The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship and ECW Championship.

The WWE Championship was the first world title established in WWE in 1963, which was known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) at the time. WWWF became a territory, or a subsidiary, of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in 1971 until 1983, and was renamed to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The championship was also renamed with the company each time to reflect the new acronym. In 2001, the WWF had bought out the bankrupt World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and the WWF Championship was unified with the WCW Championship, resulting in the WWF title being named the Undisputed Championship in professional wrestling. In 2002, the WWF was renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and split its roster into two franchises, Raw and SmackDown, in a brand extension. Afterward, WWE established an alternate world title known as the World Heavyweight Championship exclusive to the Raw brand, as a result of the WWE Undisputed Championship becoming a part of the SmackDown brand. With this event, the WWE Undisputed Championship simply became known as the WWE Championship, which has been the title's name since. In 2006, WWE initiated another franchise entitled ECW, a brand relaunch of the former promotion, and the ECW World Heavyweight Championship was also recommissioned to be the brand's world title. Since the initial brand extension, the WWE Championship has changed brands on five occasions, first to the Raw brand in 2005, then briefly to ECW brand in 2006, followed by its return to the Raw brand that year, and then back to SmackDown in 2008, followed by a move to its current location in the Raw brand in 2009.

WWE Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries. These narratives create feud between the various competitors, which cast them as villains and heroes. Some reigns were held by champions using a ring name, while others used their real name. The first champion was Buddy Rogers, who won the championship in 1963. As of , the current champion is John Cena, who is in his fifth reign as champion. Overall, there have been 39 different champions, with Triple H having the most reigns at eight.

Title history

Key

Reign	The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed
#	Indicates what number the reign is
Event	The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the titles were won
N/A	The information is not available or is unknown
—	Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign
+	Indicates the current reign is changing daily.

Names

Name	Years
WWWF World Heavyweight Championship	1963 - 1979
WWF Heavyweight Championship	1979 - 1983
WWF World Heavyweight Championship/WWF Championship	1983 - December 9, 2001
WWF Undisputed Championship/Undisputed WWF Championship	December 9, 2001 - May 6, 2002
WWE Undisputed Championship	May 6, 2002 - September 2, 2002
WWE Championship	September 2, 2002 - Present

Reigns

As of , .:^† indicates reigns and title changes not recognized by WWE.

#	Wrestlers	Reign	Date	Days held	Location	Event	Notes	Ref.
					Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	N/A	Rogers was awarded the title with the explanation that he defeated Antonino Rocca in the finals of a tournament in March 1963 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to become the first WWWF World Heavyweight Champion.
					New York, NY	Live event	Held title for eight years, a record for professional wrestling world champions.
					New York, NY	Live event
					New York, NY	Live event	Title renamed WWWF Heavyweight Championship when WWWF rejoined the NWA in 1971.
					Philadelphia, PA	Live event
	Bruno Sammartino				New York, NY	Live event
	Billy Graham				Baltimore, MD	Live event		>}
	Bob Backlund				New York, NY	Live event	The title was renamed the WWF Heavyweight Championship when the World Wide Wrestling Federation became the World Wrestling Federation in March 1979.
	Antonio Inoki				Tokushima, Japan	Live event
	Vacated†			0	Tokyo, Japan	Live event	Vacated when Backlund pins Inoki, but WWF president Hisashi Shinma declares the match a no contest due to interference by Tiger Jeet Singh. Inoki refused the championship following Shinma's decision, and the title was declared vacant.
	Bob Backlund				New York, NY	Live event	Defeated Bobby Duncum in a Texas Death match.
	Held up†			0	New York, NY	Live event	Title held up after a match against Greg Valentine in which the referee gave him the title after Backlund pinned him.
	Bob Backlund				New York, NY	Live event	Defeated Greg Valentine in a rematch to win the held up title. According to the official championship history, Backlund's reign lasted from February 20, 1978 to December 26, 1983 and was never interrupted. The title was referred to as the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1983 after the WWF withdrew from the NWA.
	The Iron Sheik				New York, NY	Live event
	Hulk Hogan				New York, NY	Live event
	André the Giant				Indianapolis, IN	The Main Event I
	Vacated			0	Indianapolis, IN	The Main Event I	Immediately after winning the title from Hogan, André surrendered the title to Ted DiBiase; President Jack Tunney nullified this decision, and vacated the title.
	Randy Savage				Atlantic City, NJ	WrestleMania IV	Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final.
	Hulk Hogan				Atlantic City, NJ	WrestleMania V
	The Ultimate Warrior				Toronto, ON	WrestleMania VI	This match was also for Warrior's WWF Intercontinental Championship.
	Sgt. Slaughter				Miami, FL	Royal Rumble
	Hulk Hogan				Los Angeles, CA	WrestleMania VII
	The Undertaker				Detroit, MI	Survivor Series
	Hulk Hogan				San Antonio, TX	This Tuesday in Texas
	Vacated			0	N/A	Superstars	Hogan was stripped of the title by WWF President Jack Tunney due to the controversy surrounding both of the previous title changes. This aired December 7, 1991.
	Ric Flair				Albany, NY	Royal Rumble	Won the Royal Rumble match.
	Randy Savage				Indianapolis, IN	WrestleMania VIII
	Ric Flair				Hershey, PA	Live event
	Bret Hart				Saskatoon, SK	Live event
	Yokozuna				Las Vegas, NV	WrestleMania IX
	Hulk Hogan				Las Vegas, NV	WrestleMania IX
	Yokozuna				Dayton, OH	King of the Ring
	Bret Hart				New York, NY	WrestleMania X	Roddy Piper was the guest referee.
	Bob Backlund				San Antonio, TX	Survivor Series	This was a "Throw in the Towel" match.
	Diesel				New York, NY	Live event	Shortest WWF Title match in history.
	Bret Hart				Landover, MD	Survivor Series	This was a no-disqualification match.
	Shawn Michaels				Anaheim, CA	WrestleMania XII	This was a 60-minute Iron Man match, which Michaels won in overtime after a 0-0 draw.
	Sycho Sid				New York, NY	Survivor Series
	Shawn Michaels				San Antonio, TX	Royal Rumble
	Vacated			0	Lowell, MA	Raw	Michaels forfeited the title due to a knee injury.
	Bret Hart				Chattanooga, TN	In Your House 13: Final Four	This was a four-way elimination match also involving Steve Austin, The Undertaker and Vader.
	Sycho Sid				Nashville, TN	Raw
	The Undertaker				Rosemont, IL	WrestleMania 13
	Bret Hart				East Rutherford, NJ	SummerSlam	Shawn Michaels was the guest referee.
	Shawn Michaels				Montreal, QC	Survivor Series	Won the title in the Montreal Screwjob.
	Steve Austin				Boston, MA	WrestleMania XIV
	Kane				Pittsburgh, PA	King of the Ring	This was a first blood match.
	Steve Austin				Cleveland, OH	Raw is War
	Vacated			0	Hamilton, ON	Breakdown: In Your House	Vacated after Kane and The Undertaker simultaneously pinned Austin in a triple threat match.
	The Rock				St. Louis, MO	Survivor Series	Defeated Mankind in a tournament final. First African-American champion.
	Mankind				Worcester, MA	Raw is War	Aired January 4, 1999.
	The Rock				Anaheim, CA	Royal Rumble	This was an "I Quit" match.
	Mankind				Tucson, AZ	Halftime Heat	This was an empty arena match that aired as a special during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999.
	The Rock				Birmingham, AL	Raw is War	This was a ladder match.
	Steve Austin				Philadelphia, PA	WrestleMania XV
	The Undertaker				Kansas City, MO	Over the Edge	Shane McMahon was special guest referee.
	Steve Austin				Charlotte, NC	Raw is War
	Mankind				Minneapolis, MN	SummerSlam	This was a triple threat match also involving Triple H, with Jesse Ventura as guest referee.
	Triple H				Ames, IA	Raw is War	Won the title on Raw is War with Shane McMahon as special guest referee.
	Vince McMahon				Las Vegas, NV	SmackDown	Aired September 16, 1999 with Shane McMahon as special guest referee.
	Vacated			0	Houston, TX	Raw is War	McMahon vacated the title.
	Triple H				Charlotte, NC	Unforgiven	This was a Six-Pack Challenge match, also involving The Rock, Mankind, The Big Show, The British Bulldog and Kane.
	The Big Show				Detroit, MI	Survivor Series	This was a triple threat match, also involving The Rock.
	Triple H				Miami, FL	Raw is War
	The Rock				Washington, D.C.	Backlash
	Triple H				Louisville, KY	Judgment Day	This was a 60-minute Iron Man match, which Triple H won 6-5 with Shawn Michaels as the guest referee.
	The Rock				Boston, MA	King of the Ring	This was a six-man tag team match at with The Rock, The Undertaker and Kane vs. Triple H, Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon. The Rock pinned Vince McMahon to win Triple H's title.
	Kurt Angle				Albany, NY	No Mercy
	The Rock				Las Vegas, NV	No Way Out
	Steve Austin				Houston, TX	WrestleMania X-Seven
	Kurt Angle				Pittsburgh, PA	Unforgiven
	Steve Austin				Indianapolis, IN	Raw
	Chris Jericho				San Diego, CA	Vengeance	Jericho won a four-man one-night tournament consisting of himself, The Rock, Steve Austin and Kurt Angle to unify the World Championship with the WWF Championship. Austin defeated Angle to advance to the finals while Jericho defeated The Rock and subsequently defeated Austin in the finals. The unified title was named the WWF Undisputed Championship.
	Triple H				Toronto, ON	WrestleMania X8
	Hulk Hogan				Kansas City, MO	Backlash	The title was renamed the WWE Undisputed Championship on May 6, 2002 after World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. settled a lawsuit with the World Wide Fund for Nature, and became simply World Wrestling Entertainment.
	The Undertaker				Nashville, TN	Judgment Day
	The Rock				Detroit, MI	Vengeance	This was a triple threat match, also involving Kurt Angle.
	Brock Lesnar				Uniondale, NY	SummerSlam	"Undisputed" was removed from the title's name after it became exclusive to the SmackDown! brand on September 2, 2002, which resulted in the creation of the World Heavyweight Championship for the Raw brand.
	The Big Show				New York, NY	Survivor Series
	Kurt Angle				Sunrise, FL	Armageddon
	Brock Lesnar				Seattle, WA	WrestleMania XIX
	Kurt Angle				Denver, CO	Vengeance	This was a triple threat match, also involving The Big Show.
	Brock Lesnar				Raleigh, NC	SmackDown!	This was a 60-minute Iron Man match, aired September 18, 2003 on SmackDown!.
	Eddie Guerrero				Daly City, CA	No Way Out
	John Bradshaw Layfield				Norfolk, VA	The Great American Bash	This was a Texas Bullrope match.
	John Cena				Los Angeles, CA	WrestleMania 21	The title became Raw-exclusive on June 6, 2005 when Cena was drafted to Raw as the first pick in the 2005 Draft Lottery.
	Edge				Albany, NY	New Year's Revolution	Cashed in his "Money in the Bank" contract from WrestleMania 21 after Cena won an Elimination Chamber match minutes earlier.
	John Cena				Miami, FL	Royal Rumble
	Rob Van Dam				New York, NY	ECW One Night Stand	Cashed in his "Money in the Bank" contract from WrestleMania 22. This was an Extreme Rules match. The title becomes property of the ECW brand.
	Edge				Philadelphia, PA	Raw	This was a triple threat match, also involving John Cena. The title again becomes Raw exclusive.
	John Cena				Toronto, ON	Unforgiven	This was a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.
	Vacated			0	Dayton, OH	ECW on Sci Fi	Vacated when Cena suffered a torn right pectoral tendon on the October 1 edition of Raw.
	Randy Orton				Rosemont, IL	No Mercy	Awarded the title by Vince McMahon.
	Triple H				Rosemont, IL	No Mercy
	Randy Orton				Rosemont, IL	No Mercy	This was a Last Man Standing match.
	Triple H				Baltimore, MD	Backlash	This was a Fatal-Four Way Elimination match, also involving John Cena and John "Bradshaw" Layfield. The title became a SmackDown exclusive title once again when Triple H was drafted to SmackDown! on June 23, 2008.
	Edge				Boston, MA	Survivor Series	This was a triple threat match, also involving Vladimir Kozlov. Jeff Hardy had originally been scheduled to take part in the match, but did not participate after, in storyline, was assaulted in the stairwell of his hotel prior to the event. Triple H and Kozlov started off in the match, and Edge was revealed as Hardy's surprise replacement, and won the championship.
	Jeff Hardy				Buffalo, NY	Armageddon	This was a triple threat match, also involving Triple H.
	Edge				Detroit, MI	Royal Rumble	This was a no-disqualification match.
	Triple H				Seattle, WA	No Way Out	This was a Elimination Chamber match, also involving Jeff Hardy, Vladimir Kozlov, The Undertaker and The Big Show. The title became a Raw exclusive title once again when Triple H was drafted to Raw on April 13, 2009.
	Randy Orton				Providence, RI	Backlash	Won a six-man tag team match in which Orton would win the championship if his team won.
	Batista				New Orleans, LA	Extreme Rules	This was a Steel Cage match.
	Vacated			0	N/A	Announced on WWE.com	Vacated when Batista suffered a torn left biceps.
	Randy Orton				Charlotte, NC	Raw	This was a Fatal Four-Way match also involving Triple H, John Cena and The Big Show.
	John Cena				Montreal, QC	Breaking Point	This was an "I Quit" match. If anyone interfered on Orton's behalf, he would have automatically lost the title.
	Randy Orton				Newark, NJ	Hell in a Cell	This was an Hell in a Cell match.
	John Cena			+	Pittsburgh, PA	Bragging Rights	This was a 60-Minute Anything Goes Iron Man match. If Cena lost, he would have had to leave the Raw brand.

List of top combined reigns

Key

Symbol	Meaning
†	Indicates the current champion

As of , .

Rank	Wrestler	# Of Reigns	Combined Days
1.	Bruno Sammartino	2	4,040
2.	Hulk Hogan	6	2,185
3.	Bob Backlund	2	2,138
4.	Pedro Morales	1	1,027
5.	John Cena	5	+
6.	Bret Hart	5	654
7.	Triple H	8	539
8.	Steve Austin	6	529
9.	Randy Savage	2	520
10.	Shawn Michaels	3	396
11.	Diesel	1	358
12.	Randy Orton	5	356
13.	Brock Lesnar	3	355
14.	The Rock	7	297
14.	Kurt Angle	4	297
16.	Billy Graham	1	296
17.	The Ultimate Warrior	1	293
18.	Yokozuna	2	280
18.	John "Bradshaw" Layfield	1	280
20.	The Undertaker	4	238
21.	Edge	4	139
22.	Eddie Guerrero	1	133
23.	Ric Flair	2	118

References

External links

• Official WWE Championship Title History
• WWE Championship history at Wrestling Titles.com