NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship Returns to Puerto Rico

Last Word on Pro Wrestling actually broke the news ahead of the big announcement Nick Aldis made on Facebook Live.  The National Wrestling Alliance will send its Worlds Heavyweight Champion to Puerto Rico as part of the huge Championship Wrestling Association Christmas Showdown which will take place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico on December 16th.  He will face former WWE superstar Billy Gunn

The National Treasure is celebrating his 2nd NWA Championship after defeating Cody at the NWA 70th Anniversary Show.  A match that involved; interference from Cody’s wife Brandi Rhodes and The Insurance Policy Kamille, three former champions being removed from the ringside area, and a pier six brawl that spilled into the crowd, ended with an inside cradle.  Nick’s victory relaunched the Aldis Crusade.

The Aldis Crusade kicked off earlier this year when Nick Aldis announced he would defend the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship on no less than four continents.  Aldis defeated 33 opponents in the span of nine months on four different continents, including being the first to defend the Ten Pounds of Gold in China.

Billy Gunn is a 11 times WWF Tag Team Champion, a 2 time Hardcore Champion, an Intercontinental Champion. And although Gunn had gained most of his notoriety within the WWE, he’s won many championships on the Independent Circuit. However, Gunn has never challenged for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

Puerto Rico is rich with NWA heritage and often controversy.  The finals of Reclaiming the Glory between Daniel Bryan and Brent Albright was changed prior to the show that would have Adam Pearce replace Bryan due to injury.  Bryan would count to three in favor of Pearce although both men’s shoulders were pinned, via a cradle.  Both men thought they had won until Bryan would raise Pearce’s hand in victory.  April 3, 2005, would see Ray Gonzalez win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship by pinning Jeff Jarrett.  Only to have TNA officials reverse the decision when a non-NWA authorized referee made the count.   Carlos Colon and Victor Jovica had both defeated Ric Flair in World Wrestling Council ring, however the NWA ignored those title changes.

This is the biggest show in the history of CWA.  At Christmas Showdown, Marty Scurll, DJ Z, and Colt Cabana will also be on the card. They have also said that this will be the first of many NWA World Heavyweight Title matches coming to the island in the next year.