10 Most Prestigious Championships In Wrestling Today Ranked

3. NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship (est. 1948)

The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is really a story of two titles. The NWA Championship was created in 1948 and for decades was the standard in pro wrestling. Legends of the industry from Lou Thesz to Harley Race to the Funks, Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair held the title proudly as the top wrestler on the planet. Truly, the title knew no equal.

However, once the WWF overtook the title in the eyes of the public and WCW broke away from the NWA, the title’s prestige became basically nonexistent. From 1993 onward, the title may well have not existed. The NWA brand was considered comatose until 2018 when Cody and Nick Aldis renewed public interest in the title.

Aldis’ matches with Cody at All In and the NWA 70th Anniversary show made the title feel like it was worth fighting for again. Since then, Aldis has been a phenomenal champion. He has captained the ship since the launch of NWA Power and he has been one of the truest examples of a World Champion in modern wrestling.

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2. WWE Championship (est. 1963)

The WWE Championship has faced its fair share of ups and downs throughout is near six-decade history. It became the primary competition to the NWA Championship during its early years with legendary reigns from the likes of Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, and Bob Backlund, before exploding internationally on the back of Hulk Hogan.

As time has gone on and wrestling has changed, the title has changed as well. Into the Attitude Era and beyond, the title became much more of a prop than an accolade. Frequent title changes and unqualified titleholders have damaged the perception of the title from time to time, however, in many people’s eyes, it remains the gold standard of pro wrestling.

While you may get subpar reigns from the likes of Jinder Mahal or Rey Mysterio, winning the WWE Championship is still seen as one of the business’ most prestigious accomplishments, as illustrated by Drew McIntyre’s win earlier in 2020.

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1. IWGP Heavyweight Championship (est. 1987)

The Triple Crown title was the title of the 90s, the GHC title was the title of the 2000s, and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship has been the title of the 2010s onward. The primary championship of New Japan Pro Wrestling, the IWGP title has been the unquestionable symbol of excellence among wrestling championships in modern pro wrestling.

New Japan Pro Wrestling has made a point to showcase the prestige of the title prior to each title match. A video highlighting the champions of the past is played, adding a layer of gravitas to the proceedings. Those champions helped build the title into what it has become, without a doubt. Masahiro Chono, Keiji Mutoh, Shinya Hashimoto, and Antonio Inoki are among the names that built the title, but it is the more recent names that have made the title truly prestigious.

Hiroshi Tanahashi was the man who pulled New Japan out of the depths of the mid-2000s, putting the promotion on his back as their champion. From there, Kazuchika Okada and his 720-day reign launched it into a new stratosphere. The unmatched level of quality from the IWGP Heavyweight Champions of the last decade have taken a title that was already prestigious and turned it into the most valued title in all of pro wrestling.

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• prestigious
• IWGP Heavyweight Championship
• nwa worlds heavyweight championship
• wwe championship

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