MWA World Heavyweight Championship
The MWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Kansas City, Kansas-based Midwest Wrestling Association (MWA). It was the direct predecessor of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Championship.
The title was created in 1940, and awarded to Bobby Bruns that January, in recognition of his winning the defeating Maurice Boyer in Bridgeport, Connecticut on November 10, 1939 for the Jack Pfeffer-promoted World Light Heavyweight Championship.[1] The title lasted until the MWA joined the newly formed NWA in October 1948, with the MWA champion, Orville Brown, recognized as the first NWA World Heavyweight Champion.[2][3]
Title history
Wrestler: |
Times: |
Date: |
Location: |
Notes: |
Bobby Bruns |
1 |
January 1940 |
|
Awarded the title after defeating World Light Heavyweight Champion (Jack Pfeffer version) Maurice Boyer on November 10, 1939 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[1] |
Orville Brown |
1 |
June 13, 1940 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Lee Wyckoff |
1 |
April 17, 1941 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Orville Brown |
2 |
October 16, 1941 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Tom Zaharias |
1 |
March 5, 1942 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Orville Brown |
3 |
June 25, 1942 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
Ed Lewis won a disputed decision over Brown on November 5, 1942. |
Ed Lewis |
1 |
November 26, 1942 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
Defeated Brown in a rematch. |
Lee Wyckoff |
2 |
January 14, 1943 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Orville Brown |
4 |
February 18, 1943 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Lee Wyckoff |
3 |
May 1943 |
Great Bend, Kansas |
|
Orville Brown |
5 |
June 17, 1943 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
The Swedish Angel |
1 |
December 3, 1943 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Orville Brown |
6 |
December 9, 1943 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
Dave Levin defeated Brown in a one-fall match on April 27, 1944 in Kansas City, Kansas, and laid claim to the title. However, Brown claimed that the title could only change hands in a two-out-of-three falls match. |
Dave Levin |
1 |
May 4, 1944 |
Defeated Brown in a rematch. |
Lee Wyckoff |
4 |
June 29, 1944 |
Topeka, Kansas |
|
Orville Brown |
7 |
August 16, 1944 |
Topeka, Kansas |
|
Bobby Bruns |
2 |
June 20, 1946 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Orville Brown |
8 |
August 8, 1946 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Vic Christy |
1 |
March 14, 1947 |
St. Joseph, Missouri |
|
Roy Graham |
1 |
March 30, 1947 |
St. Joseph, Missouri |
|
Orville Brown |
9 |
April 10, 1947 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
Tug Carlson |
1 |
December 19, 1947 |
St. Joseph, Missouri |
|
Orville Brown |
10 |
December 26, 1947 |
St. Joseph, Missouri |
|
Bobby Bruns |
3 |
April 29, 1948 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
Won the title by disqualification. |
Orville Brown |
11 |
May 4, 1948 |
Kansas City, Kansas |
|
The title was retired after the MWA joined the National Wrestling Alliance in October 1948, and Brown was recognized as its first champion. |
References
See also