View source for WSL World Heavyweight Championship

{{short description|Professional wrestling championship}}
{{Infobox pro wrestling championship
|championshipname=WSL World Heavyweight Championship
|finalchamp=[[Keith Walker (wrestler)|Keith Walker]]
|retired=February 21, 2009
|promotion={{nobr|[[Wrestling Superstars Live]]}}
|created=June 6, 1996
|mostreigns=[[Takao Omori]] {{small|(3)}}
|firstchamp=Jonnie Stewart
|longestreign={{nobr|Jonnie Stewart {{small|(1,028 days)}} }}
|shortestreign=Danny Dominion {{small|(<1 day)}}
|pastnames=AWA World Heavyweight Championship<br>AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship
|titleretired= February 21, 2009
}}

The '''WSL World Heavyweight Championship''' was a [[professional wrestling]] [[Championship (professional wrestling)|world championship]] in the [[Wrestling Superstars Live]] [[Professional wrestling promotion|promotion]]. It was originally known as the '''AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship'''.

==History==
In 1996, Dale Gagner and his associate Jonnie Stewart, former [[American Wrestling Association]] (AWA) employees, filed corporate papers to license the AWA name in the state of Minnesota and formed an organization known as [[Wrestling Superstars Live|AWA Superstars of Wrestling]]. On June 6 of that year, Gagner and Stewart created their version of the [[AWA World Heavyweight Championship]], recognizing all previous AWA world champions. 

In April 2007 [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] (WWE) filed a [[lawsuit]] against Dale Gagner and Jonnie Stewart, citing [[trademark infringement]], as WWE owned all "American Wrestling Association" properties due to their purchase of the company after the original AWA's 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=https://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|access-date=2009-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102075555/http://www.1wrestling.com/news/newsline.asp?news=28334|archive-date=2008-01-02|url-status=usurped}}</ref> In October 2008, a [[court]] ruled against Gagner and Stewart and ruled in favor of WWE. The court ruling prohibited Gagner and his associates from exploiting or trading on the AWA name or any other derivatives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news08/1225314623.shtml|title=WWE wins trademark infringement lawsuit over AWA|date=2008-10-28|publisher=wrestleview.com}}</ref> As a result, the organization was renamed to [[Wrestling Superstars Live]] (WSL). Due to there no longer being connections to the original AWA, WSL began only recognizing championship reigns from 1996 and forward.

==Title history==
{{Professional wrestling title history top|active=yes}}
{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 0.5
|type     = promotion
|name     = [[Wrestling Superstars Live|AWA Superstars of Wrestling]] (AWA)
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 1
|champion = Jonnie Stewart	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|1996|06|06}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|1996|06|06|1999|03|31}}
|location = [[Rochester, Minnesota]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Defeated Larry Gligorovich to win the inaugural AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.
|ref      = <ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=767| title = AWA World Heavyweight Championship | accessdate=March 25, 2020 | work=cagematch.net}}</ref>
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 2
|champion = [[King Kong Bundy]]
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|1999|03|31}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|1999|03|31|2000|07|29}}
|location = [[Oshkosh, Wisconsin]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 2.5
|type     = vacated
|date     = {{dts|2000|07|29}}
|location = 
|event    = [[House show]]
|days2    = 
|notes    = 
|ref      =
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 3
|champion = Dale Gagne	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2000|07|29}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2000|07|29|2000|07|29}}
|location = [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Gagne, owner of AWA Superstars of Wrestling, stripped Bundy of the title and declared himself the new champion.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 4
|champion = The Patriot
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2000|07|29}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2000|07|29|2000|07|29}}
|location = [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 5
|champion = Larry Gligorovich	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2000|07|29}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2000|07|29|2001|06|03}}
|location = [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 6
|champion = Eric Priest	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2001|06|03}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2001|06|03|2002|03|22}}
|location = [[Hillside, Illinois]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 7
|champion = [[Evan Karagias]]	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2002|03|22}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2002|03|22|2002|05|02}}
|location = [[Casa Grande, Arizona]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 8
|champion = Danny Dominion
|reign    = 2
|date     = {{dts|2002|05|02}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2002|05|02|2002|05|04}}
|location = [[Cottonwood, Arizona]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Previously won the championship as The Patriot.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 9
|champion = [[Evan Karagias]]	
|reign    = 2
|date     = {{dts|2002|05|04}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2002|05|04|2002|10|12}}
|location = [[Casa Grande, Arizona]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 10
|champion = [[Luther Reigns|Horshu]]
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2002|10|12}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2002|10|12|2003|07|06}}
|location = [[Mercedes, Texas]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Stripped of the title due to missing mandatory title defenses.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 10.5
|type     = vacated
|date     = {{dts|2003|07|06}}
|location = 
|event    = 
|days2    = 
|notes    = 
|ref      =
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 11
|champion = [[Evan Karagias]]
|reign    = 3
|date     = {{dts|2003|07|06}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2003|07|06|2005|01|23}}
|location = [[Lemoore, California]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Defeated Eric Priest to win the vacant title. Karagias was fired in January 2005 by Dale Gagne for misconduct and refusing to defend the title as scheduled.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 11.2
|type     = vacated
|date     = {{dts|2005|01|23}}
|location = 
|event    = 
|days2    = 
|notes    = 
|ref      =
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 11.5
|type     = promotion
|name     = [[Wrestling Superstars Live|AWA Superstars of Wrestling]] (AWA) / [[Pro Wrestling Zero1|Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max]] (Zero1-Max) 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 12
|champion = [[Takao Omori]]	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2005|01|23}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2005|01|23|2005|06|11}}
|location = [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|event    = Zero1-Max Ground Max
|notes    = Defeated [[Steve Corino]] in the finals of a tournament to win the vacant championship.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 13
|champion = [[Steve Corino]]
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2005|06|11}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2005|06|11|2006|01|22}}
|location = [[Bay City, Michigan]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 14
|champion = [[Shinjiro Otani]]	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2006|01|22}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2006|01|22|2006|04|01}}
|location = [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|event    = Zero1-Max Faithfully
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 15
|champion = [[Takao Omori]]	
|reign    = 2
|date     = {{dts|2006|04|01}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2006|04|01|2006|06|04}}
|location = [[Tokyo, Japan]]
|event    = Zero1-Max Yasukuni Shrine Festival
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 16
|champion = [[Ric Converse]]
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2006|06|04}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2006|06|04|2007|01|07}}
|location = [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 17
|champion = [[Steve Corino]]
|reign    = 2
|date     = {{dts|2007|01|07}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2007|01|07|2007|03|31}}
|location = [[Pottstown, Pennsylvania]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = On March 23, 2007, Corino lost the title to [[Greg Bownds|TNT]] at an AWF event in Sydney, Australia; however, on March 28, the AWA Superstars of Wrestling Board of Directors returned the title to Corino when the proper paperwork authorizing the title match could not be found.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 18
|champion = [[Takao Omori]]	
|reign    = 3
|date     = {{dts|2007|03|31}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2007|03|31|2007|10|26}}
|location = [[Yokohama, Japan]]
|event    = Zero1-Max Max Satisfaction
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 19
|champion = [[Masato Tanaka]]	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2007|10|26}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2007|10|26|2007|12|15}}
|location = [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|event    = Zero1-Max Innovation
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 19.5
|type     = vacated
|date     = {{dts|2007|12|15}}
|location = 
|event    = 
|days2    = 
|notes    = The championship is vacated after Zero1-Max ended its business relationship with AWA Superstars of Wrestling on December 15, 2007. Zero1-Max, however, continued to recognize Tanaka's reign as the first reign of the Zero1-Max [[World Heavyweight Championship (Zero1)|World Heavyweight Championship]].
|ref      =
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 19.6
|type     = promotion
|name     = [[Wrestling Superstars Live|AWA Superstars of Wrestling]] (AWA)
}}
{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 20
|champion = [[Larry Zbyszko]]	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2008|02|05}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2008|02|05|2008|10|11}}
|location = [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
|event    = —
|notes    = Awarded the title for being the final holder of the original [[AWA World Heavyweight Championship]].
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 20.5
|type     = unrecognized
|champion = Brian Logan	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2008|04|20}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2008|04|20|2008|04|20}}
|location = [[Fayetteville, West Virginia]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 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 performed, pulled out of AWA Superstars of Wrestling to form the 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. Logan is recognized as the inaugural [[WSL_World_Heavyweight_Championship#American_Wrestling_Affiliates_version|American Wrestling Affiliates World Heavyweight champion]] due to this victory.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 20.6
|type     = promotion
|name     = [[Wrestling Superstars Live]] (WSL) 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 20.7
|type     = unrecognized
|champion = [[Larry Zbyszko]]	
|reign    = 2
|date     = {{dts|2008|04|20}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2008|04|20|2008|10|11}}
|location = —
|event    = —
|notes    = Title returned to Zbyszko; AWA Superstars of Wrestling considered this a continuation of Zbyszko's previous reign.
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 21
|champion = [[Ricky Landell]]	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2008|10|11}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2008|10|11|2009|02|21}}
|location = [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Title becomes known as the WSL World Heavyweight Championship when the promotion is forced to rename to Wrestling Superstars Live (WSL).
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 22
|champion = [[Keith Walker (wrestler)|Keith Walker]]	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2009|02|21}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2009|02|21|2009|02|21}}
|location = [[Michigan City, Indiana]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{Professional wrestling title history middle
|sort number=23.5
|type=deactivated
|date     = {{dts|2009|02|21}}
|location = 
|notes=The championship is retired when WSL goes out of business.	
|ref=
}}
{{BundleEnd}}

===Combined reigns===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Rank
!Wrestler
!No. of<br>reigns
!Combined days
|-
!1
||Jonnie Stewart ||1|| 1,028
|-
!2
||[[Evan Karagias]]	||3||775
|-
!3
||[[King Kong Bundy]] || 1 || 486
|-
!4
||[[Takao Omori]]||3||412
|-
!5
||Larry Gligorovich||1||309
|-
!6
||[[Steve Corino]] ||2||308
|-
!7
||Eric Priest||1|| 292
|-
!8
||[[Luther Reigns|Horshu]]||1||267
|-
!9
||[[Larry Zbyszko]]||1<sup>(2)</sup>||249
|-
!10
||[[Ric Converse]]||1||217
|-
!11
||[[Ricky Landell]]||1||133
|-
!12
||[[Shinjiro Otani]]||1||69
|-
!13
||[[Masato Tanaka]]||1||50
|-
!14
||The Patriot/Danny Dominion||2||2
|-
!rowspan=2|15
||Dale Gagne||1||0
|-
||Keith Walker||1||0
|- style="background-color:#e3e3e3"
|—
|Brian Logan || 1 || 0
|-
|}

==American Wrestling Affiliates version ==
{{Professional wrestling title history top|active=yes}}
{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 0.5
|type     = promotion
|name     = American Wrestling Affiliates (AWA)
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 1
|champion = Brian Logan
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2008|04|20}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2008|04|20|2008|11|01}}
|location = [[Fayetteville, West Virginia]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Logan defeated Zbyszko and Ricky Landell in a triple threat match to win the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World title. 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. Logan is recognized as the inaugural world champion of the American Wrestling Affiliates.
|ref      = <ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1962| title = AWA World Heavyweight Championship | accessdate=March 25, 2020 | work=cagematch.net}}</ref>
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 2
|champion = Tony Givens
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2008|11|01}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2008|11|01|2008|11|21}}
|location = [[Kingsport, Tennessee]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 3
|champion = Brian Logan
|reign    = 2
|date     = {{dts|2008|11|21}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2008|11|21|2009|01|30}}
|location = [[Buckhannon, West Virginia]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
}}{{Professional wrestling title history middle
|sort number=3.4
|type=vacated
|date     = {{dts|2009|01|30}}
|location = [[Kingsport, Tennessee]]
|notes=The championship is vacated after moving to the [[Innovate Wrestling|Championship Wrestling Alliance]].
|ref=
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 3.5
|type     = promotion
|name     =  [[Innovate Wrestling|Championship Wrestling Alliance]] (CWA)
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 4
|champion = Brian Logan
|reign    = 3
|date     = {{dts|2009|01|30}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2009|01|30|2009|05|30}}
|location = [[Kingsport, Tennessee]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = Logan, the reigning AWA World Heavyweight Champion, was awarded the CWA World Heavyweight title.
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 5
|champion = Robbie Cassidy	
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2009|05|30}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2009|05|30|2010|06|19}}
|location = [[Kingsport, Tennessee]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/e/innovate/etn-cwa-h.html| title = American Wrestling Affiliates (2008/04-2009/01)Championship Wrestling Alliance (2009/01-2011/02) World Heavyweight Title | accessdate=March 28, 2020 | work=wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 6
|champion = Chris Richards		
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|2010|06|19}}
|days     = {{age in days nts|2010|06|19|2011|02|04}}
|location = [[Kingsport, Tennessee]]
|event    = [[House show]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = 
}}{{Professional wrestling title history middle
|sort number=6.5
|type=deactivated
|date     = {{dts|2011|02|04}}
|location = [[Kingsport, Tennessee]]
|notes=The CWA World Heavyweight Championship was retired and replaced with the NWA Smoky Mountain Heavyweight Championship on February 4, 2011 when the CWA joined the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA) and became NWA Smoky Mountain.
|ref=
}}
{{BundleEnd}}

===Combined reigns===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Rank
!Wrestler
!No. of<br>reigns
!Combined days
|-
!rowspan=2|1
||Robbie Cassidy ||1|| 385
|-
||Brian Logan || 3 || 385
|-
!3
||Chris Richards ||1||230
|-
!4
||Tony Givens||1||20
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-sports}}
{{S-bef|before=[[NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Pro Wrestling Zero1]]'s top heavyweight championship| years = 2004–2007}}
{{S-aft|after=[[World Heavyweight Championship (Zero1)|World Heavyweight Championship]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Wrestling Superstars Live}}
{{Pro Wrestling Zero1}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wsl World Heavyweight Championship}}
[[Category:Pro Wrestling Zero1 championships]]
[[Category:World heavyweight wrestling championships]]
[[Category:World professional wrestling championships]]
[[Category:Wrestling Superstars Live]]