| No. | Won By | Won From | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Johnny Powers | Fred Blassie* | Los Angeles, CA | 1970 |
| 2. | Waldo Von Erich | Johnny Powers | Akron, OH | 11/20/71 |
| 3. | Dominic DeNucci | Waldo Von Erich | Buffalo, NY | 12/8/71 |
| 4. | Ernie Ladd | Dominic DeNucci | Cleveland, OH | 6/9/72 |
| 5. | Abdullah the Butcher | Ernie Ladd | Akron, OH | 6/24/72 |
| 6. | Johnny Valentine | Abdullah the Butcher | Cleveland, OH | 10/19/72 |
| 7. | Jacques Rougeau | Waldo Von Erich*(2) | Buffalo, NY | 1/24/73 |
| 8. | Johnny Valentine | Jacques Rougeau | ?? | 8/??/73 |
| 9. | Johnny Powers | Johnny Valentine | ?? | 1973 |
| 10. | Antonio Inoki | Johnny Powers | Tokyo, Japan | 12/10/73 |
| 11. | Tiger Jeet Singh | Antonio Inoki*(3) | Tokyo, Japan | 3/13/75 |
| 12. | Antonio Inoki | Tiger Jeet Singh | Tokyo, Japan | 6/26/75 |
| 13. | Stan Hansen | Antonio Inoki | Tokyo, Japan | 2/8/80 |
| 14. | Antonio Inoki | Stan Hansen | Tokyo, Japan | 3/3/80 |
| 15. | Antonio Inoki | Stan Hansen*(4) | Tokyo, Japan | 4/23/81 |
| 16. | Yoshihiro Takayama | Tsuyoshi Kosaka*(5) | Tokyo, Japan | 1/4/03 |
| 17. | Shinsuke Nakamura*(6) | Yoshihiro Takayama | Tokyo, Japan | 1/4/04 |
*This match determined the first champion.
*(2)Valentine was stripped of the title. This was the tournament final to determine a new champion.
*(3)Inoki was stripped of the title after refusing a title defense against Singh. This was the rematch for the vacant title.
*(4)The title was held up after a defense against Hansen went to a no-contest. This was the rematch for the vacant title.
*(5)Inoki gave up the title to enter the NJPW IWGP League. The title was revived in 2003, and this was the tournament final to crown a new champion.
*(6)This match unified the title with the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.