WWA World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version)
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The WWA World Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in the Los Angeles-based World Wrestling Association. The title was established as an offshoot of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship when Edouard Carpentier became recognized as champion in Los Angeles (see below), when the promotion was then known as the North American Wrestling Alliance. The championship was renamed with the promotion in May 1962, and was abandoned in 1968 after the WWA joined the NWA and was renamed NWA Hollywood Wrestling.
[edit] Title history
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAWA World Heavyweight Championship | ||||
| Edouard Carpentier | 1 | June 14, 1957 | Chicago, IL | Defeats the NWA World Champion Lou Thesz by DQ when Thesz cannot continue due to a back injury. While the NWA voids the title change, some territories recognize Carpentier as champion. Carpentier loses a title match to Verne Gagne on August 9, 1958 in Omaha leading to some NWA promotions recognizing Gagne as champion. Carpentier is recognized in Los Angeles by the NAWA as the World champion as of July 1959. |
| Fred Blassie | 1 | June 12, 1961 | Los Angeles, CA | Wins when doctor rules Carpentier is unable to continue in 3rd fall |
| Rikidozan | 1 | March 28, 1962 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Renamed WWA World Heavyweight Championship | ||||
| Fred Blassie | 2 | July 25, 1962 | Los Angeles, CA | Wins on cuts |
| The Destroyer | 1 | July 27, 1962 | San Diego, CA | |
| Fred Blassie | 3 | May 10, 1963 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Bearcat Wright | 1 | August 23, 1963 | Los Angeles, CA | Wins by countout |
| Edouard Carpentier | 2 | December 16, 1963 | Indio, CA | Wins by forfeit after Wright no-shows scheduled defence |
| Fred Blassie | 4 | January 30, 1964 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Dick the Bruiser | 1 | April 22, 1964 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| The Destroyer | 2 | July 22, 1964 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Bob Ellis | 1 | September 10, 1964 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| The Destroyer | 3 | November 13, 1964 | San Diego, CA | Loses to Toyonobori on December 4, 1964 in Tokyo, Japan but returns to California as champion |
| Pedro Morales | 1 | March 12, 1965 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Luke Graham | 1 | July 23, 1965 | Los Angeles, CA | Also defeats Toyonobori on September 20, 1965 in Los Angeles, CA for the title he won from the Destroyer |
| Pedro Morales | 2 | October 17, 1965 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Buddy Austin | 1 | August 5, 1966 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Bobo Brazil | 1 | September 2, 1966 | Los Angeles, CA | Wins on cuts |
| Buddy Austin | 2 | September 16, 1966 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Lou Thesz | 1 | October 14, 1966 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Mark Lewin | 1 | October 28, 1966 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| KIM Il (Kintaro Ohki) | 1 | June 9, 1967 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Mike DiBiase | 1 | July 28, 1967 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Buddy Austin | 3 | August 25, 1967 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Bobo Brazil | 2 | January 12, 1968 | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Title retired | October 1, 1968 | Abandoned when the WWA joins the NWA and recognizes Gene Kiniski as world champion; Kiniski and Brazil wrestle to a draw on December 18, 1968 in Los Angeles, CA; the NWA World Heavyweight title is recognized in Southern California until the promotion closes on December 26, 1982, during the first of many title reigns of Ric Flair. | ||
