The original NWA National Heavyweight Championship was the major singles title in the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1980 until 1986. In spite of its name, the championship was never defended on a national basis but, rather, it was used only within the territorial region in which Georgia Championship Wrestling ran its operations. Meanwhile, a rival group with NWA sanctioning began in Georgia. This group was called Championship Wrestling from Georgia. They awarded the NWA National Heavyweight Championship to Ted DiBiase.