MAC World Heavyweight Championship
# MAC World Heavyweight Championship

The MAC World / International Heavyweight Championship was a Canadian professional wrestling championship created and sanctioned by the Montreal Athletic Commission (MAC). While the Commission sanctioned the title, it did not promote the events in which the Championship was defended. From 1935 until 1938, the American Wrestling Association (AWA) controlled the Championship. The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was recognized by the MAC as the world championship until February 1938 when Yvon Robert was stripped of the title after refusing to wrestle Lou Thesz. A separate world title was created specifically for Quebec and, after the Commission granted promoter Eddie Quinn control of the championship, was used as the main singles title for Canadian Athletic Promotions from 1939 to 1963 and finally by the International Wrestling Association / All-Star Wrestling from 1964 until the mid-1970s. In 1975 the championship was abandoned and replaced by the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship.

## Title history

### Names

| Name | Years |
| - | - |
| AWA World Heavyweight Championship | 1935 – 1938 |
| MAC World Heavyweight Championship | 1938 – 1954 |
| MAC International Heavyweight Championship | 1954 – 1964 |
| IWA International Heavyweight Championship | 1964 – 1976 |

### Reigns

Key :

| No. | Overall reign number |
| - | - |
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| N/A | Unknown information |
| (NLT) | Championship change took place "no later than" the date listed |
| † | Championship change is unrecognized by the promotion |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Championship change | Championship change | Reign statistics | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. |
| No. | Champion | Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Notes | Ref. |
| 1 | Danno O'Mahoney | July 30, 1935 | Live event | Boston, Massachusetts | 1 | 352 | Recognized as world champion in Quebec after defeating Ed Don George to unify the AWA, NWA and NYSAC World Heavyweight Championships. Although O'Mahoney is defeated by Dick Shikat for the unified title in New York City on March 2, 1936, he is still recognized as world champion by the Montreal Athletic Commission on July 3, 1936. | |
| 2 | Yvon Robert | July 16, 1936 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 595 | Yvon Robert is stripped of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in February 1938 after refusing to defend the title against Lou Thesz. He is still recognized as world champion in Montreal and a separate championship is created as a result. | |
| 3 | Vic Christy | March 3, 1938 | Live event | Toronto, Ontario | 1 | 64 | Awarded via forfeit when Robert suffered a shoulder injury during the match | |
| † | Don McIntyre | May 6, 1938 | Live event | Buffalo, New York | 1 | 7 | Reign was not recognized by the Montreal Athletic Commission | |
| † | Vic Christy | May 13, 1938 | Live event | Buffalo, New York | 2 | 27 | Reign was not recognized by the Montreal Athletic Commission | |
| 4 | The Masked Marvel | June 9, 1938 | Live event | Toronto, Ontario | 1 | 97 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 5 | Yvon Robert | September 14, 1938 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 96 | The Masked Marvel refuses to unmask after the match and the Montreal Athletic Commission withholds his purse. The masked wrestler continues to be recognized as world champion in Ontario, however, this short-lived offshoot of the Montreal title was abandoned in January 1939. | |
| † | Cy Williams | November 28, 1938 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | N/A | The decision is overturned by the Montreal Athletic Commission and the title is returned to Robert. | |
| † | Yvon Robert | November 1938 | N/A | N/A | 3 | N/A | | |
| 6 | Cy Williams | December 19, 1938 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 235 | | |
| — | Vacated | August 11, 1939 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated when Cy Williams is stripped of the title after refusing to put up a bond to defend the belt | |
| 7 | Ernie Dusek | August 11, 1939 | N/A | N/A | 1 | 53 | Awarded title by the Montreal Athletic Commission after defeating Danno O'Mahoney in a tournament final in Montreal on August 8, 1939. | |
| 8 | Yvon Robert | October 3, 1939 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 147 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match. Also defeated Cy Williams in Montreal on October 31, 1939, ending his claim to the title. | |
| 9 | Joe Cox | February 27, 1940 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 83 | | |
| 10 | Leo Numa | May 20, 1940 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 23 | Numa was not recognized as champion by the Montreal Athletic Commission until May 28, 1940, claiming that the Quebec City commission did not consult with the MAC over its decision. | |
| 11 | Lou Thesz | June 12, 1940 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 133 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 12 | Yvon Robert | October 23, 1940 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 266 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 13 | Lou Thesz | July 16, 1941 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 63 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 14 | Yvon Robert | September 17, 1941 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 5 | 336 | | |
| 15 | Bill Longson | August 19, 1942 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 49 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls unification match in which Longson also defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship | |
| 15 | Yvon Robert | October 7, 1942 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 6 | 190 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match. Robert regains the MAC title, however, the AWA and NWA initially refused to recognize Robert as champion due to the controversial finish in the third fall. Robert lost the NWA title to Bobby Managoff in Houston, Texas on November 27, 1942. | |
| 16 | John Katan | April 15, 1943 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 13 | | |
| 17 | Yvon Robert | April 28, 1943 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 6 | 14 | | |
| 18 | Gino Garibaldi | May 12, 1943 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 7 | | |
| 19 | Bobby Managoff | May 19, 1943 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 119 | | |
| 20 | Yvon Robert | September 15, 1943 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 7 | 189 | | |
| 21 | Sandor Szabo | March 22, 1944 | Live event | Boston, Massachusetts | 1 | 84 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match. Szabo was officially recognized as champion by the Montreal Athletic Commission on May 9, 1944. | |
| 22 | Yvon Robert | June 14, 1944 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 8 | 35 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 23 | Frank Sexton | July 19, 1944 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 35 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 24 | Yvon Robert | August 23, 1944 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 9 | 70 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 25 | Gino Garibaldi | November 1, 1944 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 22 | Awarded via forfeit when Robert suffered a knee injury during the match | |
| 26 | Yvon Robert | November 23, 1944 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 10 | 223 | | |
| 27 | Joe Savoldi | July 4, 1945 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 70 | | |
| 28 | Bobby Managoff | September 12, 1945 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 364 | | |
| 29 | Lou Thesz | September 11, 1946 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 162 | | |
| 30 | Bobby Managoff | February 20, 1947 | Live event | Ottawa, Ontario | 3 | 55 | | |
| 31 | Lou Thesz | April 16, 1947 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 224 | | |
| 32 | Yvon Robert | November 26, 1947 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 11 | 512 | | |
| 33 | Whipper Billy Watson | April 21, 1949 | Live event | Ottawa, Ontario | 1 | 62 | | |
| 34 | Yvon Robert | June 22, 1949 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 12 | 224 | | |
| 35 | Bobby Managoff | February 1, 1950 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 14 | | |
| 36 | Yukon Eric | February 15, 1950 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 266 | | |
| 37 | Bobby Managoff | November 8, 1950 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 5 | 182 | | |
| 38 | Buddy Rogers | May 9, 1951 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 65 | | |
| 39 | Yvon Robert | July 13, 1951 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 13 | 185 | | |
| — | Vacated | January 14, 1952 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated when Robert undergoes kidney surgery | |
| 40 | Killer Kowalski | April 2, 1952 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 329 | Defeated Bobby Managoff in a tournament final | |
| 41 | Verne Gagne | February 25, 1953 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 70 | | |
| 42 | Killer Kowalski | May 6, 1953 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 70 | | |
| 43 | Yvon Robert | July 15, 1953 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 14 | 35 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 44 | Killer Kowalski | August 19, 1953 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 266 | | |
| † | Don Leo Jonathan | November 24, 1953 | Live event | Ottawa, Ontario | 1 | 8 | Reign was not recognized by the Montreal Athletic Commission | |
| † | Killer Kowalski | December 2, 1953 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 161 | Reign was not recognized by the Montreal Athletic Commission | |
| 46 | Antonino Rocca | May 12, 1954 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 7 | | |
| 47 | Killer Kowalski | May 19, 1954 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 63 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match. Awarded via forfeit when Rocca cannot continue after losing the second fall to even the match at one fall each. | |
| 48 | Pat O'Connor | July 21, 1954 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 112 | | |
| 49 | Killer Kowalski | November 10, 1954 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 5 | 119 | The title may have been renamed the MAC International Heavyweight Championship. | |
| 50 | Pat O'Connor | March 9, 1955 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 91 | | |
| 51 | Don Leo Jonathan | June 8, 1955 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 65 | | |
| 52 | Yvon Robert | August 17, 1955 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 15 | 7 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 53 | Don Leo Jonathan | August 24, 1955 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 112 | | |
| 54 | Killer Kowalski | December 14, 1955 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 6 | 91 | | |
| 55 | Wilbur Snyder | March 14, 1956 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 7 | 21 | | |
| 56 | Killer Kowalski | April 4, 1956 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 7 | 9 | | |
| 57 | Yvon Robert | April 13, 1956 | Live event | Quebec City, Quebec | 16 | 47 | | |
| 58 | Killer Kowalski | May 30, 1956 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 8 | 343 | | |
| 59 | Édouard Carpentier | August 15, 1956 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 42 | | |
| 60 | Killer Kowalski | September 26, 1956 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 9 | 35 | | |
| 61 | Lou Thesz | October 31, 1956 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 5 | 7 | | |
| 62 | Killer Kowalski | November 7, 1956 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 10 | 182 | | |
| 63 | Édouard Carpentier | May 8, 1957 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 35 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 64 | Gene Kiniski | June 12, 1957 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 35 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 65 | Killer Kowalski | July 17, 1957 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 11 | 791 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match with Mike Mazurki as the guest referee | |
| 66 | Buddy Rogers | September 16, 1959 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 77 | | |
| 67 | Killer Kowalski | December 2, 1959 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 12 | 42 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 68 | Buddy Rogers | January 13, 1960 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 147 | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |
| 69 | Killer Kowalski | June 8, 1960 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 13 | 105 | | |
| 70 | Édouard Carpentier | September 21, 1960 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 302 | | |
| 71 | Hans Schmidt | July 20, 1961 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 110 | | |
| 72 | Johnny Rougeau | November 7, 1961 | Live event | Ottawa, Ontario | 1 | 258 | | |
| 73 | Killer Kowalski | July 23, 1962 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 14 | 191 | | |
| 74 | Édouard Carpentier | January 30, 1963 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 974 | The title was renamed the IWA International Heavyweight Championship after Johnny Rougeau and Bob Langevin took over the International Wrestling Association on May 6, 1965. | |
| — | Vacated | September 30, 1965 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated when Carpentier is stripped of the title by the Montreal Athletic Commission after not having defended it in over a year. | |
| 75 | Hans Schmidt | September 30, 1965 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 49 | Defeated Sailor Art Thomas in a tournament final | |
| 76 | Johnny Rougeau | November 18, 1965 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | N/A | | |
| 77 | Hans Schmidt | June, 1966 (n) | Live event | Unknown | 3 | N/A | | |
| 78 | Édouard Carpentier | June 7, 1966 | Live event | Quebec City, Quebec | 5 | 30 | | |
| 79 | Hans Schmidt | July 7, 1966 | Live event | Chicoutimi, Quebec | 4 | 88 | | |
| 80 | Édouard Carpentier | October 3, 1966 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 6 | 44 | | |
| 81 | Hans Schmidt | November 16, 1966 | Live event | Quebec City, Quebec | 5 | 69 | | |
| 82 | Mad Dog Vachon | January 24, 1967 | Live event | Chicoutimi, Quebec | 1 | 132 | | |
| 83 | Johnny Rougeau | June 5, 1967 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 70 | | |
| 84 | Mad Dog Vachon | August 14, 1967 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 10 | | |
| — | Vacated | August 24, 1967 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated after Vachon is injured in a car accident | |
| 85 | The Sheik | October 23, 1967 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 14 | Defeated Gino Brito in a tournament final. | |
| 86 | Édouard Carpentier | November 6, 1967 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 7 | 21 | | |
| 87 | Baron Von Raschke | November 27, 1967 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 70 | | |
| 88 | Johnny Rougeau | February 5, 1968 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 473 | | |
| 89 | Ivan Koloff | May 23, 1969 | Live event | Quebec City, Quebec | 2 | 52 | | |
| 90 | Abdullah the Butcher | July 14, 1969 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 28 | | |
| 91 | Jacques Rougeau | August 11, 1969 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 105 | | |
| 92 | Abdullah the Butcher | November 24, 1969 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 126 | | |
| 93 | Johnny Rougeau | March 30, 1970 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 5 | 203 | | |
| 94 | Danny Lynch | October 19, 1970 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 49 | | |
| 95 | Johnny Rougeau | December 7, 1970 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 6 | 140 | | |
| 96 | Jos LeDuc | April 26, 1971 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 56 | | |
| 97 | Mr. X / Tarzan Zorra | June 21, 1971 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 70 | | |
| 98 | Abdullah the Butcher | August 30, 1971 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 119 | | |
| 99 | Carlos Rocha | December 27, 1971 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 140 | | |
| 100 | The Sheik | May 15, 1972 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 63 | | |
| 101 | Jacques Rougeau | July 17, 1972 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 2 | 133 | | |
| 102 | Johnny Valentine | November 27, 1972 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 42 | | |
| — | Vacated | January 8, 1973 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated when Johnny Valentine is stripped of the title after failing to appear for a scheduled title defence | |
| 103 | Jacques Rougeau | January 8, 1973 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 3 | 35 | Awarded title after Valentine fails to appear for their rematch. | |
| — | Vacated | February 12, 1973 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | — | — | Championship vacated after a match between Rougeau and Waldo Von Erich ends in a no-contest. | |
| 104 | Jacques Rougeau | February 19, 1973 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | 119 | Defeated Waldo Von Erich | |
| 105 | Dick Taylor | June 18, 1973 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 1 | 42 | | |
| 106 | Jacques Rougeau | July 30, 1973 | Live event | Montreal, Quebec | 4 | N/A | Awarded title after Taylor fails to appear for their rematch. | |
| 107 | Michel Dubois | 1973 | Live event | Unknown | 1 | N/A | | |
| 108 | The Sheik | December 3, 1973 | Live event | Unknown | 3 | N/A | This was a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match. | |
| — | Vacated | July 1974 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated when The Sheik was stripped of the title by the Montreal Athletic Commission for "violent behavior". | |
| 109 | Tiger Jeet Singh | 1974 | Live event | Unknown | 1 | N/A | Won in a tournament final | |
| 110 | Jacques Rougeau | 1974 | Live event | Unknown | 5 | N/A | | |
| — | Deactivated | 1975 | — | — | — | — | All-Star Wrestling closed in the spring of 1975, and the title was replaced by the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship. | |
