NWL Heavyweight Championship

The NWL Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in the National Wrestling League promotion. It was created on March 3, 1989, when John Rambo defeated "Russian" Ivan Koloff in Elk Garden, West Virginia. The title is defended primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast, most often in Hagerstown, Maryland, but also as far west as Ohio. In October 1991, the title changed twice during a tour of Guam when Cactus Jack defeated John Rambo to win the first singles title of his career.[1] On October 23, 1991, John Rambo regained the title from Cactus Jack in front of 15,000 fans at the University of Guam Athletic Complex.[2]

NWL Heavyweight Championship
Details
Promotion	National Wrestling League
Date established	1989
Current champion(s)	Antony Atom
Date won	July 28, 2018
Statistics First champion(s) John Rambo Most reigns John Rambo (8) Longest reign Neil Superior (5 years) Shortest reign Samu (<1 day)

Many former champions include ex-World Wrestling Federation veterans such as The Iron Sheik, The Patriot, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Headshrinker Samu[1] and Gangrel. Independent wrestlers Corporal Punishment and Morgus the Maniac have also held the title. There are 21 recognized known champions with a total of 38 title reigns.[2][3]

Title history

Wrestler:	Times:	Date:	Location:	Notes:
John Rambo	1	March 3, 1989	Elk Garden, West Virginia	Defeated "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff to become first champion.[1][2][3]
The Iron Sheik	1	1990	Virginia	[2]
John Rambo	2	1990	Virginia	[2]
Cactus Jack	1	October 22, 1991	Guam	[1][2][3]
The title is vacated by NWL President Dick Caricofe due to a match technicality. A rematch is sanctioned for the following day between Cactus Jack and John Rambo at the University of Guam Athletic Complex.
John Rambo	3	October 23, 1991	Guam	[1][3]
The title is vacated by John Rambo.[1][2][3]
Neil Superior	1	November 1991	Guam	Defeated Helmut Hesler to win vacant title.[1][2][3]
Superior briefly lost the title in a November 1995 match against Shane Shadows in Clear Spring, Maryland, however the referee's decision was reversed when it was discovered that Shadows' had used his feet on the ropes to pin Superior. The title is eventually vacated following Superior's death on August 23, 1996.[1][2][3]
John Rambo	4	1997	Hagerstown, Maryland	Defeated Bob Starr for vacant title.[1][2][3]
Gutterboy	1	April 22, 1999	Waynesboro, Pennsylvania	[1][2][3]
John Rambo	5	May 13, 1999	Hagerstown, Maryland	[1][2][3]
The title is vacated on December 13, 2000, when John Rambo surrendered the championship so it could be awarded to the NWL Wrestler of the Year at the end of the month.[1][2][3]
Spazman Anthony	1	December 29, 2000	Hagerstown, Maryland	Awarded vacant title after being named NWL Wrestler of the Year.[1][2][3]
Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka	1	February 1, 2001	Frederick, Maryland	[1][2][3]
Spazman Anthony	2	May 29, 2001	Cumberland, Maryland	[1][2][3]
John Rambo	6	June 26, 2001	Hagerstown, Maryland	[1][2][3]
Spazman Anthony	3	January 15, 2002		Won title in special 6-man match.[1][2][3]
John Rambo	7	April 20, 2002	Bainbridge Township, Ohio	[1][2][3]
Jake "The Machine" Davis	1	January 11, 2003	Martinsburg, West Virginia	[1][2][3]
Headshrinker Samu	1	February 8, 2003	Greencastle, Pennsylvania	Won title in a "Special Stipulations" 6-man tag team match.[1][2][3]
Corporal Punishment	1	April 12, 2003	Keyser, West Virginia	Match held at Potomac State College.[2]
Headshrinker Samu	2	April 26, 2003	Martinsburg, West Virginia	Match held at the Apollo Civic Theater.[2]
Aidean	1	May 24, 2003	Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania	[1][2][3]
Morgus the Maniac	1	July 19, 2003	Martinsburg, West Virginia	[1][2][3]
Leslie Leatherman	1	November 1, 2003	Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania	[1][2][3]
The Patriot	1	January 23, 2004	Newville, Pennsylvania	[1][2][3]
Leslie Leatherman	2	January 24, 2004	Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania	[1][2][3]
Headshrinker Samu	3	February 14, 2004	Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania	[1][2][3]
Leslie Leatherman	3	May 8, 2004	Hagerstown, Maryland	[1][2][3]
Headshrinker Samu	4	June 18, 2004	Martinsburg, West Virginia	Wins title but vacates it immediately after because he would not be able to make the next title defense in Newville, Pennsylvania on June 26. The title is put up in a 10-man Royal Rumble at the event.[1][2][3]
Pirate of the Caribbean	1	June 26, 2004	Newville, Pennsylvania	Won the vacant title in a 10-man battle royal.[1][2][3]
Dorian Devile	1	July 3, 2004	Hagerstown, Maryland	[1][2][3]
OGB	1	July 8, 2004		Won the title by forfeit when Devile failed to show up.[1][2][3]
Super Destroyer	1	July 17, 2004	Martinsburg, West Virginia	[1][2][3]
Snatch Haggis	1	September 18, 2004	Martinsburg, West Virginia	Won title via forfeit when Super Destroyer failed to show up.[1][2][3]
The title is vacated on October 7, 2004.[1][2][3]
Headshrinker Samu	5	October 9, 2004		Defeated Gutterboy, John Rambo, and Carnage in a four way dance to win the vacant title.[1][2][3]
Genesis	1	March 19, 2005	Newville, Pennsylvania	Defeated Headshrinker Samu and Kage in a triple threat match.[2][3]
Jason Static	1	May 21, 2005	Newville, Pennsylvania	Won title by forfeit when Genesis was unable to compete due to injury.[2][3]
Gutterboy	2	August 13, 2005	Newville, Pennsylvania	Defeated Jason Static, John Rambo and Nikita Annilov in a 4-Way Dance.[2][3]
John Rambo	8	December 17, 2005	Martinsburg, West Virginia	[2][3]
Gutterboy	3	May 20, 2006	Newville, Pennsylvania	Defeated John Rambo, Asian Sinsation and Ryot in a 4-Way Dance.[2][3]
Leslie Leatherman	4	March 31, 2007	Gettysburg, Pennsylvania	Defeated Gutterboy, Professor Egon Ecton and LT in a 4-Way Dance elimination match.[2][3]
Gangrel	1	May 25, 2007	Hagerstown, Maryland	Match held at South Hagerstown High School.[2][3]
The title is vacated on June 4, 2007, when Gangrel announced he would not be able to appear for the next scheduled title defense in Cambridge, Maryland at the end of the month.[2][3]
Headshrinker Samu	6	June 30, 2007	Cambridge, Maryland	Pinned Leslie Leatherman in a singles match to win the title.[2][3]
The title is vacated in January 2008.[2][3]
Todd Hill	1	January 26, 2008	Hagerstown, Maryland	Won title in a battle royal.[2][3]
Shane Shadows	1	July 7, 2009	Martinsburg, West Virginia	Defeated Todd Hill and Thomas William Farnsworth in a Three Way Match.[2][3]
Cory Bush	1	2010		[2]
The title is vacated on 2012.[2][3]
Gustin Uberstud	1	June 22, 2012	Hagerstown, Maryland	Won title in a battle royal.[2][3]
Brandon Scott	1	2014		[2]
LA Starr	1	November 11, 2015		[2]
Butch Hess	1	March 20, 2016	Martinsburg, West Virginia	[2]
The title is vacated on July 24, 2016.[2][3]
Shorty Smalls	1	August 14, 2016	Martinsburg, West Virginia	[2]
Butch Hess	2	October 15, 2016	Martinsburg, West Virginia	[2]
The title is vacated on October 15, 2016.[2][3]
Animal	1	November 20, 2016	Martinsburg, West Virginia
The title is vacated on March 3, 2017.[2][3]
Lance Anoa'i	1	April 1, 2017	Martinsburg, West Virginia
Jake "The Machine" Davis	2	July 22, 2017	Martinsburg, West Virginia
Ishman Martinez	1	October 21, 2017	Martinsburg, West Virginia	Defeated Jake "The Machine" Davis..[2][3]

References

1. Tsakiries, Phil (2004). "NWL Heavyweight Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
2. "National Wrestling League Heavyweight Champion History". National Wrestling League. Archived from the original on 2008-06-26. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
3. "NWL Heavyweight Championship history". Cagematch.de (in German). Retrieved 2010-05-04.