WWA World Heavyweight Championship (Indianapolis)

Last updated
WWA World Heavyweight Championship
Details
Promotion World Wrestling Association
Date establishedApril 22, 1964
Date retired1989
Statistics
First champion(s) Dick the Bruiser
Final champion(s)Golden Lion
Most reigns Dick the Bruiser (13 reigns)
Longest reignGolden Lion (938 days)
Shortest reign Ernie Ladd (28 days)

The WWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Indianapolis-based World Wrestling Association from the promotion's formation in 1964 until the late 1980s.

Contents

Title history

Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDays
1 Dick the Bruiser April 22, 1964WWA showLos Angeles, California1324Defeated Freddie Blassie for the Los Angeles version of the championship; starts his own promotion in Indiana.
Vacated March 12, 1965Indianapolis, IndianaAfter a match in which the Bruiser is disqualified against Johnny Valentine.
2 Dick the Bruiser April 10, 1965WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana2133Defeated Johnny Valentine in rematch.
3 Gene Kiniski August 21, 1965WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1126
4 Dick the Bruiser December 25, 1965WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana3287Loses a unification match against AWA champion Mad Dog Vachon on March 26, 1966 in Chicago, IL but continues to be recognized in Indianapolis and other WWA towns (WWA started working with AWA and AWA titles are recognized in Chicago thereafter).
5 Mitsu Arakawa October 8, 1966WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1357
6 Wilbur Snyder September 30, 1967WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana188
7 Blackjack Lanza December 27, 1967WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1611
8 Dick the Bruiser August 29, 1969WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana4190
9 Baron von Raschke March 7, 1970WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1586 [1]
10 Dick the Bruiser October 14, 1971WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana543Repeated on October 23, 1971 in Detroit, Michigan.
11 Baron von Raschke November 26, 1971WWA showDetroit, Michigan2116Repeated in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 29, 1971; Dick the Bruiser Defeated Raschke in a death match on March 18, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan but is stripped in April 1972 with the match having no falls.
12Billy Red CloudMarch 21, 1972WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana135Raschke continues to be billed as champion in Elkhart, IN where he loses to Art Thomas on March 25, 1972; Thomas also recognized as champion in Detroit; the Detroit version is held-up after a match between Thomas and Baron Von Raschke on May 20, 1972 in Detroit, MI. [2]
13 Art Thomas April 25, 1972WWA showMinneapolis, Minnesota125
Vacated May 20, 1972Detroit, MichiganAfter a match against Baron von Raschke.
14 Baron von Raschke June 3, 1972WWA showDetroit, Michigan3301Defeated Red Cloud for the recognition in Indianapolis; also Defeated Art Thomas for the held-up Detroit version on June 3, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan.
15 Bob Ellis March 31, 1973WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1N/A
16 Jimmy Valiant January 1974WWA showDetroit, Michigan1N/A
17 Bob Ellis May 12, 1974WWA showDetroit, Michigan290
18 Ox Baker August 10, 1974WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1476
19 Pepper Gomez November 29, 1975WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1154
20 Masked Strangler May 1, 1976WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1308
21 Dick the Bruiser March 5, 1977WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana656 [3]
Vacated April 30, 1977After a match against Ivan Koloff.
22 Ivan Koloff June 18, 1977WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1147Wins rematch.
Vacated November 12, 1977After a match against Dick the Bruiser.
23 Dick the Bruiser December 26, 1977WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana7488Wins rematch.
Vacated April 28, 1979After a match against King Kong Brody.
24 Dick the Bruiser June 9, 1979WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana856Defeated King Kong Brody.
25 King Kong Brody August 4, 1979WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1301
26 Dick the Bruiser May 31, 1980WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana9126
Vacated October 4, 1980Indianapolis, IndianaAfter a match against Ernie Ladd.
27 Ernie Ladd November 1, 1980WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana128Wins rematch.
28 Dick the Bruiser November 29, 1980WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana10147
29 Johnny Valiant April 25, 1981WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1N/A
30 Dick the Bruiser April 1981WWA showN/A11N/A
31 Bobo Brazil July 24, 1981WWA showBartonville, Illinois179
32 Blackjack Mulligan October 11, 1981WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1N/A
33 Bobo Brazil November 1981WWA showKnoxville, Tennessee2N/A
Vacated February 13, 1982After a match against Harley Race where Race pins Brazil after using an illegal piledriver.
34 Harley Race April 24, 1982WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1N/ADefeated Brazil in rematch; Brazil continues to defend in smaller towns.
35 Dick the Bruiser January 1983WWA showN/A12N/AAwarded title.
36Bobby ColtJune 25, 1983WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1196
37 Spike Huber January 7, 1984WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1N/A
38Stormy GranzigJuly 1984WWA showTerre Haute, Indiana1N/APhantom title changeHuber is fired after splitting with Bruiser's daughter.
39 Greg Wojokowski October 1984WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana1N/A
40 Dick the Bruiser January 29, 1985WWA showIndianapolis, Indiana13N/A
41 Greg Wojokowski September 1985WWA showN/A2N/A
42 Scott Rechsteiner August 14, 1986WWA showDearborn, Michigan1262
43 Greg Wojokowski May 3, 1987WWA showToledo, Ohio3N/A
Vacated 1988Wojokowski retired
44Calypso Jim1988WWA showFort Wayne, Indiana1N/A
45Golden LionApril 16, 1989WWA showFort Wayne, Indiana1N/A
Deactivated1989Promotion closed.

References

  1. Hoops, Brian (March 7, 2020). "Daily Pro Wrestling history (03/07): Bruno Sammartino vs. Giant Baba". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  2. Hoops, Brian (March 21, 2020). "Daily pro wrestling history (03/21): Flair vs. Fujinami at WCW/NJPW Supershow". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  3. Hoops, Brian (March 5, 2017). "Daily Pro Wrestling History (03/05): The Hardy Boyz win WWF tag team gold". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved March 5, 2017.