The title was unified on December 13, 1988, when AWA World Champion Jerry Lawler defeated WCWA World Champion Kerry Von Erich in a unification match.

The title was primarily recognized by and defended in the United States Wrestling Association until 1997, when the company ceased operations.

However, the AWA withdrew its recognition of the championship shortly after the unification match when Lawler was stripped of the AWA world title.

The title was also contested in a non-televised match prior to the World Wrestling Federation's King of the Ring event in 1993.

The CWA Championship Committee reversed the decision the following week, returning the title to Lawler