British Heavyweight Championship
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "For". Template:Use dmy dates Template:EngvarB The British Heavyweight Championship is a top British wrestling championship found throughout the country's circuit. The championship was recognised and defended on matches screened by UK national television network ITV as part of the professional wrestling slot on World of Sport as well as standalone broadcasts.[1][2] Pre-publicity for these championship match broadcasts was given in ITV's nationally published listings magazine TVTimes.[3][4]
Multiple versions of the British Heavyweight Championship may exist in the wrestling circuit of the United Kingdom at any given time, however some versions have been undisputed by dint of being the only active version during that period. The British Wrestling Association version was undisputed 1930–1934 and 1938–1950. The Joint Promotions version was undisputed 1952–1958, 1966–1974 and 1975–1982. This version was then transferred to All Star Wrestling where it remained undisputed until 1985 and became so again from 1989 until the late 1990s (as smaller, often American-style promotions increasingly set up their own versions).
Title histories
This is the combined list of different versions of the British Heavyweight Titles, each of which was probably the most significant version at the time. Each version may or may not be connected to another. However, all title changes are either actual or "official" unless indicated otherwise.
- Key
| Symbol | Meaning |
| No. | The overall championship reign |
| Reign | The reign number for the specific wrestler listed. |
| Event | The event in which the championship changed hands |
| N/A | The 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. |
British Wrestling Association 1930–1950
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1930 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Won a series of matches to become the first champion. | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Vacated when Oakeley retired due to injuries | |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1935 | [Note 1] | London, England | Live event | ||
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1937 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 4 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1938 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 5 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1939 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Michael O'Leary was killed during the outbreak of the war, he died undefeated. | |
| 6 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | Assirati had been claiming the title since 1940. | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated when Assirati left Britain for India. |
- Disputed claims 1934–1938
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "sort". | 1 | 1934 | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Some claim Garnon's first reign began one year earlier | |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | ||
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1938 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Won by default when Clark fails to appear for a scheduled defence. | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Until Bert Assirati is recognised as champion |
Joint Promotions 1952–1982 & 1985–1989
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Newcastle | Live event | Defeated Dave Armstrong in a tournament final. | |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1953 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1953 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 4 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | 1953 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 5 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated for undocumented reasons. | |
| 6 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Defeated Ernie Baldwin | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Stripped by Joint Promotions; Assirati would continue to claim the title in BWF | |
| 7 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Defeated Gordon Nelson. | |
| 8 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Glasgow | Live event | ||
| 9 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 10 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 11 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Bradford | Live event | ||
| 12 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Bradford | Live event | ||
| 13 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 4 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Middlesbrough | Live event | ||
| 14 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Nottingham | Live event | ||
| 15 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Nottingham | Live event | ||
| 16 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 5 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Nottingham | Live event | ||
| 17 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Perth, Scotland | Live event | ||
| 18 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 6 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Edinburgh | Live event | Became the undisputed champion when Shirley Crabtree vacated the BWF version. | |
| 19 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | [5] | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated when Robinson left for North America. | |
| 20 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Nottingham | Live event | Defeated Steve Veidor to win the vacant championship | |
| 21 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Loughborough | Live event | ||
| 22 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated when Wall "retired" (in fact left Joint to work for independent promoters and continued to claim title – see All Star below)[6] | |
| 23 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Manchester | Live event | ||
| 24 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Manchester | Live event | ||
| 25 | Giant Haystacks | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | London | Live event | ||
| 26 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Moved to #All Star Wrestling in 1982 with the title | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Recognition was withdrawn by Joint Promotions in 1985 | |
| 27 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 28 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 29 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | All Star's Tony St. Clair becomes undisputed champion after Singh joins All Star and renounces his claim. |
Disputed Branch: British Wrestling Federation 1958–1966
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | 1958 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Stripped by Joint Promotions – Continued to claim title and was recognised by BWF | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Assirati stripped by BWF while recovering from injury. | |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1960 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Won a tournament | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Crabtree retired after a legitimate campaign of harassment by Assirati.[7] No replacement was crowned, making Joint Promotions' Billy Joyce an Undisputed Champion. |
All Star Wrestling 1974, 1982–present
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Manchester | Live event | Continued to defend title on shows by Wrestling Enterprises (as All Star then known) for some months after 1974 "retirement" from Joint | [6] |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | mid/late 1970s | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated when Wall retires completely. | [6] |
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | London | Live event | Came to All Star in 1982 with the title from Joint Promotions. No direct lineage to above Albert Wall splinter claim. | |
| 2 | Kendo Nagasaki | 1 | 1988 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | 1988 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Became undisputed champion after Joint Promotions' champion Singh joins All Star in 1989 and renounces his claim. | |
| 4 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 5 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | King's Lynn | Live event | ||
| 6 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 4 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Croydon | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated for undocumented reasons. | |
| 7 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Croydon | Live event | Defeated Marty Jones in a tournament final. | |
| 8 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1996 | [Note 1] | Croydon | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Upon Marty Jones' retirement | |
| 9 | Script error: No such module "sort". | 1 | circa 1998 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Claimed title by 1998 | |
| 10 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 2001 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Claiming title by 2001. Would later take the title to the Universal title tournament. | |
| 11 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Liverpool | Live event | Williams was still considered the Universal champion | |
| 12 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 13 | Script error: No such module "sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Croydon | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Sonic would relinquish the title to return to WWE's developmental promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling. | |
| 14 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | [Note 2] | Live event | Mason defeated Drew McDonald, Doug Williams, and Robbie Brookside in a 4-way elimination match to win the vacant title. | |
| 15 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Liverpool | Live event | [8] | |
| 16 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Liverpool | Live event | |||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated due to a knee injury. | |
| 17 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Hanley | Live event | Won 4-way elimination final of an 8-man tournament against James Mason, Doug Williams, and Karl Kramer. | |
| 18 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Hanley | Live event | ||
| 19 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Croydon | Live event | ||
| 20 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Hanley | Live event | ||
| 21 | Thunder (Darren Walsh) | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Croydon | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated due to a knee injury. | ; |
| 22 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | <Script error: No such module "age". | Croydon | Live event | Defeats James Mason in tournament final | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Stripped of title due to lack of defences. | ; |
| 23 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | <1 | Rhyl | Live event | Defeats James Mason in match for vacant title | |
| 24 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Rhyl | Live event | Earned title shot at new champion Robbie Dynamite after winning Money in the Bank earlier in the evening | |
| 25 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | New Brighton | Live event | ||
| 26 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Ipswich | Live event | ||
| 27 | Niwa | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Gravesend | Live event | Niwa returned to his native New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic, returning to the UK in 2022. He was excused from defending his title during this period. | |
| 28 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Telford | Live event | ||
| 28 | Mickey Long | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Gravesend | Live event |
Disputed Branch: The Wrestling Alliance 1999–2003
| No. | Champion | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Eventd | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | 1999 | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Recognised as champion by TWA | |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | ||
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Weymouth | Live event | ||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Following a controversial finish in the Starr/MacDonald rematch. | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Brookside was suspended and stripped of the belts-after sanctioning his own defences resulting in a breach of contract. | |
| 4 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Southampton | Live event | ||
| 5 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | 0 | Bognor Regis | FWA Champion, Williams defeated Justin Starr to win recognition by The Wrestling Alliance. | ||
| 6 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 2 | Template:Dts | Bognor Regis | ||||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Rumble match would be held the same night to declare new champion. | |
| 7 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 3 | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "age". | Exmouth | Live event | Won a royal rumble match to win the vacant championship | |
| 8 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | Weymouth | Live event | ||
| 9 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 4 | Template:Dts | Bristol | Live event | |||
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Championship vacated due to injury. | |
| 10 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | 1 | Template:Dts | [Note 1] | [Note 2] | Live event | Defeated James Mason for the vacant belt. | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | TWA's owner, Scott Conway would strip the title from Shane following his actions in a match against Jake "The Snake" Roberts. | |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Conway closes the company and emigrates to Thailand. |
Footnotes
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Universal British Heavyweight Championship
On 10 July 2002 All-Star's Champion, Doug Williams along with other top title holding wrestlers entered into a tournament to be recognised as Universal British Heavyweight Champion by The Wrestling Alliance, Frontier Wrestling Alliance, World Association of Wrestling, All Star Wrestling, and Premier Promotions. Doug Williams would first defeat the then-TWA British Heavyweight Champion, Justin Starr (though Starr would continue to be recognised as champion), before going on to defeat The Zebra Kid in a tournament final to become the Universal British Heavyweight Champion.
The Universal version of this title would not last long with all the promotions splitting out their British Heavyweight titles, but Williams continued to be recognised as the Universal British Heavyweight Champion.
See also
Script error: No such module "Portal".
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c Fighting Spirit Magazine issue 165, Greetings Grapple Fans column by John Lister on Wall & Davies, pp 66–69
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".