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NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship History

Complete list of every NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship reign — who held it, when they won it, and how long they kept it. Established Jul 14, 1948.

Current Champion
Silas Mason
Since Nov 18, 2025 · 207+ days
103
Total Reigns
60
Champions
2,300
Longest (days)
Lou Thesz
9×
Most Reigns
Ric Flair

Full Title Lineage

#ChampionWonReign
103 Silas Mason CURRENT Nov 18, 2025 207+ days
102 Thom Latimer Defended under the "Lucky Seven Rule" stipulation. Oct 1, 2024NWA 76th Anniversary ShowPhiladelphia, PA 413 days
101 EC3 Aug 27, 2023NWA 75th Anniversary ShowSt. Louis, MO 401 days
100 Tyrus At 375 lb, the heaviest champion in the title's history. Nov 12, 2022NWA Hard Times 3Chalmette, LA 288 days
99 Trevor Murdoch2nd reign Won a fatal four-way for the vacant title. Jun 11, 2022NWA Alwayz ReadyKnoxville, TN 154 days
98 Matt Cardona ↳ Matt Cardona vacated the title due to injury. Mar 8, 2022NWA/TNT PowerrrTripOak Grove, KY 95 days
97 Trevor Murdoch1st reign Aug 29, 2021NWA 73rd Anniversary ShowSt. Louis, MO 191 days
96 Nick Aldis2nd reign Oct 21, 2018NWA 70th Anniversary ShowNashville, TN 1,043 days
95 Cody Rhodes Billed simply as "Cody"; won the title on the first All In show. Sep 1, 2018All InHoffman Estates, IL 50 days
94 Nick Aldis1st reign Dec 9, 2017Cage of Death 19Sewell, NJ 266 days
93 Tim Storm At 51, the oldest champion in the title's history. On October 1, 2017, Billy Corgan's Lightning One purchased the NWA, ended its licensing model, and the title was later styled the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. Oct 21, 2016House showSherman, TX 414 days
92 Jax Dane Aug 29, 2015World War GoldSan Antonio, TX 419 days
91 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Feb 14, 2015NJPW The New Beginning 2015Sendai, Japan 196 days
90 Rob Conway2nd reign Jun 2, 2014Cauliflower Alley Club ReunionLas Vegas, NV 257 days
89 Satoshi Kojima Jan 4, 2014NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8Tokyo, Japan 149 days
88 Rob Conway1st reign Mar 16, 2013A Monster's BallSan Antonio, TX 294 days
87 Kahagas Won an elimination match for the vacant title. Nov 2, 2012Wrath of ChampionsClayton, NJ 134 days
86 Adam Pearce5th reign Pearce's record fifth reign. ↳ Adam Pearce left the NWA and resigned as champion after a seven-match series with Colt Cabana; both men refused the title afterward. Jul 21, 2012Metro Pro WrestlingKansas City, KS 98 days
85 Colt Cabana2nd reign Apr 29, 2012NWA Championship Wrestling from HollywoodGlendale, CA 83 days
84 Adam Pearce4th reign Won a four-way for the vacant title. Jul 31, 2011NWA at the Ohio State FairColumbus, OH 273 days
83 The Sheik ↳ The Sheik was stripped for refusing to defend against Adam Pearce. Apr 23, 2011Subtle HustleJacksonville, FL 79 days
82 Colt Cabana1st reign Apr 2, 2011NWA Championship Wrestling from HollywoodWest Hollywood, CA 21 days
81 Adam Pearce3rd reign Mar 14, 2010House showCharlotte, NC 384 days
80 Blue Demon Jr. Oct 25, 2008House showMexico City, Mexico 505 days
79 Adam Pearce2nd reign Sep 20, 2008ROH Glory by Honor VIIPhiladelphia, PA 35 days
78 Brent Albright Aug 2, 2008ROH Death Before Dishonor VINew York City, NY 49 days
77 Adam Pearce1st reign Won a tournament for the vacant title as the NWA resumed its own lineage. Sep 1, 2007Reclaiming the GloryBayamón, Puerto Rico 336 days
76 Christian Cage2nd reign ↳ Christian Cage was stripped when the NWA ended its licensing agreement with TNA, which then created its own separate TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Jan 14, 2007TNA Final Resolution 2007Orlando, FL 119 days
75 Abyss Nov 19, 2006TNA Genesis 2007Orlando, FL 56 days
74 Sting2nd reign Oct 22, 2006TNA Bound for Glory 2006Plymouth, MI 28 days
73 Jeff Jarrett7th reign Jun 18, 2006TNA Slammiversary 2006Orlando, FL 126 days
72 Christian Cage1st reign Feb 12, 2006TNA Against All Odds 2006Orlando, FL 126 days
71 Jeff Jarrett6th reign Jarrett's record-tying seventh reign. Nov 3, 2005TNA Impact!Orlando, FL 101 days
70 Rhino Oct 23, 2005TNA Bound for Glory 2005Orlando, FL 11 days
69 Jeff Jarrett5th reign Sep 15, 2005NWA International IncidentWindsor, Ontario, Canada 38 days
68 Raven Jun 19, 2005TNA Slammiversary 2005Orlando, FL 88 days
67 AJ Styles3rd reign May 15, 2005TNA Hard Justice 2005Orlando, FL 35 days
66 Jeff Jarrett4th reign The title was returned to Jarrett after the controversial finish. Apr 3, 2005CMLL Juicio FinalSan Juan, Puerto Rico 42 days
65 Ray González Pinned Jarrett but the decision was reversed; ignored by TNA at the time and only retroactively recognized by the NWA in 2015. Apr 3, 2005CMLL Juicio FinalSan Juan, Puerto Rico <1 day
64 Jeff Jarrett3rd reign Jun 2, 2004NWA: Total Nonstop ActionNashville, TN 305 days
63 Ron Killings2nd reign May 19, 2004NWA: Total Nonstop ActionNashville, TN 14 days
62 AJ Styles2nd reign Apr 21, 2004NWA: Total Nonstop ActionNashville, TN 28 days
61 Jeff Jarrett2nd reign Oct 22, 2003NWA: Total Nonstop ActionNashville, TN 182 days
60 AJ Styles1st reign Jun 11, 2003NWA: Total Nonstop ActionNashville, TN 133 days
59 Jeff Jarrett1st reign Unified the WWA World Heavyweight Championship into this title during the reign. Nov 20, 2002NWA: Total Nonstop ActionNashville, TN 203 days
58 Ron Killings1st reign Aug 7, 2002NWA: Total Nonstop ActionNashville, TN 105 days
57 Ken Shamrock Jeff and Jerry Jarrett's new NWA-TNA licensed the NWA World Heavyweight Championship as its top prize; Shamrock beat Malice for the vacant title. Jun 19, 2002NWA: Total Nonstop ActionHuntsville, AL 49 days
56 Dan Severn2nd reign ↳ Dan Severn was stripped for refusing to defend on the first NWA-TNA pay-per-view. Mar 9, 2002ZERO-ONE Vast EnergyTokyo, Japan 80 days
55 Shinya Hashimoto Won a round-robin for the vacant title. Dec 15, 2001Clash of the ChampionsMcKeesport, PA 84 days
54 Steve Corino ↳ Held up after a Corino vs. Hashimoto match ended in a no-contest due to a Corino head injury. Apr 24, 2001House showTampa, FL 172 days
53 Mike Rapada2nd reign Dec 22, 2000Christmas ChaosNashville, TN 123 days
52 Sabu Nov 14, 2000Night of DecisionsTampa, FL 38 days
51 Mike Rapada1st reign Won a tournament for the vacant title. Sep 19, 2000Tango in TampaTampa, FL 56 days
50 Naoya Ogawa2nd reign ↳ Naoya Ogawa vacated the title to train for a (later cancelled) MMA bout with Rickson Gracie. Oct 2, 1999House showThomaston, CT 274 days
49 Gary Steele Sep 25, 1999NWA 51st Anniversary ShowCharlotte, NC 7 days
48 Naoya Ogawa1st reign Mar 14, 1999UFO Battle in the Hama RingYokohama, Japan 195 days
47 Dan Severn1st reign One of the longest reigns of the title's modern era. Feb 24, 1995House showErlanger, KY 1,479 days
46 Chris Candido At 22, the youngest champion in the title's history; won a tournament for the vacant title. Nov 19, 1994NWA World Title TournamentCherry Hill, NJ 97 days
45 Shane Douglas Won a tournament for the vacant title, then threw the belt down and proclaimed his ECW title a world championship; ECW soon left the NWA. At about 3.5 minutes, the shortest reign in the title's history. ↳ Shane Douglas relinquished the title moments after winning it. Aug 27, 1994ECW NWA World Title TournamentPhiladelphia, PA <1 day
44 Ric Flair9th reign Flair's ninth and final NWA reign. ↳ WCW withdrew from the NWA, keeping the physical belt to continue its own WCW International lineage (the "Big Gold" branch) while the NWA vacated and continued its own lineage. Jul 18, 1993WCW Beach Blast 1993Biloxi, MS 59 days
43 Barry Windham Feb 21, 1993WCW SuperBrawl IIIAsheville, NC 147 days
42 The Great Muta Jan 4, 1993WCW/NJPW Japan Supershow IIITokyo, Japan 48 days
41 Masahiro Chono Won the G1 Climax final over Rick Rude for the vacant title. Aug 12, 1992NJPW G1 Climax 1992Tokyo, Japan 145 days
40 Ric Flair8th reign NWA-recognized; WCW presented Flair's reign as one continuous reign. ↳ Ric Flair was stripped after signing with the WWF, leaving with the physical "Big Gold" belt. May 19, 1991WCW SuperBrawl ISt. Petersburg, FL 112 days
39 Tatsumi Fujinami NWA-recognized; WCW ignored this change in the United States, presenting Flair's reign as continuous. Mar 21, 1991WCW/NJPW Japan Supershow ITokyo, Japan 59 days
38 Ric Flair7th reign After this win Flair was also recognized as the first WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Jan 11, 1991House showEast Rutherford, NJ 69 days
37 Sting1st reign Jul 7, 1990The Great American Bash 1990Baltimore, MD 188 days
36 Ric Flair6th reign May 7, 1989WrestleWar 1989Nashville, TN 426 days
35 Ricky Steamboat Feb 20, 1989Chi-Town Rumble 1989Chicago, IL 76 days
34 Ric Flair5th reign On November 21, 1988, NWA flagship Jim Crockett Promotions was bought by Ted Turner and renamed World Championship Wrestling. Nov 26, 1987Starrcade 1987Chicago, IL 452 days
33 Ronnie Garvin Sep 26, 1987WorldwideDetroit, MI 61 days
32 Ric Flair4th reign This reign began the "Big Gold" belt era. Aug 9, 1986House showSt. Louis, MO 413 days
31 Dusty Rhodes3rd reign Jul 26, 1986The Great American Bash 1986Greensboro, NC 14 days
30 Ric Flair3rd reign By 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions controlled most NWA territories and limited title defenses to its contracted talent. May 24, 1984House showYokosuka, Japan 793 days
29 Kerry von Erich May 6, 1984Parade of ChampionsIrving, TX 18 days
28 Ric Flair2nd reign Harley Race's voided March 20, 1984 win is still counted by the NWA as his eighth reign. Nov 24, 1983Starrcade 1983Greensboro, NC 164 days
27 Harley Race7th reign Jun 10, 1983House showSt. Louis, MO 167 days
26 Ric Flair1st reign Flair's first reign; disputed, unrecognized changes (The Midnight Rider, Jack Veneno, Carlos Colón) occurred during it. Sep 17, 1981House showKansas City, KS 631 days
25 Dusty Rhodes2nd reign Jun 21, 1981House showAtlanta, GA 88 days
24 Harley Race6th reign May 1, 1981House showGainesville, GA 51 days
23 Tommy Rich Apr 27, 1981House showAugusta, GA 4 days
22 Harley Race5th reign Sep 9, 1980House showŌtsu, Japan 230 days
21 Giant Baba3rd reign Sep 4, 1980House showSaga, Japan 5 days
20 Harley Race4th reign Nov 7, 1979House showAmagasaki, Japan 302 days
19 Giant Baba2nd reign Oct 31, 1979House showNagoya, Japan 7 days
18 Harley Race3rd reign Aug 26, 1979House showOrlando, FL 66 days
17 Dusty Rhodes1st reign Aug 21, 1979House showTampa, FL 5 days
16 Harley Race2nd reign Feb 6, 1977House showToronto, Ontario, Canada 926 days
15 Terry Funk Dec 10, 1975House showMiami Beach, FL 424 days
14 Jack Brisco2nd reign Dec 9, 1974House showToyohashi, Japan 366 days
13 Giant Baba1st reign Dec 2, 1974House showKagoshima, Japan 7 days
12 Jack Brisco1st reign Jul 20, 1973House showHouston, TX 500 days
11 Harley Race1st reign May 24, 1973House showKansas City, KS 57 days
10 Dory Funk Jr. Feb 11, 1969House showTampa, FL 1,563 days
9 Gene Kiniski Jan 7, 1966House showSt. Louis, MO 1,131 days
8 Lou Thesz3rd reign Northeastern promoters refused to recognize Thesz's win, leading the WWWF to split off and crown Rogers its first champion. Jan 24, 1963House showToronto, Ontario, Canada 1,079 days
7 Buddy Rogers The original "Nature Boy"; the NWA does not recognize Rogers's several disputed losses during this reign. Jun 30, 1961House showChicago, IL 573 days
6 Pat O'Connor Jan 9, 1959House showSt. Louis, MO 903 days
5 Dick Hutton Nov 14, 1957House showToronto, Ontario, Canada 421 days
4 Lou Thesz2nd reign Édouard Carpentier's disputed win during this reign is not recognized by the NWA. Nov 9, 1956House showSt. Louis, MO 370 days
3 Whipper Billy Watson Mar 15, 1956House showToronto, Ontario, Canada 239 days
2 Lou Thesz1st reign Awarded the title after Orville Brown's career was ended by a November 1, 1949 car accident. The longest reign in the title's history; disputed Leo Nomellini changes are unrecognized. Nov 27, 1949House showSt. Louis, MO 2,300 days
1 Orville Brown The NWA was founded on July 14, 1948 in Waterloo, Iowa, recognizing Brown — who already held the Midwest Wrestling Association and an Iowa version of the title — as its first World Heavyweight Champion, unifying those titles into the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Jul 14, 1948NWA foundingWaterloo, IA 501 days

The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is the central title of the National Wrestling Alliance and one of the oldest and most prestigious lineages in wrestling, recognized by the NWA as continuous since the alliance's founding on July 14, 1948. For decades it was the undisputed world title of American wrestling, defended across the NWA's member territories — including Jim Crockett Promotions and, after Ted Turner's 1988 purchase, World Championship Wrestling, which carried the title (on the famed "Big Gold" belt) until WCW withdrew from the NWA in 1993 and continued its own separate lineage. The NWA persisted with its own champions, licensed the title to NWA-TNA from 2002 to 2007 (after which TNA spun off its own world championship), and since Billy Corgan's Lightning One purchased the NWA in 2017 has defended it as a standalone promotion. Ric Flair holds the record with nine NWA-recognized reigns, ahead of Harley Race and Jeff Jarrett with seven each; Lou Thesz's second reign (2,300 days) is the longest, Shane Douglas's (about 3.5 minutes) the shortest, Tim Storm the oldest champion at 51 and Chris Candido the youngest at 22. This is the NWA's own continuous lineage, distinct from the WCW/WWE "Big Gold" branch that split off in 1993 and the TNA World Championship that split off in 2007.

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship — FAQ

Silas Mason is the current NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, having won the title on Nov 18, 2025.

Orville Brown was the inaugural NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, winning it on Jul 14, 1948 at NWA founding.

Ric Flair has the most reigns with 9.

Lou Thesz's reign beginning Nov 27, 1949 is the longest at 2,300 days.

There have been 103 reigns across 60 different champions since the title was established.

← All current champions  ·  Where do these champions rank all-time? — The GOAT Index