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. 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.
Many former champions include ex-World Wrestling Federation veterans such as The Iron Sheik, The Patriot, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Headshrinker Samu 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.{{-}}
Title history
Wrestler: |
Times: |
Date: |
Location: |
Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
John Rambo |
1 |
March 3, 1989 |
Elk Garden, West Virginia |
|
The Iron Sheik |
1 |
1990 |
Virginia |
|
John Rambo |
2 |
1990 |
Virginia |
|
Cactus Jack |
1 |
October 22, 1991 |
Guam |
|
The title is vacated by NWL President [...] 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 |
|
The title is vacated by John Rambo. |
||||
Neil Superior |
1 |
November 1991 |
Guam |
|
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. |
||||
John Rambo |
4 |
1997 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|
Gutterboy |
1 |
April 22, 1999 |
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania |
|
John Rambo |
5 |
May 13, 1999 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|
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. |
||||
Spazman Anthony |
1 |
December 29, 2000 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|
Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka |
1 |
February 1, 2001 |
Frederick, Maryland |
|
Spazman Anthony |
2 |
May 29, 2001 |
Cumberland, Maryland |
|
John Rambo |
6 |
June 26, 2001 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|
Spazman Anthony |
3 |
January 15, 2002 |
||
John Rambo |
7 |
April 20, 2002 |
Bainbridge Township, Ohio |
|
Jake "The Machine" Davis |
1 |
January 11, 2003 |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
Headshrinker Samu |
1 |
February 8, 2003 |
Greencastle, Pennsylvania |
|
Corporal Punishment |
1 |
April 12, 2003 |
Keyser, West Virginia |
|
Headshrinker Samu |
2 |
April 26, 2003 |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
Aidean |
1 |
May 24, 2003 |
Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania |
|
Morgus the Maniac |
1 |
July 19, 2003 |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
Leslie Leatherman |
1 |
November 1, 2003 |
Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania |
|
The Patriot |
1 |
January 23, 2004 |
Newville, Pennsylvania |
|
Leslie Leatherman |
2 |
January 24, 2004 |
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania |
|
Headshrinker Samu |
3 |
February 14, 2004 |
Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania |
|
Leslie Leatherman |
3 |
May 8, 2004 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|
Headshrinker Samu |
4 |
June 18, 2004 |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
Pirate of the Caribbean |
1 |
June 26, 2004 |
Newville, Pennsylvania |
|
Dorian Devile |
1 |
July 3, 2004 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|
OGB |
1 |
July 8, 2004 |
||
Super Destroyer |
1 |
July 17, 2004 |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
Snatch Haggis |
1 |
September 18, 2004 |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
The title is vacated on October 7, 2004. |
||||
Headshrinker Samu |
5 |
October 9, 2004 |
||
Genesis |
1 |
March 19, 2005 |
Newville, Pennsylvania |
|
Jason Static |
1 |
May 21, 2005 |
Newville, Pennsylvania |
|
Gutterboy |
2 |
August 13, 2005 |
Newville, Pennsylvania |
|
John Rambo |
8 |
December 17, 2005 |
Martinsburg, West Virginia |
|
Gutterboy |
3 |
May 20, 2006 |
Newville, Pennsylvania |
|
Leslie Leatherman |
4 |
March 31, 2007 |
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania |
|
Gangrel |
1 |
May 25, 2007 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|
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 in Cambridge, Maryland at the end of the month. |
||||
Headshrinker Samu |
6 |
June 30, 2007 |
Cambridge, Maryland |
|
The title is vacated in January 2008. |
||||
Todd Hill |
1 |
January 26, 2008 |
Hagerstown, Maryland |
|