Professional wrestling championship
World Heavyweight Championship Promotion National Wrestling Alliance (Nebraska) Date established June 14, 1957 Date retired September 7, 1963
The World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship sanctioned by a group of National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) promoters led by the NWA affiliate in Omaha, Nebraska , United States. These promoters chose to recognize Édouard Carpentier as NWA World Heavyweight Champion following his disputed win over NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz on June 14, 1957.[1] The majority of NWA promoters continued to recognize Thesz as their champion.
It was often contested alongside the AWA World Heavyweight Championship , and the two titles were finally unified when AWA champion Verne Gagne defeated Omaha champion Fritz Von Erich on September 7, 1963.
Title history [ edit ]
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
1
Édouard Carpentier
June 14, 1957
House show
Chicago, Illinois
1
421
Recognized as champion after a disputed win over NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz . The majority of the NWA promotions continue to recognize Thesz as their champion.
[1]
2
Verne Gagne
August 9, 1958
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
1
98
3
Wilbur Snyder
November 15, 1958
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
1
189
4
Dick the Bruiser
May 23, 1959
House show
Detroit, MI
1
63
This match was also for the Fred Kohler Chicago version of the NWA United States Championship.
5
Wilbur Snyder
July 25, 1959
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
2
70
6
Dr. X
October 3, 1959
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
1
96
7
Don Leo Jonathan
January 7, 1960
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
1
394
8
Dr. X
February 4, 1961
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
2
58
9
Don Leo Jonathan
April 3, 1961
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
2
17
[2]
—
Vacated
April 20, 1961
—
—
—
—
Vacant after a disqualification loss to Bobo Brazil .
10
Don Leo Jonathan
May 20, 1961
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
3
119
Defeated Bobo Brazil in a lumberjack match to win the vacant title.
11
Verne Gagne
September 16, 1961
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
2
318
12
Fritz Von Erich
July 31, 1962
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
1
25
13
Verne Gagne
August 25, 1962
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
3
174
14
The Crusher
February 15, 1963
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
1
155
Also won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship from Verne Gagne on July 9, 1963 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
15
Verne Gagne
July 20, 1963
House show
Minneapolis, Minnesota
4
7
Won both the Omaha title and AWA title.
16
Fritz Von Erich
July 27, 1963
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
2
42
Won both the Omaha title and AWA title.
17
Verne Gagne
September 7, 1963
House show
Omaha, Nebraska
5
0
Won the AWA title from Fritz Von Erich on August 8, 1963 in Amarillo, Texas .
—
Unified
September 7, 1963
—
—
—
—
The Omaha title was unified with the AWA title.
See also [ edit ]
External links [ edit ]
Championships
Major shows Television shows Key people Partnerships Other