TNA World Championship
 Kurt Angle holding up the TNA World Heavyweight Championship belt | |
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The Total Nonstop Action (TNA) World Heavyweight Championship is the primary professional wrestling championship in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
History
The start of the company
In 2002, Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett formed TNA, in the process negotiating a licensing deal with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) that granted them rights to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
TNA withdrew from the NWA in 2004, but secured the right to continue to use the two NWA championships until 2014. TNA were permitted to use the titles any way they saw fit, without requiring approval of the NWA Board of Directors. While these titles were still defended in several NWA territories and federations, control of the titles was exclusive to TNA.
Title creation—NWA title vacated
It was announced on May 13 2007 that the NWA and TNA agreed to end their ongoing business relationship, with the NWA formally stripping the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion (as well as the reigning NWA World Tag Team Champions) of the title.[1] Despite Christian Cage and Team 3D being stripped of their championships, TNA continued to recognize its title holders as NWA Champions until May 14[2] when the new title was created and used during television tapings.[3] The TNA World Heavyweight Championship was officially unveiled (on TNA's website) on May 15.[4] It was immediately given World title status by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
Current champion
Title history
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurt Angle | 1 | June 17 2007 | Nashville, TN | This was a King of the Mountain match at Slammiversary, also involving Christian Cage, Chris Harris, Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles.[5] |
| Sting | 1 | October 14 2007 | Duluth, GA | Won at Bound for Glory. |
List of top individual reigns
As of October 16 2007.