WWF Light Heavyweight Championship

On this page, you find the full Title History for the WWF Light Heavyweight 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 WWF Light Heavyweight Championship was contested in World Wrestling Entertainment, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michinoku Pro Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Association, by men wrestlers.

The championship was first established on March 26, 1981.

The title was created for the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) in a partnership between WWF and UWA. On June 16, 1995, the title moved to NJPW and MPW, but due to WWF's ownership of the title it was returned to WWF in 1997 (the year which WWE recognizes as the beginning of the championship's lineage).

The title was abandoned in 2001 when WWE finally put the WCW/ECW Alliance out of business. WWE then adopted the WCW Cruiserweight Championship as its version of the Cruiserweight Championship.

The WWF Light Heavyweight Championship was retired on March 8, 2002, with the final champion being X-Pac.

A similar championship, the WCW / WWE Cruiserweight Championship, has been later introduced, which does not share the lineage with this title.

WWF Light Heavyweight Championship: Title History

For the Title History of the newer version of this championship, see the page for the WCW / WWE Cruiserweight Championship.

WWF Light Heavyweight Championship: Title Reigns

N.	Image	Champion	Reign
World Wrestling Entertainment
	Deactivated March 8, 2002 X-Pac was the final wrestler to hold the Light Heavyweight Title. A Title Unification match at Survivor Series against WCW Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri was canceled because X-Pac was injured. The title was removed from television after X-Pac's injury, but he would continue to defend the title on House Shows until it was officially retired on March 8, 2002.
45		X-Pac 2 August 19, 2001 San Jose, CA \| WWF SummerSlam 2001	201 days
44		Tajiri 1 August 6, 2001 Anaheim, CA \| Raw Is War	13 days
43		X-Pac 1 June 25, 2001 New York City, NY \| Raw Is War	42 days
42		Jeff Hardy 1 June 7, 2001 Grand Forks, ND \| SmackDown!	18 days
41		Jerry Lynn 1 April 29, 2001 Chicago, IL \| Heat	39 days
40		Crash Holly 1 March 18, 2001 Anaheim, CA \| Heat	42 days
39		Dean Malenko 2 April 27, 2000 Charlotte, NC \| SmackDown!	325 days
38		Scotty 2 Hotty 1 April 17, 2000 State College, PA \| Raw Is War	10 days
37		Dean Malenko 1 March 13, 2000 East Rutherford, NJ \| Raw Is War	35 days
36		Essa Ríos 1 February 13, 2000 Austin, TX \| Heat	29 days
35		Gillberg 1 November 23, 1998 Columbus, OH \| Raw Is War	447 days
34		Christian 1 October 18, 1998 Chicago, IL \| WWF Judgment Day 1998: In Your House	36 days
33		TAKA Michinoku 1 December 7, 1997 Springfield, MA \| WWF D-Generation X: In Your House Defeated Brian Christopher in a tournament final to win the title, a renewed version of the previous title held by UWA/MPW/NJPW.	315 days
		Vacant November 5, 1997 The J-Crown championships (with the except the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship) were vacated. Shinjiro Otani returned its component belts to their home promotions, including the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship. Otani was the final wrestler in NJPW to hold the title before it was returned to WWF.	32 days
New Japan Pro Wrestling & Michinoku Pro Wrestling
32		Shinjiro Otani 1 August 10, 1997 Nagoya, Japan \| NJPW The Four Heaven in Nagoya Dome	87 days
31		El Samurai 2 July 6, 1997 Sapporo, Japan \| NJPW Summer Struggle 1997	35 days
30		Jushin "Thunder" Liger 1 January 4, 1997 Tokyo, Japan \| NJPW Wrestling World 1997	183 days
29		Ultimate Dragon 1 October 11, 1996 Osaka, Japan \| WAR Osaka Crush Night!	85 days
28		The Great Sasuke 2 August 4, 1996 Tokyo, Japan \| NJPW G1 Climax 1996 Finals During this reign, the title becomes part of the NJPW's J-Crown (together with other 7 junior titles).	68 days
27		El Samurai 1 June 22, 1996 Naruko, Japan \| MPW house show	43 days
26		The Great Sasuke 1 March 24, 1996 Shirakawa, Japan \| MPW house show	90 days
25		Aero Flash 1 June 16, 1995 Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico \| UWA house show Defeated The King in a tournament final for the vacant title. The title passed to Michinoku Pro Wrestling.	282 days
		Vacant January 10, 1995 Villano III was forced to vacate the title by UWA after he signed a contract with the PROMELL promotion.	157 days
Universal Wrestling Association
24		Villano III 7 July 18, 1994 Puebla, Mexico \| UWA house show	176 days
23		El Signo 1 January 1, 1993 Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico \| UWA house show	563 days
22		Villano III 6 September 13, 1992 Naucalpan, Mexico \| UWA house show	110 days
21		Chris Benoit 1 March 3, 1991 Naucalpan, Mexico \| UWA house show	560 days
20		Villano III 5 May 27, 1990 Naucalpan, Mexico \| UWA house show	280 days
19		Sangre Chicana 2 December 3, 1989 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	175 days
18		Perro Aguayo 7 October 15, 1989 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	49 days
17		Sangre Chicana 1 August 14, 1989 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	62 days
16		Villano III 4 July 11, 1988 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	399 days
15		Rambo 1 October 4, 1987 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	281 days
14		Villano III 3 June 17, 1987 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show Defeated Perro Aguayo in a rematch for the vacant title.	109 days
		Vacant May 3, 1987 UWA forced Perro Aguayo to relinquish the title after a defense against Villano III ended in controversy.	45 days
13		Perro Aguayo 6 December 24, 1986 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	130 days
12		Fishman 2 August 24, 1986 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	122 days
11		Villano III 2 May 20, 1984 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	826 days
10		Gran Hamada 2 April 17, 1984 Tokyo, Japan \| UWF Opening Series	33 days
9		Perro Aguayo 5 August 7, 1983 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	254 days
8		Villano III 1 March 20, 1983 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	140 days
7		Perro Aguayo 4 August 29, 1982 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	203 days
6		Gran Hamada 1 April 21, 1982 Tokyo, Japan \| NJPW house show	130 days
5		Perro Aguayo 3 December 13, 1981 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	129 days
4		Chris Adams 1 October 18, 1981 Mexico City, Mexico \| UWA house show	56 days
3		Perro Aguayo 2 October 10, 1981 Los Angeles, CA \| Hollywood Wrestling house show	8 days
2		Fishman 1 September 25, 1981 Los Angeles, CA \| Hollywood Wrestling house show	15 days
1		Perro Aguayo 1 March 26, 1981 Shimizu, Japan \| NJPW WWF Big Fight Series I (1981) Defeated Gran Hamada in a tournament final to become the inaugural champion.	183 days

WWF Light Heavyweight Championship: Names & Belt Designs

- WWF Light Heavyweight ChampionshipApril 25, 2000March 8, 2002
- WWF Light Heavyweight ChampionshipNovember 6, 1997April 24, 2000
- WWF Light Heavyweight ChampionshipMarch 26, 1981November 5, 1997

WWF Light Heavyweight Championship: Statistics

Promotions History
Promotion from to
PromotionWWF November 6, 1997 March 8, 2002
PromotionNJPW, MPW June 16, 1995 November 5, 1997
PromotionUWA March 26, 1981 June 15, 1995
Defended With
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, J-Crown Unified Championship - J-Crown (August 5, 1996 - November 5, 1997)

Promotion	from	to
PromotionWWF	November 6, 1997	March 8, 2002
PromotionNJPW, MPW	June 16, 1995	November 5, 1997
PromotionUWA	March 26, 1981	June 15, 1995

Promotion World Wrestling Federation New Japan Pro Wrestling Michinoku Pro Wrestling Universal Wrestling Association
TerritoryWorld Tier 1
DivisionWeight / Division
GenderMale
Date EstablishedMarch 26, 1981
Date RetiredMarch 8, 2002
Followed By WWF Cruiserweight Championship

Final ChampionX-Pac

Most Number of Reigns

Rank	Wrestler	Reigns
	Villano III	7
	Perro Aguayo	7
	Dean Malenko	2
	X-Pac	2
	Sangre Chicana	2
6	Gran Hamada	2
7	The Great Sasuke	2
8	Fishman	2
9	El Samurai	2

Most Combined Days

Rank	Wrestler	Days
	Villano III	2040
	Perro Aguayo	956
	El Signo	563
	Pegasus Kid	560
	Duane Gill	447

Longest Reigns

Wrestler	Reign	Days
Villano III	May 20, 1984 - August 24, 1986	826
El Signo	January 1, 1993 - July 18, 1994	563
Pegasus Kid	March 3, 1991 - September 13, 1992	560
Duane Gill	November 23, 1998 - February 13, 2000	447
Villano III	July 11, 1988 - August 14, 1989	399