| #: |
Name(s): |
Reigns: |
Date: |
Location: |
Notes: |
| 1 |
Dale Lewis |
1 |
October 1970 |
St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
Won a tournament to crown the first champion. |
| 2 |
Pantera Negra |
1 |
October 23, 1970 |
Los Angeles, California, United States |
|
| 3 |
John Tolos |
1 |
November 20, 1970 |
Los Angeles, California, United States |
|
| 4 |
Ray Mendoza |
1 |
December 4, 1970 |
Los Angeles, California, United States |
|
| 5 |
John Tolos |
2 |
March 1971 |
n/a |
Tolos returned the championship when the NWA decided the referee used a fast count during his title defense against Mendoza. |
| 6 |
Antonio Inoki |
1 |
March 26, 1971 |
Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Vacated on December 13, 1971 when Inoki is fired from the JWA, the promotion to which he had brought the title from the United States. |
| 7 |
King Krow |
1 |
January 1972 |
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Defeated Sailor Thomas in a fictitious tournament final. |
| 8 |
Seiji Sakaguchi |
1 |
February 11, 1972 |
Los Angeles, California, United States |
|
| 9 |
The Sheik |
1 |
September 6, 1972 |
Tokyo, Japan |
| 10 |
Seiji Sakaguchi |
2 |
September 7, 1972 |
Osaka, Japan |
| 11 |
Johnny Valentine |
1 |
February 3, 1973 |
Yokohama, Japan |
| 12 |
Akihisa Takachiho |
1 |
March 8, 1973 |
Sano, Japan |
| Deactivated on April 14, 1973 when the JWA closed. |
| 13 |
Jumbo Tsuruta |
1 |
August 28, 1976 |
Tokyo, Japan |
Defeated Jack Brisco in an AJPW tournament final to revive the championship. |
| 14 |
Billy Robinson |
1 |
March 5, 1977 |
Akita, Japan |
|
| 15 |
Jumbo Tsuruta |
2 |
March 23, 1977 |
Miami, Florida, United States |
|
| 16 |
Dick Murdoch |
1 |
February 23, 1980 |
Kagoshima, Japan |
|
| 17 |
Jumbo Tsuruta |
3 |
March 5, 1980 |
Kuroiso, Japan |
|
| 18 |
Abdullah the Butcher |
1 |
October 13, 1980 |
Nagoya, Japan |
|
| 19 |
Jumbo Tsuruta |
4 |
January 22, 1981 |
Nirasaki, Japan |
|
| 20 |
Harley Race |
1 |
August 1, 1982 |
Tokyo, Japan |
|
| 21 |
Jumbo Tsuruta |
5 |
October 24, 1982 |
Kitami, Japan |
| Vacated on June 17, 1983 so Tsuruta could focus on winning the NWA International Heavyweight Championship. |
| 22 |
Ted DiBiase |
1 |
October 14, 1983 |
Sasebo, Japan |
Defeated Jerry Lawler in a tournament final via forfeit; wrestled Genichiro Tenryu for his first title defense instead. |
| 23 |
Michael Hayes |
1 |
January 28, 1984 |
Athens, Georgia, United States |
|
| 24 |
David Von Erich |
1 |
February 3, 1984 |
Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Vacated on February 10, 1984 when Von Erich dies of an apparent heart attack. |
| 25 |
Genichiro Tenryu |
1 |
February 23, 1984 |
Tokyo, Japan |
Defeated Ricky Steamboat in a tournament final. |
| Voluntarily vacated in February 1986 when Tenryu is pinned by Yoshiaki Yatsu in a tag team match. |
| 26 |
Genichiro Tenryu |
2 |
April 26, 1986 |
Ōmiya-ku, Japan |
Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final. Tenryu won the PWF Heavyweight Championship on March 9, 1988. |
| 27 |
Stan Hansen |
1 |
July 27, 1988 |
Nagano, Japan |
Also won the PWF Heavyweight Championship. |
| 28 |
Jumbo Tsuruta |
6 |
April 18, 1989 |
Tokyo, Japan |
Retained the NWA International Heavyweight Championship and won the PWF Heavyweight Championship and the UN Championship. |
| Title was unified with Tsuruta's NWA International Heavyweight Championship and with Hansen's PWF Heavyweight Championship and UN championship to create the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. |