On this day in wrestling history, February 24, 1995, the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) was in the midst of their death throes. Not only had they lost their top stars when Jim Crockett Promotions was purchased by Ted Turner and became WCW, but the WWE had largely eliminated the territory system that had been the core of the NWA.
During this time, they were looking for someone that could help keep them afloat while WCW and WWE geared up for war. Their choice was a familiar face to WWE and MMA fans — Dan Severn.
Severn wins
This was a day of more than just Dan Severn beating Chris Candido by submission. It was an historic moment for Severn, as we’ll see below, and began the second longest World Heavyweight Championship reign in NWA history.
Not only was he the fits MMA fighter to win a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship, but his reign would last for four years (1479 days) before he lost to it to Naoya Ogawa in March 1999. Severn missed making history by 84 days, as Dory Funk Sr. held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from 1969 to 1973, or 1563 days.
As some of you may have noticed, Severn was the NWA champion while he was in the WWE as Ken Shamrock’s rival.
In his own words
Special thanks to @awrestlinghistorian for the quote.
“The NWA was near extinction. There wasn’t much notoriety in there and I am not sure if it was Dennis Coralluzzo, but the idea came down that they wanted to put the strap on me.
“If you go back to really the old school days there have been some real legendary people who have held the strap. This was presented to me by Lou Thesz so it has that much more of a cherished meaning to me. As much as Ric Flair might have said he was ‘The Man’, Lou Thesz was ‘The Man’ in my opinion.” – Dan Severn Canoe.com interview November 27, 2014
Imagine having a legend like Lou Thesz hand you the championship belt he won and wore with pride and distinction for so many years. There’s a history to it that makes it more than just a story, but a day in wrestling history that’s worth remembering.
There are some memories that never go away, and this is definitely one for Dan Severn. While his time in the WWE wasn’t rememberable for many fans, it’s great to see he’s part of a legacy in professional wrestling that’s not subject to Vince McMahon’s wishes to pretend it didn’t happen or to downplay it. While the NWA wasn’t a powerhouse at this time, it doesn’t take away from his accomplishment.
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