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Eventually the title became disputed and different organizations claim to be in possession of the real world title. A man
named Lou Thesz sets out to change that by gaining and reunifying all these various titles back into the Undisputed World
Championship. He accomplishes this for a time, but due to controversy over various title defenses in different federations,
the title becomes split again.
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Atlantic Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Title Holders
(Big Time Wrestling World Heavyweight Title)
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Edouard Carpentier
Killer Kowalski
Bearcar Wright
Jackie Fargo
Ted Blassie
Jackie Fargo [2]
Buddy Fuller
Frank Scarpa
Gypsy Joe
(Becomes Abandoned when the organization closes in 1975. In 2006, the organisation is revived as well as the title)
Jay Lethal
Hurricane John Walters
Too Cold Scorpio
(after a 10 month long title reign, Scorpio defeats Walters with special guest referee Diamond Dallas Page for the title
on 3/29/08)
Hurricane John Walters [2]
Justin Credible
(Vacates title on 8/2/09)
Spike Dudley
(Defeated Hurricane John Walters in Tournament Finals on 1/2/10)
Franchise Shane Douglas
Disputed Title History @ wrestling-titles.com
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North American Wrestling Alliance World Title Holders (Los Angeles)
(World Wrestling Association World Title)
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(Starting after Lou Thesz's title loss)
Edouard Carpentier
Fred Blassie
Rikidozan
Fred Blassie [2]
The Destroyer
Fred Blassie [3]
Bearcat Wright
Edouard Carpentier [2]
Fred Blassie [4]
Dick the Bruiser
The Destroyer [2]
Bob Ellis
The Destroyer [3]
Pedro Morales
Luke Graham
Pedro Morales [2]
Buddy Austin
Bobo Brazil
Buddy Austin [2]
Lou Thesz
Mark Lewin
KIM Il (Kintaro Ohki)
Mike DiBiase
Buddy Austin [3]
Bobo Brazil [2]
Becomes Abandoned as the organisation becomes apart of the National Wrestling Alliance in 1968 (see below). Organization
is renamed NWA Hollywood Wrestling and later closes in 1982. In 2000, the title and organisation (under the original name
World Wrestling Association) is revived as a part of the Korean Pro-Wrestling Association run by former champion Kintaro Ohki.
However, the organisation is a part of the modern-day NWA and, as such recognises the NWA Heavyweight Championship as the
true successor to the Original World Title and not there own WWA World Championship. The current incarnation of the NWA Heavyweight
Title no longer has the lineage of the Original World Championship. (see below)
Disputed Title History @ wrestling-titles.com
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WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE Holders (Omaha)
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Edouard Carpentier
Verne Gagne
Wilbur Snyder
Dick the Bruiser
Wilbur Snyder
Dr. X (Bill Miller)
Don Leo Jonathan
Dr. X [2]
Don Leo Jonathan [2]
(Title becomes vacant, later is won again by Jonathan)
Don Leo Jonathan [3]
Verne Gagne [2]
Fritz Von Erich
Verne Gagne [3]
Crusher Lisowski
Verne Gagne [4]
Fritz Von Erich [2]
Verne Gagne [5]
Becomes unified with the A.W.A World Heavyweight Championship. (see below)
Disputed Title History @ wrestling-titles.com
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In 1948 the National Wrestling Alliance is created as a "governing body" with the goals of uniting various federations
and their rosters, and also reunifying the original World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship. With the exception of the A.W.A
World title: see above, the N.W.A world title is the most legitimate successor to the original World Championship held by
Georg Hackenshmidt and Frank Gotch.
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National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship title Holders
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The N.W.A. World Heavyweight Title
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Beginning after Lou Thesz second reign
Dick Hutton
Pat O'Connor
Buddy Rogers
Bobo Brazil
(at this point the N.W.A. World title is recognized by the World Wrestling Association, abandoning their claim, and bolstering
the N.W.A. claim to the original World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship: see above)
Buddy Rogers
Lou Thesz
(at this point the title becomes disputed again and an organisation called the WWWF,[modern day WWE] splits off from the
N.W.A a declares Buddy Rogers the first WWWF world champion. The N.W.A continues to recognize Thesz as the true world champion.)
Gene Kiniski
Dory Funk Jr.
Harley Race
Jack Brisco
Giant Baba
Jack Brisco [2]
Terry Funk
Harley Race [2]
Dusty Rhodes
Harley Race [3]
Giant Baba [2]
Harley Race [4]
Giant Baba [3]
Harley Race [5]
Tommy Rich
Harley Race [6]
Dusty Rhodes [2]
Ric Flair
Carlos Colon
Ric Flair [2]
Harley Race [7]
Ric Flair [2]
Harley Race [8]
Ric Flair [3]
Kerry Von Erich
Ric Flair [4]
(Flair had an opportunity to unify the N.W.A world title with the A.W.A world title at this point. If he had succeded,
along with the abandonment of the Big Time Wrestling Heavyweight Title and the World Wrestling Association World Title, he
would have reunifed the original World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship. However he wrestled to a double count out against
the reigning A.W.A World Champion Rick Martel)
Dusty Rhodes [3]
Ric Flair [5]
Ronnie Garvin
Ric Flair [6]
Ricky Steamboat
Ric Flair [7]
Sting
Ric Flair [8]
Tatsumi Fujinami
Ric Flair [9]
Masahiro Chono
Great Muta
Barry Windham
Ric Flair [10]
(at this point, WCW, the organisation that Flair is a part of as the champion withdraws from the N.W.A. and is no longer
N.W.A. World Champion)
Disputed Title History @ wrestling-titles.com
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World Championship Wrestling eventually becomes the largest and most influencial of the federations under the N.W.A. As such,
they gain the right to posess the N.W.A. World Title on an unofficially permanent basis. When WCW left the N.W.A. in 1993,
a court battle for the World Title ensued. In the end, the courts decide that the N.W.A. name must be removed from the title
WCW owns, however and more importantly, the lineage of the original N.W.A. World title [which is essencially the original
World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship] now rightfully belongs to WCW. The N.W.A. continues to have a World Title to this
day, however it can no longer claim to be of the same lineage as the original World Title. WCW, which now had the right to
the title and its lineage renames it the WCW International World Title while simultaniously having its own WCW World Title.
Both titles are eventually unified with the old N.W.A. title belt replacing the WCW title belt.
History of the N.W.A. World Title @ wikipedia.org
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The WCW International World Heavyweight Title
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World Championship Wrestling International World Title Holders
Ric Flair
Rick Rude
Hiroshi Hase
Rick Rude [2]
Sting
Sting [2]
Ric Flair [2]
(becomes unified with the WCW World Title: see above)
Disputed Title History @ wrestling-titles.com
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The WCW World Heavyweight Title
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World Championship Wrestling World Title Holders
(starting with Flair's unified title reign)
Ric Flair [3]
Hulk Hogan
The Giant (Paul Wight)
Randy Savage
Ric Flair [4]
Randy Savage [2]
Ric Flair [5]
The Giant [2]
Hulk Hogan [2]
Lex Luger [2]
Hulk Hogan [3]
Sting [3]
Sting [4]
Randy Savage [3]
Hulk Hogan [4]
Bill Goldberg
Kevin Nash
Hulk Hogan [5]
Ric Flair [6]
Diamond Dallas Page
Sting [5]
Diamond Dallas Page [2]
Kevin Nash [2]
Randy Savage [4]
Hulk Hogan [6]
Sting [6]
Bret Hart
Bret Hart [2]
Chris Benoit
Sid Vicious
Kevin Nash [3]
Sid Vicious [2]
Jeff Jarrett
Diamond Dallas Page [3]
David Arquette
Jeff Jarrett [2]
Ric Flair [7]
Jeff Jarrett [3]
Kevin Nash [4]
Ric Flair [8]
Jeff Jarrett [4]
Booker T.
Kevin Nash [5]
Booker T. [2]
Vince Russo
Booker T. [3]
Scott Steiner
Booker T. [4]
(at this point WCW is aquired by rival WWF [modern day WWE] all title changes from here on are dictated by the WWF and
not WCW proper}
Kurt Angle
Booker T. [5]
The Rock
Chris Jericho
The Rock [2]
(at this point, the WCW World Title is renamed simply the "Worlds Heavyweight Title" as the WCW brand is official
ended.)
Chris Jericho [2]
(becomes unified with the WWF World Heavyweight title to become the first WWF Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
Disputed Title History @ wrestling-titles.com
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World Wrestling Federation Undisputed World Heavyweight Title Holders
(World Wrestling Entertainment Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
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Chris Jericho
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Defeated The Rock (WCW Champion) and Stone Cold Steve Austin (WWF Champion) to unify the titles.
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Triple H
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Defeats Chris Jericho. A new single title belt is created to represent the new undisputed championship. (see above)
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Hollywood Hulk Hogan
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Defeats Triple H
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The Undertaker
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Defeats Hulk Hogan for the Undisputed title (a repeat outcome of the Survior Series 1991 event in which The Undertaker won
his first ever WWE World Title against Hogan.)
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The Rock
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Defeats The Undertaker. With this win, The Rock becomes WWF World Champion a record setting seven times.
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Brock Lesnar
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Defeats The Rock. Refuses to defend title on RAW and defends the title only on Smackdown! With this, the Undisputed title
becomes disputed and is renamed the WWE World Championship once again.
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With the WWE Undisputed Title being disputed due to Brock Lesnar's actions: see above, Eric Bishoff the General Manager of
RAW creates a new World Championship with Triple H being declared the champion. However, according to the WWE, this title
is a brand new creation and has no historical lineage to the WCW (or N.W.A. or original World Championship) title even though
it is represented by the same physical title belt. (It is my opinion that this is due to the popularity of the look of the
physical belt.) With this revelation, the lineage of the original World Championship belongs to the WWE World Championship
title that Lesnar still carried.
WWE Undisputed Title @ wikipedia.org
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE) @ wikipedia.org
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World Wrestling Entertainment World Championship Title Holders
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John Cena's WWE World Championship Title
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(Starting from Brock Lesnar's Undisputed title reign)
Brock Lesnar
The Big Show
Kurt Angle
Brock Lesnar [2]
Kurt Angle [2]
Brock Lesnar [3]
Eddie Guerrero
John "Bradshaw" Layfield
John Cena
(In 2005, Cena is drafted to Monday Night RAW from Smackdown! and brings the title over with him. RAW has access to the
title for the first time since the Lesnar incident: see above.)
Edge
John Cena [2]
Rob Van Dam
(with this win, Rob Van Dam also becomes ECW World Champion unifying those titles for a time, however he loses the WWE
World Championship to Edge then one night later loses the ECW World title to The Big Show)
Edge [2]
John Cena [3]
(after an injury John Cena ends 13-month long reign as World champion and vacates the title.)
Randy Orton
(Is awarded the title on 10/7/07)
Triple H [2]
(Defeated Randy Orton for the title on the same night 10/7/07)
Randy Orton [2]
(invokes the number one contender right as the former WWE World Champion and wins a Last Man Standing Match on the same
night 10/7/07)
Triple H [3]
(defeated John Cena, John Bradshaw Layfield, and Randy Orton in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match)
Triple H [3]
(In a Championship Scramble match in which anyone who pins an opponent becomes an interim champion until the time limit
is reached on 9/7/08 the following became interim champions with Triple H retaining the title, as such they do not count as
official title changes)
"Jeff Hardy"
"The Brian Kendrick"
"Triple H"
"Jeff Hardy"
"Triple H"
"Jeff Hardy"
"Triple H" (retains title)
Edge [3]
(defeated Triple H and Vladimir Koslov in a Triple Threat Match)
Jeff Hardy
(Defeated Edge and Triple H in a Triple Threat Match)
Edge [4]
Triple H [4]
(Defeated Edge, Jeff Hardy, Vladimir Koslov, The Undertaker and The Big Show in an Elimination Chamber Match)
Randy Orton [3]
(Wins title in a 6-Man Tag Team match)
Batista
(Title is Vacated after a torn bicep injury on 6/9/09)
Randy Orton [4]
(Defeats Triple H, John Cena, and The Big Show in a 4 way match)
John Cena [4]
Randy Orton [5]
John Cena [5]
Sheamus
John Cena [6]
(Defeats Sheamus, Triple H, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase Jr., and Kofi Kingston in an Elimination Chamber Match on 2/21/10)
Batista [2]
John Cena [7]
(Batista retires soon after losing title to Cena)
Sheamus [2]
(Defeats John Cena, Randy Orton and Edge in a Fatal Four Way match on 6/20/10)
Randy Orton [5]
(Wins title defeating Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Edge, John Cena, and Chris Jericho in a 6-Man Elimination Match on 9/19/10)
The Miz
(Winner of the Money in the Bank Ladder Match which grants a World Title Match at any time, The Miz invokes the contract
clause imediately after defending Champion Randy Orton defended the tile against Wade Barrett and wins title on 11/22/10)
John Cena [8]
(Defeated The Miz and John Morrison in a Triple Threat Match on 5/1/11)
Disputed title history @ wikipedia.org
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The A.W.A., although no longer in the American national spotlight as it once was, still had a legitimate lineage to the Original
World Heavyweight Title though the unification of the Omaha World title with the A.W.A World Title in 1963. However, in April
26, 2007 the WWE sued Dale Gagner for using the AWA name and "reviving" the AWA World title due to the fact that
the WWE had acquired ownership of the AWA from the original owner Verne Gagne in 2003. The courts decided in favor of the
WWE and as a result, all title changes occuring after 1991 (when the original AWA went out of business) is no longer valid
and Dale Gagner's AWA has since been named Superstars of Wrestling with the organisations World Title lineage having no connection
to the AWA World Title and therefore no connection to the Original World Title.
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American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship Title Holders
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The A.W.A. World Heavyweight Title
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(beginning from Verne Gange's unified title reign.)
Verne Gagne
Crusher Lisowski
Verne Gagne [2]
Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon
Verne Gagne [3]
Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon [2]
Mighty Igor Vodic
Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon [3]
Crusher Lisowski [2]
Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon [4]
Dick the Bruiser
Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon [5]
Verne Gagne[4]
Dr. X (Dick Beyer)
Verne Gagne [5]
Nick Bockwinkel
(at this point in 1979, Bockwinkel had a chance to unify the A.W.A. World title with the WWF World Title but lost to a
double count out against Bob Backlund.)
Verne Gagne [6]
Nick Bockwinkel [2]
Hulk Hogan
Nick Bockwinkel [3]
Otto Wanz
Nick Bockwinkel [4]
Jumbo Tsuruta
Rick Martel
(Martel wrestles Ric Flair to unify the A.W.A. World Title with the N.W.A. World title, but loses to a double count out,
the titles have never been unified.)
Stan Hansen
Nick Bockwinkel [5]
Curt Hennig
Jerry Lawler
(the title is briefly unified with the WCWA World Title at this point in 1988 and is renamed the WCWA Unified World Heavyweight
title however, WCWA withdraws from the A.W.A. soon after and is called the A.W.A. World Championship once again.)
Larry Zbyszko
Mr. Saito (Masa Saito)
Larry Zbyszko [2]
(Zbyszko leaves near dead organisation for WCW in 1991, rights to the title become property of the WWE in 2003 and is
not revived.)
Disputed Title History @ wikipedia.org
Disputed title history @ wrestling-titles.com
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It is my belief that the WWE Championship has first priority due to it being the only "unbroken" line of lineage
to the Original World Title when compared to the other championships. With that in mind, the order of presidence is:
#1. WWE Championship (Unbroken Line of lineage from the Original World Title to the NWA World Heavyweight Title to the
WCW International World Title to the WCW World Championship to the WWF Undisputed World Championship to the WWE Championship)
#2. B.T.W. World Title (Lineage from the Original World Title to the Atlantic Athletic Commision World Title, and renamed
the B.T.W. World Title. Abandoned in 1975 and revived in 2006)
The "Semi-Official" judge of whether or not a World Title is in fact a World Title is determined by "Professional
Wrestling Illustrated Magazine", considered to be an unbiased source by the wrestling community. The PWI bestows "World
Title" recognition based on whether a title is defended outside the city or country of origin of the title, the availablity
of the title to be defended against a contender anywhere in the world etc. Currently, under these criteria, the only title
to have both the lineage of the Original World Heavyweight Title (see above) and have "World Title" status from
PWI is the WWE Championship.
According to the information here, as of Tuesday, May 10th, 2011, two people can claim to be the (disputed) World Heavyweight
Wrestling Champion in the same lineage as Georg Hakenshimdt and Frank Gotch and they are:
WWE Champion: John Cena
B.T.W. Heavyweight Champion: Franchise Shane Douglas
So there it is, from Hakenshmidt and Gotch to Cena and Douglas. Do with this information what you will but remember,
anyone, anyone at all, who can call themselves a World Champion former, or currently reigning, of anything deserves respect.
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