The USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship was a 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...

 world heavyweight championship

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...

 formed in 1988, which consisted of the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship from World Class Championship Wrestling

World Class Championship Wrestling

World Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...

 and the AWA World Heavyweight Championship

AWA World Heavyweight Championship

The American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the highest ranked championship in the defunct American Wrestling Association. All AWA trademarks, including the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, are now owned by WWE...

 from the American Wrestling Association

American Wrestling Association

The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...

. The title was unified on December 13, 1988, when AWA World Champion Jerry Lawler

Jerry Lawler

Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...

 defeated WCWA World Champion Kerry Von Erich

Kerry Von Erich

Kerry Gene Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers...

 in a unification match.

The title was primarily recognized by and defended in the United States Wrestling Association

United States Wrestling Association

The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...

 until 1997, when the company ceased operations. However, the AWA withdrew its recognition of the championship shortly after the unification match when Lawler was stripped of the AWA world title. The title was also contested for in the World Wrestling Federation

World Wrestling Entertainment

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...

 in 1993.

Title history

Wrestler:	Reign #:	Date won:	Place won:	Notes:
Jerry Lawler Jerry Lawler Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...	1	December 13, 1988	Chicago, Illinois	Lawler was the reigning AWA World Heavyweight Champion AWA World Heavyweight Championship The American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the highest ranked championship in the defunct American Wrestling Association. All AWA trademarks, including the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, are now owned by WWE... . He defeats Kerry Von Erich Kerry Von Erich Kerry Gene Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers...  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 continues to be recognized as the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion by the USWA.
Master of Pain	1	April 1, 1989	Memphis, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
Jerry Lawler	2	April 25, 1989	Memphis, TN	The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship is held up in April 1989. Regardless, the USWA continues to recognize the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship. On April 14 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.
The Soultaker Charles Wright (wrestler) Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...	1	October 23, 1989	Memphis, TN	This title change was not recognised in the Texas/World Class branch of the USWA
Jerry Lawler	3	November 6, 1989	Memphis, TN
King Cobra	1	December 30, 1989	Memphis, TN	This title change was not recognised in the Texas/World Class branch of the USWA
Jerry Lawler	4	January 8, 1990	Memphis, TN
Jimmy Valiant Jimmy Valiant James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...	1	February 26, 1990	Memphis, TN	This title change was not recognised in the Texas/World Class branch of the USWA
Jerry Lawler	5	March 12, 1990	Memphis, TN
Jimmy Valiant	2	April 28, 1990	Memphis, TN	This title change was not recognised in the Texas/World Class branch of the USWA
Jerry Lawler	6	May 5, 1990	Memphis, TN
The Snowman	1	June 18, 1990	Memphis, TN
Stripped		August 27, 1990		Snowman no-shows title defense. (World Class Championship Wrestling ends business relationship with USWA in September 1990, ending the WCWA title's connection with the USWA Unified World Heavyweight title. Regardless, the USWA continues to recognize the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship.)
Jerry Lawler	7	October 8, 1990	Memphis, TN	Defeated Austin Idol Austin Idol Mike McCord is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name the "Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol.-Professional wrestling career:McCord graduated from Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida...  in tournament final
Terry Funk Terry Funk Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...	1	November 5, 1990	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	8	March 11, 1991	Memphis, TN
Awesome Kong	1	July 29, 1991	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	9	August 12, 1991	Memphis, TN
The Dragon Master	1	August 26, 1991	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	10	September 2, 1991	Memphis, TN
Kamala	1	November 25, 1991	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	11	December 2, 1991	Memphis, TN
Held Up		December 7, 1991		Title held up after match with Kamala
Kamala	2	December 9, 1991	Memphis, TN	Won rematch
Held Up		February 2, 1992		Title held up after match against Koko Ware
Kamala	3	February 10, 1992	Memphis, TN	Won rematch
Koko B. Ware	1	February 24, 1992	Memphis, TN
Kamala	4	March 16, 1992	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	12	May 4, 1992	Memphis, TN
Eddie Gilbert	1	June 15, 1992	Memphis, TN
Ricky Morton Ricky Morton Richard Wendell "Ricky" Morton is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such wrestling organizations as Jim Crockett Promotions, the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action...	1	July 13, 1992	Memphis, TN
Eddie Gilbert	2	July 20, 1992	Memphis, TN
Junkyard Dog Junkyard Dog Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog...	1	September 21, 1992	Memphis, TN
Butch Reed Butch Reed Butch Reed is an American professional wrestler best known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance/World Championship Wrestling.-Career:...	1	October 12, 1992	Memphis, TN
Todd Champion	1	October 17, 1992	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...
Jerry Lawler	13	November 2, 1992	Memphis, TN
Koko B. Ware	2	December 7, 1992	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	14	December 14, 1992	Memphis, TN
Papa Shango Charles Wright (wrestler) Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...	2	May 3, 1993	Memphis, TN
Owen Hart Owen Hart Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...	1	June 21, 1993	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	15	July 5, 1993	Memphis, TN
Tatanka Chris Chavis Christopher "Chris" Chavis , is a Native American professional wrestler best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as Tatanka from 1991 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2007...	1	September 13, 1993	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	16	September 20, 1993	Memphis, TN
Randy Savage Randy Savage Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...	1	October 11, 1993	Memphis, TN
Vacated		November 20, 1993		United States Wrestling Association United States Wrestling Association The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...  (USWA) & World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...  (WWF) temporarily end co-promotion
Jeff Jarrett Jeff Jarrett Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...	1	November 22, 1993	Memphis, TN	Won Battle Royal
Jerry Lawler	17	December 20, 1993	Memphis, TN
Eddie Gilbert	3	January 31, 1994	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	18	February 7, 1994	Memphis, TN
Eddie Gilbert	4	February 14, 1994	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	19	March 25, 1994	Senatobia, MS
Sid Vicious Sid Eudy Sidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...	1	July 16, 1994	Memphis, TN	Won by forfeit
Jerry Lawler	20	February 6, 1995	Memphis, TN
Bill Dundee Bill Dundee William "Bill" Cruickshanks is a Scottish born-Australian professional wrestler better known by his stage name Bill Dundee. Cruickshanks is the father of Jamie Dundee and the father-in-law of wrestler Bobby Eaton....	1	February 25, 1995	Memphis, TN
Razor Ramon Scott Hall Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...	1	April 3, 1995	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	21	May 1, 1995	Memphis, TN
Ahmed Johnson Anthony Norris Anthony "Tony" Norris , better known by his ring name, Ahmed Johnson, is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation, where he is a one time Intercontinental Champion and the first-ever winner of the Kuwait Cup.-Global Wrestling...	1	November 6, 1995	Memphis, TN
Jeff Jarrett	2	December 20, 1995	Tunica, Mississippi Tunica, Mississippi Tunica is a town in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, located near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s the town was one of the most impoverished places in the United States, semi-famous for the particularly deprived neighbourhood known as "Sugar Ditch Alley", named for the open...
Stripped		March 2, 1996		Jarrett suffers back injury
Jerry Lawler	22	March 4, 1996	Memphis, TN	Defeated Mabel Nelson Frazier, Jr. Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...  in tournament final
Held Up		March 8, 1996		Title held up after match against Bill Dundee
Jerry Lawler	23	April 5, 1996	Memphis, TN	Lawler won rematch. Records remain unclear.
Jeff Jarrett	3	April 20, 1996	Memphis, TN	Referee Frank Morrell helped Jarrett
Jerry Lawler	24	July 24, 1996	West Helena, Arkansas West Helena, Arkansas West Helena is the western portion of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2000 census, this portion of the city population was 8,689....
Sid Vicious	2	August 30, 1996	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	25	September 2, 1996	Memphis, TN
The Colorado Kid Mike Rapada Michael Rapada best known as "The Colorado Kid" Mike Rapada is an American professional wrestler.-Career:Mike Rapada started out in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It took three months, but eventually he convinced Jeff Jarrett to hire him...	1	October 4, 1996	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	26	November 16, 1996	Memphis, TN
Tank Mike Hallick Michael "Mike" Hallick is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Mantaur.-Catch Wrestling Association :...	1	March 15, 1997	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	27	March 22, 1997	Memphis, TN
King Reginald	1	April 12, 1997	Memphis, TN
Jerry Lawler	28	April 27, 1997	Memphis, TN
Dutch Mantel Dutch Mantel Wayne Keown is an American professional wrestler, and author better known by his ring name, Dutch Mantel or Dutch Mantell. He currently is semi-retired but still makes occasional wrestling appearances. He was previously with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a writer behind the scenes...	1	August 8, 1997	Memphis, TN
Title Retired		November 1997		USWA closed