View source for NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version)

{{Infobox pro wrestling championship
|championshipname=NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version)
|promotion=[[Fred Kohler Enterprises]]<br>[[Big Time Wrestling (Detroit)|Big Time Wrestling]]
|created=September 3, 1953
|mostreigns=[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]] ([[NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version)#Title history|12 reigns]])
|firstchamp=[[Verne Gagne]]
|finalchamp=The Sheik
|longestreign=The Sheik<br />(538 days)
|shortestreign=[[Pampero Firpo]] & [[Bobo Brazil]] (7 days)
|oldest=The Sheik (53 years, 298 days)
|youngest=[[Gino Hernandez]] (19 years, 147 days)
|heaviest=[[Abdullah the Butcher]] ({{convert|430|lb|kg st|abbr=on}})
|lightest=Verne Gagne ({{convert|215|lb|kg st|abbr=on}})
|pastnames=
*NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Chicago version)
|titleretired=October, 1980
}}
The '''NWA Detroit United States Heavyweight Championship''' was a version of the '''[[NWA United States Heavyweight Championship]]''' contested in [[Big Time Wrestling (Detroit)|Big Time Wrestling]] from 1959 until 1980. It was first introduced as the ''Chicago version'' of the championship and contested on shows produced by [[Fred Kohler Enterprises]] before moving to Big Time Wrestling in Detroit six years later.<ref name="Titles">{{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2006|edition=4th | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}</ref> While the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] recognized only one [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship|World Heavyweight Champion]], there were multiple "NWA United States Heavyweight Champion"s, as many NWA-affiliated promotions/"territories" across the U.S. each had its own version of an "American" or "United States" championship. For most such territories -- including Detroit -- the U.S. Title was the promotion's primary singles championship. Over its history, the title was held by stars including [[Bobo Brazil]], [[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]], [[Wilbur Snyder]], [[Johnny Valentine]], and multi-time [[AWA World Heavyweight Championship|AWA World Heavyweight Champions]] [[Verne Gagne]] and [[Dick the Bruiser]].
Modern Michigan-based [[independent circuit|independent wrestling promotion]] Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling (XICW) has a U.S. Championship belt used on their shows that is based on the design of the Detroit version of NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}
==Title history==
{| class="wikitable"
!Wrestler:
!Times:
!Date:
!Location:
!Notes:
|-
|colspan=5|'''NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Chicago version)'''
|-
|[[Verne Gagne]]
|1
|September 3, 1953
|[[Chicago, IL]]
|<small>Gagne was awarded the title.</small><ref name=F4W0903>{{cite web | url=http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/day-pro-wrestling-history-sept-3-ric-flair-vs-terry-funk-texas-death-match-great | title=ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY (SEPT. 3): RIC FLAIR VS. TERRY FUNK TEXAS DEATH MATCH, GREAT MUTA VS. STING, TED DIBIASE AND STAN HANSEN WINS AJPW TAG TITLES | date=September 3, 2015 | accessdate=February 10, 2017 | first=Brian | last=Hoops | publisher=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online}}</ref>
|-
|[[Wilbur Snyder]]
|1
|April 7, 1956
|[[Chicago, IL]]
|
|-
|[[Hans Schmidt (wrestler)|Hans Schmidt]]
|1
|October 19, 1956
|[[Chicago, IL]]
|
|-
|[[Wilbur Snyder]]
|2
|February 19, 1957
|[[Chicago, IL]]
|
|-
|[[Dick the Bruiser]]
|1
|December 14, 1957
|[[Chicago, IL]]
|
|-
|[[Verne Gagne]]
|2
|April 12, 1958
|[[Chicago, IL]]
|<small>During this reign, Gagne creates his own splinter of the championship, later renaming it to the [[AWA United States Heavyweight Championship]].</small>
|-
|[[Wilbur Snyder]]
|3
|November 15, 1958
|[[Chicago, IL]]
|
|-
|[[Angelo Poffo]]
|1
|December 27, 1958
|[[Cincinnati, OH]]
|
|-
|colspan=5 |Renamed '''NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version)'''
|-
|[[Wilbur Snyder]]
|4
|May 2, 1959
|[[Detroit, MI]]
|
|-
|[[Dick the Bruiser]]
|2
|May 23, 1959
|[[Detroit, MI]]
|
|-
|[[Bob Ellis (wrestler)|Bob Ellis]]
|1
|June 2, 1960
|[[Windsor, Ontario]]
|<ref name=F4W0602>{{cite web | url=http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/day-pro-wrestling-history-june-2-hogan-beats-inoki-win-1st-iwgp-tourney-htms | title=On this day in pro wrestling history (June 2): Hogan beats Inoki to win 1st IWGP tourney, HTM's Intercontinental title reign begins | date=June 2, 2015 | accessdate=February 11, 2017 | first=Brian | last=Hoops | publisher=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online}}</ref>
|-
|[[Dick the Bruiser]]
|3
|June 11, 1960
|[[Detroit, MI]]
|
|-
|[[Houston Harris|Bobo Brazil]]
|1
|January 28, 1961
|[[Detroit, MI]]
|
|-
|[[Dick the Bruiser]]
|4
|February 28, 1961
|Detroit, MI
|<ref name=F4W0228>{{cite web | url=http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0228-anderson-hansen-win-nwa-tag-titles-230931 | title=Daily pro wrestling history (02/28): Andersen & Hansen win NWA Tag Titles | date=February 28, 2017 | accessdate=February 28, 2017 | first=Brian | last=Hoops | publisher=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online}}</ref>
|-
|[[Fritz Von Erich]]
|1
|December 1, 1961
|[[Detroit, MI]]
|
|-
|[[Wilbur Snyder]]
|5
|1962
|?
|
|-
|[[Dick the Bruiser]]
|5
|June 2, 1962
|Detroit, MI
|<ref name=F4W0602/>
|-
|[[Lord Athol Layton]]
|1
|August 4, 1962
|?
|
|-
|[[Fritz Von Erich]]
|2
|June 9, 1963
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Lord Athol Layton]]
|2
|July 20, 1963
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Fritz Von Erich]]
|3
|October 19, 1963
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Johnny Valentine]]
|1
|June 13, 1964
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|1
|February 6, 1965
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|2
|August 1967
|?
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|2
|October 1967
|?
|
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|3
|July 29, 1971
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Pampero Firpo]]
|1
|August 12, 1972
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|4
|August 19, 1972
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Pampero Firpo]]
|2
|October 28, 1972
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|5
|December 23, 1972
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|3
|December 30, 1972
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|6
|January 13, 1973
|Detroit, MI
|<ref name=Jan13F4W>{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0113-tna-genesis-2013-301556 | title=Pro wrestling history (01/13): TNA Genesis 2013 | date=January 13, 2019 | accessdate=January 18, 2019 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter|Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online]] | first=Brian | last=Hoops}}</ref>
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|4
|January 27, 1973
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Johnny Valentine]]
|2
|July 7, 1973
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|5
|July 21, 1973
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Johnny Valentine]]
|3
|1973
|?
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|6
|September 1973
|?
|
|-
|[[Tony Marino]]
|1
|March 2, 1974
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|7
|March 16, 1974
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|7
|January 25, 1975
|Detroit, MI
|<small>Awarded after Sheik no-shows multiple title defenses.</small>
|-
|[[Abdullah the Butcher]]
|1
|February 8, 1975
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|8
|April 19, 1975
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|8
|July 5, 1975
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Mark Lewin]]
|1
|September 27, 1975
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
||[[Don Kent (wrestler)|"Bulldog" Don Kent]]
|1
|November 1, 1975
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Mark Lewin]]
|2
|December 1975
|?
|
|-
|Vacated
|
|February 14, 1976
|
|<small>Title declared vacant for unknown reasons.</small>
|-
|[[Bobo Brazil]]
|9
|April 21, 1976
|
|<small>Brazil was awarded the championship when [[Brute Bernard]] was unable to compete in a tournament final due to injury.</small>
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|9
|May 15, 1976
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Pampero Firpo]]
|3
|July 17, 1976
|Detroit, MI
|<ref name=F4W0717>{{cite web | url=http://www.f4wonline.com/daily-updates/day-pro-wrestling-history-kangaroos-gagne-vs-kiniski-hawaii-gordy-wins-triple-crown | title=On this day in pro wrestling history, Kangaroos, Gagne vs. Kiniski in Hawaii, Gordy wins Triple Crown, Hogan wins WCW title from Flair at Bash at the Beach, famous Punk vs. Cena Chicago bout | date=July 17, 2015 | accessdate=February 11, 2017 | first=Brian | last=Hoops | publisher=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online}}</ref>
|-
|Don Kent
|2
|October 16, 1976
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Gino Hernandez]]
|1
|January 8, 1977
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|10
|April 2, 1977
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ox Baker]]
|1
|September 1977
|Detroit, MI
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|11
|between 1977 & 1980
|?
|
|-
|[[Mighty Igor Vodic|Mighty Igor]]
|1
|between 1977 & 1980
|?
|
|-
|[[Ed Farhat|The Sheik]]
|12
|May 3, 1980
|Detroit, MI
|<ref name=F4W0503>{{cite web | url=http://www.f4wonline.com/daily-updates/day-pro-wrestling-history-low-ki-vs-devitt-punk-wins-ovw-title-muto-wins-iwgp-belt | title=On this day in pro wrestling history: Low Ki Vs. Dewitt, Punk wins OVW title, Mutoh wins IWGP belt, Bret wins NA title, Dibiase & Dr. Death, Sheik, Watts, Fargos| date=May 3, 2015 | accessdate=February 11, 2017 | author=F4W Staff | publisher=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online}}</ref>
|-
|Title Retired
|
|October 1980
|
|<small>Promotion closes; Sheik takes the belt to [[International Championship Wrestling]] (ICW), where it is used as the [[ICW United States Heavyweight Championship]]. The Sheik would later claim a splinter version of the Detroit championship in [[Tri-State Wrestling Alliance]] in 1991.</small>
|-
|}
==See also==
{{Portal|United States}}
*[[National Wrestling Alliance]]
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Big Time Wrestling (Detroit) championships|United States Heavyweight Championship]]
[[Category:Fred Kohler Enterprises championships]]
[[Category:National Wrestling Alliance championships]]
[[Category:NWA United States Heavyweight Championships]]
[[Category:Professional wrestling shows in the Chicago metropolitan area]]