1990s

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World Champions at the Beginning of the Decade:

* Italicized letters indicate that the title is billed as an NWA title but not officially recognized by the head office.

  • Heavyweight: Ric Flair
  • Junior Heavyweight: vacant
  • Light Heavyweight: Pirata Morgan
  • Middleweight: Emilio Charles Jr.
  • Welterweight: Fuerza Guerrera
  • Women: Debbie Combs
  • Tag Team: Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner
  • Television: Great Muta

1990

02-04 Orlando, FL
“Whipper” Billy Watson, former world heavyweight champion, passes away.

08-16 St. Louis, MO
Pat O’Connor, former world heavyweight champion, passes away.

11
It is reported that the NWA board, consisting of Jim Crockett Jr. (Dallas, TX), Don Owen (Portland, OR), Elliot Murnick (Raleigh, NC), Steve Rickard (New Zealand), Fred Ward (Macon, GA), and Shohei Baba (Japan), is considering a legal action against WCW over the usage of the NWA name without ever applying for membership.

1991

01
In spite of having officially joined the NWA, WCW stops using the NWA name but continues to recognize the titles as WCW championships.

03-21 Tōkyō, Japan
IWGP heavyweight champion Tatsumi Fujinami defeats Ric Flair in a double title match in front of 64,500 fans, which is the largest audience for the NWA world heavyweight title. At the Tōkyō Egg Dome, Flair is announced as the NWA world heavyweight champion although he is billed as WCW champion during the PPV broadcasting in the United States. Due to a controversy during the match, WCW and Flair make a complaint and take the belt back home while Fujinami is billed as the new NWA world champion in Japan.

05-19 St. Petersburg, FL
Ric Flair defeats Tatsumi Fujinami on to settle the dispute over the world heavyweight title. As a result, Fujinami is not recognized as a former WCW champion although NWA would later recognize his reign.

07-01
Ric Flair is fired by WCW and stripped of WCW world heavyweight title. NWA continues to recognize Flair as the champion for two months.

09-08
Ric Flair is stripped of NWA world heavyweight title upon signing with the World Wrestling Federation. The title is vacant for the first time since the NWA is formed in 1948. Along with the Flair-Fujinami dispute from earlier in the year, this makes it apparent that NWA and WCW heavyweight titles are not one and the same. Later in the month, WCW vice president Jim Herd is named the NWA president.

1992

01-08
Jim Herd, WCW vice president and NWA president, resigns from WCW.

03
Tournaments for the vacant NWA world heavyweight and tag team titles are announced. Seiji Sakaguchi, president of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, becomes the NWA president around this time.

05-30
Don Owen (Portland, OR), a member since 1951-09, announces his retirement. Owen closes his promotion in July.

06-16 & 07-12
A 16-team tournament for the vacant NWA world tag team title is held. Terry Gordy & Steve Williams, WCW champions, defeat Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham in the final at Civic Center in Albany, GA to become the double champions.

07-14 Alvin, TX
Danny McShain, former world junior heavyweight champion, passes away.

08-06 ~ 12 Tōkyō, Japan
New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s 2nd annual G1 Climax is held as a 16-man elimination tournament in conjunction with WCW for the vacant NWA world heavyweight title. Masahiro Chōno defeats Rick Rude in the final at Ryōgoku Kokugikan.

11
Dennis Coralluzzo of New Jersey joins the NWA.

1993

01-23 Philadelphia, PA
The New Jersey-based World Wrestling Association, headed by Larry Sharpe and NWA member Dennis Coralluzzo, and Eastern Championship Wrestling hold a joint card.

02-21 Asheville, NC
Barry Windham defeats the Great Muta to win the NWA world heavyweight title. Soon after, Seiji Sakaugchi resigns as the NWA president, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling withdraws from the organization.

05-23 Atlanta, GA
WCW holds the first ever induction ceremony for its Hall of Fame during the PPV event “Slamboree”. Lou Thesz, Verne Gagne, Mr. Wrestling II, and Eddie Graham are inducted.

07-07 ~ 10 Orlando, FL
WCW holds the taping for four month worth of its weekly television program, exposing the results of upcoming PPVs. Barry Windham is scheduled to defend NWA world heavyweight title on 07-18; however, Flair appears as NWA champion on the 08-28 episode. WCW also introduces Rick Rude as the new NWA champion for the 10-09 episode. Both title changes take place without the approval from the NWA. By late August, WCW withdraws its membership from the NWA. Flair’s title is later billed as “WCW International” world heavyweight title.

09-03 Las Vegas, NV
The annual convention is held. A 3-man executive committee, consisting of Jim Crockett Jr. (Dallas, TX), Steve Rickard (New Zealand), and Dennis Coralluzzo (New Jersey), replaces the position of the president. Tod Gordon (Eastern Championship Wrestling) is accepted as a new member.

09-18 Philadelphia, PA
Paul E. Dangerously (Paul Heyman) debuts as the booker for NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling at “Ultra Clash ’93”. The card includes the former world heavyweight champion Terry Funk teaming with longtime rival Stan Hansen to face Abdullah the Butcher and Kevin Sullivan.

11-01 Des Moines, IA
Pinkie George, founder of the NWA, passes away.

1994

08-27 Phiadelphia, PA
NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling holds the tournament for the vacant NWA world heavyweight title. Shane Douglas, who holds ECW heavyweight title, defeats Too Cold Scorpio in the final. However, Douglas makes disrespectful comments against the NWA and the past champions after the match, throws the belt down, and declares himself the new Extreme Championships Wrestling world champion. The NWA title is again vacant, and ECW soon withdraws from the NWA.

10-29 Dallas, TX
Jim Crockett Promotions start running the weekly card at the Sportatorium under the NWA banner.

11-19 Cherry Hill, NJ
Dennis Coralluzzo stages a tournament for the vacant world heavyweight title. Chris Candido defeats Tracy Smothers in the final to win the title. The annual convention is also held in Cherry Hill during the same weekend with Coralluzzo, Steve Rickard (New Zealand), Bob Trobich (secretary and legal counselor), and the newest member Howard Brody (Florida). Jim Crockett Jr. (Texas) does not show up and is eventually expelled from the organization due to the lack of the annual due payment. Rickard holds the proxies for his son Tony (Hawaii) and Larry O’Dea (Australia). Once again, no president is elected.

1995

02-24 Erlanger, KY
During a Smoky Mountain Wrestling card, Dan Severn defeats Chris Candido to win the world heavyweight title.

04-07 Charlotte, NC
Dan Severn wins the Ultimate Fighting Championship V. Throughout the tournament, he is introduced as the NWA heavyweight champion.

04-25 Dallas, TX
JCP runs its last Sportatorium card, followed by the show in Wichita Fallas, TX on 05-05 to conclude Jim Crockett Jr.’s 22-year career as a promoter.

1996

02-03 Cherry Hill, NJ
The first annual “Eddie Gilbert Memorial Brawl” is held. Dan Severn beats Al Snow to retain the world heavyweight title. Doug Gilbert pins Jerry Lawler. Tommy Gilbert wrestles Dory Funk Jr. to a 20-minute draw.

??-?? Tampa, FL
At the annual meeting, Howard Brody (Florida) replaces Steve Rickard (New Zealand) as the president.

1997

09-10 Lake Dallas, TX
Jack Adkisson (Fritz Von Erich), former NWA president, passes away.

10-05 St. Louis, MO
WWF holds an in-ring ceremony at the Kiel Center for the NWA legends including Sam Muchnick, Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski, Jack Brisco, Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, and Harley Race.

12-30 New Haven, CT
NWA president Howard Brody and Dennis Coralluzzo, billed as the Executive Vice President, are introduced during WWF’s Monday Night Raw taping. Jeff Jarrett defeats former world heavyweight champion Barry Windham to win the vacant NWA North American heavyweight title.

1998

01
After WWF Monday Night Raw featuring the NWA is aired on 01-05, various promoters start inquiring for the membership. Among the new members, the most notable are Danny Davis (Ohio Valley Wrestling based in Louisville, KY) and Bert Prentice (Music City Wrestling in Nashville, TN).

01-12
Rock’n’Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) are awarded the NWA world tag team title and make their WWF debut on 02-03 at Evansville, IN for a “Shotgun Saturday Night” taping.

01-28
Pro Wrestling Organization, LLC is incorporated. The trademarks and other assets owned by the National Wrestling Alliance, Inc., an Iowa-based non-profit organization, are transferred to the new company headed by Howard Brody (Florida) who has served as the NWA president since 1996. National Wrestling Alliance, Inc. would be officially dissolved on 2001-01-23, fifty years after the incorporation.

10-24 Cherry Hill, NJ
The NWA 50th anniversary show is held in conjunction with the annual Cauliflower Alley Club event. Dan Severn defeats Steven Regal to retain his world heavyweight title, and The Brotherhood (Knuckles Nelson & Eric Sbraccia) win the world tag team title by winning a 4-corners match against the champions Border Patrol (Agent Carson & Agent Gunn), Tully Blanchard & Tom Prichard, and Team Extreme (Kit Carson & Khris Germany). Former world heavyweight champion Lou Thesz was given the Iron Mike Mazurki Award by CAC. Other honorees include Severn, Harley Race, Danny Hodge, Freddie Blassie, Killer Kowalski, Dory Funk Jr., and Gordon Solie.

12-30 St. Louis, MO
Sam Muchnick, long time NWA president, passes away.

1999

01-31 Tōkyō, Japan
Shōhei Baba (Giant Baba), former world heavyweight champion and NWA first vice president, passes away.

05-21 McKeesport, PA
World heavyweight champion Naoya Ogawa misses his title defense against Brian Anthony when his flight to Pittsburgh is delayed due to mechanical issues. Jim Miller of Pro Wrestling Xpress books a match between Anthony and a local wrestler Lucifer Grimm pretending to be Ogawa for the “vacant” world heavyweight title. Anthony wins and is billed as the champion by PWX through the summer.

09-25 Charlotte, NC
The annual meeting and 51st anniversary show are held. Gary Steele defeats the champion Naoya Ogawa and Brian Anthony, who is billed as the world champion in Pennsylvania, in a 3-way match to end the dispute. Ogawa regains the title in Thomaston, CT a week later.

12
Dennis Coralluzzo, a New Jersey member since 1992, is removed from the NWA due to the lack of membership fee payment.

Champions at the End of the Decade:

* World and board-controlled titles only. Italicized letters indicate that the title is billed as an NWA title but not officially recognized by the head office.

  • World Heavyweight: Naoya Ogawa
  • World Junior Heavyweight: Vince Kaplack
  • World Light Heavyweight: Black Warrior
  • World Middleweight: The Great Sasuke
  • World Welterweight: Jūdō Suwa
  • World Tag Team: Team Extreme (Kit Carson & Khris Germany)
  • North American Heavyweight: Mike Rapada
  • North American Tag Team: New South (Ashley Hudson & Cory Williams)
  • National (U.S.) Heavyweight: Doug Gilbert
  • Canadian Heavyweight: Crusher Carlsen
  • Canadian Junior Heavyweight: Tony Kozina
  • Canadian Tag Team: Michelle Starr & Crusher Carlsen

1980s << | >> 2000s

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