Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the wrestler has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
*
If used next to the names of the wrestlers, they may, in fact, not have held the title in the period indicated. If used next to the dates or places, either they are possibly wrong or the title changes are fictitious.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a wrestler held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
+
Broadcast date; the actual recording date is unknown.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the wrestler shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized in HTML files
Defeats Jim Londos to be recognized by the athletic commissions of New York and Pennsylvania and the National Boxing Association (The Philadelphia Inquirer, 29-08-26), all three of which have "stripped" Gus Sonnenberg of the World Title in 29-07 for failing
to meet "real" contenders; Shikat has defeated Hans Steinke on 29-07-12 in Philadelphia, PA; recognition withdrawn in 30-01 when NBA announces the official sanction of wrestling and lists Shikat as one of the contenders (Associated Press, 30-01-10); Londos and John Pesek are originally scheduled to wrestle for the title on 30-04-09 in Columbus, OH, but the match is indefinitely postponed due to Pesek's collarbone fracture (Londos is said to have refused to wrestle for the title anywhere but Philadelphia, PA or St. Louis, MO).
Defeats Dick Shikat and is initially recognized by the NBA (as reported on various newspapers next day); at the annual convention on 30-09-16, NBA agrees to create National Wrestling Association but does not recognize any world heavyweight champion despite the previous decision made by NBA.
Officially recognized by the members of National Wrestling Association; stripped of the NYSAC World Title on 32-09-30 but continues to be recognized by NWA; pinned by Joe Savoldi on 33-04-07 in Chicago, IL; Savoldi later loses
to the NYSAC world champion Jim Browning; Londos defeats Browning on 34-06-25 in New York, NY to unify both titles.
Defeats Ed Don George on 35-07-30 in Boston, MA to unify AWA World Title and becomes the
unified world heavyweight champion; loses to Dick Shikat on 36-03-02 in New York, NY but continues to be recognized by AWA in Boston; NWA title is officially declared vacant during the annual convention on 36-09-21 (Associated Press, 36-09-22).
Has defeated a title claimant Dave Levin on 36-09-28 in Philadelphia, PA; has also defeated Ed "Strangler" Lewis and Ali Baba earlier in the year; defeats George Zaharias on 36-10-08 and is awarded the recognition as the first NWA champion since Danno O'Mahoney; recognition withdrawn after Detton loses to Bronko Nagurski on 37-06-29 in Minneapolis, MN.
Awarded at the annual NWA meeting in White Sulphur Springs, WV with a condition that he must defend the title against either Everette Marshall or Bronko Nagurski within six months; stripped on 38-08-16 for failure to defened against "worthy opponents" (Associated Press, 38-08-17).
