World Heavyweight Championship (Omaha)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Omaha version of the World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by promoters in and around Omaha, Nebraska, who chose to recognize Édouard Carpentier as world heavyweight champion following his win over NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz on June 14, 1957, in Chicago due to a back injury suffered by Thesz during the match. The NWA continued to recognize Thesz as their champion.
It was often contested alongside the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, and the two titles were finally unified when AWA champion Verne Gagne defeated Omaha champion Fritz Von Erich on September 7, 1963.
[edit] Title history
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Édouard Carpentier | 1 | June 14, 1957 | Chicago, Illinois | Recognized as champion after NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz cannot continue in he and Carpentier's match for the title, due to a back injury, giving Carpentier the victory. The NWA continues to recognize Thesz as their champion. |
| Verne Gagne | 1 | August 9, 1958 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Wilbur Snyder | 1 | November 15, 1958 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Dick the Bruiser | 1 | |||
| Wilbur Snyder | 2 | July 25, 1959 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Dr. M (Bill Miller) | 1 | October 3, 1959 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Don Leo Jonathan | 1 | January 7, 1961 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Dr. M | 2 | February 4, 1961 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Don Leo Jonathan | 2 | April 3, 1961 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Vacated | 1961 | |||
| Don Leo Jonathan | 3 | May 20, 1961 | Omaha, Nebraska | Defeated Bobo Brazil to win the vacant title. |
| Verne Gagne | 2 | September 16, 1961 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Fritz Von Erich | 1 | July 31, 1962 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| Verne Gagne | 3 | August 25, 1962 | Omaha, Nebraska | |
| The Crusher | 1 | February 15, 1963 | Omaha, Nebraska | Also won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship from Verne Gagne on July 9, 1963 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. |
| Verne Gagne | 4 | July 20, 1963 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Won both the Omaha title and AWA title. |
| Fritz Von Erich | 2 | July 27, 1963 | Omaha, Nebraska | Won both the Omaha title and AWA title. |
| Verne Gagne | 5 | September 7, 1963 | Omaha, Nebraska | Won the AWA title from Fritz Von Erich on August 8, 1963 in Amarillo, Texas. |
| Title retired | September 7, 1963 | Omaha, Nebraska | Omaha title unified with the AWA title. | |
