World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version)

The World Heavyweight Championship was an American professional wrestling championship created and sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). While the Commission sanctioned the title, it did not promote the events in which the Championship was defended. From 1929 until 1931, the American Wrestling Association (AWA) controlled the Championship. The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was recognized by the CSAC as the world championship until May 4, 1931, when the Commission refused to recognize Henri Deglane's victory over Ed "Strangler" Lewis in Montreal, Quebec, as the title had changed hands via disqualification rather than the traditional pinfall or submission. Lewis remained champion in California, and a separate lineage was created.

World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles)
Jim Londos, a 5-time World Heavyweight Champion, holds the record for most title reigns. He is one of four wrestlers to have been recognized by The Ring magazine as the "true world champion".^[1]
Details
Promotion	California State Athletic Commission (Sanctioning body) AWA (1929–1931) LABO (1932–1949) NWA-LA (1949–1952) NWA (1949–1957) NWA-LA (1957–1959)
Date established	1929
Date retired	1959
Statistics First champion(s) Ed "Strangler" Lewis Final champion(s) Édouard Carpentier Most reigns Jim Londos (5 times) Longest reign Édouard Carpentier (1,459 days) Shortest reign Vincent Lopez (second reign, ten days)

Background

The championship was subsequently controlled by a group of Los Angeles-based promoters collectively known as the "California Combine" (Cal and Aileen Eaton, Hugh Nichols, Johnny Doyle, and Mike Hirsch). At various times in the mid-1930s, the title was unified with the NYSAC World Heavyweight Championship. Wrestlers who held both the New York and California versions – Dave Levin, Dean Detton, Bronko Nagurski and Jim Londos – were recognized by The Ring magazine as the "true world champion".^[2][1][3]

On October 12, 1935, Vincent Lopez defended the title against Man Mountain Dean at the Plaza Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. The event, hosted by the newly established Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), was seen by a record 35,000 people.^[4][5] It is the highest drawing show in EMLL's history, and held the all-time attendance record in lucha libre for nearly 20 years.^[4][6][7]

In 1949, the California Combine joined the National Wrestling Alliance, and the championship became the main singles title for the NWA's Los Angeles wrestling territory. On May 21, 1952, Lou Thesz defeated Baron Michele Leone to unify the Los Angeles-version of the World Heavyweight Championship with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the principal championship recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance. With 25,256 fans present,^[8] it was the most attended show of the 1950s and the first-ever $100,000 gate in professional wrestling history. According to Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Thesz's victory over Leone had made him the closest any wrestler had gotten in the last half century to establishing an undisputed world championship in pro wrestling.^[9]

On July 24, 1957, Thesz defeated Édouard Carpentier in Montreal under controversial circumstances to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The decision was challenged by several members of the NWA who continued to recognize Carpentier as World Heavyweight Champion. Several splinter titles were eventually created as a result.^[10] The Eatons decided to leave the NWA in October 1959 to promote their own world title under the North American Wrestling Alliance banner with Carpentier as their inaugural champion. The NWA-sanctioned championship was abandoned and replaced by the NAWA World Heavyweight Championship.^[11]

Title history

Names

Name	Years
World Heavyweight Championship	1928–1929
AWA World Heavyweight Championship	1929–1931
World Heavyweight Championship	1931–1949
NWA Los Angeles Heavyweight Championship	1949–1952
NWA World Heavyweight Championship	1952–1957
NWA Los Angeles Heavyweight Championship	1957–1959

Reigns

Key

No.	Overall reign number
Reign	Reign number for the specific champion
Days	Number of days held
N/A	Unknown information
(NLT)	Championship change took place "no later than" the date listed
†	Championship change is unrecognized by the promotion
+	Current reign is changing daily

No.	Champion	Championship change			Reign statistics		Notes	Ref.
		Date	Event	Location	Reign	Days
1	Ed "Strangler" Lewis	February 20, 1928	Live event	St. Louis, Missouri	1	311	Recognized as world champion in California after defeating title claimant Joe Stecher.
2	Gus Sonnenberg	January 4, 1929	Live event	Boston, Massachusetts	1	705	In July 1929, more than 20 state athletic commissions withdrew their recognition of Sonnenberg as world champion for failing to meet "real" title contenders. He also declined an offer from the wrestling section of the National Boxing Association to enter a tournament to crown a new champion for the following year. The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was subsequently created for Sonnenberg by promoter Paul Bowser.
3	Ed Don George	December 10, 1930	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	124		^[12]^[13]
4	Ed "Strangler" Lewis	April 13, 1931	Live event	Los Angeles, California	2	N/A	Lewis lost the AWA World Heavyweight Championship to Henri Deglane by disqualification on May 4, 1931 in Montreal, QC but is still recognized as champion in California. He is also recognized as champion by the Illinois state athletic commission after defeating Wladek Zbyszko in Chicago on November 2, 1931.	^[14]^[15]
	Championship history is unrecorded from 1931 to March, 1932.
5	Jim Londos	March, 1932 (n)	Live event	Unknown	1	N/A	Londos is recognized as world champion by the New York and Pennsylvania state athletic commissions after defeating Dick Shikat for the NYSAC World Heavyweight Championship in Philadelphia on June 6, 1930. He is also recognized as champion in Los Angeles, California as early as March 1932.	^[16]
	Championship history is unrecorded from April, 1932 to May, 1933.
6	Jim Browning	May, 1933 (n)	Live event	Unknown	1	N/A	Browning is recognized as world champion by the New York and Pennsylvania state athletic commissions after defeating Ed "Strangler" Lewis for the NYSAC World Heavyweight Championship in New York City on February 20, 1933. He is also recognized as champion in Los Angeles, California in May 1933.	^[17]
7	Jim Londos	June 25, 1934	Live event	New York City, New York	2	324	On February 27, 1935, Londos was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission when he failed to appear for a scheduled title defense against Chief Little Wolf.	^[18]
—	Vacated	May 16, 1935	—	—	—	—	The championship was vacated when the CSAC officially withdrew its recognition of Londos as world champion after refusing to enter an international tournament.	^[19]^[20]
8	Vincent Lopez	July 24, 1935	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	392	Lopez defeated Man Mountain Dean in a tournament final to win the vacant championship.	^[20]^[21]
9	Dave Levin	August 19, 1936	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	42	Levin is recognized as world champion by the New York and Pennsylvania state athletic commissions after defeating Ali Baba for the NYSAC World Heavyweight Championship in Newark, New Jersey on June 12, 1936. His victory over Lopez in Los Angeles temporarily settles the dispute over who is the "real" world champion.	^[22]^[23]
†	Dean Detton	September 28, 1936	Live event	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	1	3	Reign was not recognized by the CSAC due to the match being one-fall.	^[23]^[24]
10	Vincent Lopez	September 30, 1936	Live event	Los Angeles, California	2	10	Recognition is withdrawn by the CSAC on October 10, 1936, after deciding to recognize Dean Detton's victory over Dave Levin due to a working agreement with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission.	^[23]^[25]^[26]
11	Dean Detton	October 10, 1936	Live event	N/A	1	262	Officially recognized by the CSAC for his earlier victory over Dave Levin in Philadelphia. A rematch with Lopez is scheduled in Los Angeles for October 28, 1936, but Lopez suffers a leg injury during a match against Kimon Kudo four days earlier. Kudo takes Lopez's place in the match and is defeated by Detton. Detton ends Lopez's title claim by defeating him in Los Angeles on February 24 and March 3, 1937.	^[23]^[26]^[27]
12	Bronko Nagurski	June 29, 1937	Live event	Minneapolis, Minnesota	1	507		^[28]
13	Jim Londos	November 18, 1938	Live event	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	3	740		^[29]
14	Sándor Szabó	November 27, 1940	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	N/A	Awarded title after Londos fails to appear for a scheduled title defence. Londos is subsequently suspended by the CSAC from wrestling in California for 60 days.	^[30]^[31]^[32]
	Championship history is unrecorded from November, 1940 to Jan, 1941.
15	Jim Londos	Jan, 1941 (n)	Live event	N/A	4	N/A	Reinstated as champion by the CSAC and defeated Sándor Szabó in Los Angeles on February 5, 1941, and again on February 12, 1941, to retain the title.	^[32]^[33]^[31]
†	Rube Wright	August 19, 1942	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	N/A	Wright defeated The Swedish Angel in a tournament final to win the vacant championship. While promoted by Ray Fabiani as an "international" tournament to replace Jim Londos as world champion, the CSAC refuses to recognize Wright's world title claim but, by January 1943, acknowledges him as the California Heavyweight Champion. The title may also be known as the "Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship" during this period. Wright is later recognized as world champion in New York.	^[34]^[35]
16	Jim Londos	Nov, 1942 (n)	Live event	Unknown	5	N/A	Londos reclaims the title in California. He is still billed as champion as of December 15, 1943, and as late as October 14, 1946. Recognition most likely withdrawn by the CSAC that same month when George Becker, holder of the Pacific Northwest-version of the world title, is recognized in the state.	^[36]^[37]
	Championship history is unrecorded from 1942 to September 10, 1946.
17	George Becker	September 11, 1946	Live event	Portland, Oregon	1	91	Becker won the Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship from Rebel Russell on May 1, 1946 and the California Heavyweight Championship from Tony Martinez on May 22, 1946. He is recognized as world champion by the CSAC after defeating Babe Sharkey for the Pacific Northwest-version of the world title in Portland, Oregon on September 11, 1946.	^[38]^[39]^[40]
18	Enrique Torres	December 11, 1946	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	1,442		^[40]^[41]
19	Baron Michele Leone	November 22, 1950	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	546		^[42]^[43]
20	Lou Thesz	May 21, 1952	Live event	Los Angeles, California	1	N/A		^[8]^[9]
—	Unified	May 21, 1952	Live event	Los Angeles, California	—	—	Lou Thesz defeated Baron Michele Leone to unify the Los Angeles-version of the World Heavyweight Championship with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.	^[8]^[9]
†	Whipper Billy Watson	March 15, 1956	Live event	Toronto, Ontario	1	239	Won the title via countout.	^[44]
†	Lou Thesz	November 9, 1956	Live event	St. Louis, Missouri	2	217		^[45]
21	Edouard Carpentier	June 14, 1957	Live event	Chicago, Illinois	1	1,459	Carpentier was awarded the title when Lou Thesz could not continue the match due to a back injury. On July 24, Thesz won a rematch against Édouard Carpentier by disqualification in Montreal. The NWA initially continued to recognize Carpentier as the champion, but voided any recognition of Carpentier as champion when he withdrew the claim for the title when Montreal promoter Eddie Quinn left the NWA in August 1958. Several NWA territories, including California, disputed this decision and continued to recognize Carpentier as world champion eventually resulting in the creation of several splinter titles.	^[10]^[11]
—	Deactivated	October 1959	—	—	—	—	Cal and Aileen Eaton withdrew from the NWA in October 1959, and the title was replaced by the NAWA World Heavyweight Championship.

Bibliography

• Royal Duncan; Gary Will (2000). "CALIFORNIA: World Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 292–293. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
• Tanabe, Hisaharu (2003). "World Heavyweight Title (Los Angeles)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved February 16, 2020.

References

1. Tanabe, Hisaharu (2003). "World Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
2. Royal Duncan; Gary Will (2000). "World Heavyweight Title [Toots Mondt, Ray Fabiani]". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 11. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
3. Tanabe, Hisaharu (2003). "World Heavyweight Title [NYSAC]". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
4. Farmer, Matt (April 8, 2007). "1930's 10,000 (UPDATED 11/12/09)". WrestlingClassics.com.
5. "EMLL Misc. Cards". ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
6. Farmer, Matt (January 7, 2009). "1950's Attendances (Updated 11/11/10)". WrestlingClassics.com.
7. "Televicentro". ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
8. Allen, Johnny (May 22, 1952). "THESZ RULES MATDOM". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 32. Mighty Lou Thesz' domination of the world's wrestling goliaths stretched into the Golden state of California today after the St. Louis Mo., muscleman subdued one of the mat's foremost villains – Baron Michele Leone – in two out of three falls last night at Gilmore field before a record-breaking turnaway crowd. The match, which lured 25,256 fans through the turnstiles and resulted in a turnaway of several thousand more, grossed $103,277.75, easily breaking the standing record of $62,000 set at Wrigley field by Gus Sonnenberg and Everett Marshall over a decade ago. The net was $81,523.46. Promoter Cal Eaton elated ever the most successful promotion of his career sounded only one sad note after the long-awaited showdown match and that was that he was sorry he didn't take it to the Coliseum where maybe it would have done around $200,000. In mastering the arch villain, Leone, the popular Thesz won recognition from the California Athletic commission as undisputed world mat titan, which now makes some 44 state and numerous outlying posts throughout the universe where Thesz is the National Wrestling Alliance champion.
9. Pro Wrestling Illustrated (1999). PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING: YEAR-BY-YEAR. Vol. IV (4th ed.). Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: London Publishing Co. p. 124. ISSN 1084-9610. 1999 Edition. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
10. Jim Cornette (May 15, 2022). "Jim Cornette's Drive Thru – Episode 243". Jim Cornette's Drive Thru. YouTube.com. Event occurs at 03:11:10.
11. Sempervive, Mike (October 31, 2003). "Wrestling Classics PPV Report: The Golden Age of Wrestling: The 1950's". Pro Wrestling Torch. from the original on November 17, 2020.
12. Cronin, Ned (December 11, 1930). "GEORGE NEW MAT CHAMP; FANS STUNNED AS DON BEATS SONNENBERG". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 13. We Have New Champ, By George! HE WEARS THE CROWN NOW - Don George, who defeated Gus Sonnenberg last night to capture the heavyweight wrestling title before a mad crowd of more than 10,000.
13. Hornbaker, Tim (October 21, 2010). "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1930". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
14. Cronin, R. A. (April 14, 1931). "15,000 See 'Strangler' Win in Straight Falls. DON PROVES TO BE NO MATCH FOR OLD RULER. Regains Wrestling Title". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 11. ED LEWIS, familiarly known as the Strangler, who started wrestling 21 years ago, won his first title December 13, 1920, and lost it January 4, 1929 to Gus Sonnenberg in Boston, regained it last night at Wrigley field when he threw Don George, the young titleholder in straight falls in one hour, 10 minutes and 26 seconds, with a series of headlocks, and the second fall in seven minutes and 42 seconds with an old-fashioned hammer lock and a body lock.
15. Hornbaker, Tim. "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1931". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
16. "LONDOS FAVORED TO RETAIN MAT TITLE; JIM WILL CLASH WITH JONES IN OLYMPICS RING". Los Angeles Daily News. March 2, 1932. p. 13. JIM LONDOS makes his debut as heavyweight wrestling champion of the world at the Olympic tonight. He will clash with Paul Jones, the lanky Texan, in a three fall finish encounter, and he is favored to retain his title in Lou Daro's show. This will be his first appearance here in almost four years. He has wrestled in the east during those four years, where he finally hit his stride, won the world's title from Richard Shikat in New York in 1930, and since then has been more of a sensation in every mat center in which he has appeared than any mat king the game has known in the past quarter of a century.
17. Hornbaker, Tim. "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1933". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
18. Hornbaker, Tim (November 20, 2010). "New York City Wrestling Results - 1934". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
19. "Londos Warned to Get Into Mat Tourney, or Else". Los Angeles Daily News. May 13, 1935. p. 10. CHIEF LITTLE WOLF, Danno O'Mahoney and other wrestling "big shots" have entered Lou Daro's international tournament, but Jim Londos remains a recalcitrant. Therefore the rules committee of the title eliminations now being held at the Olympic yesterday issued an ultimatum to Londos, claimant of the world's title, and announced that he will have until Wednesday at midnight to enter. If Londos does not sign by that time to compete, he will lose all claims to his crown in California, Illinois and New York. He now is suspended in the three states for an asserted "run-out" on a match here with Little Wolf.
20. Hornbaker, Tim; Yohe, Steve. "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1935". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
21. Weinstock, Chuck (July 25, 1935). "Lopez Conquers Dean for 'Title'; Mountain Sits Where Foe Isn't!". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 11. LET them start revolutions in Mexico. They won't last long. All they need to do is send the heavyweight champion of the wrestling world – Senor Vincent Lopez, no relation to the orchestra leader. He'll stop anything. For he stopped Man Mountain Dean last night before a jammed house of 10,500 at the Olympic while 5000 other fans unable to get seats sat on the neighborhood curbs and cried.
22. Weinstock, Chuck (August 20, 1936). "LEVIN BEATS LOPEZ IN MAT TITLE BOUT; 20,000 Fans See Mexican Knocked Cold by 'Butcher'". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 1. DAVE LEVIN, the Brooklyn Butcher Boy, who was acclaimed world champion in the East, last night added the West Coast to his domain and became the world's undisputed heavyweight wrestling champion by tossing Vincent Lopez, in two-out-of-three falls, at Wrigley Field before a crowd of 20,000, knocking him cold in the final session for victory.
23. Hornbaker, Tim (October 1, 2007). "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1936". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
24. "Levin, Lopez Wrestle for 'Championship' Tonight; Rematch Tops Olympic Card". Los Angeles Daily News. September 30, 1936. p. 16. THE rematch for the California-recognized world heavyweight championship local mat bugs have been demanding takes place tonight at the Olympic when Dave Levin of Brooklyn defends his crown against the mad thrusts of Vincent Lopez, Mexican Mat-idor. This match at three falls to a finish tops an eight-bout program. Levin lost a one fall match to Dean Detton, Salt Lake City heavyweight Monday night, but this victory does not give the latter the title in the eyes of the California State Athletic Commission, as that board only recognizes three fall finish bouts as championship events.
25. Weinstock, Chuck (October 1, 1936). "Lopez Defeats Levin to Regain Mat Title Claims; Cantonwine Loses to Hanson". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 16. SENOR VINCENT LOPEZ sprang the second mat upset in one week at the expense of Dave Levin last night at Olympic Auditorium by winning a two out of three fall decision from the handsome butcher boy, to salvage what remains of the world Championship he once so proudly owned. Levin set the mat fraternity agog only last Monday night when he lost his claims to the world title to Dean Detton on a Philadelphia mat. Levin claims he was "robbed" and the California Athletic Commission still recognized his claims at post time last night because the eastern bout was only at one fall.
26. "LOPEZ WRESTLES LEVIN IN REMATCH AT OLYMPIC". Los Angeles Times. October 11, 1936. p. 31.
27. "Kudo Replaces Lopez on Mat Bill; Leg Injury Keeps Lopez Off Card". Los Angeles Times. October 26, 1936. p. 30.
28. Hornbaker, Tim (December 14, 2007). "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1937". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
29. Hornbaker, Tim (August 24, 2010). "Philadelphia Wrestling Results - 1938". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
30. "Jim Londos Runs Out on Szabo". Los Angeles Times. November 28, 1941. p. 22.
31. Wolf, Al (February 6, 1941). "Szabo Fails to Snatch Mat Crown From Londos. Champ Takes Deciding Fall; Swing Backfires to Wind Up Match After Full Hour of Action". Los Angeles Times. p. 33.
32. Hornbaker, Tim (October 14, 2010). "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1941". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
33. "Londos and Szabo to Decide Mat Championship at Olympic". Los Angeles Times. February 2, 1941. p. 30.
34. "Angel's toe hurt, Wright wins title". Los Angeles Daily News. August 20, 1942. p. 29. Rube Wright, the preacher's son, won the title match of the international wrestling tournament at the Olympic last night from the Swedish Angel. The finale was supposed to be over the two out of three fall route, but went only one. Wright took the fall with a stepover toehold in 31 minutes 39 seconds. His opponent was unable to continue, so Wright was crowned champ.
35. Hornbaker, Tim; Yohe, Steve. "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1942". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
36. "Londos Retains Wrestling Crown". Los Angeles Times. October 15, 1946. p. 7.
37. "Londos Keeps Title, Beats Nanjo Singh". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. October 15, 1946. p. 6. Much to the surprise of no one, Jim Londos retained his world's heavyweight wrestling championship at Hollywood last night, defeating Nanjo Singh.
38. "Becker victor over Russell". Los Angeles Daily News. May 2, 1946. p. 23. George Becker, Canadian mat king, scored a two out of three fall victory over Rebel Russell in last night's mat main event at Olympic auditorium.
39. "Becker nabs Martinez' title". Los Angeles Daily News. May 23, 1946. p. 19. California had new heavyweight wrestling champion today in the person of Canadian kingpin George Becker, who last night wrested the title from Tony. Martinez at Olympic auditorium. Becker took two falls with body presses after Martinez had nabbed the first one with a leg lock.
40. Hornbaker, Tim. "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1946". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
41. "Torres snatches title from Becker". Los Angeles Daily News. December 12, 1946. p. 40. Enrique Torres deprived George Becker of his world heavyweight wrestling championship claimancy last night by spilling the locally recognized titleholder two falls out of three at Olympic Auditorium.
42. "Leone wears World mat crown". Los Angeles Daily News. November 23, 1950. p. 32. There was a new wearer of the world heavyweight wrestling crown, Olympic auditorium version, today in the person of Baron Michele Leone. The good Baron stripped Enrique Torres of his title last night at the 18th and Grand club as the Pride of Cucamonga was unable to continue due to a leg injury after 12:41 of the third and deciding fall. Earlier a turnaway crowd of 10,400 saw each gladiator take a fall.
43. Nitsche, Bob. "Los Angeles Wrestling Results - 1950". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
44. Hornbaker, Tim. "Toronto Wrestling Results - 1956". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
45. Hornbaker, Tim. "St. Louis Wrestling Results - 1956". LegacyOfWrestling.com.

External links

• World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) at Cagematch.net
• World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) at Johnny O's Wrestling Website
• World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) at Wrestlingdata.com