| Champion |
Defeated |
Date |
Location / Finish |
| Buddy Rogers |
N/A |
4/63 |
Rio de Janiero, Brazil; Rogers won a fictious tournament for the championship; Rogers was awarded the title because of his controversial NWA title loss to Lou Thez in Toronto on 1/24; The belt is referred to as the WWWF World Title at this point |
| Bruno Sammartino |
Buddy Rogers |
5/17/63 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; Sammartino won the title following a dropkick, backbreaker, and bear hug; Sammartino lost to Ray Stevens on 7/15/67 in San Francisco via count-out but the title change is never officially recognized |
| Ivan Koloff |
Bruno Sammartino |
1/18/71 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; Koloff won the title with a knee drop off the top rope |
| Pedro Morales |
Ivan Koloff |
2/8/71 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden |
| Stan Stasiak |
Pedro Morales |
12/1/73 |
Philadelphia, PA; Morales pinned himself after back suplexing Stasiak; Stasiak lifted his shoulder during the pin but Morales had his down for the 3-count |
| Bruno Sammartino |
Stan Stasiak |
12/10/73 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden |
| Superstar Billy Graham |
Bruno Sammartino |
4/30/77 |
Baltimore, MD |
| Bob Backlund |
Superstar Billy Graham |
2/20/78 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; Backlund won the match even though Graham's foot was on the bottom rope during the pin |
| Antonio Inoki |
Bob Backlund |
11/30/79 |
Tokoshima, Japan; This title loss was not recognized in the U.S. |
| Bob Backlund |
Antonio Inoki |
12/6/79 |
Tokyo, Japan |
| Bob Backlund |
Bobby Duncum |
12/12/79 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; The title was vacated following the 12/6/79 match in Tokyo because of Tiger Jeet Singh's outside interference |
| Bob Backlund |
Greg Valentine |
11/23/81 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; The title was held up following a earlier match between the two on 10/19/81 in which the dazed referee gave Valentine the title belt after Valentine lost a fall to Backlund |
| The Iron Sheik |
Bob Backlund |
12/26/83 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; Iron Sheik won the title when Backlund's manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel while Backlund was in the Camel Clutch; The champion entered the match with an already injured back |
| Hulk Hogan |
The Iron Sheik |
1/23/84 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; Hogan won the title following the legdrop |
| Andre the Giant |
Hulk Hogan |
2/5/88 |
Indianapolis, IN; Market Square Arena; The Main Event; According to storyline, Ted Dibiase had paid for someone to have plastic surgery so they could look like referee Earl Hebner and officiate the match (Dave Hebner played that role); The referee made a 3-count on Hogan when his shoulder was up at the 1 count; After the match, Andre sold the title to Ted Dibiase; President Jack Tunney stripped Andre of the title and ordered a 14-man tournament to be held to crown the new champion |
| Randy Savage |
Ted Dibiase |
3/27/88 |
Atlantic City, NJ; Trump Plaza; WrestleMania IV; Savage won the tournament for the vacant title by last defeating Ted Dibiase with the flying elbow drop after Hulk Hogan interfered; Savage had previously defeated Butch Reed, Greg Valentine, and One Man Gang prior to the final bout |
| Hulk Hogan |
Randy Savage |
4/2/89 |
Atlantic City, NJ; Trump Plaza; WrestleMania V; Hogan won following the leg drop |
| The Ultimate Warrior |
Hulk Hogan |
4/1/90 |
Toronto, ON; Skydome; WrestleMania VI; This was a title for title match where both Warrior's IC belt and Hogan's world belt were on the line; Warrior scored the pin with a splash after Hogan missed his leg drop; Warrior vacated the IC title shortly after the match |
| Sgt. Slaughter |
The Ultimate Warrior |
1/19/91 |
Miami, FL; Miami Arena; Royal Rumble 91; Slaughter won the match following a elbow drop after Randy Savage interfered and smashed his sceptor over the Warrior's head |
| Hulk Hogan |
Sgt. Slaughter |
3/24/91 |
Los Angeles, CA; Sports Arena; WrestleMania VII; Hogan won following the leg drop |
| The Undertaker |
Hulk Hogan |
11/27/91 |
Detroit, MI; Joe Louis Arena; Survivor Series 91; Undertaker won the match following a Tombstone piledriver onto a chair that was placed in the ring by Ric Flair |
| Hulk Hogan |
The Undertaker |
12/3/91 |
San Antonio, TX; Freeman Coliseum; Tuesday in Texas; Hogan won with a roll up after blinding the Undertaker with the ashes that were in the urn; President Jack Tunney declared the title vacant because of the controversial nature of the past two title changes and held the belt up for the winner of the 1992 Royal Rumble |
| Ric Flair |
Sid Justice |
1/19/92 |
Albany, NY; Knickerbocker Arena; Royal Rumble 92; Flair won the vacant title by last eliminating Sid Justice from the 30-man Royal Rumble; Flair drew #3 in the match and lasted over an hour |
| Randy Savage |
Ric Flair |
4/5/92 |
Indianapolis, IN; Hoosier Dome; WrestleMania VIII; Savage won with a roll up and held the tights during the pin |
| Ric Flair |
Randy Savage |
9/1/92 |
Hershey, PA; Hershey Park Arena; This match occured at a TV taping and was shown on Prime Time Wrestling about a week later; Flair regained the title by pinning Savage with the figure-4 after Razor Ramon interfered; Savage entered the match with an injured leg after the attack Flair and Mr. Perfect gave him at Summer Slam in London |
| Bret Hart |
Ric Flair |
10/12/92 |
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; This match occured at an untelevised event but was released on home video; Hart won the match with the Sharpshooter after a superplex |
| Yokozuna |
Bret Hart |
4/4/93 |
Las Vegas, NV; Caesar's Palace; WrestleMania IX; Yokozuna won the match via pinfall after Mr. Fuji threw salt in Hart's eyes as he had the challenger in the Sharpshooter |
| Hulk Hogan |
Yokozuna |
4/4/93 |
Las Vegas, NV; Caesar's Palace; WrestleMania IX; Hogan was challenged by Mr. Fuji immediately after the title match; Fuji accidently threw salt in Yokozuna's eyes and a leg drop ended the match for Hogan |
| Yokozuna |
Hulk Hogan |
6/13/93 |
Dayton, OH; Nutter Center; King of the Ring 93; Yokozuna regained the title with a leg drop after a photographer (Harvey Wippleman in disguise) got on the ring apron and shot a fireball into Hogan's eyes |
| Bret Hart |
Yokozuna |
3/20/94 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; WrestleMania X; Hart scored the pin on Yokozuna after the champion lost his balance and fell backwards onto his head while attempting the Bonzai Drop; Yokozuna had defended the title earlier in the night against Lex Luger while Hart had faced his brother Owen; Roddy Piper was the guest referee for this match |
| Bob Backlund |
Bret Hart |
11/23/94 |
San Antonio, TX; Freeman Coliseum; Survivor Series 94; This was a match in which each wrestler's corner man (Davey Boy Smith for the champion and Owen Hart for the challenger) must throw in the towel for the match to end; During the match, Smith was knocked unconcious and Owen Hart convinced his mother, Helen, to throw in the towel after the champion had been locked in the Cross Face Chicken Wing for nearly 10 minutes |
| Diesel |
Bob Backlund |
11/26/94 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; This match occured at an untelevised event; Diesel pinned Backlund at the 8 second mark after a kick to the midsection and a powerbomb; Backlund's original opponent, Bret Hart, was injured and unable to compete - therefore President Jack Tunney declared Diesel the #1 contender due to his showing at the Survivor Series |
| Bret Hart |
Diesel |
11/19/95 |
Landover, MD; USAir Arena; Survivor Series 95; This was a No DQ, No Count Out, There Must be a Winner match; Hart won with an inside cradle after Diesel had him ready for the powerbomb but let go |
| Shawn Michaels |
Bret Hart |
3/31/96 |
Anaheim, CA; Arrowhead Pond; WrestleMania XII; This was a 60-minute Ironman match; The end result after the 60 minutes had elapsed was 0-0 therefore President Gorilla Monsoon ordered a sudden death round; Michaels won after two superkicks |
| Psycho Sid |
Shawn Michaels |
11/17/96 |
New York City, NY; Madison Square Garden; Survivor Series 96; Sid won after hitting Michaels over the back with a WWF video camera and then powerbombing him |
| Shawn Michaels |
Psycho Sid |
1/19/97 |
San Antonio, TX; Alamo Dome; Royal Rumble 97; Michaels won with the superkick after hitting Sid with a WWF video camera; The title was declared vacant on 2/13/97 due to injury |
| Bret Hart |
The Undertaker |
2/16/97 |
Chatanooga, TN; UTC Arena; In Your House 'Final Four'; This was a four-way match between Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Vader, and the Undertaker to determine the new champion; These were the last four men in the ring at the Royal Rumble and Austin had eliminated the other men illegally; Earlier eliminations in the match saw Hart throw Austin over the top to the floor and the Undertaker do the same to Vader; Hart clotheslined Undertaker to the floor after outside interference from Steve Austin distracted the Undertaker |
| Psycho Sid |
Bret Hart |
2/17/97 |
Nashville, TN; Nashville Arena; Raw is War; Sid won with the powerbomb after Steve Austin interfered and hit Hart over the head with a chair as Hart had Sid in the Sharpshooter |
| The Undertaker |
Psycho Sid |
3/23/97 |
Rosemont, IL; Rosemont Horizon; WrestleMania XIII; The Undertaker won the title with the Tombstone after Bret Hart interfered |
| Bret Hart |
The Undertaker |
8/3/97 |
East Rutherford, NJ; Continental Airlines Arena; Summer Slam 97; Hart won the match after guest referee, Shawn Michaels, accidently gave the Undertaker a chairshot to the head which knocked him out |
| Shawn Michaels |
Bret Hart |
11/9/97 |
Montreal, Quebec; Molson Centre; Survivor Series 97; Vince McMahon called for the bell while Michaels had Hart in the Sharpshooter, however Hart did not submit |
| Steve Austin |
Shawn Michaels |
3/29/98 |
Boston, MA; FleetCenter; WrestleMania XIV; Austin won the match following the Stunner; Guest ring enforcer Mike Tyson made the pinfall and knocked Michaels out after the match |
| Kane |
Steve Austin |
6/28/98 |
Pittsburgh, PA; Civic Arena; King of the Ring 98; This was a First Blood match where, if Kane were to lose, he would set himself on fire; Both Mankind and the Undertaker interfered in the match but it was the Undertaker's chairshot that left Austin bleeding from the head and the loser of the match |
| Steve Austin |
Kane |
6/29/98 |
Cleveland, OH; Gund Arena; Raw is War; Austin got the pinfall after a Stunner; The title was held up on 9/27/98 when Austin was pinned by both Kane and the Undertaker in a 3-way match; A later match between Kane and the Undertaker on 10/18/98 resulted in a no-contest so a tournament was planned |
| The Rock |
Mankind |
11/15/98 |
St. Louis, MO; Kiel Center; Survivor Series 98; This was a tournament final; Rock won the match when he put Mankind in the Sharpshooter and Vince McMahon rang the bell, even though there was no submission; The Rock had defeated the Big Bossman, Ken Shamrock, and the Undertaker in previous rounds |
| Mankind |
The Rock |
12/29/98 |
Worcester, MA; Raw is War; Mankind won the title in this pre-taped Raw after Steve Austin interfered |
| The Rock |
Mankind |
1/24/99 |
Anaheim, CA; Arrowhead Pond; Royal Rumble 99; This was an I Quit match; The Rock had pre-taped audio of Mankind saying 'I quit' played over the PA system to win the match |
| Mankind |
The Rock |
1/26/99 |
Tucson, AZ; Halftime Heat; This was an Empty Arena match that was pre-taped; Mankind won the title after pinning Rock to the ground backstage with a wooden palette |
| The Rock |
Mankind |
2/15/99 |
Birmingham, AL; Raw is War; This was a ladder match; Rock won after the Big Show interfered and gave Mankind a chokeslam from the top of the ladder |
| Steve Austin |
The Rock |
3/28/99 |
Philadelphia, PA; First Union Center; WrestleMania XV
|
| The Undertaker |
Steve Austin |
5/23/99 |
Kansas City, MO; Kemper Arena; Over the Edge 99; Shane McMahon was the guest referee |
| Steve Austin |
The Undertaker |
6/28/99 |
Charlotte, NC; Charlotte Coliseum; Raw is War; Austin won following a Stunner |
| Mankind |
Steve Austin |
8/22/99 |
Minneapolis, MN; Target Center; Summer Slam 99; This was a 3-way match also involving Triple H; Mankind pinned Austin following a double arm DDT; Triple H assaulted Austin's injured knee with a chair after the match |
| Triple H |
Mankind |
8/23/99 |
Ames, IA; Raw is War; Triple H won the title following the Pedigree after Shane McMahon interfered |
| Vince McMahon |
Triple H |
9/14/99 |
Las Vegas, NV; Smackdown!; McMahon won the title after outside interference from Steve Austin; The title is declared vacant on 9/20/99 |
| Triple H |
The Rock |
9/26/99 |
Charlotte, NC; Charlotte Coliseum; Unforgiven 99; This was a 6 Pack match for the vacant title; The other participants included Mankind, Kane, Davey Boy Smith, and the Big Show; Steve Austin was the guest referee; Triple H won with the Pedigree |
| The Big Show |
Triple H |
11/14/99 |
Detroit, MI; Joe Louis Arena; Survivor Series 99; This was a 3-way match also involving The Rock; Big Show replaced Steve Austin after Austin was injured earlier in the night; Big Show pinned Triple H with the chokeslam after Vince McMahon hit Triple H with the belt |
| Triple H |
The Big Show |
1/3/00 |
Miami, FL; Raw is War; Triple H won with the Pedigree after a low blow; Chris Jericho pinned Triple H on 4/17/00 in State College, PA but the title belt was returned later in the night and the desicion erased |
| The Rock |
Triple H |
4/30/00 |
Washington, DC; MCI Center; Backlash 2000; Steve Austin was the guest referee |
| Triple H |
The Rock |
5/21/00 |
Louisville, KY; Freedom Hall; Judgement Day 2000; This was a 60-minute Ironman match; Guest referee Shawn Michaels awarded the deciding fall to Triple H on a disqualification when the Undertaker interfered - even though the 60-minute time limit had expired |
| The Rock |
Vince McMahon |
6/25/00 |
Boston, MA; FleetCenter; King of the Ring 2000; This was a 6-man tag team match involving the Rock, Undertaker, and Kane vs. Vince and Shane McMahon, and Triple H; Whoever scored the fall on the Rock-Undertaker-Kane team would win the title; Rock lost the title to Chris Benoit on 7/23/00 in Dallas and again on 9/24/00 in Philadelphia but both desicions were erased and the match continued - where Rock went on to win |
| Kurt Angle |
The Rock |
10/22/00 |
Albany, NY; Pepsi Arena; No Mercy 2000; Angle won the match after outside interference from Rikishi backfired |
| The Rock |
Kurt Angle |
2/25/01 |
Las Vegas, NV; Thomas and Mack Center; No Way Out 2001; Rock won after delivering two Rock Bottoms |
| Steve Austin |
The Rock |
4/1/01 |
Houston, TX; Astro Dome; WrestleMania X-7; This was a No DQ match; Austin won the match after repeatedly hitting the Rock with a steel chair, handed to him by Vince McMahon |
| Kurt Angle |
Steve Austin |
9/23/01 |
Pittsburgh, PA; Mellon Arena; Unforgiven 2001; Kurt Angle won after Steve Austin attempted the Stunner but Angle took him down and locked on the Ankle Lock as Austin tapped out |
| Steve Austin |
Kurt Angle |
10/8/01 |
Indianapolis, IN; Conseco Fieldhouse; WWF RAW; William Regal interfered allowing Steve Austin to hit the Stunner on Kurt Angle to capture the WWF Championships for a WWF record tying 6th time |
| Chris Jericho |
Steve Austin |
12/9/01 |
San Diego; WWF Vengenace; Chris Jericho not only defeated The Rock earlier in the night but he defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin later, with help from Booker T, to capture the WWF Championship which would later be named the Undisputed Championship combining it with World Championship. |
| Triple H |
Chris Jericho |
3/17/02 |
Toronto, Ontario, Canada; WrestleMania 18; Despite numerous outside interference by Stephanie McMahon, Triple H was able to overcome Chris Jericho and become the second ever WWF Undisputed Champion. |
| Hulk Hogan |
Triple H |
4/21/02 |
Kansas City, MS; WWF Backlash; Hulk Hogan returned to the WWF in February of 2002 and 2 months later was granted a shot at the WWF Undisputed Title. In the end, "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan was too much for "The Game" Triple H and with the drop of the leg, Hulk Hogan started his 6th reign as WWF Champion. |
| Undertaker |
Hulk Hogan |
5/19/02 |
Nashville, Tennessee; WWE Judgment Day; After holding the belt for barely a month, Hulk Hogan lost the Undisputed Title to The Undertaker who, with help from Vince McMahon, was able to finish the match off with a steel chair to the face followed by a Chokeslam starting The Undertaker's 4th reign as heavyweight champion. |
| The Rock |
Kurt Angle |
7/21/02 |
Detroit, Michigan; WWE Vengeance; After holding the belt for 2 months, The Undertaker was forced to defend the Undisputed Title against both The Rock & Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat Match. In the end, The Rock hit the Rock Bottom on Kurt Angle pinning him to become a 7-time WWE champion, but also not pinning Undertaker in the process. |
| Brock Lesnar |
The Rock |
8/25/02 |
Uniondale, Long Island, New York; WWE SummerSlam; After holding the belt for little over a month, The Rock defended the Undisputed Title against Brock Lesnar, who won his #1 contender spot by winning the 2002 King of the Ring. When it was all said and done, "The Next Big Thing" overcame "The Great One" to begin his reign as Undisputed Champion in his rookie year. |
| Big Show |
Brock Lesnar |
11/17/02 |
New York City, NY; WWE Survivor Series; After holding the belt since August, no one thought anyone could stop Brock Lesnar, until the Big Show was traded to the SmackDown roster. In the end, Lesnar's former manager Paul Heyman turned on him at Survivor Series allowing Big Show to get the win and start his second reign as WWE Champion. |
| Kurt Angle |
Big Show |
12/15/02 |
Fort Lauderdale, FL; WWE Armageddon; After both Paul Heyman & Big Show screwed Brock Lesnar last month at Survivor Series, Kurt Angle became the new #1 contender for the WWE Championship. In the end, Brock Lensar got revenge on Big Show, giving him an F-5 in the middle of the ring allowing Kurt Angle to get the win, starting his third reign as WWE Champion. |
| Brock Lesnar |
Kurt Angle |
3/30/03 |
Seattle, WA; WWE WrestleMania XIX; After Kurt Angle was able to hold onto the WWE Championship for a 3 month long reign, he was forced to defend against #1 contender Brock Lesnar. In the end, Brock Lesnar beat the man who he helped capture the title back in December following a F-5 to start his second reign as WWE Champion. |
| Kurt Angle |
Brock Lesnar |
7/27/03 |
Denver, CO; WWE Vengeance; At the first ever SmackDown brand Pay Per View event, Kurt Angle defeated Brock Lesnar & Big Show in a Triple Threat Match to start his fourth reign as WWE Champion. |
| Brock Lesnar |
Kurt Angle |
9/16/03 |
Raleigh, NC; WWE SmackDown; In the first ever televised Iron Man Match, Brock Lesnar defeated Kurt Angle 5 falls to 4 falls to start his third reign as WWE Champion. |
| Eddie Guerrero |
Brock Lesnar |
2/15/04 |
San Francisco, CA; WWE No Way Out; After winning a 15 Man Royal Rumble six days after the original Royal Rumble on SmackDown, Eddie Guerrero was granted a shot at the WWE Title. Following interference from Goldberg & a Frog Splash later, Guerrero captured the WWE Championship heading into WrestleMania! |
| John Bradshaw Layfield |
Eddie Guerrero |
6/27/04 |
Norfolk, VA; WWE Great American Bash; After capturing the WWE Title close to 5 months ago against Brock Lesnar, Eddie Guerrero defended the WWE Title for a second time against John Bradshaw Layfield. This time around, a Texas Bull Rope stipulation was added. In the end, both had touched all three corners and were attempting the fourth to win the match. A replay revealed that JBL had hit the last corner as a result of a bump from Guerrero despite Eddie touching it with his hand soon after. SmackDown GM Kurt Angle ruled that JBL was the new WWE Champion and he celebrated as Guerrero layed frustrated in the corner. |
| John Cena |
John Bradshaw Layfield |
4/3/05 |
Los Angeles, CA; WWE WrestleMania 21; After one of the longest WWE Title reigns in the last decade (around nine months), JBL defended his WWE Title against the #1 contender John Cena. In the end, a dodging of the Clothesline from Hell allowed Cena to hit JBL with the F-U and get the clean pin to start his first reign as WWE Champion. |
| Edge |
John Cena |
1/8/06 |
Albany, NY; WWE New Year's Revolution; After capturing the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21 and jumping to the RAW brand, John Cena had held the title for a solid nine months and was then forced to defend his title in an Elimination Chamber against Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Kane, Carlito and Chris Masters. In the end, Cena ended up surviving the Elimination Chamber, but Vince McMahon announced that Edge would be using his "Money in the Bank" clause to face Cena immediately after the match. Two Spears later, Edge captured his first ever WWE Championship. |
| John Cena |
Edge |
1/29/06 |
Miami, FL; WWE Royal Rumble; After capturing the WWE Championship at New Year's Revolution by cashing in his "Money in the Bank" clause just moments after Cena retained inside an Elimination Chamber, it was then announced that the "Rated R Superstar" would be defending his newly won WWE Title against John Cena at the Royal Rumble. After all was said and done, Cena was able to pick up the win after an FU and STF submission that saw Edge tap out to give Cena his second reign as WWE Champion. |
| Rob Van Dam |
John Cena |
6/11/06 |
New York City, NY; ECW One Night Stand |
| Edge |
Rob Van Dam & John Cena |
7/3/06 |
Philadelphia, PA; WWE Monday Night RAW |
| John Cena |
Edge |
9/17/06 |
Toronto, Ontario, Canada; WWE Unforgiven |
| Randy Orton |
----- |
10/7/07 |
Chicago, IL; WWE No Mercy |
| Triple H |
Randy Orton |
10/7/07 |
Chicago, IL; WWE No Mercy |
| Randy Orton |
Triple H |
10/7/07 |
Chicago, IL; WWE No Mercy |
| Triple H |
Randy Orton |
4/27/08 |
Baltimore, MD; WWE Backlash |
| Edge |
Triple H/Vladimir Kozlov |
11/23/08 |
Boston, MA; WWE Survivor Series |
| Jeff Hardy |
Edge/Triple H |
12/14/08 |
Buffalo, NY; WWE Armageddon |
