WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Created in 1963 when the NWA Northeast withdrew from the NWA and became the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). Title became exclusive to the RAW brand due to the results of the 2005 draft lottery.
Most Championships:
1(t). The Rock (7)
1(t). Triple H (7)
3(t). Hulk Hogan (6)
3(t). Steve Austin (6)
5. Bret Hart (5)
6(t). The Undertaker (4)
6(t). Kurt Angle (4)		 Longest Single Reign (days):
1. Bruno Sammartino (2,803)
2. Bob Backlund (2,135)
3. Hulk Hogan (1,474)
4. Bruno Sammartino (1,237)
5. Pedro Morales (1,027)		 Longest Combined Reign (days):
1. Bruno Sammartino (2 for 4,040)
2. Hulk Hogan (6 for 2,185)
3. Bob Backlund (2 for 2,137)
4. Pedro Morales (1 for 1,027)
5. John Cena (3 for 793)
No.NameTitleDatePlaceEventReignNote
1Buddy Rogers1 [01-Apr-1963] [46] Note 1
2Bruno Sammartino1 17-May-1963New York, NY 2,803 Note 2
3Ivan Koloff1 18-Jan-1971New York, NY 21
4Pedro Morales1 08-Feb-1971New York, NY 1,027
5Stan Stasiak1 01-Dec-1973Philadelphia, PA 9
6Bruno Sammartino2 10-Dec-1973New York, NY 1,237
7Billy Graham1 30-Apr-1977Baltimore, MD 296
8Bob Backlund1 20-Feb-1978New York, NY 2,135 Note 3
9Iron Sheik1 26-Dec-1983New York, NY 28 Note 4
10Hulk Hogan1 23-Jan-1984New York, NY 1,474
11Andre the Giant1 05-Feb-1988Indianapolis, IN [45s]
[Vacant] 05-Feb-1988Indianapolis, IN 51 Note 5
12Randy Savage1 27-Mar-1988Atlantic City, NJ WMIV 371 Note 6
13Hulk Hogan2 02-Apr-1989Atlantic City, NJ WMV 364
14The Ultimate Warrior1 01-Apr-1990Toronto, ONT WMVI 293
15Sgt. Slaughter1 19-Jan-1991Miami, FL RR'91 64
16Hulk Hogan3 24-Mar-1991Los Angeles, CA WMVII 248
17The Undertaker1 27-Nov-1991Detroit, MI SUR'91 6
18Hulk Hogan4 03-Dec-1991San Antonio, TX TinT 1
[Vacant] 04-Dec-1991 46 Note 7
19Ric Flair1 19-Jan-1992Albany, NY RR'92 77 Note 8
20Randy Savage2 05-Apr-1992Indianapolis, IN WMVIII 149
21Ric Flair2 01-Sep-1992Hershey, PA 41
22Bret Hart1 12-Oct-1992Saskatoon, SAS 174
23Yokozuna1 04-Apr-1993Las Vegas, NV WMIX [2m]
24Hulk Hogan5 04-Apr-1993Las Vegas, NV WMIX 70 Note 9
25Yokozuna2 13-Jun-1993Dayton, OH KOTR'93 280
26Bret Hart2 20-Mar-1994New York, NY WMX 248
27Bob Backlund2 23-Nov-1994San Antonio, TX SUR'94 2 Note 10
28Diesel1 26-Nov-1994New York, NY 358
29Bret Hart3 19-Nov-1995Landover, MD SUR'95 133
30Shawn Michaels1 31-Mar-1996Anaheim, CA WMXII 231
31Sycho Sid1 17-Nov-1996New York, NY SUR'96 63
32Shawn Michaels2 19-Jan-1997San Antonio, TX RR'97 25
[Vacant] 13-Feb-1997Lowell, MA ThRTh 3 Note 11
33Bret Hart4 16-Feb-1997Chattanooga, TN IYH13 1 Note 12
34Sycho Sid2 17-Feb-1997Nashville, TN MNR 34
35The Undertaker2 23-Mar-1997Chicago, IL WMXIII 133
36Bret Hart5 03-Aug-1997East Rutherford, NJ SUM'97 98
37Shawn Michaels3 09-Nov-1997Montreal, QUE SUR'97 140 Note 13
38Steve Austin1 29-Mar-1998Boston, MA WMXIV 91
39Kane1 28-Jun-1998Pittsburgh, PA KOTR'98 1
40Steve Austin2 29-Jun-1998Cleveland, OH RIW 90
[Vacant] 27-Sep-1998Hamilton, ONT IYH24 49 Note 14
41The Rock1 15-Nov-1998St. Louis, MO SUR'98 44 Note 15
42Mankind1 29-Dec-1998Worcester, MA RIW 26 Note 16
43The Rock2 24-Jan-1999Anaheim, CA RR'99 2 Note 17
44Mankind2 26-Jan-1999Tuscon, AZ SNH 20 Note 18
45The Rock3 15-Feb-1999Birmingham, AL RIW 41
46Steve Austin3 28-Mar-1999Philadelphia, PA WMXV 56
47The Undertaker3 23-May-1999Kansas City, MO OTE'99 36
48Steve Austin4 28-Jun-1999Charlotte, NC RIW 55
49Mankind3 22-Aug-1999Minneapolis, MN SUM'99 1 Note 19
50Triple H1 23-Aug-1999Ames, IA RIW 22
51Vince McMahon1 14-Sep-1999Las Vegas, NV SMDN 6 Note 20
[Vacant] 20-Sep-1999Houston, TX RIW 6 Note 21
52Triple H2 26-Sep-1999Charlotte, NC UF'99 49 Note 22
53The Big Show1 14-Nov-1999Detroit, MI SUR'99 50 Note 23
54Triple H3 03-Jan-2000Miami, FL RIW 121 Note 24
55The Rock4 30-Apr-2000Washington, DC BKL'00 21
56Triple H4 21-May-2000Louiville, KY JD'00 35
57The Rock5 25-Jun-2000Boston, MA KOTR'00 119 Note 25
58Kurt Angle1 22-Oct-2000Albany, NY NM'00 126
59The Rock6 25-Feb-2001Las Vegas, NV NWO'01 35
60Steve Austin5 01-Apr-2001Houston, TX WMXVII 175
61Kurt Angle2 23-Sep-2001Pittsburgh, PA UF'01 15
62Steve Austin6 08-Oct-2001Indianapolis, IN RAW 62
63Chris Jericho1 09-Dec-2001San Diego, CA VNG'01 98 Note 26
64Triple H5 17-Mar-2002Toronto, ONT WMXVIII 35
65Hulk Hogan6 21-Apr-2002Kansas City, MO BKL'02 28
66The Undertaker4 19-May-2002Nashville, TN JD'02 63
67The Rock7 21-Jul-2002Detroit, MI VNG'02 35 Note 27
68Brock Lesnar1 25-Aug-2002Uniondale, NY SUM'02 84 Note 28
69The Big Show2 17-Nov-2002New York, NY SUR'02 28
70Kurt Angle3 15-Dec-2002Fort Lauderdale, FL ARM'02 105
71Brock Lesnar2 30-Mar-2003Seattle, WA WMXIX 119
72Kurt Angle4 27-Jul-2003Denver, CO VNG'03 51 Note 29
73Brock Lesnar3 16-Sep-2003Raleigh, NC SMDN 152 Note 30
74Eddie Guerrero1 15-Feb-2004San Francisco, CA NWO'04 133
75John B. Layfield1 27-Jun-2004Norfolk, VA GAB'04 280 Note 31
76John Cena1 03-Apr-2005Los Angeles, CA WMXXI 280 Note 32
77Edge1 08-Jan-2006Albany, NY NYR'06 21 Note 33
78John Cena2 29-Jan-2006Miami, FL RR'06 133
79Rob Van Dam1 11-Jun-2006New York, NY ONS'06 22
80Edge2 03-Jul-2006Philadelphia, PA RAW 76 Note 34
81John Cena3 17-Sep-2006Toronto, ONT UF'06 380
[Vacant] 02-Oct-2007Dayton, OH ECW 5 Note 35
82Randy Orton1 07-Oct-2007Rosemont, IL NM'07 <1 Note 36
83Triple H6 07-Oct-2007Rosemont, IL NM'07 <1
84Randy Orton2 07-Oct-2007Rosemont, IL NM'07 203 Note 37
85Triple H7 27-Apr-2008Baltimore, MD BKL'08 Champ Note 38

Notes

1 Created when NWA Northeast withdrew from NWA and became the WWWF with Rogers as champion. Supposedly defeated Antonino Rocca in a match in Rio de Janiero. Match never took place, so 01-April-1963 is assumed.
2 On 15-Jul-1967, Sammartino lost to Ray "Crippler" Stevens in a match in San Francisco, CA. Although Stevens was announced as the new champion in the arena, Federationa officials refused to recognize the title change.
3 Inoki won the title from Backlund 30-Nov-1979, and Backlund won it back in Tokyo on 06-Dec-1979. However, due to interference, the title was returned to Inoki--but he refused it. Backlund defeated Bobby Duncum for the vacant title. Title was held up 19-Oct-1981 when an idiot referee handed Greg Valentine the belt after Backlund had pinned him. Backlund won a rematch on 23-Nov-1981 in New York. The WWF/E ignores all of this, but some sources include these changes.
4 Backlund's manager, Arnold Skoaland, threw in the towel, giving Sheik the title.
5 After defeating Hogan, Andre gave the belt to Ted DiBiase. WWF President Jack Tunney ruled that the title could only change hands via a match, and then vacated the championship.
6 Savage defeated Ted DiBiase in the WrestleMania IV tournament final.
7 Due to the controversial title changes between the Undertaker and Hulk Hogan, WWF President Jack Tunney vacated the title.
8 Ric Flair won the Royal Rumble to become champion.
9 Immediately after defeating Bret Hart, Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji challenged Hogan to a match.
10 Bret's mother threw in the towel, awarding Backlund the title in the same fashion in which he lost it back in 1983.
11 Shawn Michaels vacated the title on 13-Feb-1997 due to injury.
12 Due to controversy at the Royal Rumble, Undertaker, Vader, Bret Hart and Steve Austin competed for the vacant championship in an over-the-top elimination match.
13 Michaels had Hart in the Sharpshooter when Vince McMahon called for the bell.
14 In a Triple Threat match, Undertaker and Kane simultaneously pinned Steve Austin.
15 In a tournament final, Rock had Mankind in the Sharpshooter when Vince McMahon called for the bell, just as the year before.
16 Match was aired on 04-Jan-1999.
17 During an "I Quit" match, Rock rendered Mankind unconscious, and had a clip of Mankind giving up played over the PA system.
18 Match was aired on 31-Jan-1999 for "Halftime Heat," a Super Bowl halftime special.
19 Mankind pinned Steve Austin in a Triple Threat match with Triple H.
20 Match aired on 16-Sep-1999.
21 Vince McMahon vacated the title since he was banned from taking an active role in the WWF.
22 Triple H pinned the Rock at the Six-Pack Challenge match with Big Show, Kane, British Bulldog and Mankind.
23 The Big Show pinned Triple H in a Triple Threat match with the Rock.
24 Chris Jericho won the title on 17-Apr-2000, but the decision was reversed later that day.
25 In a Six-Man Tag Team match, the Rock, teamed with Undertaker and Kane, pinned Vince McMahon, who was teamed with Shane McMahon and Triple H.
26 Chris Jericho defeated the Rock for the former WCW title and then defeated Steve Austin for the WWF Championship, merging the two championships.
27 Rock pinned Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat match with Undertaker.
28 Title became exclusive to SmackDown! on the 26-Aug-2002 episode of Raw when Brock Lesnar left with SmackDown! General Manager Stephanie McMahon.
29 Angle pinned Brock Lesnar in a Triple Threat match with The Big Show.
30 Defeated Angle 5-4 in an Iron Man Match. Match aired 18-Sep-2003.
31 Defeated Eddie Guerrero in a Texas Bull Rope Match. Eddie was originally declared the winner, but SmackDown GM Kurt Angle reversed the decision after viewing the replay.
32 Title became exclusive to RAW on 06-June-2005 when Cena was selected as part of the 2005 draft lottery.
33 Defeated John Cena by cashing in his "Money in the Bank" title shot immediately after Cena won an Elimination Chamber match also involving Carlito, Chris Masters, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, and Kane.
34 Edge pinned Rob Van Dam in a Triple Threat Match with John Cena.
35 Cena tore a pectoral muscle on the 01-Oct-2007 episode of Raw. As a result of the injury, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was forced to vacate the title the very next night on ECW.
36 WWE Chairman Vince McMahon awarded the title to Randy Orton.
37 Having just lost the title earlier in the evening, Orton exercised his rematch clause and defeated Triple H in a Last Man Standing Match.
38 Defeated Randy Orton in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match also involving John Cena and John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
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