WCW World Heavyweight Championship

Although still a member, WCW was becoming more popular while the NWA was fading away. When Ric Flair defeated Sting for the NWA Championship, WCW began recognizing their own world title with this title change as their basis. The title was later absorbed into the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in Dec-2001.
No.NameTitleDatePlaceEventReignNote
1Ric Flair 111-Jan-1991 East Rutherford, NJ 171Note 1
[Vacant] 01-Jul-1991 13Note 2
2Lex Luger 114-Jul-1991 Baltimore, MDGAB 230Note 3
3Sting 229-Feb-1992 Milwaukee, WISB2 134
4Big Van Vader 112-Jul-1992 Albany, GAGAB 21
5Ron Simmons 102-Aug-1992 Baltimore, MD 150
6Big Van Vader 230-Dec-1992 Baltimore, MD 71
7Sting 311-Mar-1993 London, UK 6
8Big Van Vader 317-Mar-1993 Dublin, Ireland 285
9Ric Flair 227-Dec-1993 Charlotte, NCSTCD 202Note 4
10Hulk Hogan 117-Jul-1994 Orlando, FLBATB 470
11The Giant 129-Oct-1995 Detroit, MIHHAV 8
[Vacant] 06-Nov-1995 20Note 5
12Randy Savage 126-Nov-1995 Norfolk, VAWW3 31Note 6
13Ric Flair 427-Dec-1995 Nashville, TNSTCD 26
14Randy Savage 222-Jan-1996 Las Vegas, NVNTRO 20
15Ric Flair 511-Feb-1996 St. Petersburg, FLSB6 71
16The Giant 222-Apr-1996 Albany, GANTRO 110
17Hulk Hogan 210-Aug-1996 Sturgis, SDHW 359
18Lex Luger 204-Aug-1997 Detroit, MINTRO 5
19Hulk Hogan 309-Aug-1997 Sturgis, SDRW 141
20Sting 428-Dec-1997 Washington, DCSTCD 11
[Vacant] 08-Jan-1998 Daytona Beach, FL 45Note 7
21Sting 522-Feb-1998 San Francisco, CASB8 56Note 8
22Randy Savage 319-Apr-1998 Denver, COSPST 1
23Hulk Hogan 420-Apr-1998 Colorado Springs, CONTRO 77
24Bill Goldberg 106-Jul-1998 Atlanta, GANTRO 174
25Kevin Nash 127-Dec-1998 Washington, DCSTCD 8
26Hulk Hogan 504-Jan-1999 Atlanta, GANTRO 69
27Ric Flair 614-Mar-1999 Louisville, KYUNC 28
28Diamond Dallas Page 111-Apr-1999 Louisville, KYSPST 15Note 9
29Sting 626-Apr-1999 Fargo, NDNTRO >1
30Diamond Dallas Page 226-Apr-1999 Fargo, NDNTRO 13Note 10
31Kevin Nash 209-May-1999 St. Louis, MOSLAM 63
32Randy Savage 411-Jul-1999 Ft. Lauderdale, FLBATB 1Note 11
33Hulk Hogan 612-Jul-1999 Jacksonville, FLNTRO 62
34Sting 712-Sep-1999 Winston-Salem, NCFB 43
[Vacant] 25-Oct-1999 27Note 12
35Bret Hart 121-Nov-1999 Toronto, ONTMAY 21Note 13
[Vacant] 12-Dec-1999 8Note 14
36Bret Hart 120-Dec-1999 Baltimore, MDNTRO 27Note 15
[Vacant] 16-Jan-2000 >1Note 16
37Chris Benoit 116-Jan-2000 Cincinnati, OHSO 1Note 17
[Vacant] 17-Jan-2000 7Note 18
38Sid Vicious 124-Jan-2000 Los Angeles, CANTRO 1Note 19
39Kevin Nash 325-Jan-2000 Las Vegas, NVTHUN >1Note 20
40Sid Vicious 225-Jan-2000 Las Vegas, NVTHUN 76Note 21
[Vacant] 10-Apr-2000 Denver, CONTRO 6Note 22
41Jeff Jarrett 116-Apr-2000 Chicago, ILSPST 8Note 23
42Diamond Dallas Page 324-Apr-2000 Rochester, NYNTRO 1
43David Arquette 125-Apr-2000 Syracuse, NYTHUN 12Note 24
44Jeff Jarrett 207-May-2000 Kansas City, MOSLAM 8Note 25
45Ric Flair 715-May-2000 Columbus, OHNTRO 7
[Vacant] 22-May-2000 >1Note 26
46Jeff Jarrett 322-May-2000 Grand Rapids, MINTRO 1Note 27
47Kevin Nash 423-May-2000 Saginaw, MITHUN 6Note 28
48Ric Flair 829-May-2000 Salt Lake City, UTNTRO >1Note 29
49Jeff Jarrett 429-May-2000 Salt Lake City, UTNTRO 41
[Hulk Hogan] [7]09-Jul-2000 Daytona Beach, FLBatB Note 30
50Booker T 109-Jul-2000 Daytona Beach, FLBatB 50
51Kevin Nash 528-Aug-2000 Las Cruces, NMNTRO 20
52Booker T 217-Sep-2000 Buffalo, NYFB 8
53Vince Russo 125-Sep-2000 Uniondale, NYNTRO 7
[Vacant] 02-Oct-2000 >1
54Booker T 302-Oct-2000 San Francisco, CANTRO 55Note 31
55Scott Steiner 126-Nov-2000 Milwaukee, WIMAY 120
56Booker T 426-Mar-2001 Panama City Beach, FLNTRO 120
57Kurt Angle 124-Jul-2001 Pittsburgh, PASMDN 6Note 32
58Booker T 530-Jul-2001 Philadelphia, PARIW 20
59The Rock 119-Aug-2001 San Jose, CASUM'01 63
60Chris Jericho 121-Oct-2001 St. Louis, MONM'01 15
61The Rock 205-Nov-2001 Uniondale, NYRAW 34
62Chris Jericho2 09-Dec-2001San Diego, CA VNG'01 >1 Note 33

Notes

1 Ric Flair won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Sting, but with all but a few of the original NWA territories no longer operating, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) used this title change to create their own World Heavyweight Title, and Flair as their first champion. Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Ric Flair on 21-Mar-1991 in Tokyo, Japan, but Fujinami was only recognized as the NWA Champion; the WCW still considered Ric Flair their champion, splitting the title. When Ric Flair defeated Fujinami in the rematch on 19-May-1991 in St. Petersburg, FL, the titles were reunified. On 08-Sep-1991, Flair was stripped of the NWA title when he enters the WWF.
2 Ric Flair was stripped of the title when he entered the WWF as the "Real World's Champion." He appeared on WWF TV with the WCW title belt, which he owned at the time. He later sold it back to the company.
3 Defeated Barry Windham for the vacant title.
4 Some sources cite a match on 17-Apr-1994 in Rosemont, IL against Ricky Steamboat in which the title was held up. Flair then supposedly defeated Steamboat on 24-Apr to regain the title. These changes are not recognized by WCW/WWE.
5 The Giant won the title via DQ, since Jimmy Hart (Hogan's manager) made it possible for the title to change hands that way. WCW stripped the Giant of the title.
6 Won a three-ring, sixty-man battle royal for the title by eliminating One Man Gang. Hogan was not thrown over the top, but the referee thought he was, thusly giving the bout to Savage.
7 Title declared vacant on 08-Jan-1998 in Daytona Beach, FL by J.J. Dillon, chairman of WCW Executive committee, due to the controversial endings for the 28-Dec-1997 show in Washington, DC and the 29-Dec-1997 card in Baltimore, MD.
8 Defeated Hulk Hogan for the vacant title.
9 DDP defeated Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and Sting to win the title. DDP pinned Flair.
10 DDP pinned Kevin Nash in a four-way match with Goldberg and Sting. Sting loses the title the same night he won it.
11 Savage pinned Kevin Nash in a tag bout. Sid was teamed with Savage, and Sting with Nash.
12 Title was declared vacant after Sting attacked referee Charles Robinson.
13 Defeated Chris Benoit in a 32-man tournament final.
14 Bret Hart vacated the title on 12-Dec-1999 after a controversial decision against Bill Goldberg the night before in Washington, DC.
15 Bret Hart defeated Goldberg to win the vacated title.
16 Bret Hart vacated the title due to injury.
17 Defeated Sid Vicious to win the title.
18 Vacates title the next day because Benoit, Saturn, Malenko, and Guerrero leave for the WWF.
19 Defeated Kevin Nash for the vacant title.
20 Kevin Nash, who was WCW Commissioner at the time, strips Sid of the title and gives it to himself.
21 Vicious defeats Kevin Nash and Ron Harris in a steel cage match.
22 Title declared vacant by WCW executives Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo.
23 Jeff Jarrett defeated Diamond Dallas Page for the title.
24 Arquette, an actor, teamed with DDP and pinned Eric Bischoff, who was teamed with Jeff Jarrett. The lowest point in WCW history.
25 Jeff Jarrett defeated Arquette and DDP in a triple threat cage match.
26 Vince Russo strips the title.
27 Defeated Kevin Nash for the title.
28 Defeats Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner in a triple threat match.
29 Returns the belt to Ric Flair.
30 Jarrett intentionally laid down in the ring so Hogan could cover him. Vince Russo came out and mouthed off, saying Jarrett was still the champion, and Jarrett would face Booker T later on that night.
31 Defeated Jeff Jarrett for the vacant title.
32 Match aired 26-Jul-2001.
33 Jericho defeated the Rock for the title and then went on to defeat Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Title, merging the two championships.
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