NWA World Heavyweight Championship
1948 - present
EC3
August 27, 2023
Tyrus
November 12, 2022 - August 27, 2023
288 days
Trevor Murdoch (2)
June 11, 2022 - November 12, 2022
154 days
*Defeated Nick Aldis, Sam Shaw, and Thom Latimer in a four-way match to win the vacant title
VACANT
June 11, 2022 - June 11, 2022
less than 1 day
*Matt Cardona vacated the championship due to being injured and unable to defend it
Matt Cardona
February 12, 2022 - June 11, 2022
119 days
Trevor Murdoch
August 29, 2021 - February 12, 2022
167 days
Nick Aldis (2)
October 21, 2018 - August 29, 2021
1,043 days
Cody Rhodes
September 1, 2018 - October 21, 2018
50 days
Nick Aldis
December 9, 2017 - September 1, 2018
266 days
Tim Storm
October 21, 2016 - December 9, 2017
414 days
Jax Dane
August 29, 2015 - October 21, 2016
419 days
Hiroyoshi Tenzan
February 14, 2015 - August 29, 2015
196 days
Rob Conway (2)
June 2, 2014 - February 14, 2015
257 days
Satoshi Kojima
January 4, 2014 - June 2, 2014
149 days
Rob Conway
March 16, 2013 - January 4, 2014
294 days
Kahagas
November 2, 2012 - March 16, 2013
134 days
*Defeated Damien Wayne to win the vacant title
VACANT
October 27, 2012 - November 2, 2012
6 days
*Adam Pearce vacated the title when he left the NWA because the NWA refused to allow him to defend the title against Colt Cabana in the final match of a
best-of-seven series. The match did take place, with Cabana winning, but both men refused the championship afterwards
Adam Pearce (5)
July 21, 2012 - October 27, 2012
98 days
Colt Cabana (2)
April 8, 2012 - July 21, 2012
104 days
Adam Pearce (4)
July 31, 2011 - April 8, 2012
252 days
*Defeated Chance Prophet, Jimmy Rave, and Shaun Tempers in a four-way match to win the vacant title
VACANT
July 11, 2011 - July 31, 2011
20 days
*The Sheik was stripped of the championship for refusing to defend it against Adam Pearce
The Sheik
April 23, 2011 - July 11, 2011
79 days
Colt Cabana
March 6, 2011 - April 23, 2011
48 days
Adam Pearce (3)
March 14, 2010 - March 6, 2011
357 days
Blue Demon Jr.
October 25, 2008 - March 14, 2010
505 days
Adam Pearce (2)
September 20, 2008 - October 25, 2008
35 days
Brent Albright
August 2, 2008 - September 20, 2008
49 days
Adam Pearce
September 1, 2007 - August 2, 2008
336 days
*Defeated Brent Albright in a tournament final to win the vacant title
VACANT
May 13, 2007 - September 1, 2007
111 days
*Christian Cage was stripped of the championship when TNA withdrew from the NWA
Christian Cage (2)
January 14, 2007 - May 13, 2007
119 days
Abyss
November 19, 2006 - January 14, 2007
56 days
Sting (2)
October 22, 2006 - November 19, 2006
28 days
Jeff Jarrett (6)
June 18, 2006 - October 22, 2006
126 days
Christian Cage
February 12, 2006 - June 18, 2006
126 days
Jeff Jarrett (5)
October 25, 2005 - February 12, 2006
110 days
Rhino
October 23, 2005 - October 25, 2005
2 days
Jeff Jarrett (4)
September 15, 2005 - October 23, 2005
38 days
Raven
June 19, 2005 - September 15, 2005
88 days
AJ Styles (3)
May 15, 2005 - June 19, 2005
35 days
Jeff Jarrett (3)
June 2, 2004 - May 15, 2005
347 days
Ron Killings (2)
May 19, 2004 - June 2, 2004
14 days
AJ Styles (2)
April 21, 2004 - May 19, 2004
28 days
Jeff Jarrett (2)
October 22, 2003 - April 21, 2004
182 days
AJ Styles
June 11, 2003 - October 22, 2003
133 days
Jeff Jarrett
November 20, 2002 - June 11, 2003
203 days
Ron Killings
August 7, 2002 - November 20, 2002
105 days
Ken Shamrock
June 19, 2002 - August 7, 2002
49 days
*Defeated Malice to win the vacant title. Control of the championship was given to TNA - Total Nonstop Action at this time
VACANT
May 28, 2002 - June 19, 2002
22 days
*Dan Severn was stripped of the championship for missing a scheduled title defense
Dan Severn (2)
March 9, 2002 - May 28, 2002
80 days
Shinya Hashimoto
December 15, 2001 - March 9, 2002
84 days
*Defeated Steve Corino in a tournament final to win the vacant title
VACANT
October 13, 2001 - December 15, 2001
63 days
*The championship was held up after a controversial title defense between Steve Corino and Shinya Hashimoto
Steve Corino
April 24, 2001 - October 13, 2001
172 days
Mike Rapada (2)
December 22, 2000 - April 24, 2001
123 days
Sabu
November 14, 2000 - December 22, 2000
38 days
Mike Rapada
September 19, 2000 - November 14, 2000
56 days
*Defeated Jerry Flynn in a tournament final to win the vacant title
VACANT
July 2, 2000 - September 19, 2000
79 days
*Naoya Ogawa vacated the championship in order to focus on his mixed martial arts training
Naoya Ogawa (2)
October 2, 1999 - July 2, 2000
274 days
Gary Steele
September 25, 1999 - October 2, 1999
7 days
Naoya Ogawa
March 14, 1999 - September 25, 1999
195 days
Dan Severn
February 24, 1995 - March 14, 1999
1,479 days
Chris Candido
November 19, 1994 - February 24, 1995
97 days
*Defeated Tracy Smothers in a tournament final to win the vacant title
VACANT
August 27, 1994 - November 19, 1994
84 days
*Control of the championship was meant to be given to ECW - Eastern Championship Wrestling at this time, but Shane Douglas vacated it immediately
after winning it. Douglas announced ECW's withdrawal from the NWA, the renaming of Eastern Championship Wrestling to Extreme Championship
Wrestling, and that his ECW Heavyweight Championship was now the ECW World Heavyweight Championship
Shane Douglas
August 27, 1994 - August 27, 1994
less than 1 day
*Defeated 2 Cold Scorpio in a tournament final to win the vacant title
VACANT
September 15, 1993 - August 27, 1994
347 days
*WCW withdrew from the NWA on September 1, 1993. Ric Flair continued to be recognized as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion until the NWA could
not reach an agreement with WCW. On September 15, Flair was officially stripped of the championship and instead recognized as the WCW International
World Heavyweight Champion
Ric Flair (9)
July 18, 1993 - September 15, 1993
59 days
Barry Windham
February 21, 1993 - July 18, 1993
147 days
The Great Muta
January 4, 1993 - February 21, 1993
48 days
Masahiro Chono
August 12, 1992 - January 4, 1993
145 days
*Defeated Rick Rude in a tournament final to win the vacant title
VACANT
September 8, 1991 - August 12, 1992
339 days
*Although Ric Flair had been referred to as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion on television, his championship reign was still the lineage of the NWA
World Heavyweight Championship. He was stripped of the championship on September 8, 1991, when he left WCW and the NWA
Ric Flair (8)
May 19, 1991 - September 8, 1991
112 days
Tatsumi Fujinami
March 21, 1991 - May 19, 1991
59 days
Ric Flair (7)
January 11, 1991 - March 21, 1991
69 days
Sting
July 7, 1990 - January 11, 1991
188 days
Ric Flair (6)
May 7, 1989 - July 7, 1990
426 days
Ricky Steamboat
February 20, 1989 - May 7, 1989
76 days
Ric Flair (5)
November 26, 1987 - February 20, 1989
452 days
*In November 1988, Ted Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions, which was the NWA's flagship promotion, and renamed it WCW - World Championship
Wrestling. Control of the championship was given to WCW at this time
Ron Garvin
September 25, 1987 - November 26, 1987
62 days
Ric Flair (4)
August 9, 1986 - September 25, 1987
412 days
Dusty Rhodes (3)
July 26, 1986 - August 9, 1986
14 days
Ric Flair (3)
May 24, 1984 - July 26, 1986
793 days
Kerry Von Erich
May 6, 1984 - May 24, 1984
18 days
Ric Flair (2)
November 24, 1983 - May 6, 1984
164 days
Harley Race (7)
June 10, 1983 - November 24, 1983
167 days
Ric Flair
September 17, 1981 - June 10, 1983
631 days
Dusty Rhodes (2)
June 21, 1981 - September 17, 1981
88 days
Harley Race (6)
May 1, 1981 - June 21, 1981
51 days
Tommy Rich
April 27, 1981 - May 1, 1981
4 days
Harley Race (5)
September 9, 1980 - April 27, 1981
230 days
Giant Baba (3)
September 4, 1980 - September 9, 1980
5 days
Harley Race (4)
November 7, 1979 - September 4, 1980
302 days
Giant Baba (2)
October 31, 1979 - November 7, 1979
7 days
Harley Race (3)
August 26, 1979 - October 31, 1979
66 days
Dusty Rhodes
August 21, 1979 - August 26, 1979
5 days
Harley Race (2)
February 6, 1977 - August 21, 1979
926 days
Terry Funk
December 10, 1975 - February 6, 1977
424 days
Jack Brisco (2)
December 9, 1974 - December 10, 1975
366 days
Giant Baba
December 2, 1974 - December 9, 1974
7 days
Jack Brisco
July 20, 1973 - December 2, 1974
500 days
Harley Race
May 24, 1973 - July 20, 1973
57 days
Dory Funk Jr.
February 11, 1969 - May 24, 1973
1,563 days
Gene Kiniski
January 7, 1966 - February 11, 1969
1,131 days
Lou Thesz (3)
January 24, 1963 - January 7, 1966
1,079 days
Buddy Rogers
June 30, 1961 - January 24, 1963
503 days
Pat O'Connor
January 9, 1959 - June 30, 1961
903 days
Dick Hutton
November 14, 1957 - January 9, 1959
421 days
Lou Thesz (2)
November 9, 1956 - November 14, 1957
370 days
Billy Watson
March 15, 1956 - November 9, 1956
239 days
Lou Thesz
November 27, 1949 - March 15, 1956
2,300 days
Orville Brown
July 14, 1948 - November 27, 1949
501 days
*On this date, the NWA - National Wrestling Alliance was formed. The NWA was a collection of the most prolific territories of the time. Orville Brown was
recognized as the first NWA World Heavyweight Champion