| No.
|
Champion
|
Championship change
|
Reign statistics
|
Notes
|
Ref.
|
| Date
|
Event
|
Location
|
Reign
|
Days
|
| 1
|
Dick Shikat
|
August 23, 1929
|
N/A
|
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
1
|
287
|
Defeats Jim Londos to be recognized by the athletic commissions of New York and Pennsylvania and the National Boxing Association, all three of which have stripped Gus Sonnenberg of recognition as World champion in July 1929 for "failing to meet real contenders". Sonnenberg continues to be recognized by AWA in Boston. Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 2
|
Jim Londos
|
June 6, 1930
|
N/A
|
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
1
|
1,847
|
Defeats Shikat and is initially recognized by the National Boxing Association. At the annual convention in September 1930, NBA agrees to create National Wrestling Association but does not recognize any world champion despite the previous decision made by NBA. On September 30, 1931, Jim Londos is recognized by the members as the first official champion by the National Wrestling Association. Also won the NYSAC World Title on June 25, 1934, defeating Jim Browning and unified both titles, to become recognized as the Undisputed World champion. Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 3
|
Danno O'Mahony
|
June 27, 1935
|
N/A
|
Boston, Massachusetts
|
1
|
431
|
Defeats Ed Don George on July 30, 1935 and unifies Boston AWA World Title and becomes the "Unified World Champion".
|
|
| —
|
Vacated
|
N/A
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
NWA/NBA title is declared vacant in September 1936.
|
|
| 4
|
Dean Detton
|
October 8, 1936
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, MO
|
1
|
339
|
Has defeated a title claimant Dave Levin on 28/09/1936 in Philadelphia. Awarded the recognition as the first NWA champion since Danno O’Mahoney this day. Recognition later withdrawn.
|
|
| 5
|
John Pesek
|
September 12, 1937
|
N/A
|
White Sulphur Springs, Virginia
|
1
|
338
|
Title awarded at the NWA/NBA annual meeting.
|
|
| —
|
Vacated
|
N/A
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
Stripped on August 16, 1938, for failure to defend against worthy opponents.
|
|
| 6
|
Everett Marshall
|
September 14, 1938
|
N/A
|
Montréal, Quebec
|
1
|
101
|
Title awarded at the NWA/NBA annual meeting, when MWA/AWA World Champion Steve Casey left the country in September 1938. Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 7
|
Lou Thesz
|
February 23, 1939
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
1
|
120
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 8
|
Bronko Nagurski
|
June 23, 1939
|
N/A
|
Houston, Texas
|
1
|
258
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 9
|
Ray Steele
|
March 7, 1940
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
1
|
369
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 10
|
Bronko Nagurski
|
March 11, 1941
|
N/A
|
Houston, Texas
|
2
|
86
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 11
|
Sándor Szabó
|
June 5, 1941
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
1
|
259
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 12
|
Bill Longson
|
February 19, 1942
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
1
|
230
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 13
|
Yvon Robert
|
October 7, 1942
|
N/A
|
Montreal, Quebec
|
1
|
20
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 14
|
Bobby Managoff
|
November 27, 1942
|
N/A
|
Houston, Texas
|
1
|
115
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World Champion.
|
|
| 15
|
Bill Longson
|
February 19, 1943
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
2
|
1,463
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| 16
|
Whipper Billy Watson
|
February 21, 1947
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
1
|
63
|
The first time a world heavyweight wrestling championship changed hands on tv.
|
|
| 17
|
Lou Thesz
|
April 25, 1947
|
N/A
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
2
|
210
|
|
|
| 18
|
Bill Longson
|
November 21, 1947
|
N/A
|
Houston, Texas
|
3
|
232
|
|
|
| 19
|
Lou Thesz
|
July 20, 1948
|
N/A
|
Indianapolis, IN
|
3
|
505
|
Recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.
|
|
| —
|
Deactivated
|
November 27, 1949
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
Title unified with the National Wrestling Alliance's World Heavyweight Championship, which is forfeited to Thesz by previous champion Orville Brown when he cannot defend due to career-ending injuries from an automobile accident on November 1.
|
|