NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship
Encyclopedia
The NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling
championship
sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance
and defended in its member promotion
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
, which promoted shows in the U.S. state
s of Oregon
and Washington, and occasionally other areas in the northwestern United States
.
The title was created in 1957 by Don Owen Sports for the NWA Pacific Northwest territory, and became the top singles title for that area. The first champion was Ed Francis
, who was already the territory's top singles champion, holding the Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Championship
. Upon Francis taking on the NWA PNW Heavyweight Championship, his Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Championship was retired.
The title remained active until July 1992, when Don Owen retired and sold his company to Sandy Barr
. Barr retired all NWA PNW titles with Owen and began operating under the company name "Championship Wrestling USA", creating new championships. The actual retired (Owen Era) NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship belt was auctioned off by Len Denton (The Grappler) to Bruce Owens. Dave Millican (The Ace of Belts) purchased it from Owens and later sold it to a collector who wishes to remain anonymous.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
championship
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
and defended in its member promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
, which promoted shows in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Washington, and occasionally other areas in the northwestern United States
Northwestern United States
The Northwestern United States comprise the northwestern states up to the western Great Plains regions of the United States, and consistently include the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, to which part of southeast Alaska is also sometimes included...
.
The title was created in 1957 by Don Owen Sports for the NWA Pacific Northwest territory, and became the top singles title for that area. The first champion was Ed Francis
Ed Francis
Ed Francis was a professional wrestler and wrestling promoter in Hawaii in the 1960s. Many wrestlers who came through Hawaii in the '60s and '70s were bound to come across the name Ed Francis...
, who was already the territory's top singles champion, holding the Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Championship
Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Championship
The Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship that was contended for in the Pacific Northwest from the early 1940's until 1957. When the title was retired in 1957, it was the top singles title in the Pacific Northwest area.-Title history:Silver areas...
. Upon Francis taking on the NWA PNW Heavyweight Championship, his Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Championship was retired.
The title remained active until July 1992, when Don Owen retired and sold his company to Sandy Barr
Sandy Barr
Ferrin Charles Barr was an American professional wrestler, referee, promoter and trainer who spent his career mostly in the Western United States and Canada...
. Barr retired all NWA PNW titles with Owen and began operating under the company name "Championship Wrestling USA", creating new championships. The actual retired (Owen Era) NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship belt was auctioned off by Len Denton (The Grappler) to Bruce Owens. Dave Millican (The Ace of Belts) purchased it from Owens and later sold it to a collector who wishes to remain anonymous.