Complete history of the World Titlle

[M Dogg™]

Now this title has been around since 1901, so I refuse to list all the champions, but I thought it would be fun to at least see how the title is in Kurt Angle's hands in the WWE. His the only wrestler today worthy of it's legacy.


George Hackenschmidt won a tournarment in Europe to become the World Champion in 1901.

Frank Gotch defeats George Hackenschmidt in 1908

First sign it's all not real in 1929, Gus Sonnenberg, Recognition withdrawn by the wrestling section of National Boxing Association in 1929 for failing to meet "real" contenders.

Jim Londos retires as World Champion, different "World" Titles emerge.

Lou Thesz Unifies the titles, defeating Bill Longson for the National Wrestling Association title in 1948, awarded the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) title when Orville Brown is in an automobile accident in 1949, defeats A.W.A. (Boston) World Heavyweight champion Gorgeous George in 1950, and gains the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium version of the world title, defeating Baron Michele Leone in 1952.  The NWA becomes the Undisputed World Championship

Edouard Carpentier defeats Lou Thesz by disqualification in 1957; NWA initially continues to recognize Carpentier as the champion; however, Carpentier withdraws his claim to the title when Montreal promoter Eddie Quinn leaves NWA; NWA voids all recognition of Carpentier as champion; Carpentier continues to be recognized as world champion in Omaha and by World Wrestling Association in Los Angeles to legitimate the lineages of their world titles. Omaha unifies with the AWA Title in 1963 to give the AWA World Title status, WWA goes out of business 1968, AWA in 1990.

Lou Thesz beats Buddy Rogers in 1962, but the WWWF (now WWE) refuses to regonize the "one fall" lost. Buddy Rogers is regonized as the first WWWF World Champion.

Ric Flair is stripped of the NWA World Title when he joins the WWF in 1991.

Masahiro Chono beats Rick Rude in Japan to become the NWA World Champion in 1992.

Ric Flair defeats Barry Windham to become NWA World Champion. WCW leaves the NWA and the NWA Title becomes the WCW International Championship in 1993.

WCW Champion Ric Flair beats WCW International Champion Sting to Unify the Titles and give the WCW title World Title status. They keep the old NWA Title.

Hollywood Hulk Hogan defeats the Giant in 1996, he spray paints the belt and declairs himself nWo World Champion.

Booker T deafeats Scott Steiner in 2001, the WWF buys WCW and Booker T continues his reign as WCW Champion.

The Rock defeats Chris Jericho in 2001, after WCW is no more the Title goes back to being called the World Championship.

Chris Jericho beats The World Champion The Rock and the WWF Champion Steve Austin to Unify the World Titles for the first time since Lou Thesz in 2001.

Triple H is award the World Title after Brock Leasner refuses the Title on the Raw brand of the now WWE. The titles are now the WWE World Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship in 2002.

Kurt Angle wins 20 man battle royal to become World Champship in 2006. 

[Trauma-san]

You forgot the greatest champion to ever hold it, Hollywood Hulk Hogan.  Remember him? He was the one who spraypainted "NWO" across the front of it and wore it like that every week.

[M Dogg™]

You forgot the greatest champion to ever hold it, Hollywood Hulk Hogan.  Remember him? He was the one who spraypainted "NWO" across the front of it and wore it like that every week.

I'll put that in I guess.

[Shallow]

You forgot the greatest champion to ever hold it, Hollywood Hulk Hogan.  Remember him? He was the one who spraypainted "NWO" across the front of it and wore it like that every week.

I'll put that in I guess.

Actually Hogan never held it. WCW split from the NWA in '93 and everyone who held the belt in WCW after that was holding the WCW belt, not the NWA Title. And the NWA Title didn't officially start until 1948. Lou Thesz was probably with out a doubt it's greatest champion since he gave it more legitimacy than any one in the last few eras. Hogan, Flair, Austin, or Rock were never seen as legit sports stars and never had public dinner with the President of the United States. None of them were seen as legit fighters either. Thesz could work a match but he could also hook and shoot wit the best of them. Obviously so can Angle but he doesn't hav ethe public recognition that Thesz had, of course that's more the fault of the way the business is presented these days.

[M Dogg™]

First sign it's all not real in 1929, Gus Sonnenberg, Recognition withdrawn by the wrestling section of National Boxing Association in 1929 for failing to meet "real" contenders.

back in 1929 some realized it real. Lou Thesz was past that.

Also, In 1993, WCW left the NWA, but they held the linage, as the NWA Title was put in a tournarment in the ECW area, and then thrown down, and then a tournament in Japan was held, and eventually Steve Cornino held the title and was stript because TNA won legal rights to the NWA title. Since the NWA title has left WCW, their is no linage to the title that Lou Thesz had, but the WCW title did hold that linage. The title TNA has is only by name, and through tournarments, and stripping champions, there is no real connection.

As for Lou Thesz, when he held the title, most people believed it was real. It was still a secret. I doubted the National Boxing Association even wasted it's time to tell the world. Lou Thesz basically was a huge draw around the country, and each promotion wanted to be associated with that. Since Lou Thesz, each promotion holds it's linage to him. The old World Title died in 1938 when Jim Londos. It's kind of like boxing, once a undisputed champ retires, it takes a strong champ to unify the titles again, and Lou Thesz did that, and the NWA became the main title off this.

[M Dogg™]

Now this title has been around since 1901, so I refuse to list all the champions, but I thought it would be fun to at least see how the title is in Kurt Angle's hands in the WWE. His the only wrestler today worthy of it's legacy.


George Hackenschmidt won a tournarment in Europe to become the World Champion in 1901.

Frank Gotch defeats George Hackenschmidt in 1908

First sign it's all not real in 1929, Gus Sonnenberg, Recognition withdrawn by the wrestling section of National Boxing Association in 1929 for failing to meet "real" contenders.

Jim Londos retires as World Champion, different "World" Titles emerge in 1938.

Lou Thesz Unifies the titles, defeating Bill Longson for the National Wrestling Association title in 1948, awarded the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) title when Orville Brown is in an automobile accident in 1949, defeats A.W.A. (Boston) World Heavyweight champion Gorgeous George in 1950, and gains the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium version of the world title, defeating Baron Michele Leone in 1952.  The NWA becomes the Undisputed World Championship

Edouard Carpentier defeats Lou Thesz by disqualification in 1957; NWA initially continues to recognize Carpentier as the champion; however, Carpentier withdraws his claim to the title when Montreal promoter Eddie Quinn leaves NWA; NWA voids all recognition of Carpentier as champion; Carpentier continues to be recognized as world champion in Omaha and by World Wrestling Association in Los Angeles to legitimate the lineages of their world titles. Omaha unifies with the AWA Title in 1963 to give the AWA World Title status, WWA goes out of business 1968, AWA in 1990.

Lou Thesz beats Buddy Rogers in 1962, but the WWWF (now WWE) refuses to regonize the "one fall" lost. Buddy Rogers is regonized as the first WWWF World Champion.

Ric Flair is stripped of the NWA World Title when he joins the WWF in 1991.

Masahiro Chono beats Rick Rude in Japan to become the NWA World Champion in 1992.

Ric Flair defeats Barry Windham to become NWA World Champion. WCW leaves the NWA and the NWA Title becomes the WCW International Championship in 1993.

WCW Champion Ric Flair beats WCW International Champion Sting to Unify the Titles and give the WCW title World Title status. They keep the old NWA Title.

Hollywood Hulk Hogan defeats the Giant in 1996, he spray paints the belt and declairs himself nWo World Champion.

Booker T deafeats Scott Steiner in 2001, the WWF buys WCW and Booker T continues his reign as WCW Champion.

The Rock defeats Chris Jericho in 2001, after WCW is no more the Title goes back to being called the World Championship.

Chris Jericho beats The World Champion The Rock and the WWF Champion Steve Austin to Unify the World Titles for the first time since Lou Thesz in 2001.

Triple H is award the World Title after Brock Leasner refuses the Title on the Raw brand of the now WWE. The titles are now the WWE World Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship in 2002.

Kurt Angle wins 20 man battle royal to become World Champship in 2006. 

[NiCc_FrUm_ThA_nO]

You also forgot that Triple H got beat by Benoit at Wrestlemania, then after that Randy Orton beat Benoit, then he faced Triple H and lost making Triple H champ again, then he faced Batista and lost, and finally Batista was forced to resign as champ, then Kurt Angle won the battle royal

[Trauma-san]

Hogan won it again in there somewhere. 

[Shallow]

First sign it's all not real in 1929, Gus Sonnenberg, Recognition withdrawn by the wrestling section of National Boxing Association in 1929 for failing to meet "real" contenders.

back in 1929 some realized it real. Lou Thesz was past that.

Also, In 1993, WCW left the NWA, but they held the linage, as the NWA Title was put in a tournarment in the ECW area, and then thrown down, and then a tournament in Japan was held, and eventually Steve Cornino held the title and was stript because TNA won legal rights to the NWA title. Since the NWA title has left WCW, their is no linage to the title that Lou Thesz had, but the WCW title did hold that linage. The title TNA has is only by name, and through tournarments, and stripping champions, there is no real connection.

As for Lou Thesz, when he held the title, most people believed it was real. It was still a secret. I doubted the National Boxing Association even wasted it's time to tell the world. Lou Thesz basically was a huge draw around the country, and each promotion wanted to be associated with that. Since Lou Thesz, each promotion holds it's linage to him. The old World Title died in 1938 when Jim Londos. It's kind of like boxing, once a undisputed champ retires, it takes a strong champ to unify the titles again, and Lou Thesz did that, and the NWA became the main title off this.

The lineage does not exist. The WCW was created in '91 and the NWA title became the WCW International Title when WCW severed all ties to the NWA. When Shane Douglas won the belt and then threw it away and named it the ECW Title, the NWA belt was vacant until Chris Candido won another tournament later in '94. It was also vacant from '95 to '99 I believe, and now the lineage is in TNA and Jeff Jarrertt has the title.

I realize that Lou Thesz's matches were works, what I meant was he was also a legit wrestler and not just a draw. Londos was a guy who was more popular than he was good at real wrestling. Thesz was the perfect mix of all three; drawing, working, and shooting. In those days a champ had to be able to hook and shoot because of the threat that a territory would try and beat the champ legit in front of the crowd and take the title. With THesz the only guys that good beat him legit were Stu Hart, Danny Hodge and a few others and they were stand up guys. Usually Thesz wouldn't face a threat because he was so good.

[Sikotic™]

What about David Arquette 

[Shallow]

What about David Arquette 

Fortunately that was the WCW belt and not the prestigious NWA Title. He was the best celebrity champion though.

[M Dogg™]

First sign it's all not real in 1929, Gus Sonnenberg, Recognition withdrawn by the wrestling section of National Boxing Association in 1929 for failing to meet "real" contenders.

back in 1929 some realized it real. Lou Thesz was past that.

Also, In 1993, WCW left the NWA, but they held the linage, as the NWA Title was put in a tournarment in the ECW area, and then thrown down, and then a tournament in Japan was held, and eventually Steve Cornino held the title and was stript because TNA won legal rights to the NWA title. Since the NWA title has left WCW, their is no linage to the title that Lou Thesz had, but the WCW title did hold that linage. The title TNA has is only by name, and through tournarments, and stripping champions, there is no real connection.

As for Lou Thesz, when he held the title, most people believed it was real. It was still a secret. I doubted the National Boxing Association even wasted it's time to tell the world. Lou Thesz basically was a huge draw around the country, and each promotion wanted to be associated with that. Since Lou Thesz, each promotion holds it's linage to him. The old World Title died in 1938 when Jim Londos. It's kind of like boxing, once a undisputed champ retires, it takes a strong champ to unify the titles again, and Lou Thesz did that, and the NWA became the main title off this.

The lineage does not exist. The WCW was created in '91 and the NWA title became the WCW International Title when WCW severed all ties to the NWA. When Shane Douglas won the belt and then threw it away and named it the ECW Title, the NWA belt was vacant until Chris Candido won another tournament later in '94. It was also vacant from '95 to '99 I believe, and now the lineage is in TNA and Jeff Jarrertt has the title.

I realize that Lou Thesz's matches were works, what I meant was he was also a legit wrestler and not just a draw. Londos was a guy who was more popular than he was good at real wrestling. Thesz was the perfect mix of all three; drawing, working, and shooting. In those days a champ had to be able to hook and shoot because of the threat that a territory would try and beat the champ legit in front of the crowd and take the title. With THesz the only guys that good beat him legit were Stu Hart, Danny Hodge and a few others and they were stand up guys. Usually Thesz wouldn't face a threat because he was so good.

Please... going down the line at who won, the WCW title was the real World Title.

From Thesz, Angle is the perfect champion to carry that legacy. No one in TNA can. Besides, what's left of the current "NWA" title has been bastarded by Shane Douglas, and more resently the Jarretts going to court to get the NWA title, stripping Dan Severn (my bad earlier, I double checked and it was Severn they stripped). The WCW Title was the NWA Title based off what went on in the ring. The current "NWA" title has had to be restarted 3 times since WCW left the NWA with Flair holding the title. WCW was around prior to '91, and was the main promotion the NWA title was defeated in. But remember, the NWA title at the time was defeated in different promotion. Like before, the Mid-West area was the dominated area because of Harely Race, so it was defended there. In the 90's, it because in Georga, which became WCW were Ric Flair wrestled. WCW decided that they needed the title to themselves, so they left the NWA. Ric Flair who is NWA Champion at the time was not stripped of the title, instead becomes WCW International title, because the NWA championship was also being defeated in Japan. The NWA tries to restarted the title in ECW, even having the old title before the big gold 80's belt, but ends up having Shane Douglas throw the title down and declair himseld ECW World Champion, and so another tournarment happens, and that NWA title is defeated around the world by Dan The Beast Severn, Sabu and Steve Cornino. The the Jarretts won the title for TNA in court, as they sued for the title, and claimed Severn couldn't defeat the title in of all places, Alabama? Severn was defeating in Japan, so they stripped him and had a battle royal in TNA to declair a new champion. That's not how a lineage should be carried. Ric Flair never lost the title, and from that, the WCW title was the legit title. If it wasn't, the WWE would have trashed the World Title along time ago, but it's too valuable to not have. TNA may try, but they are a second rank federation that had to use court to gain just an once of creditability as they are not even on WWE's level.

Greatest champions in terms of in ring, Lou Thesz, Harely Race, Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Triple H and Kurt Angle. David Arquette and Vince Russo just showed how much WCW was sucking, and it tanted the legacy of the World Title, but with people like Triple H and Kurt Angle holding the title, real workers are bring back the title than now in on the greatest shoot wrester this sport has ever seen. Ask Brock Lesner.

[Shallow]

I'm not arguing who as the more credible champion; WWE or TNA. I'm simply saying the NWA Title is not the one Angle is wearing right now. And as for TNA ruining it's legacy, nothing can ever be as bad as putting a belt on Arquette. And no matter what TNA does I will always say I'm glad the Thesz belt was not the belt Arquette had. Obviously Angle is a more credible champion than Jarrett, but thanks to rape angles, trashing troops, and a whole bunch of other shit, he'll never be remembered like Thesz.

WWE doesn't give a shit about tradition. I think the only reason the belt was held so high was because it was Flair's belt and Hunter wanted to run with it. We all know how much Hunter loves Flair and how much stroke he has in the company. It doesn't hurt that the belt looks amazing.

As for shooters, I don't think Angle has the submission skills to compete with too many old timers like Gotch. We saw how well Angle did against Puder. Angle is a great takedown wrestler, and he could probably throw a hell of a punch but he isn't a boxer and he isn't a submission fighter. Severn could probably beat Angle; Shamrock, Stu Hart, and Danny Hodge would fucking destroy Angle.

As for the great workers holding the title, outside of Dusty and Von Erich you could probably take any NWA World Champion pre '89 and put them right up there with the best. I think HBK is better in ring career vs career than HHH and Angle, and Benoit is better than all three. But all 4 are great workers.

[westkoastanostra]

Booker T= 5 time! 5 time! 5 time! 5 time! 5 time! WCW world heavyweight champion!

[NiCc_FrUm_ThA_nO]

Booker T= 5 time! 5 time! 5 time! 5 time! 5 time! WCW world heavyweight champion!

LOL!!!!!