On this page, you find the full Title History for the World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (Original), 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 Wrestling Championship (Original) was a World Title contested in Independent Circuit, by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on May 4, 1905, and the inaugural champion was George Hackenschmidt.
This title was the first recognized World Heavyweight Championship in the History of Professional Wrestling
Created through the unification of American and European continental titles.
It was not owned by a specific promotion, so any wrestler around the world could aspire to win it.
The European Greco-Roman Heavyweight Championship and American Heavyweight Championship were previously unified into this championship.
The World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (Original) was retired on January 28, 1946, with the final champion being Jim Londos.
A similar championship, the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, has been later introduced, which does not share the lineage with this title.
World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (Original): Title History
For the Title History of the newer version of this championship, see the page for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.
World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (Original): Title Reigns
N. Image Champion Reign Deactivated
- July 14, 1948
- Waterloo, Iowa | Live Show
- 28314+ days
Lineage continued over to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Vacant
- January 28, 1946
- Denver, Colorado | Live Show
- 898 days
Londos wrestled his last match on this date, defeating Lord Albert Mills.898- days
25 
Jim Londos 1
- November 18, 1938
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Live Show
- 2628 days
Londos retired as World Heavyweight Champion in 1946.2628- days
24 Bronko Nagurski
- June 29, 1937
- Minneapolis, Minnesota | Live Show
- 507 days
Nagurski was recognized as the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion by The Ring magazine.507- days
23 Dean Detton
- September 29, 1936
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Live Show
- 273 days
Recognized by The Ring magazine as the true world champion. Has also defeated Ed Strangler Lewis in a title tournament final earlier in the year in Philadelphia, PA.273- days
22 Dave Levin
- June 12, 1936
- Newark, New Jersey | Live Show
- 109 days
Wins by disqualification. Recognized by The Ring magazine as the true world champion. Baba continues to claim the title but loses to Everett Marshall on June 26, 1936, in Columbus, OH. Levin also wins Los Angeles version, defeating Vincent Lopez on August 19, 1936, in Los Angeles, CA. Everett Marshall retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion after Ali Baba.109- days
21 Ali Baba
- April 25, 1936
- Detroit, Michigan | Live Show
- 48 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. On April 29, 1936, it was announced by the New York Times that Ali Baba would not be recognized as World Heavyweight Champion in the New York State by The New York Athletic Commission; however, it was announced that Ali Baba and Dick Shikat would face each other on May 5, 1936, at Madison Square Garden for the World Heavyweight Championship. Baba went on to win the professional wrestling bout and thus be recognized as the World Heavyweight Champion.48- days
20 Dick Shikat
- March 2, 1936
- New York, New York | Live Show
- 54 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.54- days
19 Danno O'Mahoney
- July 30, 1935
- Boston, Massachusetts | Live Show
- 216 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion after Ed Don George, Jim Browning and Jim Londos. O'Mahoney defeated Jim Londos to win the New York State Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Championship. Mahoney continues to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Boston version) by defeating Ed Don George (who had beat Deglane on February 9, 1933) on July 30, 1935, in Boston, Massachusetts to become the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.216- days
18 
Ed Lewis 4
- April 13, 1931
- Los Angeles, California | Live Show
- 1569 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. Lewis lost the AWA World Heavyweight Championship by disqualification to Henri Deglane on May 4, 1931, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Henri Deglane retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. After Deglane, Ed Lewis still recognized as real World Heavyweight Champion by the NWA. Lewis also defeated the title claimer, Wladek Zbyszko, on November 2, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois for the title. Lewis continued to win the New York State Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Jack Sherry on October 10, 1932.1569- days
17 Ed Don George
- December 10, 1930
- Los Angeles, California | Live Show
- 124 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion after Dick Shikat and Jim Londos.124- days
16 Gus Sonnenberg
- January 4, 1929
- Boston, Massachusetts | Live Show
- 705 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. The recognition of being the World Heavyweight Champion was withdrawn from Gus Sonnenberg by the wrestling section of the National Boxing Association in 1929 for failing to meet real title contenders.705- days
15 Ed Lewis 3
- February 21, 1928
- St. Louis, Missouri | Live Show
- 318 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. Lewis defeated Wayne Munn on February 2, 1928, in Michigan City, Indiana for the Michigan/Illinois World Heavyweight Championship version. Lewis defeated Stecher on February 21, 1928, to end the dispute.318- days
14 Joe Stecher
- May 30, 1925
- St. Louis, Missouri | Live Show
- 997 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.997- days
13 Stanislaus Zbyszko
- April 15, 1925
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Live Show
- 45 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. Though Zbyszko defeated Munn to win the championship, Munn continued to be recognized as World Heavyweight Champion in Michigan and in Illinois.45- days
12 Wayne Munn
- January 8, 1925
- Wichita, Kansas | Live Show
- 97 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.97- days
11 Ed Lewis 2
- March 3, 1922
- Wichita, Kansas | Live Show
- 1042 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.1042- days
10 Stanislaus Zbyszko
- May 6, 1921
- New York, New York | Live Show
- 301 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.301- days
9 Ed Lewis 1
- December 13, 1920
- New York, New York | Live Show
- 144 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.144- days
8 Joe Stecher
- January 30, 1920
- Louisville, Kentucky | Live Show
- 318 days
On May 19, 1919, Stecher won from Wladek Zbyszko the title of Olin's lineage. On January 30, 1920, Stecher defeated Earl Caddock to unify both the Olin and the Stecher lines. The lineage of the Stecher line was carried forward, so Stecher's title win is recognised as starting on January 30, 1920, as opposed to May 19, 1919. Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion.318- days
7 Earl Caddock
- April 9, 1917
- Omaha, Nebraska | Live Show
- 1026 days
Defeated Stecher for the title in spite of John Olin already claiming ownership. Between Caddock and Olin, there was a dispute on who the real champion was, with two parallel lineages of unrecognized title switches involving Ed Lewis, Wladek Zbyszko and Joe Stecher. However, Earl Caddock's lineage was retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the official one.1026- days
6 Joe Stecher
- July 5, 1915
- Omaha, Nebraska | Live Show
- 644 days
Stecher defeated Charlie Cutler to become the first widely recognized World Heavyweight Champion after the retirement of Frank Gotch. On December 11, 1916, Johan Olin defeated Stecher by count-out, and was awarded the championship by referee, but this title change was unrecognized.644- days
5 Charlie Cutler
- January 8, 1915
- Omaha, Nebraska | Live Show
- 178 days
After defeating American Heavyweight Champion Dr. Benjamin Roller, Cutler claimed the title. He was recognised in Omaha, Des Moines, Chicago and New York.178- days
Vacant
- October 1, 1914
- 99 days
Vacated the title to enlist in the Austro-Hungarian Army in October 191499- days
4 Stanislaus Zbyszko
- May 7, 1914
- Kansas City, Missouri | Live Show
- 147 days
147- days
3 Americus
- March 13, 1914
- Kansas City, Missouri | Live Show
- 55 days
Upon his retirement and vacancy, Frank Gotch recommended Gus Schoenlein/Americus and Fred Beell compete for the vacant title. Schonelein won.55- days
Vacant
- April 1, 1913
- Kansas City, Missouri | Live Show
- 346 days
Vacated due to Gotch's retirement.346- days
2 
Frank Gotch 1
- April 3, 1908
- Chicago, Illinois | Live Show
- 1824 days
Retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. Gotch held the title for five years until April 1, 1913. He was the sixth longest reigning world heavyweight champion in history behind Bruno Sammartino, Jim Londos, Lou Thesz, Verne Gagne (who all held their world titles for over seven years) and Bob Backlund (who held his for nearly six years).1824- days
1 
George Hackenschmidt 1
- May 4, 1905
- New York, New York | Live Show
- 1065 days
Hackenschmidt won a world championship tournament to become the first champion, as well as several other tournaments in Paris, Saint Petersburg, Hamburg, Elberfeld, Germany and Berlin in the same year. He also won the European Greco-Roman Heavyweight Championship title from Tom Cannon on September 4, 1902, in Liverpool, England. He won the recognition of being the World Heavyweight Champion on January 30, 1904, in London by defeating Ahmed Madrali, retroactively recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance as the real World champion. Hackenschmidt defeated American Heavyweight Champion, Tom Jenkins, on May 4, 1905, in New York City to become the recognized World Heavyweight Champion in North America.1065- days
World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (Original): Names & Belt Designs
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- World Heavyweight Wrestling ChampionshipNovember 18, 1938January 28, 1946
- World Heavyweight Wrestling ChampionshipApril 23, 1935November 18, 1938
- World Heavyweight Wrestling ChampionshipFebruary 20, 1928April 23, 1935
- World Heavyweight Wrestling ChampionshipOctober 9, 1915February 20, 1928
- World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (Unified belts)May 4, 1905October 9, 1915
World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (Original): Statistics
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Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
INDYMay 4, 1905 January 28, 1946
- Promotion
Independent Circuit
- GenderMale
- TerritoryWorld Tier 1
- ClassificationPrimary
- Date EstablishedMay 4, 1905
- Date RetiredJanuary 28, 1946
- Unified With
European Greco-Roman Heavyweight Championship
American Heavyweight Championship - Followed By
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
- First ChampionGeorge Hackenschmidt
- Final ChampionJim Londos
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ed Lewis | 4 |
| 2 | Joe Stecher | 3 |
| 3 | Stanislaus Zbyszko | 3 |
| 4 | Jim Londos | 1 |
| 5 | Frank Gotch | 1 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Ed Lewis | 3073 | |
| Jim Londos | 2628 | |
| Joe Stecher | 1959 | |
| Frank Gotch | 1824 | |
| George Hackenschmidt | 1065 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Londos | November 18, 1938 - January 28, 1946 | 2628 | |
| Frank Gotch | April 3, 1908 - April 1, 1913 | 1824 | |
| Ed Lewis | April 13, 1931 - July 30, 1935 | 1569 | |
| George Hackenschmidt | May 4, 1905 - April 3, 1908 | 1065 | |
| Ed Lewis | March 3, 1922 - January 8, 1925 | 1042 |