NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version)

The Calgary version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship was established in 1946, and became the top championship in Stampede Wrestling when that promotion opened in 1948; it held that status until 1972, when the title was vacated and later abandoned after the last champion, Dave Ruhl, was injured.[1]

NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary)
Original version of the championship belt
Details
PromotionStampede Wrestling
Date establishedNovember 1, 1946
Date retired1972
Statistics
First champion(s)Al Mills
Most reignsDave Ruhl (8 reigns)
Longest reignAl Mills
(1,578 days)
Shortest reignSammy Burg
(1 day)
Heaviest championAbdullah the Butcher (430 lb (200 kg; 31 st))

Title history

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Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
 1  Jack Taylor  1  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]  Records are unclear on how Jack Taylor became champion [2]
N/A
 2  Earl McCready  April 20, 1933  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 1]  Also won the British Empire Title; still champion on October 19, 1934 and February 7, 1935. [2]
N/A
 3  Jack Forsgren  November 28, 1936  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 2]    [2]
N/A
 4  Pat Meehan  February 10, 1939  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 3]  Lost to Earl McCready on January 11, 1940 in Vancouver, may have been a non-title match [2]
N/A
 5  Al Mills  November 1, 1946  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 4]  Defeated Chief Thunderbird; also defeated Billy Watson on February 28, 1950 in Edmonton, Alberta to be recognized as Dominion Heavyweight champion by Stampede Wrestling. [2]
N/A
 6  Ski Hi Lee  February 26, 1951  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  1  8  Also billed as Western Canadian Title. [2][3]
 7  Al Mills  March 6, 1951  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  2  56  Also billed as Western Canadian Championship. [2]
 8  Jack McDonald  May 1, 1951  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  1  7    [2]
 9  Al Mills  May 8, 1951  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  3  266    [2]
 10  Ski Hi Lee  January 29, 1952  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  2  7    [2]
 11  Al Mills  February 5, 1952  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  4  98  Recognized as champion in the '52 Official NWA Newsletter. [2]
 12  Bob Langevin  May 13, 1952  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  1  28  Won by forfeit when Mills no-showed a title match. [2]
 13  Mr. X  June 10, 1952  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  1  477    [2]
 14  Al Mills  September 30, 1953  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  5  [Note 1]  Still/again champion as of October 21, 1953. [2]
N/A
 15  Lou Newman  October 18, 1954  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  1  [Note 1]  Tournament for the vacant title. [2]
N/A
 16  George Gordienko  June 4, 1955  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  9  Defeated Adrien Baillargeon in tournament final for what was billed as "Alberta Gold Belt". [2]
N/A
 17  George Gordienko  June 13, 1955  Stampede show Lethbridge, Alberta  2  [Note 5]  Defeated Earl McCready [2]
N/A
 18  Lou Newman  October 18, 1955  Stampede show Edmonton, Alberta  1  176  Defeated Al Mills [2]
 19  George Gordienko  April 11, 1956  Stampede show Regina, Saskatchewan  3  [Note 6]  Still champion as of March 10, 1956 [2]
N/A
 20  Johnny Valentine  December 17, 1956  Stampede show N/A  1  51    [2]
 21  Sammy Berg  February 6, 1957  Stampede show Saskatoon, Saskatchewan  1  0  Title is stripped from Valentine and awarded to Berg as a result of a disputed decision on a January 30, 1957 match. [2]
 22  Johnny Valentine  February 6, 1957  Stampede show Saskatoon, Saskatchewan  2  37    [2]
 23  John Paul Henning  March 15, 1957  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 1]    [2]
N/A
Vacated  1957 (NLT)  Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [2]
 24  Whipper Billy Watson  1958  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]  Won a tournament [2]
N/A
 25  Johnny Valentine  January 1959  Stampede show N/A  3  [Note 1]  Unknown who he defeated for the title. [2]
 25.5  vacated  1959 N/A N/A  Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [2]
 26  John Foti  June 5, 1959  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 7]  Defeated Charro Azteca in 8-man tournament final. [2]
N/A
Vacated  July 14, 1959 (NET)  Championship vacated for undocumented reasons [2]
 27  Dave Ruhl  November 13, 1959  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  336  Defeated Al Mills [2]
 28  Cyclops  October 14, 1960  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 8]    [2]
N/A
 29  Ed Francis  January 1961  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 9]  Unknown whom Francis defeated for the title. [2]
 30  John Smith  February 24, 1961  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  105    [2]
 31  John Foti  June 9, 1961  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  2  [Note 10]    [2]
N/A
 32  Killer Kowalski  November 17, 1961  Stampede show N/A  1  112  Recognized as N.A.W.A. Canadian champion; unknown whom Kowalski defeated for the title. [2]
 33  Czaya Nandor  March 9, 1962  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 11]    [2]
 34  Alexis Bruga  March 1962  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 12]    [2]
 35  Czaya Nandor  March 23, 1962  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  2  [Note 13]    [2]
 36  Killer Kowalski  May 1962  Stampede show N/A  2  [Note 14]    [2]
 37  Czaya Nandor  May 12, 1962  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  3  55    [2]
 38  Killer Kowalski  July 6, 1962  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  3  [Note 15]    [2]
N/A
 39  Waldo Von Erich  March 9, 1964  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]  Unknown whom Von Erich defeated for the title and still/again champion as of July 6, 1964. [2]
N/A
 40  Don Leo Jonathan  1964  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]  Unknown whom Jonathan defeated for the title. [2]
 41  Stan Stasiak  1965  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]    [2]
 42  Don Leo Jonathan  1965  Stampede show N/A  2  [Note 1]    [2]
 43  Sweet Daddy Siki  1965  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]    [2]
 44  Dave Ruhl  1966  Stampede show N/A  2  [Note 1]    [2]
 45  The Beast  1966  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]    [2]
 46  Dave Ruhl  December 6, 1966  Stampede show N/A  3  [Note 16]    [2]
 47  Stan Stasiak  March 1967  Stampede show N/A  2  [Note 1]    [2]
 48  Luther Lindsay  1967  Stampede show N/A  1  [Note 1]    [2]
 49  Stan Stasiak  June 5, 1967  Stampede show N/A  3  22    [2]
 50  Dave Ruhl  June 27, 1967  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  4  2    [2]
 51  Stan Stasiak  June 29, 1967  Stampede show Saskatoon, Saskatchewan  4  5    [2]
 52  Dave Ruhl  July 4, 1967  Stampede show Saskatoon, Saskatchewan  5  136    [2]
 53  Archie Gouldie  November 17, 1967  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  −254    [2]
 54  Ox Baker  March 8, 1967  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  7    [2]
 55  Waldo Von Erich  March 15, 1967  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  2  [Note 17]    [2]
N/A
 56  Dave Ruhl  December 2, 1967  Stampede show N/A  6  755    [2]
 57  Danny Lynch  December 26, 1969  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  14    [2]
 58  Dave Ruhl  January 9, 1970  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  7  21    [2]
 59  Abdullah the Butcher  January 30, 1970  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  21    [2]
 60  Billy Robinson  February 20, 1970  Stampede show Calgary, Alberta  1  [Note 1]    [2]
 61  Dave Ruhl  1971  Stampede show N/A  8  [Note 1]    [2]
Vacated  1972  Rhul was injured and the championship was abandoned [2]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r The length of this championship reign is too uncertain to calculate.
  2. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 804 days.
  3. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 2,821 days.
  4. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 1,578 days.
  5. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 127 days.
  6. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 250 days.
  7. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 39 and 161 days.
  8. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between −287 and −257 days.
  9. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 390 and 420 days.
  10. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 161 days.
  11. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 13 days.
  12. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 13 days.
  13. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 39 and 50 days.
  14. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 12 days.
  15. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 612 days.
  16. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 85 and 115 days.
  17. ^ The date the championship was either won or lost is uncertain, which means this specific reign lasted between 1 and 262 days.

References

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  1. ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm "TBD". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  3. ^ Hoops, Brian (February 26, 2017). "Daily pro wrestling history (02/26): Verne Gagne wins AWA title on his birthday". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 27, 2017.