On this page, you find the full Title History for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, with all Championship Info, Statistics, the Belt Design changes through the years, and the full list of Title Reigns, along with dates, events, and reign durations.
The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was a World Title contested in American Wrestling Association, by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on May 18, 1960, and the inaugural champion was Pat O'Connor.
The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was retired on August 1, 1991, when it was unified into the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship, with the final champion being Larry Zbyszko.
AWA World Heavyweight Championship: Title History
For the Title History of the championship in which this title was unified into, see the page for the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship.
AWA World Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns
N. Image Champion Reign Deactivated into the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship
- August 1, 1991
- 12553+ days
The championship was deactivated when AWA closed in August 1991.
Vacant
- December 12, 1990
- 232 days
The title was held up when Larry Zbyszko left the inactive AWA for World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Official kayfabe reason was that Zbyszko refused to defend the title on a tour of Japan.232- days
38 
Larry Zbyszko 2
- April 8, 1990
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- 248 days
248- days
37 
Masa Saito 1
- February 10, 1990
- Tokyo, Japan
- 57 days
57- days
36 Larry Zbyszko 1
- February 7, 1989
- Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show
- 368 days
Zbyszko won a battle royal, last eliminating Tom Zenk to win the vacant title.368- days
Vacant
- January 20, 1989
- 18 days
Jerry Lawler was stripped of the championship after the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) split from the AWA.18- days
35 
Jerry "The King" Lawler 1
- May 9, 1988
- Memphis, TN | House show
- 256 days
Lawler later defeated Kerry Von Erich on December 13, 1988, in Chicago to win the WCCW World Heavyweight Championship to become the first (USWA) Unified World Champion.256- days
34 
Curt Hennig 1
- May 2, 1987
- Daly City, CA
- 373 days
The title was held up immediately due to controversy over interference by Larry Zbyszko but returned to Hennig days later after the AWA Championship Committee found no no evidence of interference. On February 16, 1988, the title was again held up after a no-contest between Hennig and The Grappler in Portland, OR. Hennig regained the title on March 5 in Portland, when his replacement, The Assassin, defeated The Grappler. AWA recognized Hennig's title reign as continuous.373- days
33 
Nick Bockwinkel 4
- June 28, 1986
- Denver, Colorado | House show
- 308 days
Bockwinkel was awarded the championship when Stan Hansen left the AWA.308- days
32 
Stan Hansen 1
- December 29, 1985
- East Rutherford, NJ | House show
- 181 days
Hansen defended the title on All Japan Pro Wrestling cards in July 1986.181- days
31 
Rick Martel 1
- May 13, 1984
- Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show
- 595 days
595- days
30 
Jumbo Tsuruta 1
- February 22, 1984
- Tokyo, Japan | House show
- 81 days
81- days
29 Nick Bockwinkel 3
- October 9, 1982
- Chicago, Illinois | House show
- 501 days
The title was held up on December 27, 1982, after a match with Jerry Lawler, and was restored to Bockwinkel after defeating Lawler in a rematch on January 10, 1983. The AWA retroactively recognized Bockwinkel's title reign as continuous.501- days
28 
Otto Wanz 1
- August 29, 1982
- Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show
- 41 days
41- days
27 Nick Bockwinkel 2
- May 19, 1981
- 467 days
Bockwinkel was awarded the championship. On 18/4/1982 Hulk Hogan defeats Bockwinkel for the title, Bockwinkel was restored the title by AWA president Stanley Blackburn due to Hogan having used a foreign object during the match.467- days
26 
Verne Gagne 10
- July 18, 1980
- Chicago, Illinois
- 305 days
Gagne retired from active wrestling while still the champion.305- days
25 Nick Bockwinkel 1
- November 8, 1975
- Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show
- 1714 days
1714- days
24 
Verne Gagne 9
- August 31, 1968
- Minneapolis, MN | House show
- 2625 days
2625- days
23 
Doctor X 1
- August 17, 1968
- Bloomington, Minnesota | House show
- 14 days
14- days
22 Verne Gagne 8
- February 26, 1967
- Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show
- 538 days
538- days
21 
Mad Dog Vachon 5
- November 19, 1966
- Omaha, Nebraska | House show
- 99 days
99- days
20 
Dick The Bruiser 1
- November 12, 1966
- Omaha, Nebraska | House show
- 7 days
7- days
19 Mad Dog Vachon 4
- November 12, 1965
- Denver, Colorado | House show
- 365 days
Mr. Wrestling defeats Mad Dog Vachon for the title on 12/11/1965, AWA president Stanley Blackburn nullified the previous title change, as Mr. Wrestling's legs were on the rope during the pinfall. Vachon defeated Mr. Wrestling in a rematch for the title.365- days
18 
The Crusher 3
- August 21, 1965
- Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show
- 83 days
83- days
17 Mad Dog Vachon 3
- May 22, 1965
- Omaha, Nebraska | House show
- 91 days
91- days
16 Mighty Igor Vodic
- May 15, 1965
- Omaha, Nebraska | House show
- 7 days
7- days
15 Mad Dog Vachon 2
- October 20, 1964
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 207 days
207- days
14 Verne Gagne 7
- May 16, 1964
- Omaha, Nebraska | House show
- 157 days
157- days
13 Mad Dog Vachon 1
- May 2, 1964
- Omaha, Nebraska | House show
- 14 days
14- days
12 Verne Gagne 6
- December 14, 1963
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 140 days
140- days
11 
The Crusher 2
- November 16, 1963
- Saint Paul, Minnesota | House show
- 28 days
28- days
10 
Verne Gagne 5
- August 8, 1963
- Amarillo, Texas | House show
- 100 days
Fritz Von Erich's Omaha Championship was not at stake. On September 7, 1963, Gagne defeated Von Erich in Omaha to unify both titles.100- days
9 
Fritz von Erich 1
- July 27, 1963
- Omaha, Nebraska | House show
- 12 days
Von Erich won both the AWA Championship and the Omaha Championship.12- days
8 Verne Gagne 4
- July 20, 1963
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 7 days
Gagne won both the AWA Championship and the Omaha Championship.7- days
7 The Crusher 1
- July 9, 1963
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 11 days
The Crusher also won the Omaha version of World Heavyweight Championship from Verne Gagne on February 15, 1963, in Omaha, Nebraska.11- days
6 Verne Gagne 3
- August 21, 1962
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 322 days
322- days
5 Mr. M
- January 9, 1962
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 224 days
224- days
4 Verne Gagne 2
- August 8, 1961
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 154 days
154- days
3 Gene Kiniski
- July 11, 1961
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | House show
- 28 days
28- days
2 Verne Gagne 1
- August 16, 1960
- 329 days
Gagne was awarded the championship after Pat O'Connor failed to defend the title.329- days
1 
Pat O'Connor 1
- May 18, 1960
- 90 days
O'Connor, NWA World Heavyweight Championship since 1959, was recognized as the first AWA World Champion in May 1960, but was given 90 days to defend the title against Verne Gagne or be stripped of the title.90- days
AWA World Heavyweight Championship: Names & Belt Designs
-
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipJune 28, 1986August 1, 1991
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipMay 19, 1981June 28, 1986
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNovember 8, 1975May 19, 1981
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipAugust 31, 1968November 8, 1975
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 26, 1967August 31, 1968
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNovember 12, 1965February 26, 1967
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipOctober 20, 1964November 12, 1965
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipMay 18, 1960October 20, 1964
AWA World Heavyweight Championship: Statistics
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
AWAMay 18, 1960 August 1, 1991
- Promotion
American Wrestling Association
- GenderMale
- Title TypeMain / World
- Date EstablishedMay 18, 1960
- Date RetiredAugust 1, 1991
- Unified Into
USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship
- First ChampionPat O'Connor
- Final ChampionLarry Zbyszko
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verne Gagne | 10 |
| 2 | Mad Dog Vachon | 5 |
| 3 | Nick Bockwinkel | 4 |
| 4 | The Crusher | 3 |
| 5 | Larry Zbyszko | 2 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Verne Gagne | 4677 | |
| Nick Bockwinkel | 2990 | |
| Mad Dog Vachon | 776 | |
| Larry Zbyszko | 616 | |
| Rick Martel | 595 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verne Gagne | August 31, 1968 - November 8, 1975 | 2625 | |
| Nick Bockwinkel | November 8, 1975 - July 18, 1980 | 1714 | |
| Rick Martel | May 13, 1984 - December 29, 1985 | 595 | |
| Verne Gagne | February 26, 1967 - August 17, 1968 | 538 | |
| Nick Bockwinkel | October 9, 1982 - February 22, 1984 | 501 |