Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the wrestler has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
*
If used next to the names of the wrestlers, they may, in fact, not have held the title in the period indicated. If used next to the dates or places, either they are possibly wrong or the title changes are fictitious.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a wrestler held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
+
Broadcast date; the actual recording date is unknown.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the wrestler shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized in HTML files
Awarded after NWA World
Heavyweight champion Pat O'Connor fails to defend the title against
Gagne within 90-day period (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 60-08-03); one source says O'Connor is actually recognized as the first champion when AWA is formed in 60-05.
Wins via KO in the 3rd round; initially reported as a title change (Sunday World Herald, Omaha, NE, 64-05-03); also reported in Minneapolis that Gagne has been "kayoed in Omaha Satuday night" (The Minneapolis Star, 64-05-05); declared vacant by AWA president Stanley Blackburn on 64-05-05 due to the use of a "foreign object" by Vachon during the match (Sunday World Herald, Omaha, NE, 64-05-06).
Defeats Mad Dog Vachon via COR for the vacant title; Vachon pins Gagne with his feet on the rope and leaves the ring with the belt; the referee restarts the match and counts Vachon out.
Tim Woods defeats Vachon on 66-01-08 in Omaha, NE but the title is returned to Vachon after AWA president Stanley Blackburn reviews the match and declares it "no contest" on 66-01-14 since Woods's legs are on the rope while pinning Vachon during the final fall; Vachon defeats Woods on 66-01-14.
Awarded after Gagne retires (The Minneapolis Star, 81-05-20); Hulk Hogan defeats Bockwinkel on 82-04-18 in St. Paul, MN, with both parties using a foreign object during the match, and is declared as champion; Bockwinkel is awarded back by AWA President Stanley Blackburn on 82-04-24 due to the involvement of a foreign object during the match; Hulk Hogan defeats Bockwinkel on 82-04-18 in St. Paul, MN, but Bockwinkel is awareded the title back by AWA President Stanley Blackburn on 82-04-24 due to the involvement of a foreign object during the match.
Defeats Lawler in rematch; Hulk Hogan defeats Bockwinkle on 83-04-24 in Minneapolis, MN in a no DQ match; however, AWA President Stanley Blackburn, unable to disqualify Hogan for throwing Bockwinkle over the tope rope, strips Hogan of the title anyway and returns it to Bockwinkle right after the match.
