WCWA Television Championship

The WCWA Television Championship was a secondary professional wrestling championship that was used and defended in the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). Originally created in 1979 as the NWA Television Championship, one of many television championships across the NWA territories, it was primarily defended on their weekly television show. At the time of its creation the championship was promoted by NWA Big Time Wrestling (BTW). BTW changed its name to "World Class Championship Wrestling" (WCCW) in 1982 and the championship became known as the WCCW Television Championship. In 1986 WCCW withdrew from the NWA and became known as the World Class Wrestling Association. As it is a professional wrestling championship, it is won not by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match.[lower-alpha 1]

WCWA Television Championship
Details
Promotion
Date establishedJanuary 7, 1979
Date retiredApril 1987
Other name(s)
  • NWA Television Championship (Texas version)
  • WCCW Television Championship

The first NWA Television Champion was The Spoiler, who won a battle royal on January 7, 1979 to claim the championship.[2][3] Bill Irwin won the championship a record-setting seven times between 1979 and 1982. Irwin's second reign lasted 181 days, the longest individual reign of any of the champions and his combined reigns total at least 464 days, possibly 467 days.[2][3] Kevin Von Erich was awarded the championship due to a disqualification, but refused to win the championship in such manner and immediately vacated it, putting his reign at only a couple of minutes, the shortest of any champion.[2][3] After the final champion, Tony Atlas, left the company, the Championship was abandoned in April 1987.[2][3]


Title history
Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
N/A Unknown information
† Championship change is unrecognized by the promotion
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
NWA Television Championship (Texas version)
1 The Spoiler January 7, 1979 BTW show Houston, Texas 1 146 Won the championship in a battle royal [2][3]
2 Bill Irwin June 2, 1979 BTW show Houston, Texas 1 181 [2][3]
3 José Lothario November 30, 1979 BTW show Texas 1 43 [2][3]
4 Bill Irwin January 12, 1980 BTW show Dallas, Texas 2 62 [2][3]
5 José Lothario March 14, 1980 BTW show Texas 2 140 [2][3]
6 Bill Irwin August 1, 1980 BTW show Houston, Texas 3 163 [2][3]
7 Brian Adias January 11, 1981 BTW show Dallas, Texas 1 120 [2][3]
8 Bill Irwin May 11, 1981 BTW show Ft. Worth, Texas 4 4 [2][3]
— Vacated May 15, 1981 — — — — Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [2][3]
WCCW Television Championship
9 The Spoiler May 17, 1982 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 2 1 Won the vacant championship by winning a battle royal. [2][3]
10 Frank Dusek May 18, 1982 WCCW show Texas 1 25 [2][3]
11 The Spoiler June 12, 1982 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 3 23 [2][3]
12 Bill Irwin July 5, 1982 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 5 5 [2][3]
13 Brian Adias July 10, 1982 WCCW show Texas 2 9 [2][3]
14 Bill Irwin July 19, 1982 WCCW show Texas 6 48 [2][3]
15 Bugsy McGraw September 5, 1982 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 [lower-alpha 2] [2][3]
16 Bill Irwin October 1982 WCCW show Texas 7 [lower-alpha 3] [2][3]
17 Checkmate October 4, 1982 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 [lower-alpha 4] [2][3]
Championship history is unrecorded from to October 1982.
18 Frank Dusek October 1982 WCCW show Texas 2 [lower-alpha 5] [2][3]
19 Al Madril November 1, 1982 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 63 [2][3]
20 The Great Kabuki January 3, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 35 [2][3]
21 N'Tola Yatsu February 7, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 49 [2][3]
22 Iceman Parsons March 28, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 63 [2][3]
23 The Mongol May 30, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 42 [2][3]
24 Chris Adams July 11, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 105 [2][3]
25 Jimmy Garvin October 24, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 7 [2][3]
26 Johnny Mantell October 31, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 28 [2][3]
27 The Super Destroyer November 28, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 7 [2][3]
28 Brian Adias December 5, 1983 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 3 35 [2][3]
29 The Super Destroyer January 9, 1984 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 2 28 [2][3]
30 Iceman Parsons February 6, 1984 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 2 14 [2][3]
31 Kelly Kiniski February 20, 1984 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 77 [2][3]
32 Killer Khan May 7, 1984 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 14 Defended the championship on behalf of an Kiniski and was awarded the belt. [2][3][4]
33 Kevin Von Erich May 21, 1984 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 0 Won the title by disqualification. [2][3]
— Vacated May 21, 1984 — — — — Kevin Von Erich vacated championship as he did not want to win the title by disqualification. [2][3]
34 Chris Adams June 11, 1984 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 2 63 [2][3]
35 Jake Roberts August 13, 1984 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 21 [2][3]
36 Chris Adams September 3, 1984 Labor Day Star Wars Ft. Worth, Texas 3 126 [2][3][5][6]
37 Billy Haynes January 7, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 28 Defeated Gino Hernandez who substituted for an absent Adams. [2][3]
— Vacated February 4, 1985 — — — — Haynes left WCCW and vacated the title after (in storyline) being attacked and injured by Oliver on February 4th in Ft. Worth. The footage and announcement of Haynes' injury aired on February 16, 1985. [2][3]
38 Rip Oliver February 4, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 49 Defeated Buck Zumhofe. [2][3]
— Vacated March 25, 1985 — — — — Rip Oliver was suspended for attacking Mike Von Erich and the championship was taken from him. [2][3]
39 Scott Casey April 1, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 70 Defeated Dennis Condrey. [2][3]
40 Killer Tim Brooks June 10, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 35 [2][3]
41 Iceman Parsons July 15, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 3 21 [2][3]
— Vacated August 5, 1985 — — — — Parsons did not show up for a title match against John Tatum. [2][3]
42 John Tatum August 5, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 77 Defeated Shawn Cody to win the vacant championship [2][3]
43 Iceman Parsons October 21, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 4 [lower-alpha 6] [2][3]
— Vacated November 1985 — — — — Parsons was injured by Rick Rude and could not compete. [2][3]
44 Dave Peterson December 2, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 7 Defeated The Grappler. [2][3]
45 Jack Victory December 9, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 14 [2][3]
46 Mark Youngblood December 23, 1985 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 14 [2][3]
47 Buddy Roberts January 6, 1986 WCCW show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 77 [2][3]
WCWA Television Championship
48 Lance Von Erich March 24, 1986 WCWA show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 52 [2][3]
49 Rick Rude May 5, 1986 WCWA show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 12 [2][3][7]
50 Bruiser Brody May 17, 1986 WCWA show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 [lower-alpha 7] Won the championship by disqualification. [2][3]
51 Chris Adams June 1986 WCWA show Texas 4 [lower-alpha 8] Was given the title by an injured Bruiser Brody. [2][3]
52 Buzz Sawyer June 16, 1986 WCWA show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 56 [2][3]
53 Steve Simpson August 11, 1986 WCWA show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 70 [2][3][8]
54 Crusher Yurkof October 20, 1986 WCWA show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 42 [2][3]
55 Tony Atlas December 1, 1986 WCWA show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 [lower-alpha 9] Won the match and the championship by disqualification. [2][3]
— Deactivated April 1987 — — — — Tony Atlas left WCCW and the championship was abandoned. [2][3]

Combined length
Key
¤ The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used.
Rank Wrestler No. of reigns Combined days
1 Bill Irwin7464¤
2 Chris Adams4295¤
3 José Lothario2183
4 The Spoiler3170
5 Brian Adias3164
6 Tony Atlas1121¤
7 Iceman Parsons4109¤
8 Bruiser Brody292¤
9 Buddy Roberts177
John Tatum177
Kelly Kiniski177
12 Scott Casey170
13 Steve Simpson170
Al Madril163
15 Buzz Sawyer156
16 Lance Von Erich152
17 Rip Oliver149
N'Tola Yatsu149
19 N'Tola Yatsu142
20 The Mongol142
21 Killer Tim Brooks135
The Great Kabuki135
The Super Destroyer235
24 Billy Haynes128
25 Johnny Mantell128
26 Frank Dusek227¤
27 Bugsy McGraw126¤
28 Bugsy McGraw125
29 Jake Roberts121
30 Jack Victory114
Killer Khan114
Mark Youngblood114
33 Rick Rude112
34 Dave Peterson17
Jimmy Garvin17
36 Checkmate11¤
37 Kevin Von Erich10

See also

Footnotes
  1. Hornbaker (2016) p. 550: "Professional wrestling is a sport in which match finishes are predetermined. Thus, win/loss records are not indicative of a wrestler's genuine success based on their legitimate abilities – but on now much, or how little they were pushed by promoters"[1]
  2. The exact date on which Bugsy McGraw lost the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 26 and 29 days.
  3. The exact date on which Bill Iwrin won the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 0 and 3 days.
  4. The exact date on which Checkmate vacated the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 0 and 27 days.
  5. The exact date on which Frank Dusek won the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 2 and 28 days.
  6. The exact date on which Iceman Parsons vacated the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 11 and 40 days.
  7. The exact date on which Bruiser Brody gave up the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 15 and 30 days.
  8. The exact date on which Chris Adams was given the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 0 and 161 days.
  9. The exact date on which WCCW abandoned the title is unknown, which means the title reign lasted between 121 and 150 days.

References
  • Hornbaker, Tim (2016). "Statistical notes". Legends of Pro Wrestling - 150 years of headlocks, body slams, and piledrivers (Revised ed.). New York, New York: Sports Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61321-808-2.
  1. Hornbaker 2016, p. 550.
  2. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Texas: WCWA Television Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 396. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  3. "World Class Television Title". Wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  4. F4W Staff (May 7, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 7): Jeff Jarrett ends David Arquette's WCW title reign, Nick Bockwinkel Vs. Ray Stevens". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  5. "Labor Day Star Wars 1984". Pro Wrestling History. September 3, 1984. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  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. F4W Staff (May 5, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 5): Bruno Vs. Gorilla in Puerto Rico, 2nd annual Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  8. Hoops, Brian (August 11, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (August 11): Verne Gagne vs. Lou Thesz for AWA title, first ever G1 final". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
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