 Haft's MWA World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown defeated Otto Kuss in a match soon thereafter and was crowned the inaugural NWA World Heavyweight Champion, merging the MWA with the NWA.Towards the end of November 1949, Brown suffered injuries in an automobile accident and the promoters of the NWA met in St. Louis to recognize Lou Thesz as the World Heavyweight Champion.During this, George and Haft were also re-elected to their positions of President and Vice President.