The Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF) World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and one of the three titles that make up the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. It was created in 1973 by All Japan owner Giant Baba, after he won a series of ten matches against Bruno Sammartino (twice - one win, one draw), Terry Funk, Abdullah the Butcher, The Destroyer, Wilbur Snyder (twice - one win, one draw), Don Leo Jonathan, Pat O'Connor and Bobo Brazil.
The title, which had originally been classed as a world title, was downgraded to regional status after All Japan joined the National Wrestling Alliance but retained its status as the top All Japan singles title until 1983. In 1989 Jumbo Tsuruta and Stan Hansen would unify this, the NWA United National Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight title to create the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. The original belt remained in use as part of the Triple Crown until 2013, when the three belts were replaced by a single belt. As the original top belt in All Japan, its design formed the front plate of the new belt; the other two belts' designs took the sides.
Title history Key SymbolMeaningNo.The overall championship reignReignThe reign number for the specific wrestler listed.EventThe event in which the championship changed handsN/AThe specific information is not known —Used for vacated reigns in order to not count it as an official reign[Note #]Indicates that the exact length of the title reign is unknown, with a note providing more details. #WrestlerReignDateDays heldLocationEventNotesRef.11Tokyo, JapanGiant Series Total War day 11 Baba originally defeated The Destroyer on December 19, 1972 via count out; dissatisfied with the result, Baba decided to earn the championship by winning a series of 10 matches, with the last against Bobo Brazil.21Akita, JapanSuper Power Series day 6 31Ichinomiya, JapanSuper Power Series day 6 4Abdullah the Butcher1Utsunomiya, JapanGiant Series day 12 52Chicago, Illinois, United StatesHouse showThis was an AWA event.61Obihiro, JapanGiant Series day 21 73St. Louis, Missouri, United StatesHouse show81Chiba, JapanSuper Power Series tag 18 94Tokyo, JapanGrand Champion Carnival III day 22 102Fukuoka, Japan85 Heat Wave! Summer Action Wars day 29 111The exact date the championship was vacated is uncertain, which put the championship reign at between and days.Yokohama, JapanChampion Carnival day 8Hansen's AWA World Heavyweight Championship was also on the line. The match ended in a disqualification. Because the PWF Championship could be won by disqualification but the AWA Championship could not, Choshu only won the PWF Championship. Vacated - -N/AN/AVacated when Choshu left for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. 123Yokohama, JapanChampion Carnival day 24Defeated Hiroshi Wajima in a decision match. 131Yokohama, JapanExcite Series day 15Tenryu also held the NWA United National Championship at this point in time 144Nagano, JapanSummer Action Series day 20Won the PWF World Heavyweight and NWA United National Championship. 151Tokyo, JapanChampion Carnival day 21Tsuruta was the NWA International Heavyweight Champion. Unified - -Tokyo, JapanChampion Carnival day 21The PWF World Heavyweight Championship, NWA International Heavyweight Championship and NWA United National Championship unified to become the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship.
Combined reigns
RankWrestlerNo. ofreignsCombineddays1 Giant Baba 4 3,8472 Stan Hansen 4 1,1613 Riki Choshu 1 330 - 3604 Genichiro Tenryu 1405 Billy Robinson 1286 Abdullah the Butcher 1157 Harley Race 1088 Tor Kamata 119 Jumbo Tsuruta <1
See also PWF World Tag Team Championship PWF United States Heavyweight Championship PWF All Asia Heavyweight Championship NWA United National Championship Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship NWA International Heavyweight Championship
Footnotes
References
External links PWF Heavyweight Title History