
14 Stan Hansen 4July 27, 1988265 Nagano, Japan House show Won the PWF World Heavyweight and NWA United National Championship. 
15 Jumbo Tsuruta 1April 18, 19890 Tokyo, Japan House show Tsuruta was the NWA International Heavyweight Champion. 
-Unified-April 18, 1989-N/AN/AThe PWF World Heavyweight Championship, NWA International Heavyweight Championship and NWA United National Championship unified to become the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. 

Combined reigns

Giant Baba as PWF World Heavyweight Champion, 1982 Giant Baba, 1982.png
Giant Baba as PWF World Heavyweight Champion, 1982
RankWrestlerNo. of
reigns
Combined
days
1 Giant Baba 43,847
2 Stan Hansen 41,161
3 Riki Choshu 1330 - 360
4 Genichiro Tenryu 140
5 Billy Robinson 128
6 Abdullah the Butcher 115
7 Harley Race 108
8 Tor Kamata 11
9 Jumbo Tsuruta <1

See also

Footnotes

  1. The exact date the championship was vacated is uncertain, which put the championship reign at between 330 and 360 days.

References

  1. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  2. Hoops, Brian (February 28, 2017). "Daily pro wrestling history (02/27): NXT takes over". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  3. Hoops, Brian (June 1, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (June 1): Rogers beats Gomez, Gordman & Goliath, Baba loses PWF Title, Flair Vs. KVE, Lawler Vs. Son, Undertaker Vs. Edge". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  4. 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.
  5. Hoops, Brian (February 11, 2017). "On this day in pro wrestling history (Feb 11): AJ Styles wins the IWGP Title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  6. Hoops, Brian (July 31, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (July 31): Stan Hansen wins NWA International title, Giant Baba, Hulk Hogan in AWA". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
Sporting positions
Preceded by All Japan Pro Wrestling's top heavyweight championship
1986–1989
Succeeded by