Post by Nathan Versus on Jan 10, 2006 15:49:03 GMT
1 Orville Brown
(August 14th 1948)
Brown was reigning Midwest Wrestling Association (MWA) champion, awarded as the first National Wrestling Alliance World champion when the MWA absorbed into the National Wrestling Alliance. Title vacated when Brown was injured in a car accident on November 1st 1949.
2 Lou Thesz
(November 27th 1949)
Thesz, who was number one contender, was awarded the vacant title.
3 "Whipper" Billy Watson
(March 15th 1956 / Toronto, Canada)
Watson won the title by count-out. The special referee was Jack Dempsey.
4 Lou Thesz (2)
(September 11th 1956/ St. Louis, Missouri)
Thesz lost to Edouard Carpentier on 14th June 1957 in Chicago, Illinois, when Thesz couldn't continue due to a back injury. NWA ruled the title couldn't change hands through an injury and gave the belt back to Thesz.
Carpentier was recognized as World Champion in Omaha, Nebraska and by World Wrestling Association (WWA) in Los Angeles to legitimize the lineages of their respective World titles.
5 Dick Hutton
(November 14th 1957/ Toronto, Canada)
6 Pat O'Connor
(January 9th 1959/ St. Louis, Missouri)
7 "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
(June 30th 1961/ Chicago, Illinois)
8 Lou Thesz (3)
(January 24th 1963/ Toronto, Canada)
Promoters in the North East refused to recognize Buddy Rogers's one-fall loss to Thesz and started the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) with Rogers as the first WWWF World Heavyweight champion. Thesz unified the NWA Championship with the Ohio based American Wrestling Association championship.
9 Gene Kiniski
(July 7th 1966/ St. Louis, Missouri)
10 Dory Funk, Jr.
(February 11th 1969/ Tampa, Florida)
Funk won by submission with a spinning toe hold.
11 Harley Race
(March 24th 1973/ Kansas City, Missouri)
12 Jack Brisco
(July 20th 1973/ Houston, Texas)
13 Giant Baba
(December 2nd 1974/ Kagoshimi, Japan)
1st fall; Baba (11:47), 2nd fall; Brisco (5:39), 3rd fall; Baba (3:20).
14 Jack Brisco (2)
(December 9th 1974/ Toyohashi, Japan)
1st fall; Baba (13:47), 2nd fall; Brisco (3:30), 3rd fall; Brisco (2:34)
15 Terry Funk
(December 10th 1975/ Miami, Florida)
16 Harley Race (2)
(February 6th 1977/ Toronto, Ontario)
17 Dusty Rhodes
(August 21th 1979/ Tampa, Florida)
18 Harley Race (3)
(August 26th 1979/ Orlando, Florida)
19 Giant Baba (2)
(October 31st 1979/ Nagoya, Japan)
20 Harley Race (4)
(November 7th 1979/ Amagaseki, Japan)
21 Giant Baba (3)
(September 4th 1980/ Saga, Japan)
22 Harley Race (5)
(September 9th 1980/ Ohtsu, Japan)
23 Tommy Rich
(April 27th 1981/ Augusta, Georgia)
24 Harley Race (6)
(May 1st 1981/ Gainsville, Georgia)
25 Dusty Rhodes (2)
(June 21st 1981/ Atlanta, Georgia)
26 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair
(September 17th 1981/ Kansas City, Missouri)
The Midnight Rider (Dusty Rhodes) defeated Ric Flair on February 9th 1983 in Tampa, Florida but returned the belt when asked to identify himself by NWA president Bob Geigel. Flair wrestled Jack Veneno in the Dominican Republic for the NWA Championship in late 1982, and lost. He pinned Veneno a few days later in a rematch. NWA promoters in the U.S., Canada, Japan, or anywhere else for that matter, never mentioned the title switches with Veneno. A short time later, Flair alledgedly dropped the title to Victor Jovica in a similiar manner and won it back in a rematch. Flair also wrestled Carlos Colon in Puerto Rico on January 6th, 1983 in a match that was billed as a unification match for the NWA and WWC World Titles. Flair lost the match, and the title, but this was never acknowledged in the US. Some reports state that Flair then won the title back a few days later in Florida.
27 Harley Race (7)
(October 6th 1983/ St. Louis, Missouri)
28 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (2)
(November 11th 1983/ Greensboro, North Carolina)
Flair defeated Harley Race in a Steel Cage Match, with special referee Gene Kiniski.
29 Harley Race (8)
(March 21st 1984/ Wellington, New Zealand)
30 "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair (3)
(March 23rd 1984/ Kallang, Singapore)
31 Kerry Von Erich
(May 6th 1984/ Irving, Texas)
32 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (4)
(May 24th 1984/ Yokosuka, Japan)
1st fall; Von Erich (15:51), 2nd fall; Flair (3:24), 3rd fall; Flair (7:19).
33 Dusty Rhodes (3)
(July 25th 1986/ Greensboro, North Carolina)
Rhodes defeated Ric Flair in a Steel Cage Match.
34 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (5)
(August 7th 1986/ St. Louis, Missouri)
35 Ron Garvin
(September 9th 1987/ Detroit, Michigan)
Ron Garvin defeated Flair in a Steel Cage Match.
36 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (6)
(November 26th 1987/ Chicago, Illinois)
Flair defeated Ron Garvin in a Steel Cage Match.
37 Ricky Steamboat
(February 20th 1989/ Chicago, Illinois)
38 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (7)
(May 7th 1989/ Nashville, Tennessee)
39 Sting
(July 7th 1990/ Baltimore, Maryland)
40 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (8)
(January 11th 1991/ East Rutherford, New Jersey)
With the NWA no longer operating as an organization, the title exclusively was referred to as the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from January of 1991.
41 Tatsumi Fujinami
(March 21st 1991/ Tokyo, Japan)
Tatsumi Fujinami was recognized as NWA Champion in Japan. The WCW Championship was given back to Ric Flair after the decision was reversed to a disqualification thus splitting the WCW/NWA championships.
42 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (9)
(May 19th 1991/ St. Petersburg, Florida)
Flair reunified the WCW/NWA Championship but then was stripped of the Championship on September 8th 1991 after signing with World Wrestling Federation, where he claims the "Real World Heavyweight Title". NWA World Heavyweight Title is vacant.
43 Masahiro Chono
(August 12th 1992/ Tokyo, Japan)
Chono defeated Rick Rude in a tournament final to crown the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
44 The Great Muta (Keiji Muto)
(January 4th 1993/ Tokyo, Japan)
45 Barry Windham
(February 21st 1993/ Ashville, North Carolina)
46 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (10)
(July 18th 1993/ Biloxi, Missippi)
Recognition was dropped by the NWA in September 1993 when WCW withdraws from NWA. Flair continued to be recognized as world champion by WCW. The NWA continues as a legal entity following the withdrawal of WCW and holds a tournament for the revived NWA World Heavyweight Title in 1994.
47 Shane Douglas
(August 27th 1994/ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Douglas, Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) Heavyweight Champion, defeated Too Cold Scorpio in the final of a tournament to crown the new champion. Douglas immediately refused the belt and instead elevated his ECW Heavyweight Title to World Title status. ECW immediately withdrew from the NWA and changed their name to Extreme Championship wrestling.
48 Chris Candido
(November 19th 1994/ Cherry Hill, New Jersey)
Chris Candido defeated Tracey Smothers in the final of a tournament to crown a new champion.
49 Dan "The Beast" Severn
(February 24th 1995/ Erlanger, Kentucky)
50 Naoya Ogawa
(March 14th 1999/ Yokohama, Japan)
Defeated Severn by submission.
51 Gary Steele
(September 25th 1999/ Charlotte, North Carolina)
Ogawa made Brian Anthony submit then Steele beat Ogawa in a Three-Way-Dance for the title. Anthony eliminated at 4:25, Ogawa eliminated at 7:12.
52 Naoya Ogawa (2)
(October 2nd 1999/ Thomaston, Conneticut)
Title vacated on July 2nd 2000. Naoya Ogawa forfeited the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the press conference, saying his schedule wouldn't allow for title defenses since he wanted to concentrate on Rickson Gracie.
53 "Colorado Kid" Mike Rapada
(September 19th 2000/ Tampa, Florida)
Defeats Jerry Flynn in an 8-man tournament final to win the vacant title.
54 Sabu
(November 14th 2000/ Tampa, Florida)
55 "Colorado Kid" Mike Rapada (2)
(December 22nd 2000/ Nashville, Tennessee)
55 Steve Corino
(April 24th 2001/ Tampa, Florida)
Title held up on October 13th 2000, after a match between Steve Corino and Shin'ya Hashimoto was stopped by the referee.
56 Shinya Hashimoto
(December 15th 2001/ McKeesport, Pennsylvania)
Defeated Steve Corino and Gary Steele in a round-robin triangle match to win the held-up title.
57 Dan "The Beast" Severn (2)
(March 09th 2002/ Tokyo, Japan)
Title vacated when Severn was stripped of the of the belt by unanimous vote of the NWA Board of Directors.
58 Ken Shamrock
(June 19th 2002/ Birmingham, Alabama)
Defeated The Wall in Gauntlet finals for vacant title at the first TNA event.
59 Ron "The Truth" Killings
(August 7th 2002/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Killings becoms the first black NWA World Champ.
60 Jeff Jarrett
(November 20th 2002/ Nashville, Tennessee)
The WWAS World Heavyweight Title was unified with the NWA World Heavyweight Title on May 25th 2003, in Auckland, New Zealand when Jeff Jarrett defeated WWAS World Champion Sting.
61 A.J. Styles
(June 11th 2003/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Defeated Jeff Jarrett and Raven to become the new Champion.
62 Jeff Jarrett (2)
(October 22nd 2003/ Nashville, Tennessee)
63 A.J. Styles (2)
(April 21st 2004/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Styles also held the following titles in conjunction with the NWA Heavyweight Title: The Ring of Honor Pure Wrestling Title won on February 14th 2004 in Braintree, Massachusetts.
64 Ron "The Truth" Killings (2)
(May 19th 2004/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Defeated A.J. Styles, Chris Harris, and Raven in a Four Way match.
65 Jeff Jarrett (3)
(June 2nd 2004/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Defeated Ron Killings, Raven, A.J. Styles, and Chris Harris in a King of the Mountain match. Jeff Jarrett held the following titles in conjunction with the NWA World Heavyweight Title: The NWA CyberSpace Heavyweight Title won on April 30th 2005 in Wayne, New Jersey. This win unified the NWA CyberSpace Title with the NWA World Heavyweight.
66 A.J. Styles (3)
(May 15th 2005/ Orlando, Florida)
Tito Ortiz was special guest referee and knocked out Jeff Jarrett, allowing Styles to get the pin.
67 Raven
(June 19th 2005/ Orlando, Florida)
Defeated A.J. Styles, The Alpha Males, Abyss and Sean Waltman in a King of the Mountain match.
68 Jeff Jarrett (4)
(September 15th 2005/ Toronto, Canada)
69 Rhino
(October 23rd, 2005 / Orlando, Florida)
Rhino wins a 10-man gauntlet match to become number one contender, then defeats Jeff Jarrett to win the NWA championship
70 Jeff Jarrett (5)
(October 25th, 2005/ Orlando, Florida)
71 Christian Cage
(Febuary 12th, 2006/ Orlando, Florida)
72 Jeff Jarrett (6)
(June 18th, 2006/ Orlando, Florida)
Defeated Christian Cage, Sting, Abyss, and Ron Killings to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Was temporarily stripped of the title by Jim Cornette, but Cornette re-awarded the championship to Jarrett on June 30, 2006.
(August 14th 1948)
Brown was reigning Midwest Wrestling Association (MWA) champion, awarded as the first National Wrestling Alliance World champion when the MWA absorbed into the National Wrestling Alliance. Title vacated when Brown was injured in a car accident on November 1st 1949.
2 Lou Thesz
(November 27th 1949)
Thesz, who was number one contender, was awarded the vacant title.
3 "Whipper" Billy Watson
(March 15th 1956 / Toronto, Canada)
Watson won the title by count-out. The special referee was Jack Dempsey.
4 Lou Thesz (2)
(September 11th 1956/ St. Louis, Missouri)
Thesz lost to Edouard Carpentier on 14th June 1957 in Chicago, Illinois, when Thesz couldn't continue due to a back injury. NWA ruled the title couldn't change hands through an injury and gave the belt back to Thesz.
Carpentier was recognized as World Champion in Omaha, Nebraska and by World Wrestling Association (WWA) in Los Angeles to legitimize the lineages of their respective World titles.
5 Dick Hutton
(November 14th 1957/ Toronto, Canada)
6 Pat O'Connor
(January 9th 1959/ St. Louis, Missouri)
7 "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
(June 30th 1961/ Chicago, Illinois)
8 Lou Thesz (3)
(January 24th 1963/ Toronto, Canada)
Promoters in the North East refused to recognize Buddy Rogers's one-fall loss to Thesz and started the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) with Rogers as the first WWWF World Heavyweight champion. Thesz unified the NWA Championship with the Ohio based American Wrestling Association championship.
9 Gene Kiniski
(July 7th 1966/ St. Louis, Missouri)
10 Dory Funk, Jr.
(February 11th 1969/ Tampa, Florida)
Funk won by submission with a spinning toe hold.
11 Harley Race
(March 24th 1973/ Kansas City, Missouri)
12 Jack Brisco
(July 20th 1973/ Houston, Texas)
13 Giant Baba
(December 2nd 1974/ Kagoshimi, Japan)
1st fall; Baba (11:47), 2nd fall; Brisco (5:39), 3rd fall; Baba (3:20).
14 Jack Brisco (2)
(December 9th 1974/ Toyohashi, Japan)
1st fall; Baba (13:47), 2nd fall; Brisco (3:30), 3rd fall; Brisco (2:34)
15 Terry Funk
(December 10th 1975/ Miami, Florida)
16 Harley Race (2)
(February 6th 1977/ Toronto, Ontario)
17 Dusty Rhodes
(August 21th 1979/ Tampa, Florida)
18 Harley Race (3)
(August 26th 1979/ Orlando, Florida)
19 Giant Baba (2)
(October 31st 1979/ Nagoya, Japan)
20 Harley Race (4)
(November 7th 1979/ Amagaseki, Japan)
21 Giant Baba (3)
(September 4th 1980/ Saga, Japan)
22 Harley Race (5)
(September 9th 1980/ Ohtsu, Japan)
23 Tommy Rich
(April 27th 1981/ Augusta, Georgia)
24 Harley Race (6)
(May 1st 1981/ Gainsville, Georgia)
25 Dusty Rhodes (2)
(June 21st 1981/ Atlanta, Georgia)
26 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair
(September 17th 1981/ Kansas City, Missouri)
The Midnight Rider (Dusty Rhodes) defeated Ric Flair on February 9th 1983 in Tampa, Florida but returned the belt when asked to identify himself by NWA president Bob Geigel. Flair wrestled Jack Veneno in the Dominican Republic for the NWA Championship in late 1982, and lost. He pinned Veneno a few days later in a rematch. NWA promoters in the U.S., Canada, Japan, or anywhere else for that matter, never mentioned the title switches with Veneno. A short time later, Flair alledgedly dropped the title to Victor Jovica in a similiar manner and won it back in a rematch. Flair also wrestled Carlos Colon in Puerto Rico on January 6th, 1983 in a match that was billed as a unification match for the NWA and WWC World Titles. Flair lost the match, and the title, but this was never acknowledged in the US. Some reports state that Flair then won the title back a few days later in Florida.
27 Harley Race (7)
(October 6th 1983/ St. Louis, Missouri)
28 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (2)
(November 11th 1983/ Greensboro, North Carolina)
Flair defeated Harley Race in a Steel Cage Match, with special referee Gene Kiniski.
29 Harley Race (8)
(March 21st 1984/ Wellington, New Zealand)
30 "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair (3)
(March 23rd 1984/ Kallang, Singapore)
31 Kerry Von Erich
(May 6th 1984/ Irving, Texas)
32 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (4)
(May 24th 1984/ Yokosuka, Japan)
1st fall; Von Erich (15:51), 2nd fall; Flair (3:24), 3rd fall; Flair (7:19).
33 Dusty Rhodes (3)
(July 25th 1986/ Greensboro, North Carolina)
Rhodes defeated Ric Flair in a Steel Cage Match.
34 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (5)
(August 7th 1986/ St. Louis, Missouri)
35 Ron Garvin
(September 9th 1987/ Detroit, Michigan)
Ron Garvin defeated Flair in a Steel Cage Match.
36 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (6)
(November 26th 1987/ Chicago, Illinois)
Flair defeated Ron Garvin in a Steel Cage Match.
37 Ricky Steamboat
(February 20th 1989/ Chicago, Illinois)
38 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (7)
(May 7th 1989/ Nashville, Tennessee)
39 Sting
(July 7th 1990/ Baltimore, Maryland)
40 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (8)
(January 11th 1991/ East Rutherford, New Jersey)
With the NWA no longer operating as an organization, the title exclusively was referred to as the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from January of 1991.
41 Tatsumi Fujinami
(March 21st 1991/ Tokyo, Japan)
Tatsumi Fujinami was recognized as NWA Champion in Japan. The WCW Championship was given back to Ric Flair after the decision was reversed to a disqualification thus splitting the WCW/NWA championships.
42 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (9)
(May 19th 1991/ St. Petersburg, Florida)
Flair reunified the WCW/NWA Championship but then was stripped of the Championship on September 8th 1991 after signing with World Wrestling Federation, where he claims the "Real World Heavyweight Title". NWA World Heavyweight Title is vacant.
43 Masahiro Chono
(August 12th 1992/ Tokyo, Japan)
Chono defeated Rick Rude in a tournament final to crown the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
44 The Great Muta (Keiji Muto)
(January 4th 1993/ Tokyo, Japan)
45 Barry Windham
(February 21st 1993/ Ashville, North Carolina)
46 "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (10)
(July 18th 1993/ Biloxi, Missippi)
Recognition was dropped by the NWA in September 1993 when WCW withdraws from NWA. Flair continued to be recognized as world champion by WCW. The NWA continues as a legal entity following the withdrawal of WCW and holds a tournament for the revived NWA World Heavyweight Title in 1994.
47 Shane Douglas
(August 27th 1994/ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Douglas, Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) Heavyweight Champion, defeated Too Cold Scorpio in the final of a tournament to crown the new champion. Douglas immediately refused the belt and instead elevated his ECW Heavyweight Title to World Title status. ECW immediately withdrew from the NWA and changed their name to Extreme Championship wrestling.
48 Chris Candido
(November 19th 1994/ Cherry Hill, New Jersey)
Chris Candido defeated Tracey Smothers in the final of a tournament to crown a new champion.
49 Dan "The Beast" Severn
(February 24th 1995/ Erlanger, Kentucky)
50 Naoya Ogawa
(March 14th 1999/ Yokohama, Japan)
Defeated Severn by submission.
51 Gary Steele
(September 25th 1999/ Charlotte, North Carolina)
Ogawa made Brian Anthony submit then Steele beat Ogawa in a Three-Way-Dance for the title. Anthony eliminated at 4:25, Ogawa eliminated at 7:12.
52 Naoya Ogawa (2)
(October 2nd 1999/ Thomaston, Conneticut)
Title vacated on July 2nd 2000. Naoya Ogawa forfeited the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the press conference, saying his schedule wouldn't allow for title defenses since he wanted to concentrate on Rickson Gracie.
53 "Colorado Kid" Mike Rapada
(September 19th 2000/ Tampa, Florida)
Defeats Jerry Flynn in an 8-man tournament final to win the vacant title.
54 Sabu
(November 14th 2000/ Tampa, Florida)
55 "Colorado Kid" Mike Rapada (2)
(December 22nd 2000/ Nashville, Tennessee)
55 Steve Corino
(April 24th 2001/ Tampa, Florida)
Title held up on October 13th 2000, after a match between Steve Corino and Shin'ya Hashimoto was stopped by the referee.
56 Shinya Hashimoto
(December 15th 2001/ McKeesport, Pennsylvania)
Defeated Steve Corino and Gary Steele in a round-robin triangle match to win the held-up title.
57 Dan "The Beast" Severn (2)
(March 09th 2002/ Tokyo, Japan)
Title vacated when Severn was stripped of the of the belt by unanimous vote of the NWA Board of Directors.
58 Ken Shamrock
(June 19th 2002/ Birmingham, Alabama)
Defeated The Wall in Gauntlet finals for vacant title at the first TNA event.
59 Ron "The Truth" Killings
(August 7th 2002/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Killings becoms the first black NWA World Champ.
60 Jeff Jarrett
(November 20th 2002/ Nashville, Tennessee)
The WWAS World Heavyweight Title was unified with the NWA World Heavyweight Title on May 25th 2003, in Auckland, New Zealand when Jeff Jarrett defeated WWAS World Champion Sting.
61 A.J. Styles
(June 11th 2003/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Defeated Jeff Jarrett and Raven to become the new Champion.
62 Jeff Jarrett (2)
(October 22nd 2003/ Nashville, Tennessee)
63 A.J. Styles (2)
(April 21st 2004/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Styles also held the following titles in conjunction with the NWA Heavyweight Title: The Ring of Honor Pure Wrestling Title won on February 14th 2004 in Braintree, Massachusetts.
64 Ron "The Truth" Killings (2)
(May 19th 2004/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Defeated A.J. Styles, Chris Harris, and Raven in a Four Way match.
65 Jeff Jarrett (3)
(June 2nd 2004/ Nashville, Tennessee)
Defeated Ron Killings, Raven, A.J. Styles, and Chris Harris in a King of the Mountain match. Jeff Jarrett held the following titles in conjunction with the NWA World Heavyweight Title: The NWA CyberSpace Heavyweight Title won on April 30th 2005 in Wayne, New Jersey. This win unified the NWA CyberSpace Title with the NWA World Heavyweight.
66 A.J. Styles (3)
(May 15th 2005/ Orlando, Florida)
Tito Ortiz was special guest referee and knocked out Jeff Jarrett, allowing Styles to get the pin.
67 Raven
(June 19th 2005/ Orlando, Florida)
Defeated A.J. Styles, The Alpha Males, Abyss and Sean Waltman in a King of the Mountain match.
68 Jeff Jarrett (4)
(September 15th 2005/ Toronto, Canada)
69 Rhino
(October 23rd, 2005 / Orlando, Florida)
Rhino wins a 10-man gauntlet match to become number one contender, then defeats Jeff Jarrett to win the NWA championship
70 Jeff Jarrett (5)
(October 25th, 2005/ Orlando, Florida)
71 Christian Cage
(Febuary 12th, 2006/ Orlando, Florida)
72 Jeff Jarrett (6)
(June 18th, 2006/ Orlando, Florida)
Defeated Christian Cage, Sting, Abyss, and Ron Killings to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Was temporarily stripped of the title by Jim Cornette, but Cornette re-awarded the championship to Jarrett on June 30, 2006.
