TWA World Heavyweight Championship

The '''TWA World Heavyweight Championship''' is the top [[professional wrestling]] [[Championship (professional wrestling)|title]] in the [[West Texas]]-based [[Professional wrestling promotion|promotion]] Thriftway Wrestling Alliance, which became defunct from [[1997]] after it was purchased by United Championship Wrestling, until its revival nine years later as a third brand in [[2006]]. When TWA started in [[1968]] they did not crown any title holders. Instead for the first ten years of its existence wrestlers from [[Texas]], [[Oklahoma]] and [[New Mexico]] would compete to win a prestigious annual tournament that was held called The TWA Tri-State Tournament Cup. Then in [[1978]], Tommy Charters became the final TWA Tri-State Tournament Cup Winner by defeating Glen Holt. Tommy Charters was then awarded the TWA New Mexico Heavyweight Title the same night. As time went on, The Title went through several different name changes. Then after being defended across the [[United States]] and also outside of The U.S in [[Japan]] and [[Mexico]], it gained World Heavyweight Title status in [[1993]] through [[1998]]. After the companies rebirth, its championship was restored in the summer of [[2006]] it didn’t regain title World Title status again until [[November]] of that same year.

==Title history==
{| class="wikitable" width=100%
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=12%|Wrestler:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=1% |Times:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=16%|Date:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=19%|Location:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=52%|Notes:
|-
|Tommy Charters || 1 || [[December 22]], [[1978]] || [[Ruidoso, New Mexico|Ruidoso, NM]] || {{small|Defeated Glen Holt to become the final TWA Tri-State Tournament Cup Winner and was crowned the first-ever TWA New Mexico Heavyweight Champion the same night.}}
|-
|Glen Holt || 1 || [[February 8]], [[1981]] || [[Hobbs, New Mexico|Hobbs, NM]]
|-
|Tommy Charters || 2 || [[August 16]], [[1981]] || Ruidoso, NM
|-
|Otis Boring || 1 || [[October 5]], [[1981]] || Ruidoso, NM || {{small|Despite being a face in the Texas UCW territory, Otis Boring returns to TWA for the first time since [[1978]] as a heel and wins the title from Charters in a Submission Match.}}
|-
|Tommy Charters || 3 || [[January 31]], [[1982]] || [[Tahoka, Texas|Tahoka, TX]] || {{small|This was the first TWA show to take place in [[Texas]].}}
|-
|Otis Boring || 2 || [[April 11]], [[1982]] || Ruidoso, NM || {{small|After this victory, TWA Officials rename the TWA New Mexico Heavyweight Title, simply the TWA Heavyweight Title.}}
|-
|Glen Holt || 2 || [[July 25]], [[1982]] || Hereford, TX
|-
|Vacated || || [[March 13]], [[1985]] || Ruidoso, NM || {{small|After a successful title defense against Albert Perez just days before in [[Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa, OK]], Glen Holt retires from in-ring competition and vacates the title.}}
|-
|Tommy Charters || 4 || [[March 30]], [[1985]] || [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque, NM]] || {{small|Just three days after becoming [[UCW World Heavyweight Championship|UCW World Heavyweight Champion]], Tommy Charters wins a 30-Man over the top rope [[Battle Royal]] to regain the vacant TWA Heavyweight Championship. Tommy Charters renames the title the TWA World Heavyweight Title due to his status as reigning UCW World Heavyweight Champion. Tommy defends both titles respectively.}}
|-
|Albert Perez || 1 || [[April 20]], [[1986]] || [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans, LA]]
|-
|Ken Holt || 1 || [[June 8]], [[1986]] || Tahoka, TX
|-
|Albert Perez || 2 || [[November 22]], [[1986]] || [[Tijuana, Mexico]] || {{small|This was a Cage Match.}}
|-
|Tommy Charters || 5 || [[September 13]], [[1987]] || [[San Antonio, Texas|San Antonio, TX]] || {{small|Tommy Charters was also The TWA New Mexico Brass Knuckles Champion. On [[October 8]], 1987 TWA Officials unify the titles and declare that the TWA World Heavyweight Title will always be defended under [[Hardcore Wrestling|Brass Knuckles]] rules.}}
|-
|Ken Holt || 2 || [[May 22]], [[1988]] || Hereford, TX || {{small|Ken Holt regains the title but tears his [[Bicep]] muscle during the bout.}}
|-
|Vacated || || [[June 2]], [[1988]] || Ruidoso, NM || {{small|Ken Holt undergoes a doctor examination and is told he’ll need surgery and will be out of action 4 to 6 months. Ken Holt vacates the title the same day and returns it to TWA Headquarters in Ruidoso.}}
|-
|Tommy Charters || 6 || [[August 12]], [[1988]] || [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock, TX]] || {{small|After one of the most bloodiest matches in TWA history, Tommy Charters regains the title after defeating new comer, Big Rey in the finals of a two month tournament that took place at the TWA 20th Anniversary event. The two would have several brutal rematches following his bout.}}
|-
|Ken Holt || 3 || [[November 24]], [[1988]] || [[Brownfield, Texas|Brownfield, TX]] || {{small|Ken Holt made a successful return 5 months after his injury and defeated Charters for the title at the historic first-ever UCW ThanksGiving event.}}
|-
|Kanji Meiji || 1 || [[February 25]], [[1989]] || [[Tokyo, Japan]] || {{small|This title change took place at an [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]] event.}}
|-
|Albert Perez || 3 || [[October 29]], [[1989]] || Tokyo, Japan || {{small|This was a Three Way Dance that also involved Kanji Meiji and Big Rey. Perez pinned Rey to regain the championship.}}
|-
|Kanji Meiji || 2 || [[November 19]], [[1989]] || Ruidoso, NM
|-
|Ken Holt || 4 || [[December 17]], [[1989]] || Tahoka, TX
|-
|Mike Holt || 1 || [[May 5]], [[1991]] || [[Del Rio, Texas|Del Rio, TX]] || {{small|Mike Holt defeated his cousin Ken Holt to win his first TWA World Heavyweight Title after a bloody classic called “Cinco de [[blood|Sangre]]”.}}
|-
|Albert Perez || 4 || [[July 21]], [[1991]] || [[Mexico City, Mexico]]
|-
|Mike Holt || 2 || [[January 4]], [[1992]] || Brownfield, TX
|-
|Tommy Charters || 7 || [[April 17]], [[1992]] || [[Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa, OK]] || {{small|This was a barbwire ropes match.}}
|-
|Vacated || || [[December 23]], [[1992]] || Muleshoe, TX || {{small|Tommy Charters suffered a career threatening [[knee]] injury after a botched move in a title defense against Big Rey in [[Japan]]. Tommy Charters vacates the title and it is unclear if he will ever return.}}
|-
|Mike Holt || 3 || [[December 23]], [[1992]] || Muleshoe, TX || {{small|UCW Officials award Mike Holt the TWA World Heavyweight Title due to him winning a number one contenders match just days before Tommy Charters was injured.}}
|-
|Tommy Charters || 8 || [[November 24]], [[1993]] || Brownfield, TX || {{small|Tommy Charters made his triumphant return and regained the title at the historic UCW ThanksGiving VI event, which gained the title official World Heavyweight Title status for the first time. Days later it was announced TWA would be moving into the [[West Texas]] territory of UCW and the two companies severed ties.}}
|-
|Ken Holt || 5 || [[March 12]], [[1994]] || Tahoka, TX
|-
|Eric Martinez || 1 || [[March 27]], [[1994]] || Brownfield, TX
|-
|Mike Holt || 4 || [[May 21]], [[1994]] || Tahoka, TX
|-
|Eric Martinez || 2 || [[June 25]], [[1994]] || Hereford, TX
|-
|Tommy Charters || 9 || [[September 11]], [[1994]] || Plainview, TX || {{small|This was a Fatal Four Way match that also involved Eric Martinez, Mike Holt and Albert Perez. Charters pinned Martinez to regain the title.}}
|-
|Albert Perez || 5 || [[December 16]], [[1994]] || Tahoka, TX || {{small|This was the infamous Tommy Charters screw job that saw the referee count three even though the champion, Tommy Charters clearly got his shoulder up before the three. Former champion and TWA owner, Glen Holt who was on hand as a commentator did nothing to change the official ruling. Fans cause a near riot and Tommy Charters quits TWA and returns to UCW because of the incident.}}
|-
|Vacated || || [[June 13]], [[1995]] || Brownfield, TX || {{small|The title became vacant after the reigning TWA World Heavyweight Champion, Albert Perez was found dead. It was later revealed he had suffered a [[heart attack]]. This was the beginning of the end for the original TWA.}}
|-
|Cat Gonzales || 1 || [[July 18]], [[1995]] || Brownfield, TX || {{small|TWA holds a special one night tournament named in the memory of Albert Perez. Cat Gonzales who had been trained by Perez defeated former champion Eric Martinez in the final match of the night to win the gold. Cat dedicated his title win to the memory of his mentor.}}
|-
|Jacob Franco || 1 || [[January 13]], [[1996]] || Hereford, TX || {{small|This was a [[Ladder Match]].}}
|-
|Cat Gonzales || 2 || [[April 3]], [[1996]] || Tahoka, TX
|-
|Eric Martinez || 3 || [[September 8]], [[1996]] || Brownfield, TX
|-
|Vacated || || [[December 20]], [[1996]] || Brownfield, TX || {{small|Problems continued for the TWA after Eric Martinez couldn’t come to a contract agreement. Eric Martinez vacates the title out of respect for TWA giving him his first big break but leaves and signs with TWA rival, UCW.}}
|-
|Cat Gonzales || 3 || [[March 20]], [[1997]] || Tahoka, TX || {{small|In a panic, TWA Officials name Cat Gonzales the new TWA World Heavyweight Champion stating he never invoked his rematch clause after losing the title just a few months before.}}
|-
|Vacated || || [[October 26]], [[1997]] || Idalou, TX || {{small|With attendance and ratings at an all time low, Cat Gonzales feared that end for TWA was nearing and vacated the title the day his TWA contract expired and signed with UCW.}}
|-
|Ken Holt || 6 || [[October 29]], [[1997]] || Idalou, TX || {{small|TWA Officials make a match with Ken Holt versus Mike Holt for the vacant title. Ken Holt wins the match, via submission in what was Mike Holt’s last match with the original TWA.}}
|-
|Tommy Charters || 10 || [[February 11]], [[1998]] || Brownfield, TX || {{small|Glen Holt makes a public apology to Tommy Charters and mends his relationship with him before selling the rights to TWA to it’s former ally turned rival, United Championship Wrestling. Tommy Charters returned at a special event and won the title from Ken Holt. Tommy Charters defended the title one more time the following night at the last TWA event of the original TWA against his arch enemy and fellow UCW Superstar, Big Rey. Tommy Charters and Big Rey wrestled to a bloody 30 minute time limit draw and shook hands in the middle of the ring and Tommy Charters is recognized as the last World Heavyweight Champion of the original TWA.}}
|-
|Eric Martinez || 4 || [[June 9]], [[2006]] || Brownfield, TX || {{small|UCW restores the TWA as a third brand and Eric Martinez wins a Fatal Four Way Match of Champions that involved former TWA World Heavyweight Champions Mike Holt, Ken Holt and Tommy Charters. Eric Martinez is crowned the first TWA World Heavyweight Champion of the new era of TWA at the second annual “One Night Stand” event.}}
|-
|Mark “Wife Beater” Perez || 1 || [[July 22]], [[2006]] || Tahoka, TX
|-
|Big Rey || 1 || [[November 22]], [[2006]] || Brownfield, TX || {{small|Big Rey realizes a 20 year dream after he defeats Mark “Wife Beater” Perez and wins the TWA World Heavyweight Title for the first time at the historic 19th annual UCW ThanksGiving event. TWA World Heavyweight Title has its official World Heavyweight Title status restored.}}
|-
|Seaton || 1 || [[June 9]], [[2007]] || Tahoka, TX
|-
|Eric Pauda || 1 || [[October 27]], [[2007]] || Tahoka, TX
|-

[[Category:World heavyweight wrestling championships]]