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 World 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
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Championship Names & Belt Designs
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- NWF Heavyweight Championship January 4, 2003 January 5, 2004
- NWF Heavyweight Championship August 7, 1976 April 23, 1981
- NWF World Heavyweight Championship January 1, 1970 August 6, 1976
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
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N. Image Champion Reign New Japan Pro Wrestling Unified into the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
- January 5, 2004
- 7856+ days
Championship merged with IWGP Heavyweight Championship.21 
Shinsuke Nakamura 1
- January 4, 2004
- Tokyo, Japan | Wrestling World 2004
- 1 day
Nakamura officially unifies NWF title with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.1- day
20 
Yoshihiro Takayama 1
- January 4, 2003
- Tokyo, Japan | Wrestling World 2003
- 365 days
Defeated Tsuyoshi Kosaka in a tournament for the revived title.365- days
Deactivated
- April 23, 1981
- 7926 days
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
- 0 days
Defeated Stan Hansen to win the vacant championship.0- days
Vacant
- April 17, 1981
- Kagoshima, Japan | Big Fight Series II
- 6 days
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
379- days
17 
Stan Hansen 1
- February 8, 1980
- Tokyo, Japan | New Year Golden Series
- 55 days
55- days
16 Antonio Inoki 2
- June 26, 1975
- Tokyo, Japan | Golden Fight Series
- 1688 days
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
- 105 days
Defeated Antonio Inoki for the vacant championship.105- days
Vacant
- February 12, 1975
- 29 days
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
429- days
13 
Johnny Powers 2
- October 1, 1973
- Live event
- 70 days
Powers took the title to Japan for a tour with New Japan Pro-Wrestling70- days
National Wrestling Federation 12 
Johnny Valentine 2
- August 1, 1973
- Live event
- 61 days
61- days
11 
The Mountie / Jacques Rougeau 1
- January 24, 1973
- Buffalo, NY | Live event
- 189 days
Defeated Waldo Von Erich in finals of tournament for the vacant championship.189- days
Vacant
- December 7, 1972
- 48 days
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
49- days
9 
Abdullah the Butcher 2
- October 1, 1972
- Live event
- 18 days
18- days
8 Victor Rivera
- September 1, 1972
- Live event
- 30 days
30- days
7 Abdullah the Butcher 1
- June 24, 1972
- Akron, OH | Live event
- 69 days
69- days
6 
"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 1
- June 9, 1972
- Cleveland, OH | Live event
- 15 days
15- days
5 Waldo Von Erich
- December 30, 1971
- Cleveland, OH | Live event
- 162 days
162- days
4 
Dominic DeNucci 1
- December 2, 1971
- Cleveland, OH | Live event
- 28 days
28- days
3 Waldo Von Erich
- November 13, 1971
- Akron, OH | live event
- 19 days
Defeated Dominic DeNucci in rematch.19- days
Vacant
- November 7, 1971
- 6 days
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
15- days
1 
Johnny Powers 1
- January 1, 1970
- Los Angeles, CA | Live event
- 660 days
Defeated Freddie Blassie to become inaugural champion.660- days
NWF Heavyweight Championship: Statistics
- Promotion
National Wrestling Federation
New Japan Pro Wrestling - Gender Male
- Title Type Primary Title
- Date Established January 1, 1970
- Date Retired January 5, 2004
- Unified Into
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
- First ChampionJohnny Powers
- Final ChampionShinsuke Nakamura
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antonio Inoki | 4 |
| 2 | Waldo Von Erich | 3 |
| 3 | Johnny Powers | 2 |
| 4 | Johnny Valentine | 2 |
| 5 | 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
| Rank | 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 |