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WCWA World Heavyweight Championship
The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship belt used from 1986 to 1989
Details
Promotion	World Class Wrestling Association
Date established	June 6, 1966
Date retired	1990
Other name(s)
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) NWA American Heavyweight Championship WCCW American Heavyweight Championship
Statistics First champion(s) Fritz Von Erich Final champion(s) Jerry Lawler Most reigns Fritz Von Erich (20 reigns) Longest reign Fritz Von Erich (738 days) Shortest reign Fritz Von Erich (Less than 1 day - June 14, 1982) Oldest champion Fritz Von Erich (52 years) Youngest champion Mike Von Erich (20 years, 5 months, 2 days) Heaviest champion King Kong Bundy 450 lb (200 kg) Lightest champion Mike Von Erich 200 lb (91 kg)

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 by 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. In 1982, Big Time Wrestling rebranded themselves as "World Class Championship Wrestling" (WCCW) and the championship was renamed the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship. In 1986 WCCW withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance, creating the World Class Wrestling Association, replacing the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship with the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship, replacing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship as the top title recognized by the promotion. 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. 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 Championship was not won by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match.

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. 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 would 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. Rick Rude was the last WCCW American Heavyweight Champion and announced as the first WCWA World Heavyweight Champion on February 21, 1986. 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. 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. 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. 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). 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

See also

• National Wrestling Alliance
• United States Wrestling Association
• World Class Championship Wrestling

Explanatory notes

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"
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

General references

• Hornbaker, Tim (2016). "Statistical notes". Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 years of headlocks, body slams, and piledrivers (Revised ed.). New York: Sports Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61321-808-2.

Citations

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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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.

• Continental professional wrestling championships
• Heavyweight wrestling championships
• National professional wrestling championships
• National Wrestling Alliance championships
• United States professional wrestling championships
• World Class Championship Wrestling championships
• World heavyweight wrestling championships