The WCWA Television Championship was a secondary professional wrestling championship that was used and defended in the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). Originally created in 1979 as the NWA Television Championship, one of many television championships across the NWA territories, it was primarily defended on their weekly television show. At the time of its creation the championship was promoted by NWA Big Time Wrestling (BTW). BTW changed its name to "World Class Championship Wrestling" (WCCW) in 1982 and the championship became known as the WCCW Television Championship. In 1986 WCCW withdrew from the NWA and became known as the World Class Wrestling Association. As it is a professional wrestling championship, it is won not by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match.

The first NWA Television Champion was The Spoiler, who won a battle royal on January 7, 1979, to claim the championship. Bill Irwin won the championship a record-setting seven times between 1979 and 1982. Irwin's second reign lasted 181 days, the longest individual reign of any of the champions and his combined reigns total at least 464 days, possibly 467 days. Kevin Von Erich was awarded the championship due to a disqualification, but refused to win the championship in such manner and immediately vacated it, putting his reign at only a couple of minutes, the shortest of any champion. After the final champion, Tony Atlas, left the company, the Championship was abandoned in April 1987.

Title history

Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
N/AUnknown information
Championship change is unrecognized by the promotion
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDays
NWA Television Championship (Texas version)
1The SpoilerJanuary 7, 1979BTW showHouston, Texas1146Won the championship in a battle royal
2Bill IrwinJune 2, 1979BTW showHouston, Texas1181
3José LotharioNovember 30, 1979BTW showTexas143
4Bill IrwinJanuary 12, 1980BTW showDallas, Texas262
5José LotharioMarch 14, 1980BTW showTexas2140
6Bill IrwinAugust 1, 1980BTW showHouston, Texas3163
7Brian AdiasJanuary 11, 1981BTW showDallas, Texas1120
8Bill IrwinMay 11, 1981BTW showFt. Worth, Texas44
VacatedMay 15, 1981Championship vacated for undocumented reasons
WCCW Television Championship
9The SpoilerMay 17, 1982WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas21Won the vacant championship by winning a battle royal.
10Frank DusekMay 18, 1982WCCW showTexas125
11The SpoilerJune 12, 1982WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas323
12Bill IrwinJuly 5, 1982WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas55
13Brian AdiasJuly 10, 1982WCCW showTexas29
14Bill IrwinJuly 19, 1982WCCW showTexas648
15Bugsy McGrawSeptember 5, 1982WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas1
16Bill IrwinOctober 1982WCCW showTexas7
17CheckmateOctober 4, 1982WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas1
Championship history is unrecorded from to October 1982.
18Frank DusekOctober 1982WCCW showTexas2
19Al MadrilNovember 1, 1982WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas163
20The Great KabukiJanuary 3, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas135
21N'Tola YatsuFebruary 7, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas149
22Iceman ParsonsMarch 28, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas163
23The MongolMay 30, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas142
24Chris AdamsJuly 11, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas1105
25Jimmy GarvinOctober 24, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas17
26Johnny MantellOctober 31, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas128
27The Super DestroyerNovember 28, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas17
28Brian AdiasDecember 5, 1983WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas335
29The Super DestroyerJanuary 9, 1984WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas228
30Iceman ParsonsFebruary 6, 1984WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas214
31Kelly KiniskiFebruary 20, 1984WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas177
32Killer KhanMay 7, 1984WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas114Defended the championship on behalf of an injured Kiniski and was awarded the belt.
33Kevin Von ErichMay 21, 1984WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas10Won the title by disqualification.
VacatedMay 21, 1984Kevin Von Erich vacated championship as he did not want to win the title by disqualification.
34Chris AdamsJune 11, 1984WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas263Defeated Kelly Kiniski.
35Jake RobertsAugust 13, 1984WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas121
36Chris AdamsSeptember 3, 1984Labor Day Star WarsFt. Worth, Texas3126
37Billy HaynesJanuary 7, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas128Defeated Gino Hernandez who substituted for an absent Adams.
VacatedFebruary 4, 1985Haynes left WCCW and vacated the title after (in storyline) being attacked and injured by Oliver on February 4th in Ft. Worth. The footage and announcement of Haynes' injury aired on February 16, 1985.
38Rip OliverFebruary 4, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas149Defeated Buck Zumhofe.
VacatedMarch 25, 1985Rip Oliver was suspended for attacking Mike Von Erich and he was stripped of the championship.
39Scott CaseyApril 1, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas170Defeated Dennis Condrey.
40Killer Tim BrooksJune 10, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas135
41Iceman ParsonsJuly 15, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas321
VacatedAugust 5, 1985Parsons no-showed a title match against John Tatum.
42John TatumAugust 5, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas177Defeated Shawn Cody to win the vacant championship
43Iceman ParsonsOctober 21, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas4
VacatedNovember 1985Parsons was injured by Rick Rude and could not compete.
44Dave PetersonDecember 2, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas17Defeated The Grappler.
45Jack VictoryDecember 9, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas114
46Mark YoungbloodDecember 23, 1985WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas114
47Buddy RobertsJanuary 6, 1986WCCW showFt. Worth, Texas177
WCWA Television Championship
48Lance Von ErichMarch 24, 1986WCWA showFt. Worth, Texas152
49Rick RudeMay 5, 1986WCWA showFt. Worth, Texas112
50Bruiser BrodyMay 17, 1986WCWA showFt. Worth, Texas1Won the championship by disqualification.
51Chris AdamsJune 1986WCWA showTexas4Was given the title by an injured Bruiser Brody.
52Buzz SawyerJune 16, 1986WCWA showFt. Worth, Texas156
53Steve SimpsonAugust 11, 1986WCWA showFt. Worth, Texas170
54Crusher YurkofOctober 20, 1986WCWA showFt. Worth, Texas142
55Tony AtlasDecember 1, 1986WCWA showFt. Worth, Texas1Won the match and the championship by disqualification.
DeactivatedApril 1987Tony Atlas left WCCW and the championship was abandoned.

Combined length

Key
¤The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used.
RankWrestlerNo. of reignsCombined days
1Bill Irwin7464¤
2Chris Adams4295¤
3José Lothario2183
4The Spoiler3170
5Brian Adias3164
6Tony Atlas1121¤
7Iceman Parsons4109¤
8Bruiser Brody292¤
9Buddy Roberts177
John Tatum177
Kelly Kiniski177
12Scott Casey170
13Steve Simpson170
Al Madril163
15Buzz Sawyer156
16Lance Von Erich152
17Rip Oliver149
N'Tola Yatsu149
19The Mongol142
20Killer Tim Brooks135
The Great Kabuki135
The Super Destroyer235
23Billy Haynes128
24Johnny Mantell128
25Frank Dusek227¤
26Bugsy McGraw126¤
27Jake Roberts121
28Jack Victory114
Killer Khan114
Mark Youngblood114
31Rick Rude112
32Dave Peterson17
Jimmy Garvin17
34Checkmate1
35Kevin Von Erich10

See also

Footnotes

  • Hornbaker, Tim (2016). "Statistical notes". Legends of Pro Wrestling - 150 years of headlocks, body slams, and piledrivers (Revised ed.). New York, New York: Sports Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61321-808-2.