NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship


The NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today. The title has used a variety of different names over the years, which consists of initial changes to represent the various companies that have controlled the title at different times. Originally, it was simply known as the Texas Heavyweight Championship until its name was changed after the formation of the National Wrestling Alliance in 1948. For most of the title's existence, at least until the early 1990s, it was defended almost exclusively within the Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio areas of Texas. From the 1930s to the mid-1960s, these cities and the surrounding towns were within the territory operated by Ed McLemore, which was known simply as Southwest Sports, Inc. at the time. After McLemore's death, the territory came under the control of Fritz Von Erich and was renamed as Big Time Wrestling. However, the promotion would be renamed World Class Championship Wrestling in the early 1980s, which is the name the territory is best remembered under today. The championship remained an NWA affiliated title until February 1986.
In 1986, WCCW withdrew from the NWA and changed their name to the World Class Wrestling Association, while still promoting under the WCCW banner. The title became the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship at this time. In August 1989, the title became the USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship in the United States Wrestling Association when WCCW was transformed into the USWA.
It was renamed the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship in July 1990 after the WCWA split from the USWA, then became the USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship again from January 1991 until February 1992, when it became inactive. It then reverted to its original name when awarded to NWA Southwest, where it was used until that promotion shut down in September 2011. It then went to NWA Houston, where it was subsequently merged with the NWA Lone Star Heavyweight Championship in a title unification match when Jax Dane defeated Raymond Rowe, NWA Lone Star Champion Ryan Genesis and NWA Texas Champion Scott Summers to unify the titles on December 14, 2012 in Cypress, Texas.

Championship tournaments

NWA Texas Championship Tournament (1967)

The NWA Texas Championship Tournament was a one-night single elimination tag team tournament held in Dallas, Texas on May 2, 1967, for the vacant NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship.

NWA Texas Championship Tournament (1984)

The NWA Texas Championship Tournament was a one-night single elimination tournament held in San Antonio, Texas on June 23, 1984, for the vacant NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship.
†Kerry Von Erich was originally in the bracket set to face Ric Flair in the final round. But his injury prevented him from competing, and thus was replaced by Gino Hernandez

WCCW Texas Championship Tournament (1987)

The WCCW Texas Championship Tournament was a one-night single elimination tournament held in Fort Worth, Texas on January 12, 1987, for the vacant WCCW Texas Heavyweight Championship.

USWA Texas Championship Tournament (1991)

The USWA Texas Championship Tournament was a one-night single elimination tournament held in Dallas, Texas on January 25, 1991, to crown the first-ever USWA Texas Heavyweight Champion.

Title history

Combined reigns

RankWrestlerNo. of ReignsCombined days
191503
211433
38852
49818
51815
615778
74608
83
96
107530
1110494
123414
131371
144369
15Tejas1357
166
177337
181336
194318
205311
216300
225286
232260
242258
253251
262241
272238
283235
293228
302225
311224
322203
3310190
343188
355187
361182
371181
382175
392155
401152
411142
422140
431139
441133
44Great Mephisto1133
462130
471129
482128
491123
501121
511119
523
532115
54Ciclon Negro1113
551112
554112
571108
581105
592
60199
61Mr. Wrestling198
62393
63191
63191
63191
66289
676
68285
68Torbellino Blanco485
70181
71180
72178
72378
74177
75176
75276
77271
77171
79170
79170
81268
82167
83165
83165
85161
85161
87260
88158
89252
90Cedric of Hollywood150
91149
92146
93144
94142
94Spoiler 2000142
96238
962
98236
98136
100135
100335
100135
100235
100135
105234
105234
107Mighty Atlas132
108131
109Brickhouse Brown129
110128
110128
110128
110128
110128
110128
110128
117127
117127
119223
120121
120121
120121
120121
120121
125119
126Cyclone Anaya2
127115
128114
128114
128114
128114
132211
1332
13417
13417
13417
13417
13417
13916
13916
14112
1412
143Corsica Joe1
1431
1431
1431
1431
1431
1431
1431
1431
1431
1431
1541
1541
1541
154Chief Little Beaver1

Footnotes