world heavyweight championship world heavyweight championship spanish professional wrestling world heavyweight championship established promoted introduced championship moved away nwa signal independence away nwa established number championships designated world championships variety divisions heavyweight championship title created inaugural champion won title defeating storyline rival finals tournament june current champion 15th overall person hold championship 18th overall champion professional wrestling promotions world heavyweight designation normally indicate highest ranking championship instead actual weight division traditionally mexican wrestling multiple weight divisions lower weight classes receiving attention promoters carries tradition professional wrestling championship won legitimately instead won scripted ending match history mexican professional wrestling promotion founded initially recognized series mexican national wrestling championships endorsed box mexico created time began promoting matches championship approval oversight wrestling commission 1950s member nwa recognized nwa world heavyweight championship occasion promote title matches nwa mexico late 1980s left nwa avoid politics nwa later start 1990s began featured frequently shows stopped promoting altogether decided create series branded world championships heavyweight division champion crowned finals man tournament saw defeat lost title title defense august making champions single successful title defense left summer decided join promoter newly formed aaa wrestling promotion leaving heavyweight champion held man single elimination tournament october november ended winning title victory non hispanic far british wrestler win championship june decided title mexican native defeated main venue april steel canadian win championship defeated champion 8th overall champion september steel signed contract world_wrestling_federation wwf later wwe forced vacate championship second time instead holding traditional tournament crown champion took heavyweight contenders new champion decided match october won title starting reigns remains record lost title regained title second reign champion lasted total days longest championship reign record breaking run ended april won title champion days regained championship july 14th overall champion reign lasted days saw defend title times overall defeating december won championship shortly left work wwe april successfully defended world title independent wrestling promotion marking time world title defended non promoted day reign successful defenses guerrero lost title august championship vacated november left del group wrestlers broke away promotion late january new champion defeated decision match won match week earlier earn spots match reigns current champion won title january defeating 18th overall champion 15th person hold title held title times reigns total holds record longest combined reign days longest single reign days champion person held title shortest time days officially credited successful title defenses highest number defenses separate occasions forced declare championship vacant meant champion period time instances necessitated reigning champion leaving working match lose title successor picked normal circumstances know wrestler leaving promotion contract renewed wrestler giving notice allows time transition championship different wrestler case steel departures company sudden plans place organize tournament determine champion rules championship designated heavyweight title means championship officially competed wrestlers weighing 20th century mexican wrestling enforced weight divisions strictly 21st century rules occasionally ignored weight divisions heavyweight championship exception champions weight limit example heavyweight title traditionally considered prestigious weight division professional wrestling places emphasis lower weight divisions considered championship total promoted championships labelled world titles promotional focus shifts championship championship time single championship promoted main championship promotion championship matches usually place best falls rules occasion single fall title matches taken place especially promoting title matches japan traditions local promotion tournaments tournament crown inaugural champion ran june featured competitors round tournament saw man battle cut field half remaining wrestlers match advancing round eliminated battle royal second battle royal eliminated second round saw pair battle time men find final wrestlers faced traditional semi finals finals tournament results left aaa decided hold traditional man single elimination tournament crown new world heavyweight champion tournament ran october november tournament results december announced decided leave work del vacated championship announced following week december tournament determine new champion main event december arena man elimination match designed reduce field championship contenders match ended pinned eliminate leaving rush face following week january defeated rush best falls match falls 17th overall champion december
CMLL World Heavyweight Championship