Was also owned by NWA and WCW
NWA World Heavyweight Title
| # | Date | Champion | Defeated / Event | Places |
| 1 | 14-Jul-1948 | Orville Brown (1) | N/A | |
|
** |
Brown was the reigning Midwest Wrestling Association champion when the NWA was formed, and was recognized as the first NWA World Heavyweight Champion. | |||
| 2 | 27-Nov-1949 | Lou Thesz (1) | Awarded | St. Louis, MO |
|
** |
On 20-Jul-1948, Lou Thesz defeated Wild Bill Longson in St. Louis to win the National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title. A unification match between Thesz and Brown was supposed to take place but was canceled when Brown was hurt in a car accident on 01-Nov-1949. On 27-Nov-1949, the NWA awards the title to Lou Thesz at its convention in St. Louis. | |||
| 3 | 15-Mar-1956 | "Whipper" Billy Watson (1) | Lou Thesz | Toronto, ONT |
| 4 | 09-Nov-1956 | Lou Thesz (2) | "Whipper" Billy Watson | St. Louis, MO |
| 5 | 14-Jun-1957 | Edouard Carpentier (1) | Lou Thesz | Chicago, IL |
|
** |
Carpentier defeats Lou Thesz when Thesz cannot continue due to injury. The NWA Board of Directors rules, however, that the title cannot change hands through an injury and gives the title back to Thesz. Carpentier remains recognized as a champion in various territories. | |||
| 6 | 17-Aug-1957 | Lou Thesz (3) | Edouard Carpentier | N/A |
| 7 | 14-Nov-1957 | Dick Hutton (1) | Lou Thesz | Toronto, ONT |
| 8 | 09-Jan-1959 | Pat O'Connor (1) | Dick Hutton | St. Louis, MO |
| 9 | 30-Jun-1960 | Buddy Rogers (1) | Pat O'Connor | Chicago, IL |
|
** |
On 02-Aug-1962, Bruno Sammartino was awarded the title after defeating Buddy Rogers in Toronto. Sammartino refuses the title since Rogers wrestled with an injury. | |||
| 10 | 24-Jan-1963 | Lou Thesz (4) | Promoters in the Northeast U.S. refuse to accept this title change, and form the WWE, with Buddy Rogers as their champion. | Toronto, ONT |
| 11 | 07-Jan-1966 | Gene Kiniski (1) | Lou Thesz | St. Louis, MO |
| 12 | 11-Feb-1969 | Dory Funk, Jr. (1) | Gene Kiniski | Tampa, FL |
| 13 | 24-Mar-1973 | Harley Race (1) | Dory Funk, Jr. | Kansas City, MO |
| 14 | 20-Jul-1973 | Jack Brisco (1) | Harley Race | Houston, TX |
| 15 | 02-Dec-1974 | Giant Baba (1) | Jack Brisco | Kagoshima, Japan |
| 16 | 09-Dec-1974 | Jack Brisco (1) | Giant Baba | Toyohashi, Japan |
| 17 | 10-Dec-1975 | Terry Funk (1) | Jack Brisco | Miami, FL |
| 18 | 06-Feb-1977 | Harley Race (2) | Terry Funk | Toyohashi, Japan |
| 19 | 21-Aug-1979 | Dusty Rhodes (1) | Harley Race | Tampa, FL |
| 20 | 26-Aug-1979 | Harley Race (3) | Dusty Rhodes | Orlando, FL |
| 21 | 31-Oct-1979 | Giant Baba (2) | Harley Race | Nagoya, Japan |
| 22 | 07-Nov-1979 | Harley Race (4) | Giant Baba | Amagasaki, Japan |
| 23 | 04-Sep-1980 | Giant Baba (3) | Harley Race | Saga, Japan |
| 24 | 09-Sep-1980 | Harley Race (5) | Giant Baba | Ohtsu, Japan |
| 25 | 27-Apr-1981 | Tommy Rich (1) | Harley Race | Augusta, GA |
| 26 | 01-May-1981 | Harley Race (6) | Tommy Rich | Gainsville, GA |
| 27 | 21-Jun-1981 | Dusty Rhodes (2) | Harley Race | Atlanta, GA |
| 28 | 17-Sep-1981 | Ric Flair (1) | Kansas City, MO | |
|
** |
On 09-Feb-1982, Midnight Rider (Dusty Rhodes) defeated Ric Flair in Tampa, but NWA President Bob Geigel ruled that a masked man cannot hold the title. Flair was still recognized as champion. |
Kansas City, MO |
||
| 29 | 10-Jun-1983 | Harley Race (7) | Ric Flair | St. Louis, MO |
| 30 | 24-Nov-1983 | Ric Flair (2) | Harley Race | Greensboro, NC |
| 31 | 21-Mar-1984 | Harley Race (8) | Ric Flair | Wellington, New Zealand |
| 32 | 23-Mar-1984 | Ric Flair (3) | Harley Race | Kallang, Singapore |
| 33 | 06-May-1984 | Kerry von Erich (1) | Ric Flair | Irving, TX |
| 34 | 24-May-1984 | Ric Flair (4) | Kerry von Erich | Yokosuka, Japan |
| 35 | 25-Jul-1986 | Dusty Rhodes (3) | Ric Flair | Greensboro, NC |
| 36 | 07-Aug-1986 | Ric Flair (5) | Dusty Rhodes | St. Louis, MO |
| 37 | 25-Sep-1987 | Ronnie Garvin (1) | Ric Flair | Detroit, MI |
| 38 | 26-Nov-1987 | Ric Flair (6) | Ronnie Garvin | Chicago, IL |
| 39 | 20-Feb-1989 | Ricky Steamboat (1) | Ric Flair | Chicago, IL |
| 40 | 07-May-1989 | Ric Flair (7) | Ricky Steamboat | Nashville, TN |
| 41 | 07-Jul-1990 | Sting (1) | Ric Flair Music City Showdown | Baltimore, MD |
WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
| # | Date | Champion | Defeated / Event | Places |
|
** |
11-Jan-1991 |
In early 1991, with all but a few of the original NWA territories no longer operating, the title begins to be referred to as the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) World Heavyweight Title by WCW television announcers, using the 11-Jan-1991 bout between Flair/Sting as their starting point. 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 is stripped of the NWA title when he enters the WWE. I have combined the WCW title with the NWA title history at the 11-Jan-1991 date. Other title histories will vary. | ||
| 42 | 11-Jan-1991 |
Ric Flair (1) |
East Rutherford, NJ | |
|
** |
01-Jul-1991 |
Ric Flair was stripped of the title when he entered the WWE as the "Real World's Champion." He appeared on WWE TV with the WCW title belt, which he owned at the time. He later sold it back to the company. | ||
| 43 |
14-Jul-1991 |
Lex Luger (1) | Ric Flair Great American Bash | Baltimore, MD |
| 44 | 29-Feb-1992 | Sting (1) | Lex Luger SuperBrawl | Milwaukee, WI |
| 45 | 12-Jul-1992 | Big Van Vader (1) | Sting Great American Bash | Albany, GA |
| 46 | 02-Aug-1992 | Ron Simmons (1) | Big Van Vader | Baltimore, MD |
| 47 | 30-Dec-1992 | Big Van Vader (2) | Ron Simmons | Baltimore, MD |
| 48 | 11-Mar-1993 | Sting (2) | Big Van Vader | London, UK |
| 49 | 17-Mar-1993 | Big Van Vader (3) | Sting | Dublin, Ireland |
| 50 | 27-Dec-1993 | Ric Flair (2) | Big Van Vader | Charlotte, NC |
| ** | 23-Apr-1994 | Title was held up after a match with Ricky Steamboat as the result of a double pin. | Chicago, IL | |
| 51 | 24-Apr-1994 | Ric Flair (3) | Atlanta, GA | |
| 52 | 17-Jul-1994 | Hulk Hogan (1) | Ric Flair Bash at The Beach | Orlando, FL |
| 53 | 29-Oct-1995 | The Big Show (1) | Hulk Hogan Halloween Havoc | Detroit, MI |
| ** | 06-Nov-1995 | 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. | ||
| 54 | 26-Nov-1995 | Randy Savage (1) | Won a Battle Royal World War 3 | Norfolk, VA |
| 55 | 27-Dec-1995 | Ric Flair (4) | Randy Savage Starcade | Nashville, TN |
| 56 | 22-Jan-1996 | Randy Savage (2) | Ric Flair Nitro | Las Vegas, NV |
| 57 | 11-Feb-1996 | Ric Flair (5) | Randy Savage Superbrawl | St. Petersburg, FL |
| 58 | 22-Apr-1996 | The Giant (2) | Ric Flair Nitro | Albany, GA |
| 59 | 10-Aug-1996 | Hulk Hogan (2) | The Giant Hog Wild | Sturgis, SD |
| 60 | 04-Aug-1997 | Lex Luger (2) | Hulk Hogan Nitro | Detroit, MI |
| 61 | 09-Aug-1997 | Hulk Hogan (3) | Lex Luger Road Wild | Sturgis, SD |
| 62 | 28-Dec-1997 | Sting (3) | Hulk Hogan Starrcade | Washington, DC |
| ** | 08-Jan-1998 | 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. | Daytona Beach, FL | |
| 63 | 22-Feb-1998 |
Sting (4) |
Hulk Hogan for the vacant title SuperBrawl | San Francisco, CA |
| 64 | 19-Apr-1998 | Randy Savage (3) | Sting Spring Stampede | Denver, CO |
| 65 | 20-Apr-1998 | Hulk Hogan (4) | Randy Savage Nitro | Colorado Springs, CO |
| 66 | 06-Jul-1998 | Bill Goldberg (1) | Hulk Hogan Nitro | Atlanta, GA |
| 67 | 27-Dec-1998 | Kevin Nash (1) | Bill Goldberg Starrcade | Washington, DC |
| 68 | 04-Jan-1999 | Hulk Hogan (5) | Kevin Nash Nitro | Atlanta, GA |
| 69 | 14-Mar-1999 | Ric Flair (6) | Hulk Hogan Uncensored | Louisville, KY |
| 70 | 11-Apr-1999 | Diamond Dallas Page (1) | defeated Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and Sting Spring Stampede | Louisville, KY |
| 71 | 26-Apr-1999 | Sting (5) | Diamond Dallas Page Nitro | Fargo, ND |
| 72 | 26-Apr-1999 | Diamond Dallas Page (2) | Kevin Nash, Goldberg, Sting Nitro | Fargo, ND |
| 73 | 09-May-1999 | Kevin Nash (2) | Diamond Dallas Page Slamboree | St. Louis, MO |
| 74 | 11-Jul-1999 | Randy Savage (4) | Kevin Nash Bash at The Beach | Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| 75 | 12-Jul-1999 | Hulk Hogan (6) | Randy Savage Nitro | Jacksonville, FL |
| 76 | 12-Sep-1999 | Sting (6) | Hulk Hogan Fall Brawl | Winston-Salem, NC |
| ** | 25-Oct-1999 | Title was declared vacant after Sting attacked referee Charles Robinson | ||
| 77 | 21-Nov-1999 |
Bret Hart (1) |
Won a Tournament Mayhem |
Toronto, ONT |
| ** | 12-Dec-1999 | Bret Hart vacated the title | ||
| 78 | 20-Dec-1999 |
Bret Hart (1) |
Goldberg to win the vacated title Nitro |
Baltimore, MD |
| ** | 16-Jan-2000 | Bret Hart vacated the title due to injury | ||
| 79 |
16-Jan-2000 |
Chris Benoit (1) |
Defeated Sid Vicious Souled Out |
Cincinnati, OH |
| ** | 17-Jan-2000 | Vacates title the next day because Benoit, Saturn, Malenko, and Guerrero leave for the WWE | ||
| 80 | 24-Jan-2000 |
Sid Vicious (1) |
Defeated Kevin Nash for the vacant title Nitro |
Los Angeles, CA |
| 81 | 25-Jan-2000 |
Kevin Nash (3) |
Kevin Nash, who was WCW Commissioner at the time, strips Sid of the title and gives it to himself. Thunder |
Las Vegas, NV |
| 82 | 25-Jan-2000 |
Sid Vicious (2) |
defeated Kevin Nash and Ron Harris in a steel cage match Thunder |
Las Vegas, NV |
| ** | 10-Apr-2000 | Title declared vacant by WCW executives Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo. | Denver, CO | |
| 83 |
16-Apr-2000 |
Jeff Jarrett (1) |
defeated Diamond Dallas Page Spring Stampede |
Chicago, IL |
| 84 |
24-Apr-2000 |
Diamond Dallas Page (3) |
Jeff Jarrett Nitro |
Rochester, NY |
| 85 |
25-Apr-2000 |
David Arquette (1) |
Arquette, an actor, teamed with DDP and pinned Eric Bischoff, who was teamed with Jeff Jarrett. Thunder |
Syracuse, NY |
| 86 |
07-May-2000 |
Jeff Jarrett (2) |
Arquette and DDP Slamboree |
Kansas City, MO |
| 87 |
15-May-2000 |
Ric Flair (7) |
Jeff Jarrett Nitro |
Columbus, OH |
| ** | 22-May-2000 | Vince Russo strips the title | ||
| 88 |
22-May-2000 |
Jeff Jarrett (3) |
Defeated Kevin Nash Nitro |
Grand Rapids, MI |
| 89 |
23-May-2000 |
Kevin Nash (4) |
Defeats Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner Thunder |
Saginaw, MI |
| 90 |
29-May-2000 |
Ric Flair (8) |
Returns the belt to Ric Flair Nitro |
Salt Lake City, UT |
|
91 |
29-May-2000 |
Jeff Jarrett (4) |
Ric Flair Nitro |
Salt Lake City, UT |
| 92 |
09-Jul-2000 |
Booker T (1) |
Jeff Jarrett Bash at The Beach |
Daytona Beach, FL |
| 93 |
28-Aug-2000 |
Kevin Nash (5) |
Booker T Nitro |
Las Cruces, NM |
| 94 |
17-Sep-2000 |
Booker T (2) |
Kevin Nash Fall Brawl |
Buffalo, NY |
| 95 |
25-Sep-2000 |
Vince Russo (1) |
Booker T Nitro |
Uniondale, NY |
| 96 |
02-Oct-2000 |
Booker T (3) |
Defeated Jeff Jarrett Nitro |
San Francisco, CA |
| 97 |
26-Nov-2000 |
Scott Steiner (1) |
Booker T Mayhem |
Milwaukee, WI |
| 98 |
26-Mar-2001 |
Booker T (4) |
Scott Steiner The Last Nitro |
Panama City Beach, FL |
WWE/WCW & ECW ALLIANCE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
| # | Date | Champion | Defeated / Event | Places |
| 99 |
24-Jul-2001 |
Kurt Angle (1) |
Booker T Smackdown! |
Pittsburgh, PA |
| 100 |
30-Jul-2001 |
Booker T (5) |
Kurt Angle Raw is War |
Philadelphia, PA |
|
101 |
19-Aug-2001 |
The Rock (1) |
Booker T Summer Slam |
San Jose, CA |
|
102 |
21-Oct-2001 |
Chris Jericho (1) |
The Rock No Mercy |
St. Louis, MO |
|
103 |
05-Nov-2001 |
The Rock (2) |
Chris Jericho Raw |
Uniondale, NY |
|
104 |
09-Dec-2001 |
Chris Jericho (2) |
The Rock Vengeance |
San Diego, CA |
WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
| # | Date | Champion | Defeated / Event | Places |
| 105 |
02-Sept-2002 |
Triple H (1) |
Awarded |
Milwaukee, WA |
| 106 |
17-Oct-2002 |
Shawn Michaels (1) |
Triple H Survivor Series |
New York City, NY |
|
107 |
15-Dec-2002 |
Triple H (2) |
Shawn Michaels Armageddon |
Fortlaurderdale, FL |
|
108 |
21-Sept-2003 |
Goldberg (1) |
Triple H Unforgiven |
Heresy, PA |
| 109 | 14-Dec-2003 |
Triple H (3) |
Goldberg Armageddon |
Orlando, Florida |
| 110 |
14-Mar-2004 |
Chris Benoit (1) |
Shawn Michaels, Triple H Wrestlemania 20 |
New York City, New York |
| 111 | 15-Aug-04 |
Randy Orton (1) |
Chris Benoit Summer Slam |
Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 112 | 12-Sep-04 | Triple H (5) | Randy Orton Unforgiven |
Portland, Orgegon |