NWA Western States Heritage Championship
Encyclopedia
The NWA Western States Heritage Championship was a short-lived National Wrestling Alliance
title in World Championship Wrestling
that was filled via a tournament in the Universal Wrestling Federation
in 1987, and defended in WCW until it was abandoned in 1989.
It has long been reported that when Ric Flair
took the NWA
/WCW World Heavyweight Championship
"Big Gold Belt
" with him when he was fired and eventually went to the World Wrestling Federation
, the NWA Western States Heritage Championship belt was used as the WCW World Heavyweight Championship belt for one night at the 1991 Great American Bash
; a gold plate with the words "WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION" was tacked onto the Western States Title's faceplate. In truth, however, Zbyszko took the title with him to the American Wrestling Association and was even photographed with both the WSH and AWA title belts. The actual belt used at the Great American Bash is now believed to have been the heavyweight championship belt that was used by the Professional Wrestling Federation, Dusty Rhodes' short-lived post-Championship Wrestling from Florida promotion. .
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=20%|Wrestler:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=3%|Reigns:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=17%|Date:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=20%|Place:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=40%|Notes:
|-
|Barry Windham
|1
|June 20, 1987
|Houston, TX
|Defeated Black Bart
.
|-
|Larry Zbyszko
|1
|January 24, 1988
|Uniondale, NY
|Won the title at Bunkhouse Stampede
.
|-
|Title Retired
|
|January 1989
|
|Title retired when Zbyszko leaves for the AWA
.
|-Title was re-activated on May 1991. Luke Sintel wins it after 15 man Battle Royal for Western State Championship Wrestling in Oakland California, defeating Nito Gomez and Jim Gorman,.
|}
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...
title in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
that was filled via a tournament in the Universal Wrestling Federation
Universal Wrestling Federation (United States)
The Universal Wrestling Federation was owner Bill Watts' attempt at taking his Mid-South Wrestling promotion to a national level in 1986. The attempt failed and in 1987, Watts sold the promotion to Jim Crockett Promotions and became part of what would later be known as World Championship Wrestling...
in 1987, and defended in WCW until it was abandoned in 1989.
It has long been reported that when Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
took the NWA
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
/WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
"Big Gold Belt
Big Gold Belt
The Big Gold Belt is a historic professional wrestling championship belt that has represented multiple world championships throughout its history. It was originally designed in 1985 by silversmith Charles Crumrine and commissioned by Jim Crockett Promotions for NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric...
" with him when he was fired and eventually went to the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, the NWA Western States Heritage Championship belt was used as the WCW World Heavyweight Championship belt for one night at the 1991 Great American Bash
The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash was an annual summer professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions and then by World Championship Wrestling. It is now produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
; a gold plate with the words "WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION" was tacked onto the Western States Title's faceplate. In truth, however, Zbyszko took the title with him to the American Wrestling Association and was even photographed with both the WSH and AWA title belts. The actual belt used at the Great American Bash is now believed to have been the heavyweight championship belt that was used by the Professional Wrestling Federation, Dusty Rhodes' short-lived post-Championship Wrestling from Florida promotion. .
Title history
{|{| class="wikitable"!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=20%|Wrestler:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=3%|Reigns:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=17%|Date:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=20%|Place:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=40%|Notes:
|-
|Barry Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
|1
|June 20, 1987
|Houston, TX
|Defeated Black Bart
Rick Harris
Rick Harris is a former professional wrestler better known by his ring name , Black Bart. He is the son of the late George "Two Ton" Harris.-Career:Rick Harris started wrestling in 1975...
.
|-
|Larry Zbyszko
Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
|1
|January 24, 1988
|Uniondale, NY
|Won the title at Bunkhouse Stampede
Bunkhouse Stampede
The Bunkhouse Stampede was a professional wrestling show held annually by Jim Crockett Promotions from 1985 through 1988.-Concept:In 1985, the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions came up with a new match to increase the fans' interest in their product...
.
|-
|Title Retired
|
|January 1989
|
|Title retired when Zbyszko leaves for the AWA
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
.
|-Title was re-activated on May 1991. Luke Sintel wins it after 15 man Battle Royal for Western State Championship Wrestling in Oakland California, defeating Nito Gomez and Jim Gorman,.
|}
See also
- Jim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe 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...
- Universal Wrestling FederationUniversal Wrestling Federation (United States)The Universal Wrestling Federation was owner Bill Watts' attempt at taking his Mid-South Wrestling promotion to a national level in 1986. The attempt failed and in 1987, Watts sold the promotion to Jim Crockett Promotions and became part of what would later be known as World Championship Wrestling...