AWA Title Backgrounds

AWA World Heavyweight Championship

First Champion: Pat O'Connor - May 18, 1960
Final Champion: Larry Zbyszko - April 8, 1990

United States Championship

First Champion: Verne Gagne - September 3, 1953 (Minneapolis) / Wilbur Snyder - November 19, 1960 (AWA)
Final Champion: Mr. M - October 17, 1961

Tag Team Championship

First Champions: Murder, Inc. - August 1960
Final Champions: D.J. Peterson & The Trooper - August 11, 1990

America's Championship

First Champion: Larry Zbyszko - January 1985
Final Champion: Sgt. Slaughter - June 21, 1985

Southern Heavyweight Championship

First Champion: Jerry Lawler - July 27, 1974 (Mid America) / Jos LeDuc - August 7, 1978 (AWA)
Final Champion: Jerry Lawler - November 21, 1987

Southern Tag Team Championship

First Champions: Garza Lozano & Jack Purdin - November 26, 1945
Final Champions: The Midnight Rockers - November 22, 1987

AWA/CWA International Heavyweight Championship

First Champion: Austin Idol - February 1983
Final Champion: Jerry Lawler - December 7, 1987

AWA/CWA International Tag Team Championship

First Champions: Kenya & Kenyala Kondorie - July 1985
Final Champions: Bill Dundee & Rocky Johnson - July 6, 1987

Midwest Heavyweight Championship

First Champion: Dale Lewis - 1960s
Final Champion: Stan Pulaski - April 1972

Midwest Tag Team Championship

First Champions: Luke Brown & Jake Smith - October 15, 1966
Final Champions: Reggie Parks & Stan Pulaski - February 5, 1972

British Empire Championship

First Champion: Billy Red Lyons - 1969
Final Champion: Billy Robinson - November 12, 1979

Brass Knuckles Championship

First Champion: Don Fargo - February 12, 1979
Final Champion: Gino Martino - September 24, 2005

Light Heavyweight Championship

First Champion: Mike Graham - June 1981
Final Champion: Buck Zumhofe - August 11, 1990

Women's Championship

First Champion: June Byers - August 1960
Final Champion: Candi Devine - December 6, 1989

International Television Championship

First Champion: Greg Gagne - December 27, 1987
Final Champion: Greg Gagne - December 13, 1988