NWA World Middleweight Championship: Difference between revisions
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{{TitleHistoryLine|1|[[Gus Kallio]]|(awarded)|1939|n/a|<ref>a repint article in Lucha Libre (dated 1939-01-10) talks about Kallio defending the title against Gaona soon, says he's been champ seven years</ref>}} | {{TitleHistoryLine|1|[[Gus Kallio]]|(awarded)|1939|n/a|<ref>a repint article in Lucha Libre (dated 1939-01-10) talks about Kallio defending the title against Gaona soon, says he's been champ seven years</ref>}} | ||
{{TitleHistorySpan|national champion versus local champion; EMLL's entry into the NWA}} | {{TitleHistorySpan|national champion versus local champion; EMLL's entry into the NWA}} | ||
{{TitleHistoryLine|2|[[Octavio Gaona]]|[[Gus Kallio]]|[[1939]].[[ | {{TitleHistoryLine|2|[[Octavio Gaona]]|[[Gus Kallio]]|[[1939]].[[01.19]]|[[Mexico City]]}} | ||
{{TitleDefenseLine|1|[[Bobby Arreola]]|[[1939]].??.??|[[Mexico City]]}} | {{TitleDefenseLine|1|[[Bobby Arreola]]|[[1939]].??.??|[[Mexico City]]}} | ||
{{TitleHistoryLine|3|[[Tarzan Lopez]]|[[Octavio Gaona]]|[[ | {{TitleHistoryLine|3|[[Tarzan Lopez]]|[[Octavio Gaona]]|[[1939]].[[02.09]]|[[Mexico City]]}} | ||
{{TitleDefenseLine|1|[[John Nemenic]]|[[1940]].[[09.12]]|[[Arena Modelo]]|}} | {{TitleDefenseLine|1|[[John Nemenic]]|[[1940]].[[09.12]]|[[Arena Modelo]]|}} | ||
{{TitleHistoryLine|4|[[Black Guzman]]|[[Tarzan Lopez]]|[[1941]].[[12.16]]|[[Mexico City]]}} | {{TitleHistoryLine|4|[[Black Guzman]]|[[Tarzan Lopez]]|[[1941]].[[12.16]]|[[Mexico City]]}} | ||
Revision as of 20:20, 27 November 2023
Current Champion
 Averno, 85th Champion |
El Averno was the 85th champion, having won it on November 30, 2007 in Arena Mexico. The championship is current inactive.
History of Championship
The NWA World Middleweight Championship dated back to the early 1920s. The NWA name only existed to establish it as a world championship; since the 30s, it has been property of EMLL (much later CMLL.) It's one of the oldest active wrestling championships in the world.
Corazon de Leon won the championship on December 7, 1993 by defeating Mano Negra. Negra had defeated Bestia Salvaje in a hair match the night prior, but suffered an ankle injury during the match. Leon attacked the hurt ankle, beating Negra in the same straight falls via anklelock. This would be the last time this title would change hands in a CMLL ring for over a decade.
For most of it's existence, the NWA World Middleweight Championship been held by Mexican wrestlers and defended in Mexico. In 1994, the title was sold to Ultimo Dragon, who brought it to Japan to be defended first by himself, and later as a championship belt for his promotions. When Ultimo Dragon left Japan to join WWE in 2003, he sold the belt back to CMLL. CMLL did nothing with it for a year, before doing a decision match with no particular build up.
On 01/01/05, Mistico beat Averno for the NWA World Middleweight Championship, using it as a launch point for his rise to the top of the promotion. Mistico winning was not an upset, but it signaled his transition from a momentarily favored young wrestler to a new permanent star. The match was well received, and the two met many times the rest of the year in rematches of the initial title match (which has never been shown on television.)
Black Warrior won the belt from Mistico, as part of the lead up to their mask match, and to provide big rematches after Mistico won the mask. Mistico was finally able to get the belt back on Kid's Day, 2007.
Averno won the belt back from Mistico in November of 2007. Despite holding the belt for almost 3 years, defenses were rare and the championship was rarely considered.
On August 12, 2010, CMLL announced a change with the NWA group of championships. The current physical title belts were all retired, replaced by newly belts with a different design. The old belts are now part of CMLL's mobile museum, though copies of them have turned up elsewhere.
CMLL referred to the new championships as the CMLL Historic Championships and said the former NWA champions would be the first champions of the new belts. Outside not getting the physical belt back, that appeared to satisfy the NWA's complaints about using their trademarks. However, since within weeks of that press conference, CMLL had changed course. The championships were referred to as NWA World Historic Championships.
This title has not been revived by NWA Mexico.
Champions Listing
Sources:
- ↑ a repint article in Lucha Libre (dated 1939-01-10) talks about Kallio defending the title against Gaona soon, says he's been champ seven years
- ↑ Lucha Libre 19
- ↑ Matt Farmer, title for title for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship
- ↑ CMLL
- ↑ Lucha Libre 338
- ↑ Halcon 44
- ↑ Punk 58 has this as September 28?
- ↑ Lucha Libre 309, Box y Lucha 215A, Box y Lucha 234A, Box y Lucha 250A
- ↑ Box y Lucha 237A, location unconfirmed
- ↑ Matt Farmer
- ↑ Box y Lucha 243A
- ↑ Lucha Libre 310
- ↑ Lucha Libre 310
- ↑ Lucha Libre 101
- ↑ Lucha Libre 310, Box y Lucha 980 (Santo title history)
- ↑ El Informador 1954-09-12
- ↑ SL
- ↑ Lucha Libre 149
- ↑ Rolando Vera defeated El Santo in Arena Coliseo Monterrey on 1956.08.19 with no controversy. Box y Lucha 236A lists a #1 contenders tournament on the 1956.09.28 Arena Mexico show. That becomes a normal tournament by the time it happens. The Box y Lucha 237A publishes a letter from the NWA declaring the 10.06 match invalid because the NWA had not approved Vera as a challenger, restoring the title to Santo and naming Vera as now the #1 contender. Santo refused to take the title back, and insisted he would not participate in a tournament for a vacant title - he would only accept a singles match with Vera to decide the championship.
- ↑ Lucha Libre 310
- ↑ SuperLuchas
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 869
- ↑ El Informador 1957-09-15
- ↑ El Informador 1959-07-19
- ↑ Lucha Libre 496 lists the date but not the location. Box y Lucha 985 'do you remember' column claims this was in Arena Mexico.
- ↑ Arena 193
- ↑ Lucha Libre 125
- ↑ previously listed as 1962.04.18, which cannot be accurate given the correct date for the previous title change; Lucha Libre 496 says 1962.04.03, which also seems wrong. Box y Lucha 951, recapping the 1960s, also has the 1962.04.30 date
- ↑ Lucha Libre 166
- ↑ Lucha Libre 28 lists May 1 (not May 30th) as the title match, though does not list a result
- ↑ Lucha Libre 36, Superluchas
- ↑ Lucha Libre 48 - no date is specified, but possibly the 7th
- ↑ Lucha Libre 50
- ↑ Lucha Libre 59, may be off a week
- ↑ Lucha Libre 76
- ↑ Lucha Libre 93, date could be off a week
- ↑ Lucha Libre 94
- ↑ Lucha Libre 103
- ↑ Lucha Libre 104
- ↑ Lucha Libre 107
- ↑ Lucha Libre 120
- ↑ Lucha Libre 167; Lucha Libre 311 also has the date and specifies it was in Arena Coliseo Monterrey
- ↑ SuperLuchas
- ↑ Lucha Libre 152
- ↑ Lucha Libre 311; Lucha Libre 157 has it as 10.10
- ↑ Lucha Libre 158
- ↑ Lucha Libre 165; Guajardo first won by DQ, match was restarted, Guajarado won agian
- ↑ Lucha Libre 220; 170 seems to imply a 01.12 date
- ↑ SuperLuchas - previously listed as 03.11
- ↑ Lucha Libre 220
- ↑ Lucha Libre 202
- ↑ Date listed as 07.29 previously, Lucha Libre 205 has it as September
- ↑ SuperLuchas
- ↑ Lucha Libre 220
- ↑ El Siglo de Torreon 1968-04-41
- ↑ Lucha Libre 311
- ↑ Lucha Libre 311
- ↑ Lucha Libre 311; likely in Arena Coliseo Monterrey
- ↑ DJ Spectro, Lucha Libre 311; win by DQ
- ↑ Lucha Libre 289
- ↑ El Informador 1969-07-06
- ↑ SuperLuchas
- ↑ Lucha Libre 305
- ↑ El Informador 1969-10-05
- ↑ Lucha Libre 351 lists this location, but match isn't listed on the poster for this date
- ↑ Box y Lucha 932
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Box y Lucha 929
- ↑ Box y Lucha 937
- ↑ DJ Spectro
- ↑ Box y Lucha 955, Box y Lucha 956
- ↑ CMLL
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1052, Halcon 29
- ↑ Halcon 44, Halcon 63
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1071, Halcon 42, Halcon 43
- ↑ Halcon 43
- ↑ Halcon 63; match went to a draw
- ↑ Matt Farmer; Guajardo quits EMLL in April 1974 to start a rival promotion but attempts to continue defending this title following the precedent of Gori Guerrero a decade prior with the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship. A Guajardo defense on July 5th in Monterrey leads to NWA stripping the title 12 days later. Guajardo continues defending the belt until the introduction of the UWA championships
- ↑ Matt Farmer, Halcon 117
- ↑ SuperLuchas
- ↑ Halcon 159
- ↑ Halcon 159
- ↑ Arena Box y Lucha 719
- ↑ Halcon 161
- ↑ Halcon 167
- ↑ Matt Farmer, Punch 58
- ↑ Informador 1975-10-12, Halcon 173
- ↑ The Gladiatores
- ↑ Halcon 181
- ↑ El Informador 1976-02-08
- ↑ Halcon 192
- ↑ a draw, DJ Spectro
- ↑ Halcon 201
- ↑ Luchas 2000 668, Punch 87, Halcon 201
- ↑ El Informador 1976-05-23
- ↑ Punch 95
- ↑ Matt Farmer
- ↑ El Informador 1976-11-14
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1260
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1262
- ↑ El Informador 1976-12-26
- ↑ Halcon 242, Halcon 245
- ↑ Halcon 245
- ↑ Halcon 248
- ↑ El Informador 1977-04-10, Mendoza apparently beat Adorable Rubi the previous shot to win a title shot.
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1280
- ↑ Halcon 257
- ↑ El Informador 1977-05-15, Halcon 257
- ↑ El Informador 1977-06-05
- ↑ El Informador 1977-07-03 lists title match, Halcon 265 confirms title change
- ↑ Halcon 271
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1301
- ↑ Halcon 278
- ↑ Halcon 278
- ↑ El Informador 1977-11-06
- ↑ Halcon 286; date is a guess
- ↑ SuperLuchas; previously listed as 11/25]
- ↑ LA Times
- ↑ 119.0 119.1 119.2 119.3 119.4 119.5 119.6 Halcon 347
- ↑ Arena 1021
- ↑ Halcon 347, El Informador 1978-05-28
- ↑ Matt Farmer
- ↑ previously listed as 08.13. Listed as a title match with Ringo defending on the lineup, title change date not confirmed
- ↑ Halcon 347, Box Y Lucha 1347
- ↑ Matt Farmer, Arena 1048
- ↑ El Informador 1978-10-08
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1373
- ↑ SuperLuchas
- ↑ Lucha Libre 800
- ↑ Cronicas Y Leyendas de Lucha Libre
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1394
- ↑ Matt Farmer
- ↑ El Informador 1979-09-09
- ↑ Cronicas Y Leyendas, Box Y Lucha 1214
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1404
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1406
- ↑ El Informador 1979-11-04
- ↑ Matt Farmer
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1420
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1426
- ↑ ricardo aguilar hidalgo
- ↑ Halcon 404
- ↑ El Informador 1980-04-27; this had been listed as 04.17 in Monterrey, but the poster for 04.27 indicates Satanico is still champion
- ↑ El Informador 1980-05-18
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1437
- ↑ Arena 1142, Box Y Lucha
- ↑ El Informador 1980-07-13
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1448
- ↑ El Informador 1980-09-07
- ↑ a draw; Arena 1154, Box Y Lucha 1455, Box Y Lucha 1456, Lucha Libre 874
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1457, Box y Lucha 1458
- ↑ Arena 1161, Box y Lucha 1462, Box y Lucha 1463
- ↑ Arena 1161, Box y Lucha 1463, Box y Lucha 1464
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1466, Box y Lucha 1467
- ↑ Halcon 457
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1480
- ↑ Halcon 465
- ↑ ricardo aguilar hidalgo @ box y lucha, Box y Lucha 1485
- ↑ luchablog photolog (2013-09-16 00.26.32)
- ↑ KO 1459, Lucha Libre 913
- ↑ Halcon 483, KO 1459
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1496, Halcon 483
- ↑ El Informador 1981-08-16
- ↑ Box y Lucha
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1516, El Informador 1981-11-29
- ↑ KO 1485
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1524
- ↑ El Informador 1982-02-14
- ↑ luchablog photolog (20130915_234949)
- ↑ Halcon Mensual 8
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1552, Box y Lucha 1553
- ↑ Matt Farmer, Box y Lucha 1560
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1564, Box y Lucha 1565
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1573, Box y Lucha 1574
- ↑ Lucha Libre 997
- ↑ El Informador 1983-02-20
- ↑ Cronicas y Leyendas, Box y Lucha 1586
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1587, Box y Lucha 1588
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1588
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1592, Box y Lucha 1593, Matt Farmer
- ↑ El Siglo de Torreon, Halcon 583
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1600, Box y Lucha 1601
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1605, Box y Lucha 1606
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1606, Matt Farmer
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1608, Box y Lucha 1609
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1619
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1620, Box y Lucha 1621
- ↑ Arena 1325
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1627
- ↑ Matt Farmer, Box y Lucha 1630
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1633
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1634, Box y Lucha 1635
- ↑ Matt Farmer, Box y Lucha 1644
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1648
- ↑ Halcon 638
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1652, Box y Lucha 1653
- ↑ Arena 1361, Box y Lucha 1656
- ↑ Combates 468, El Informador 1984-09-30
- ↑ y Lucha 1665
- ↑ SuperLuchas, Box y Lucha 1669, Box y Lucha 1670
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1683
- ↑ Arena 1389, Arena 1390, DJ Spectro, KO 1655, luchablog photolog (2013-09-16 02.41.47), luchablog photolog (20130916_000946), Matt Farmer, RB
- ↑ Arena 1390, Arena 1391, Matt Farmer
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1687
- ↑ [Box y Lucha 1706
- ↑ Matt Farmer
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1725
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1730
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1738
- ↑ Box Y Lucha 1746
- ↑ El Informador 1986-07-13
- ↑ Matt Farmer, Box y Lucha 1756
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1756
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1758, KO 1729
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1764, RB
- ↑ luchablog photolog (20130916_021147)
- ↑ Box y Lucha, RL
- ↑ Miguel Reducindo
- ↑ Halcon 801
- ↑ luchablog photolog (2013-09-16 03.25.29), Box y Lucha 1814
- ↑ KO 1804, KO 1805, luchablog photolog (2013-09-16 02.02.31)
- ↑ KO 1804
- ↑ Box y Lucha
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1867, Halcon 860
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1867
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1883
- ↑ WON 1989-05-15
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1894
- ↑ luchablog photolog (2013-09-17 17.30.41)
- ↑ Halcon 924, Halcon 925, RB, WON 1990-01-22
- ↑ SuperLuchas
- ↑ WON 1990-07-16
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1958
- ↑ RB, WON 1990-10-29
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1970, WON 1990-11-12
- ↑ Box y Lucha 1984
- ↑ Halcon 986
- ↑ Box y Lucah 2018
- ↑ Box y Lucha 2022
- ↑ billed as Atlantis' 33rd defense
- ↑ billed as Atlantis' 35th defense, Lucha Libre Weekly 19
- ↑ billed as Atlantis' 36th defense - Lucha Libre Weekly #26
- ↑ billed as Atlantis' 38th defense, Lucha Libre Weekly #26
- ↑ billed as Atlantis' potential 42nd defense
- ↑ WON 2000-12-18, a match for western Canada promotion ECCW, city not listed
- ↑ WON 2000-12-18
Rene Guajardo & Anibal branch
Guajardo left EMLL in 1974 to work as an independent, a decision that would eventually lead to LLI. Guajardo was NWA Middleweight Championship at the time, though the championship had basically become an in-house EMLL title. Guajardo, following the precedent set by Gori Guerrero over the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship a decade prior, declared only the NWA could decide when he was no longer champion and kept the physical belt. He proceeded to defend the championship against fellow recent EMLL departure El Solitario multiple times. The NWA eventually ruled Guajardo invalidated his claim on the NWA championship by defending the belt on non-NWA shows. That ruling means Guajardo technically vacated the championship by accepting the first defense on July 5th, though he continued to promote champion until a January 29, 1975 'unification' match.
NWA authorized EMLL to hold a tournament to determine a new champion. Anibal won the vacant championship on September 20, 1974. He was given a new championship belt, Guajardo still holding on to the previous one. Anibal himself quit EMLL around January 24, 1975, signing with Promociones Mora to immediately face Guajarado in a "champion" versus "champion". Like Guajardo, Anibal held onto the belt and proclaimed himself still champion. The precedent set with Guajardo meant Anibal was automatically stripped for the 'unification' match, and it is not considered an official defense. (The reality was the show drew an estimated 21,000 fans to see who was the real champion.) Anibal defeated Guajardo by disqualification when Guajardo knocked out Anibal with an illegal punch.
Guajardo didn't honor that as a title change due to the finish and defended it once more before losing the title in Monterrey two months later. Guajardo later regained it in October.
Despite losing, Rene Guajardo would again defend his version of the title again on March 3rd against Dory Dixon in Ciudad Juarez.
| # | Champion(s) | Defeated | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Rene Guajardo | ||||
| - | El Solitario | 1974.07.05 | Plaza de Monumental, Monterey, Nuevo Leon | [1] | |
| - | El Solitario | 1974.07.?? | Nuevo Laredo | [2] | |
| - | El Solitario | 1974.11.10 | Arena Lopez Mateos | [3] | |
| - | El Solitario | 1974.11.20 | Tampico | [4] | |
| "unification" match with Anibal's claim | |||||
| DQ LOSS | Anibal | 1975.01.29 | Palacio de los Deportes, Iztacalco, Distrito Federal | [5] | |
| - | Dory Dixon | 1975.03.03 | Ciudad Juarez | ||
| 2nd "unification" match with Anibal's claim | |||||
| - | Anibal | Rene Guajardo | 1975.03.21 | Plaza de Toros La Monumental, Monterrey, Nuevo León | [6] |
| - | El Vikingo | 1975.04.27 | Ciudad Juarez | [7] | |
| - | Ángel Blanco | 1975.05.18 | Arena KO | [8] | |
| - | Cesar Valentino | 1975.10.09 | Xalapa | [9] | |
| - | León Negro | 1975.10.12 | Neza | [10] | |
| - | Rene Guajardo | Anibal | 1975.10.19 | Plaza de Toros La Monumental, Monterrey, Nuevo León | [11] |
| title change | |||||
| successful title defense | |||||
| championship matches which were announced, but results were not found | |||||
Sources:
The UWA World Middleweight Championship was announced soon after the last title change, supplanting the role for this unrecognized championship. Guajardo would again beat Anibal (though by countout), implicitly carrying the lineage of this championship into the new title.
Gallery of Champions
 Gus Kallio, 1st Champion |
 Tarzan Lopez, 3rd, 5th, 8th & 11th Champion |
 Gory Guerrero, 6th Champion |
 Sugi Sito, 9th & 12th Champion |
 Enrique Llanes, 10th Champion |
 El Santo, 13th Champion |
 Rolando Vera, 14th Champion |
 Rene Guajardo, 15th, 17th, 21st, 23th, 25th & 31st champion |
 Antonio Posa, 16th Champion |
 Rayo de Jalisco, 18th, 20th & 27th Champion |
 Benny Galant, 19th Champion |
 Jerry London, 22nd Champion |
 Ray Mendoza, 24th Champion |
 El Solitario, 28th Champion |
 Masio Koma, 29th Champion |
 Anibal, as 30th Champion |
 Anibal, as 32st Champion |
 Perro Aguayo, 33rd, 35th & 40th Champion |
 El Faraon, 34th, 38th & 51st Champion |
 Ringo Mendoza, 36th, 39th, 41st, 43rd & 50th Champion |
 Joe Palardy, 37th Champion |
 Tony Salazar, 42nd & 48th Champion |
 Satoru Sayama, 44th Champion |
 Satanico, 45th, 53rd, 55th, 57th & 59th Champion |
 Cachorro Mendoza, 46th Champion |
 Sangre Chicana, 47th & 49th Champion |
 Cesar Curiel, 52nd Champion |
 El Jalisco, 54th Champion |
 Lizmark, 56th Champion |
 Gran Cochisse, 58th, 60th & 64th Champion |
 Gran Hamada, 61st Champion |
 Chamaco Valaguez, 63rd Champion |
 Kung Fu, 65th & 67th Champion |
 El Dandy, 66th & 73rd Champion |
 Atlantis, 68th, 70th & 74th Champion |
 Emilio Charles Jr., 69th & 71st Champion |
 Angel Azteca, 72nd Champion |
 Mano Negra, 75th & 77th Champion |
 Oro, 76th Champion |
 Corazon De Leon, 78th Champion |
 Ultimo Dragon, 79th & 81st Champion |
 The Great Sasuke, 80th Champion |
 El Averno, as 82nd Champion |
 Mistico, 83rd & 85th Champion |
 Black Warrior, 84td Champion |
 Mistico, as 85th Champion |
 El Averno, as 86th Champion, with old belt |
Gallery of Title Belts
Sources
| V | National Wrestling Alliance Championships (with lucha libre history) | E |
|---|---|---|
| World Welter (Akantus), NWA-Mexico: Mexico Light (Skayde), Mexico Welter (Vaquero Fantasma) | ||
| Dragon Gym: International Junior Heavy (Último Dragón) | ||
| Defunct: Middle, Light Heavy, Americas Tag | ||
| Reference: Jr. Heavy, Heavy | ||
| CMLL established titles: Historic Welter (Volador Jr.), Historic Middle (Carístico), Historic LH (Stuka Jr.) | ||
