NWF North American Heavyweight Championship
Encyclopedia
The NWF North American Heavyweight Championship was a secondary singles title
in the American professional wrestling
promotion
, the National Wrestling Federation
. The title started in 1968 as a National Wrestling Alliance
title, named the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Buffalo/Cleveland version) until the NWF was founded in 1970. It was then renamed with the NWF name. The NWF would close in 1974, and the title migrated to New Japan Pro Wrestling
. The title was then abandoned in 1981.
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
in the American professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
, the National Wrestling Federation
National Wrestling Federation
The original National Wrestling Federation was a wrestling promotion based in Buffalo, New York and owned by promoter Pedro Martínez. It ran from 1970-1974. The promotion was then revived in 1986 by Robert Raskin...
. The title started in 1968 as a National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
title, named the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Buffalo/Cleveland version) until the NWF was founded in 1970. It was then renamed with the NWF name. The NWF would close in 1974, and the title migrated to New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. The title was then abandoned in 1981.
Title history
Silver areas in the history indicate periods of unknown lineage. An indicates that a title changes occurred no later than the listed date.| Wrestlers: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Buffalo/Cleveland version) | ||||
| Moose Cholak | 1 | October 1968 | ||
| Johnny Powers | 1 | May 1969 | ||
| Bulldog Brower | 1 | January 1, 1970 | Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... |
|
| Johnny Powers | 2 | 1970 | ||
| Bulldog Brower | 2 | July 2, 1970 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| NWF North American Heavyweight Championship | ||||
| Ernie Ladd Ernie Ladd Ernest "Ernie" Ladd , nicknamed "The Big Cat" was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler.-Pro Football career:... |
1 | December 5, 1970 | Akron, Ohio Akron, Ohio Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan... |
|
| Waldo Von Erich Waldo Von Erich Walter Paul Sieber was a Canadian professional wrestler under the ring name Waldo Von Erich. He was billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich, but was not actually related to Fritz or the rest of the Von Erich family.... |
1 | June 1971 | ||
| Johnny Powers | 3 | October 1971 | ||
| Johnny Valentine Johnny Valentine Johnny Valentine was a professional wrestler with a career spanning almost three decades. He has been inducted into four halls of fame for his achievements in wrestling... |
1 | September 1, 1972 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| Title held up after a match against Johnny Powers on September 22, 1972 in Cleveland, Ohio, where Powers defeated Valentine for the title. The title was held up while the match was under review. | ||||
| Johnny Powers | 4 | 1972 | ||
| Johnny Valentine | 2 | November 23, 1972 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| Karl von Krupp | 1 | 1973 | ||
| Johnny Powers | 5 | February 3, 1973 | ||
| Eric the Animal Ib Solvang Hansen Ib Solvang "Eric" Hansen was a Danish professional wrestler, known by his ring name Eric the Red, who competed in North American and international regional promotions during the 1960s and 70s, including Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling, Maple Leaf Wrestling and National Wrestling Federation.One of... |
1 | February 17, 1973 | Buffalo, New York Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the... |
|
| Johnny Powers | 6 | May 16, 1973 | Buffalo, New York | |
| J.B. Psycho | 1 | June 16, 1973 | Buffalo, New York | |
| Johnny Powers | 7 | 1973 | ||
| Ernie Ladd | 2 | 1974 | ||
| Ox Baker Ox Baker Douglas A. Baker better known professionally as Ox Baker, is an American former professional wrestler and actor, and was feared for his dreaded finishing move, the Heart Punch, sometimes called the "Hurt Punch", after Baker's famous catchphrase "I love to hurt people!" He has appeared in several... |
1 | 1974 | ||
| Dominic DeNucci Dominic DeNucci Dominic DeNucci is an Italian-American professional wrestler. He is also an accomplished trainer, counting former World Heavyweight champions Mick Foley and Shane Douglas, as well as referee Brian Hildebrand, among his students.-Early career:... |
1 | April 1974 | ||
| Stan Stasiak Stan Stasiak George Stipich , better known by his ring name Stan Stasiak, was a Canadian professional wrestler and fifth World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion. He is the father of professional wrestler Shawn Stasiak.-Career:... |
1 | July 1974 | ||
| Johnny Powers | 8 | January 1979 | ||
| Seiji Sakaguchi Seiji Sakaguchi is a retired Japanese professional wrestler who was a mainstay of New Japan Pro Wrestling and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance.... |
1 | January 26, 1979 | Okayama, Japan Okayama, Okayama is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of August 2010, the city has an estimated population of 705,224 and a population density of 893 persons per km². The total area is 789.88 km².... |
|
| Tiger Jeet Singh Tiger Jeet Singh Jagjit Singh Hans is a semi-retired professional wrestler, known better by his ring name Tiger Jeet Singh. He wrestled as a crazed heel, coming to the ring with a sword in his mouth . Singh wrestled in Japan for 22 years... |
1 | September 21, 1979 | Sendai, Japan | |
| Title abandoned on May 21, 1981. | ||||
See also
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- National Wrestling FederationNational Wrestling FederationThe original National Wrestling Federation was a wrestling promotion based in Buffalo, New York and owned by promoter Pedro Martínez. It ran from 1970-1974. The promotion was then revived in 1986 by Robert Raskin...
- New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...