WCWA World Heavyweight Championship

The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area-based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The championship was originally created in June 1966 but WCWA's predecessor NWA Big Time Wrestling (BTW), billed as the local version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship before being renamed the NWA American Heavyweight Championship in May 1968.[1] In 1982 Big Time Wrestling rebranded themselves as "World Class Championship Wrestling" (WCCW) and the championship was renamed the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship.[2] In 1986 WCCW withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance, creating the World Class Wrestling Association, replacing the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship with the WCWA Heavyweight Championship, replacing the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship as the top title recognized by the promotion.[2] In 1989, the WCWA championship was unified with the AWA World Heavyweight Championship to become the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship as WCWA merged with the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) to become the United States Wrestling Association.[3] In 1990 WCWA split from the USWA, but the promotion folded without determining a WCWA World Heavyweight Champion. As it is a professional wrestling championship, the WCWA World Heavyweight Chamionship was not won not by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match.[lower-alpha 1]

WCWA World Heavyweight Championship
The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship belt used from 1986 to 1989
Details
PromotionWorld Class Wrestling Association
Date establishedJune 6, 1966[1]
Date retired1990[2]
Other name(s)
  • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version)[1]
  • NWA American Heavyweight Championship[1]
  • WCCW American Heavyweight Championship[1]

The first recognized Texas based NWA United States Champion was Fritz Von Erich, introducing the championship to his Southwest Sports promotion as the top championship in his territory.[1][lower-alpha 2] Fritz Von Erich would go on to win the championship a record setting 20 times. At the time it was not unusual for the promoter, if he was also an active wrestler to hold the championship multiple times, being that he always be available to work shows and face off against various "outsiders". Fritz' last reign was on June 4, 1982 – 16 years after his first title victory.[1] Rick Rude was the last WCCW American Heavyweight Champion and announced as the first WCWA World Heavyweight Champion on February 21, 1986.[1][2] Jerry Lawler was the final champion, winning it on April 14, 1989, followed by the announcement that the championship had been unified with the AWA World Heavyweight Champion in September 1990.[3] The longest confirmed reign, Fritz Von Erich's fifth reign over all, lasted from March 27, 1967 to April 5, 1968 for a total of 375 days.[1][2] Von Erich's final reign was also the shortest in history, as he vacated moments after winning it in the main event of the Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show.[5][6] With his last title victory Fritz became the oldest champion, at 52 years of age. Fritz's second youngest son, Mike Von Erich, was the youngest champion at just (20 years, 5 months, 2 days).[1][2] At 200 lb (91 kg), Mike was the lightest champion, while King Kong Bundy, tipping the scale at 450 lb (200 kg) was the heaviest.

Title history
Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version)
1 Fritz Von Erich June 6, 1966 House show Texas 1 3 Defeated Brute Bernard to become the first champion [1]
Johnny Valentine June 9, 1966 House show Texas 1 56 [1]
3 Fritz Von Erich August 4, 1966 House show Texas 2 133 [1]
Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966.
4 Fritz Von Erich December 15, 1966 House show Texas 3 97 [1]
4 Brute Bernard March 1967 House show Texas 1 5 Sometime after March 22, 1967 [1]
5 Fritz Von Erich March 27, 1967 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 4 375 [1]
6 The Spoiler April 5, 1968 House show Houston, Texas 1 [lower-alpha 3] [1]
— Vacated April 1968 — — — — Title held up due to interference by manager Gary Hart [1]
NWA American Heavyweight Championship
7 Fritz Von Erich June 3, 1968 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 5 [lower-alpha 3] Won rematch [1]
8 Kenji Shibuya 1968 House show Texas 1 [lower-alpha 4] [1]
9 Fritz Von Erich July 26, 1968 House show Houston, Texas 6 258 [1]
10 Baron Von Raschke April 10, 1969 House show N/A 1 19 [1]
11 Fritz Von Erich April 29, 1969 House show N/A 7 3 [1]
12 Johnny Valentine May 2, 1969 House show Houston, Texas 2 [lower-alpha 5] [1]
13 Fritz Von Erich June 1969 House show N/A 8 [lower-alpha 3] [1]
14 Johnny Valentine June 9, 1969 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 3 56 [1]
15 Fritz Von Erich August 4, 1969 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 9 1 [1]
— Vacated August 5, 1969 — — — — Title held up after match against Johnny Valentine in Dallas, Texas because of the interference of Wahoo McDaniel [1]
16 Fritz Von Erich October 21, 1969 House show Dallas, Texas 10 94 Won rematch against Johnny Valentine [1]
17 Johnny Valentine January 23, 1970 House show Houston, Texas 4 21 [1]
18 Fritz Von Erich February 13, 1970 House show Houston, Texas 11 94 [1]
19 Boris Malenko May 18, 1970 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 15 Defeated Mil Máscaras in tournament final [1]
20 Fritz Von Erich June 2, 1970 House show Dallas, Texas 12 [lower-alpha 3] Defeats Great Malenko [1]
21 Baron von Raschke June 1970 House show Texas 2 [lower-alpha 3] [1]
22 Fritz Von Erich June 14, 1970 House show Texas 13 187 [1]
23 Toru Tanaka December 18, 1970 House show Houston, Texas 1 66 [1]
24 Fritz Von Erich February 22, 1971 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 14 1 [1][7]
25 Toru Tanaka February 23, 1971 House show Dallas, Texas 2 10 [1]
26 Wahoo McDaniel March 5, 1971 House show Houston, Texas 1 281 [1][8]
27 The Spoiler December 11, 1971 House show San Antonio, Texas 2 196 [1]
28 Billy Red Lyons June 24, 1972 Parade of Champions Irving, Texas 1 14 [1]
29 Johnny Valentine July 8, 1972 House show Corpus Christi, Texas 5 237 [1]
30 The Missouri Mauler March 2, 1973 House show Chicago, Illinois 1 158 Awarded when Valentine goes to Japan [1]
31 Fritz Von Erich August 7, 1973 House show Dallas, Texas 15 231 [1]
32 The Texan March 26, 1974 House show Dallas, Texas 1 21 [1]
33 Fritz Von Erich April 16, 1974 House show Dallas, Texas 16 228 [1]
34 Vacant November 30, 1974 House show Dallas, Texas 2 After a match against Blackjack Lanza [1]
35 Blackjack Lanza December 2, 1974 House show Texas 1 27 [1]
36 Fritz Von Erich December 29, 1974 House show Dallas, Texas 17 736 [1]
37 Bruiser Brody January 3, 1977 House show Atlanta, Georgia 1 99 [1]
38 Fritz Von Erich April 12, 1977 House show Dallas, Texas 18 1 [1]
39 Bruiser Brody April 13, 1977 House show Dallas, Texas 2 103 [1]
40 Captain USA July 25, 1977 House show Fort Worth, Texas 1 67 [1][9]
41 Ox Baker September 30, 1977 House show Houston, Texas 1 73 [1]
42 Fritz Von Erich December 12, 1977 House show Fort Worth, Texas 19 273 [1]
43 Bruiser Brody September 11, 1978 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 3 105 [1]
44 Kevin Von Erich December 25, 1978 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 97 [1]
45 The Spoiler April 1, 1979 House show Puerto Rico 3 42 [1]
46 Wahoo McDaniel May 13, 1979 House show Houston, Texas 2 20 [1][10]
47 The Spoiler June 2, 1979 House show Houston, Texas 4 64 Awarded due to injury to Wahoo McDaniel [1][11]
48 El Halcón August 5, 1979 House show Dallas, Texas 1 63 [1]
49 The Spoiler October 7, 1979 House show Dallas, Texas 5 54 [1]
50 Bruiser Brody November 30, 1979 House show Houston, Texas 4 33 [1]
51 Ox Baker January 2, 1980 House show San Francisco, California 2 10 [1][12]
52 Kevin Von Erich January 12, 1980 House show Dallas, Texas 2 99 [1]
53 Toru Tanaka April 20, 1980 House show Dallas, Texas 3 8 [1]
54 Kevin Von Erich April 28, 1980 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 3 21 [1]
55 Gino Hernandez May 19, 1980 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 74 [1]
56 El Halcón August 1, 1980 House show Houston, Texas 2 14 [1]
57 Gino Hernandez August 15, 1980 House show Houston, Texas 2 127 [1]
— Vacated December 20, 1980 — — — — Title held up after match against Kevin Von Erich [1]
58 Kerry Von Erich December 28, 1980 House show Dallas, Texas 1 [lower-alpha 6] Subbed for injured Kevin and won rematch against Hernandez [1]
59 Ken Patera 1981 House show Texas 1 [lower-alpha 3] [1]
60 The Masked Superstar 1981 House show Texas 1 [lower-alpha 3] [1]
61 Kerry Von Erich 1981 House show Texas 2 [lower-alpha 3] [1]
62 Ernie Ladd May 11, 1981 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 24 [1][13]
63 Kerry Von Erich June 4, 1981 House show New Orleans, Louisiana 3 113 [1]
64 The Great Kabuki September 25, 1981 House show Lawton, Oklahoma 1 92 [1]
65 Bugsy McGraw December 26, 1981 House show Columbus, Ohio 1 72 [1]
WCCW American Heavyweight Championship
66 Kerry Von Erich March 8, 1982 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 4 58 [1]
67 King Kong Bundy May 5, 1982 N/A Lawton, Oklahoma 1 30 [1][14]
68 Fritz Von Erich June 4, 1982 Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show Irving, Texas 20 0 [1][5][6]
— Vacated June 4, 1982 — — — — Fritz won the title in his retirement match and vacated it immediately [1][5][6]
69 King Kong Bundy June 15, 1982 House show N/A 2 82 Awarded when Fritz retired [1]
70 Kevin Von Erich September 5, 1982 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 4 138 [1][15]
71 Terry Gordy January 21, 1983 House show Dallas, Texas 1 42 [1]
72 Kevin Von Erich March 4, 1983 House show Dallas, Texas 5 129 [1]
— Vacated July 11, 1983 House show — — — Title held up after match against Jimmy Garvin [1]
73 Jimmy Garvin July 25, 1983 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 122 Won rematch[9] [9]
74 Chris Adams November 24, 1983 Thanksgiving Star Wars Dallas, Texas 1 31 [1][16][17]
75 Jimmy Garvin December 25, 1983 Christmas Star Wars Dallas, Texas 2 36 [1][18]
76 Chris Adams January 30, 1984 Wrestling Star Wars Ft. Worth, Texas 2 63 [1][19]
77 Jimmy Garvin April 2, 1984 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 3 2 [1]
78 Chris Adams April 4, 1984 House show Texas 3 [lower-alpha 3] [1]
79 Jimmy Garvin April 1984 House show Texas 4 18 [1]
80 Gino Hernandez May 18, 1984 House show San Juan, Puerto Rico 3 77 [1]
81 Mike Von Erich August 3, 1984 House show Dallas, Texas 1 31 [1]
82 Gino Hernandez September 3, 1984 Labor Day Star Wars Ft. Worth, Texas 4 56 [20] [1][21]
83 Kerry Von Erich October 29, 1984 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 5 102 [1]
84 Chris Adams February 8, 1985 House show Dallas, Texas 4 147 Aired February 16, 1985 on WCCW Episode #164 [1]
85 Iceman King Parsons July 5, 1985 House show Dallas, Texas 1 122 [1]
86 Rick Rude November 4, 1985 House show Ft. Worth, Texas 1 242 Rude is announced as the "new WCWA World Champion" before his match at the February 21, 1986 TV taping in Dallas. On the 3/1/86 episode of WCCW (Episode #218), a press conference airs with WCWA representative Ken Mantell declaring Rude as WCWA World Champion and stating the title would change hands via disqualification or referee's decision after a time limit draw [2]
WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986)
87 Chris Adams July 4, 1986 Independence Day Star Wars Dallas, Texas 5 77 Highlights aired on WCCW Episode #237 [2][22]
88 Black Bart September 19, 1986 House show Dallas, Texas 1 23 Adams leaves the company and Bart is introduced as the new champion at this WCCW TV taping during a ringside interview with Bill Mercer, who states Bart "won the title out on the West Coast" (Los Angeles). Aired on WCCW Episode #248 [2]
89 Kevin Von Erich October 12, 1986 3rd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza Dallas, Texas 6 313 Cotton Bowl event. Matched aired on WCCW Episode #251 [2][23][24]
90 Al Perez August 21, 1987 House show Dallas, Texas 1 198 Won by forfeit [2]
91 Kerry Von Erich March 6, 1988 House show Dallas, Texas 6 19 [2]
92 Iceman King Parsons March 25, 1988 House show Dallas, Texas 2 44 [2]
93 Kerry Von Erich May 8, 1988 5th Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions Irving, Texas 7 168 [25] [2][26][27]
94 Jerry Lawler October 23, 1988 House show Memphis, Tennessee 1 12 [2]
95 Kerry Von Erich November 4, 1988 House show Dallas, Texas 8 35 [2]
96 Tatsumi Fujinami December 9, 1988 House show Tokyo, Japan 1 1 Von Erich was bleeding too heavily to continue [2]
97 Kerry Von Erich December 10, 1988 House show N/A 9 3 Title returned when Fujinami refuses it because of ending [2]
98 Jerry Lawler December 13, 1988 SuperClash III Chicago, Illinois 2 113 Lawler was the reigning AWA World Heavyweight Champion. He defeats Kerry Von Erich to win the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship. This results in the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship being formed. In January 1989, he was stripped of the AWA title by the AWA, ending the AWA title's connection with the USWA Unified World Heavyweight title. Lawler continued to be recognized as the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion by the USWA [2][28][29]
— Vacated April 5, 1989 House show — — — The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship is held up after the match against Kerry Von Erich. Regardless, the USWA continued to recognize the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship [2]
99 Jerry Lawler April 14, 1989 House show N/A 3 [lower-alpha 7] Lawler defeats Kerry Von Erich to win the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship again. Lawler claims to still be champion in AWA and wins the USWA Unified World Heavyweight title on April 25 [2]
— Deactivated September 1990 — — — — World Class Championship Wrestling ends business relationship with USWA, ending the WCWA title's connection with the USWA Unified World Heavyweight title. World Class Championship Wrestling later closes down. Regardless, the USWA continued to recognize the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship

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"[4]
  2. The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship was recognized by all NWA territories as the champion would travel the US to visit the promotions.
  3. The length of the reign is uncertain
  4. One of the dates for this championship is uncertain, which means that the reign lasted between 1 and 52 days.
  5. One of the dates for this championship is uncertain, which means that the reign lasted between 30 and 37 days.
  6. One of the dates for this championship is uncertain, which means that the reign lasted between 4 and 131 days.
  7. One of the dates for this championship is uncertain, which means that the reign lasted between 505 and 534 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. "NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1967-1968/05) - American Heavyweight Title (1968/05-1986/02)". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  2. "WCWA World Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  3. "Unified World Heavyweight Title [United States Wrestling Association]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  4. Hornbaker 2016, p. 550.
  5. "Texas Stadium 1982 Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show". Pro Wrestling History. June 4, 1982. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  6. "Historical Cards: Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show (June 4, 1982. Irving, Texas)". PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. p. 172. 2007 Edition.
  7. Hoops, Brian (February 22, 2017). "Daily pro wrestling history (02/22): Sting defeats Hogan to win vacant WCW title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  8. 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.
  9. Hoops, Brian (July 26, 2015). "On this day in history - Demon Vs. Santo, Gagne Vs. Kiniski". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  10. Hoops, Brian (May 13, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 13): Rick Martel wins AWA gold, Kurt Angle wins TNA title, Nash & Hall beat one man to win tag titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  11. Hoops, Brian (June 2, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (June 2): Hogan beats Inoki to win 1st IWGP tourney, HTM's Intercontinental title reign begins". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  12. Hoops, Brian (January 12, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/12): The Outsiders win WCW Tag team titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  13. Hoops, Brian (May 11, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 11): Von Erichs vs. Verne & Don Leo Jonathan, Shane Douglas vs 2 Cold Scorpio". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  14. 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.
  15. Hoops, Brian (September 5, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history: Gagne vs. Crusher loser leaves town, Von Erichs vs. Freebirds, Young Bucks vs. Machine Guns". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
  16. "Thanksgiving Star Wars". Pro Wrestling History. November 24, 1983.
  17. Hoops, Brian (November 24, 2019). "Daily Pro Wrestling history (11/24): The First Starcade". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  18. "Christmas Star Wars". Pro Wrestling History. December 25, 1983.
  19. "Wrestling Star Wars". Pro Wrestling History. January 30, 1984.
  20. 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.
  21. "Labor Day Star Wars". Pro Wrestling History. September 3, 1984.
  22. "Independence Day Star Wars". Pro Wrestling History. July 4, 1986.
  23. "3rd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza". Pro Wrestling History. October 12, 1986. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  24. "Historical Cards: 3rd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza (October 12, 1986. Dallas, Texas)". PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. p. 172. 2007 Edition.
  25. Hoops, Brian (May 8, 2017). "Daily Pro Wrestling History (05/08): Edge wins WWE title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  26. "Historical Cards: Parade of Champions 5 (May 8, 1988. Irving, Texas)". PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. p. 173. 2007 Edition.
  27. "5th Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions". Pro Wrestling History. May 8, 1988. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  28. "Historical Cards". 2007 Wrestling Almanac and Book of Facts. Kappa Publications. p. 159. 2007 Edition.
  29. "SuperClash III". Pro Wrestling History. December 13, 1988. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
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