10 High Profile Wrestlers With Forgotten NWA Championship Runs

When you think of Raven, it's easy for the mind to become instantly drawn to his career-defining reigns as ECW Champion in the mid '90s. Secondary to that, his run as 27-time WWF Hardcore Champion is also a highlight, while his spell with The Flock in WCW is also a close third. Which is why it's understandable that Raven's historic NWA Championship victory in 2005 is, more often than not, overlooked.

Raven made his dramatic debut in NWA: TNA by stealing Jeff Jarrett's NWA Championship in January 2003. While it wasn't unusual for ex-WWE talent to appear at TNA events, Raven's appearance was particularly shocking as he had only been released from his WWE contract two days earlier.

Claiming the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship was his "destiny", Raven embarked on a quest for the title; however, it would take him two full years to fulfil that destiny. Raven finally won the NWA Title at Slammiversary 2005 in a "King Of The Mountain" match, also featuring Abyss, Monty Brown, Sean Waltman, and defending champion, AJ Styles.

Raven eventually lost the gold 88 days later in low-key fashion to arch-rival Jeff Jarrett at a BCW house show in Canada.