On this page, you find the full Title History for the WWE Championship, with all Championship Info, Statistics, the Belt Design changes through the years, and the full list of Title Reigns, along with dates, events, and reign durations.
The WWE Championship is a World Title contested in World Wrestling Entertainment on the SmackDown brand, by men wrestlers.
The championship was first established on April 25, 1963, and the inaugural champion was "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers.
Since that time, the biggest names in the business have held the title, including Bruno Sammartino, Andre the Giant, Bret Hart, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The WWE Championship is widely recognized as the most historic championship in WWE.
The World Heavyweight Championship ('02-'13), WCW World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Universal Championship were previously unified into this championship.
The current champion is Cody Rhodes, who won the title on the episode of SmackDown on March 6, 2026, and has been reigning for 70 days.
WWE Championship: Title History
WWE Championship: Title Reigns
N. Image Champion Reign World Wrestling Entertainment: SmackDown 151 Cody Rhodes 3
70+days150 Drew McIntyre 3
This was a Three Stages of Hell match.56days149 Cody Rhodes 2
159days148 John Cena 14
105days147 Cody Rhodes 1
The title was being collectively defended with the Universal Championship as the Undisputed WWE Championship.378days146 Roman Reigns 4
The then-WWE Universal Champions Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar in a Winner Takes All match. The titles remained independently active, but were collectively defended on any brand as the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The titles (as Undisputed WWE Universal Championship) became exclusive to SmackDown after the 2023 WWE Draft.735daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment: Raw 145 Brock Lesnar 7
43days144 Bobby Lashley 2
21days143 Brock Lesnar 6
28days142 Big E 1
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.110days141 Bobby Lashley 1
196days140 The Miz 2
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.8days139 Drew McIntyre 2
97days138 Randy Orton 10
22days137 Drew McIntyre 1
203days136 Brock Lesnar 5
The title became exclusive to Raw on November 1, 2019, when Lesnar quit SmackDown and went to Raw.184daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment: SmackDown 135 Kofi Kingston 1
180days134 Daniel Bryan 4
145days133 AJ Styles 2
371days132 Jinder Mahal 1
170days131 Randy Orton 9
49days130 Bray Wyatt 1
49days129 John Cena 13
14days128 AJ Styles 1
The title's name reverted to WWE Championship in December 2016.140days127 Dean Ambrose 1
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract. The title's name reverted to WWE Championship. The brand extension returned and the title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2016 WWE Draft, and then renamed to WWE World Championship.84daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment 126 Seth Rollins 2
0days125 Roman Reigns 3
77days124 Triple H 9
Won the Royal Rumble match in which Roman Reigns defended the title.70days123 Roman Reigns 2
41days122 Sheamus 3
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.22days121 Roman Reigns 1
Defeated Dean Ambrose in a tournament final to win the vacant title.0days
Vacant
November 5, 2015The title was vacated after Seth Rollins suffered a torn ACL, MCL and a damaged meniscus.17days120 Seth Rollins 1
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract. during a singles match between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, converting it into a triple threat match.221days119 Brock Lesnar 4
224days118 John Cena 12
Defeated Alberto Del Rio, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Kane, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns and Sheamus in a 8-way ladder match for the vacant title.49days
Vacant
Daniel Bryan vacated the title due to a neck injury.20days117 Daniel Bryan 3
64days116 Randy Orton 8
Defeated Daniel Bryan in a Hell in a Cell match to win the vacant title. At TLC, Orton defeated John Cena to unify the World Heavyweight Championship with the WWE Championship; the World Heavyweight Championship was then retired and the WWE Championship became known as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.161days
Vacant
The title was vacated after a controversial finish when Daniel Bryan defeated Randy Orton to win the title.41days115 Daniel Bryan 2
1day114 Randy Orton 7
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.28days113 Daniel Bryan 1
0days112 John Cena 11
133days111 The Rock 8
70days110 CM Punk 2
434days109 Alberto Del Rio 2
49days108 John Cena 10
14days107 Alberto Del Rio 1
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.35daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment: Raw 106 John Cena 9
20days105 Rey Mysterio 1
Defeated The Miz in a tournament final to crown a new champion. CM Punk was also recognized as WWE Champion.0days
Vacant
The title was "vacated" due to CM Punk "leaving" WWE.7days104 CM Punk 1
Punk (kayfabe) "left" WWE the day after with the championship, but he returned on the July 25, 2011 episode of Raw and his reign was deemed to continue through this period. He defeated John Cena in a match to determine the undisputed champion at SummerSlam.28days103 John Cena 8
77days102 The Miz 1
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.160days101 Randy Orton 6
64days100 Sheamus 2
91days99 John Cena 7
84days98 Batista 2
Batista, a SmackDown superstar, was transferred to Raw after winning the title.35days97 John Cena 6
0days96 Sheamus 1
70days95 John Cena 5
49days94 Randy Orton 5
21days93 John Cena 4
21days92 Randy Orton 4
Defeated Big Show, John Cena and Triple H in a fatal 4-way match for the vacant title.90days
Vacant
June 9, 2009The title was vacated when Batista suffered a torn left biceps.6days91 Batista 1
2days90 Randy Orton 3
This was a six-man tag team match with The Legacy (Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase) vs. Triple H, Batista & Shane McMahon.42days89 Triple H 8
The title became exclusive to the Raw brand following the 2009 WWE Draft.70daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment: SmackDown 88 Edge 4
21days87 Jeff Hardy 1
42days86 Edge 3
21days85 Triple H 7
The title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2008 WWE Draft.210daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment: Raw 84 Randy Orton 2
203days83 Triple H 6
0days82 Randy Orton 1
Vince McMahon awarded the title to Orton at the start of the event.0days
Vacant
The title was vacated when John Cena suffered a torn right pectoral tendon.5days81 John Cena 3
380days80 Edge 2
The title became exclusive to the Raw brand due to Edge's status as a Raw wrestler.76days79 Rob Van Dam 1
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.22days78 John Cena 2
133days77 Edge 1
Cashed in the Money in the Bank contract.21days76 John Cena 1
The title became exclusive to the Raw brand following the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery.280daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment: SmackDown 75 John "Bradshaw" Layfield 1
280days74 Eddie Guerrero 1
133days73 Brock Lesnar 3
150days72 Kurt Angle 4
53days71 Brock Lesnar 2
119days70 Kurt Angle 3
105days69 Big Show 2
28days68 Brock Lesnar 1
The title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand, and the renamed to WWE Championship.84daysWorld Wrestling Entertainment 67 The Rock 7
35days66 The Undertaker 4
63days65 Hollywood Hulk Hogan 6
The title was renamed Undisputed WWE Championship and then WWE Undisputed Championship, after the WWF was renamed to WWE.28days64 Triple H 5
35days63 Chris Jericho 1
Earlier the same night, Jericho defeated The Rock for the World Championship, unifying both titles; the World Championship was retired and the WWF Championship became the Undisputed WWF Championship.98days62 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 6
62days61 Kurt Angle 2
15days60 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 5
175days59 The Rock 6
35days58 Kurt Angle 1
126days57 The Rock 5
This was a six-man tag team match with Kane, The Rock & The Undertaker vs. Triple H, Vince McMahon & Shane McMahon, in which whoever got the fall would win the title.119days56 Triple H 4
35days55 The Rock 4
21days54 Triple H 3
118days53 Big Show 1
50days52 Triple H 2
Defeated Big Show, Davey Boy Smith, Kane, Mankind and The Rock in a six-pack challenge for the vacant title.49days
Vacant
Vince McMahon vacated the title due to the Fully Loaded stipulation after losing his feud with Steve Austin.6days51 Mr. McMahon 1
4days50 Triple H 1
24days49 Mankind 3
1day48 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 4
55days47 The Undertaker 3
36days46 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 3
56days45 The Rock 3
41days44 Mankind 2
15days43 The Rock 2
7days42 Mankind 1
20days41 The Rock 1
Defeated Mankind in the finals of the Deadly Game tournament ito win the vacant title.50days
Vacant
The title was vacated after Kane and The Undertaker simultaneously pinned Steve Austin in a triple threat match.49days40 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 2
90days39 Kane 1
1day38 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 1
91days37 Shawn Michaels 3
This was the Montreal Screwjob.140days36 Bret "The Hitman" Hart 5
98days35 The Undertaker 2
133days34 Sycho Sid 2
34days33 Bret "The Hitman" Hart 4
Defeated Steve Austin, The Undertaker and Vader in a 4-way elimination match for the vacant title.1day
Vacant
Shawn Michaels forfeited the title due to a knee injury.3days32 Shawn Michaels 2
25days31 Sycho Sid 1
63days30 Shawn Michaels 1
231days29 Bret "The Hitman" Hart 3
133days28 Diesel 1
November 26, 1994 New York, NY | House Show358days27 Bob Backlund 2
3days26 Bret "The Hitman" Hart 2
248days25 Yokozuna 2
280days24 Hulk Hogan 5
After Yokozuna won the title, his manager, Mr. Fuji, issued a challenge for the championship to Hogan, who won the impromptu match.70days23 Yokozuna 1
0days22 Bret "The Hitman" Hart 1
October 12, 1992 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada | House Show174days21 Ric Flair 2
September 14, 1992 Hershey, PA | Prime Time Wrestling28days20 "Macho Man" Randy Savage 2
162days19 Ric Flair 1
Won the Royal Rumble match for the vacant title.77days
Vacant
December 7, 1991 New Haven, CT | Superstars of WrestlingHogan was stripped of the title due to the controversial ending of his previous title defenses against The Undertaker.43days18 Hulk Hogan 4
4days17 The Undertaker 1
6days16 Hulk Hogan 3
248days15 Sgt. Slaughter 1
64days14 The Ultimate Warrior 1
293days13 Hulk Hogan 2
The title was renamed WWF Championship in May 1989.364days12 "Macho Man" Randy Savage 1
Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final to win the vacant title.371days
Vacant
Immediately after winning the title, André the Giant handed the championship belt to Ted DiBiase, but this was ruled as vacating the title.51days11 André the Giant 1
0days10 Hulk Hogan 1
January 23, 1984 New York, NY | WWF on MSG Network1474days9 The Iron Sheik 1
December 26, 1983 New York, NY | WWF on MSG NetworkThe title was renamed WWF World Heavyweight Championship when WWF ended its affiliation with NWA.28days8 Bob Backlund 1
February 20, 1978 New York, NY | WWF on MSG NetworkThe title was renamed WWF Heavyweight Championship when WWWF became WWF in March 1979. Backlund lost the title to Antonio Inoki in Japan in 1979 but regained the belt within a week, and the WWF never acknowledged the title change in the USA.2135days7 "Superstar" Billy Graham 1
April 30, 1977 Baltimore, MD | House Show296days6 Bruno Sammartino 2
December 10, 1973 New York, NY | House Show1237days5 Stan Stasiak 1
December 1, 1973 Philadelphia, PA | House Show9days4 Pedro Morales 1
February 8, 1971 New York, NY | House ShowThe title was renamed WWWF Heavyweight Championship when WWWF rejoined NWA in 1971.1027days3 Ivan Koloff 1
January 18, 1971 New York, NY | House Show21days2 Bruno Sammartino 1
May 17, 1963 New York, NY | House Show2803days1 "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers 1
April 11, 1963 Washington, D.C. | Heavyweight WrestlingRogers won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on June 30, 1961; in 1963 Northeast promoters refused to recognize, thus breaking away from the NWA to form the WWWF and recognizing Rogers as the first WWWF World Heavyweight Champion.36days
WWE Championship: Names & Belt Designs
- Undisputed WWE ChampionshipApril 7, 2024
- WWE ChampionshipJune 2, 2023
- WWE ChampionshipApril 7, 2019June 1, 2023
- WWE Championship (eco-friendly - Daniel Bryan)January 29, 2019April 6, 2019
- WWE ChampionshipDecember 10, 2016January 28, 2019
- WWE World ChampionshipJuly 19, 2016December 9, 2016
- WWE ChampionshipJune 27, 2016July 18, 2016
- WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAugust 18, 2014June 26, 2016
- WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipDecember 16, 2013August 17, 2014
- WWE ChampionshipFebruary 18, 2013December 15, 2013
- WWE ChampionshipMay 2, 2011February 17, 2013
- WWE Championship (The Miz)November 22, 2010May 1, 2011
- WWE ChampionshipSeptember 18, 2006November 21, 2010
- WWE Championship (Edge)August 21, 2006September 17, 2006
- WWE Championship (spinner - John Cena)April 12, 2005August 20, 2006
- WWE ChampionshipSeptember 2, 2002April 11, 2005
- WWE Undisputed ChampionshipMay 19, 2002September 2, 2002
- WWF Undisputed ChampionshipMay 6, 2002May 19, 2002
- Undisputed WWF ChampionshipDecember 9, 2001May 6, 2002
- WWF ChampionshipSeptember 28, 1998December 9, 2001
- WWF Championship (smoking skull - Steve Austin)July 27, 1998September 27, 1998
- WWF ChampionshipMarch 30, 1998July 27, 1998
- WWF ChampionshipJanuary 19, 1991March 29, 1998
- WWF Championship (Warrior's Belt)April 1, 1990January 19, 1991
- WWF Championship (Warrior's Belt)April 1, 1990January 19, 1991
- WWF Championship (Warrior's Belt)April 1, 1990January 19, 1991
- WWF Championship (Warrior's Belt)April 1, 1990January 19, 1991
- WWF ChampionshipFebruary 6, 1988April 1, 1990
- WWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 6, 1988May 26, 1989
- WWF World Heavyweight Championship (André Belt)February 5, 1988February 5, 1988
- WWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipOctober 9, 1986February 4, 1988
- WWF World Heavyweight Championship (Hogan Belt)October 1, 1986October 8, 1986
- WWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipMarch 31, 1985October 1, 1986
- WWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipMarch 31, 1984March 30, 1985
- WWF Heavyweight ChampionshipJanuary 3, 1983March 31, 1984
- WWF Heavyweight ChampionshipMarch 1, 1979January 2, 1983
- WWF Heavyweight ChampionshipMarch 1, 1979January 2, 1983
- WWF Heavyweight ChampionshipMarch 1, 1979January 2, 1983
- WWF Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 28, 1979January 3, 1983
- WWWF Heavyweight ChampionshipDecember 1, 1973February 28, 1979
- WWWF Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 18, 1972November 30, 1973
- WWWF Heavyweight ChampionshipFebruary 8, 1971February 17, 1972
- WWWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipMay 18, 1963February 8, 1971
- WWWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipApril 25, 1963May 17, 1963
WWE Championship: Statistics
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion
WWEBrand
SmackDown
April 28, 2023 Present Promotion
WWEBrand
Raw
November 1, 2019 April 27, 2023 Promotion
WWEBrand
SmackDown
July 19, 2016 October 31, 2019 Promotion
WWEAugust 29, 2011 July 18, 2016 Promotion
WWEBrand
Raw
April 13, 2009 August 28, 2011 Promotion
WWEBrand
SmackDown
June 23, 2008 April 12, 2009 Promotion
WWEBrand
Raw
June 6, 2005 June 22, 2008 Promotion
WWEBrand
SmackDown
August 26, 2002 June 5, 2005 Promotion
WWFApril 25, 1963 August 25, 2002 -
Defended With
- WWE Universal Championship - Undisputed WWE Championship (April 8, 2024 - April 20, 2025)
- WWE Universal Championship - Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (April 3, 2022 - April 7, 2024)
- Promotion
World Wrestling Entertainment - Brand SmackDown
- TerritoryWorld Tier 1
- DivisionPrimary
- GenderMale
- Date EstablishedApril 25, 1963
- Unified With
World Heavyweight Championship ('02-'13)
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WWE Universal Championship
- First Champion
"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers - Current Champion
Cody Rhodes
Most Number of Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Cena | 14 |
| 2 | Randy Orton | 10 |
| 3 | Triple H | 9 |
| 4 | The Rock | 8 |
| 5 | Brock Lesnar | 7 |
Most Combined Days
| Rank | Wrestler | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Bruno Sammartino | 4040 | |
| Hulk Hogan | 2188 | |
| Bob Backlund | 2138 | |
| John Cena | 1359 | |
| Pedro Morales | 1027 |
Longest Reigns
| Rank | Wrestler | Reign | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno Sammartino | May 17, 1963 - January 18, 1971 | 2803 | |
| Bob Backlund | February 20, 1978 - December 26, 1983 | 2135 | |
| Hulk Hogan | January 23, 1984 - February 5, 1988 | 1474 | |
| Bruno Sammartino | December 10, 1973 - April 30, 1977 | 1237 | |
| Pedro Morales | February 8, 1971 - December 1, 1973 | 1027 |




































































































































