National Wrestling Association
The National Wrestling Association (NWA) was an early
NWA World Heavyweight Championship when then National Wrestling Association champion Lou Thesz
won the National Wrestling Alliance championship, folding the original championship into one title in 1949.
With the creation of the National Wrestling Alliance and Thesz winning the Alliance's world title, the National Wrestling Association would officially recognize the champions of the National Wrestling Alliance at their annual conventions but no longer promote their own separate championships. The governing body would continue to hold conventions through at least the 1960s and officially disband in September 1980 but had no significant impact on professional wrestling past 1949.
History
In 1921 the
USD $5,000 in the heavyweight division, used to ensure their participation and their willingness to defend the championship against NBA designated challengers.[4][5] In the heavyweight division Jim Londos and John Pesek posted the bonds and were set to fight each other but due to various political moves by the people behind Londos and Pesek the match itself did not take place.[2][5] On September 13, 1930 the NBA founded the National Wrestling Association (NWA) to deal exclusively with professional wrestling while the NBA focused on Boxing. The NWA named Colonel Harry J. Landry the president and opened up their main office in New Orleans, Louisiana.[2] After the formation of the NWA they finally decided to recognize Jim Londos,[6] a move that was not popular with everyone, leading to NWA vice president Harry Davis resigning.[2] The Association would held annual conventions where the various member states of the NWA would meet and vote on who should be the world champions in the various divisions, with Londos being recognized for several years.[7]
in 1948 a number of wrestling promoters across the country decided to form the
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship into the National Wrestling Alliance's World Junior Heavyweight Championship.[9][10]
By 1950 the National Wrestling Association no longer promoted their own specific championships, instead choosing to recognize several of the National Wrestling Alliance championships, including the
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) promotion.[11][12][13] The Association continued to hold conventions through the 1960s,[7] but by the end of the decade the National Wrestling Association existed in name only. The National Wrestling Association was officially abandoned in 1980.[1]
Championships
| Championship name | Period of recognition | Notes |
| NWA World Heavyweight Championship | 1930–1949 | Folded into the National Wrestling Alliance's World Heavyweight Championship[6] |
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship |
1936–1949 | Folded into the Los Angeles version of the National Wrestling Alliance's World Junior Heavyweight Championship[9][10] |
| NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship | 1930–1960s | Folded into the National Wrestling Alliance's World Light Heavyweight Championship[11] |
| NWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship | 1937–1940 | Weight class abandoned by the National Wrestling Association[14] |
| NWA World Middleweight Championship | 1930–1960s | Folded into the National Wrestling Alliance's World Middleweight Championship[12] |
| NWA World Junior Middleweight Championship | 1934 | Weight class abandoned by the National Wrestling Association[15] |
| NWA World Tag Team Championship | 1939 | Credited as wrestling's first world tag team championship[16] Championship is later abandoned by the National Wrestling Association |
| NWA World Welterweight Championship | 1930–1960s | Folded into the National Wrestling Alliance's World Welterweight Championship[12] |
References
- ^ a b "Officially closed in 1985/10" (PDF). Wrestling-title.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Hornbaker, Tim (January 2, 2011). "National Wrestling Association history". Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ISBN 0-7858-0641-5.
- ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
- ^ a b ""Matmen must post forfeit for sanction"". Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ a b "National Wrestling Association Conventions". Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
