NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco) Promotion NWA San Francisco Big Time Wrestling Date established November 1960 Date retired January 1981
AWA United States Heavyweight Championship
The NWA San Francisco United States Championship was a version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that was defended in NWA San Francisco and, later, Big Time Wrestling . The title, which originated as the American Wrestling Alliance United States Championship and was renamed in 1968, existed from 1960 until 1981.[ 1]
Wrestler:
Times:
Date:
Location:
Notes:
American Wrestling Alliance United States Heavyweight Championship
Ray Stevens
1
November 1960
Awarded
Bob Ellis
1
November 11, 1960
San Francisco, CA
Ray Stevens
2
May 1961
San Francisco, CA
Vacated
July 1962
Stevens broke his ankle in cart racing.
Pepper Gomez
1
July 1962
Windsor, ON
defeated Freddie Blassie .
Ray Stevens
3
February 23, 1963
San Francisco, CA
Wilbur Snyder
1
April 20, 1963
San Francisco, CA
Ray Stevens
4
June 29, 1963
San Francisco, CA
Dominic DeNucci
1
January 25, 1964
San Francisco, CA
Ray Stevens
5
February 29, 1964
San Francisco, CA
Kinji Shibuya
1
October 25, 1964
Honolulu, HI
Bobo Brazil
1
October 16, 1965
San Francisco, CA
Kinji Shibuya
2
November 13, 1965
San Francisco, CA
Bill Watts
1
February 19, 1966
San Francisco, CA
[ 2]
Ray Stevens
6
March 11, 1967
San Francisco, CA
Bearcat Wright
1
December 2, 1967
San Francisco, CA
Kinji Shibuya
3
February 17, 1968
San Francisco, CA
Bearcat Wright
2
April 13, 1968
San Francisco, CA
King Curtis Iaukea
1
July 4, 1968
?
Ray Stevens
7
September 14, 1968
San Francisco, CA
Promotion rejoins the NWA in 1968 during Stevens' reign.
Renamed NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version)
King Curtis Iaukea
2
May 10, 1969
San Francisco, CA
Ray Stevens
8
June 7, 1969
San Francisco, CA
Vacated
August 1969
Stevens broke his leg while racing.
Pat Patterson
1
August 9, 1969
San Francisco, CA
Defeated Pedro Morales to win vacant title.
Ray Stevens
9
July 11, 1970
San Francisco, CA
Lost a match to Patterson in Anchorage, Alaska on September 22, with Patterson announced as the new champion to the local audience. It's unclear whether this result was announced by the promotion to its audience at large as having occurred or having been overturned.[ 3]
Paul DeMarco
1
June 5, 1971
San Francisco, CA
Peter Maivia
1
July 31, 1971
San Francisco, CA
Paul DeMarco
2
September 18, 1971
San Francisco, CA
Rocky Johnson
1
November 5, 1971
San Francisco, CA
Pat Patterson
2
February 12, 1972
San Francisco, CA
Held Up
December 7, 1972
Title held up after match against Great Mephisto
Great Mephisto
1
February 17, 1973
Defeated Patterson after several rematches failed to end with winner.
Pat Patterson
3
April 28, 1973
San Francisco, CA
Moondog Mayne
1
December 29, 1973
San Francisco, CA
Peter Maivia
2
October 12, 1974
San Francisco, CA
The Brute
1
January 15, 1975
San Francisco, CA
[ 4]
Pat Patterson
4
April 5, 1975
San Francisco, CA
Angelo Mosca
1
July 7, 1975
San Jose, CA
Pat Patterson
5
September 7, 1975
Sacramento, CA
Mr. Fuji
1
February 7, 1976
San Francisco, CA
[ 5]
Vacated
February 12, 1977
Fuji left the area.
Pat Patterson
6
March 12, 1977
San Francisco, CA
Defeated Alexis Smirnoff in tournament final.
Alexis Smirnoff
1
April 16, 1977
San Francisco, CA
Dean Ho
1
July 16, 1977
San Francisco, CA
Bob Roop
1
September 17, 1977
San Francisco, CA
Vacated
December 1977
Bob Roop fired.
Dean Ho
2
January 14, 1978
Won tournament.
Don Muraco
1
April 1, 1978
San Francisco, CA
Moondog Mayne
2
May 27, 1978
San Francisco, CA
Roddy Piper
1
June 24, 1978
San Francisco, CA
Moondog Mayne
3
July 14, 1978
?
Vacated
August 13, 1978
Mayne killed in auto accident.
Buddy Rose
1
September 16, 1978
San Francisco, CA
Defeated Dean Ho in tournament final.
Vacated
1979
Rose suspended.
Ron Starr
1
March 3, 1979
San Francisco, CA
Defeated Roddy Piper in tournament final.
Buddy Rose
2
May 11, 1979
San Francisco, CA
Ron Starr
2
June 8, 1979
San Francisco, CA
Defeated Johnny Mantell when Rose refused to wrestle.
Bob Sweetan
1
October 23, 1979
San Francisco, CA
George Wells
1
December 29, 1979
San Francisco, CA
Ed Wiskoski
1
June 7, 1980
San Francisco, CA
Ron Starr
3
August 9, 1980
San Francisco, CA
Bob Sweetan
2
October 13, 1980
San Francisco, CA
Vacated
October 1980
Sweetan left the area.
Dusty Rhodes
1
November 8, 1980
San Francisco, CA
Defeated Dick Slater for the vacant title.
Title Retired
January 1981
Promotion closed; Mid-Atlantic version becomes the undisputed NWA US Championship after this date
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4 .
^ Hoops, Brian (February 19, 2017). "Daily Pro Wrestling History (02/19): Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker at No Way Out 2006" . Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ Burseth, Steve (September 23, 1970). "Fans Eclipse Wrestlers". Anchorage Daily Times . p. 18. Patterson won the match, thus regaining the heavyweight championship belt from Stevens, but left the ring before the decision was announced. The referee, left too, to investigate a foul by Patterson alleged by the crowd, but never returned to inform the announcer of the decision.
^ Hoops, Brian (January 15, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/15): Big John Studd wins 1989 Royal Rumble" . Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 18, 2019 .
^ Hoops, Brian (February 7, 2017). "On this day in pro wrestling history (Feb 7): Bobby Roode & Austin Aries wins tag gold" . Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 15, 2017 .