NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship
Encyclopedia
The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling
championship
sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance
and is defended in the US state of Hawaii
. The title, which is still currently defended, began in
1935. From February 1940 through 1942 the title was known as the Hawaii Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Currently, the title is defended in the NWA affiliated promotion
, Island Xtreme Wrestling Federation. Previously it was in Mid-Pacific Promotions and Polynesian Wrestling.
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 is defended in the US state of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The title, which is still currently defended, began in
1935. From February 1940 through 1942 the title was known as the Hawaii Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Currently, the title is defended in the NWA affiliated 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...
, Island Xtreme Wrestling Federation. Previously it was in Mid-Pacific Promotions and Polynesian Wrestling.
Title history
Silver areas in the history indicate periods of unknown lineage.| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Place: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcat Pete | 1 | April 23, 1935 | Honolulu, HI Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and... |
Defeated Tetsuo Higami to become the first champion. |
| Toots Estes | 1 | April 30, 1935 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Vacated | 1937 | |||
| Oki Shikina | 1 | November 16, 1937 | Honolulu, HI | Defeated Rusty Wescoatt to win the vacant title. |
| Dean Detton | 1 | January 24, 1939 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Dick Raines | 1 | February 7, 1939 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Oki Shikina | 2 | April 4, 1939 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ignacio Martinez | 1 | November 14, 1939 | Honolulu, HI | Won the title by forfeit after Shikina leaves the area. |
| Paul Jones | 1 | November 28, 1939 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Vacated | February 1940 | Title vacated and renamed Hawaii Junior Heavyweight Championship. | ||
| Billy Venable | 1 | April 24, 1940 | Honolulu, HI | Defeated Kimon Kudo to win the vacant title. |
| Tetsuo Higami | 1 | July 3, 1940 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ben Pilar | 1 | January 22, 1941 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Tony Morelli | 1 | July 23, 1941 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Bill Weidner | 1 | November 12, 1941 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Charley Carr | 1 | 1942 | Hawaii | |
| Jimmy Gonsalves | 1 | 1945 | Hawaii | Defeated Ben Sherman. |
| Lee Grable | 1 | 1947 | Hawaii | |
| Ted Travis | 1 | 1947 | Hawaii | |
| Lee Grable | 2 | May 2, 1948 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Hisao Tanaka Hisao Tanaka Hisao "Martin" Tanaka was a professional wrestler. He is the father of wrestler Pat Tanaka and referee Jimmy Tanaka.-Career:In the 1950s, Duke Keomuka formed a very successful tag team with Hiro Matsuda... |
1 | August 8, 1948 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Jack Claybourne | 1 | October 31, 1948 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Bobby Managoff Bobby Managoff Robert Manoogian, Jr. was an American professional wrestler who was best known for his work with National Wrestling Alliance in the 1940s as Bobby Managoff... |
1 | November 9, 1949 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Dean Detton | 2 | December 11, 1949 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Hans Schnabel | 1 | December 14, 1949 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sandor Szabo | 1 | February 5, 1950 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Arjan Singh | 1 | June 18, 1950 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ray Eckert | 1 | July 16, 1950 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Terry McGinnis | 1 | July 23, 1950 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sandor Szabo | 2 | September 3, 1950 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Vacated | 1951 | |||
| Terry McGinnis | 2 | August 20, 1951 | Honolulu, HI | Defeated Ted Travis to win the vacant title. |
| Al Kashey | 1 | October 11, 1951 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Lucky Simunovich | 1 | March 30, 1952 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Red Scorpion (Tom Rice) | 1 | May 18, 1952 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Vacated | 1952 | |||
| Bobby Bruns | 1 | September 14, 1952 | Honolulu, HI | Defeated Tom Rice to win the vacnat title. |
| Hans Schnabel | 2 | June 7, 1953 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Bobby Managoff | 2 | July 19, 1953 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ben Sharpe | 1 | August 23, 1953 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Al Lovelock | 1 | February 14, 1954 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Vacated | May 1954 | |||
| Larry Moquin | 1 | May 23, 1954 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Karl Von Schober | 1 | July 11, 1954 | Honolulu, HI | |
| John Paul Henning | 1 | August 29, 1954 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Roger Mackay | 1 | November 21, 1954 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Lucky Simunovich | 2 | February 13, 1955 | Honolulu, HI | |
| The Zebra Kid The Zebra Kid The Zebra Kid is a ring name used by several professional wrestlers, who would often wear zebra print tights and sometimes masks to the ring.Users of the ring name and gimmick include:... (George Bollas) |
1 | April 10, 1955 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Al Lolotai | 1 | December 16, 1955 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Billy Varga | 1 | March 18, 1956 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Tosh Togo Harold Sakata Toshiyuki "Harold" Sakata was a Japanese American professional wrestler and film actor most famous for his role as the villain "Oddjob" in the James Bond film Goldfinger.-Career:... |
1 | July 19, 1956 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Tom Rice | 2 | October 7, 1956 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Al Lolotai | 2 | May 19, 1957 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ed Francis | 1 | May 13, 1959 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Al Lolotai | 3 | July 8, 1959 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Dick Hutton Dick Hutton Richard "Dick" Hutton was an American amateur and professional wrestler. He was a three-time NCAA champion and, as a professional, held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.-Early life:... |
1 | January 18, 1961 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sam Steamboat | 1 | January 25, 1961 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Luigi Macera | 1 | April 15, 1961 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Neff Maivia | 1 | June 14, 1961 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Curtis Iaukea King Curtis Iaukea Curtis Piehau Iaukea, III was a professional wrestler better known as King Curtis Iaukea. Iaukea won championships in several of the major regional US promotions, both as a single and in various tag team combinations, during the 1960s. He then competed in the World Wrestling Federation where he... |
1 | August 16, 1961 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Lord James Blears | 1 | October 25, 1961 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Masked Executioner | 1 | December 13, 1961 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Neff Maivia | 2 | April 4, 1962 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Gene LaBelle | 1 | February 15, 1963 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Neff Maivia | 3 | April 24, 1963 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Hard Boiled Haggerty Don Stansauk Don Stansauk was a professional wrestler and actor, known by his ring name, Hard Boiled Haggerty. He was previously a professional American football player, and became a successful character actor after his wrestling career.-Career:After attending Pasadena City College and the University of... |
1 | February 6, 1964 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Neff Maivia | 4 | April 8, 1964 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Gene Kiniski Gene Kiniski Eugene Nicholas "Gene" Kiniski was a Canadian professional wrestler and the father of wrestlers Nick Kiniski and Kelly Kiniski. "Canada's Greatest Athlete" as he billed himself for promotional purposes was born outside of Edmonton, Alberta... |
1 | July 16, 1964 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Neff Maivia | 5 | August 27, 1964 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Johnny Barend | 1 | October 7, 1964 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Nick Bockwinkel Nick Bockwinkel Nicholas Warren Francis "Nick" Bockwinkel is a retired American professional wrestler. He mainly competed in the American Wrestling Association in the United States... |
1 | November 25, 1964 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Curtis Iaukea | 2 | December 18, 1964 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Luther Lindsay Luther Lindsay Luther Jacob Goodall was an American professional football player and wrestler, known by his ringname Luther Lindsay or Lindsey, who competed throughout the United States with the National Wrestling Alliance as well as international promotions such as All-Japan Pro Wrestling, Joint Promotions and... |
1 | September 29, 1965 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ron Reed | 1 | January 5, 1966 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ripper Collins | 1 | January 19, 1966 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Neff Maivia | 6 | August 24, 1966 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ripper Collins | 2 | October 19, 1966 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Jim Hady | 1 | March 15, 1967 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Dutch Schultz Dutch Savage Frank Stewart is a former professional wrestler and wrestling promoter, best known for his time spent competing in Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name Dutch Savage.-Career:... |
1 | August 1967 | Hawaii | |
| Jim Hady | 2 | October 14, 1967 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Curtis Iaukea | 3 | February 28, 1968 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Klondike Bill Klondike Bill Bill Soloweyko , better known by his ring name Klondike Bill, was a Canadian professional wrestler trained by Stu Hart in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He wrestled in various NWA territories throughout the 1960's and 70's, before moving onto World Championship Wrestling.-Career:Bill was trained by Stu... |
1 | August 28, 1968 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Luke Graham Grady Johnson James Grady Johnson better known as professional wrestler Crazy Luke Graham, was a member of the Graham family, a storyline family of wrestlers.-Career:... |
1 | October 9, 1968 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Nick Bockwinkel | 2 | December 25, 1968 | Honolulu, HI | Defeated Johnny Barend to win the title. |
| Curtis Iaukea | 4 | December 29, 1968 | Honolulu, HI | |
| The Missing Link (Pampero Firpo) |
1 | July 1969 | Hawaii | |
| Ripper Collins | 3 | October 29, 1969 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sam Steamboat | 2 | January 14, 1970 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ripper Collins | 4 | February 4, 1970 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sam Steamboat | 2 | June 10, 1970 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ripper Collins | 5 | June 24, 1970 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sam Steamboat | 3 | July 29, 1970 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ripper Collins | 6 | November 4, 1970 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Johnny Barend | 2 | December 9, 1970 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ripper Collins | 7 | January 2, 1971 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Frankie Laine | 1 | February 6, 1971 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Mad Dog Mayne | 1 | February 24, 1971 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ed Francis | 2 | October 27, 1971 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Gene Kiniski | 2 | February 16, 1972 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Fred Curry Fred Curry (wrestler) Fred Thomas Koury, Jr. better known by his ring name ”Flyin'” Fred Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. The son of "Wild Bull" Curry, Fred Koury was one of the most popular stars in the Midwest United States during the 1960s.-Career:In the 1960s, Koury, Jr. took up... |
1 | August 2, 1972 | Honolulu, HI | |
| The Sheik Ed Farhat Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik... |
1 | October 21, 1972 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Ed Francis | 3 | January 17, 1973 | Honolulu, HI | |
| "Superstar" Billy Graham | 1 | January 9, 1974 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Title inactive | ||||
| Bill Francis | 1 | July 1977 | Hawaii | Defeated Steve Strong to win the inactive title. |
| Steve Strong | 1 | January 1978 | Hawaii | |
| John Tolos John Tolos John Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager.-Canadian Wrecking Crew:... |
1 | February 1978 | Hawaii | |
| John Anson | 1 | March 1978 | Hawaii | |
| Buddy Rose Buddy Rose Paul Perschmann was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Playboy" Buddy Rose.-Career:Paul Perschmann was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson in the early 1970s... |
1 | May 1978 | Hawaii | |
| Don Muraco Don Muraco Donald Muraco , better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler... |
1 | July 1978 | Hawaii | |
| Tor Kamata Tor Kamata McRonald Kamaka was an American/Canadian professional wrestler known by the ring name Tor Kamata. He won several Heavyweight and Tag Team championships, including one World Tag Team title. He was a classic "bad guy" wrestler... |
1 | August 1978 | Hawaii | |
| Don Muraco | 2 | September 1978 | Hawaii | |
| Larry Sharpe | 1 | November 1978 | Hawaii | Awarded title as he was top contender for the title following Muraco's defeat of Big John Studd Big John Studd John William Minton was an American professional wrestler and actor who was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd.-Career:... for the NWA Pacific International Heavyweight Championship NWA Hawaii United States Championship The NWA Pacific International Heavyweight Championship was the primary singles championship of Mid-Pacific Promotions, the NWA territory based in Hawaii. The title was originally the Hawaiian version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that was defended in Hawaii. It existed from 1962... in September 1978. |
| Mando Guerrero Mando Guerrero Armando Guerrero Llanes , better known as Mando Guerrero, is a retired professional wrestler. He also was the trainer for the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, an all female professional wrestling promotion.-Movie stuntman career:... |
1 | November 22, 1978 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Vacated | December 22, 1978 | |||
| Mando Guerrero | 2 | January 1979 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Hans Schroeder | 1 | March 5, 1979 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Don Muraco | 3 | March 1979 | Hawaii | |
| Vacated | 1979 | |||
| Karl Von Steiger | 1 | April 4, 1979 | Pearl Harbor, HI Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet... |
Defeated Kevin Von Erich Kevin Von Erich Kevin Ross Adkisson is a retired professional wrestler under the ring name Kevin Von Erich of the Von Erich Family. He is the last surviving son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich and had four brothers that wrestled, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris, as well as an older brother, Jack, Jr., who died in... in a tournament final to win the vacant title. |
| Siva Afi | 1 | April 18, 1979 | Hawaii | |
| Ripper Collins | 8 | ? | Hawaii | |
| Peter Maivia Peter Maivia Fanene Leifi Pita Maivia was a American Samoan professional wrestler better known as "High Chief" Peter Maivia. He was head of the famous Samoan wrestling family... |
1 | March 1980 | Hawaii | |
| Hans Schroeder | 2 | March 5, 1980 | Hawaii | |
| Tama Tonga Uliuli Fifita Tonga 'Uli'uli Fifita is a retired professional wrestler and actor, known for his appearances in both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation... |
1 | April 1980 | Hawaii | |
| Wildman Austin Gary Williams (wrestler) Gary William Gallant better known by his ring name "Wildman" Gary Williams has been competing in Canadian independent wrestling circuits since the 1990s. Williams is also a musician, actor and a bodyguard for VIP artists and personnel. Williams first passion is professional wrestling and what he... |
1 | July 1980 | Hawaii | |
| Tor Kamata | 2 | October 1980 | Hawaii | |
| Vacant and inactive | 1980 | Title vacated when Kamata was injured by the Samoans. | ||
| Keethan Hawke | 1 | February 5, 2000 | Hawaii | Title awarded when it is revived by the NWA for use in the Island Xtreme Wrestling Federation. |
| Vacant | June 2000 | Title vacated when Hawke left the IXWF. | ||
| Dark Ninja | 1 | July 16, 2000 | Waipahu, HI Waipahu, Hawai'i Waipahu is a former sugar plantation town and now census-designated place located in the Ewa District on the island of Oahu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii. As of the 2000 Census, the CDP population was 33,108. The U.S. postal code for Waipahu is 96797.-History:Waipahu is a name of an... |
Defeated Black Rain and Don Lee in a three-way match to win the vacant title. |
| Black Rain | 1 | August 27, 2000 | Kāne'ohe, HI Kane'ohe, Hawai'i Kāneohe is a census-designated place included in the City and County of Honolulu and located in Hawaii state District of Koolaupoko on the Island of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, kāne ohe means "bamboo man"... |
Defeated The Jet, subbing for Dark Ninja. |
| The Jet | 1 | April 21, 2001 | Kāne'ohe, HI | |
| Johnny Allback (Black Rain) |
2 | August 18, 2001 | Kāne'ohe, HI | |
| The Sassy Assassin | 2 | October 6, 2001 | Kāne'ohe, HI | |
| Johnny Allback | 3 | October 20, 2001 | Kāne'ohe, HI | |
| Kaimana | 1 | July 4, 2002 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Tiki | 1 | November 17, 2002 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sickdog | 1 | June 28, 2003 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Tiki | 2 | December 20, 2003 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Kris Kavanaugh | 1 | March 13, 2004 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Superfly Ete | 1 | July 4, 2005 | Pearl Harbor, HI | |
| Kenjiro Katahira | 1 | November 18, 2005 | Honolulu, HI | Katahira unified the NWA Hawaii title with Hawai'i Championship Wrestling Hawai'i Championship Wrestling Hawai'i Championship Wrestling , was an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2003. It had been associated with both AWA Superstars, and also, the NWA. The company folded in July 2008.-History:... 's Kamehameha Heritage Championship HCW Kamehameha Heritage Championship The HCW Kamehameha Heritage World Heavyweight Championship is the most prestigious championship in the American professional wrestling promotion Hawai'i Championship Wrestling.-Title history:-External links:**... . |
| Vacated | March 2006 | Katahira vacated both his championships upon returning to Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... . |
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| Kaimana | 2 | March 25, 2006 | Wahiawā, HI Wahiawa, Hawai'i Wahiawa is a census-designated place in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States, on the island of Oahu. It is located in the Wahiawa District, on the plateau or "central valley" between the two volcanic mountains that comprise the island... |
Defeated Ahuna, Kapu and Jody Lopez in a four-way elimination match to win the vacant title. |
| Kapu | 1 | May 13, 2006 | Wahiawā, HI | |
| Sickdog | 2 | May 26, 2007 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Jody Lopez | 1 | August 18, 2007 | Honolulu, HI | |
| Sickdog | 3 | August 18, 2007 | Honolulu, HI | |