View source for ECW World Heavyweight Championship

{{Short description|Former professional wrestling championship}}
{{Infobox pro wrestling championship
|name = ECW World Heavyweight Championship
|image = ECW World Heavyweight Championship.png
|image_size     = 
|alt            =
|caption = The ECW World Heavyweight Championship belt used in WWE from June 2006 to July 2008 was based on the design used in ECW from May 1998 to April 2001.
|promotion = [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]]<br>(1992–2001)<br>[[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]]<br>(2006–2010)
|created = April 25, 1992
|retired = February 16, 2010
|firstchamp = [[Jimmy Snuka]]
|finalchamp = [[Ezekiel Jackson]]
|mostreigns = [[The Sandman (wrestler)|The Sandman]]<br>([[List of ECW World Heavyweight Champions|5 reigns]])
|longestreign = [[Shane Douglas]]<br>(4th reign, [[List of ECW World Heavyweight Champions|406 days]])
|shortestreign = [[Ezekiel Jackson]]<br>(2 minutes, 25 seconds)
|oldest = [[Vince McMahon|Mr. McMahon]]<br>(61 years, 248 days)
|youngest = [[Mikey Whipwreck]]<br>(22 years, 146 days)
|heaviest = [[Big Show]]<br>({{convert|567|lb|kg|abbr=on}})
|lightest = [[Jerry Lynn]]<br>({{convert|185|lb|kg|abbr=on}})
|pastnames =
*ECW Heavyweight Championship<br>(1992–1993)
*NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship<br>(1993–1994)
*ECW World Heavyweight Championship<br>(1994–2001, 2006)
*ECW World Championship<br>(2006–2007)
*ECW Championship<br>(2007–2010) 
}}
The '''ECW World Heavyweight Championship''' was a [[professional wrestling]] [[Professional wrestling championship#World championships|world heavyweight championship]] originally used in [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW) and later, [[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]] (WWE). It was the original world title of the ECW promotion, spun off from the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]]. It was established under ECW in 1994 but was originally introduced in 1992 by the promotion's precursor, [[Extreme Championship Wrestling|Eastern Championship Wrestling]], a territory of the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA). The inaugural champion was [[Jimmy Snuka]] in 1992; however, WWE considers the inaugural world heavyweight champion to be [[Shane Douglas]], with his reign beginning on August 27, 1994, when Eastern Championship Wrestling split from the NWA to become Extreme Championship Wrestling.

The title was deactivated in 2001 when ECW ceased all of its operations. The assets of ECW were then purchased by WWE in 2003. In 2006, WWE reactivated the championship as the world title of their newly established [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]] [[WWE brand extension|brand]]. It was the third concurrently active world championship in the promotion, complementing the [[WWE Championship]] and [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] of the other two brands, [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] and [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]. The ECW Championship then briefly appeared as the sole world title of the Raw brand in 2008 as a result of [[2008 WWE draft|that year's draft]]. When WWE disbanded the ECW brand in 2010, the championship was subsequently retired following the final episode of ''[[WWE ECW|ECW]]'' with [[Ezekiel Jackson]] as the final titleholder, who consequently had the shortest reign at 2 minutes, 25 seconds as he won it during the episode.

==History==
===Origin===
{{see also|NWA World Title Tournament}}
[[File:Jimmy Snuka, circa 1987.png|thumb|150px|[[Jimmy Snuka]] was the inaugural ECW Heavyweight Champion]]
The ECW World Heavyweight Championship was introduced originally in 1992 as the NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship with [[Jimmy Snuka]] becoming the inaugural champion on April 25. However, its origin is attributed to events that began in the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA), an organization with many member [[professional wrestling promotion|promotions]].<ref name="W-T">{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ecw/ecw-h.html|title=ECW World Heavyweight Title|access-date=2007-06-13|publisher=Wrestling-Titles}}</ref> In the early 1990s, [[Extreme Championship Wrestling|Eastern Championship Wrestling]] (ECW) was a member of the NWA and by 1994, the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]], the [[World Heavyweight Championship (professional wrestling)|world title]] of the NWA, was vacant. Consequently, [[NWA World Title Tournament|a tournament was organized to crown a new NWA World Heavyweight Champion]] and on August 27, NWA-ECW Heavyweight Champion [[Shane Douglas]] defeated [[2 Cold Scorpio]] in the finals to win the title. However, Douglas immediately relinquished the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and instead proclaimed himself the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/ecw/results/1994c.html#082794|title=NWA World Title Tournament - August 27, 1994 in Philadelphia|access-date=2007-06-15|publisher=Pro Wrestling History}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/history/ecwchampionship/082794douglas|title=History of the ECW World Title|access-date=2007-06-13|publisher=WWE}}</ref> ECW subsequently seceded from the NWA and became [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW). The ECW World Heavyweight Championship was thus established, [[Spin-off (media)|spun off]] from the NWA title. 

=== Injury dispute and unification with the FTW Heavyweight Championship ===
{{see also|FTW Heavyweight Championship}}
In 1998, during a time when ECW World Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas was sidelined with a legitimate elbow injury but refused to vacate the title, [[Taz (wrestler)|Taz]] introduced an unsanctioned championship known as the [[FTW Heavyweight Championship|FTW (Fuck the World) Heavyweight Championship]].<ref name=ropes>{{cite book|page=99|title=Between the Ropes: Wrestling's Greatest Triumphs and Failures|first=Brian|last=Fritz|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|year=2006|isbn=1554902681}}</ref><ref name="prowrestlinghistory">{{cite web |title=ECW on TNN – 1998 Event Guide |url=https://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/ecw/results/tv/ecwtv1998.html |website=Pro Wrestling History |access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref> Frustrated by the lack of opportunity to compete for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, Taz unveiled the FTW Heavyweight Championship to assert himself as the "real world champion" on May 14, 1998.<ref name="cagematch">{{cite web |title=ECW TV – July 1, 1998 |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=17226 |website=Cagematch.net |access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>

Although never officially sanctioned by ECW, Taz defended the FTW Heavyweight Championship until losing to [[Sabu (wrestler)|Sabu]] on December 19, 1998.<ref name="tazinterview">{{cite web |last=Rasmussen |first=Steve |title=Taz Interview |url=http://www.wrestlingperspective.com/issue/18/taz.html |website=Wrestling Perspective |date=1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000511224838/http://www.wrestlingperspective.com/issue/18/taz.html |access-date=May 12, 2025 |archive-date=11 May 2000 }}</ref> Upon finally defeating Shane Douglas for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship on January 10, 1999 at [[Guilty as Charged (1999)|ECW Guilty as Charged]], Taz went on to defeat Sabu on March 21 at [[Living Dangerously (1999)|ECW Living Dangerously]] to effectively unify the two titles.<ref name="historyofwwe">{{cite web |title=ECW Guilty as Charged 1999 Results |url=https://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/ecw-results/1999/ |website=The History of WWE |access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=David |title=ECW Living Dangerously 1999 3/21/1999 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-living-dangerously-1999-3211999/ |accessdate=15 June 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps}}</ref>

=== Interpromotional title change ===
In April 2000, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship became the focus of a highly unusual inter-promotional conflict involving ECW, [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW), and the [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF).<ref name="TazzECW"/> At the time, [[Mike Awesome]] was the reigning ECW World Heavyweight Champion and without prior notice to ECW, Awesome made a surprise appearance on the April 10 episode of ''[[WCW Monday Nitro]]'' after signing a contract with WCW.<ref name="NitroDebut">{{cite news|first=Jake|last=Black|title=Mike Awesome 1965 - 2007|work=The Wrestler|publisher=London Publishing|id=Volume 15, 2007|pages=53–55|date=May 2007}}</ref> ECW owner [[Paul Heyman]] responded by filing a legal [[injunction]] to prevent Awesome from appearing on WCW programming with the ECW World Heavyweight Championship belt.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/02/19/3645984.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629211226/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/02/19/3645984.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 29, 2012|title=Mike Awesome found dead|last=Oliver|first=Greg|access-date=July 23, 2007|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer|Slam! Sports]]}}</ref>

To resolve the situation and ensure the title was returned to ECW, an agreement was brokered between WCW, ECW, and the WWF, with the latter agreeing to [[Loan (sports)|loan]] former ECW wrestler Taz for a one-night appearance to reclaim the ECW World Heavyweight Championship from Amesome.<ref name="TazWins"/> On April 13, 2000, at an ECW event in Indianapolis, Indiana, Taz defeated Awesome to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, marking a rare instance in professional wrestling where two wrestlers signed to separate promotions faced each other for a third promotion’s world championship.<ref name="TazWins">{{cite news|last=Molinaro|first=John F.|title=Tazz wins ECW World title|date=2000-04-14|publisher=Slam! Sports|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingECW/apr14_tazz.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715055053/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingECW/apr14_tazz.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 15, 2012}}</ref>

On April 22, 2000 at [[CyberSlam (2000)|ECW CyberSlam]], [[Tommy Dreamer]] defeated Taz to become the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion, thereby returning the title fully to ECW.<ref name="DreamerWin">{{cite web |url=http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/ecw/000422.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142918/http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/ecw/000422.htm |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |title=ECW Cyberslam 2000 |work=pWw--Everything Wrestling |date=April 22, 2000 |access-date=June 10, 2018}}</ref><ref name="TazzECW">{{cite news|last=Kapur|first=Bob|title=Tazz talks: ECW, Tough Enough, WWF|date=2001-08-05|publisher=Slam! Wrestling|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2000/04/14/tazz-talks-ecw-tough-enough-wwf/}}</ref> The title remained active until April 11, 2001, when ECW ceased operations. In May 2002, WWF renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and subsequently purchased ECW's assets on January 28, 2003.<ref name="ECWpurchase">{{Cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/305765539/WWE%2Dacquires%2DECW%2DAssets%2DHHG%2DCorporation |title=Archived copy |access-date=October 9, 2016 |archive-date=October 9, 2016 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20161009024001/https://www.scribd.com/doc/305765539/WWE%2Dacquires%2DECW%2DAssets%2DHHG%2DCorporation |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Recommission ===
[[File:RobVanDam WWE-ECWChamp@commons.png|thumb|150px|[[Rob Van Dam]] with both the ECW World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship around his waist]]
In July 2001, ECW was incorporated into WWF programming as part of "[[The Invasion (professional wrestling)|The Invasion]]," which briefly featured [[The Alliance (professional wrestling)|an alliance of WCW and ECW wrestlers]] following the WWF's purchase of WCW's assets in March of that year.<ref name="WCWpurchase">{{cite web|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|access-date=May 24, 2008|title=WWE Entertainment, Inc. acquires WCW from Turner Broadcasting|publisher=[[WWE]] Corporate|date=March 23, 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050408044957/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|archive-date=April 8, 2005}}</ref> By 2005, WWE reintroduced ECW through content from the ECW [[WWE Video Library|video library]] and a series of books, which included the release of ''[[The Rise and Fall of ECW]]'' documentary.<ref name="wwe58">{{cite book|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|title=WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=58}}</ref> With heightened and rejuvenated interest in the ECW franchise, WWE organized [[ECW One Night Stand (2005)|ECW One Night Stand]] on June 12, a reunion event that featured [[List of Extreme Championship Wrestling alumni|ECW alumni]].<ref name="wwe58"/> Due to the financial and critical success of the production, WWE produced the [[ECW One Night Stand (2006)|second ECW One Night Stand]] on June 11, 2006, which served as the [[Premiere|premiere event]] in the relaunch of the [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW franchise as a third]] [[WWE Brand Extension|WWE brand]], complementary to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] and [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]].<ref name=SciFi>{{cite web|title=WWE brings ECW to Sci Fi Channel|publisher=WWE|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/scifi|access-date=2006-06-02}}</ref> 

On June 13, Paul Heyman, former ECW owner and newly appointed figurehead for the ECW brand, recommissioned the ECW World Heavyweight Championship to be the brand's world title and awarded it to [[Rob Van Dam]] as a result of winning the [[WWE Championship]] at One Night Stand 2006. Heyman had originally stated that either the WWE Championship or the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] would "become" the ECW World Heavyweight Championship if a competitor designated to the ECW brand became WWE Champion or World Heavyweight Champion at the event.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/060605.html|title=WWE RAW results - June 5, 2006|access-date=2007-06-15| publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}</ref> However, Rob Van Dam later declared that he would hold both titles simultaneously instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/ecw-wwe/060613.html|title=ECW on Sci-Fi results - June 13, 2006|access-date=2007-06-13|publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}</ref> The title became known as the ECW World Championship in July 2006, and later simply as the ECW Championship in July 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/ecw-wwe/060711.html|title=ECW on Sci-Fi results - July 11, 2006|access-date=2007-06-13|publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}</ref><ref name="ECW Championship">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/history/ecwchampionship/|title=ECW Championship|access-date=2007-08-07|publisher=WWE}}</ref>

=== ECW World Championship tournament (2007) ===
The ECW World Championship Tournament was a tournament created to determine a new [[ECW World Heavyweight Champion|ECW World Champion]] after [[Bobby Lashley]] vacated his championship due to being [[2007 WWE Draft|drafted]] to ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' on June 11, 2007. The finals took place at [[Vengeance: Night of Champions]]. This tournament is notable because one of the semi-final rounds was Chris Benoit's final match. The tournament final was supposed to be Benoit vs CM Punk but Benoit no-showed the event and was replaced by Johnny Nitro, who would go on to win the title. It was reported the day after the event that Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their son Daniel were found dead in their home in suburban Atlanta. The day after police ruled that Benoit himself had killed his wife and son before committing suicide. This event has gone on to be known as the [[Chris Benoit double murder and suicide]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.net/?id=26&nr=312|title=ECW World Heavyweight Title Tournament « Tournaments Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm}}</ref>

<onlyinclude>{{4TeamBracket
| RD1=Semifinals
| RD2=Finals
| RD1-seed1 = 
| RD1-team1 = '''[[CM Punk]]'''
| RD1-seed2 = 
| RD1-team2 = [[Marcus Cor Von]]
| RD1-score1 = Pin
| RD1-score2 =06:45
| RD1-seed3 = 
| RD1-team3 = '''[[Chris Benoit]]'''
| RD1-seed4 = 
| RD1-team4 = [[Elijah Burke]]
| RD1-score3 = Sub
| RD1-score4 = 06:38
| RD2-team1 = CM Punk
| RD2-team2 = '''[[John Morrison (wrestler)|Johnny Nitro]]'''(*)
| RD2-score1 = Pin
| RD2-score2 = 08:15
}}
(*) – Johnny Nitro was an event-day replacement added by WWE after Chris Benoit was a no-show, with the official statement a "family emergency".  It was later discovered [[Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide|Benoit's double murder/suicide had taken place that weekend]].</onlyinclude>

=== Retirement and legacy ===
The ECW Championship was officially retired on February 16, 2010, following the final episode of ''ECW'', where Ezekiel Jackson defeated [[Christian Cage|Christian]] to become the final champion.<ref name="WWEECWFinal">{{cite web|title=ECW Results – February 16, 2010|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/02162010/|website=WWE|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref> Through its relaunch, the ECW brand shifted focus from [[List of former Extreme Championship Wrestling personnel|original ECW alumni]] toward experimenting with new talent.<ref name="TalentsFromECW">{{cite web|title=10 Wrestlers From WWE's ECW That Went On To Become Big Stars|url=https://www.thesportster.com/wrestling/wwe-ecw-wrestlers-successful-wwecw/|website=TheSportster|first=Lealos|last=Shawn|date=May 8, 2020|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref> This laid the groundwork for [[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]], which would evolve into WWE’s primary developmental brand and gain critical acclaim for its experimental nature and emphasis on emerging talent.<ref name="NXTproves">{{cite web|title=NXT Proves Triple H Is Vince McMahon's Perfect Replacement|url=https://screenrant.com/triple-h-replace-vince-mcmahon-wwe-creative-good/|first=Jesse|last= Przewoznik|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=July 26, 2022|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref><ref name="NXTrelaunch">{{cite web|title=Triple H Describes His Vision For WWE NXT|url=https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1021015/triple-h-describes-his-vision-for-wwe-nxt/|first=Dakota|last=Cohen|website=Wrestling Inc|date=September 22, 2022|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref> Though the ECW Championship was retired, its legacy remains through NXT’s focus on new talent and its appeal to a dedicated fanbase reminiscent of ECW’s innovative and rebellious spirit.<ref name="NXTfuture">{{cite web|title=NXT development system preparing WWE for the future|url=https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/17275466/triple-h-creation-importance-nxt-wwe-performance-center|website=[[ESPN]]|first=Tim|last=Fiorvanti|date=August 12, 2016|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref><ref name="ECWNXT">{{cite web|title=All the Philly and ECW references from WWE NXT's show at the historic 2300 Arena|url=https://www.inquirer.com/sports/nxt-philadelphia-2300-arena-ecw-20241106.html|website=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|first=Ariel|last=Simpsons|date=November 6, 2024|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref><ref name="WWEECWlegacy">{{cite web|title=WWE: 6 Examples Of The Legacy Left By WWE's ECW|url=https://whatculture.com/wwe/wwe-6-examples-legacy-left-wwes-ecw?page=5|website=[[WhatCulture]]|first=Brad|last=Lee|date=February 20, 2014|access-date=May 14, 2025}}</ref>

=== Brand designation ===
Following the events of the [[WWE brand extension]], an annual [[WWE draft]] was established, in which select members of the WWE roster are reassigned to a different brand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/06112007/articles/drafthistory|title=Draft History|last=Dee|first=Louie|date=2007-06-07|publisher=[[World Wrestling Entertainment]]|access-date=2008-12-21}}</ref> [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]] was revived as a third brand in 2006 to rival [[WWE Raw|Raw]] and [[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]] and continued to operate until February 16, 2010, rendering the title inactive once again.<ref name=Zeke/>

{|class="wikitable"  style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Date of transition || Brand || Notes
|-
|June 13, 2006
|style="background-color:#ddd;"|[[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]]
|After [[Rob Van Dam]] defeated [[John Cena]] to win the [[WWE Championship]] at [[ECW One Night Stand (2006)|ECW One Night Stand]], the ECW Championship was reactivated and awarded to Van Dam, who held both titles. The ECW Championship subsequently became the top championship of WWE's [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]] brand.
|-
|January 22, 2008
|style="background-color:#bbf;"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|The ECW Championship moved to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] after [[Chavo Guerrero Jr.|Chavo Guerrero]], a member of the SmackDown brand, defeated [[CM Punk]] to win the ECW Championship.
|-
|March 30, 2008
|style="background-color:#ddd;"|[[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]]
|ECW Champion [[Kane (wrestler)|Kane]] was transferred to [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]].
|-
|June 23, 2008
|style="background-color:#fbb;"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|ECW Champion [[Kane (wrestler)|Kane]] was drafted to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] during the [[2008 WWE Draft]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/exclusives/tangledtitles |title=Tangled Titles |last=Sitterson |first=Aubrey |date=2008-06-25 |publisher=[[World Wrestling Entertainment]] |access-date=2008-06-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627221942/http://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/exclusives/tangledtitles |archivedate=2008-06-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|June 29, 2008
|style="background-color:#ddd;"|[[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]]
|The ECW Championship was returned to [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]] after [[Mark Henry]], a member of the ECW brand, defeated [[Kane (wrestler)|Kane]] and [[Big Show]] in a [[triple threat match]] at [[Night of Champions (2008)|Night of Champions]] to win the ECW Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/matches/7188540/results/ |title=Worlds Strongest Extreme Champion |last=Rote |first=Andrew |date=2008-06-29 |publisher=[[World Wrestling Entertainment]] |access-date=2008-06-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702031301/http://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/matches/7188540/results/ |archivedate=2008-07-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|{{nowrap|February 16, 2010}}
|N/A
|The [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]] brand was discontinued, subsequently also retiring the ECW Championship.
|}

== Championship belt designs ==
[[File:CM Punk ECW Champion.jpg|thumb|150px|[[CM Punk]] as ECW Champion in 2007]]
The original Eastern Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Championship belt was a five-plate belt made by Mike Vartanian.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} It was an exact copy of the heavyweight title for NWA-ECW's forerunner, [[Tri-State Wrestling Alliance]], with subtle differences such as its centerpiece featuring the words "Eastern Championship Wrestling" over geographic outlines of [[Pennsylvania]], [[New Jersey]] and [[Delaware]] in blue. Additionally, the words "Heavy" and "Weight" were separated by a depiction of an [[eagle]] centered at the top of the piece, while the words "Wrestling Champion" were displayed at the bottom of the piece just below a small geographic outline of the continental [[United States]]. When Eastern Championship Wrestling withdrew from the NWA to become Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1994, it continued using this design until December 1996 when a new belt was created.<ref name=ECWtitlehistory>{{cite web|url=https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/title-history/ecw/ecw-world-heavyweight-championship|title=ECW Title History|publisher=SmackDownHotel.com|access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref>  

The new belt featured a black [[leather]] strap, snaps to fasten the belt around the waist of the wrestler who wore it, and five [[gold]]-plated metal pieces. The centerpiece design was similar to that of the [[Big Gold Belt]] with a [[crown]] at the top the piece, a large [[globe]] at the center and the words "World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion" displayed prominently. It also included the [[barbed wire]]-enlaced ECW logo in red above the globe. The other four pieces along the strap depicted the flags of [[Mexico]], [[Japan]], the United States, [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]] and [[France]].<ref name="ECWtitlehistory"/> 

In May 1998, ECW debuted a new belt designed by Joe Marshall that would be used until the promotion ceased operations in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/jmarbelts/photos/pb.100057197571173.-2207520000/140843245982565/?type=3|title=ECW Belt made by J-MAR Belts|date=2011-03-07|publisher=[[Facebook]]|access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref> Like the previous belts, it featured five gold-plated metal pieces along a black leather strap, although this design featured a [[crocodile skin]] pattern on the inward-facing side of the strap. Its centerpiece featured a [[chain-link fencing]] pattern throughout the body of the plate, a blue globe in the center and depictions of [[baseball bat]]s wrapped in barbed wire on the sides. At the top of the piece, a violet ECW logo and the words "World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion" were displayed with the words "Heavyweight Wrestling" designed to depict the text as [[bleeding]]. The four smaller pieces along the strap featured a design aesthetic similar to that of the centerpiece.<ref name="ECWtitlehistory"/>  

Soon after its reactivation by WWE due to the launch of the ECW brand in June 2006, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship belt design was notably updated from the previous version. These updates included a full black leather strap with a barbed wire design [[Machine tooling|tooled]] along its edges, red ECW logos replacing the violet ones on the gold-plated pieces, and the innards of the chain-link fencing patterns outlined in black.<ref name="ECWtitlehistory"/> 
[[File:ECW Championship.jpg|thumb|The 2008–2010 ECW Championship belt.]]
On July 22, 2008, ECW General Manager [[Theodore Long]] introduced a new belt design for the ECW Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/07222008/|title=Going for gold|date=July 22, 2008|last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|publisher=[[World Wrestling Entertainment]]}}</ref> This design featured a larger black leather strap with five [[platinum]]-plated pieces, which were [[machining|machined]] and assembled by André Freitas' AFX Studios Inc, and would be used until the championship was retired in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afxstudios.com/awards/ |title=Awards & Trophies|last=Freitas |first=André |publisher=AFX Studios Inc|access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref> The large centerpiece featured a design depicting a [[Phoenix (mythology)|phoenix]] over a globe in the center with its wings expanded and rays of light emitting from it. At the top of the piece, the WWE logo and the words "World Wrestling Entertainment" were displayed with "ECW" in large letters projected prominently over the phoenix. A removable nameplate, which had the name of the reigning champion [[engraving|engraved]], was located below it and at the bottom of the piece, the word "Champion" was displayed. Additionally, the entire piece was bordered by a jagged [[saw]]-like pattern. Along the strap, on each side of the centerpiece, were two similarly designed smaller pieces that were also bordered by a jagged pattern and featured the ECW and WWE logos respectively over a globe on each piece.<ref name="ECWtitlehistory"/>

== Reigns ==
{{Main|List of ECW World Heavyweight Champions}}
[[File:Sii, Christian campeón de ECW.jpg|thumb|150px|Christian with the last version of the ECW Championship belt in 2009]]
Overall, there have been 49 ECW World Heavyweight Championship reigns shared among 32 individuals.<ref name="W-T"/> The inaugural champion was Jimmy Snuka, who won the title by defeating [[Salvatore Bellomo]] in April 1992. [[The Sandman (wrestler)|The Sandman]] holds the most reigns as champion, with five. Shane Douglas, in his fourth reign, had the longest reign in the title's history which lasted 406 days. [[Ezekiel Jackson]]'s 3-minute reign following his defeat of [[Christian Cage|Christian]] on the television finale of ''[[WWE ECW|ECW]]'' is the shortest, as the title was retired with the cancellation of the ECW brand.<ref name=Zeke>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/results/13527692//|title=Results:Dominant farewell|last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|publisher=WWE|date=2009-07-26|access-date=2010-02-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220085946/http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/results/13527692/|archivedate=February 20, 2010}}</ref> Christian's second reign was the longest under WWE at 205 days.

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/history/ecwchampionship/ The ECW Championship at WWE.com]
*[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ecw/ecw-h.html Wrestling-Titles.com]

{{Extreme Championship Wrestling}}
{{ECW World Heavyweight Championship}}
{{WWE Championships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ecw Championship}}
[[Category:Extreme Championship Wrestling championships]]
[[Category:World heavyweight wrestling championships]]
[[Category:Championships acquired by WWE]]
[[Category:ECW (WWE brand)]]