On this page, you find the full Title History for the NWF 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 NWF North American Heavyweight Championship was a secondary title contested in New Japan Pro Wrestling, International Wrestling Association, World Wrestling Entertainment, National Wrestling Federation and National Wrestling Alliance, by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on October 1, 1968.
In 1974 the title was used by Upstate Wrestling a WWF affiliate and later was used by IWA. The NWF would close in 1974, and the title migrated to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The title was then retired in 1981, after announcement of the IWGP, a new governing body, which would promote their own-branded championships.
The NWF North American Heavyweight Championship was retired on April 23, 1981, with the final champion being Tiger Jeet Singh.
NWF North American Heavyweight Championship: Title History
WWWF
NWA-
Championship Names & Belt Designs
-
- NWF North American Heavyweight Championship January 2, 1979 April 23, 1981
- IWA North American Heavyweight Championship October 28, 1974 January 1, 1979
- WWF North American Heavyweight Championship (Upstate version) April 2, 1974 October 27, 1974
- NWF North American Heavyweight Championship December 5, 1970 April 1, 1974
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Buffalo/Cleveland version) October 1, 1968 December 4, 1970
NWF North American Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns
-
N. Image Champion Reign New Japan Pro Wrestling Deactivated
- April 23, 1981
- 16148+ days
The championship retired by NJPW after announcement of the 1st ever International Wrestling Grand Prix.39 
Tiger Jeet Singh 1
- September 21, 1979
- Sendai, Japan | NJPW Bloody Fight Series - Tag 24
- 580 days
580- days
38 
Seiji Sakaguchi 1
- January 26, 1979
- Okayama, Japan | NJPW New Year Golden Series 1979 - Tag 17
- 238 days
238- days
37 
Johnny Powers 12
- January 1, 1979
- Akron, OH | NWF show
- 25 days
Billed as champion for a tour of Japan.25- days
International Wrestling Association 36 Bulldog Brower
- July 1, 1975
- Ohio | IWA show
- 1280 days
Awarded, or possibly by defeating Mighty Igor or Johnny Powers after Baker leaves the promotion; still champion as of August 1977.1280- days
Vacant
- May 1, 1975
- 61 days
Championship vacated when Baker left the promotion.61- days
35 Ox Baker
- January 6, 1975
- Savannah, GA | IWA show
- 115 days
115- days
34 Tarzan Tyler
- October 28, 1974
- Ohio | IWA show
- 70 days
70- days
33 
"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 6
- August 27, 1974
- Ohio | UW show
- 62 days
62- days
World Wrestling Entertainment 32 Ox Baker
- August 20, 1974
- Ohio | UW show
- 7 days
7- days
31 
Stan Stasiak 1
- July 27, 1974
- Ohio | UW show
- 24 days
24- days
30 
Dominic DeNucci 2
- June 21, 1974
- Ohio | UW show
- 36 days
36- days
29 
George Steele 1
- May 31, 1974
- Pittsburgh, PA | UW show
- 21 days
21- days
28 Dominic DeNucci 1
- April 1, 1974
- Ohio | UW show
- 60 days
60- days
National Wrestling Federation 27 Johnny Powers 11
- March 18, 1974
- Akron, OH | NWF show
- 14 days
14- days
26 "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 5
- March 14, 1974
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 4 days
4- days
25 Ox Baker
- March 1, 1974
- Ohio | NWF show
- 13 days
13- days
24 "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 4
- January 31, 1974
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 29 days
29- days
23 Johnny Powers 10
- June 24, 1973
- Akron, OH | NWF show
- 221 days
221- days
22 J.B. Psycho
- June 16, 1973
- Buffalo, NY | NWF show
- 8 days
8- days
21 
Johnny Powers 9
- May 16, 1973
- Buffalo, NY | NWF show
- 31 days
31- days
20 Eric the Animal
- May 5, 1973
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 11 days
11- days
19 Johnny Powers 8
- February 17, 1973
- Akron, OH | NWF show
- 77 days
77- days
18 Karl Von Krupp
- February 3, 1973
- Akron, OH | NWF show
- 14 days
14- days
17 Johnny Powers 7
- November 23, 1972
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 72 days
72- days
16 "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 3
- November 22, 1972
- Buffalo, NY | NWF show
- 1 day
1- day
15 
Johnny Valentine 2
- October 1, 1972
- Ohio | NWF show
- 52 days
Won the rematch.52- days
Vacant
- September 22, 1972
- 9 days
Championship vacated pending a review of the match.9- days
14 Johnny Powers 6
- September 22, 1972
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 0 days
0- days
13 Johnny Valentine 1
- September 1, 1972
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 21 days
21- days
12 Johnny Powers 5
- November 17, 1971
- Buffalo, NY | NWF show
- 289 days
289- days
11 Waldo Von Erich
- May 27, 1971
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 174 days
174- days
10 
"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 2
- April 8, 1971
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 49 days
49- days
9 Johnny Powers 4
- April 3, 1971
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 5 days
5- days
Vacant
- April 1, 1971
- Cleveland, OH | —
- 2 days
Championship vacated after a match between Ladd and Tex McKenzie2- days
8 "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 1
- December 5, 1970
- Akron, OH | NWF show
- 117 days
117- days
7 Bulldog Brower
- July 2, 1970
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 156 days
156- days
National Wrestling Alliance 6 Johnny Powers 3
- July 1, 1970
- Ohio | NWF show
- 1 day
1- day
5 Bulldog Brower
- January 1, 1970
- Cleveland, OH | NWF show
- 181 days
181- days
4 Johnny Powers 2
- May 1, 1969
- Ohio | NWF show
- 245 days
245- days
3 Bulldog Brower
- January 1, 1969
- Ohio | NWF show
- 120 days
120- days
2 Johnny Powers 1
- December 1, 1968
- Ohio | NWF show
- 31 days
31- days
1 Moose Cholak
- October 1, 1968
- Ohio | NWF show
- 61 days
61- days
NWF North American Heavyweight Championship: Statistics
- Promotion
New Japan Pro Wrestling
National Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Federation
International Wrestling Association - Gender Male
- Title Type Secondary Title
- Date Established October 1, 1968
- Date Retired April 23, 1981
- Final ChampionTiger Jeet Singh
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnny Powers | 12 |
| 2 | "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd | 6 |
| 3 | Bulldog Brower | 4 |
| 4 | Ox Baker | 3 |
| 5 | Dominic DeNucci | 2 |
| 6 | Johnny Valentine | 2 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Bulldog Brower | 1737 | |
| Johnny Powers | 1011 | |
| Tiger Jeet Singh | 580 | |
| "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd | 262 | |
| Seiji Sakaguchi | 238 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulldog Brower | July 1, 1975 - January 1, 1979 | 1280 | |
| Tiger Jeet Singh | September 21, 1979 - April 23, 1981 | 580 | |
| Johnny Powers | November 17, 1971 - September 1, 1972 | 289 | |
| Johnny Powers | May 1, 1969 - January 1, 1970 | 245 | |
| Seiji Sakaguchi | January 26, 1979 - September 21, 1979 | 238 |