On this page, you find the full Title History for the WCCW 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 WCCW American Heavyweight Championship was a secondary title contested in National Wrestling Alliance and World Class Championship Wrestling, by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on June 6, 1966, and the inaugural champion was Fritz von Erich.
The WCCW American Heavyweight Championship was retired on March 1, 1986, with the final champion being "Ravishing" Rick Rude.
A similar championship, the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship, has been later introduced, which does not share the lineage with this title.
WCCW American Heavyweight Championship: Title History
For the Title History of the newer version of this championship, see the page for the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship.
WCCW American Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns
N. Image Champion Reign Deactivated
- March 1, 1986
- 14527+ days
On theWCCW Episode #218, WCWA representative Ken Mantell declares Rude the WCWA World Champion, after World Class leaves the NWA.86 
"Ravishing" Rick Rude 1
- November 4, 1985
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 117 days
117- days
85 Iceman King Parsons
- July 5, 1985
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 122 days
122- days
84 
Chris Adams 4
- February 8, 1985
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 147 days
Aired February 16, 1985 on WCCW Episode #164147- days
83 
Kerry von Erich 5
- October 29, 1984
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 102 days
102- days
82 Gino Hernandez
- September 3, 1984
- Ft. Worth, Texas | Labor Day Star Wars
- 56 days
56- days
81 
Mike Von Erich 1
- August 3, 1984
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 31 days
31- days
80 Gino Hernandez
- May 18, 1984
- San Juan, Puerto Rico | House show
- 77 days
77- days
79 
Jimmy Garvin 4
- April 30, 1984
- Texas | House show
- 18 days
18- days
78 
Chris Adams 3
- April 4, 1984
- Texas | House show
- 26 days
26- days
77 Jimmy Garvin 3
- April 2, 1984
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 2 days
2- days
76 Chris Adams 2
- January 30, 1984
- Ft. Worth, Texas | Wrestling Star Wars
- 63 days
63- days
75 Jimmy Garvin 2
- December 25, 1983
- Dallas, Texas | Christmas Star Wars
- 36 days
36- days
74 Chris Adams 1
- November 24, 1983
- Dallas, Texas | Thanksgiving Star Wars
- 31 days
31- days
73 Jimmy Garvin 1
- July 25, 1983
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 122 days
Won rematch against Kevin Von Erich122- days
Vacant
- July 11, 1983
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 14 days
Title held up after match against Jimmy Garvin14- days
72 
Kevin von Erich 5
- March 4, 1983
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 129 days
129- days
71 
Terry Gordy 1
- January 21, 1983
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 42 days
42- days
70 Kevin von Erich 4
- September 5, 1982
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 138 days
138- days
69 
King Kong Bundy 2
- June 15, 1982
- Texas | House show
- 82 days
Awarded when Fritz retired82- days
Vacant
- June 4, 1982
- 11 days
Fritz won the title in his retirement match and vacated it immediately11- days
68 
Fritz von Erich 20
- June 4, 1982
- Irving, Texas | Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show
- 0 days
0- days
67 King Kong Bundy 1
- May 5, 1982
- Lawton, Oklahoma | House show
- 30 days
30- days
66 Kerry von Erich 4
- March 8, 1982
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 58 days
58- days
65 Bugsy McGraw
- December 26, 1981
- Columbus, Ohio | House show
- 72 days
During this reign the title changes name to WCCW American Heavyweight Championship72- days
64 
The Great Kabuki 1
- September 25, 1981
- Lawton, Oklahoma | House show
- 92 days
92- days
63 Kerry von Erich 3
- June 4, 1981
- New Orleans, Louisiana | House show
- 113 days
113- days
62 
"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd 1
- May 11, 1981
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 24 days
24- days
61 Kerry von Erich 2
- March 1, 1981
- Texas | House show
- 71 days
The length of the reign is uncertain71- days
60 
The Masked Superstar 1
- February 1, 1981
- Texas | House show
- 28 days
The length of the reign is uncertain28- days
59 
Ken Patera 1
- January 1, 1981
- Texas | House show
- 31 days
The length of the reign is uncertain31- days
58 Kerry von Erich 1
- December 28, 1980
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 4 days
Subbed for injured Kevin and won rematch against Hernandez4- days
Vacant
- December 20, 1980
- 8 days
Title held up after match against Kevin Von Erich8- days
57 Gino Hernandez
- August 15, 1980
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 127 days
127- days
56 El Halcón
- August 1, 1980
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 14 days
14- days
55 Gino Hernandez
- May 19, 1980
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 74 days
74- days
54 Kevin von Erich 3
- April 28, 1980
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 21 days
21- days
53 
Professor Toru Tanaka 3
- April 20, 1980
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 8 days
8- days
52 Kevin von Erich 2
- January 12, 1980
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 99 days
99- days
51 Ox Baker
- January 2, 1980
- San Francisco, California | House show
- 10 days
10- days
50 
Bruiser Brody 4
- November 30, 1979
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 33 days
33- days
49 The Spoiler
- October 7, 1979
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 54 days
54- days
48 El Halcón
- August 5, 1979
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 63 days
63- days
47 The Spoiler
- June 2, 1979
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 64 days
Awarded due to injury to Wahoo McDaniel64- days
46 
Wahoo McDaniel 2
- May 13, 1979
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 20 days
20- days
45 The Spoiler
- April 1, 1979
- Puerto Rico | House show
- 42 days
42- days
44 Kevin von Erich 1
- December 25, 1978
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 97 days
97- days
43 Bruiser Brody 3
- September 11, 1978
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 105 days
105- days
42 Fritz von Erich 19
- December 12, 1977
- Fort Worth, Texas | House show
- 273 days
273- days
41 Ox Baker
- September 30, 1977
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 73 days
73- days
40 
Big John Studd 1
- July 25, 1977
- Fort Worth, Texas | House show
- 67 days
67- days
39 Bruiser Brody 2
- April 13, 1977
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 103 days
103- days
38 Fritz von Erich 18
- April 12, 1977
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 1 day
1- day
37 Bruiser Brody 1
- January 3, 1977
- Atlanta, Georgia | House show
- 99 days
99- days
36 Fritz von Erich 17
- December 29, 1974
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 736 days
736- days
35 
Blackjack Lanza 1
- December 2, 1974
- Texas | House show
- 27 days
27- days
Vacant
- November 30, 1974
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 2 days
After a match against Blackjack Lanza2- days
34 Fritz von Erich 16
- April 16, 1974
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 228 days
228- days
33 
Blackjack Mulligan 1
- March 26, 1974
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 21 days
21- days
32 Fritz von Erich 15
- August 7, 1973
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 231 days
231- days
31 The Missouri Mauler
- March 2, 1973
- Chicago, Illinois | House show
- 158 days
Awarded when Valentine goes to Japan158- days
30 
Johnny Valentine 5
- July 8, 1972
- Corpus Christi, Texas | House show
- 237 days
237- days
29 Billy Red Lyons
- June 24, 1972
- Irving, Texas | Parade of Champions
- 14 days
14- days
28 The Spoiler
- December 11, 1971
- San Antonio, Texas | House show
- 196 days
196- days
27 
Wahoo McDaniel 1
- March 5, 1971
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 281 days
281- days
26 Professor Toru Tanaka 2
- February 23, 1971
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 10 days
10- days
25 Fritz von Erich 14
- February 22, 1971
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 1 day
1- day
24 Professor Toru Tanaka 1
- December 18, 1970
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 66 days
66- days
23 Fritz von Erich 13
- June 14, 1970
- Texas | House show
- 187 days
187- days
22 
Baron von Raschke 2
- June 8, 1970
- Texas | House show
- 6 days
6- days
21 Fritz von Erich 12
- June 2, 1970
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 6 days
6- days
20 
Boris Malenko 1
- May 18, 1970
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 15 days
Defeated Mil Máscaras in tournament final15- days
19 Fritz von Erich 11
- February 13, 1970
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 94 days
94- days
18 Johnny Valentine 4
- January 23, 1970
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 21 days
21- days
17 Fritz von Erich 10
- October 21, 1969
- Dallas, Texas | House show
- 94 days
Von Erich won a rematch against Johnny Valentine94- days
Vacant
- August 5, 1969
- 77 days
Title held up after match against Johnny Valentine in Dallas, TX due to interference by Wahoo McDaniel77- days
16 Fritz von Erich 9
- August 4, 1969
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 1 day
1- day
15 Johnny Valentine 3
- June 9, 1969
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 56 days
56- days
14 Fritz von Erich 8
- June 1, 1969
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 7 days
7- days
13 Johnny Valentine 2
- May 2, 1969
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 30 days
30- days
12 Fritz von Erich 7
- April 29, 1969
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 3 days
3- days
11 Baron von Raschke 1
- April 10, 1969
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 19 days
19- days
10 Fritz von Erich 6
- July 26, 1968
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 258 days
258- days
9 Kenji Shibuya
- July 1, 1968
- Texas | House show
- 25 days
25- days
8 Fritz von Erich 5
- June 3, 1968
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 28 days
Von Erich won a rematch against The Spoiler, during this reign the title changes name to NWA American Heavyweight Championship.28- days
Vacant
- April 6, 1968
- 58 days
Title held up due to interference by manager Gary Hart58- days
7 The Spoiler
- April 5, 1968
- Houston, Texas | House show
- 1 day
1- day
6 Fritz von Erich 4
- March 27, 1967
- Ft. Worth, Texas | House show
- 375 days
375- days
5 Brute Bernard
- March 22, 1967
- Texas | House show
- 5 days
5- days
4 Fritz von Erich 3
- December 15, 1966
- Texas | House show
- 97 days
97- days
3 Fritz von Erich 2
- August 4, 1966
- Texas | House show
- 133 days
Championship history is unrecorded from August 4, 1966 to December 15, 1966.133- days
2 Johnny Valentine 1
- June 9, 1966
- Texas | House show
- 56 days
56- days
1 Fritz von Erich 1
- June 6, 1966
- Texas | House show
- 3 days
Defeated Brute Bernard to become the first champion3- days
WCCW American Heavyweight Championship: Names & Belt Designs
-
- WCCW American Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 8, 1985March 1, 1986
- WCCW American Heavyweight ChampionshipMarch 8, 1982February 8, 1985
- NWA American Heavyweight ChampionshipDecember 11, 1971March 8, 1982
- NWA American Heavyweight ChampionshipJune 3, 1968December 11, 1971
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version)June 6, 1966June 3, 1968
WCCW American Heavyweight Championship: Statistics
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
NWA, 
BTW DALLASJune 6, 1966 March 1, 1986
- Promotion
World Class Wrestling Association - GenderMale
- Title TypeMidcard / Secondary
- Date EstablishedJune 6, 1966
- Date RetiredMarch 1, 1986
- Followed By
WCWA World Heavyweight Championship
- First ChampionFritz von Erich
- Final Champion"Ravishing" Rick Rude
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fritz von Erich | 20 |
| 2 | Kevin von Erich | 5 |
| 3 | Johnny Valentine | 5 |
| 4 | The Spoiler | 5 |
| 5 | Kerry von Erich | 5 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Fritz von Erich | 2756 | |
| Kevin von Erich | 484 | |
| Johnny Valentine | 400 | |
| The Spoiler | 357 | |
| Kerry von Erich | 348 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fritz von Erich | December 29, 1974 - January 3, 1977 | 736 | |
| Fritz von Erich | March 27, 1967 - April 5, 1968 | 375 | |
| Wahoo McDaniel | March 5, 1971 - December 11, 1971 | 281 | |
| Fritz von Erich | December 12, 1977 - September 11, 1978 | 273 | |
| Fritz von Erich | July 26, 1968 - April 10, 1969 | 258 |