On this page, you find the full Title History for the OVW 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 OVW Heavyweight Championship is a World Title contested in Ohio Valley Wrestling, by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on August 17, 1997.
The current champion is Big Zo, who won the title on July 1, 2025, and has been reigning for 160 days.
OVW Heavyweight Championship: Title History
OVW Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns
N. Image Champion Reign 147 
Big Zo 1
- July 1, 2025
- 160+ days
160+- days
146 Kal Herro
- June 12, 2025
- Louisville, KY | OVW Independence Rage
- 19 days
Herro defeated Crixus in a tournament final for the vacant championship.19- days
Vacant
- October 3, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 252 days
Khadeem announced unforeseen health concerns and vacated the title.252- days
145 Mt. Khadeem
- September 12, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 21 days
21- days
144 
Ca$h Flo 4
- September 12, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 0 days
This was a gauntlet match that also involved AJZ, Dalton McKenzie and Tony Gunn.0- days
Vacant
- September 12, 2024
- 0 days
0- days
143 
Crixus 1
- May 30, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 105 days
105- days
142 Tony Evans
- May 2, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW Double Crossed
- 28 days
28- days
141 Luke Kurtis
- March 28, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 35 days
35- days
140 Tony Gunn
- March 16, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW March Mayhem
- 12 days
This was a Double Jeopardy Tag Match between the team of Gunn and Luke Kurtis and the team of Vaughn and OVW National Heavyweight Champion EC3, where if either Vaughn or EC3 were pinned, the man who pinned them would win their respective title. Gunn pinned Vaughn.12- days
139 
Jack Vaughn 3
- January 25, 2024
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 51 days
51- days
138 Tony Gunn
- December 7, 2023
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 49 days
nZo served as the special guest referee.49- days
137 Jack Vaughn 2
- July 27, 2023
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 133 days
133- days
136 Ca$h Flo 3
- June 22, 2023
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 35 days
35- days
135 
Shera 1
- November 24, 2022
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 210 days
210- days
134 Ca$h Flo 2
- October 13, 2022
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 42 days
This match was also for Storm's OVW National Heavyweight Championship.42- days
133 
James Storm 1
- August 27, 2022
- Louisville, KY | OVW The Big One
- 47 days
47- days
132 Omar Amir
- August 11, 2022
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 16 days
16- days
131 Jack Vaughn 1
- July 7, 2022
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 35 days
35- days
130 Omar Amir
- June 2, 2022
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV: All Systems Go
- 35 days
35- days
129 Ryan Howe
- October 21, 2021
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 224 days
This was 20-man battle royal for the vacant championship.224- days
Vacant
- October 7, 2021
- 14 days
14- days
128 Omar Amir
- June 26, 2021
- Louisville, KY | Saturday Night Special - Chained Carnage 2021
- 103 days
This was a Chained Carnage match.103- days
127 Ca$h Flo 1
- May 6, 2021
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Taping
- 51 days
51- days
126 Omar Amir
- January 9, 2021
- Louisville, KY | OVW Nightmare Rumble 2021
- 117 days
Won the 2021 Nightmare Rumble to become the new OVW Heavyweight Champion.117- days
Vacant
- January 2, 2021
- 7 days
Pillman vacated the championship due to his AEW commitments.7- days
125 
Brian Pillman Jr. 1
- December 5, 2020
- Louisville, KY | OVW Christmas Chaos
- 28 days
This was a Steel Cage Match.28- days
124 Tony Gunn
- March 7, 2020
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 273 days
273- days
123 Maximus Khan
- February 1, 2020
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 35 days
This was a 3-Way Dance, also including Ca$h Flo.35- days
122 Justin Smooth
- June 1, 2019
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 245 days
This was a No Disqualification match.245- days
121 Michael Hayes
- May 15, 2019
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 17 days
The championship was awarded to Hayes by Dean Hill after Smooth got disqualified at the Saturday Night Special.17- days
120 Justin Smooth
- April 24, 2019
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 21 days
This was a three-way match, also including Amon.21- days
119 Dimes
- April 17, 2019
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 7 days
This was a gauntlet match also for the OVW Television Championship including Amon, Brandon Wolfe, Drew Hernandez and William Lutz.7- days
118 Tony Gunn
- January 30, 2019
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 77 days
77- days
117 
Abyss 2
- October 10, 2018
- Louisville, KY | OVW 1000
- 112 days
Abyss defeated Justin Smooth in a tournament final to win the vacant championship.112- days
Vacant
- August 1, 2018
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 70 days
The championship vacated by Dean Hill.70- days
116 Abyss 1
- July 25, 2018
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 7 days
Abyss became champion after Amon gave him the championship.7- days
115 Amon
- July 7, 2018
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 18 days
This was a casket match.18- days
114 Michael Hayes
- March 3, 2018
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 126 days
This was a three-way elimination match, also including Chris Silvio.126- days
113 Randy Royal
- February 14, 2018
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 17 days
17- days
112 Michael Hayes
- November 4, 2017
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 102 days
This was Hayes War Games cash in match.102- days
111 Tyler Matrix
- September 2, 2017
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 63 days
63- days
110 
Adam Revolver 2
- July 1, 2017
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 63 days
Michael Hayes served as the special guest referee.63- days
109 Big Jon
- April 1, 2017
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 91 days
This was a steel cage match.91- days
108 Rocco Bellagio
- May 14, 2016
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 322 days
This was a No Holds Barred match.322- days
107 Big Jon
- April 16, 2016
- Elizabethtown, KY | Live event
- 28 days
Jon defeated Rocco Bellagio to win the vacant championship.28- days
Vacant
- April 16, 2016
- Elizabethtown, KY | Live event
- 0 days
The championship was vacated by OVW founder Danny Davis.0- days
106 Devin Driscoll
- March 19, 2016
- Elizabethtown, KY | Live event
- 28 days
28- days
105 Ryan Howe
- January 2, 2016
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 77 days
77- days
104 
Rob Conway 5
- December 9, 2015
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 24 days
24- days
103 Ryan Howe
- December 5, 2015
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 4 days
4- days
102 Chris Silvio
- July 24, 2015
- Louisville, KY | OVW Friday Night Fights 2
- 134 days
134- days
101 Eddie Diamond
- April 29, 2015
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 86 days
86- days
100 Mohamad Ali Vaez
- February 7, 2015
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 81 days
81- days
99 Adam Revolver 1
- December 6, 2014
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 63 days
63- days
98 
Cliff Compton 3
- October 4, 2014
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 63 days
This was a three-way match, also including Marcus Anthony.63- days
97 Melvin Maximus
- August 2, 2014
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 63 days
63- days
96 Marcus Anthony
- July 5, 2014
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 28 days
this was a Last Man Standing match.28- days
95 Jamin Olivencia
- May 10, 2014
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 56 days
56- days
94 Marcus Anthony
- January 4, 2014
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 126 days
126- days
93 Jamin Olivencia
- December 7, 2013
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 28 days
Olivencia defeated Johnny Spade to win the vacant championship.28- days
Vacant
- December 4, 2013
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 3 days
The championship was vacated by OVW owner Danny Davis over inappropriate actions on OVW TV.3- days
92 Jamin Olivencia
- April 10, 2013
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 238 days
238- days
91 
Douglas Williams 1
- January 30, 2013
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 70 days
70- days
90 
Robbie T 2
- December 1, 2012
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 60 days
60- days
89 
Crimson 1
- September 12, 2012
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 80 days
80- days
88 Johnny Spade
- July 7, 2012
- Louisville, KY | OVW Saturday Night Special
- 67 days
Spade defeated Rob Terry in the finals of a ten men gauntlet match to win the vacant championship.67- days
Vacant
- June 27, 2012
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 10 days
OVW Board of Directors member Ken Wayne vacated all OVW championships.10- days
87 Robbie T 1
- May 12, 2012
- Louisville, KY | Saturday Night Special
- 46 days
46- days
86 Johnny Spade
- March 3, 2012
- Louisville, KY | Saturday Night Special
- 70 days
70- days
85 Rudy Switchblade
- November 2, 2011
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 122 days
Switchblade defeated Adam Revolver, James Thomas, Jason Wayne, Mike Mondo, Nick Dinsmore, Rocco Bellagio and Ted McNaler and in an Eight Man Melee.122- days
84 
Eugene 10
- October 26, 2011
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 7 days
7- days
83 Jason Wayne
- July 1, 2011
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 117 days
Wayne defeated Mike Mondo in a tournament final to win the vacant championship.117- days
Vacant
- June 1, 2011
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 30 days
Pridemoore vacated the championship after finding out that he had won it due to outside interference from Mike Mondo.30- days
82 Elvis Pridemoore
- May 25, 2011
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 7 days
7- days
81 
Cliff Compton 2
- May 14, 2011
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 11 days
This was a brass knuckles on a pole match against Mike Mondo with Danny Davis served as the special guest referee.11- days
Vacant
- May 4, 2011
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 10 days
The championship was vacated after Mike Mondo attacked OVW president Danny Davis.10- days
80 
Mikey 2
- March 5, 2011
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 60 days
This was a three-way ladder match, also involving Low Rider.60- days
79 Cliff Compton 1
- January 8, 2011
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 56 days
This was a three-way match, also involving Mike Mondo.56- days
78 Low Rider
- July 31, 2010
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 161 days
161- days
77 James Thomas
- June 16, 2010
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 45 days
Thomas is formerly known as Moose.45- days
76 
Mikey 1
- May 29, 2010
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 18 days
18- days
75 
Brent Wellington 1
- February 27, 2010
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 91 days
Wellington won a battle royal to win the vacant championship.91- days
Vacant
- February 27, 2010
- 0 days
Moose was stripped of the championship due to attacking officials.0- days
74 Moose
- January 6, 2010
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 52 days
52- days
73 Low Rider
- July 18, 2009
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 172 days
172- days
72 
Apocalypse 2
- May 17, 2009
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 62 days
62- days
71 Vaughn Lilas
- April 25, 2009
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 22 days
22- days
70 Apocalypse 1
- February 7, 2009
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 77 days
77- days
69 Vaughn Lilas
- January 17, 2009
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 21 days
21- days
68 
Idol Stevens 2
- November 29, 2008
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 49 days
49- days
67 Anthony Bravado
- November 1, 2008
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 28 days
28- days
66 
Ryback 1
- October 18, 2008
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 14 days
14- days
65 Anthony Bravado
- June 25, 2008
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 115 days
115- days
64 Eugene 9
- February 20, 2008
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 126 days
126- days
63 
Jay Bradley 2
- February 13, 2008
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 7 days
Bradley became the first OVW Heavyweight Champion since OVW and WWE parted ways.7- days
62 
Matt Sydal 1
- December 5, 2007
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 70 days
Sydal is the last OVW Heavyweight Champion while OVW is a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) developmental territory.70- days
61 Michael Washington Kruel
- July 28, 2007
- Elizabethtown, KY | Live event
- 130 days
Pinned at backstage130- days
60 
Vladimir Kozlov 1
- July 28, 2007
- Elizabethtown, KY | Live event
- 0 days
0- days
59 
Paul Burchill 4
- June 27, 2007
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 31 days
31- days
58 Jay Bradley 1
- June 1, 2007
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 26 days
Bradley defeated Paul Burchill and Aaron Stevens in a three-way match to win the vacant championship.26- days
Vacant
- May 23, 2007
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 9 days
The championship was vacated after a double pin in a contest between Paul Burchill and Idol Stevens.9- days
57 Paul Burchill 3
- May 9, 2007
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 14 days
14- days
56 Idol Stevens 1
- March 14, 2007
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 56 days
56- days
55 Paul Burchill 2
- February 18, 2007
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 24 days
24- days
54 
Cody Runnels 1
- February 17, 2007
- Elizabethtown, KY | Live event
- 1 day
1- day
53 Paul Burchill 1
- December 13, 2006
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 66 days
66- days
52 Chet the Jett
- December 13, 2006
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 0 days
0- days
51 
Jacob Duncan 1
- October 25, 2006
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 49 days
49- days
50 Chet the Jett
- August 30, 2006
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 56 days
56- days
49 
CM Punk 1
- May 3, 2006
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 119 days
This was a strap match119- days
48 Brent Albright
- March 1, 2006
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 63 days
Albright defeated CM Punk in a tournament finals to become the new champion.63- days
Vacant
- February 8, 2006
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 21 days
Matt Cappotelli vacated the championship after announcing that he had a brain tumor.21- days
47 Matt Cappotelli
- November 9, 2005
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 91 days
91- days
46 
Johnny Jeter 2
- August 3, 2005
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 98 days
98- days
45 Brent Albright
- April 27, 2005
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 98 days
98- days
44 
Matt Morgan 2
- April 13, 2005
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 14 days
14- days
43 
Elijah Burke 1
- December 8, 2004
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 126 days
126- days
42 
Chad Toland 1
- December 1, 2004
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 7 days
7- days
41 
Chris Cage 1
- October 13, 2004
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 49 days
49- days
40 Matt Morgan 1
- April 14, 2004
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 182 days
182- days
39 Nick Dinsmore 8
- January 7, 2004
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 98 days
Dinsmore defeated Johnny Jeter to win the vacant championship.98- days
Vacant
- December 10, 2003
- 28 days
The championship was vacated due to Mark Magnus being pinned by both Nick Dinsmore and Johnny Jeter in a three-way match on December 3.28- days
38 
Mark Magnus 1
- October 15, 2003
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 56 days
56- days
37 Johnny Jeter 1
- August 13, 2003
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 63 days
63- days
36 
Rob Conway 4
- August 13, 2003
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 0 days
0- days
35 
Danny Basham 4
- July 30, 2003
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 14 days
This was a Loser Leaves Town match.14- days
34 
Doug Basham 4
- April 6, 2003
- Louisville, KY | OVW TV Tapings
- 115 days
115- days
33 Nick Dinsmore 7
- February 19, 2003
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 46 days
46- days
32 Damaja 3
- November 6, 2002
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 105 days
105- days
31 
Nova 1
- May 15, 2002
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 175 days
175- days
30 
The Prototype 1
- February 20, 2002
- Jeffersonville, IN | OVW TV Tapings
- 84 days
84- days
29 
Leviathan 1
- November 28, 2001
- Jeffersonville, IN | OVW TV Tapings
- 84 days
84- days
28 The Machine 3
- July 25, 2001
- Jeffersonville, IN | OVW TV Tapings
- 126 days
OVW breaks away from the NWA in October 2001. The championship is renamed the OVW Heavyweight Championship.126- days
27 Flash Flanagan
- April 4, 2001
- Louisville, KY | Bluegrass Brawl
- 112 days
112- days
26 Rico Constantino
- February 27, 2001
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 36 days
36- days
25 Nick Dinsmore 6
- October 25, 2000
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 125 days
125- days
24 Rob Conway 3
- September 6, 2000
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 49 days
49- days
23 Nick Dinsmore 5
- August 4, 2000
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 33 days
33- days
22 Flash Flanagan
- July 8, 2000
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 27 days
27- days
21 Nick Dinsmore 4
- May 24, 2000
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 45 days
45- days
20 Damaja 2
- April 4, 2000
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 50 days
50- days
19 Flash Flanagan
- February 17, 2000
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 47 days
47- days
18 Rico Constantino
- February 6, 2000
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 11 days
11- days
17 Flash Flanagan
- December 26, 1999
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 42 days
42- days
16 Rico Constantino
- November 10, 1999
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 46 days
46- days
15 Rob Conway 2
- August 17, 1999
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 85 days
85- days
14 Damaja 1
- June 8, 1999
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 70 days
70- days
13 Nick Dinsmore 3
- May 7, 1999
- New Albany, IN | Live event
- 32 days
32- days
12 Rob Conway 1
- April 28, 1999
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 9 days
9- days
11 Nick Dinsmore 2
- April 18, 1999
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 10 days
10- days
10 Rod Steele
- February 2, 1999
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 75 days
Nick Dinsmore defeated Steele on February 7, 1999 at a live event, but returned the title to Steele after learning of outside interference during their encounter.75- days
9 Rip Rogers
- January 3, 1999
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 30 days
30- days
8 Doug Basham 2
- December 29, 1998
- Louisville, KY | Live event
- 5 days
5- days
7 Rip Rogers
- September 13, 1998
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 107 days
107- days
6 Doug Basham 1
- July 5, 1998
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 70 days
70- days
5 David C.
- June 10, 1998
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 25 days
David C. won the championship by forfeit.25- days
4 Nick Dinsmore 1
- June 3, 1998
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 7 days
7- days
3 Rip Rogers
- November 23, 1997
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 192 days
192- days
2 Bill Dundee
- November 16, 1997
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 7 days
Dundee won a battle royal to win the vacant championship.7- days
Vacant
- November 1, 1997
- 15 days
Title vacated.15- days
1 Trailer Park Trash
- August 17, 1997
- Jeffersonville, IN | Live event
- 76 days
Trailer Park Trash defeated Vic the Bruiser to become the inaugural champion.76- days
OVW Heavyweight Championship: Names & Belt Designs
-
- OVW Heavyweight ChampionshipJuly 7, 2012
- OVW Heavyweight ChampionshipMay 14, 2011July 7, 2012
- OVW Heavyweight ChampionshipJune 1, 2007May 14, 2011
- OVW Heavyweight ChampionshipAugust 17, 1997June 1, 2007
OVW Heavyweight Championship: Statistics
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
OVWAugust 17, 1997 Present
- Promotion
Ohio Valley Wrestling - GenderMale
- Title TypeMain / World
- Date EstablishedAugust 17, 1997
- Current ChampionBig Zo
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eugene | 10 |
| 2 | Rob Conway | 5 |
| 3 | Tony Gunn | 4 |
| 4 | The Machine | 4 |
| 5 | Omar Amir | 4 |
| 6 | Damaja | 4 |
| 7 | Flash Flanagan | 4 |
| 8 | Paul Burchill | 4 |
| 9 | Ca$h Flo | 4 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene | 529 | |
| Tony Gunn | 411 | |
| Low Rider | 333 | |
| Rip Rogers | 329 | |
| Rocco Bellagio | 322 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocco Bellagio | May 14, 2016 - April 1, 2017 | 322 | |
| Tony Gunn | March 7, 2020 - December 5, 2020 | 273 | |
| Justin Smooth | June 1, 2019 - February 1, 2020 | 245 | |
| Jamin Olivencia | April 10, 2013 - December 4, 2013 | 238 | |
| Ryan Howe | October 21, 2021 - June 2, 2022 | 224 |