Pro Wrestling Fans

WWE Championship History

 

 

Champion Reign

 

  • Buddy Rogers - 4/29/1963 – 5/17/1963

    • Title was given to Rogers, though the explanation given was that Rogers had defeated Antonio Rocca in the finals of a tournament in Rio de Janeiro.
    • Title was originally called WWWF World Heavyweight Champion.
    • Title was created after the Capital Wrestling Corporation left the National Wrestling Alliance

  • Bruno Sammartino - 05/17/1963-1/8/1971

  • Ivan Koloff - 1/8/1971-2/8/1971

  • Pedro Morales - 2/8/1971-12/1/1973

    • Title renamed WWWF Heavyweight Championship in 1971 after rejoining the National Wrestling Alliance.

  • Stan Stasiak - 12/1/1973-12/10/1973

  • Bruno Sammartino - 12/10/1973-4/30/1977

  • Billy Graham - 4/30/1977-2/20/1978

  • Bob Backlund - 2/20/1978-12/26/1983

    • Title renamed WWF Heavyweight Championship after the WWWF was renamed the World Wrestling Federation in 1979.
    • Title was renamed WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1983 after the WWF withdrew from the Nation Wrestling Alliance.

  • The Iron Shiek - 12/26/1983-1/23/1984

  • Hulk Hogan - 1/23/1984-2/5/1988

  • Andre The Giant - 2/5/88-2/5/1988

    • WWF President Jack Tunney vacates the title after Andre the Giant tried to give the title to Ted Dibiase

  • Randy Savage - 3/27/1988-4/2/1989

    • Randy Savage defeated Ted Dibiase in the finals of a tournament for the vacated WWF Title

  • Hulk Hogan - 4/2/1988-4/1/1990

  • Sgt. Slaughter - 1/19/1991-3/24/1991

  • Hulk Hogan - 3/24/1991-11/27/1991

  • The Undertaker - 11/27/1991-12/3/1991

  • Hulk Hogan - 12/3/1991-12/4/1991

    • President Jack Tunney vacates the title following the controversy in the two previous title changes.

  • Ric Flair - 1/19/1992-4/5/1992

    • Wins the vacant title in Royal Rumble

  • Randy Savage - 4/5/1992-9/1/1992

  • Ric Flair - 9/1/1992-10/12/1992

  • Bret Hart - 10/12/1992-4/4/1993

  • Yokozuna - 4/4/1993-4/4/1993

    • Yokozuna won the title from Bret Hart, but accepted a post match challenge from Hulk Hogan, who won the belt.

  • Hulk Hogan - 4/4/1993-6/13/1993

  • Yokozuna - 6/13/1993-3/20/1994

  • Bret Hart - 3/20/1994-11/23/1994

  • Bob Backlund - 11/23/1994-11/26/1994

  • Diesel - 11/26/1994-11/19/1995

  • Bret Hart - 11/19/1995-3/31/1996

  • Shawn Michaels - 3/31/1996-11/17/1996

  • Sycho Sid - 11/17/1996-1/19/1997

  • Shawn Michaels - 1/19/1997-2/13/1997

    • Michaels vacated the title due to a knee injury

  • Bret Hart - 2/16/1997-2/17/1997

    • Hart won the vacated title in a four way elimination match, also featuring Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Vader

  • Sycho Sid - 2/17/1997-3/23/1997

  • The Undertaker - 3/23/1997-8/3/1997

  • Bret Hart - 8/3/1997-9/9/1997

    • Hart lost the belt in the “Montreal Screwjob” when Vince McMahon ordered the bell to be rung, while Hart was in a submission move, and the title was awarded to Shawn Michaels, despite Hart not submitting.

  • Shawn Michaels - 9/9/1997-3/29/1998

  • Steve Austin - 3/29/1998-6/28/1998

  • Kane - 6/29/1998-6/29/1998

  • Steve Austin - 6/29/1998-9/27/1998

    • Title vacated after Kane and The Undertaker pin Steve Austin simultaneously in a Triple Threat Match.

  • The Rock - 11/15/1998-12/29/1998

    • Defeated Mankind in the finals of a tournament for the vacant title.

  • Mankind - 12/29/1998-1//24/1999

  • The Rock - 1/24/1999-1/26/1999

  • Mankind - 1/26/1999-2/15/1999

  • The Rock - 2/15/1999-3/28/1999

  • Steve Austin - 3/28/1999-5/23/1999

  • Undertaker - 5/23/1999-6/28/1999

  • Steve Austin - 6/28/1999-8/22/1999

  • Mankind - 8/22/1999-8/23/1999

  • Triple H - 8/23/1999-9/14/1999

  • Vince McMahon - 9/14/1999-9/20/1999

    • McMahon vacated the title

  • Triple H - 9/26/1999-11/14/1999

    • Won the title in a Six Pack Challenge, also featuring The Rock, Big Show, Mankind, The British Bulldog, and Kane.

  • The Big Show - 11/14/1999-1/3/2000

  • Triple H - 1/3/2000-4/30/2000

  • The Rock - 4/30/2000-5/21/2000

  • Triple H - 5/21/2000-6/25/2000

  • The Rock - 6/25/2000-10/22/2000

    • The Rock pinned Vince McMahon in a six man match; winning the title due to a pre-match stipulation.

  • Kurt Angle - 10/22/2000-2/25/2001

  • The Rock - 2/25/2001-4/1/2001

  • Steve Austin - 4/1/2001-9/23/2001

  • Kurt Angle -9/23/2001-10/8/2001

  • Steve Austin - 10/8/2001-12/9/2001

  • Chris Jericho - 12/9/2001-3/17/2002

    • Jericho won a four man tournament, defeating The Rock in the First Round for the WCW Title and Steve Austin in the Finals for the WWE Title
    • Title renamed WWF Undisputed Championship.

  • Triple H - 3/17/2002-4/21/2002

  • Hulk Hogan - 4/21/2002-5/19/2002

    • Title renamed WWE Undisputed Championship following WWF name change to WWE.

  • The Undertaker - 5/19/2002-7/21/2002

  • The Rock - 7/21/2002-8/25/2002

  • Brock Lesnar- 8/25/2002-11/17/2002

    • Title renamed WWE Championship after it became exclusive Smackdown!

  • The Big Show - 11/17/2002-12/15/2002

  • Kurt Angle - 12/15/2002-3/30/2003

  • Brock Lesnar - 3/30/2003-7/27/2003

  • Kurt Angle - 7/23/2003-9/16/2003

  • Brock Lesnar - 9/16/2003-2/15/2004

  • Eddie Guerrero - 2/15/2004-6/27/2004

  • JBL - 6/27/2004-4/3/2005

  • John Cena - 4/3/2005-1/8/2006

  • Edge - 1/8/2006-1/29/2006

  • John Cena - 1/29/2006-6/11/2006

  • Rob Van Dam - 6/11/2006-7/3/2006

  • Edge - 7/3/2006-9/17/2006

  • John Cena - 9/17/2006-10/2/2007

    • Title vacated after Cena suffers a torn pectoral tendon

  • Randy Orton - 10/7/2007-10/7/2007

    • Orton was awarded the title by Vince McMahon

  • Triple H - 10/7/2007-10/7/2007

    • Vince McMahon ordered Triple H to defend the belt that night after winning it from Orton.

  • Randy Orton - 10/7/2007-4/27/2008

  • Triple H - 4/27/2008-11/23/2008

  • Edge - 11/23/2008-12/14/2008

  • Jeff Hardy - 12/14/2008-1/25/2009

  • Edge - 1/25/2009-2/15/2009

  • Triple H - 2/15/2009-4/26/2009

  • Randy Orton - 4/26/2009-6/7/2009

  • Batista - 6/7/2009-6/9/2009

    • Title vacated after Batista suffered a torn bicep.

  • Randy Orton - 6/15/2009-9/13/2009

  • John Cena - 9/13/2009-10/4/2009

  • Randy Orton - 10/4/2009-10/25/2009

  • John Cena - 10/25/2009-12/13/2009

  • Sheamus – 12/13/2009-2/21/2010

  • Batista – 2/21/2010-3/28/2010

  • Sheamus – 6/20/2010-9/19/2010

  • Randy Orton – 9/19/2010 - Current

 

WWE Championship Notes:

  • ProWrestling-Fans.com is only listing WWE acknowledged title reigns.

  • Bruno Sammartino has held the title longer than anyone, with his title runs combining for 4,040 days as champion.

  • 39 different men have held the title.

  • Triple H has had the most reigns with eight.

  • Diesel’s victory over Bob Backlund only took 8 seconds, which is the record for the shortest WWE title victory

 

By: Tim Taylor
ProWrestling-fans.com Wrestling Writer & Director of Content