On this page, you find the full Title History for the MSWA North American 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 MSWA North American Heavyweight Championship was a main title contested in National Wrestling Alliance and Universal Wrestling Federation (Mid-South), by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on June 23, 1969.
The MSWA North American Heavyweight Championship was retired on May 1, 1986, with the final champion being "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan.
A similar championship, the UWF Heavyweight Championship, has been later introduced, which does not share the lineage with this title.
MSWA North American Heavyweight Championship: Title History
For the Title History of the newer version of this championship, see the page for the UWF Heavyweight Championship.
MSWA North American Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns
N. Image Champion Reign National Wrestling Alliance & Universal Wrestling Federation (Mid-South) Retired
May 1, 1986Title retired when Mid-South Wrestling Association becomes UWF.84 
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan 1
March 16, 1986 Oklahoma City, OK | MSWA ShowDefeats Buzz Sawyer, who was defending for Slater.46days83 
Dick Slater 2
February 23, 1986 Oklahoma City, OK | MSWA Show21days82 
Jake Roberts 2
February 14, 1986 Houston, TX | MSWA ShowWins rematch.9days
Vacant
January 31, 1986 Houston, TX | MSWA ShowHeld up after match against Jake Roberts.14days81 Dick Slater 1
January 1, 1986 Tulsa, OK | MSWA Show30days80 
Butch Reed 3
October 14, 1985 New Orleans, LA | MSWA Show79days79 
Dick Murdoch 5
August 10, 1985 New Orleans, LA | MSWA Show65days78 The Nightmare
May 30, 1985 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show72days77 
Terry Taylor 1
March 13, 1985 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show78days76 
Ted DiBiase 6
January 16, 1985 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show56days75 
Brad Armstrong 1
December 5, 1984 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show42days74 
"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 5
October 16, 1984 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show50days73 
Magnum T.A. 2
May 13, 1984 Tulsa, OK | MSWA Show156days72 
Mr. Wrestling II 2
March 12, 1984 New Orleans, LA | MSWA Show62days71 
Junkyard Dog 4
October 29, 1983 Shreveport, LA | MSWA ShowDusty Rhodes was the special guest referee appointed by Mid-South.135days70 Butch Reed 2
October 29, 1983 New Orleans, LA | MSWA ShowTitle returned after Magnum's victory is reversed.0days69 
Nikolai Volkoff 1
October 24, 1983 New Orleans, LA | MSWA ShowMid-South would strike this match from the record on October 24, 1983. That announcement was aired on Mid-South TV October 29, 1983.5days68 Magnum T.A. 1
October 12, 1983 Shreveport, LA | MSWA ShowJunkyard Dog was the special guest referee appointed by Mid-South match maker Grizzly Smith. Junkyard Dog was supposed to be Reed's opponent as the fans had picked the Dog in an applause contest to face Reed for the title but Reed instead refused to defend the title against the Dog and instead picked Magnum T. A. who was in the same applause contest. Butch Reed filed a protest with Mid-South and Mid-South would reverse the match decision on October 24, 1983, citing that Butch Reed did not have the authority to pick his own opponent, therefore that match never happened, the next title match of Magnum T. A. vs Nikolai Volkoff was also stricken from the record, and the title was returned to Reed. That announcement was aired on Mid-South TV October 29, 1983.12days67 Butch Reed 1
July 16, 1983 New Orleans, LA | MSWA Show88days66 Junkyard Dog 3
April 16, 1983 New Orleans, LA | MSWA ShowDefeats Mr. Olympia in rematch91daysVacant
February 1, 1983Vacated when Stagger Lee "left the area" (Junkyard Dog's 90-day suspension ended). Mr. Olympia won a 12-man tournament for the vacated title on March 21, 1983, in Shreveport, Louisiana. The decision was reversed, and the title held up, when it was revealed that the pin was counted with Junkyard Dog face-down on the mat.74days65 Junkyard Dog 2
November 25, 1982 New Orleans, LA | MSWA ShowJYD lost loser-leaves-town for 90 days match & returned as masked Stagger Lee.68days64 
Ted DiBiase 5
June 23, 1982 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show155days63 Junkyard Dog 1
June 21, 1982 New Orleans, LA | MSWA Show2days62 Bob Roop
March 17, 1982 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show96days61 Ted DiBiase 4
January 9, 1982 Shreveport, LA | MSWA ShowDiBiase regained the belt via disqualification when Orndorff attacked him with the belt immediately after the match.67days60 
Paul Orndorff 5
January 9, 1982 Shreveport, LA | MSWA ShowThis match had a special stipulation where disqualification would count as a pinfall. Orndorff wins the match due to outside interference by Bob Roop.0days59 Ted DiBiase 3
November 1, 1981 Lake Charles, LA | MSWA Show69days58 Paul Orndorff 4
July 4, 1981 New Orleans, LA | MSWA Show120days57 
Jake Roberts 1
June 30, 1981 Shevreport, LA | MSWA Show4days56 The Grappler
September 19, 1980 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show284days55 Ted DiBiase 2
February 1, 1980 Shreveport, LA | MSWA Show231days54 Mike George
January 19, 1980 Alexandria, LA | MSWA Show13days53 
"Cowboy" Bill Watts 9
January 5, 1980 Alexandria, LA | MSWA Show14days52 Mike George
December 6, 1979 Unknow | MSWA Show30days51 "Cowboy" Bill Watts 8
December 4, 1979 Baton Rouge, LA | MSWA Show2days50 Mike George
September 5, 1979 Shreveport, LA | MSWA ShowWrestling II is still/again billed as champion in Georgia as of October 19, 1979.90days49 Mr. Wrestling II 1
February 16, 1979 Atlanta, GA | Live ShowBecame MSWA Title in August 1979.201days48 
"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 4
December 25, 1978 New Orleans, LA | Live ShowWins by forfeit.53days47 Ray Candy
November 17, 1978 Shreveport, LA | Live Show38days46 "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 3
August 15, 1978 Unknow | Live Show94days45 Paul Orndorff 3
July 29, 1978 Baton Rouge, LA | Live Show17days44 
Stan Hansen 2
July 1, 1978 Unknow | Live Show28days43 Paul Orndorff 2
June 15, 1978 Unknow | Live Show16days42 "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 2
June 1, 1978 Unknow | Live Show14days41 Paul Orndorff 1
May 29, 1978 Tulsa, OK | Live Show3days40 "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 1
February 14, 1978 Shreveport, LA | Live Show104days39 
Dick Murdoch 4
November 6, 1977 Shreveport, LA | Live Show100days38 Jerry Oates
August 15, 1977 Albuquerque, NM | Live Show83days37 Dick Murdoch 3
August 4, 1977 Unknow | Live Show11days36 
"Cowboy" Bill Watts 7
June 20, 1977 Tulsa, OK | Live Show45days35 Stan Hansen 1
May 2, 1977 Tulsa, OK | Live Show49days34 Dick Murdoch 2
March 1, 1977 Shreveport, LA | Live Show62days33 The Great Zimm
February 1, 1977 Shreveport, LA | Live Show28days32 Ted DiBiase 1
December 1, 1976 Unknow | Live Show62days31 The Brute
November 23, 1976 Unknow | Live ShowAwarded after defending title for The Spoiler.8days30 The Spoiler
November 9, 1976 Shreveport, LA | Live Show14days29 "Cowboy" Bill Watts 6
November 26, 1975 Jackson, MS | Live ShowDefeats Kox to end the dispute. Has been recognized as champion in Florida and Georgia to unifies the Tri-State version.349days28 Killer Karl Kox
October 28, 1975 Shreveport, LA | Live ShowRecognized champion in Tri-State.29days27 Dick Murdoch 1
June 5, 1975 New Orleans, LA | Live ShowRecognized champion in Tri-State.145days26 Danny Miller
May 14, 1975 Jackson, MS | Live ShowRecognized champion in Tri-State.22days25 "Cowboy" Bill Watts 5
February 21, 1975 Unknow | Live ShowAwarded Florida/Georgia version when Colt is injured in a plane crash.82days24 Buddy Colt
February 1, 1975 Unknow | Live ShowRecognized champion in Florida/Georgia.20days23 Skandor Akbar
December 1, 1974 Shreveport, LA | Live ShowRecognized champion Tri-State and still champion as of may 14, 1975.62days22 Armand Hussian
July 29, 1974 Shreveport, LA | Live ShowRecognized champion in Tri-State.125days21 
Bob Armstrong 1
June 8, 1974 Unknow | Live ShowRecognized Champion in Florida/Georgia and still champion as of February 1975.51days20 Buddy Colt
May 3, 1974 Unknow | Live ShowDefeats Watts in Florida/Georgia version.36days19 Apache Bull Ramos
April 1, 1974 Unknow | Live ShowRecognized champion in Tri-State.32days18 Rip Tyler
February 11, 1974 Shreveport, LA | Live ShowRecognized champion in Tri-State.49days17 Tank Morgan
November 12, 1973 Shreveport, LA | Live ShowDefeats Dewey Robertson in tournament final for Tri-State Version.91days16 "Cowboy" Bill Watts 4
May 22, 1972 Shreveport, LA | Live ShowDeclared vacant in the Tri-State area in August 1973 when Watts leaves the area; Watts continues to defend in Florida and Georgia.539days15 Dale Lewis
May 15, 1972 Shreveport, LA | Live Show7days14 "Cowboy" Bill Watts 3
April 19, 1972 Unknow | Live Show26days13 The Stomper
March 1, 1972 Unknow | Live Show49days12 "Cowboy" Bill Watts 2
October 19, 1971 Unknow | Live Show134days11 
Dusty Rhodes 1
May 21, 1971 Shreveport, LA | Live Show151days10 "Cowboy" Bill Watts 1
April 12, 1970 Tulsa, OK | Live Show404days9 The Spoiler
March 20, 1970 Oklahoma City, OK | Live Show23days8 Danny Hodge
March 1, 1970 Unknow | Live Show19days7 The Spoiler
February 17, 1970 Little Rock, AR | Live Show12days6 Tarzan Baxter
October 31, 1969 Oklahoma City, OK | Live Show109days5 Chuck Karbo
October 23, 1969 Unknow | Live Show8days4 Danny Hodge
October 21, 1969 Little Rock, AR | Live Show2days3 Chuck Karbo
October 6, 1969 Unknow | Live Show15days2 Danny Hodge
August 15, 1969 Little Rock, AR | Live Show52days1 Chuck Karbo
June 23, 1969 Louisiana | Live ShowWins a tournament to become the first champion.53days
MSWA North American Heavyweight Championship: Names & Belt Designs
- MSWA North American Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 1, 1983May 1, 1986
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Mid-South Version)August 1, 1979February 1, 1983
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Mid-South Version)June 23, 1969August 1, 1979
MSWA North American Heavyweight Championship: Statistics
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
NWA, 
NWA TRI STATEJune 23, 1969 February 1, 1983 Promotion 
MSWFebruary 1, 1983 May 1, 1986
- Promotion
Universal Wrestling Federation - TerritoryRegional
- DivisionPrimary
- GenderMale
- Date EstablishedJune 23, 1969
- Date RetiredMay 1, 1986
- Followed By
UWF Heavyweight Championship
- Final Champion"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Cowboy" Bill Watts | 9 |
| 2 | Ted DiBiase | 6 |
| 3 | Dick Murdoch | 5 |
| 4 | "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd | 5 |
| 5 | Paul Orndorff | 5 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| "Cowboy" Bill Watts | 1595 | |
| Ted DiBiase | 640 | |
| Dick Murdoch | 383 | |
| "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd | 315 | |
| Junkyard Dog | 296 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Cowboy" Bill Watts | May 22, 1972 - November 12, 1973 | 539 | |
| "Cowboy" Bill Watts | April 12, 1970 - May 21, 1971 | 404 | |
| "Cowboy" Bill Watts | November 26, 1975 - November 9, 1976 | 349 | |
| The Grappler | September 19, 1980 - June 30, 1981 | 284 | |
| Ted DiBiase | February 1, 1980 - September 19, 1980 | 231 |
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