NWA World Heavyweight Championship - Who do you think of?

[The Crock]

NWA Championship​

It's been a while guys, but the thread series is back. Today I'll be covering the NWA Championship. This may be the oldest championship still around. Its lineage is traced back to the first World Heavyweight Championship around the time of Georg Hackenschmidt and Frank Gotch. The title has been competed for in WCW, TNA, and ECW, but was always called the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The first ever champion under the NWA banner was Orville Brown who won it on January 5, 1948. It was held by many greats throughout the years, Harley Race, Ric Flair, Lou Thesz, and Dory Funk Jr. All those guys definitely elevated the title to a whole other level, they made it be respected and revered in a way. If I had to decide who the guy I think of is, it's a pretty easy choice:

Lou Thesz​

Thesz just really represents this belt to me. He had 3 reigns which are officially recognized by NWA, 6 total, and he held it for a combined 3,749 days, ten years, three months and nine days, which happens to be the record. Sure a guy like Flair, Funk, or even Race could get this nod, but I just think Thesz takes it easily. Thesz WAS wrestling, he pretty much lived for it. The man cared about this belt, he carried it with pride. He revolutionized wrestling, he invented many moves and was the only male wrestler to ever wrestle in 7 different, consecutive decades. Thesz is the only guy in my eyes who deserves this honor.

 

[Brahma Bull]

It asks who we think of, and to me its flair. The guy held the title so much and his popularity is far greater than lou thesz. I didnt know who lou was till i started reading these forums. Thats not to say that lou wasnt the greatest and didnt revolutionize wrestling. He obviously did since everyone still talks about him and what he did. but in terms of popularity, and making the nwa a household name, almost, it has to be flair.

 

[TerryFunkU]

Quote the Raven Nevermore. 2005 Ravens NWA-TNA title run. It was great. How he won the belt, king of the mountain. Great title defences. Great feuds. Raven looked the best with the belt IMO

 

[Simmo]

given I grew up watching wrestling in the 80's I would have ot go with Flair.

Aside from the weekly WWE (then WWF) show we would get here in Oz, there were always tours from NWA and other promotions where the NWA champ always defended the title and it always seemed to be Ric Flair...

 

[Snap Suplex]

Great thread-I think of Ric Flair when I hear NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. I understand why (especially some really old school guys) would say Lou Thesz, and you can't argue with his stats if you are talking about one of the greatest NWA champs of all time.

I say Flair because I first got into wrestling in the late 80s, and Flair was THE MAN in the NWA at the time. I remember seeing epic matches like the 45 minute draw with Sting not to mention his classic bouts with Funk, Muta, Luger, and Steamboat around that time. And the guy could cut heel promos like no other and had the smarts, wrestling ability, and the Four Horsemen to back him up.

 

[wrestling fan 666]

Three come to mind right away. The countdown is #3) Dusty Rhodes, he brought the "every man's" dream come true when he won. He's not the most technical, but he had the charisma. Next is #2) Harley Race; this guy was the toughest, meanest, champion that ever won the belt. He brought prestige to the belt; along with defending it against other champions (WWF, AWA). Finally, the #1) and deservingly so; Ric Flair. He had "IT"; the technical skills, the charisma, and the look of what a champion should look like. When I started getting into wrestling, he was the man. He personified what a world champion should be. He wrestled in foreign countries defeating their best guys; all the while making their territories look good by occasionally "losing" to their top guys to help them grow. The "high flying, limousine riding, son of gun" is the perfect model of what the champ should be.

 

[mvalley]

Not trying to steal the exact pics of the above poster but...

1. Ric Flair - He was the embodiment of the NWA.

2. Harvey Race - The stories of Race's actions in and out of the ring are legendary. One of the few guys I never heard a bad word about but heard lots of words of respect.

3. Dusty Rhodes - When you think of old school and you think of the NWA, Dusty quickly comes to mind. He shows how important charisma is for a wrestler.

4. Terry Funk - Much like Race, Funk has nothing but respect from his peers. An excellent champion, and an excellent wrestler.

 

[realoldskoolfan]

please bring back more old school titles for this series.

for me, its Flair. nothing to add here. he was is and always will be THE MAN.

other favorites of mine are Thesz, Race, and Dory Funk Jr. oh and Jack Brisco.

 

[King Patrick Star]

When I think of the NWA Championship, the Wrestlers that come to mind are Orville Brown for being the first NWA Champion, Ric Flair for winning the NWA Title 10 times, and Lou Thesz for holding the Title for a combined 3,749 days. I do think about the NWA Title more than the WCW International Title, but that’s not saying much.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

It has to be Ric Flair

After reading his excellent autiobiography, and learning about the history of the man, I automatically link him with the NWA belt, far more than with the WCW title. He had more charisma in 1 little finger than most wrestlers do in their whole body, and his whole image with the suits, sunglasses, non stop partying etc epitomised success and a CHAMPION.

Flair carried the belt like a true WORLD champion, fighting all over the world, 7 days a week, sometimes even 2 60 minute matches on the same day. For me, Ric Flair is, and always will be, one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time

 

[Disturbed]

I am going with " The Nature Boy " Ric Flair on this one. Whenever I think of NWA in general, I think of Ric Flair. Hell, whenever I think of wrestling in general, I think of RIc Flair. He is a 16 time world champion. Woooo! He had it all, the mic skills and in ring skills to be on the top of the mountain (space mountain that is.) Then when NWA launched onto the scena as WCW, he was still the main guy and carried the title many times. He even took the title to WWE . He had so many great matches in the NWA with Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Lex Luger, Sting, and so on. That is why when I think of NWA, I think of the legendary, Ric Flair.