6-722: The Pacific Wrestling Federation ( PWF ) World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and one of the three titles that make up the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship . It was created in 1973 by All Japan owner Giant Baba , after he won a series of ten matches against Bruno Sammartino (twice - one win, one draw), Terry Funk , Abdullah the Butcher , The Destroyer , Wilbur Snyder (twice - one win, one draw), Don Leo Jonathan , Pat O'Connor and Bobo Brazil . The title, which had originally been classed as
12-452: A new single title belt incorporating designs from the three original belts was made. The new title belt, which featured three plates representing the three original title belts, was unveiled on October 27. One of the plates includes the text "Jumbo Tsuruta Apr. 18 1989", representing the crowning of the inaugural champion. There have been a total of 31 recognized champions who have had a combined 70 official reigns. Six men in history have held
18-764: A world title, was downgraded to regional status after All Japan joined the National Wrestling Alliance but retained its status as the top All Japan singles title until 1983. In 1989 Jumbo Tsuruta and Stan Hansen would unify this, the NWA United National Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight title to create the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. The original belt remained in use as part of
24-751: The Japanese All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion . The current champion is Davey Boy Smith, Jr. , who is in his first reign. The championship was established after the unification of All Japan's then-flagship title, the PWF World Heavyweight Championship , with the NWA United National Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight Championship . The titles were unified on April 18, 1989, when NWA International Heavyweight Champion Jumbo Tsuruta defeated
30-720: The PWF World Heavyweight and NWA United National Champion Stan Hansen . Unlike most unified championships, the Triple Crown was originally represented through the continued use of the three individual championship belts . From 1989 to 2000, the holder of the Triple Crown was also presented by Nippon TV (AJPW's broadcaster at the time) with a large, globe-shaped trophy bearing the words "World Heavyweight Champion". The original title belts were returned to All Japan founder Giant Baba 's widow Motoko in August 2013 and
36-473: The Triple Crown until 2013, when the three belts were replaced by a single belt. As the original top belt in All Japan, its design formed the front plate of the new belt; the other two belts' designs took the sides. Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship The Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship ( 三冠ヘビー級王座 , Sankan Hebīkyū Ōza ) is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in
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