NWF Heavyweight Championship

On this page, you find the full Title History for the NWF 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 NWF Heavyweight Championship was a main title contested in New Japan Pro Wrestling and National Wrestling Federation, by men wrestlers.

The championship was first established on January 1, 1970, and the inaugural champion was Johnny Powers.

The NWF Heavyweight Championship was retired on January 5, 2004, when it was unified into the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, with the final champion being Shinsuke Nakamura.

NWF Heavyweight Championship: Title History

For the Title History of the championship in which this title was unified into, see the page for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

NWF Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns

N.	Image	Champion	Reign
New Japan Pro Wrestling
	Unified into the IWGP Heavyweight Championship January 5, 2004 Championship merged with IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
21		Shinsuke Nakamura 1 January 4, 2004 Tokyo, Japan \| Wrestling World 2004 Nakamura officially unifies NWF title with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.	1 day
20		Yoshihiro Takayama 1 January 4, 2003 Tokyo, Japan \| Wrestling World 2003 Defeated Tsuyoshi Kosaka in a tournament for the revived title.	365 days
	Deactivated April 23, 1981 Antonio Inoki vacated the championship following the match to enter the NJPW IWGP League.
19		Antonio Inoki 4 April 23, 1981 Tokyo, Japan \| Big Fight Series II Defeated Stan Hansen to win the vacant championship.	0 days
		Vacant April 17, 1981 Kagoshima, Japan \| Big Fight Series II The championship was vacated after a defense against Stan Hansen ends in a no contest.	6 days
18		Antonio Inoki 3 April 3, 1980 Tokyo, Japan \| Big Fight Series	379 days
17		Stan Hansen 1 February 8, 1980 Tokyo, Japan \| New Year Golden Series	55 days
16		Antonio Inoki 2 June 26, 1975 Tokyo, Japan \| Golden Fight Series Ordered by the NWA to stop referring to belt as a world title at annual NWA meeting on August 7, 1976.	1688 days
15		Tiger Jeet Singh 1 March 13, 1975 Hiroshima, Japan \| Big Fight Series Defeated Antonio Inoki for the vacant championship.	105 days
		Vacant February 12, 1975 Antonio Inoki vacated the championship as refusal of an NWF ordered defense against Tiger Jeet Singh.	29 days
14		Antonio Inoki 1 December 10, 1973 Tokyo, Japan \| World Title Challenge Series	429 days
13		Johnny Powers 2 October 1, 1973 Live event Powers took the title to Japan for a tour with New Japan Pro-Wrestling	70 days
National Wrestling Federation
12		Johnny Valentine 2 August 1, 1973 Live event	61 days
11		The Mountie / Jacques Rougeau 1 January 24, 1973 Buffalo, NY \| Live event Defeated Waldo Von Erich in finals of tournament for the vacant championship.	189 days
		Vacant December 7, 1972 After a match against Johnny Powers, Johnny Valentine left the NWF in January 1973.	48 days
10		Johnny Valentine 1 October 19, 1972 Cleveland, OH \| Live event	49 days
9		Abdullah the Butcher 2 October 1, 1972 Live event	18 days
8		Victor Rivera September 1, 1972 Live event	30 days
7		Abdullah the Butcher 1 June 24, 1972 Akron, OH \| Live event	69 days
6		"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 1 June 9, 1972 Cleveland, OH \| Live event	15 days
5		Waldo Von Erich December 30, 1971 Cleveland, OH \| Live event	162 days
4		Dominic DeNucci 1 December 2, 1971 Cleveland, OH \| Live event	28 days
3		Waldo Von Erich November 13, 1971 Akron, OH \| live event Defeated Dominic DeNucci in rematch.	19 days
		Vacant November 7, 1971 The Title held-up after a match with Dominic DeNucci in Akron, OH.	6 days
2		Waldo Von Erich October 23, 1971 Akron, OH \| Live event	15 days
1		Johnny Powers 1 January 1, 1970 Los Angeles, CA \| Live event Defeated Freddie Blassie to become inaugural champion.	660 days

NWF Heavyweight Championship: Names & Belt Designs

- NWF Heavyweight ChampionshipJanuary 4, 2003January 5, 2004
- NWF Heavyweight ChampionshipAugust 7, 1976April 23, 1981
- NWF World Heavyweight Championship (NJPW Version)March 13, 1975August 6, 1976
- NWF World Heavyweight Championship (Original Belt)January 1, 1970March 13, 1975

NWF Heavyweight Championship: Statistics

Promotions History
Promotion from to
PromotionNJPW January 4, 2003 January 5, 2004
PromotionNJPW October 2, 1973 April 23, 1981
PromotionNWF January 1, 1970 October 1, 1973

Promotion	from	to
PromotionNJPW	January 4, 2003	January 5, 2004
PromotionNJPW	October 2, 1973	April 23, 1981
PromotionNWF	January 1, 1970	October 1, 1973

Promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling National Wrestling Federation
TerritoryNational
DivisionPrimary
GenderMale
Date EstablishedJanuary 1, 1970
Date RetiredJanuary 5, 2004
Unified Into IWGP Heavyweight Championship

First ChampionJohnny Powers
Final ChampionShinsuke Nakamura

Most Number of Reigns

Rank	Wrestler	Reigns
	Antonio Inoki	4
	Waldo Von Erich	3
	Johnny Powers	2
	Johnny Valentine	2
	Abdullah the Butcher	2

Most Combined Days

Rank	Wrestler	Days
	Antonio Inoki	2496
	Johnny Powers	730
	Yoshihiro Takayama	365
	Waldo Von Erich	196
	The Mountie / Jacques Rougeau	189

Longest Reigns

Wrestler	Reign	Days
Antonio Inoki	June 26, 1975 - February 8, 1980	1688
Johnny Powers	January 1, 1970 - October 23, 1971	660
Antonio Inoki	December 10, 1973 - February 12, 1975	429
Antonio Inoki	April 3, 1980 - April 17, 1981	379
Yoshihiro Takayama	January 4, 2003 - January 4, 2004	365