# WCWA World Heavyweight Championship

The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area–based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The championship was originally created in June 1966 by WCWA's predecessor NWA Big Time Wrestling (BTW), billed as the local version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship before being renamed the NWA American Heavyweight Championship in May 1968. In 1982, Big Time Wrestling rebranded themselves as "World Class Championship Wrestling" (WCCW) and the championship was renamed the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship. In 1986 WCCW withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance, creating the World Class Wrestling Association, replacing the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship with the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship, replacing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship as the top title recognized by the promotion. In 1989, the WCWA championship was unified with the AWA World Heavyweight Championship to become the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship as WCWA merged with the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) to become the United States Wrestling Association. In 1990 WCWA split from the USWA, but the promotion folded without determining a WCWA World Heavyweight Champion. As it is a professional wrestling championship, the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship was not won by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match.
The first recognized Texas-based NWA United States Champion was Fritz Von Erich, introducing the championship to his Southwest Sports promotion as the top championship in his territory. Fritz Von Erich would go on to win the championship a record setting 20 times. At the time it was not unusual for the promoter, if he was also an active wrestler, to hold the championship multiple times, being that he would always be available to work shows and face off against various "outsiders". Fritz' last reign was on June 4, 1982 – 16 years after his first title victory. Rick Rude was the last WCCW American Heavyweight Champion and announced as the first WCWA World Heavyweight Champion on February 21, 1986. Jerry Lawler was the final champion, winning it on April 14, 1989, followed by the announcement that the championship had been unified with the AWA World Heavyweight Champion in September 1990. The longest confirmed reign, Fritz Von Erich's fifth reign over all, lasted from March 27, 1967 to April 5, 1968 for a total of 375 days. Von Erich's final reign was also the shortest in history, as he vacated moments after winning it in the main event of the Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show. With his last title victory Fritz became the oldest champion, at 52 years of age. Fritz's second-youngest son, Mike Von Erich, was the youngest champion at just (20 years, 5 months, 2 days). At 200 lb (91 kg), Mike was the lightest champion, while King Kong Bundy, tipping the scale at 450 lb (200 kg) was the heaviest.

## Title history

Key :
| No. | Overall reign number |
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Championship change | Championship change | Reign statistics | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. |
| No. | Champion | Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Notes | Ref. |
| | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) | NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version) |
| 1 | Fritz Von Erich | June 6, 1966 | House show | Texas | 1 | 3 | Defeated Brute Bernard to become the first champion | |
| | Johnny Valentine | June 9, 1966 | House show | Texas | 1 | 56 | | |
| 3 | Fritz Von Erich | August 4, 1966 | House show | Texas | 2 | 133 | | |
| | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. | Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966. |
| 4 | Fritz Von Erich | December 15, 1966 | House show | Texas | 3 | 97 | | |
| 4 | Brute Bernard | March 1967 | House show | Texas | 1 | 5 | Sometime after March 22, 1967 | |
| 5 | Fritz Von Erich | March 27, 1967 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 4 | 375 | | |
| 6 | The Spoiler | April 5, 1968 | House show | Houston, Texas | 1 | | | |
| — | Vacated | April 1968 | — | — | — | — | Title held up due to interference by manager Gary Hart | |
| | NWA American Heavyweight Championship | NWA American Heavyweight Championship | NWA American Heavyweight Championship | NWA American Heavyweight Championship | NWA American Heavyweight Championship | NWA American Heavyweight Championship | NWA American Heavyweight Championship | NWA American Heavyweight Championship |
| 7 | Fritz Von Erich | June 3, 1968 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 5 | | Von Erich won a rematch against The Spoiler | |
| 8 | Kenji Shibuya | 1968 | House show | Texas | 1 | | | |
| 9 | Fritz Von Erich | July 26, 1968 | House show | Houston, Texas | 6 | 258 | | |
| 10 | Baron Von Raschke | April 10, 1969 | House show | N/A | 1 | 19 | | |
| 11 | Fritz Von Erich | April 29, 1969 | House show | N/A | 7 | 3 | | |
| 12 | Johnny Valentine | May 2, 1969 | House show | Houston, Texas | 2 | | | |
| 13 | Fritz Von Erich | June 1969 | House show | N/A | 8 | | | |
| 14 | Johnny Valentine | June 9, 1969 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 3 | 56 | | |
| 15 | Fritz Von Erich | August 4, 1969 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 9 | 1 | | |
| — | Vacated | August 5, 1969 | — | — | — | — | Title held up after match against Johnny Valentine in Dallas, TX due to interference by Wahoo McDaniel | |
| 16 | Fritz Von Erich | October 21, 1969 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 10 | 94 | Von Erich won a rematch against Johnny Valentine | |
| 17 | Johnny Valentine | January 23, 1970 | House show | Houston, Texas | 4 | 21 | | |
| 18 | Fritz Von Erich | February 13, 1970 | House show | Houston, Texas | 11 | 94 | | |
| 19 | Boris Malenko | May 18, 1970 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 1 | 15 | Defeated Mil Máscaras in tournament final | |
| 20 | Fritz Von Erich | June 2, 1970 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 12 | | | |
| 21 | Baron von Raschke | June 1970 | House show | Texas | 2 | | | |
| 22 | Fritz Von Erich | June 14, 1970 | House show | Texas | 13 | 187 | | |
| 23 | Toru Tanaka | December 18, 1970 | House show | Houston, Texas | 1 | 66 | | |
| 24 | Fritz Von Erich | February 22, 1971 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 14 | 1 | | |
| 25 | Toru Tanaka | February 23, 1971 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 2 | 10 | | |
| 26 | Wahoo McDaniel | March 5, 1971 | House show | Houston, Texas | 1 | 281 | | |
| 27 | The Spoiler | December 11, 1971 | House show | San Antonio, Texas | 2 | 196 | | |
| 28 | Billy Red Lyons | June 24, 1972 | Parade of Champions | Irving, Texas | 1 | 14 | | |
| 29 | Johnny Valentine | July 8, 1972 | House show | Corpus Christi, Texas | 5 | 237 | | |
| 30 | The Missouri Mauler | March 2, 1973 | House show | Chicago, Illinois | 1 | 158 | Awarded when Valentine goes to Japan | |
| 31 | Fritz Von Erich | August 7, 1973 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 15 | 231 | | |
| 32 | The Texan | March 26, 1974 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 21 | | |
| 33 | Fritz Von Erich | April 16, 1974 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 16 | 228 | | |
| 34 | Vacant | November 30, 1974 | House show | Dallas, Texas | | 2 | After a match against Blackjack Lanza | |
| 35 | Blackjack Lanza | December 2, 1974 | House show | Texas | 1 | 27 | | |
| 36 | Fritz Von Erich | December 29, 1974 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 17 | 736 | | |
| 37 | Bruiser Brody | January 3, 1977 | House show | Atlanta, Georgia | 1 | 99 | | |
| 38 | Fritz Von Erich | April 12, 1977 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 18 | 1 | | |
| 39 | Bruiser Brody | April 13, 1977 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 2 | 103 | | |
| 40 | Captain USA | July 25, 1977 | House show | Fort Worth, Texas | 1 | 67 | | |
| 41 | Ox Baker | September 30, 1977 | House show | Houston, Texas | 1 | 73 | | |
| 42 | Fritz Von Erich | December 12, 1977 | House show | Fort Worth, Texas | 19 | 273 | | |
| 43 | Bruiser Brody | September 11, 1978 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 3 | 105 | | |
| 44 | Kevin Von Erich | December 25, 1978 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 1 | 97 | | |
| 45 | The Spoiler | April 1, 1979 | House show | Puerto Rico | 3 | 42 | | |
| 46 | Wahoo McDaniel | May 13, 1979 | House show | Houston, Texas | 2 | 20 | | |
| 47 | The Spoiler | June 2, 1979 | House show | Houston, Texas | 4 | 64 | Awarded due to injury to Wahoo McDaniel | |
| 48 | El Halcón | August 5, 1979 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 63 | | |
| 49 | The Spoiler | October 7, 1979 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 5 | 54 | | |
| 50 | Bruiser Brody | November 30, 1979 | House show | Houston, Texas | 4 | 33 | | |
| 51 | Ox Baker | January 2, 1980 | House show | San Francisco, California | 2 | 10 | | |
| 52 | Kevin Von Erich | January 12, 1980 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 2 | 99 | | |
| 53 | Toru Tanaka | April 20, 1980 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 3 | 8 | | |
| 54 | Kevin Von Erich | April 28, 1980 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 3 | 21 | | |
| 55 | Gino Hernandez | May 19, 1980 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 1 | 74 | | |
| 56 | El Halcón | August 1, 1980 | House show | Houston, Texas | 2 | 14 | | |
| 57 | Gino Hernandez | August 15, 1980 | House show | Houston, Texas | 2 | 127 | | |
| — | Vacated | December 20, 1980 | — | — | — | — | Title held up after match against Kevin Von Erich | |
| 58 | Kerry Von Erich | December 28, 1980 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | | Subbed for injured Kevin and won rematch against Hernandez | |
| 59 | Ken Patera | 1981 | House show | Texas | 1 | | | |
| 60 | The Masked Superstar | 1981 | House show | Texas | 1 | | | |
| 61 | Kerry Von Erich | 1981 | House show | Texas | 2 | | | |
| 62 | Ernie Ladd | May 11, 1981 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 1 | 24 | | |
| 63 | Kerry Von Erich | June 4, 1981 | House show | New Orleans, Louisiana | 3 | 113 | | |
| 64 | The Great Kabuki | September 25, 1981 | House show | Lawton, Oklahoma | 1 | 92 | | |
| 65 | Bugsy McGraw | December 26, 1981 | House show | Columbus, Ohio | 1 | 72 | | |
| | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship | WCCW American Heavyweight Championship |
| 66 | Kerry Von Erich | March 8, 1982 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 4 | 58 | | |
| 67 | King Kong Bundy | May 5, 1982 | N/A | Lawton, Oklahoma | 1 | 30 | | |
| 68 | Fritz Von Erich | June 4, 1982 | Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show | Irving, Texas | 20 | 0 | | |
| — | Vacated | June 4, 1982 | — | — | — | — | Fritz won the title in his retirement match and vacated it immediately | |
| 69 | King Kong Bundy | June 15, 1982 | House show | N/A | 2 | 82 | Awarded when Fritz retired | |
| 70 | Kevin Von Erich | September 5, 1982 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 4 | 138 | | |
| 71 | Terry Gordy | January 21, 1983 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 42 | | |
| 72 | Kevin Von Erich | March 4, 1983 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 5 | 129 | | |
| — | Vacated | July 11, 1983 | House show | — | — | — | Title held up after match against Jimmy Garvin | |
| 73 | Jimmy Garvin | July 25, 1983 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 1 | 122 | Won rematch against Kevin Von Erich | |
| 74 | Chris Adams | November 24, 1983 | Thanksgiving Star Wars | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 31 | | |
| 75 | Jimmy Garvin | December 25, 1983 | Christmas Star Wars | Dallas, Texas | 2 | 36 | | |
| 76 | Chris Adams | January 30, 1984 | Wrestling Star Wars | Ft. Worth, Texas | 2 | 63 | | |
| 77 | Jimmy Garvin | April 2, 1984 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 3 | 2 | | |
| 78 | Chris Adams | April 4, 1984 | House show | Texas | 3 | | | |
| 79 | Jimmy Garvin | April 1984 | House show | Texas | 4 | 18 | | |
| 80 | Gino Hernandez | May 18, 1984 | House show | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 3 | 77 | | |
| 81 | Mike Von Erich | August 3, 1984 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 31 | | |
| 82 | Gino Hernandez | September 3, 1984 | Labor Day Star Wars | Ft. Worth, Texas | 4 | 56 | | |
| 83 | Kerry Von Erich | October 29, 1984 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 5 | 102 | | |
| 84 | Chris Adams | February 8, 1985 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 4 | 147 | Aired February 16, 1985 on WCCW Episode #164 | |
| 85 | Iceman King Parsons | July 5, 1985 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 122 | | |
| 86 | Rick Rude | November 4, 1985 | House show | Ft. Worth, Texas | 1 | 242 | On the March 1, 1986 episode of WCCW (Episode #218), WCWA representative Ken Mantell declares Rude the WCWA World Champion. | |
| | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) | WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (February 21, 1986) |
| 87 | Chris Adams | July 4, 1986 | Independence Day Star Wars | Dallas, Texas | 5 | 77 | Highlights aired on WCCW Episode #237 | |
| 88 | Black Bart | September 19, 1986 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 23 | After Adams leaves WCWA, Bart is awarded the title with kayfabe explanation that he "won the title out on the West Coast" (Los Angeles). Aired on WCCW Episode #248 | |
| 89 | Kevin Von Erich | October 12, 1986 | 3rd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza | Dallas, Texas | 6 | 313 | Match aired on WCCW Episode #251 | |
| 90 | Al Perez | August 21, 1987 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 1 | 198 | Won by forfeit | |
| 91 | Kerry Von Erich | March 6, 1988 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 6 | 19 | | |
| 92 | Iceman King Parsons | March 25, 1988 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 2 | 44 | | |
| 93 | Kerry Von Erich | May 8, 1988 | 5th Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions | Irving, Texas | 7 | 168 | | |
| 94 | Jerry Lawler | October 23, 1988 | House show | Memphis, Tennessee | 1 | 12 | | |
| 95 | Kerry Von Erich | November 4, 1988 | House show | Dallas, Texas | 8 | 35 | | |
| 96 | Tatsumi Fujinami | December 9, 1988 | House show | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 1 | Won by TKO when Von Erich was bleeding too heavily to continue | |
| 97 | Kerry Von Erich | December 10, 1988 | House show | N/A | 9 | 3 | Fujinami refuses the title and returned it to Von Erich | |
| 98 | Jerry Lawler | December 13, 1988 | SuperClash III | Chicago, Illinois | 2 | 113 | Lawler, the reigning AWA Champion, defeated WCWA Champion Kerry Von Erich to unify the titles. In January 1989, Lawler was stripped of the AWA title but was continued to be recognized as USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion by WCWA and CWA. | |
| — | Vacated | April 5, 1989 | House show | — | — | — | WCWA declares the title vacant after a match against Kerry Von Erich. | |
| 99 | Jerry Lawler | April 14, 1989 | House show | N/A | 3 | | Lawler defeats Kerry Von Erich in rematch. On April 25, Lawler also regains the USWA title. | |
| — | Deactivated | September 1990 | — | — | — | — | World Class Championship Wrestling ends business relationship with USWA and later closes down. | |