List of WWE World Champions

This article is about a list of wrestlers who have held the current WWE World Championship. For a list of wrestlers who have held the now-retired "World Heavyweight Championship", see List of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE).
Current champion AJ Styles

The WWE World Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE, currently on the SmackDown brand. It is the first world title established in WWE, having been introduced in 1963 as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Heavyweight Championship. The promotion was renamed World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979 and ended its affiliation with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in 1983, with the title also renamed to reflect the changes.

In 2001, it was unified with the World Championship (formerly the WCW World Heavyweight Championship) following the WWF's buyout of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and became the Undisputed WWF Championship.[1][2] In 2002, the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and split its roster into two brands, Raw and SmackDown.[3][4] The title, now renamed WWE Championship, was then designated to the SmackDown brand, while WWE established an alternate world title known as the World Heavyweight Championship for the Raw brand. A third alternate world title, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, was reactivated for the ECW brand in 2006. It was vacated and decommissioned when the ECW brand disbanded in 2010.[5]

When WWE Champion Randy Orton defeated World Heavyweight Champion John Cena at the TLC pay-per-view on December 15, 2013, the World Heavyweight Championship was unified with the WWE Championship, resulting in the retiring of the former,[6] and the renaming of the latter to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. On June 27, 2016, the name was shortened back to the WWE Championship,[7] before assuming its current name on July 26, 2016, when the brand extension returned. It became designated to the SmackDown brand, and WWE again established an alternate world title known as the WWE Universal Championship for the Raw brand.

The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, in which participants execute scripted finishes rather than contend in direct competition. Some reigns were held by champions using a ring name, while others use their real name. The first champion was Buddy Rogers, who won the championship in 1963. The champion with the single longest reign is Bruno Sammartino with a reign of 2,803 days, while the record for longest combined reign is also held by Sammartino at 4,040. The current champion is AJ Styles, who is in his first reign after defeating Dean Ambrose on September 11, 2016.

Overall, there have been 48 different official champions, with John Cena having the most reigns at twelve. Seven men in history have held the championship for a continuous reign of one year (365 days) or more. They are Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, John Cena, and CM Punk.[8]

Title history

Names

Name Years
WWWF World Heavyweight Championship April 25, 1963 – February 8, 1971
WWWF Heavyweight Championship February 8, 1971 – March 1, 1979
WWF Heavyweight Championship March 1, 1979 – December 26, 1983
WWF World Heavyweight Championship December 26, 1983 – July 18, 1998
WWF Championship July 18, 1998 – December 9, 2001
Undisputed WWF Championship December 9, 2001[2] – May 6, 2002[3]
Undisputed WWE Championship May 6, 2002[3] – May 19, 2002[9]
WWE Undisputed Championship May 19, 2002[3] – September 2, 2002[10]
WWE Championship September 2, 2002[10] – December 15, 2013
WWE World Heavyweight Championship December 15, 2013 – June 27, 2016
WWE Championship June 27, 2016[11][12] – July 25, 2016
WWE World Championship July 26, 2016[13] – present

Reigns

As of December 5, 2016.

Reign The reign number for the specific champion listed
Location The city in which the title was won
Event The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the title was won
† Indicates the title change is not recognized by WWE
+ Indicates the current reign is changing daily
No. Wrestler Reign Date Days held Location Event Notes Ref.
1 Buddy Rogers 1 April 25, 1963 22 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — Won a fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro after the WWWF left the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), of which Rogers had been the 7th world heavyweight champion since defeating Pat O'Connor on June 30, 1961.[14] Since Rogers' one fall loss to Lou Thesz for the title on January 24, 1963, which Northeast promoters (led by Vince McMahon Sr. and Toots Mondt) did not recognize, and thus withdrew their membership from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).[15] The WWWF billed Rogers as their world champion since January 25,[16] but did not recognize him as the first ever WWWF World Heavyweight Champion until April 11, 1963, the official date of Rogers' beginning reign.[17] However, WWE.com lists Rogers' reign beginning date on April 25, 1963.[18] [19]
2 Bruno Sammartino 1 May 17, 1963 2,803 New York, NY House show [20]
3 Ivan Koloff 1 January 18, 1971 21 New York, NY House show [21]
4 Pedro Morales 1 February 8, 1971 1,027 New York, NY House show The title was renamed the WWWF Heavyweight Championship when WWWF rejoined the NWA in 1971. [22]
5 Stan Stasiak 1 December 1, 1973 9 Philadelphia, PA House show [23]
6 Bruno Sammartino 2 December 10, 1973 1,237 New York, NY House show [24]
7 Superstar Billy Graham 1 April 30, 1977 296 Baltimore, MD House show [25]
8 Bob Backlund 1 February 20, 1978 2,135
(648)†		 New York, NY House show The title was renamed the WWF Heavyweight Championship when the World Wide Wrestling Federation became the World Wrestling Federation in March 1979. [26][27]
— Antonio Inoki † November 30, 1979 6 Tokushima, Japan House show This reign is not recognized by WWE.[28] [29]
— Vacated — December 6, 1979 — Tokyo, Japan House show Inoki immediately vacated the title after a rematch with Backlund ended in a no contest due to the interference of Tiger Jeet Singh. [29]
— Bob Backlund † December 17, 1979 1,470 New York City, NY House show Backlund defeated Bobby Duncum in a Texas Death match to fill the vacancy. WWE recognizes Backlund's first and second reigns as being uninterrupted, and considers this a continuation of the first. [29]
9 The Iron Sheik 1 December 26, 1983 28 New York City, NY House show The Iron Sheik won by submission when Backlund's manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel when Backlund was put into Sheik's Camel Clutch to prevent any major injury.
The title was renamed the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.		 [30]
10 Hulk Hogan 1 January 23, 1984 1,474 New York City, NY House show [31]
11 André the Giant 1 February 5, 1988 <1 Indianapolis, IN The Main Event I André defeated Hogan when referee Earl Hebner, who was bribed by Ted DiBiase, scored the three-count, despite Hogan raising his shoulder past the two-count. [32]
— Vacated — February 5, 1988 — Indianapolis, IN The Main Event I Immediately after winning the title from Hogan, André handed the championship belt to DiBiase; President Jack Tunney ruled this as vacating the title. [32]
12 Randy Savage 1 March 27, 1988 371 Atlantic City, NJ WrestleMania IV Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final to win the vacant title. [33]
13 Hulk Hogan 2 April 2, 1989 364 Atlantic City, NJ WrestleMania V [34]
14 The Ultimate Warrior 1 April 1, 1990 293 Toronto, ON WrestleMania VI This was also for Warrior's Intercontinental Championship. [35]
15 Sgt. Slaughter 1 January 19, 1991 64 Miami, FL Royal Rumble [36]
16 Hulk Hogan 3 March 24, 1991 248 Los Angeles, CA WrestleMania VII [37]
17 The Undertaker 1 November 27, 1991 6 Detroit, MI Survivor Series [38]
18 Hulk Hogan 4 December 3, 1991 1 San Antonio, TX This Tuesday in Texas [39]
— Vacated — December 4, 1991 — New Haven, CT Superstars of Wrestling Hogan was stripped of the title by WWF President Jack Tunney due to the controversy surrounding both of the previous title changes. This aired December 7, 1991. [39]
19 Ric Flair 1 January 19, 1992 77 Albany, NY Royal Rumble This was the Royal Rumble match, in which Flair last eliminated Sid Justice. [40]
20 Randy Savage 2 April 5, 1992 149 Indianapolis, IN WrestleMania VIII [41]
21 Ric Flair 2 September 1, 1992 41 Hershey, PA Prime Time Wrestling Aired on September 14, 1992. [42]
22 Bret Hart 1 October 12, 1992 174 Saskatoon, SK House show [43]
23 Yokozuna 1 April 4, 1993 <1 Las Vegas, NV WrestleMania IX [44]
24 Hulk Hogan 5 70 [45]
25 Yokozuna 2 June 13, 1993 280 Dayton, OH King of the Ring [46]
26 Bret Hart 2 March 20, 1994 248 New York City, NY WrestleMania X Roddy Piper was the guest referee. [47]
27 Bob Backlund 2 November 23, 1994 3 San Antonio, TX Survivor Series This was a "Throw in the Towel" submission match. [48]
28 Diesel 1 November 26, 1994 358 New York City, NY House show [49]
29 Bret Hart 3 November 19, 1995 133 Landover, MD Survivor Series This was a no disqualification match. [50]
30 Shawn Michaels 1 March 31, 1996 231 Anaheim, CA WrestleMania XII This was a 60-minute Iron Man match, in which Michaels won 1–0 in overtime. [51]
31 Sycho Sid 1 November 17, 1996 63 New York City, NY Survivor Series [52]
32 Shawn Michaels 2 January 19, 1997 25 San Antonio, TX Royal Rumble [53]
— Vacated — February 13, 1997 — Lowell, MA Raw Michaels forfeited the title due to a knee injury. [53]
33 Bret Hart 4 February 16, 1997 1 Chattanooga, TN In Your House 13: Final Four This was a four-way elimination match also involving Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Vader. [54]
34 Sycho Sid 2 February 17, 1997 34 Nashville, TN Raw [55]
35 The Undertaker 2 March 23, 1997 133 Rosemont, IL WrestleMania 13 This was a no disqualification match. [56]
36 Bret Hart 5 August 3, 1997 98 East Rutherford, NJ SummerSlam Shawn Michaels was the guest referee. [57]
37 Shawn Michaels 3 November 9, 1997 140 Montreal, QC Survivor Series Won the title in the Montreal Screwjob. [58]
38 Stone Cold Steve Austin 1 March 29, 1998 91 Boston, MA WrestleMania XIV Mike Tyson was the special outside enforcer. [59]
39 Kane 1 June 28, 1998 1 Pittsburgh, PA King of the Ring This was a First Blood match. [60]
40 Stone Cold Steve Austin 2 June 29, 1998 90 Cleveland, OH Raw Is War The title is renamed the WWF Championship. [61]
— Vacated — September 27, 1998 — Hamilton, ON Breakdown: In Your House Vacated after Kane and The Undertaker simultaneously pinned Austin in a triple threat match.
A subsequent match for the vacant title at Judgment Day: In Your House between Kane and The Undertaker ended in a no contest.[62]		 [61]
41 The Rock 1 November 15, 1998 44 St. Louis, MO Survivor Series Defeated Mankind in the finals of a tournament for the vacant title. [63]
42 Mankind 1 December 29, 1998 26 Worcester, MA Raw Is War This was a no disqualification match. Aired on January 4, 1999. [64]
43 The Rock 2 January 24, 1999 2 Anaheim, CA Royal Rumble This was an "I Quit" match, which The Rock won by knocking Mankind unconscious while someone backstage played an audio recording of Mankind saying "I quit" while The Rock placed the microphone against his face. [65]
44 Mankind 2 January 26, 1999 20 Tucson, AZ Halftime Heat This was an Empty Arena match that aired as a special during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999. [66]
45 The Rock 3 February 15, 1999 41 Birmingham, AL Raw Is War This was a ladder match. [67]
46 Stone Cold Steve Austin 3 March 28, 1999 56 Philadelphia, PA WrestleMania XV This was a no disqualification match with Mankind as the special guest referee. [68]
47 The Undertaker 3 May 23, 1999 36 Kansas City, MO Over the Edge Both Vince and Shane McMahon were special guest referees. [69]
48 Stone Cold Steve Austin 4 June 28, 1999 55 Charlotte, NC Raw Is War [70]
49 Mankind 3 August 22, 1999 1 Minneapolis, MN SummerSlam This was a triple threat match also involving Triple H, with Jesse Ventura as guest referee. [71]
50 Triple H 1 August 23, 1999 22 Ames, IA Raw Is War Shane McMahon was the guest referee. [72]
51 Vince McMahon 1 September 14, 1999 6 Las Vegas, NV SmackDown Aired on September 16, 1999 with Shane McMahon as guest referee. [73]
— Vacated — September 20, 1999 — Houston, TX Raw Is War McMahon vacated the title. [73]
52 Triple H 2 September 26, 1999 49 Charlotte, NC Unforgiven This was a Six-Pack Challenge match, also involving The Rock, Mankind, Big Show, The British Bulldog, and Kane. Austin was the special outside enforcer. [74]
53 Big Show 1 November 14, 1999 50 Detroit, MI Survivor Series This was a triple threat match, also involving The Rock. [75]
54 Triple H 3 January 3, 2000 118 Miami, FL Raw Is War On April 17, 2000, Chris Jericho defeated Triple H for the WWF Championship after Earl Hebner's fast-count. Later that night, Triple H forced Hebner to reverse the decision, nullifying Jericho's reign and continuing Triple H's. [76]
55 The Rock 4 April 30, 2000 21 Washington, D.C. Backlash Shane McMahon was the guest referee. [77]
56 Triple H 4 May 21, 2000 35 Louisville, KY Judgment Day This was a 60-minute Iron Man match, which Triple H won 6–5 with Shawn Michaels as the guest referee. [78]
57 The Rock 5 June 25, 2000 119 Boston, MA King of the Ring This was a six-man tag team match with The Rock, The Undertaker, and Kane vs. Triple H, Vince and Shane McMahon. The Rock pinned Vince to win Triple H's title. [79]
58 Kurt Angle 1 October 22, 2000 126 Albany, NY No Mercy This was a no disqualification match. [80]
59 The Rock 6 February 25, 2001 35 Las Vegas, NV No Way Out [81]
60 Stone Cold Steve Austin 5 April 1, 2001 175 Houston, TX WrestleMania X-Seven This was a no disqualification match. [82]
61 Kurt Angle 2 September 23, 2001 15 Pittsburgh, PA Unforgiven [83]
62 Stone Cold Steve Austin 6 October 8, 2001 62 Indianapolis, IN Raw [84]
63 Chris Jericho 1 December 9, 2001 98 San Diego, CA Vengeance Jericho had already defeated (WCW) World Champion The Rock for that title. By defeating Austin for the WWF Championship, he unified both titles as the Undisputed WWF Championship. [85]
64 Triple H 5 March 17, 2002 35 Toronto, ON WrestleMania X8 [86]
65 Hollywood Hulk Hogan 6 April 21, 2002 28 Kansas City, MO Backlash On May 6, 2002 after the World Wrestling Federation was renamed "World Wrestling Entertainment" due to a lawsuit by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the title was also renamed: Undisputed WWE Championship and then WWE Undisputed Championship. [87]
66 The Undertaker 4 May 19, 2002 63 Nashville, TN Judgment Day On May 20, 2002, Rob Van Dam pinned The Undertaker for the title. Raw owner Ric Flair immediately restarted the match due to The Undertaker's foot being on the ropes and The Undertaker subsequently pinned Van Dam, nullifying Van Dam's reign and continuing Undertaker's. [88]
67 The Rock 7 July 21, 2002 35 Detroit, MI Vengeance This was a triple threat match, also involving Kurt Angle. [89]
68 Brock Lesnar 1 August 25, 2002 84 Uniondale, NY SummerSlam After the title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand on September 2, 2002, the word "Undisputed" was removed from the title's name. The World Heavyweight Championship was created for the Raw brand. [90]
69 Big Show 2 November 17, 2002 28 New York, NY Survivor Series [91]
70 Kurt Angle 3 December 15, 2002 105 Sunrise, FL Armageddon [92]
71 Brock Lesnar 2 March 30, 2003 119 Seattle, WA WrestleMania XIX [93]
72 Kurt Angle 4 July 27, 2003 51 Denver, CO Vengeance This was a triple threat match, also involving Big Show. [94]
73 Brock Lesnar 3 September 16, 2003 152 Raleigh, NC SmackDown This was a 60-minute Iron Man match. Aired on September 18, 2003. [95]
74 Eddie Guerrero 1 February 15, 2004 133 Daly City, CA No Way Out [96][97]
75 John Bradshaw Layfield 1 June 27, 2004 280 Norfolk, VA The Great American Bash This was a Texas Bullrope match. [98][99]
76 John Cena 1 April 3, 2005 280 Los Angeles, CA WrestleMania 21 The title became exclusive to the Raw brand on June 6, 2005 when Cena was drafted to Raw in the 2005 draft lottery. [100][101]
77 Edge 1 January 8, 2006 21 Albany, NY New Year's Revolution Edge cashed in his Money in the Bank contract from WrestleMania 21 immediately after Cena won an Elimination Chamber match. [102][103]
78 John Cena 2 January 29, 2006 133 Miami, FL Royal Rumble [104][105]
79 Rob Van Dam 1 June 11, 2006 22 New York City, NY ECW One Night Stand Van Dam cashed in his Money in the Bank contract from WrestleMania 22. This was an Extreme Rules match. The title became property of the ECW brand. Van Dam became the first person to simultaneously hold the WWE Championship and ECW World Heavyweight Championship, which was reactivated for the ECW brand. [106][107]
80 Edge 2 July 3, 2006 76 Philadelphia, PA Raw This was a triple threat match, also involving Cena. The title became exclusive to the Raw brand. [108][109]
81 John Cena 3 September 17, 2006 380 Toronto, ON Unforgiven This was a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match. [110]
— Vacated — October 2, 2007 — Dayton, OH ECW Vacated when Cena suffered a torn right pectoral tendon. [111]
82 Randy Orton 1 October 7, 2007 <1 Rosemont, IL No Mercy Awarded the title by Vince McMahon. [112][113]
83 Triple H 6 <1 Defeated Orton in the opening match after Vince McMahon accepted Triple H's open challenge on Orton's behalf. [113][114]
84 Randy Orton 2 203 This was a Last Man Standing match. [113][115]
85 Triple H 7 April 27, 2008 210 Baltimore, MD Backlash This was a fatal four-way elimination match, also involving Cena and Layfield. The title became a SmackDown exclusive title once again when Triple H was drafted to SmackDown on June 23, 2008. [116][117]
86 Edge 3 November 23, 2008 21 Boston, MA Survivor Series This was a triple threat match, also involving Vladimir Kozlov. Jeff Hardy had originally been scheduled to take part in the match, but did not participate after being (in storyline) attacked prior to the event. Triple H and Kozlov started the match before Edge was revealed as Hardy's surprise replacement. [118][119]
87 Jeff Hardy 1 December 14, 2008 42 Buffalo, NY Armageddon This was a triple threat match, also involving Triple H. [120][121]
88 Edge 4 January 25, 2009 21 Detroit, MI Royal Rumble This was a no-disqualification match. [122][123]
89 Triple H 8 February 15, 2009 70 Seattle, WA No Way Out This was an Elimination Chamber match, also involving Jeff Hardy, Kozlov, The Undertaker, and Big Show. The title became a Raw exclusive title once again when Triple H was drafted to Raw on April 13, 2009. [124][125]
90 Randy Orton 3 April 26, 2009 42 Providence, RI Backlash This was a six-man tag team match with Orton, Ted DiBiase, and Cody Rhodes against Triple H, Shane McMahon, and Batista, in which Orton would win the championship if his team won. [126][127]
91 Batista 1 June 7, 2009 2 New Orleans, LA Extreme Rules This was a steel cage match. [128][129]
— Vacated — June 9, 2009 — — — Vacated when Batista suffered a torn left biceps. [130]
92 Randy Orton 4 June 15, 2009 90 Charlotte, NC Raw This was a fatal four-way match also involving Triple H, John Cena, and Big Show. [131][132]
93 John Cena 4 September 13, 2009 21 Montreal, QC Breaking Point This was an "I Quit" match. If anyone interfered on Orton's behalf, he would have automatically lost the title. [133][134]
94 Randy Orton 5 October 4, 2009 21 Newark, NJ Hell in a Cell This was a Hell in a Cell match. [135][136]
95 John Cena 5 October 25, 2009 49 Pittsburgh, PA Bragging Rights This was a 60-minute Anything Goes Iron Man match in which Cena won 6-5. If Cena lost, he would have had to leave the Raw brand. [137][138]
96 Sheamus 1 December 13, 2009 70 San Antonio, TX TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs This was a Tables match. [139][140]
97 John Cena 6 February 21, 2010 <1 St. Louis, MO Elimination Chamber This was an Elimination Chamber match, also involving Triple H, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase, and Kofi Kingston. [141]
98 Batista 2 35 Mr. McMahon granted SmackDown superstar Batista a championship match with John Cena after Cena won the Elimination Chamber match. Batista then transferred to the Raw roster after winning the title. [142]
99 John Cena 7 March 28, 2010 84 Glendale, AZ WrestleMania XXVI [143]
100 Sheamus 2 June 20, 2010 91 Uniondale, NY Fatal 4-Way This was a fatal four-way match also involving Edge and Randy Orton. [144]
101 Randy Orton 6 September 19, 2010 64 Rosemont, IL Night of Champions This was a Six-Pack Challenge Elimination match also involving Edge, John Cena, Chris Jericho, and Wade Barrett. [145]
102 The Miz 1 November 22, 2010 160 Orlando, FL Raw The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank contract after Orton successfully defended the WWE Championship against Barrett. [146]
103 John Cena 8 May 1, 2011 77 Tampa, FL Extreme Rules This was a triple threat steel cage match also involving John Morrison. [147]
104 CM Punk 1 July 17, 2011 28 Rosemont, IL Money in the Bank Punk was scripted to leave WWE the day after with the championship. He returned on the July 25 episode of Raw; his reign was deemed to continue through this period. [148]
105 Rey Mysterio
(and CM Punk)		 1
(1)		 July 25, 2011 <1 Hampton, VA Raw Defeated The Miz in the final of an eight-man tournament to crown a new champion. CM Punk was also the WWE Champion at this time. [149]
106 John Cena
(and CM Punk)		 9
(1)		 20 CM Punk was also the WWE Champion at this time. [150]
— CM Punk 1 August 14, 2011 <1 Los Angeles, CA SummerSlam Defeated Cena in a match to determine the undisputed champion. This is considered a continuation of his first reign.
Triple H was the special guest referee.		 [151]
107 Alberto Del Rio 1 35 Del Rio cashed in his Money in the Bank contract after Punk was attacked by Kevin Nash. [152]
108 John Cena 10 September 18, 2011 14 Buffalo, NY Night of Champions [153]
109 Alberto Del Rio 2 October 2, 2011 49 New Orleans, LA Hell in a Cell This was a triple threat Hell in a Cell match also involving CM Punk. [154]
110 CM Punk 2 November 20, 2011 434 New York City, NY Survivor Series [155]
111 The Rock 8 January 27, 2013 70 Phoenix, AZ Royal Rumble Punk had initially won, but the match was then restarted by Mr. McMahon due to interference by The Shield. [156]
112 John Cena 11 April 7, 2013 133 East Rutherford, NJ WrestleMania 29 [157]
113 Daniel Bryan 1 August 18, 2013 <1 Los Angeles, CA SummerSlam Triple H was the special guest referee. [158]
114 Randy Orton 7 28 Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. Triple H was the special guest referee. [159]
115 Daniel Bryan 2 September 15, 2013 1 Detroit, MI Night of Champions [160]
— Vacated — September 16, 2013 — Cleveland, OH Raw Vacated after a controversial finish when Bryan defeated Orton to win the title. A subsequent match for the vacant title at Battleground between Bryan and Orton ended in a no contest. [161]
116 Randy Orton 8 October 27, 2013 161 Miami, FL Hell in a Cell Defeated Daniel Bryan in a Hell in a Cell match for the vacant title with Shawn Michaels serving as the special guest referee.
On December 15, 2013 at the TLC pay-per-view, Orton defeated John Cena to unify the World Heavyweight Championship with the WWE Championship. The title became known as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.		 [162]
117 Daniel Bryan 3 April 6, 2014 64 New Orleans, LA WrestleMania XXX This was a triple threat match also involving Batista. [163]
— Vacated — June 9, 2014 — Minneapolis, MN Raw Bryan was stripped of the title due to a neck injury. [164]
118 John Cena 12 June 29, 2014 49 Boston, MA Money in the Bank This was a ladder match also involving Alberto Del Rio, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Kane, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, and Sheamus. [165]
119 Brock Lesnar 4 August 17, 2014 224 Los Angeles, CA SummerSlam [166]
120 Seth Rollins 1 March 29, 2015 220 Santa Clara, CA WrestleMania 31 Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract during a singles match between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, thus making it a triple threat match. [167]
— Vacated — November 4, 2015 — — — Vacated after Rollins suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and a damaged meniscus in Dublin, Ireland. [168]
121 Roman Reigns 1 November 22, 2015 <1 Atlanta, GA Survivor Series Defeated Dean Ambrose in a tournament final to win the vacant title. [169]
122 Sheamus 3 22 Sheamus cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. [170]
123 Roman Reigns 2 December 14, 2015 41 Philadelphia, PA Raw This was a title vs. career match. [171]
124 Triple H 9 January 24, 2016 70 Orlando, FL Royal Rumble This was the Royal Rumble match, in which Reigns defended the title. Triple H last eliminated Dean Ambrose to win. [172]
125 Roman Reigns 3 April 3, 2016 77 Arlington, TX WrestleMania 32 [173]
126 Seth Rollins 2 June 19, 2016 <1 Las Vegas, NV Money in the Bank [174]
127 Dean Ambrose 1 84 Ambrose cashed in his Money in the Bank contract; the title briefly reverted to being called the WWE Championship.
Following the 2016 draft, the title became exclusive to SmackDown and it was renamed to WWE World Championship.
The WWE Universal Championship was created for the Raw brand.		 [174]
[175]
[176]
128 AJ Styles 1 September 11, 2016 85+ Richmond, VA Backlash [177]

Combined reigns

Record 12-time champion John Cena
Bruno Sammartino, who reigned for a combined 4,040 days as champion

As of December 5, 2016.

† Indicates the current champion
Rank Wrestler No. of
reigns		 Combined days
1 Sammartino, BrunoBruno Sammartino 2 4,040
2 Hogan, HulkHulk Hogan 6 2,185
3 Backlund, BobBob Backlund 2 2,138
4 Cena, JohnJohn Cena 12 1,240
5 Morales, PedroPedro Morales 1 1,027
6 Hart, BretBret Hart 5 654
7 Triple H 9 609
Orton, RandyRandy Orton 8 609
9 Lesnar, BrockBrock Lesnar 4 579
10 Austin, Stone Cold SteveStone Cold Steve Austin 6 529
11 Savage, RandyRandy Savage 2 520
12 CM Punk 2 462
13 Michaels, ShawnShawn Michaels 3 396
14 The Rock 8 367
15 Diesel 1 358
16 Angle, KurtKurt Angle 4 297
17 Graham, Superstar BillySuperstar Billy Graham 1 296
18 The Ultimate Warrior 1 293
19 Yokozuna 2 280
John Bradshaw Layfield 1 280
21 The Undertaker 4 238
22 Rollins, SethSeth Rollins 2 220
23 Sheamus 3 183
24 The Miz 1 160
25 Edge 4 139
26 Guerrero, EddieEddie Guerrero 1 133
27 Reigns, RomanRoman Reigns 3 118
Flair, RicRic Flair 2 118
29 Jericho, ChrisChris Jericho 1 98
30 Sycho Sid 2 97
31 Styles, AJAJ Styles † 1 85+
32 Del Rio, AlbertoAlberto Del Rio 2 84
Ambrose, DeanDean Ambrose 1 84
34 Big Show 2 78
35 Bryan, DanielDaniel Bryan 3 65
36 Sgt. Slaughter 1 64
37 Mankind 3 47
38 Hardy, JeffJeff Hardy 1 42
39 Batista 2 37
40 The Iron Sheik 1 28
41 Rogers, BuddyBuddy Rogers 1 22
Van Dam, RobRob Van Dam 1 22
43 Koloff, IvanIvan Koloff 1 21
44 Stasiak, StanStan Stasiak 1 9
45 Vince McMahon 1 6
46 Kane 1 1
47 Mysterio, ReyRey Mysterio 1 <1
André the Giant 1 <1

References

  1. ↑ "WWE Entertainment, Inc. Acquires WCW from Turner Broadcasting". WWE. 2001-03-21. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  2. 1 2 "Chris Jericho Becomes First Undisputed Champion of Professional Wrestling". WWE. 2001-12-09. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Drops The "F" To Emphasize the "E" for Entertainment". WWE. 2002-05-06. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  4. ↑ "WWE Entertainment To Make RAW and SmackDown Distinct Television Brands". WWE. 2002-03-27. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  5. ↑ "WWE Championship History". WrestleView. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  6. ↑ "Retired Championships". WWE. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  7. ↑ Johnson, Mike. "Future of top WWE championship already hinted at". PWInsider.com. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "WWE Championship Title History". WWE. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  9. ↑ "Undertaker vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship". WWE. May 19, 2002. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
  10. 1 2 Nemer, Paul (2002-09-02). "Full WWE Raw Results – 9/2/02". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  11. ↑ "WWE Championship". WWE. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  12. ↑ Fernandes, Steven (28 June 2016). "WWE Championship name change official, Bellas and more news". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  13. ↑ "WWE World Championship". WWE.com. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  14. ↑ "Buddy Rogers". WWE. Retrieved November 15, 2016. So in 1961, when he dethroned Pat O'Connor for the NWA World Championship in Chicago's Comiskey Park [...]
  15. ↑ "1963". thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016. - 1/25/63: The World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) was formed when promoters in the Northeast refused to acknowledge Rogers' one-fall loss of the NWA championship. The real reason was that Vince McMahon Sr. wanted to keep Rogers on as his territory's champion since so much money was being made from his title run. Rogers continued to wrestle as the "world champion" in the Northeast region and was recognized as the "WWWF World Champion" starting in April.
  16. ↑ "1963". thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016. World Champion Buddy Rogers defeated Bobo Brazil
  17. ↑ "1963". thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016. WWWF World Champion Buddy Rogers fought Bruno Sammartino to a no contest; it was prior to this bout that Rogers received the WWWF World Title though he had been billed as 'world champion' since January
  18. ↑ "WWE World Championship". WWE. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Buddy Rogers's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  20. ↑ "Bruno Sammartino's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  21. ↑ "Ivan Koloff's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  22. ↑ "Pedro Morales's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  23. ↑ "Stan Stasiak's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  24. ↑ "Bruno Sammartino's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  25. ↑ "Billy Graham's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  26. ↑ "Bob Backlund's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  27. ↑ "Bob Backlund bio". WWE. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
  28. ↑ "WWE Championship Title History".
  29. 1 2 3 "WWWF/WWF/WWE Heavyweight Title History". The History of the WWE. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  30. ↑ "The Iron Sheik's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  31. ↑ "Hulk Hogan's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  32. 1 2 "Andre the Giant's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  33. ↑ "Randy Savage's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  34. ↑ "Hulk Hogan's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  35. ↑ "The Ultimate Warrior's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  36. ↑ "Sgt. Slaughter's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  37. ↑ "Hulk Hogan's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  38. ↑ "The Undertaker's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  39. 1 2 "Hulk Hogan's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  40. ↑ "Ric Flair's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  41. ↑ "Randy Savage's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  42. ↑ "Ric Flair's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  43. ↑ "Bret Hart's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  44. ↑ "Yokozuna's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  45. ↑ "Hulk Hogan's fifth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  46. ↑ "Yokozuna's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  47. ↑ "Bret Hart's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  48. ↑ "Bob Backlund's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  49. ↑ "Diesel's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  50. ↑ "Bret Hart's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  51. ↑ "Shawn Michaels's reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  52. ↑ "Sycho Sid's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  53. 1 2 "Shawn Michaels's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  54. ↑ "Bret Hart's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  55. ↑ "Sycho Sid's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  56. ↑ "The Undertaker's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  57. ↑ "Bret Hart's fifth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  58. ↑ "Shawn Michaels's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  59. ↑ "Steve Austin's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  60. ↑ "Kane's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  61. 1 2 "Steve Austin's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  62. ↑ http://www.wwe.com/shows/judgmentday/history/judgmentday1998/mainevent/
  63. ↑ "The Rock's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  64. ↑ "Mankind's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  65. ↑ "The Rock's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  66. ↑ "Mankind's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  67. ↑ "The Rock's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  68. ↑ "Steve Austin's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  69. ↑ "The Undertaker's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  70. ↑ "Steve Austin's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  71. ↑ "Mankind's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  72. ↑ "Triple H's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  73. 1 2 "Mr. McMahon's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  74. ↑ "Triple H's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  75. ↑ "The Big Show's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  76. ↑ "Triple H's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  77. ↑ "The Rock's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  78. ↑ "WWE Championship - The Rock". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  79. ↑ "The Rock's fifth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  80. ↑ "Kurt Angle's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  81. ↑ "The Rock's sixth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  82. ↑ "Steve Austin's fifth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  83. ↑ "Kurt Angle's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  84. ↑ "Steve Austin's sixth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  85. ↑ "Chris Jericho's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  86. ↑ "Triple H's fifth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  87. ↑ "Hulk Hogan's sixth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  88. ↑ "The Undertaker's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  89. ↑ "The Rock's seventh reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  90. ↑ "Brock Lesnar's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  91. ↑ "The Big Show's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  92. ↑ "Kurt Angle's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  93. ↑ "Brock Lesnar's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  94. ↑ "Kurt Angle's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  95. ↑ "Brock Lesnar's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  96. ↑ "Eddie Guerrero's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  97. ↑ Roopansingh, Jaya (2004-02-16). "Guerrero crowned at No Way Out". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  98. ↑ "John "Bradshaw" Layfield's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  99. ↑ Martin, Adam (2004-06-27). "WWE Great American Bash (SmackDown) PPV Results – 6/27/04". WrestleView. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  100. ↑ "John Cena's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  101. ↑ Martin, Adam (2005-04-03). "WWE WrestleMania 21 PPV Results – 4/3/05 – Los Angeles, CA". WrestleView. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  102. ↑ "Edge's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  103. ↑ Sokol, Chris (2006-01-09). "Edge surprise champ after Revolution". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  104. ↑ "John Cena's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  105. ↑ Martin, Adam (2006-01-29). "Royal Rumble (RAW/SmackDown) PPV Results – 1/29/06 – Miami, FL". WrestleView. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  106. ↑ "Rob Van Dam's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  107. ↑ Martin, Adam (2006-06-11). "ECW One Night Stand PPV Results – 6/11/06". WrestleView. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  108. ↑ "Edge's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  109. ↑ Plummer, Dave. "Raw: Edge wins WWE title". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  110. ↑ "John Cena's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  111. ↑ "Mr. McMahon vacates Cena's WWE Championship". WWE. 2007-10-02. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  112. ↑ "Randy Orton's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  113. 1 2 3 "WWE title magic at No Mercy". The Sun. 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  114. ↑ "Triple H's sixth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  115. ↑ "Randy Orton's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  116. ↑ "Triple H's seventh reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
  117. ↑ Hillhouse, Dave. "HHH reigns again after Backlash". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  118. ↑ "Edge's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  119. ↑ "Your new WWE champions...". The Sun. 2008-11-25. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  120. ↑ "Jeff Hardy's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  121. ↑ Keller, Wade (2008-12-14). "Keller's WWE Armageddon PPV report 12/14: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live event – John Cena vs. Chris Jericho". PWTorch. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  122. ↑ "Edge's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  123. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-01-25). "Royal Rumble PPV Results – 1/25/09". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  124. ↑ "Triple H's eighth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  125. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-02-15). "WWE No Way Out Results – 2/15/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  126. ↑ "Orton's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  127. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-04-26). "Backlash PPV Results – 4/26/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  128. ↑ "Batista's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  129. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-06-07). "Extreme Rules PPV Results – 6/7/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  130. ↑ "Wounded Animal". WWE. 2009-06-09. Archived from the original on June 12, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  131. ↑ "Orton's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  132. ↑ Golden, Hunter (2009-06-16). "Raw Results – 6/15/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  133. ↑ "Cena's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
  134. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-09-13). "Breaking Point PPV Results – 9/13/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  135. ↑ "Orton's fifth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  136. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-10-04). "Hell in a Cell PPV Results – 10/4/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  137. ↑ "Cena's fifth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  138. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-10-25). "Bragging Rights Results – 10/25/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  139. ↑ "Sheamus' first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
  140. ↑ Martin, Adam (2011-01-04). "WWE TLC PPV Results – 12/13/09". Wrestle View. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
  141. ↑ "Cena's sixth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
  142. ↑ "Batista's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
  143. ↑ "John Cena's seventh reign". WWE. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  144. ↑ "Sheamus' second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  145. ↑ "Randy Orton's sixth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  146. ↑ "The Miz's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2010-11-22.
  147. ↑ "John Cena's eighth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  148. ↑ "CM Punk's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-07-19.
  149. ↑ "Rey Mysterio's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  150. ↑ "John Cena's ninth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  151. ↑ Woartman, James. "CM Punk def. John Cena; Alberto Del Rio cashed in Raw Money in the Bank briefcase (New Undisputed WWE Champion)". WWE. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
  152. ↑ "Alberto Del Rio's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
  153. ↑ "John Cena's tenth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-09-19.
  154. ↑ "Alberto Del Rio's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  155. ↑ "CM Punk's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  156. ↑ "The Rock's eighth reign". WWE. Retrieved 2013-01-28.
  157. ↑ "John Cena's eleventh reign". WWE. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
  158. ↑ "Daniel Bryan's first reign". WWE. Retrieved 2013-08-19.
  159. ↑ "Randy Orton's seventh reign". WWE. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  160. ↑ "Daniel Bryan's second reign". WWE. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
  161. ↑ Benigno, Anthony. "WWE COO Triple H stripped Daniel Bryan of the WWE Championship". Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  162. ↑ "Randy Orton's eighth reign". WWE. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  163. ↑ "Daniel Bryan's third reign". WWE. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  164. ↑ "Stephanie McMahon strips Daniel Bryan of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship". WWE. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  165. ↑ "John Cena's twelfth reign". WWE. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  166. ↑ "Brock Lesnar's fourth reign". WWE. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  167. ↑ "Seth Rollins' first reign". WWE. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  168. ↑ "Seth Rollins suffers knee injury, new WWE World Heavyweight Champion to be crowned at Survivor Series". WWE. November 5, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  169. ↑ "Roman Reigns' first reign". WWE. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  170. ↑ "Sheamus' third reign". WWE. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  171. ↑ "Roman Reigns' second reign". WWE. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  172. ↑ "Triple H's ninth reign". WWE. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  173. ↑ Caldwell, James. "4/3 WrestleMania 32 PPV Results – CALDWELL's Complete Live Report on Main PPV". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  174. 1 2 Caldwell, James. "6/19 WWE MITB PPV Results – CALDWELL's Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  175. ↑ "WWE Entertainment, Inc. Acquires WCW from Turner Broadcasting". WWE. 2001-03-21. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  176. ↑ "Finn Bálor def. Seth Rollins to become the first WWE Universal Champion". WWE. 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  177. ↑ Caldwell, James. "9/11 WWE Backlash Results – CALDWELL'S Complete PPV Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 11, 2016.

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