WWE World Heavyweight Championship / World Wrestling Entertainment / Championship Histories

WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Buddy Rogers

04.25.1963 - 05.17.1963

21 days

Defeated Antonino Rocca in a tournament final to become the first World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Champion

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Bruno Sammartino

05.17.1963 - 01.18.1971

2,803 days

Ivan Koloff

01.18.1971 - 02.08.1971

21 days

Pedro Morales

02.08.1971 - 12.01.1973

1,027 days

Stan Stasiak

12.01.1973 - 12.10.1973

9 days

Bruno Sammartino

12.10.1973 - 04.30.1977

1,237 days

Billy Graham

04.30.1977 - 02.20.1978

296 days

Bob Backlund

02.20.1978 - 12.26.1983

2,135 days

In March 1979, the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) became the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). This championship

then became the WWF World Championship

The Iron Sheik

12.26.1983 - 01.23.1984

28 days

Hulk Hogan

01.23.1984 - 02.05.1988

1,474 days

Andre the Giant

02.05.1988 - 02.13.1988

8 days

Stripped of the championship for attempting to sell it to Ted DiBiase

Randy Savage

03.27.1988 - 04.02.1989

371 days

Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final to win the vacant championship

Hulk Hogan

04.02.1989 - 04.01.1990

364 days

The Ultimate Warrior

04.01.1990 - 01.19.1991

293 days

Sergeant Slaughter

01.19.1991 - 03.24.1991

64 days

Hulk Hogan

03.24.1991 - 11.27.1991

248 days

The Undertaker

11.27.1991 - 12.03.1991

6 days

Hulk Hogan

12.03.1991 - 12.04.1991

1 day

Stripped of the championship due to the controversial way in which he won it

Ric Flair

01.19.1992 - 04.05.1992

77 days

Last eliminated Sid Justice in the 30-man Royal Rumble match to win the vacant championship

Randy Savage

04.05.1992 - 09.01.1992

149 days

Ric Flair

09.01.1992 - 10.27.1992

41 days

Bret Hart

10.27.1992 - 04.04.1993

174 days

Yokozuna

04.04.1993 - 04.04.1993

less than 1 day

Hulk Hogan

04.04.1993 - 06.13.1993

70 days

Yokozuna

06.13.1993 - 03.20.1994

280 days

Bret Hart

03.20.1994 - 11.23.1994

248 days

Bob Backlund

11.23.1994 - 11.26.1994

3 days

Diesel

11.26.1994 - 11.19.1995

358 days

Bret Hart

11.19.1995 - 03.31.1996

133 days

Shawn Michaels

03.31.1996 - 11.17.1996

231 days

Sycho Sid

11.17.1996 - 01.19.1997

63 days

Shawn Michaels

01.19.1997 - 02.13.1997

25 days

Vacated the championship due to being injured

Bret Hart

02.16.1997 - 02.17.1997

1 day

Defeated Steve Austin, The Undertaker, & Vader in a Fatal Four-Way match to win the vacant championship

Sycho Sid

02.17.1997 - 03.23.1997

34 days

The Undertaker

03.23.1997 - 08.03.1997

133 days

Bret Hart

08.03.1997 - 11.09.1997

98 days

Shawn Michaels

11.09.1997 - 03.29.1998

140 days

Steve Austin

03.29.1998 - 06.28.1998

91 days

Kane

06.28.1998 - 06.29.1998

1 day

Steve Austin

06.29.1998 - 09.27.1998

90 days

The championship was declared vacant after Austin was pinned simutaneously by both Kane and The Undertaker in a Triple

Threat match

The Rock

11.15.1998 - 01.04.1999

50 days

Defeated Mankind in a tournament final to win the vacant championship

Mankind

01.04.1999 - 01.24.1999

20 days

The Rock

01.24.1999 - 01.31.1999

7 days

Mankind

01.31.1999 - 02.15.1999

15 days

The Rock

02.15.1999 - 03.28.1999

41 days

Steve Austin

03.28.1999 - 05.23.1999

56 days

The Undertaker

05.23.1999 - 06.28.1999

36 days

Steve Austin

06.28.1999 - 08.22.1999

55 days

Mankind

08.22.1999 - 08.23.1999

1 day

Triple H

08.23.1999 - 09.16.1999

24 days

Vince McMahon

09.16.1999 - 09.20.1999

4 days

Vacated the championship due to not being an active competitor

Triple H

09.26.1999 - 11.14.1999

49 days

Defeated The Big Show, Davey Boy Smith, Kane, Mankind, & The Rock in a Six-Pack Challenge match to win the vacant championship

The Big Show

11.14.1999 - 01.03.2000

50 days

Triple H

01.03.2000 - 04.30.2000

118 days

The Rock

04.30.2000 - 05.21.2000

21 days

Triple H

05.21.2000 - 06.25.2000

35 days

The Rock

06.25.2000 - 10.22.2000

119 days

Kurt Angle

10.22.2000 - 02.25.2001

126 days

The Rock

02.25.2001 - 04.01.2001

35 days

Steve Austin

04.01.2001 - 09.23.2001

175 days

Kurt Angle

09.23.2001 - 10.08.2001

15 days

Steve Austin

10.08.2001 - 12.09.2001

62 days

Chris Jericho

12.09.2001 - 03.17.2002

98 days

Jericho was the reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion when he defeated Steve Austin for the WWF World Championship in

this unification match. The championship then became the WWF Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship

Triple H

03.17.2002 - 04.21.2002

35 days

Hulk Hogan

04.21.2002 - 05.19.2002

28 days

In May 2002, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) became World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). This championship then

became the WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship

The Undertaker

05.19.2002 - 07.21.2002

63 days

The Rock

07.21.2002 - 08.25.2002

35 days

Brock Lesnar

08.25.2002 - 11.17.2002

84 days

After winning the championship, Lesnar and Smackdown General Manager Stephanie McMahon announced that he would only

defend it on Smackdown branded events. Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff then created the World Heavyweight Championship

exclusively for Raw, and awarded it to Triple H, who was Lesnar's number one contender at the time of the announcement. This

championship then became the WWE World Championship

The Big Show

11.17.2002 - 12.15.2002

28 days

Kurt Angle

12.15.2002 - 03.30.2003

105 days

Brock Lesnar

03.30.2003 - 07.27.2003

119 days

Kurt Angle

07.27.2003 - 09.16.2003

51 days

Brock Lesnar

09.16.2003 - 02.15.2004

152 days

Eddie Guerrero

02.15.2004 - 06.27.2004

133 days

John Bradshaw Layfield

06.27.2004 - 04.03.2005

280 days

John Cena

04.03.2005 - 01.08.2006

280 days

Edge

01.08.2006 - 01.29.2006

21 days

John Cena

01.29.2006 - 06.11.2006

133 days

Rob Van Dam

06.11.2006 - 07.03.2006

22 days

Edge

07.03.2006 - 09.17.2006

76 days

John Cena

09.17.2006 - 10.02.2007

380 days

Vacated the championship due to being injured

Randy Orton

10.07.2007 - 10.07.2007

less than 1 day

Awarded the vacant championship

Triple H

10.07.2007 - 10.07.2007

less than 1 day

Randy Orton

10.07.2007 - 04.27.2008

203 days

Triple H

04.27.2008 - 11.23.2008

210 days

Edge

11.23.2008 - 12.14.2008

21 days

Jeff Hardy

12.14.2008 - 01.25.2009

42 days

Edge

01.25.2009 - 02.15.2009

21 days

Triple H

02.15.2009 - 04.26.2009

70 days

Randy Orton

04.26.2009 - 06.07.2009

42 days

Dave Batista

06.07.2009 - 06.09.2009

2 days

Vacated the championship due to being injured

Randy Orton

06.15.2009 - 09.13.2009

90 days

Defeated The Big Show, John Cena, & Triple H in a Fatal Four-Way match to win the vacant championship

John Cena

09.13.2009 - 10.04.2009

21 days

Randy Orton

10.04.2009 - 10.25.2009

21 days

John Cena

10.25.2009 - 12.13.2009

49 days

Sheamus

12.13.2009 - 02.21.2010

70 days

John Cena

02.21.2010 - 02.21.2010

less than 1 day

Dave Batista

02.21.2010 - 03.28.2010

35 days

John Cena

03.28.2010 - 06.20.2010

84 days

Sheamus

06.20.2010 - 09.19.2010

91 days

Randy Orton

09.19.2010 - 11.22.2010

64 days

The Miz

11.22.2010 - 05.01.2011

160 days

John Cena

05.01.2011 - 07.17.2011

77 days

CM Punk

07.17.2011 - 07.18.2011

1 day

Vacated the championship due to his WWE contract expiring

Rey Mysterio

07.25.2011 - 07.25.2011

less than 1 day

Defeated The Miz in a tournament final to win the vacant championship

John Cena

07.25.2011 - 08.14.2011

20 days

CM Punk

08.14.2011 - 08.14.2011

less than 1 day

Alberto Del Rio

08.14.2011 - 09.18.2011

35 days

John Cena

09.18.2011 - 10.02.2011

14 days

Alberto Del Rio

10.02.2011 - 11.20.2011

49 days

CM Punk

11.20.2011 - 01.27.2013

434 days

The Rock

01.27.2013 - 04.07.2013

70 days

John Cena

04.07.2013 - 08.18.2013

133 days

Daniel Bryan

08.18.2013 - 08.18.2013

less than 1 day

Randy Orton

08.18.2013 - 09.15.2013

28 days

Daniel Bryan

09.15.2013 - 09.16.2013

less than 1 day

The championship was held up due to the controversial way in which Bryan won it

Randy Orton

10.27.2013 - 04.06.2014

161 days

Defeated Daniel Bryan in a Hell in a Cell match to win the vacant championship

On 12.15.2013, WWE World Champion Orton defeated World Heavyweight Champion John Cena in a TLC unification match. This

championship then became the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Daniel Bryan

04.06.2014 - 06.09.2014

64 days

Stripped of the championship due to being injured

John Cena

06.29.2014 - 08.17.2014

49 days

Defeated Alberto Del Rio, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Kane, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, & Sheamus in an eight-way Ladder match to win

the vacant championship

Brock Lesnar

08.17.2014 - 03.29.2015

224 days

Seth Rollins

03.29.2015 - 11.05.2015

221 days

Vacated the championship due to being injured

Roman Reigns

11.22.2015 - 11.22.2015

less than 1 day

Defeated Dean Ambrose in a tournament final to win the vacant championship

Sheamus

11.22.2015 - 12.14.2015

22 days

Roman Reigns

12.14.2015 - 01.24.2016

41 days

Triple H

01.24.2016 - 04.03.2016

70 days

Roman Reigns

04.03.2016 - 06.19.2016

77 days

Seth Rollins

06.19.2016 - 06.19.2016

less than 1 day

Dean Ambrose

06.19.2016 - 09.11.2016

84 days

AJ Styles

09.11.2016 - 01.29.2017

140 days

John Cena

01.29.2017 - 02.12.2017

14 days

Bray Wyatt

02.12.2017 - 04.02.2017

49 days

Randy Orton

04.02.2017 - 05.21.2017

49 days

Jinder Mahal

05.21.2017 - 11.07.2017

170 days

AJ Styles

11.07.2017 - 11.13.2018

371 days

Daniel Bryan

11.13.2018 - 04.07.2019

145 days

Kofi Kingston

04.07.2019 - 10.04.2019

180 days

Brock Lesnar

10.04.2019 - 03.25.2020

173 days

Drew McIntyre

03.25.2020 - 10.25.2020

214 days

Randy Orton

10.25.2020 - 11.16.2020

22 days

Drew McIntyre

11.16.2020 - 02.21.2021

97 days

The Miz

02.21.2021 - 03.01.2021

8 days

Bobby Lashley

03.01.2021 - 09.13.2021

196 days

Big E

09.13.2021 - 01.01.2022

110 days

Brock Lesnar

01.01.2022 - 01.29.2022

28 days

Bobby Lashley

01.29.2022 - 02.19.2022

21 days

Brock Lesnar

02.19.2022 - 04.03.2022

43 days

Roman Reigns

04.03.2022 - 04.07.2024

735 days

WWE Universal Champion Reigns defeated WWE World Heavyweight Champion Lesnar in this Winner Takes All match. The two

championships were then defended together as the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship

Cody Rhodes

04.07.2024 - present

After winning the championships, they became known as the WWE Undisputed World Championship