The NWA United States Heavyweight Championship was a major singles title introduced by Jim Crockett Promotions in 1975. It was tied to the Mid-Atlantic territory and became one of the most important championships below the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Harley Race was the first champion after defeating Johnny Weaver, giving the title an immediate association with one of the top names in wrestling at the time.
The championship was first known as the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. As other regional United States titles faded, this version became the main United States title connected to the NWA. It was defended by many of the biggest names in Jim Crockett Promotions, including Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Greg Valentine, Wahoo McDaniel, Sgt. Slaughter, Magnum T.A., Tully Blanchard, Dusty Rhodes, and Lex Luger.
The title remained part of Jim Crockett Promotions as the company expanded beyond its Mid-Atlantic base and became a national wrestling promotion. When World Championship Wrestling (WCW) moved away from NWA branding in the early 1990s, the championship continued under the WCW name. Its lineage carried forward as the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.
