World Heavyweight Championship (National Wrestling Association)
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The National Wrestling Association version of the World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Association (NWA), an offshoot of the National Boxing Association (NBA). The title existed from 1929 through 1949, when it was unified with the National Wrestling Alliance's World Heavyweight Championship.
[edit] Title history
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Place: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gus Sonnenberg | 1 | January 4, 1929 | Boston, MA | Defeated Ed "Strangler" Lewis to become the first champion. |
| Stripped | 1929 | Title stripped for failing to meet "real" contenders. | ||
| Dick Shikat | 1 | August 23, 1929 | Philadelphia, PA | Defeated Jim Londos to win the vacant title. |
| Jim Londos | 1 | June 6, 1930 | Philadelphia, PA | |
| Danno O'Mahony | 1 | June 27, 1935 | Boston, MA | |
| Dick Shikat | 2 | March 2, 1936 | New York City, NY | |
| Ali Baba | 1 | April 25, 1936 | Detroit, MI | |
| Everett Marshall | 1 | June 26, 1936 | Columbus, OH | |
| Vacated | September 1936 | Title vacated when the NBA and NWA recommend at their annual meeting that a tournament be held. |
||
| John Pesek | 1 | September 13, 1937 | Title awarded when Pesek is the only contender to post a $1000 bond. | |
| Vacated | Pesek's recognition as champion withdrawn. | |||
| Lou Thesz | # | December 29, 1937 | St. Louis, MO | Whether or not this reign was recognized by the NBA/NWA is unknown. |
| Steve Casey | 1 | February 11, 1938 | Boston, MA | |
| Vacated | September 1938 | Casey's recognition as champion withdrawn due to his being out of the country. | ||
| Everett Marshall | 2 | September 14, 1938 | Title awarded at the NBA/NWA annual meeting. | |
| Lou Thesz | 1 | February 23, 1939 | St. Louis, MO | |
| Bronko Nagurski | 1 | June 23, 1939 | Houston, TX | |
| Ray Steele | 1 | March 7, 1940 | St. Louis, MO | |
| Bronko Nagurski | 2 | March 11, 1941 | Houston, TX | |
| Sandor Szabo | 1 | June 5, 1941 | St. Louis, MO | |
| Bill Longson | 1 | February 19, 1942 | St. Louis, MO | |
| Yvon Robert | 1 | October 7, 1942 | Montreal, Quebec | |
| Bobby Managoff | 1 | November 27, 1942 | Houston, TX | |
| Bill Longson | 2 | February 19, 1943 | St. Louis, MO | |
| Whipper Billy Watson | 1 | February 21, 1947 | St. Louis, MO | |
| Lou Thesz | 2 | April 25, 1947 | St. Louis, MO | |
| Bill Longson | 3 | November 21, 1947 | Houston, TX | |
| Lou Thesz | 3 | July 10, 1948 | Indianapolis, IN | |
| Title retired | November 27, 1949 | Title unified with NWA World Heavyweight Championship. | ||
