The NWA split
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Ex-football player Gus Sonnenberg (left) was a popular wrestler who introduced the "flying tackle" as a wrestling finisher.
He had defeated Ed Lewis in front of 20,000 fans to become the 20th world heavyweight champion.
During his reign in 1930 the National Wrestling Association (NWA) stripped him of the title for failure to compete in a championship tournament.
He had defeated Ed Lewis in front of 20,000 fans to become the 20th world heavyweight champion.
During his reign in 1930 the National Wrestling Association (NWA) stripped him of the title for failure to compete in a championship tournament.
Unification and more double-crosses
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In June 1935, a rookie named Danno O'Mahoney (left) defeated Jim Londos to win the NWA and NYSAC championship. O'Mahoney was not considered particularly skilled or tough but fans in Boston and New York enjoyed his Irish heritage and promoter Paul Bowser saw him as the most popular champ in those areas since Irishman William Muldoon.
O'Mahoney was often roughed up by real shooters, including Dick Shikat who was disqualified after breaking two of the champion's ribs.
O'Mahoney also defeated Ed Don George to win the AWA version of the title, unifying the three main lines of championship, the NWA, NYSAC and the AWA.
Although favoured by promoter Paul Bowser, other promoters grew tired of O'Mahoney as champion and knew his weakness was his inability "shoot". Ed Lewis's manager Bill Sandow challenged O'Mahoney to defend against one of his wrestlers/shooters Everett Marshall, Ed Lewis or Jim Browning.
At one arena in Texas, O'Mahoney got wind of a plan to "hook" him and fled the arena with his belt.
In 1936, O'Mahoney lost the NWA/NYSAC title in Madison Square Garden against Dick Shikat who hooked him so badly that O'Mahoney tried to twice quit the match. O'Mahoney remained AWA champion and Shikat became torn between promoters Sandow (Gold Dust Trio) and Bowser which saw him miss appearances and lose recognition of the title in some area.
O'Mahoney lost the AWA title to Yvon Robert who was stripped of the title in 1937 for not defending the title against Lou Thesz.
Thesz was awarded the AWA title when he also defeated Everett Marshall for the MWA title.
Thesz would lose the AWA title to Steve Casey and he to Marv Westenberg.
Thesz would lose the MWA title to Steve Casey and he Everett Marshall.
O'Mahoney was often roughed up by real shooters, including Dick Shikat who was disqualified after breaking two of the champion's ribs.
O'Mahoney also defeated Ed Don George to win the AWA version of the title, unifying the three main lines of championship, the NWA, NYSAC and the AWA.
Although favoured by promoter Paul Bowser, other promoters grew tired of O'Mahoney as champion and knew his weakness was his inability "shoot". Ed Lewis's manager Bill Sandow challenged O'Mahoney to defend against one of his wrestlers/shooters Everett Marshall, Ed Lewis or Jim Browning.
At one arena in Texas, O'Mahoney got wind of a plan to "hook" him and fled the arena with his belt.
In 1936, O'Mahoney lost the NWA/NYSAC title in Madison Square Garden against Dick Shikat who hooked him so badly that O'Mahoney tried to twice quit the match. O'Mahoney remained AWA champion and Shikat became torn between promoters Sandow (Gold Dust Trio) and Bowser which saw him miss appearances and lose recognition of the title in some area.
O'Mahoney lost the AWA title to Yvon Robert who was stripped of the title in 1937 for not defending the title against Lou Thesz.
Thesz was awarded the AWA title when he also defeated Everett Marshall for the MWA title.
Thesz would lose the AWA title to Steve Casey and he to Marv Westenberg.
Thesz would lose the MWA title to Steve Casey and he Everett Marshall.
Establishing the NWA
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Ali Baba defeated Dick Shikat to become the NWA/NYSAC World Champion.
Baba wrestled Dave Levin and lost by DQ. Consequently, Baba remained champion but the Ring magazine recognised Levin as rightful lineal champion. Levin would lose that title to Dean Detton.
Baba lost the title to Everett Marshall.
Meanwhile the National Wrestling Association vacated the title and it was won by John Pesek, but he was later stripped of the title so his reign is largely forgotten.
Everett Marshall was awarded the NWA championship presumably as the MWA champion. He again lost to Lou Thesz.
Lou Thesz (above) is the 27th and 30th world heavyweight champion.
Although Thesz had been the AWA champion and MWA champion before beating Marshall, the title lineage is traced through Thesz rather than the John Pesek line. It is as follows:
23. Danno O'Mahoney (undisputed champion)
24. Dick Shikat (NWA & NYSAC champion)
25. Ali Baba (MWA champion)
26. Everett Marshall (MWA champion)
27. Lou Thesz (MWA & AWA champion)
28. Steve Casey (MWA & AWA champion)
29. Everett Marshall (NWA champion)
30. Lou Thesz (NWA champion)
The lines we don't recognise as part of the official lineage are:
AWA Lineage:
Danno O'Mahoney
Yvon Robert
Lou Thesz
Steve Casey
Marv Westenberg
Gus Sonnenberg
Steve Casey
Ed Don George
Steve Casey
French Angel
Steve Casey
French Angel
Steve Casey
Ring Magazine:
Danno O'Mahoney
Dick Shikat
Dave Levin
Dean Detton
Bronko Nagurski
Jim Londos [3]
NWA (Actual):
23: Danno O'Mahoney
24: Dick Shikat
25: Ali Baba
- John Pesek
26: Everett Marshall
Lou Thesz lost the National Wrestling Association championship to Bronko Nagurski, but then another split occured.
Baba wrestled Dave Levin and lost by DQ. Consequently, Baba remained champion but the Ring magazine recognised Levin as rightful lineal champion. Levin would lose that title to Dean Detton.
Baba lost the title to Everett Marshall.
Meanwhile the National Wrestling Association vacated the title and it was won by John Pesek, but he was later stripped of the title so his reign is largely forgotten.
Everett Marshall was awarded the NWA championship presumably as the MWA champion. He again lost to Lou Thesz.
Lou Thesz (above) is the 27th and 30th world heavyweight champion.
Although Thesz had been the AWA champion and MWA champion before beating Marshall, the title lineage is traced through Thesz rather than the John Pesek line. It is as follows:
23. Danno O'Mahoney (undisputed champion)
24. Dick Shikat (NWA & NYSAC champion)
25. Ali Baba (MWA champion)
26. Everett Marshall (MWA champion)
27. Lou Thesz (MWA & AWA champion)
28. Steve Casey (MWA & AWA champion)
29. Everett Marshall (NWA champion)
30. Lou Thesz (NWA champion)
The lines we don't recognise as part of the official lineage are:
AWA Lineage:
Danno O'Mahoney
Yvon Robert
Lou Thesz
Steve Casey
Marv Westenberg
Gus Sonnenberg
Steve Casey
Ed Don George
Steve Casey
French Angel
Steve Casey
French Angel
Steve Casey
Ring Magazine:
Danno O'Mahoney
Dick Shikat
Dave Levin
Dean Detton
Bronko Nagurski
Jim Londos [3]
NWA (Actual):
23: Danno O'Mahoney
24: Dick Shikat
25: Ali Baba
- John Pesek
26: Everett Marshall
Lou Thesz lost the National Wrestling Association championship to Bronko Nagurski, but then another split occured.