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Click Here For Some Stats Midwest Wrestling Association
World Junior Heavyweight Championship
(1943 — July 1948)
Won By: Date: Event: Location: Reign:
Ken Fenelon May 1943 -- --
Fenelon was awarded the title by Midwest Wrestling Association promoter Pinkie George.
Marshall Esteppe May 30, 1945 Live Event Toronto, USA 216 days
Larry Tillman Jan 1, 1946 Live Event Des Moines, USA 69 days
Ken Fenelon [2] Mar 11, 1946 Live Event Des Moines, USA 301 days
Marshall Esteppe [2] Jan 6, 1947 Live Event Des Moines, USA 77 days
Ray Steele Mar 24, 1947 Live Event Des Moines, USA 35 days
Marshall Esteppe [3] Apr 28, 1947 Live Event Des Moines, USA 294 days
Billy Goelz Feb 16, 1948 Live Event Des Moines, USA 188 days
During this reign, the National Wrestling Alliance is officially formed, with the championship becoming property of the alliance and expanding out of Iowa.
National Wrestling Alliance
World Junior Heavyweight Championship
(December 28, 1948 - Present)
Won By: Date: Event: Location: Reign:
Al Williams Aug 22, 1948 Live Event Waterloo, USA 14 days
Billy Goelz [2] Sep 5, 1948 Live Event Waterloo, USA 114 days
-- Dec 28, 1948 -- CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS UNCLEAR -- Dec 28, 1948 --
Leroy McGuirk Dec 28, 1948 Live Event Des Moines, USA 406 days
McGuirk, the reigning N.B/W.A World Junior Heavyweight Champion, defeats Goelz for the N.W.A. Junior Heavyweight Championship, giving the belt World Title status.
** Vacated ** Feb 7, 1950 -- --
McGuirk vacates the title after an automobile accident that leaves him blind and forces him to retire.
Verne Gagne Nov 13, 1950 Live Event Tulsa, USA 371 days
Gagne defeated Sonny Myers in the finals of a tournament for the vacant title.
Danny McShain Nov 19, 1951 Live Event Memphis, USA 637 days
Unifies the Los Angeles version of the world title, defeating Rito Romero on May 25, 1952 in Los Angeles, CA.
Baron Michele Leone Aug 17, 1953 Live Event Memphis, USA 602 days
Ed Francis Apr 11, 1955 Live Event Tulsa, USA 365 days
Mike Clancy Apr 10, 1956 -- -- 350 days
Freddie Blassie Mar 26, 1957 Live Event Nashville, USA 0 days
** Held-Up ** Mar 26, 1957 Live Event Nashville, USA
Vacated after the match between Blassie & Clancy ended with a controversial finish.
-- Dec 24, 2024 -- CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS UNCLEAR -- Apr 9, 1957 --
Mike Clancy [2] Apr 9, 1957 Live Event Nashville, USA 217 days
** Held-Up ** Nov 12, 1957 Live Event Nashville, USA
Title held-up after a match against Freddie Blassie.
Mike Clancy [3] Nov 19, 1957 Live Event Nashville, USA 101 days
Defeats Blassie via disqualification to reclaim the title.
Angelo Savoldi Feb 28, 1958 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 97 days
Dory Funk Jun 5, 1958 Live Event Amarillo, USA 36 days
Angelo Savoldi [2] Jul 11, 1958 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 224 days
Ivan The Terrible Feb 20, 1959 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 14 days
Angelo Savoldi [3] Mar 6, 1959 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 84 days
Mike DiBiase May 29, 1959 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 84 days
Angelo Savoldi [4] Aug 21, 1959 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 336 days
Danny Hodge Jul 22, 1960 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 1450 days
Hiro Matsuda Jul 11, 1964 Championship Wr… Tampa, USA 125 days
Angelo Savoldi [5] Nov 13, 1964 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 161 days
Danny Hodge [2] Apr 23, 1965 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 214 days
Lorenzo Parente Nov 23, 1965 Live Event Little Rock, USA 42 days
Danny Hodge [3] Jan 4, 1966 Live Event Little Rock, USA 10 days
Lorenzo Parente [2] Jan 14, 1966 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 28 days
Joe McCarthy Feb 11, 1966 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 81 days
Danny Hodge [4] May 3, 1966 Live Event Little Rock, USA 1532 days
Sputnik Monroe Jul 13, 1970 Live Event Shreveport, USA 28 days
Danny Hodge [5] Aug 10, 1970 Live Event Tulsa, USA 283 days
Roger Kirby May 20, 1971 Live Event Chalmette, USA 113 days
Ramón Torres Sep 10, 1971 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 84 days
Dr. X Dec 3, 1971 Live Event Oklahoma City, USA 108 days
Danny Hodge [6] Mar 20, 1972 Live Event Shreveport, USA 639 days
Ken Mantell Dec 19, 1973 Live Event Jackson, USA 542 days
Hiro Matsuda [2] Jun 14, 1975 Live Event St. Petersburg, USA 262 days
Danny Hodge [7] Mar 2, 1976 Live Event Shreveport, USA 13 days
** Vacated ** Mar 15, 1976 -- --
Hodge vacates the title after suffering a broken neck in an auto accident.
Pat Barrett Sep 28, 1976 Live Event Shreveport, USA 65 days
Barrett defeated Nelson Royal in the finals of a tournament for the vacant title. Included in the tournament were Hiro Matsuda, Ken Mantell, and Ron Starr.
Ron Starr Dec 2, 1976 -- -- 4 days
Nelson Royal Dec 6, 1976 Live Event Tulsa, USA 445 days
-- Feb 24, 1978 -- CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS UNCLEAR -- Jun 25, 1978 --
Al Madril Jun 25, 1978 Live Event Houston, USA 398 days
Nelson Royal [2] Jul 28, 1979 -- -- 134 days
Royal was awarded when Madril was too ill to participate in the match.
** Vacated ** Dec 9, 1979 -- --
Royal vacates the title upon retiring. On December 10, 1979, Steve Keirn defeated Chavo Guerrero, Sr. to seemingly win the vacant title, but NWA did not recognize the win as being for the title, though it was recognized by Florida, Los Angeles, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling; this version was later renamed the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Ron Starr [2] Feb 11, 1980 Live Event Tulsa, USA
Starr defeated Les Thornton in the finals of a tournament for the vacant title.
Les Thornton Mar 1980 -- --
Thornton wins the title via forfeit, exact date unknown.
Jerry Stubbs Jan 26, 1981 -- -- 5 days
Les Thornton [2] Jan 31, 1981 -- -- 127 days
Terry Taylor Jun 7, 1981 Live Event Roanoke, USA 13 days
Les Thornton [3] Jun 20, 1981 Live Event Roanoke, USA 88 days
Jerry Brisco Sep 16, 1981 Live Event Miami Beach, USA 30 days
Les Thornton [4] Oct 16, 1981 Live Event Knoxville, USA 221 days
Tiger Mask May 25, 1982 Big Fight Series Shizuoka, Japan 313 days
Some North American promoters declared the title vacant due to Tiger Mask wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation; however, during an annual meeting between the NWA and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, it's announced that Tiger Mask is still recognized as the official champion.
** Vacated Due To Injury ** Apr 3, 1983 -- --
Tiger Mask vacates the title due to injury. On April 3, Dynamite Kid and Kuniaki Kobayashi have a match for the title with no winner. On April 21, Dynamite Kid and Tiger Mask have a match for the title with no winner.
Tiger Mask [2] Jun 2, 1983 I.W.G.P. League Tokyo, Japan 71 days
** Vacated ** Aug 12, 1983 -- --
Tiger Mask vacates the title upon retirement.
The Cobra Nov 3, 1983 Live Event Osaka, Japan 633 days
Hiro Saito Jul 28, 1985 Burning Spirit … Osaka, Japan 4 days
The Cobra [2] Jul 28, 1985 Burning Spirit … Osaka, Japan 0 days
-- Jul 28, 1985 -- CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS UNCLEAR -- Aug 1, 1985 --
** Vacated ** Aug 1, 1985 -- --
The Cobra vacates the title after N.J.P.W. withdraws from N.W.A.
Denny Brown Aug 2, 1985 -- -- 13 days
Won a disputed version of the title at Starrcade '84. Recognized as champion after N.J.P.W. withdraws from N.W.A.
Gary Royal Aug 15, 1985 Live Event Kansas City, USA 31 days
Denny Brown [2] Sep 15, 1985 World Champions… Atlanta, USA 321 days
Steve Regal Aug 2, 1986 The Great Ameri… Atlanta, USA 30 days
Denny Brown [3] Sep 1, 1986 Live Event Greenville, USA 187 days
Lazer Tron Mar 7, 1987 World Champions… Atlanta, USA 215 days
** Vacated ** Oct 8, 1987 -- --
Tron vacates the title after leaving W.C.W.
Nelson Royal [3] Nov 17, 1987 World Wide Wres… Columbia, USA 248 days
Leaves M.A.C.W. and takes the title to USA Championship Wrestling in Knoxville in May 1988. Masanobu Fuchi, A.J.P.W.'s reigning World Junior Heavyweight Champion, was then disputably recognized as the new champion.
Scott Armstrong Jul 22, 1988 Live Event Knoxville, USA 1 day
Nelson Royal [4] Jul 23, 1988 Live Event Knoxville, USA 7 days
Scott Armstrong [2] Jul 30, 1988 Live Event Chattanooga, USA 3 days
Nelson Royal [5] Aug 2, 1988 Live Event Knoxville, USA 108 days
USA Championship Wrestling closes in October 1988; Royal moves to Atlantic Coast Wrestling in the Carolinas and bills himself as world champion.
Les Anderson Nov 18, 1988 -- -- 209 days
Rock The Hunter Jun 15, 1989 -- -- 193 days
Les Anderson [2] Dec 25, 1989 -- -- 6 days
** Retired ** Dec 31, 1989 -- --
Masayoshi Motegi Aug 30, 1995 Live Event Tokyo, Japan 338 days
Motegi defeated El Hijo del Santo in the finals of a tournament for the revived title. Also in the tournament were Ray González, Takashi Okano, Supe Crazy, Yoshihiro Tajiri, KAMIKAZE, and Unicorn
The Great Sasuke Aug 2, 1996 G1 Climax Tokyo, Japan 70 days
Sasuke defeated Motegi in the first round of the J-Crown tournament to win the title. Sasuke, the reigning N.J.P.W. I.W.G.P. Junior Heavyweight Champion, would go on to win the tournament along with 6 other titles to hold a total of 8 championships. The other championships included the W.A.R. International Junior Heavyweight, the M.P.W. British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight, the W.W.F. World Light-Heavyweight, the U.W.A. World Junior Light-Heavyweight, the W.W.A. World Junior Light-Heavyweight and the N.W.A. World Welterweight.
Ultimo Dragon Oct 11, 1996 Osaka Crush Night! Osaka, Japan 85 days
Jushin "Thunder" Liger Jan 4, 1997 Wrestling World Tokyo, Japan 183 days
El Samurai Jul 6, 1997 Summer Struggle Sapporo, Japan 35 days
Shinjiro Otani Aug 10, 1997 The Four Heaven Nagoya, Japan 87 days
** Vacated ** Nov 5, 1997 -- --
Vacated when the J-Crown was decommissioned and all titles are returned to their home promotions
Logan Caine Mar 5, 1999 Live Event Parkersburg, USA 237 days
Caine defeated Viper in the finals of a 4-man tournament for the vacant title.
** Vacated ** Oct 28, 1999 -- --
Caine is stripped of the title after no-showing a title defense against Vince Kaplack.
Vince Kaplack Oct 28, 1999 Live Event McKeesport, USA 78 days
Tony Kozina Jan 14, 2000 Live Event North Versailles, USA 190 days
Rockford 2000 Jul 22, 2000 Live Event Surrey, Canada 39 days
Tony Kozina [2] Aug 30, 2000 -- -- 45 days
The N.W.A. awards the title to Kozina after a review of a match between him and Rockford 2000 on August 26.
Vince Kaplack [2] Oct 14, 2000 Anniversary Show Nashville, USA 175 days
Rocky Reynolds Apr 7, 2001 Live Event Pennsboro, USA 27 days
Mike Thunder May 4, 2001 Live Event North Richland Hills, USA 109 days
Lex Lovett Aug 21, 2001 Live Event Tampa, USA 53 days
Jason Rumble Oct 13, 2001 Anniversary Show St. Petersburg, USA 112 days
Rumble defeated Lex Lovett, Jimmy Rave, Brandon K and B.J. Turner in a 5-way match for the title.
Rocky Reynolds [2] Feb 2, 2002 Live Event Titusville, USA 14 days
Jason Rumble [2] Feb 16, 2002 Live Event Malden, USA 49 days
Rocky Reynolds [3] Apr 6, 2002 Live Event Parkersburg, USA 84 days
Jimmy Rave Jun 29, 2002 Freedom Fight Cornelia, USA 42 days
Rave defeated Rocky Reynolds and Jeremy Lopez in a 3-way match for the title.
Star Aug 10, 2002 Live Event Columbia, USA 7 days
Jimmy Rave [2] Aug 17, 2002 Live Event Columbia, USA 154 days
Brother Love Jan 18, 2003 Live Event Greenville, USA 140 days
Rocky Reynolds [4] Jun 7, 2003 Live Event Parkersburg, USA 56 days
Chris Draven Aug 2, 2003 Live Event Parkersburg, USA 161 days
Jerrelle Clark Jan 10, 2004 Live Event St. Petersburg, USA 281 days
Jason Rumble [3] Oct 17, 2004 Anniversary Show Winnipeg, Canada 312 days
Rumble defeated Jerrelle Clark and Vance Desmond in a 3-way match for the title.
Black Tiger IV Aug 25, 2005 Live Event Columbia, USA 178 days
Tiger Mask IV Feb 19, 2006 Acceleration Ci… Tokyo, Japan 446 days
Mike Quackenbush May 11, 2007 Chapter Two Portage, USA 1275 days
Craig Classic Nov 6, 2010 November Coming… Fort Pierce, USA 247 days
** Vacated ** Jul 11, 2011 -- --
Classic vacated the title in protest of The Sheik being stripped of the N.W.A. World Heavyweight Championship. Classic joins Pro Wrestling Zero1 and defends a new version of the title.
Kevin Douglas Oct 7, 2011 Revival Charlotte, USA 372 days
Douglas defeated Chase Owens in the finals for the vacant title. Other competitors in the tournament included Alex Payne, Caleb Konley, Chris Taylor, Mike Posey, Scorpio Sky and Steven Walters.
** Vacated ** Oct 13, 2012 -- --
Douglas was stripped of the title for no-showing a scheduled title defense on October 13, 2012 against Chase Owens
Chase Owens Oct 13, 2012 Stand Your Ground Thomson, USA 301 days
Owens defeated Matt Conard and Zac Vincent in a triple threat final for the vacant title. Other competitors in the tournament included Gavin Darring, Shawn Schultz, and Skylar Kruze
Jason Kincaid Aug 10, 2013 Fire On The Mou… Kingsport, USA 69 days
Chase Owens [2] Oct 18, 2013 Live Event Houston, USA 78 days
Ricky Morton Jan 4, 2014 House Party Kingsport, USA 62 days
-- Mar 7, 2014 -- CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS UNCLEAR -- Mar 7, 2014 --
Chase Owens [3] Mar 7, 2014 Benefit Show Church Hill, USA 246 days
Jushin "Thunder" Liger [2] Nov 8, 2014 Power Struggle Osaka, Japan 156 days
Steve Anthony Apr 13, 2015 Casino Royale Las Vegas, USA 163 days
Tiger Mask IV [2] Sep 23, 2015 Destruction Okayama, Japan 178 days
Steve Anthony [2] Mar 19, 2016 Road to Invasio… Nagoya, Japan 112 days
John Saxon Jul 9, 2016 Live Event Pensacola, USA 273 days
Arrick Andrews Apr 8, 2017 Live Event Dyersburg, USA 41 days
Mr. U.S.A. May 19, 2017 Live Event Franklin, USA 85 days
Barrett Brown Aug 12, 2017 Live Event Dyersburg, USA 49 days
** Deactivated ** Sep 30, 2017 -- --
Homicide Mar 20, 2022 Crockett Cup Nashville, USA 237 days
Defeated Austin Aries, Colby Corino, and Darius Lockhart in a four-way match for the reactivated the title.
Kerry Morton Nov 12, 2022 Hard Times Chalmette, USA 287 days
Colby Corino Aug 26, 2023 Anniversary Show St. Louis, USA 227 days
Joe Alonzo Apr 9, 2024 Powerrr Dothan, USA 80 days
Alex Taylor Jun 28, 2024 Endless Summer Highland Park, USA 179 days