World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles)

On this page, you find the full Title History for the World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles), 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 World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles) was a main title contested in Independent Circuit, by men wrestlers.

The championship was first established on February 20, 1928, and the inaugural champion was Ed Lewis.

This championship was defended mostly in the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium and was controlled by the California State Athletic Commission

The World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles) was retired on May 21, 1952, when it was unified into the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, with the final champion being Lou Thesz.

World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles): Title History

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

World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles): Title Reigns

N.	Image	Champion	Reign
	Deactivated into the NWA World Heavyweight Championship May 21, 1952 Unified with NWA World Heavyweight Championship as a result of the match
19		Lou Thesz 1 May 21, 1952 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show	0 days
18		Baron Michele Leone 1 November 22, 1950 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show	546 days
17		Enrique Torres February 22, 1949 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show	638 days
16		Gorgeous George 1 March 26, 1947 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show	699 days
15		Enrique Torres December 11, 1946 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show	105 days
14		George Becker September 1, 1946 Portland, Oregon \| Live Show	101 days
13		Babe Sharkey February 1, 1946 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show Billed as champion on arrival. Previously held the Maryland version of the Title.	212 days
		Vacant January 28, 1946	4 days
12		Jim Londos 3 November 18, 1938 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania \| Live Show	2628 days
11		Bronko Nagurski June 16, 1937 Minneapolis, Minnesota \| Live Show	520 days
10		Dean Detton September 28, 1936 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania \| Live Show	261 days
9		Dave Levin August 19, 1936 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show	40 days
8		Vincent Lopez July 24, 1935 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show Defeats Man Mountain Dean in the tournament final.	392 days
		Vacant May 1, 1935	84 days
7		Jim Londos 2 June 25, 1934 New York City, New York \| Live Show Suspended by the California Athletic Commission when Londos fails to appear for the scheduled title defense against Chief Little Wolf on 35/02/27; recognition officially withdrawn in Los Angeles in 35/05 for failure to enter an international tournament.	310 days
6		Jim Browning May 1, 1933 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show Has defeated Ed "Strangler" Lewis on 33/02/20 in New York, NY to be recognized as world champion by the state athletic commissions of New York and Pennsylvania; recognized as champion in Los Angeles, CA from 33/05.	420 days
		Vacant April 12, 1933	19 days
5		Jim Londos 1 March 2, 1932 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show Has defeated Dick Shikat on 30/06/06 in Philadelphia, PA to be recognized as world champion by the state athletic commissions of New York and Pennsylvania; recognized as champion in Los Angeles, CA as late as 33/04/12.	406 days
		Vacant February 28, 1932	3 days
4		Ed Lewis 2 April 13, 1931 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show	321 days
3		Ed Don George December 10, 1930 Los Angeles, California \| Live Show Defeated Gus Sonnenberg to win the AWA Boston version of the World title; recognized in California.	124 days
2		Gus Sonnenberg April 1, 1929 St. Louis, Missouri \| Live Show	618 days
1		Ed Lewis 1 February 20, 1928 Boston, Massachusetts \| Live Show Defeats another title claimant Joe Stecher for the undisputed World Title.	406 days

World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles): Names & Belt Designs

- NWA Los Angeles Heavyweight ChampionshipJanuary 1, 1950May 21, 1952
- World Heavyweight ChampionshipJanuary 1, 1930December 31, 1949
- AWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 20, 1928December 31, 1929

World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles): Statistics

Promotions History
Promotion from to
PromotionINDY February 20, 1928 May 21, 1952

Promotion	from	to
PromotionINDY	February 20, 1928	May 21, 1952

Promotion Independent Circuit
TerritoryState
DivisionPrimary
GenderMale
Date EstablishedFebruary 20, 1928
Date RetiredMay 21, 1952
Unified Into NWA World Heavyweight Championship

First ChampionEd Lewis
Final ChampionLou Thesz

Most Number of Reigns

Rank	Wrestler	Reigns
	Jim Londos	3
	Enrique Torres	2
	Ed Lewis	2
	Gorgeous George	1
	Gus Sonnenberg	1

Most Combined Days

Rank	Wrestler	Days
	Jim Londos	3344
	Enrique Torres	743
	Ed Lewis	727
	Gorgeous George	699
	Gus Sonnenberg	618

Longest Reigns

Wrestler	Reign	Days
Jim Londos	November 18, 1938 - January 28, 1946	2628
Gorgeous George	March 26, 1947 - February 22, 1949	699
Enrique Torres	February 22, 1949 - November 22, 1950	638
Gus Sonnenberg	April 1, 1929 - December 10, 1930	618
Baron Michele Leone	November 22, 1950 - May 21, 1952	546