National Wrestling Alliance World Championship Belt
A History of the Belt
 NWA World Title Belt First presented to Pat O’connor January 9, 1959 O’Connor defeated former NCAA wrestling champion, Dick Hutton  • Pat O’Connor January 9, 1959 Saint Louis, Missouri • Buddy Rogers June 30, 1961 Chicago, Illinois • Lou Thesz (3) January 24, 196 Toronto, Ontario, Canada 5 • Gene Kiniski January 7, 1966 Saint Louis, Missouri • Dory Funk Jr. February 11, 1969 Tampa, Florida • Harley Race March 24, 1973 Kansas City, Missouri • Jack Brisco July 20, 1973 Houston, Texas  The Original “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers Many rank him as the greatest worker.  Lou Thesz Known as the “Hooker” Gave tremendous credibility to wrestling.  Gene Kiniski – Other than my father, my mentor in the wrestling business. 6′ 5″ 260 and tough as nails.  Dory Funk Jr. – Longest title reign and biggest Box Office Attraction. The belt itself was made of 18 carat gold. Harley Race and the Dirty Rotten Referee, Richard Moody who Screwed me out of the NWA World Title. On July 20th, 1973 Harley Race lost to Jack Brisco. Brisco was presented with a new NWA World Championship Belt and the old NWA belt was retired to the office of NWA President, Sam Muchnick. At a meeting of the National Wrestling Alliance in Las Vegas in September of 1973, Fritz Von Erich made a motion that $10,000 be appropriated, and it was approved to make a new belt. The money was given to Salvadore Lutteroth, wrestling promoter in Mexico City to make a new NWA World Championship belt first worn by former NCAA wrestling champion, and NWA world champion Jack Brisco. |
