The World Heavyweight Title

[ Japanese ]

Georg Hackenschmidt	05/05/04	New York, NY
Has been recognized as world greco-roman champion in Europe as of 1900/04; also has won the world championship tournaments in Vienna, Paris, Hamburg, St. Petersburg, Elberfield, and Berlin in 1901; wins European Greco-Roman title from Tom Cannon on 02/09/04 in Liverpool, GBR; wins recognition as World champion on 04/01/30 in London, GBR, defeating Ahmed Madrali; defeats American title holder Tom Jenkins on 05/05/04 in New York, NY to become recognized world champion in North America.
Frank Gotch	08/04/03	Chicago, IL
Retires as champion in 12/08; in 14, Gotch states that Americus and Fred Beell should wrestle for the vacant world title.
Americus (Gus Schoenlein)	14/03/13	Kansas City, MO
Defeats Fred Beell.
Stanislaus Zbyszko	14/05/07	Kansas City, MO
Leaves the U.S. in 14/10< and does not return until 20; again wins the title claim, defeating Ed "Strangler" Lewis on 21/05/06 in New York, NY (see below).
Charlie Cutler	15/01/08
Defeats Dr. B.F. Roller, a world title claimant since 13/07/04; starts claiming Frank Gotch's title after 15/02/21; recognized at least in Omaha, Des Moines, Chicago, and New York.
Joe Stecher	15/07/05	Omaha, NE
Defeats Cutler with Frank Gotch in attendance. John Olin # 16/12/11 Springfield, MA Given the decision by the referee when Stecher leaves the ring because Olin continues to stall throughout the match. Ed "Strangler" Lewis # 17/05/02 Chicago, IL Defeats Olin; billed as a title match with Frank Gotch as a special referee. Wladek Zbyszko # 17/06/05 San Francisco, CA Not billed as title match; Zbyszko claims title after winning the only fall in a 2/3-fall match. Ed "Strangler" Lewis [2] # 17/07/04 Boston, MA Wladek Zbyszko pins Lewis in an international tournament final on 17/12/22 in New York, NY and claims title; Lewis also continues to claim the title. Wladek Zbyszko [2] # 19/03/21 New York, NY Joe Stecher # 19/05/09 Louisville, KY Ends the dispute.
Earl Caddock	17/04/09	Omaha, NE
Defeats Stecher; also defeats a world title claimant Wladek Zbyszko on 18/02/08 in Des Moines, IA; Zbyszko continues to claim title but loses to Ed "Strangler" Lewis on 18/05/19 in New York, NY; Caddock defeats Lewis in 18/06 in Des Moines, IA; Joe Malcewicz claims that he defeats Caddock around 19/12 in Utica, NY, but the match actually takes place on 21/01/14 (after Caddock loses the title).
Joe Stecher [2]	20/01/30	New York, NY
Ed "Strangler" Lewis [3]	20/12/13	New York, NY
Stanislaus Zbyszko [2]	21/05/06	New York, NY
Ed "Strangler" Lewis [4]	22/03/03	Wichita, KS
Wayne Munn	25/01/08	Kansas City, MO
Lewis continues to be recognized as champion by promoter Ed White.
Stanislaus Zbyszko [3]	25/04/15	Phidelphia, PA
Munn continues to be recognized as champion in Michigan and Illinois.
Joe Stecher [3]	25/05/30	St. Louis, MO
Ed "Strangler" Lewis [5]	28/02/21	St. Louis, MO
Has defeated Wayne Munn on 25/05/30 in Michigan City, IN to win the Michigan/Illinois version of the title; defeats Stecher on 28/02/21 to end the dispute.
Gus Sonnenberg	29/01/04	Boston, MA
Recognition withdrawn by more than 20 athletic commissions including New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois in 29/07 for failing to meet "real" contenders; declines the invitation from the wrestling department of National Boxins Association to enter a tournament to crown the heavyweight champion in 30.
Ed Don George	30/12/10	Los Angeles, CA
Defeats Sonneberg.
Ed "Strangler" Lewis [6]	31/04/14	Los Angeles, CA
Loses American Wrestling Association World title to Henri Deglane by DQ on 31/05/04 in Montreal, QC but is still recognized as champion in California; recognized in Illinois by defeating Wladek Zbyszko on 31/11/02 in Chicago, IL; wins New York State Athelitc Commission World title defeating Jack Sherry on 32/10/10.
DISPUTED BRANCHES New York State Athletic Commission National Boxins/Wrestling Association American Wrestling Association (Boston)
Danno O'Mahoney	35/06/27	Boston, MA
Defeats Jim Londos to win NYSAC and National Wrestling Association World titles; wins AWA World Title, defeating Ed Don George on 35/07/30 in Boston, MA to become the unified champion.
Dick Shikat	36/03/02	New York, NY
Boston AWA continues to recognize O'Mahoney as champion.
Ali Baba	36/04/25	Detroit, MI
Dave Levin	36/06/12	Newark, NJ
Wins by disqualification; recognized by The Ring magazine as the true world champion; Baba continues to claim the title but loses to Everette Marshall on 36/06/26 in Columbus, OH.
Dean Detton	36/09/28	Philadelphia, PA
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.
Bronko Nagurski	37/06/16	Minneapolis, MN
Recognized by The Ring magazine as the true world champion.
Jim Londos	38/11/18	Philadelphia, PA
Recognized by The Ring magazine as the true world champion; retires in 46.
DISPUTED BRANCHES National Wrestling Association American Wrestling Association (Boston) Midwest Wrestling Assocoation Los Angeles Maryland National Wrestling Alliance
Lou Thesz
Unifies following titles to become the Undisputed World Heavyweight champion (except in Europe) : National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight title, defeating Bill Longson on 48/07/20 in Indianapolis, IN National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight title, awarded on 49/11/27 when champion Orville Brown is injured in an automobile accident on 49/11/01 before a unification match scheduled on 49/11/25 in St. Louis, MO Defeats AWA (Boston) World Heavyweight champion Gorgeous George on 50/07/27 in Chicago, IL (AWA title not on line) Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium version of the world title, defeating Baron Michele Leone on 52/05/21 in Los Angeles, CA.
Leo Nomellini #	55/03/22	San Francisco, CA
Defeats Thesz by countout in the second round and disqualification in the third round; California Athletic Commission recognizes the title change by disqualification, but both Thesz and Nomellini continue to claim the title.
Lou Thesz #	55/07/15?	St. Louis, MO
Defeats Nomelini in rematch.
Whipper Billy Watson	56/03/15	Toronto, ON
Wins by count out.
Lou Thesz [2]	56/11/09	St. Louis, MO
Loses to Edouard Carpentier by disqualification on 57/06/14 in Chicago, IL when Thesz cannot continue due to a back injury; Thesz defeats Carpentier in rematch by disqualification on 57/07/24 in Montreal, QC; however, NWA continues to recognize Carpentier as the champion; Carpentier withdraws his claim to the title when his manager and Montreal promoter Eddie Quinn leaves NWA; NWA voids all recognition of Carpentier as champion and returns the title to Thesz in 57; Carpentier continues to be recognized as World champion in Omaha and Boston and later by World Wrestling Association in Los Angeles to legitimate the lineages of their world titles.; the World Heavyweight Title has not been unified since this day.
DISPUTED BRANCHES National Wrestling Alliance Omaha Boston World Wrestling Association (Los Angeles)