The Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF) World Heavyweight Championship is one of the three titles that make up the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. It was created in 1973 by All Japan owner Giant Baba, after he won a series of ten matches against Bruno Sammartino (twice - one win, one draw), Terry Funk, Abdullah the Butcher, The Destroyer, Wilbur Snyder (twice - one win, one draw), Don Leo Jonathan, Pat O'Connor and Bobo Brazil.
The title, which had originally been classed as a world title, was downgraded to regional status after All Japan joined the National Wrestling Alliance but retained its status as the top All Japan singles title until 1981. In 1989 Jumbo Tsuruta and Stan Hansen would unify this, the NWA United National Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight title to create the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. The original belt remained in use as part of the Triple Crown until 2013, when the three belts were replaced by a single belt. As the original top belt in All Japan, its design formed the front plate of the new belt; the other two belts' designs took the sides.
Title History
# | Wrestler | Reign | Date | Location | Length | Defenses | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Giant Baba | 1 | February 27, 1973 | Tokyo | 1920 Days | 38 | Won a series of 10 matches, the last against Bobo Brazil. |
2 | Tor Kamata | 1 | June 1, 1978 | Tokyo | 11 Days | 0 | |
3 | Billy Robinson | 1 | June 12, 1978 | Tokyo | 128 Days | 1 | |
4 | Abdullah the Butcher | 1 | October 18, 1978 | Utsunomiya | 115 Days | 1 | |
5 | Giant Baba | 2 | February 10, 1979 | Chicago, Illinois, USA | 1354 Days | 15 | |
6 | Harley Race | 1 | October 26, 1982 | Obihiro, Hokkaido | 108 Days | 1 | |
7 | Giant Baba | 3 | February 11, 1983 | St. Louis, Missouri, USA | 209 Days | 3 | |
8 | Stan Hansen | 1 | September 8, 1983 | Chiba | 327 Days | 3 | |
9 | Giant Baba | 4 | July 31, 1984 | Tokyo | 364 Days | 3 | |
10 | Stan Hansen | 2 | July 30, 1985 | Fukuoka | 430 Days | 1 | |
11 | Riki Choshu | 1 | April 5, 1986 | Yokohama, Kanagawa | ? Days | 6 | |
— | Vacated | — | March 1987 | — | — | — | Vacated when Choshu let for New Japan Pro Wrestling. |
12 | Stan Hansen | 3 | April 24, 1987 | Yokohama, Kanagawa | 320 Days | 4 | Defeated Hiroshi Wajima in a decision match. |
13 | Genichiro Tenryu | 1 | March 9, 1988 | Yokohama | 200 Days | 2 | Tenryu also held the NWA United National Championship at this point in time |
14 | Stan Hansen | 4 | July 27, 1988 | Nagano | 265 Days | 3 | Won the PWF World Heavyweight and NWA United National Championship. |
15 | Jumbo Tsuruta | 1 | April 18, 1989 | Tokyo | 0 Days | 0 | Tsuruta was the NWA International Heavyweight Champion. |
— | United | — | April 18, 1989 | — | — | — | The PWF World Heavyweight Championship, NWA International Heavyweight Championship and NWA United National Championship unified to become the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. |