WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship

Infobox championship
championshipname = WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship


caption =
currentholder = Vacant
won = August 25, 2008
aired =
promotion = World Wrestling Council
brand =
created = July 21, 1982
mostreigns = Carlos Colón (26 reigns)
firstchamp = Abdullah the Butcher
longestreign = Carlos Colón (654 days)
shortestreign = Vampiro (<1 day)
oldest = Abdullah The Butcher (67 years, 62 days)
youngest = Carly Colón (20 years, 342 days)
heaviest = Mabel (convert|485|lb|kg st|abbr=on)
lightest = Eddie Colon (convert|195|lb|kg st|abbr=on)
pastnames = WWC World Heavyweight Championship
titleretired =
pastlookimages =

The WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship is the top title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council. The championship was established in July 1982, as the WWC World Heavyweight Championship, when the company was named Capitol Sports Promotions. The championship received its current name following a match between Carlos Colón (WWC Heavyweight Champion) and Ric Flair (NWA Heavyweight Champion) where the "champion of the universe" was supposed to be determined. The first champion was Abdullah the Butcher, who was billed as champion upon the title's creation. Since being established the Universal Championship has been possessed by thirty-eight different wrestlers. Its has also been held up on nineteen occasions and vacated or stripped eleven times.

History

The Universal Championship was first introduced as the WWC World Heavyweight Championship, when it was awarded to Abdullah the Butcher, after he won a "tournament" that supposedly took place in Japan. The tournament was part of a storyline and was used to relate to Abdullah's previous run in All Japan Pro Wrestling. Three days later Carlos Colón became the first local wrestler to win the championship. During the championship's first years Colón would defend the championship successfully against several international wrestlers, only losing it when a "feud angle" was being promoted.cite web| url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/37442/Historical-Perspective:-The-WWC-Universal-Title-1982-1992.htm| title=Historical Perspective: The WWC Universal Title 1982-1992 | author=Armando Rodriguez| publisher=411mania.com| date=2006-02-03| accessdate=2008-01-12]

During December 1983, Capitol Sports Promotions gave a significant amount of promotion to an angle between Ric Flair and Carlos Colón. At the moment when the feud happened Colón was the WWC World Heavyweight Champion and Flair was the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The angle included a spot where Flair would criticize Capitol's championship claiming that he was the only "real world champion". This led to a match on December 18, 1983 where both wrestler's compited in an event organized Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The match was billed as a fight to determine the "undisputed champion of the Universe", and it took place inside a steel cage. Flair lost the match and Colón was declared the "undisputed champion of the Universe", in the process the championship was renamed to "Universal Heavyweight Championship". February 17, 1985 marked the first time that the championship's holder changed outside of Puerto Rico, when Dory Funk Jr. won it. After a rematch ended in a draw, the title was held up for the first time since its foundation. After Colon defeated Flair in he would go on several undefeated streaks, this lasted until Funk "injured" him in a match which led the championship being vacated for the first time.

he subsequently competed in a tournament to determin the new champion where he won it for a fifth time. After this he was involved in an angle where Hercules Ayala turned on him and won the championship. This led to the organization of several matches, before he won it on a rematch. Sadistic Steve Strong was the next champion, upon his entrance to the company he was billed as a "satanic heel". Both wrestlers traded the title until it was held up and won by Colón (in what marked his tenth title reign) who held it until December 17, 1989, when he lost it to Leo Burke.

Following this Burke would go on to feud with Juan Rivera who at the time was referred to as "TNT". Both wrestlers had been involved in a mid-card feud prior to this. Rivera won the championship on February 9, 1990, eventually losing it to Abdullah the Butcher, who lost it to Colon. The title was held up numerous times on 1991, as part of feuds between Colon, Greg Valentine and Dino Bravo.

On August 1, 1993 Colon announced that he was retiring, vacating the championship in the process. Following this a tournament was scheduled to determine a new champion. On August 8, 1993, the final took place when Greg Valentine defeated the Invader to become the new champion, which led to a feud between both men. During this time Invader was part of the booking team and was interested in giving Ray Gonzalez a push as the company's top face. Then on April 24, 1994 Invader was supposed to challenge Valentine for the championship but was replaced by Gonzalez following a "injury".Gonzalez won the match and became the championship in an unexpected result. Gonzalez wasn't well received as a face and lost the championship to Dutch Mantell on June 22, 1994. This led to an angle between Mantel and Colon who won the championship a sixteenth time. He was subsequently involved in a feud with Mabel., in which both wrestlers had a reing, which Colon eventually ended with Abdulla the Butcher winning the championship and engaging in a feud with Bronco. Who won the championship on March 23, 1996. This led to a feud with Colon who defeated Bronco in a retirement vs. deportation match. After this Colon retained the championship, with it being held up once during this period. On June 25, 1996 Jesus Castillo, Jr. won the title while working a tour in Puerto Rico when he was part of Los Boricuas. Castillo dropped the title back to Colon on the last date of this tour. Colon was then involved in angles with El Nene and Jim Steele with both of the winning the title once before dropping it back. Following this Colon announced a semi-retirement and vacated the championship. A tournament was held with Gonzalez winning it again.cite web| url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/37475/Historical-Perspective:-WWC-Universal-Title-1993-1999.htm| title=Historical Perspective: WWC Universal Title 1993-1999| author=Armando Rodriguez| publisher=411mania.com| date=2006-02-05| accessdate=2008-01-12]

During this run Ray was pushed and his adversaries tried to put him over. This was followed by an angle where Gonzalez and Colon would experience trouble and after Gonzalez lost and regained the title against El Nene, both had a feud where Colon won the championship for a twenty-third time, but ended up losing it back to Ray the following day. Gonzalez defended the title until November 26, 1998 when Glamour Boy Shane won it, losing it to Gonzalez two days after. Over the course of three months Ray lost and regained the title against Colon again. This year the World Wrestling Council ran an invasion angle where personnel from Asistencia Asesoría y Administración wrested in the company, this led to a feud between Pierroth and Gonzalez, this led to a hair vs. mask match for the championship, where Gonzalez won and Pierroth was forced to remove his mask. The following day Pierroth won the championship, this feud ended in a "loser leaves WWC" match that Gonzalez won and won the championship a ninth time. Soon after this Gonzalez was involved in an angle where Carly Colon made his debut in wrestling, eventually helping Colon win the championship for the last occasion in his career.

Gonzalez would win the championship back on January 6, 2000. This was followed by an angle that saw Carly win the title. The feud continued with Gonzalez bringing foreign wrestlers to challenge him for the title, among which where Curt Henning and Jerry Flynn who won the title eventually losing it to Bronco, who lost to Ray shortly after. Gonzlez was then involved in a feud where he retained against El Super Gladiador, during which the title was held up once. Carly won the championship back on the last show of 2001, which took place on December 1, 2001. This time he feuded with Vampiro who won the title once, with the title being subsequently held up and finally being won by Colón again. After this he was involved with Konnan who won and dropped the championship in a day. By this time Gonzalez left WWC and Carly was matched against Chicky Starr who won the championship and had a short run until losing it back. Carly's final feud before signing with World Wrestling Entertainment was against Sabu with both men trading the championship once.cite web| url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/37520/Historical-Perspective:-WWC-Universal-Title-2000-2005.htm| title=Historical Perspective: WWC Universal Title 2000-2005 | author=Armando Rodriguez| publisher=411mania.com| date=2006-02-08| accessdate=2008-01-12]

When Carly left to Ohio Valley Wrestling a tournament was scheluded, where Lighting won the championship. He feuded with Thunder for some time and would go on to lost the championship to El Diamante on September 13, 2003. Diamante lost the championship losing it to Carly who was on a temporal stay with the company losing it to Abdullah the Butcher on the final days of his stay. But the wrestler didn't defend the title many times and it was vacated. Bronco won a tournament organized for the championship and lost it to Eddie Colón, leading to a feud between both. Eddie was pushed and defended against Jim Steele, Abyss and Abdullah the Butcher with the championship being held up only once. This led to a feud with El Diamante where both traded the championship before El Diamante left the company. During this time Bryan debuted with the company and on the championship shortly after, getting involved in a feud with Glamour Boy Shane who won it on the company's anniversary event on November 6, 2005.

The IWA's unification of the "Capitol World Heavyweight Championship"

On December 15, 2007 Scott Hall failed to attend a title defense which led to the local box and wrestling commission's decision to vacate the championship and award it to the number one contender, who at the moment was Biggie Size. [cite web| url=http://www.prwrestling.com/noticiasprw/4967.php| title=WWC: Rresultados Lockout Caguas 12/15| publisher=Puerto Rico Wrestling| date=2007-12-15| accessdate=2008-01-07] On December 29, 2007, the Universal championship was announced as "held-up" following the events where Biggie Size was declared the champion following Hall's absence to "Lockout". The commission's decision was announced during the company's holiday recess and Biggie Size still retained physical possession of the championship belt. On January 6, 2008, Hector Melendez, who had been managing "La Rabia", the stable where Biggie Size performed, abandoned the company citing differences with the company's personnel. [cite web| url=http://www.luchalibreonline.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6748| title=WWC : Moody abandona la empresa| author=Javier Gonzalez| publisher=Lucha Libre Online| date=2008-01-06| accessdate=2008-01-07] Following Melendez's exit from the company, La Rabia abandoned the company as well, no-showing the special event scheduled for January 6, 2008. That same night, Biggie Size appeared at the International Wrestling Association's Histeria Boricua event, with the championship belt still in his possession and challenged Blitz, the current IWA World Heavyweight Champion to a unification match.cite web| url=http://www.luchalibreonline.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6753| title= IWA : Nada es lo que parece| author=Americo Guzman| publisher=Lucha Libre Online| date=2008-01-06| accessdate=2008-01-07] The match took place later in the event with Blitz winning both belts. [cite web| url=http://www.primerahora.com/noticia/otros/acciondeportiva/bochinche_en_la_lucha_libre/144914| title=Bochinche en la lucha libre| author=Raúl Álzaga Sánchez-Bretón| publisher=Primera Hora| language=Spanish| date=2008-01-07| accessdate=2008-01-12] Following this match WWC's merchandise mannager, Jose Roberto Rodríguez, who had been allowed entry into the building, publicly demanded that the belt was returned to WWC personnel. However, by this time, the IWA's personnel had replaced the belt with Revolution X-Treme Wrestling's championship belt (which was in Savio Vega's possession) and had transferred the Universal Championship to a secure location. This led to a discussion between personnel from both companies and Rodríguez's expulsion from the event. After the events conclusion, police officers were contacted but the IWA retained physical possession of the championship. [cite web| url=http://www.prwrestling.com/noticiasprw/5035.php| title=WWC: Situación con la correa Universal | author=Juan Rosario| publisher=Puerto Rico Wrestling| date=2008-01-07| accessdate=2008-01-07] The belt was returned to WWC personnel following an ultimatum, which claimed that the company would take legal action if it wasn't returned within forty-eight hours. [cite web| url=http://www.luchalibreonline.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6769| title=WWC : Entregan Correa Universal| author=Raul Alzaga| publisher=Lucha Libre Online| date=2008-01-10| accessdate=2008-01-15] However, both the International Wrestling Association and the National Wrestling Alliance recognized the unification match and considered Blitz the first Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion in Puerto Rico. [cite web| url=http://www.luchalibreonline.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6788| title=EU : NWA: ¿Se aprueba unificacion en la empresa?| author=David Ramos| publisher=Lucha Libre Online| date=2008-01-14| accessdate=2008-01-15]

Tournament and belt design

WWC organized a tournament to determine the next champion. Eliminatories for this event lasted for six months, using a points system to select the finalists. The final was held on July 19, 2008, at "Aniversario 2008", with a match between Noriega and Orlando Colón. A new belt was introduced, while the former design was awarded to Carlos Colón who held a retirement ceremony at the event. Noriega won the event by pinfall. After 36 days with the title, he left the company while still the champion, signing a contract with a promotion named EWO. [cite web| url=http://www.wrestlevent.com/2008/Noticias_Principales.section/paginas/articulo10ceae599.html| title=Oficial la "Rebeldia"| publisher=Wrestleevent Entertainment| language=Spanish| date=2008-08-27| accessdate=2008-08-27] Shorly after, EWO folded and Noriega returned to the IWA, while still holding physical possession of the title.

Title lineage

:"^† indicates reigns and title changes not recognized by WWC."

References

External links

* [http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pr/wwc/wwc-h.html Wrestling-Titles.com]
* [http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/old/wwctit.htm Wrestling Information Archive]