The
WWE United States
Championship is a
professional wrestling championship contested
for in and owned by the American
promotion World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE). It was originally known as the NWA United States Heavyweight
Championship and began as a regional championship created by and
defended in
Mid-Atlantic
Championship Wrestling run by
Jim
Crockett, Jr.. Following the title's introduction in 1975,
Harley Race became the inaugural
champion on January 1. The title quickly replaced the
NWA Mid-Atlantic
Heavyweight Championship as the top singles title in the
promotion. While the
National Wrestling Alliance
recognized only one
World Heavyweight
Champion, there was no single and undisputed U.S. Champion as a
number of NWA regional promotions recognized their own version of
the title and champion.
That all changed, however, in January 1981
when the NWA territory based out of San Francisco
, the only other promotion that recognized its own
U.S. Champion, went out of business. The title remained the
primary championship within the Mid-Atlantic territory until 1986
when Crockett gained control of the NWA World Heavyweight
Championship. The U.S. Title then became a the secondary
championship of the promotion. After
Ted
Turner bought the company and renamed it
World Championship Wrestling in
November 1988, the title continued to be used and recognized as
secondary to the World Championship. In March 2001, the WWF bought
the bankrupt promotions of
World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) and
Extreme
Championship Wrestling (ECW), which included all of its assets
and titles. Due to the new acquisitions, the WWF introduced a
storyline called the "
The Invasion," in
which WCW and ECW alumni invaded the WWF and resulted in the WCW
United States Championship becoming another championship for the
WWF. At
Survivor Series 2001,
the United States and
WWE Intercontinental
Championships were unified. The United States Champion,
Edge, defeated the Intercontinental
Champion,
Test, causing the United
States Championship to become inactive while becoming the new
Intercontinental Champion.
In July 2003, the title was reactivated as the WWE United States
Championship by
SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon, and was commissioned to
be a secondary championship to the
SmackDown! brand. This was done
shortly after the WWE Intercontinental Championship was
recommissioned by the
Raw brand, making the
title its equal counterpart. The title remained SmackDown property
until June 23, 2008, when then champion,
Matt
Hardy, was drafted to the
ECW brand
as a part of the
2008 WWE Draft, in
the process making the title ECW property. At
The Great American Bash,
Shelton Benjamin, who was drafted
to
SmackDown from
ECW, defeated Hardy for the
title, making it SmackDown property once again. On April 13, 2009,
when reigning champion Montel Vontavious Porter was drafted from
SmackDown to Raw during the
2009 WWE
Draft, the title became property of the Raw brand.
WWE United States 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 Harley Race, who won the championship in 1975, while
as of the current champion is
The Miz,
who is in his first reign. Overall, there have been 69 different
champions.
Chris Benoit,
Ric Flair,
Lex Luger, and
Wahoo McDaniel are tied for having
the most reigns at five each.
Title history
Names
| Name |
Years |
| NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic
version) |
1975 – 1981 |
| NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Undisputed) |
1981 – 1991 |
| WCW United States Heavyweight Championship |
1991 – 2001 |
| WCW United States Championship |
2001 |
| WWE United States Championship |
2003 – Present |
Reigns
As of , .
- † indicates reigns and title changes not
recognized by WWE.
| # |
Wrestler |
Reign |
Date |
Days held |
Location |
Event |
Notes |
Ref. |
|
Harley Race |
1 |
|
|
Tallahassee, FL |
N/A |
|
|
|
Johnny Valentine |
1 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Terry Funk |
1 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Paul Jones |
1 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Blackjack Mulligan |
1 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Paul Jones |
2 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Blackjack Mulligan |
1(2)† |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Paul Jones |
2(3)† |
|
|
Winston-Salem, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Blackjack Mulligan |
2(3)† |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Bobo Brazil |
1 |
|
|
Norfolk, VA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ric Flair |
1 |
|
|
Norfolk, VA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ricky Steamboat |
1 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Blackjack Mulligan |
3(4)† |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Mr. Wrestling |
1 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ric Flair |
2 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ricky Steamboat |
2 |
|
|
Toronto,
ON |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ric Flair |
3 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Jimmy Snuka |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ric Flair |
4 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Greg Valentine |
1† |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ric Flair |
4(5)† |
|
|
Greenville, SC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Roddy Piper |
1 |
|
|
Raleigh, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Wahoo McDaniel |
1 |
|
† |
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Sgt. Slaughter |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Wahoo McDaniel |
2 |
|
|
Richmond, VA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Sgt. Slaughter |
2 |
|
|
Greenville, SC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Wahoo McDaniel |
3 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Greg Valentine |
1(2)† |
|
|
Norfolk, VA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Roddy Piper |
2 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Greg Valentine |
2(3)† |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Dick Slater |
1 |
|
|
Shelby, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ricky Steamboat |
3 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Wahoo McDaniel |
4 |
|
† |
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Wahoo McDaniel |
5 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Magnum T.A. |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Tully Blanchard |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Magnum T.A. |
2 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Nikita Koloff |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Lex Luger |
1 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Dusty Rhodes |
1 |
|
|
Chicago,
IL |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Barry Windham |
1 |
|
|
Houston,
TX |
Live event |
|
|
|
Lex Luger |
2 |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
Chi-Town Rumble |
|
|
|
Michael Hayes |
1 |
|
|
Nashville, TN |
WrestleWar |
|
|
|
Lex Luger |
3 |
|
|
Bluefield, WV |
Live event |
|
|
|
Stan Hansen |
1 |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
Halloween Havoc |
|
|
|
Lex Luger |
4 |
|
|
St. Louis, MO |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Baltimore, MD |
The Great American
Bash |
|
|
|
Sting |
1 |
|
|
Atlanta,
GA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Rick Rude |
1 |
|
† |
Savannah, GA |
Clash of the
Champions XVII |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Dustin Rhodes |
1 |
|
† |
Atlanta, GA |
Saturday Night |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Dustin Rhodes |
2 |
|
|
Atlanta, GA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Steve Austin |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Ricky Steamboat |
4 |
|
|
Cedar Rapids, IA |
Clash of
the Champions XXVIII |
|
|
|
Steve Austin |
2 |
|
|
Roanoke, VA |
Fall Brawl |
|
|
|
Jim Duggan |
1 |
|
|
Roanoke, VA |
Fall Brawl (1994) |
|
|
|
Big Van Vader |
1 |
|
|
Nashville, TN |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Sting |
2 |
|
|
Dayton, OH |
The Great American
Bash |
|
|
|
Kensuke Sasaki |
1 |
|
|
Tokyo,
Japan |
Live event |
|
|
|
One Man Gang |
1 |
|
|
Nashville, TN |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Konnan |
1 |
|
|
Canton, OH |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ric Flair |
5(6)† |
|
† |
Daytona Beach, FL |
Bash at the Beach |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Eddy Guerrero |
1 |
|
|
Nashville, TN |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Dean Malenko |
1 |
|
|
North Charleston, SC |
Uncensored |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
1 |
|
|
Boston,
MA |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Steve McMichael |
1 |
|
|
Nashville, TN |
Clash of the
Champions XXXV |
|
|
|
Curt Hennig |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Diamond Dallas Page |
1 |
|
|
Washington, D.C. |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Raven |
1 |
|
|
Denver,
CO |
Spring Stampede |
|
|
|
Goldberg |
1 |
|
|
Colorado Springs, CO |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Atlanta, GA |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Bret Hart |
1 |
|
|
Salt Lake City, UT |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Lex Luger |
5 |
|
|
Rapid City, SD |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Bret Hart |
2 |
|
|
Fargo, ND |
Thunder |
|
|
|
Diamond Dallas Page |
2 |
|
|
Phoenix, AZ |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Bret Hart |
3 |
|
|
Chattanooga, TN |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Roddy Piper |
3 |
|
|
Buffalo, NY |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Scott Hall |
1 |
|
|
Oakland, CA |
SuperBrawl IX |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
Thunder |
|
|
|
Scott Steiner |
1 |
|
|
Tacoma, WA |
Spring Stampede |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Atlanta, GA |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
David Flair |
1 |
|
|
Atlanta, GA |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
1 |
|
|
Boise, ID |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Sid Vicious |
1 |
|
|
Winston-Salem, NC |
Fall Brawl |
|
|
|
Goldberg |
2 |
|
|
Las Vegas, NV |
Halloween Havoc |
|
|
|
Bret Hart |
4 |
|
|
Phoenix, AZ |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Scott Hall |
2 |
|
|
Indianapolis, IN |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
2 |
|
|
Washington, D.C. |
Starrcade |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
2 |
|
|
Baltimore, MD |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Cincinnati, OH |
Souled Out |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
3 |
|
|
Columbus, OH |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Denver, CO |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Scott Steiner |
2 |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
Spring Stampede |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Daytona Beach, FL |
Bash at the Beach |
|
|
|
Lance Storm |
1 |
|
|
Auburn Hills, MI |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Terry Funk |
2 |
|
|
Amarillo, TX |
Live event |
|
|
|
Lance Storm |
2 |
|
|
Lubbock, TX |
Live event |
|
|
|
Gen. Rection |
1 |
|
|
Las Vegas, NV |
Halloween Havoc |
|
|
|
Lance Storm |
3 |
|
|
London,
England |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Gen. Rection |
2 |
|
|
Milwaukee, WI |
Mayhem |
|
|
|
Shane Douglas |
1 |
|
|
Indianapolis, IN |
Sin |
|
|
|
Rick Steiner |
1 |
|
|
Tupelo, MS |
Monday Nitro |
|
|
|
Booker T |
1 |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL |
Greed |
|
|
|
Chris Kanyon |
1 |
|
|
Pittsburgh, PA |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Tajiri |
1 |
|
|
San Antonio, TX |
RAW is WAR |
|
|
|
Rhyno |
1 |
|
|
Pittsburgh, PA |
Unforgiven |
|
|
|
Kurt Angle |
1 |
|
|
Kansas City, MO |
Raw |
|
|
|
Edge |
1 |
|
|
Boston, MA |
Raw |
|
|
|
Unified |
|
|
0 |
Greensboro, NC |
Survivor Series |
|
|
|
Eddie Guerrero |
2 |
|
|
Denver, CO |
Vengeance |
|
|
|
The Big Show |
1 |
|
|
Baltimore, MD |
No Mercy |
|
|
|
John Cena |
1 |
|
|
New York, NY |
WrestleMania XX |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Winnipeg,
MB |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Booker T |
2 |
|
|
Cincinnati, OH |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
John Cena |
2 |
|
|
East Rutherford, NJ |
No Mercy |
|
|
|
Carlito Caribbean Cool |
1 |
|
|
Boston, MA |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
John Cena |
3 |
|
|
Dayton, OH |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Orlando Jordan |
1 |
|
|
Albany, NY |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
3 |
|
|
Washington, D.C. |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Booker T |
3 |
|
|
Reno, NV |
Friday Night SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Sheffield, England |
Friday Night SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Booker T |
4 |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA |
Friday Night SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
4 |
|
|
Baltimore, MD |
No Way Out |
|
|
|
John "Bradshaw" Layfield |
1 |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
WrestleMania 22 |
|
|
|
Bobby Lashley |
1 |
|
|
Bakersfield, CA |
Friday Night SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Finlay |
1 |
|
|
Minneapolis, MN |
Friday Night SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Mr. Kennedy |
1 |
|
|
Reading, PA |
Friday Night SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
5 |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL |
Friday Night SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Montel Vontavious
Porter |
1 |
|
|
St. Louis, MO |
Judgment Day |
|
|
|
Matt Hardy |
1 |
|
|
Baltimore, MD |
Backlash |
|
|
|
Shelton Benjamin |
1 |
|
|
Uniondale, NY |
The Great American
Bash |
|
|
|
Montel Vontavious Porter |
2 |
|
|
Corpus Christi, TX |
Friday Night SmackDown |
|
|
|
Kofi Kingston |
1 |
|
|
Birmingham, AL |
Raw |
|
|
|
The Miz |
1 |
|
+ |
Wilkes-Barre, PA |
Raw |
|
|
List of top combined reigns
As of , .
| Rank |
Wrestler |
# Of Reigns |
Combined Days |
| 1. |
Lex Luger |
5 |
948 |
| 2. |
Ric Flair |
5 |
626† |
| 3. |
Blackjack Mulligan |
3 |
498 |
| 4. |
Montel Vontavious Porter |
2 |
419 |
| 5. |
Greg Valentine |
2 |
391 |
| 6. |
Rick Rude |
1 |
378† |
| 7. |
Chris Benoit |
5 |
357 |
| 8. |
Nikita Koloff |
1 |
328 |
| 9. |
Sgt. Slaughter |
2 |
305 |
| 10. |
Magnum T.A. |
2 |
302 |
| 11. |
Wahoo McDaniel |
5 |
289† |
| 12. |
Barry Windham |
1 |
283 |
| 13. |
Booker T |
4 |
271 |
| 14. |
Ricky Steamboat |
4 |
263 |
| 15. |
Steve Austin |
2 |
240 |
| 15. |
Shelton Benjamin |
1 |
240 |
| 17. |
Sting |
2 |
234 |
| 18. |
Jimmy Snuka |
1 |
231 |
| 19. |
Dustin Rhodes |
2 |
229† |
| 20. |
John Cena |
3 |
221 |
| 21. |
Roddy Piper |
3 |
220 |
| 22. |
Jeff Jarrett |
3 |
184 |
| 23. |
Harley Race |
1 |
183 |
| 24. |
Bret Hart |
4 |
181 |
| 25. |
Orlando Jordan |
1 |
173 |
| 26. |
Scott Steiner |
2 |
169 |
| 27. |
Eddy/Eddie Guerrero |
2 |
161 |
| 28. |
Konnan |
1 |
160 |
| 29. |
Paul Jones |
2 |
150 |
| 30. |
Diamond Dallas Page |
2 |
147 |
| 30. |
The Big Show |
1 |
147 |
| 32. |
Dusty Rhodes |
1 |
141 |
| 33. |
Tully Blanchard |
1 |
130 |
| 34. |
Dick Slater |
1 |
129 |
| 35. |
Kofi Kingston |
1 |
126 |
| 36. |
Big Van Vader |
1 |
117 |
| 37. |
Lance Storm |
3 |
115 |
| 38. |
Curt Hennig |
1 |
104 |
| 39. |
Jim Duggan |
1 |
100 |
References
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