Heavyweight Champions

• William Muldoon--February 6, 1877 Defeats French Grecco-Roman champion to be called first Pro-wrestling champion
• Thebaud Bauer--January 19, 1880. Defeats William Muldoon and keeps his “claim” as “World Champion”
• John L. Sullivan-- 1887 Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA. The World boxing champion (Sullivan) wins after match stopped due to fans rushing the ring.
• Evan “Strangler” Lewis--March 14, 1887 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Defeats Joe Action to win US catch-as-catch-can title.
• [Details are sketchy at best as to whether or not William Muldoon had previously retired as Champion, or if he was defeated somewhere along the line to enable Joe Acton to claim the "World" title.]
• Evan “Strangler” Lewis [2]--March 3, 1893 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Defeated Ernest Roeber in best of five match to unify Greco-Roman & Catch-as-catch-can titles.
• Martin “Farmer” Burns--April 20, 1895 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Defeated Evan Lewis to win American Heavyweight Title.
• Dan McLeod--October 26, 1897 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
• Tom Jenkins--November 7, 1901
• Dan McLeod [2]--December 26, 1902 in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Defeated Jenkins in 2 of 3 falls when Jenkins forfeits due to leg injury.
• Tom Jenkins [2]--April 3, 1903 in Buffalo, New York, USA. in 2 of 3 falls match
• Frank Gotch--January 27, 1904 in Bellingham, Washington, USA. in 2 of 3 falls by Disqualification.
• Tom Jenkins [3]--March 15., 1905 in New York City, New York, USA. Winning 2 of 3 falls in Madison Square Garden.
• Frank Gotch [2]--May 23, 1906. Gotch defeats Jenkins two straight falls .
• Fred Beel--December 1, 1906 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Upsets Gotch in stunning victory.
• Frank Gotch [3]--December 17, 1906 in Kansas City, Kansas, USA. In two straight falls.
• George Hackenschmidt--May 5, 1904. Hackenschmidt wins championship tournaments in Germany, Italy and England. after beating Champion Jenkins, Hackenschmidt is declared champion in north america
• Frank Gotch [4]--April 3, 1908 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Hackenschmidt accuses Gotch of oiling himself and leaves the ring.
• TITLE VACANT--April 1, 1913 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Frank Gotch retires.
• George Hackenschmidt [2]--May 5, 1913 in New York City, New York, USA. George Hackenschmidt defeats Tom Jenkins in two straight falls and is deemed “World Champion”.
• Charley Cutler--1914. Defeats Henry Orderman and Jesse Westeguard in Tournament final.
• Joe Stecher--July 4, 1915 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
• Earl Caddock--April 9, 1917 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Caddock wins by Forfeit.
• Joe Stecher [2]--January 30, 1920 in New York City, New York, USA.
• Ed “Strangler” Lewis--December 13, 1920 in the 71st Regiment Armory, New York City, New York, USA.
• Stanisalus Zbyszko--May 6, 1921 in the 22nd Regiment Armory, New York City, New York, USA.
• Ed “Strangler” Lewis [2]--March 3, 1922 in Wichita, Kansas, USA
• Wayne Munn--January 8, 1925 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA
• Stanisalus Zbyszko [2]--April 51, 1925 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
• Joe Stecher [3]--May 30, 1925 in Federal League Field, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Ed “Strangler” Lewis--February 2, 1928 in the Coliseum, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Gus Sonneburg--January 4, 1929 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Dick Shikat--August 23, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Defeating Jim Londos, and gaining recognition from New York and Pennsylvania Athletic Commissions. which do not recognize Sonneburg as Champion.
• Lim Londos--June 6, 1930 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Londos wins New York and Pennsylvania versions of the title.
• Ed Don George--December 10, 1930 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. To win real heavyweight title.
• Ed “Strangler” Lewis [3]--April 13, 1931 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
• Henri DeGlane--May 4, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Match won by DQ. The title was given to DeGlane and he was only recognized as world champion in New England and Canada. While Lewis was World champion in the other territories.
• Ed “Strangler” Lewis [4]--October 10, 1932 in New York City, New York, USA. Defeating Dick Sahikat in match billed as “World Champion”.
• Ed Don George [2]--February 9, 1933 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• Jim Browning--February 20, 1933 in New York City, New York, USA.
• Jim Londos [2]--June 25, 1934 in New York City, New York, USA.
• Donno O’Mahony--June 27, 1935 in Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts. Wins New York Version of World Title.
• Donno O’Mahony--June 30, 1935 in Boston, Massachusetts. Defeats Ed Don George who claimed to be champion since his win in 1931.With winning these two titles O’Mahony is undisputed world champion.
• Dick Shikat [2]--March 2, 1936 in New York City, New York, USA.
• Ali Baba--April 24, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
• Everett Marshal--June 26, 1934 in Columbus, Ohio, USA.
• Lou Thesz--December 29, 1937 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Steve “Crusher” Casey--February 11, 1938 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• Everett Marshal [2]--September 14, 1938 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. NWA recognizes Marshal as champion due to Casey being out of the country and not defending his title.
• Lou Thesz [2]--February 23, 1939 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Bronko Nagurski--June 23, 1939 in Huston, Texas, USA.
• Ray Steele--March 7, 1940 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Bronko Nagurski [2]--March 11, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
• Sandor Szabo--June 5, 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• “Wild” Bill Longson--February 19, 1942 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Yvon Robert--October 7, 1942 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• Bobby Managoff--November 27, 1942 in Huston, Texas, USA.
• “Wild” Bill Longson [2]--February 19,1943 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• “Whipper” Billy Watson--February 27, 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Lou Thesz [3]--April 25, 1947 Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
• “Wild” Bill Longson [3]--November 21, 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Lou Thesz [4]--July 20, 1948 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. And wins First NWA Heavyweight Championship.
• Lou Thesz [4]--November 27, 1949 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Orville Brown retires (due to car accident) forcing Thesz’s unification match against him to be canceled so, at the NWA convention Thesz is given the title
• .“Whipper” Billy Watson [2]--March 15, 1956 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• Lou Thesz [5]--November 9, 1956 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Dick Hutton--November 14, 1957 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• Pat O’Connor--January 9, 1958 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• “Nature Boy” Buddy Rodgers--June 30, 1960 in Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Bruno Sammartino--August 2, 1962 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. But refuses the title because Rodgers wrestled with an injury.
• Lou Thesz [6]--January 24, 1963 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Thesz wins in one fall, but northeast promoters refuse to recognize Thesz as champion. So, they split and form the world Wide Wrestling Federation with Rodgers as their champion.
• Gene Kiniski--January 7, 1966 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Dory Funk, Jr.--February 11, 1969 in Tampa, Florida, USA.
• Harley Race--March 24, 1973 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
• Jack Brisco--July 20, 1973 in Huston, Texas, USA
• Giant Baba--December 2, 1974 in Kagoshima, Japan.
• Jack Brisco [2]--Dcember 9, 1974 in Toyohashi, Japan.
• Terry Funk--December 10, 1975 in Miami, Florida, USA.
• Harley Race [2]--Feburary 6, 1977 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Dusty Rhodes-- August 21, 1977 in Tampa Florida, USA
• Harley Race [3]--August 26, 1977 in Orlando, Florida, USA
• Giant Baba [2]--October 31, 1977 in Nagoya, Japan.
• Harley Race [4]--November 7, 1977 in Amagasaki, Japan.
• Giant Baba [3]--September 4, 1980 in Saga, Japan.
• Harley Race [5]--September 9, 1980 in Ohtsu, Japan.
• "Wildfire" Tommy Rich--April 27, 1981 in Augusta, Georgia, USA.
• Harley Race [6]--May 1, 1981 in Gainesville, Georgia, USA.
• Dusty Rhodes [2]--June 21, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
• "Nature Boy" Ric Flair--September 17, 1981 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
• The Midnight Rider [Dusty Rhodes]--February 9, 1982 in Tampa, Florida, USA but returns the belt when asked to identify himself , as it is ruled by the NWA Board of Directors that a masked man cannot wear the championship.
• Harley Race [7]--June 10, 1983 in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
• Ric Flair [2]--November 24, 1983 in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
• Harley Race [8]--March 21, 1984 in Wellington, New Zealand.
• Ric Flair [3]--March 23, 1984 in Kallang, Singapore.
• Kerry von Erich --May 6, 1984 in Irving, Texas, USA.
• Ric Flair [4]--May 24, 1984 in Yokosuka, Japan.
• Dusty Rhodes [3]--July 25, 1986 in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
• Ric Flair [5]--August 7, 1986 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Ronnie Garvin--September 25, 1987 in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
• Ric Flair [6]--November 26, 1987 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat--February 20, 1989 in Chicago., Illinois
• Ric Flair [7]--May 7, 1989 Nashville, Tennessee.
• Sting--July 7, 1990 in Baltimore, Maryland
• Ric Flair [8]--January 11, 1991in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
• Tatsumi Fujinami--March 2, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan.
• Ric Flair [9]--May 19, 1991 in St. Petersburg, Florida
• TITLE VACANT--September 8,1991 Ric Flair is stripped of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship when he enters the World Wrestling Federation as the "Real World Champion."
• Masahiro Chono--August 12, 1992 in Tokyo, Japan Defeats Rick Rude during the final match of a tournament to fill the vacant NWA title
• The Great Muta--January 4, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan.
• Barry Windham--February 21, 1993 in Ashville, North Carolina
• Ric Flair [10]--July 18, 1993 in Biloxi, Mississippi
• Shane Douglas--August 27, 1994 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Defeating Too Cold Scorpio in the tournament final and refuses the belt saying the NWA is a dead organization; Eastern Championship Wrestling immediately announces their withdrawal from the NWA and changes their name to Extreme Championship.
• Chris Candido--November 19, 1994 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Defeating Tracy Smothers in a tournament final.
• Dan "the Beast" Severn--February 24, 1995 in Erlanger, Kentucky
• Naoya Ogawa--March 14, 1999 in Yokohama, Japan
• Gary Steele--September 25, 1999 in Charlotte, North Carolina
• Naoya Ogawa [2]--October 2, 1999 in Thomaston, Connecticut
• TITLE VACANT--July 2, 2000 Naoya Ogawa forfeits world title due to injury, title declared vacant.
• Mike Rapada--September 19, 2000 in Tampa, Florida defeats Jerry Flynn Jerry Flynn in Tournament final
• Sabu--December 22, 2000 in Tampa, Florida
• Mike Rapada [2]--December 22, 2000 in Nashville, Tennessee
• Steve Corino--April 24, 2001 in Tampa, Florida
• TITLE VACANT--October 15, 2001 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Steve Corino ended up unable to compete (according to the referee, who stopped the match) in a match against Shin'ya Hashimoto at the Battle of the Belts 2001.
• Shin'ya Hashimoto--December 16, 2001 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Hashimoto defeated Steve Corino and Gary Steele in an "Iron Man" match, which was run under round-robin rules
• Dan "The Beast" Severn [2]--March 9, 2002 in Tokyo, Japan.
• Title Vacant--May 29, 2002 due to scheduling problems for NWA-TNA Severn was stripped of the title.
• Ken Shamrock--June 19, 2002 in Huntsville, Alabama. Shamrock defeated Malice at the end of the Gauntlet for the Gold
• Ron "The Truth" Killings--August 7, 2002 in Nashville Tennessee.
• Jeff Jarrett--November 20, 2002 in Nashville, Tennessee
• A.J. Styles--June 11, 2003 In Nashville, Tennessee. This was a triple threat match with Raven and Jeff Jarrett.
• Jeff Jarrett [2]--October 22, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee.
• A.J. Styles [2]--April 21, 2004 In Nashville, Tennessee. This was a cage match at NWA TNA.
• Ron "The truth" Killings [2]--May 19, 2004 in Nashville Tennessee.
• Jeff Jarrett [3]--June 2, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee. This was a King of the Mountain Ladder Match.
• AJ Styles [3]--May 15, 2005 in Orlando, Florida. The match was at Hard Justice
• Raven--June 19, 2005 in Orlando, Florida. This was a King of the Mountain Match at Slammiversary.
• Jeff Jarrett [4]--September 15, 2005 in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada. This match was for Boarder City Wrestling.
• Rhino--October 23, 2005 in Orlando, Florida. The match was at Bound For Glory.
• Jeff Jarrett [5]--November 3, 2005 in Orlando, Florida.  The match took place on TNA iMPACT!
• Christian Cage--February 12, 2006 in Orlando, Florida. The match took place at Against All Odds.
• Jeff Jarrett [6]--June 18, 2006 in Orlando, Florida. This was a King of the Mountain match at Slammiversary
• Sting--October 22, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan.  The match took place at Bound for Glory.
• Abyss--November 19, 2006 in Orlando, Florida. The match was at Genesis. Abyss won by the arcane rule that the title can change hands on a DQ!
• Christian Cage [2]--January 14, 2007 in Orlando, Florida. The match took place at Final Resolution.
• Christian Cage lost the title on May 13, 2007 in Orlando, Florida to Kurt Angle at TNA Sacrifice.  This was the last time the title was affiliated with TNA, so it changed its name to TNA Heavyweight Championship, removing the NWA title.  Check out the TNA Heavyweight Championship
• TITLE VACANT--May 13, 2007 in Orlando, Florida. Title to be determined by Tournament
• Adam Pierce--September 1, 2007 in Sam Juan, Puerto Rico. This was a finals of a tournament. Originally scheduled to wrestle was Brian Danielson but due to injury Adam Pierce took his place. 

Thanks to http://www.wrestling-titles.com and http://www.nwawrestling.com for help with the information!