Jump to content

WSL World Heavyweight Championship: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox championship
{{Infobox championship
|championshipname=AWA Superstars<br/>World Heavyweight Championship
|championshipname=WSL World Heavyweight Championship
|currentholder=[[Keith Walker]]
|currentholder=[[Keith Walker]]
|won=[[February 21]] [[2009]]
|won=[[February 21]] [[2009]]
Line 12: Line 12:
}}
}}


'''The AWA World Heavyweight Championship''' is the highest ranked championship in the current [[Wrestling Superstars Live]] [[Wrestling promotion|promotion]]. It was most recently defended in [[Pro Wrestling Zero1]], a [[professional wrestling in Japan|Japanese wrestling promotion]], as an official AWA territory before Zero1 severed ties with the company then known as AWA Superstars of Wrestling.
The '''WSL World Heavyweight Championship''' is a [[professional wrestling]] [[World Heavyweight Championship (professional wrestling)|world heavyweight]] [[Championship (professional wrestling)|championship]] in the [[Wrestling Superstars Live]] [[Wrestling promotion|promotion]]. It was originally known as the '''AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship'''.


== History ==
The AWA Superstars of Wrestling promotion claimed the lineage of the historic [[American Wrestling Association|American Wrestling Association's]] [[AWA World Heavyweight Championship|World Heavyweight Championship]]. The title was supposedly revived in 1996 in Dale Gagner's independent promotion '''[[AWA Superstars of Wrestling]]''', who claimed to have re-licensed the AWA name. On top of the promotion's claim to the lineage of that of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, they also recognize the title being held twice by [[Hulk Hogan]], reigns not previously officially recognized by the original promotion.
In 1996, Dale Gagner and Jonnie Stewart, two former [[American Wrestling Association]] (AWA) employees, began using the AWA name in the state of Minnesota and formed an organization known as [[Wrestling Superstars Live|AWA Superstars of Wrestling]], [[Copyright infringement|infringing]] on the AWA name. After the closure of the American Wrestling Association in 1991, no promotion had claimed succession to the organization, but once AWA Superstars of Wrestling surfaced in 1996, [[Fandom|fans]] willingly bought into AWA Superstars of Wrestling's claim to being a continuation of the American Wrestling Association. Dale Gagner, to further cultivate an heir of legitimacy to the promotion, began using the [[pseudonym]] "Dale Gagne", in reference to [[Verne Gagne]], the original owner of the American Wrestling Association. Finally on April 26, 2007 [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] (WWE) sought legal action against Dale Gagner for the use of the AWA name, citing trademark infringement, as WWE owned the AWA tape library, trademarks, and logos, following the purchase of the all American Wrestling Association assets after it closure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1146399.html|title=World Wrestling sues promoter|author=Browning, Dan|date=2007-04-28|publisher=[[Star Tribune]]|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070428030922/http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1146399.html|archivedate=2007-04-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.georgiawrestlinghistory.com/news-notes/2007/05/04.html|title=News and Notes, May 4, 2007|date=2007-05-04|publisher=GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1wrestling.com/news/newsline.asp?news=28334|title=WWE Files Lawsuit Against "Gagne" For Trademark Violations Associated With AWA|author=Ryder, Bob|date=2007-04-26|publisher=1wrestling.com}}</ref> On [[October 24]] [[2008]], WWE won the first of 23 counts in the copyright infringement case against Gagner, which effectively meant that Gagner and Stewart could no longer infringe upon the AWA trademarks owned by the World Wrestling Entertainment. As a result, Gagner was forced to rename his organization.


This title is not the same as the AWA World Heavyweight Title that represented the original American Wrestling Association. On April 26, 2007 it was revealed that [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] had taken legal action against Dale Gagner for the use of the AWA name, citing trademark infringement, as the WWE owns the AWA tape library. WWE prevailed in October 2008, at which time WSL began to phase the AWA name out of the championship name.
When the organization was formed in 1996, Wrestling Superstars Live claimed the lineages and names of original American Wrestling Association championships. However, following WWE's filed [[lawsuit]] against Gagner and Stewart, Wrestling Superstars Live's references to the AWA became limited to only the minor note of Wrestling Superstars Live chamionships being "sanctioned" by the "AWA." Due to there being no actual connection to the American Wrestling Association, Wrestling Superstars Live now recognizes their own championship reigns from 1996 and forward.


==Current champion==
==Current champion==
The current recognized AWA Superstars World Heavyweight Champion is [[Keith Walker]]. He defeated [[Ricky Landell]] for the title on February 21, 2009 in [[Michigan City, Indiana]].
The current recognized WSL World Heavyweight Champion is [[Keith Walker]]. He defeated [[Ricky Landell]] for the title on February 21, 2009 in [[Michigan City, Indiana]].

==Championship split==
On April 18, 2008, Brian Logan defeated [[Larry Zbyszko]] and Ricky Landell in a three-way match at a AWA-Mountaineer Wrestling Association event in [[Fayetteville, West Virginia]]. However, AWA Superstars is not recognizing this match, as Mountaineer Wrestling Association departed AWA Superstars on April 30, 2008. Mountaineer Wrestling joined with 3 other former AWA Superstars Territories and Championship Wrestling of Tennessee and founded a new organization, The [[American Wrestling Affiliates]], and claims Logan as its first champion based on this match. However, It does claim the original [[AWA World Heavyweight Championship]] lineage with minor alterations and does not recognize any AWA Superstars reigns prior to Larry Zbyszko's, recognizing a continuous 18-year reign on the part of Zbyszko from 1990 to 2008. The status of Logan's AWA is unclear in the wake of the Gagner-WWE lawsuit.


==Title history==
==Title history==
Line 36: Line 34:
|[[June 6]], [[1996]]
|[[June 6]], [[1996]]
|[[Rochester, Minnesota]]
|[[Rochester, Minnesota]]
|{{small|Defeated [[Larry Gligorovich]] to win the revived AWA "Heavyweight"<br/>title after the AWA reopened as ''AWA Superstars of Wrestling''.}}
|{{small|Defeated [[Larry Gligorovich]] to win the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.}}
|-
|-
|[[King Kong Bundy]]
|[[King Kong Bundy]]
Line 42: Line 40:
|[[March 31]], [[1999]]
|[[March 31]], [[1999]]
|[[Oshkosh, Wisconsin]]
|[[Oshkosh, Wisconsin]]
|{{small|Later stripped of the title by AWA Superstars owner [[Dale Gagne]].}}
|{{small|Later stripped of the title by owner [[Dale Gagne]].}}
|-
|-
|The Patriot<br/>([[Danny Dominion]])
|The Patriot<br/>([[Danny Dominion]])
Line 77: Line 75:
|{{small|Defeated [[Eric Priest]] to win the vacated title. Karagias was fired in January 2005 by [[Dale Gagne]] for misconduct and refusal of defending the title as scheduled.}}
|{{small|Defeated [[Eric Priest]] to win the vacated title. Karagias was fired in January 2005 by [[Dale Gagne]] for misconduct and refusal of defending the title as scheduled.}}
|-
|-
|[[Takao Ōmori]] || 1 || [[February 15]], [[2005]] || [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]] || {{small|Defeated Steve Corino in the finals of a tournament when [[Pro Wrestling Zero1]] joins the AWA. The title is known as the AWA World Heavyweight Championship once again.}}
|[[Takao Ōmori]] || 1 || [[February 15]], [[2005]] || [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]] || {{small|Defeated Steve Corino in the finals of a tournament when [[Pro Wrestling Zero1]] joins AWA Superstars of Wrestling.}}
|-
|-
|[[Steve Corino]] || 1 || [[June 11]], [[2005]] || [[Bay City, Michigan]]
|[[Steve Corino]] || 1 || [[June 11]], [[2005]] || [[Bay City, Michigan]]
Line 87: Line 85:
|[[Ric Converse]] || 1 || [[June 14]], [[2006]] || [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|[[Ric Converse]] || 1 || [[June 14]], [[2006]] || [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|-
|-
|Steve Corino || 2 || [[January 7]], [[2007]] || [[Pottstown, Pennsylvania]] || {{small|On [[March 23]], [[2007]], Corino lost the title to [[Greg Bownds|TNT]] at an AWF event; however, on [[March 28]], the AWA Board of Directors returned the title to Corino when the proper paperwork for the match could not be found.}}
|Steve Corino || 2 || [[January 7]], [[2007]] || [[Pottstown, Pennsylvania]] || {{small|On [[March 23]], [[2007]], Corino lost the title to [[Greg Bownds|TNT]] at an AWF event; however, on [[March 28]], the AWA Superstars of Wrestling Board of Directors returned the title to Corino when the proper paperwork for the match could not be found.}}
|-
|-
|Takao Ōmori || 3 || [[March 31]], [[2007]] || [[Yokohama|Yokohama, Japan]]
|Takao Ōmori || 3 || [[March 31]], [[2007]] || [[Yokohama|Yokohama, Japan]]
Line 93: Line 91:
|[[Masato Tanaka]] || 1 || [[October 26]], [[2007]] || Tokyo, Japan
|[[Masato Tanaka]] || 1 || [[October 26]], [[2007]] || Tokyo, Japan
|-
|-
|colspan="5" |''Tanaka is stripped of the title on [[December 10]], [[2007]], when the Zero1 severs ties with AWA Superstars. Tanaka is still recognized as AWA World Champion in Japan, the title is called the Zero1 World Title in the US.''
|colspan="5" |''Tanaka is stripped of the title on [[December 10]], [[2007]], when the Zero1 severs ties with AWA Superstars. Tanaka is still recognized as AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion in Japan, the title is called the [[Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship]] in the US.''
|-
|-
|[[Larry Zbyszko]] || 1<sup>*</sup> || [[February 5]], [[2008]] || [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] || {{small|Title awarded.}}
|[[Larry Zbyszko]] || 1<sup>*</sup> || [[February 5]], [[2008]] || [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] || {{small|Title awarded.}}
|-
|-
|[[Brian Logan]]<sup>†</sup> || # || [[April 20]], [[2008]] || [[Fayetteville, West Virginia]] || {{small|Logan defeated Zbyszko and [[Ricky Landell]] in a triple threat match. Shortly thereafter, Mountaineer Wrestling Association of West Virginia, the promotion for which Logan primarily performs, pulled out of AWA Superstars to form American Wrestling Affiliates with several other promotions. The title was returned to Zbyszko, and Logan's reign was never officially recognized by AWA Superstars.}}
|[[Brian Logan]]<sup>†</sup> || # || [[April 20]], [[2008]] || [[Fayetteville, West Virginia]] || {{small|Logan defeated Zbyszko and [[Ricky Landell]] in a triple threat match. Shortly thereafter, Mountaineer Wrestling Association of West Virginia, the promotion for which Logan primarily performs, pulled out of AWA Superstars of Wrestling to form American Wrestling Affiliates with several other promotions. The title was returned to Zbyszko, and Logan's reign was never officially recognized by AWA Superstars of Wrestling.}}
|-
|-
|[[Larry Zbyszko]] || 1<sup>*</sup> || || || {{small|Title returned to Zbyszko.}}
|[[Larry Zbyszko]] || 1<sup>*</sup> || || || {{small|Title returned to Zbyszko.}}
|-
|-
|[[Ricky Landell]] || 1 || [[October 11]] [[2008]] || [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|[[Ricky Landell]] || 1 || [[October 11]] [[2008]] || [[Indianapolis, Indiana]] || {{small|Title becomes known as the WSL World Heavyweight Championship when the promotion is forced to rename.}}
|-
|-
|[[Keith Walker]] || 1 || [[February 21]] [[2009]] || [[Michigan City, Indiana]]
|[[Keith Walker]] || 1 || [[February 21]] [[2009]] || [[Michigan City, Indiana]]
Line 107: Line 105:
|}
|}


<small><nowiki>*</nowiki></small> AWA Superstars considers Zbyszko's reign before and his reign after his loss to Brian Logan to be one continuous reign.<br />
<small><nowiki>*</nowiki></small> Wrestling Superstars Live considers Zbyszko's reign before and his reign after his loss to Brian Logan to be one continuous reign.<br />
† Unofficial title changes not recognized by AWA Superstars.
† Unofficial title changes not recognized by Wrestling Superstars Live.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 11:57, 22 October 2009

WSL World Heavyweight Championship
Tournament information

The WSL World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Wrestling Superstars Live promotion. It was originally known as the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.

History

In 1996, Dale Gagner and Jonnie Stewart, two former American Wrestling Association (AWA) employees, began using the AWA name in the state of Minnesota and formed an organization known as AWA Superstars of Wrestling, infringing on the AWA name. After the closure of the American Wrestling Association in 1991, no promotion had claimed succession to the organization, but once AWA Superstars of Wrestling surfaced in 1996, fans willingly bought into AWA Superstars of Wrestling's claim to being a continuation of the American Wrestling Association. Dale Gagner, to further cultivate an heir of legitimacy to the promotion, began using the pseudonym "Dale Gagne", in reference to Verne Gagne, the original owner of the American Wrestling Association. Finally on April 26, 2007 World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) sought legal action against Dale Gagner for the use of the AWA name, citing trademark infringement, as WWE owned the AWA tape library, trademarks, and logos, following the purchase of the all American Wrestling Association assets after it closure.[1][2][3] On October 24 2008, WWE won the first of 23 counts in the copyright infringement case against Gagner, which effectively meant that Gagner and Stewart could no longer infringe upon the AWA trademarks owned by the World Wrestling Entertainment. As a result, Gagner was forced to rename his organization.

When the organization was formed in 1996, Wrestling Superstars Live claimed the lineages and names of original American Wrestling Association championships. However, following WWE's filed lawsuit against Gagner and Stewart, Wrestling Superstars Live's references to the AWA became limited to only the minor note of Wrestling Superstars Live chamionships being "sanctioned" by the "AWA." Due to there being no actual connection to the American Wrestling Association, Wrestling Superstars Live now recognizes their own championship reigns from 1996 and forward.

Current champion

The current recognized WSL World Heavyweight Champion is Keith Walker. He defeated Ricky Landell for the title on February 21, 2009 in Michigan City, Indiana.

Title history

Wrestler: Times: Date: Location: Notes:
Jonnie Stewart 1 June 6, 1996 Rochester, Minnesota Defeated Larry Gligorovich to win the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.
King Kong Bundy 1 March 31, 1999 Oshkosh, Wisconsin Later stripped of the title by owner Dale Gagne.
The Patriot
(Danny Dominion) 		1 July 29, 2000 Pine Bluff, Arkansas Defeated Dale Gagne in an impromptu match to win the title.
Ricky Enrique 1 July 29, 2000 Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Eric Priest 1 June 3, 2001 Hillside, Illinois
Evan Karagias 1 March 22, 2002 Casa Grande, Arizona
Horshu 1 October 12, 2002 Mercedes, Texas Stripped of the title due to missing mandatory title defenses.
Evan Karagias 2 July 6, 2003 Lemoore, California Defeated Eric Priest to win the vacated title. Karagias was fired in January 2005 by Dale Gagne for misconduct and refusal of defending the title as scheduled.
Takao Ōmori 1 February 15, 2005 Tokyo, Japan Defeated Steve Corino in the finals of a tournament when Pro Wrestling Zero1 joins AWA Superstars of Wrestling.
Steve Corino 1 June 11, 2005 Bay City, Michigan
Shinjiro Otani 1 January 22, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
Takao Ōmori 2 April 1, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
Ric Converse 1 June 14, 2006 Indianapolis, Indiana
Steve Corino 2 January 7, 2007 Pottstown, Pennsylvania On March 23, 2007, Corino lost the title to TNT at an AWF event; however, on March 28, the AWA Superstars of Wrestling Board of Directors returned the title to Corino when the proper paperwork for the match could not be found.
Takao Ōmori 3 March 31, 2007 Yokohama, Japan
Masato Tanaka 1 October 26, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
Tanaka is stripped of the title on December 10, 2007, when the Zero1 severs ties with AWA Superstars. Tanaka is still recognized as AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion in Japan, the title is called the Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship in the US.
Larry Zbyszko 1* February 5, 2008 Minneapolis, Minnesota Title awarded.
Brian Logan† # April 20, 2008 Fayetteville, West Virginia Logan defeated Zbyszko and Ricky Landell in a triple threat match. Shortly thereafter, Mountaineer Wrestling Association of West Virginia, the promotion for which Logan primarily performs, pulled out of AWA Superstars of Wrestling to form American Wrestling Affiliates with several other promotions. The title was returned to Zbyszko, and Logan's reign was never officially recognized by AWA Superstars of Wrestling.
Larry Zbyszko 1* Title returned to Zbyszko.
Ricky Landell 1 October 11 2008 Indianapolis, Indiana Title becomes known as the WSL World Heavyweight Championship when the promotion is forced to rename.
Keith Walker 1 February 21 2009 Michigan City, Indiana

* Wrestling Superstars Live considers Zbyszko's reign before and his reign after his loss to Brian Logan to be one continuous reign.
† Unofficial title changes not recognized by Wrestling Superstars Live.

References

  1. ^ Browning, Dan (2007-04-28). "World Wrestling sues promoter". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2007-04-28.
  2. ^ "News and Notes, May 4, 2007". GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com. 2007-05-04.
  3. ^ Ryder, Bob (2007-04-26). "WWE Files Lawsuit Against "Gagne" For Trademark Violations Associated With AWA". 1wrestling.com.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WSL_World_Heavyweight_Championship&oldid=321366074"