WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
1963 - 2005
WWF World Heavyweight Championship belt 1988 - 1998
WWWF World Heavyweight Championship 1963 - 1971,
WWWF Heavyweight Championship 1971 - 1979,
WWF Heavyweight Championship 1979 - 1983,
WWF World Heavyweight Championship 1983 - 2001,
WWF 'Undisputed' World Heavyweight Championship 2001 - 2002,
WWE 'Undisputed' World Heavyweight Championship 2002,
WWE Championship 2002 - Present
1960's
'Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers 06/04/63, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
On 24/01/63 a NWA World Heavyweight Championship match allegedly ended in controversy when Lou Thesz defeated Rogers. Some promoters refuse to recognise the decision and create their own organisation, the World Wide Wrestling Federation, with Rogers being said to have defeated Antonio Rocca in a tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to become the first WWWF Champion.
Bruno Sammartino 17/05/63, New York, NY
1970's
Ivan Koloff 18/01/71, New York, NY
Pedro Morales 08/02/71, New York, NY
Changed into a regional title and renamed WWWF Heavyweight Championship when the WWWF joins the NWA in 1971.
Stan Stasiak 01/12/73, Philadelphia, PA
Bruno Sammartino [2] 10/12/73, New York, NY
'Superstar' Billy Graham 30/04/77, Baltimore, MD
Bob Backlund 20/02/78 New York, NY
Renamed WWF Heavyweight Championship when WWWF renamed WWF in 1979.
On 30/11/79 the title allegedly changed hands in Japan when Antonio Inoki defeated Backlund. Title held-up after rematch on 06/12/79 was declared a no-contest (due to outside interference) and Inoki refused to accept the Championship. On 12/12/79 Backlund defeated Bobby Duncam in New York to reclaim the Championship but not recognised as a title win as none of the events that took place in Japan were acknowledged back in the United States.
Title held-up after 19/10/81 when a dazed referee gave the Championship to Greg Valentine despite having been defeated by Backlund. Defeats Valentine in rematch on 23/11/81, but not recognised as a title win as Backlund never actually lost the Championship.
Wrestles to a double count-out against NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair on 04/07/1982 in Atlanta, GA. Recognised as WWF World Heavyweight Champion when WWF withdraws from NWA in 1983.
1980's
Iron Sheik 26/12/83 New York, NY
Wins title when manager Arnold Skoaland throws in the towel while Backlund is in the camel clutch.
1984
Hulk Hogan
1988
Andre the Giant 05/02/88 Indianapolis, IN
Andre immediately gives the belt to Ted DiBiase, but WWF president Jack Tunney announces the title cannot be given away and by doing so and Andre officially vacated the Championship.
Andre the Giant
'Macho Man' Randy Savage 27/03/88, Wrestle Mania IV, Atlantic City, NJ
Defeats Ted DiBiase in tournament final.
'Macho Man' Randy Savage
1989
Hulk Hogan [2] 02/04/89, Wrestle Mania V, Atlantic City, NJ
1990's
Ultimate Warrior 01/04/90 Wrestle Mania VI, Toronto, ON
The Ultimate Warrior
1991
Sgt. Slaughter 19/01/91, Royal Rumble, Miami, FL
Hulk Hogan [3] 24/03/91, Wrestle Mania VII, Los Angeles, CA
Undertaker 27/11/91 Detroit, MI
The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer)
Hulk Hogan [4] 03/12/91 San Antonio, TX
Held up on 04/12/1991 after two controversial changes, to be given to Royal Rumble winner.
1992
'The Nature Boy' Ric Flair
Randy Savage [2] 05/04/92, Wrestle Mania VIII, Indianapolis, IN
Ric Flair [2] 01/09/92 Hershey, PA
Bret �The Hitman� Hart 12/10/92 Saskatoon, SK
Bret 'The Hitman' Hart
1993
Yokozuna 04/04/93, Wrestle Mania IX, Las Vegas, NV
Hulk Hogan [5] 04/04/93, Wrestle Mania IX, Las Vegas, NV
Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna's manager, challenges Hogan immediately after Yokozuna wins the title.
Hulk Hogan
Yokozuna [2] 13/06/93, King of the Ring, Dayton, OH
1994
Bret Hart [2] 20/03/94, Wrestle Mania X, New York, NY
Bob Backlund [2] 23/11/94, Survivor Series, San Antonio, TX
1995
Bret Hart [3] 19/11/95, Survivor Series, Landover, MD
1996
Shawn Michaels 31/03/96, Wrestle Mania XII, Anaheim, CA
Shawn Michaels
'Sycho' Sid 17/11/96, Survivor Series, New York, NY
1997
Shawn Michaels [2] 19/01/97, Royal Rumble, San Antonio, TX
Title vacant on 13/02/97 because of a knee injury.
Bret Hart [4] 16/02/97, The Final Four, Chattanooga, TN
Defeated The Undertaker, Steve Austin, and Vader in a Four Corners No Disqualification Elimination match.
Sid [2] 17/02/97 Nashville, TN
Sid
Undertaker [2] 23/03/97, Wrestle Mania XIII, Rosemont, IL
The Undertaker
Bret Hart [5] 03/08/97, Summer Slam, East Rutherford, NJ
Shawn Michaels [3] 09/11/97, Survivor Series, Montreal, PQ
The WWF Championship was awarded to Michaels after he applied the Sharpshooter to Hart despite the apparent lack of a submission.
Michaels (with the European & WWF Championships)
1998
�Stone Cold� Steve Austin 29/03/98, Wrestle Mania XIV, Boston, MA
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin
WWF Championship belt 1998 - 2002
Kane (Glen Jacobs) 28/06/98, King of the Ring, Pittsburgh, PA
Wins title in a first blood match after the Undertaker attacks Austin.
Kane
Steve Austin [2] 29/06/98, Raw Is War, Cleveland, OH
Title vacant on 27/09/98 in Hamilton, ON, CANADA when Austin was pinned by both Undertaker and Kane simultaneously at Breakdown, in a 3-way match.
The Rock
Mankind (Mick Foley) 29/12/98 Worcester, MA
Mankind (Mick Foley)
1999
The Rock [2] 24/01/99 Anaheim, CA
Mankind [2] 26/01/99 Tucson, AZ
The Rock [3] 15/02/99, Raw Is War, Birmingham, AL
Steve Austin [3] 28/03/99, Wrestle Mania XV, Philadelphia, PA
Undertaker [3] 23/05/99, Over the Edge, Kansas City, MO
Steve Austin [4] 28/06/99 Charlotte, NC
Mankind [3] 22/08/99, Summer Slam, Minneapolis, MN
Pinned Austin in a triangle match against Austin and Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Triple H).
Triple H 23/08/99, Raw is War, Ames, IA
Triple H
Vince McMahon 14/09/99 Las Vegas, NV
Vacated title on 20/09/99.
Triple H [2] 26/09/99, Unforgiven, Charlotte, NC
Defeated The Rock, Kane, Mankind, British Bulldog, and Big Show in a Six Pack Challenge match.
The Big Show (Paul Wight) 14/11/99, Survivor Series, Detroit, MI
Defeated Helmsley and The Rock in a Triple Threat match. Big Show substitutes for the "injured" Steve Austin.
2000
Triple H [3] 03/01/00, Raw, Miami, FL
Chris Jericho wins the title on 17/04/00, but the decision is later reversed on the same day because of a fast count by referee.
The Rock [4] 30/04/00, Backlash, Washington, DC
Triple H [4] 21/05/00, Judgement Day, Louisville, KY
The Rock [5] 25/06/00, King of the Ring, Boston, MA
Pinned Vince McMahon in a 6-man tag team match, teaming with Kane and Undertaker against Vince, Shane McMahon & Triple H.
Kurt Angle 22/10/00, No Mercy, Albany, NY
Kurt Angle
2001
The Rock [6] 25/02/01, No Way Out, Las Vegas, NV
Steve Austin [5] 01/04/01, Wrestlemania X-Seven, Houston, TX
Kurt Angle [2] 23/09/01, Unforgiven, Pittsburgh, PA
Steve Austin [6] 08/10/01, Raw, Indianapolis, IN
Chris Jericho 09/12/01, Vengeance, San Diego, CA
Unified with the World Heavyweight Title (formerly known as the wCw World Heavyweight Title), which Jericho had won earlier that same evening.
Therefore recognising Jericho as the WWF 'Undisputed' Champion.
Chris Jericho
2002
Triple H [5] 17/03/02, Wrestlemania X-8, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
WWE Championship belt 2002 - 2005
'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan [6] 21/04/02, Backlash, Kansas City, MO
World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc. dropped the 'Federation' from the companies title.
Therefore Hogan is recognised as the WWE 'Undisputed' Champion from 06/05/02.
Hollywood Hogan
The Undertaker [4] 19/05/02, Judgement Day, Nashville, TN
The Rock [7] 21/07/02, Vengeance, Detroit, MI
Brock Lesnar 25/08/02, Summerslam, Uniondale, NY
As Lesnar had signed an exclusive deal with SmackDown! General Manager Stephanie McMahon states that he can only appear on that programme, therefore the No. 1 contender Triple H cannot face Lesnar for the title as he is on RAW. Therefore as from 02/09/02 the title is 'disputed' and Eric Bischoff, General Manger of RAW, names Triple H as that brands World Heavyweight Champion.
Brock Lesnar
The Big Show [2] 17/11/02, Survivor Series, New York, NY
Kurt Angle [3] 15/12/02, Armageddon, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2003
Brock Lesnar [2] 30/03/03, Wrestlemania XIX, Seattle, WA
Kurt Angle [4] 27/07/03, Vengeance, Denver, CO
Brock Lesnar [3] 16/09/03, SmackDown!, Raleigh, NC
2004
Eddie Guerrero 15/02/04, No Way Out, San Francisco, CA
Eddie Guerrero
1967 - 2005
John Bradshaw Layfield 27/06/04, The Great American Bash, Norfolk, VA
2005
John Cena 03/04/05, Wrestkemania 21, Los Angeles, CA
As from 06/06/05, WWE Champion, John Cena, moved to RAW via a draft lottery.
Cena lost the WWE Championship to Edge on 08/01/06 after a title reign of 280 days.
John Cena