On this page, you find the full Title History for the NWA International 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 NWA International Heavyweight Championship was a secondary title contested in All Japan Pro Wrestling, International Wrestling Enterprise and Japanese Wrestling Association, by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on November 1, 1957, and the inaugural champion was Lou Thesz.
The NWA International Heavyweight Championship was retired on April 18, 1989, when it was unified into the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, with the final champion being Jumbo Tsuruta.
NWA International Heavyweight Championship: Title History
For the Title History of the championship in which this title was unified into, see the page for the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship.
NWA International Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns
N. Image Champion Reign All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified into the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
- April 18, 1989
- 13318+ days
Unified with PWF Heavyweight Championship and NWA United National Championship to create the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship.20 
Jumbo Tsuruta 3
- April 19, 1988
- House show | Sendai, Japan
- 364 days
364- days
19 
Bruiser Brody 3
- March 27, 1988
- House show | Tokyo, Japan
- 23 days
23- days
18 Jumbo Tsuruta 2
- October 21, 1986
- House show | Tokyo, Japan
- 523 days
523- days
17 
Stan Hansen 1
- July 31, 1986
- House show | Tokyo, Japan
- 82 days
82- days
16 Jumbo Tsuruta 1
- April 30, 1983
- House show | Tokyo, Japan
- 1188 days
1188- days
15 Bruiser Brody 2
- April 21, 1982
- House show | Osaka, Japan
- 374 days
374- days
14 
Dory Funk Jr. 3
- November 1, 1981
- House show | Tokyo, Japan
- 171 days
171- days
13 Bruiser Brody 1
- October 9, 1981
- House show | Tokyo, Japan
- 23 days
23- days
12 Dory Funk Jr. 2
- August 1, 1981
- House show | Florida, United States
- 69 days
69- days
11 
Butch Reed 1
- June 1, 1981
- House show | Florida, United States
- 61 days
Title reign not recognized in Japan.61- days
10 Dory Funk Jr. 1
- April 30, 1981
- House show | Matsudo, Japan
- 32 days
Won tournament for the vacant title when Bruiser Brody was injured and unable to wrestle in the finals. Defeated Terry Funk for his first title defense instead.32- days
Vacant
- April 13, 1981
- 17 days
After the JWA closed in 1973, Ohki took the belt to South Korea from where he defended it. After briefly returning to Japan and making some defenses in IWE, Ohki vacated the title on April 13, 1981 under orders from the NWA.17- days
International Wrestling Enterprise 9 
Kintaro Oki 1
- December 4, 1972
- House show | Hiroshima, Japan
- 3052 days
3052- days
Japanese Wrestling Association 8 
Bobo Brazil 2
- December 1, 1972
- House show | Yokohama, Japan
- 3 days
Defeated Kintarō Ōki for the vacant title.3- days
Vacant
- September 2, 1972
- 90 days
Vacated when Baba left the Japan Wrestling Association to start All Japan Pro Wrestling.90- days
7 
Giant Baba 3
- December 19, 1970
- House show | Los Angeles, California, United States
- 623 days
623- days
6 Gene Kiniski
- December 3, 1970
- House show | Osaka, Japan
- 16 days
16- days
5 Giant Baba 2
- June 27, 1968
- House show | Tokyo, Japan
- 889 days
889- days
4 
Bobo Brazil 1
- June 25, 1968
- House show | Nagoya, Japan
- 2 days
2- days
3 Giant Baba 1
- November 24, 1965
- House show | Osaka, Japan
- 944 days
Defeated Dick the Bruiser for the vacant title.944- days
Vacant
- December 15, 1963
- 710 days
Vacated following Rikidōzan's death from stab wounds suffered one week earlier in Tokyo, Japan.710- days
2 
Rikidōzan 1
- August 27, 1958
- House show | Los Angeles, California, United States
- 1936 days
Thesz claims the match was not for the title and continues defending the title in the U.S. and Europe until regaining the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in January 1963.1936- days
1 
Lou Thesz 1
- November 1, 1957
- 299 days
Thesz was awarded the championship by the NWA after losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Dick Hutton. Houston NWA promoter Morris Sigel claimed that Thesz had won the title by defeating Antonino Rocca in 1949.299- days
NWA International Heavyweight Championship: Names & Belt Designs
-
- NWA International Heavyweight ChampionshipNovember 24, 1965April 18, 1989
- NWA International Heavyweight ChampionshipNovember 1, 1957December 15, 1963
NWA International Heavyweight Championship: Statistics
- Promotion
All Japan Pro Wrestling
International Wrestling Enterprise
Japanese Wrestling Association
National Wrestling Alliance - GenderMale
- Title TypeMidcard / Secondary
- Date EstablishedNovember 1, 1957
- Date RetiredApril 18, 1989
- Unified Into
AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
- First ChampionLou Thesz
- Final ChampionJumbo Tsuruta
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giant Baba | 3 |
| 2 | Jumbo Tsuruta | 3 |
| 3 | Bruiser Brody | 3 |
| 4 | Dory Funk Jr. | 3 |
| 5 | Bobo Brazil | 2 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Kintaro Oki | 3052 | |
| Giant Baba | 2456 | |
| Jumbo Tsuruta | 2075 | |
| Rikidōzan | 1936 | |
| Bruiser Brody | 420 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kintaro Oki | December 4, 1972 - April 13, 1981 | 3052 | |
| Rikidōzan | August 27, 1958 - December 15, 1963 | 1936 | |
| Jumbo Tsuruta | April 30, 1983 - July 31, 1986 | 1188 | |
| Giant Baba | November 24, 1965 - June 25, 1968 | 944 | |
| Giant Baba | June 27, 1968 - December 3, 1970 | 889 |