The World Heavyweight Championship was a
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
world heavyweight championship owned by
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
. It was one of two top championships in WWE from 2002 to 2006 and from 2010 to 2013, complementing the
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown' ...
, and one of three top championships from 2006 to 2010 with the addition of the
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The ECW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and later, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was the original world title of the ECW ...
.
The title was established under the
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
brand in 2002, after Raw and
SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
became distinct
brands under WWE, and moved between both brands on different occasions (mainly as a result of the
WWE draft
The WWE Draft, alternatively called the WWE Superstar Shake-up from 2017 to 2019, is a process used by the United States, American professional wrestling promotion WWE to refresh its rosters between the Raw (WWE brand), Raw and SmackDown (WWE bran ...
) until August 29, 2011, when all programming became full roster "supershows". The World Heavyweight Championship was retired at
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15, 2013, when it was unified with the WWE Championship.
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (born July 27, 1969), better known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive, actor, and retired professional wrestler currently serving as the chief content officer for WWE. He is widely regarded as on ...
was the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion, with
Randy Orton being the last.
The title was one of six to be represented by the historic
Big Gold Belt
The Big Gold Belt is a historic professional wrestling championship belt that has represented multiple world championships throughout its history.
Originally designed in 1985 by silversmith Charles Crumrine and commissioned by Jim Crockett Promo ...
, first introduced in 1986. Its heritage can be traced back to
the first world heavyweight championship, thereby giving the belt a legacy over 100 years old, the oldest in the world.
History
Background
The title's origins lay in
the first world heavyweight championship, and then to events that began in the
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
(NWA), which had many different territorial
promotions as members. In the late 1980s,
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
(WCW) was a member of the NWA, having been formed by the purchase of
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions Inc. is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, restarted by Jim Crockett's son and Jim Crockett Jr's brother, David Crockett. Founded in 1931, the promot ...
(JCP), which had absorbed many other NWA members, by
Turner Broadcasting
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (alternatively known as Turner Entertainment Networks from 2019 until 2022) was an American television and media conglomerate. Founded by Ted Turner and based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (lat ...
, which aired WCW's programming. During this time, WCW used the
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is a world heavyweight professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professional wrestling promotion. The current champion is Tyrus, who is i ...
as its world title. The
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The WCW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and later, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the original world title of ...
was soon established when the recognition was awarded to then-
NWA World Heavyweight Champion
The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is a world heavyweight professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professional wrestling promotion. The current champion is Tyrus, who is i ...
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949), known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American professional wrestler. Regarded by multiple peers and journalists as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair has had a career spanni ...
in 1991. In 1993, WCW seceded from the NWA and grew to become a rival promotion to the
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
(WWF), itself a former member of the NWA. Both organizations grew into mainstream prominence and were eventually involved in a
television ratings war dubbed the
Monday Night Wars
The Monday Night Wars or Monday Night War was an era of mainstream televised American professional wrestling, from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001, in which the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF, now WWE) ''Monday Night Raw'' (later ''Raw I ...
. Near the end of the ratings war,
WCW began a financial decline which culminated in March 2001 with the
WWF's purchase of selected assets of WCW.
As a result of the purchase, the WWF acquired the
video library of WCW, select
talent contracts, and
championships among other assets. The slew of former WCW talent joining the
WWF roster began "
The Invasion" that effectively
phased out the WCW name. Following this, the WCW World Heavyweight Championship was
unified with the
WWF Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDow ...
, the WWF's world title, at
Vengeance in December. At the event, the WCW World Heavyweight Championship was decommissioned with
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jerich ...
becoming the final WCW World Heavyweight Champion and the subsequent Undisputed WWF Champion after defeating
The Rock and
Steve Austin
Steve Austin (born Steven James Anderson; December 18, 1964), better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American media personality, actor, and retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most ...
respectively.
The WWF title became the undisputed championship in professional wrestling until September 2002 with the creation of the World Heavyweight Championship,
spun off from the Undisputed WWE Championship as the successor to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Creation
![HHH after winning the WWE Undisputed Championship](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/HHH_after_winning_the_WWE_Undisputed_Championship.jpg)
By 2002, WWE's roster had doubled in size due to the overabundance of contracted workers. As a result of the increase, WWE divided the roster through its two
main television programs, ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'' and ''
SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
'', assigning championships and appointing
figurehead
In politics, a figurehead is a person who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet ''de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that they ...
s to each brand of the same name. This expansion became known as the "
Brand Extension".
In May 2002, the WWF was renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Following these changes, the
Undisputed WWE Championship remained unaffiliated with either brand as competitors from both brands could challenge the Undisputed Champion. Following the appointment of
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff (born May 27, 1955) is an American television producer, professional wrestling booker, and performer. He is best known for serving as Executive Producer and later Senior Vice President of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and ...
and
Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie McMahon Levesque (born Stephanie Marie McMahon; ; September 24, 1976) is an American businesswoman and retired professional wrestler. She is the current chairwoman and co-chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the world's largest prof ...
as
General Managers of the
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
and
SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
brands, respectively, Stephanie McMahon contracted then-WWE Undisputed Champion
Brock Lesnar to the SmackDown brand, leaving the Raw brand without a world title. On September 2, Eric Bischoff announced the creation of the World Heavyweight Championship. Bischoff awarded the title to
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (born July 27, 1969), better known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive, actor, and retired professional wrestler currently serving as the chief content officer for WWE. He is widely regarded as on ...
, who had been designated number-one contender to Lesnar's title the previous week. Immediately afterwards, the Undisputed Championship returned to being the WWE Championship as it was no longer undisputed.
The World Heavyweight Championship and the WWE Championship switched brands a number of times before the first brand split ended in 2011.
Historical lineage
![DBatista](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/DBatista.jpg)
While introduced in 2002 as a new title, the WWE often made allusions to other titles including those of WCW and the NWA, amalgamating the history of the championship with the
history of the belt that represents it. As affirmed by WWE, the World Heavyweight Championship is not a continuation of the WCW Championship, but rather its successor by way of the WWE Undisputed Championship, just as the WCW Championship
spun off from the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Due to its relation to both titles, its lineage is connected with the
earliest recognized world heavyweight championship. In 2009, WWE released a DVD set called ''History of the World Heavyweight Championship'' that definitively linked the title to the WCW and NWA titles.
Title unification
![Randy Orton at WM30](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Randy_Orton_at_WM30.jpg)
Following the end of the first brand extension in 2011, both the World Heavyweight Champion and WWE Champion could appear on both ''Raw'' and ''SmackDown''. In 2013, the night after
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the se ...
, then-World Heavyweight Champion
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
made a challenge to then-WWE Champion
Randy Orton to determine an undisputed WWE world champion. Randy Orton defeated John Cena in a TLC match at the
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view on December 15, 2013, to unify the titles. Subsequently, the WWE Championship was renamed WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
The unified championship retained the lineage of the WWE Championship, and the World Heavyweight Championship was retired.
With his victory over John Cena, Randy Orton became the final World Heavyweight Champion. Like with the Undisputed Championship, the Big Gold Belt was used in tandem with the WWE Championship belt to represent the WWE World Heavyweight Championship until a single belt was presented to then champion Brock Lesnar in August 2014.
Brand designation history
The following is a list of dates indicating the transitions of the World Heavyweight Championship between the Raw and SmackDown brands.
Reigns
![Edge World Heavyweight Champ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Edge_World_Heavyweight_Champ.jpg)
The inaugural champion was
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (born July 27, 1969), better known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive, actor, and retired professional wrestler currently serving as the chief content officer for WWE. He is widely regarded as on ...
, and there were 25 different champions overall. The longest reigning champion was
Batista
Batista is a Spanish or Portuguese surname. Notable persons with the name include:
* Batista (footballer, born 1955), Brazilian football player
* Dave Bautista, American actor and professional wrestler, also known as Batista
* Edina Alves Batis ...
who held the title from April 3, 2005, to January 10, 2006, for a total of 282 days. Triple H holds the record for longest combined reigns at 616 days. The shortest reigning champion was
Randy Orton in his fourth reign, who immediately retired the championship upon winning it and unifying it with the
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown' ...
. He was also the youngest champion, at the age of 24. The oldest champion was
The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majorit ...
who won at the age of 44.
Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed ...
held the title the most times with seven championship reigns. There were six vacancies throughout the title's history.
Randy Orton was the final champion in his fourth reign. He defeated
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
in a
Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at
TLC
TLC may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Television
* ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2
* TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network
** TLC (Asia), an A ...
in
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
on December 15, 2013 to unify the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships.
See also
*
List of former championships in WWE
In professional wrestling, championships are competed for in scripted storylines by a company or promotion's roster of contracted wrestlers. WWE is a Stamford, Connecticut-based company primarily focused on professional wrestling. The promotion w ...
*
World championships in WWE
WWE has maintained several professional wrestling world championships since Capitol Wrestling Corporation seceded from the National Wrestling Alliance in 1963 to become the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), which was later subjected to vario ...
Notes
References
External links
Official WWE World Heavyweight Title History
{{DEFAULTSORT:World Heavyweight Championship (Wwe)
World heavyweight wrestling championships
WWE championships