List of WWE Champions: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 00:45, 1 January 2026

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File:Cody Rhodes, April 2024 (cropped).jpg

Two-time and current champion Cody Rhodes

The WWE Championship, also referred to as the Undisputed WWE Championship since April 2024, is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE, defended on the SmackDown brand. It was the first world title established in WWE, at the time known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), having been introduced in 1963 as the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. The WWWF, a National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territory, did not recognize Lou Thesz's victory over reigning NWA champion Buddy Rogers and sought to create its own world title upon exiting the body.Template:Efn The WWWF rejoined the NWA in 1971; however, one of the caveats of rejoining is that the championship would no longer be recognized as a "world championship", and only as a regional heavyweight championship.^[1] The promotion was renamed World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979 and ended its affiliation with the (NWA) in 1983, with the title also renamed to reflect the changes; it regained its world championship status upon leaving the NWA. In 2001, it was unified with the World Championship and became the Undisputed WWF Championship.^[2]^[3] In 2002, the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and split its roster into two brands, Raw and SmackDown.^[4]^[5] The title, now renamed the WWE Championship, was then designated to the SmackDown brand while WWE established an alternate world title known as the World Heavyweight Championship for the Raw brand. A third alternate world title, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, was reactivated for the ECW brand in 2006. It was vacated and decommissioned when the ECW brand disbanded in 2010.^[6]

When WWE Champion Randy Orton defeated World Heavyweight Champion John Cena at the TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view event on December 15, 2013, in a Tables, ladders, and chairs match, the World Heavyweight Championship was unified with the WWE Championship, resulting in the retiring of the former,^[7] as well as the renaming of the latter to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. On June 27, 2016, the name was shortened back to the WWE Championship,^[8] before assuming the WWE World Championship name on July 26, when the brand split returned. It became designated to the SmackDown brand and WWE again established an alternate world title known as the WWE Universal Championship for the Raw brand. In December 2016, WWE again shortened the title's name back to WWE Championship.^[9] From April 2022 to April 2024, the title represented one-half of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, with the other half represented by the Universal Championship, but both titles retained their individual lineages. Under the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship moniker, the title was moved to SmackDown in the 2023 draft and Raw established a new World Heavyweight Championship as an alternative title.

The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, in which participants execute scripted finishes rather than contend in direct competition. Some reigns were held by champions using a ring name while others use their real name. Cody Rhodes is the current champion in his second reign. He won the Undisputed WWE Championship by defeating John Cena in a Street Fight at SummerSlam Night 2 on August 3, 2025, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

As of April 29, 2026, there have been 149 recognized reigns between 55 recognized champions and 11 recognized vacancies (there are 4 reigns, 2 people, and 2 vacancies that are not recognized by the WWE). The first champion was Buddy Rogers, who was awarded the championship in 1963. The champion with the single longest reign is Bruno Sammartino with a reign of 2,803 days while the record for longest combined reign is also held by Sammartino at 4,040. John Cena has the most reigns with 14. Ten men in history have held the championship for a continuous reign of one year (365 days) or more: Bruno Sammartino (who achieved the feat on two occasions), Pedro Morales, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, John Cena, CM Punk, AJ Styles, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes. Of those ten, four held the championship for a continuous reign of 1,000 days or more: Bruno Sammartino (who achieved the feat on two occasions), Pedro Morales, Bob Backlund, and Hulk Hogan.^[10]

Title history

Names

Name	Years
WWWF World Heavyweight Championship	April 11, 1963 – February 8, 1971
WWWF Heavyweight Championship	February 8, 1971 – March 1, 1979
WWF Heavyweight Championship	March 1, 1979 – December 26, 1983
WWF World Heavyweight Championship	December 26, 1983 – May 27, 1989
WWF Championship	May 27, 1989Script error: No such module "Unsubst". – December 9, 2001
Undisputed WWF Championship	December 9, 2001^[3] – May 6, 2002^[4]
Undisputed WWE Championship	May 6, 2002^[4] – May 19, 2002
WWE Undisputed Championship	May 19, 2002 – September 2, 2002^[11]
WWE Championship	September 2, 2002^[11] – December 15, 2013
Undisputed WWE Championship	August 14, 2011^[12] – August 15, 2011
WWE World Heavyweight Championship	December 15, 2013 – June 27, 2016
WWE Championship	June 27, 2016^[13]^[14] – July 24, 2016
WWE World Championship	July 25, 2016^[15] – December 9, 2016
WWE Championship	December 10, 2016^[9] – present
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship	April 3, 2022 – April 7, 2024
Undisputed WWE Championship	April 7, 2024 – present

Reigns

Combined reigns

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Key
Rec	Recognized by the promotion
†	Current champion; reign changing daily
<1	Reign was less than a day

Rank	Champion	No. of reigns	Combined days
Rank	Champion	No. of reigns	Actual	Recognized by WWE
1	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	4,040
2	Script error: No such module "Sort".	6	2,185
3	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	2,121	2,138
4	Script error: No such module "Sort".	14	1,360
5	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	1,027
6	Script error: No such module "Sort".	4	853	855
7	Script error: No such module "Sort".	7	823	828
8	Script error: No such module "Sort".	10	680	685
9	Script error: No such module "Sort".	5	654
10	Script error: No such module "Sort".	9	609	605
11	Script error: No such module "Sort".	6	529	528
12	Script error: No such module "Sort". †	2	Script error: No such module "age".+
13	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	520
14	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	511
15	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	462
16	Script error: No such module "Sort".	3	396
17	Script error: No such module "Sort".	8	367	377
18	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	358
19	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	311	300
20	Script error: No such module "Sort".	4	297	295
21	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	296
22	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	293
23	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	280
23	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	280	279
25	Script error: No such module "Sort".	4	238	237
26	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	221	220
27	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	217	215
28	Script error: No such module "Sort".	4	210	209
29	Script error: No such module "Sort".	3	183	182
30	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	180
31	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	170	169
32	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	168	167
33	Script error: No such module "Sort".	4	139	135
34	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	133	132
35	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	118
36	Big E	1	110
37	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	98	97
38	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	97
39	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	84	82
39	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	84	83
41	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	78	77
42	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	64
43	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	49	48
44	Script error: No such module "Sort".	3	47	36
45	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	42	41
46	Script error: No such module "Sort".	2	37	36
47	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	36	21
48	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	28
49	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	22	21
50	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	21
51	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	9
—	Ted DiBiase	—	8	—
—	Antonio Inoki	—	6	—
52	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	6	4
53	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	1
54	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	<1
54	Script error: No such module "Sort".	1	<1

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

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External links

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{about|a list of wrestlers who have held the current WWE Championship|a list of wrestlers who have the now-retired [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] defended from 2002 to 2013|List of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE, 2002–2013)|the wrestlers who have held the current World Heavyweight Championship introduced in 2023|World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|a list of current title holders in WWE|List of current champions in WWE}}
 {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
-[[File:John Cena 051025.jpg|thumb|Record <!-- Do not change to 17. 14 is the correct number of times Cena has held THIS title; his other 3 title reigns were with the now-retired World Heavyweight Championship. -->14-time and current champion [[John Cena]]]]
+[[File:Cody_Rhodes,_April_2024_(cropped).jpg|thumb|Two-time and current champion [[Cody Rhodes]]]]
-The [[WWE Championship]], also referred to as the Undisputed WWE Championship since April 2024, is a [[professional wrestling]] [[Professional wrestling championship#World championships|world heavyweight championship]] in [[WWE]], currently defended on the [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] [[WWE brand extension|brand]]. It was the first world title established in WWE, at the time known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), having been introduced in 1963 as the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. The WWWF, a [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA) territory, did not recognize [[Lou Thesz]]'s victory over reigning NWA champion [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|Buddy Rogers]] and sought to create its own world title upon exiting the body.{{efn|By convention, the title would only change hands after a two-out-of-three pinfall victory. However, Thesz defeated Rogers after only one fall, prompting some dissent from a few associated territories of the NWA, who chose not to recognize the title change.}} The WWWF rejoined the NWA in 1971; however, one of the caveats of rejoining is that the championship would no longer be recognised as a "world championship", and only as a regional heavyweight championship.<ref name="Hornbaker">{{cite book |last1=Hornbaker |first1=Tim |title=National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling |date=2007 |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=978-1-4596-5345-0 |pages=192 |quote=Mindful of the pros and cons of being a member, McMahon rejoined the NWA at the 1971 convention in Mexico City. One requirement by the Alliance was that Morales' WWWF championship be recognized as a regional heavyweight title, and not a "world" title.}}</ref> The promotion was renamed World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979 and ended its affiliation with the (NWA) in 1983, with the title also renamed to reflect the changes; it regained its world championship status upon leaving the NWA. In 2001, it was [[Championship unification|unified]] with the World Championship and became the [[Undisputed championship (professional wrestling)|Undisputed WWF Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050408044957/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2005|title=WWE Entertainment, Inc. Acquires WCW from Turner Broadcasting|date=March 21, 2001|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Undisputed">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_12_09.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060117113439/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_12_09.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 17, 2006|title=Chris Jericho Becomes First Undisputed Champion of Professional Wrestling|date=December 9, 2001|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref> In 2002, the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and [[WWE brand extension|split its roster into two brands]], [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] and [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]].<ref name="WWF3">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050321172148/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 21, 2005|title=World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Drops The "F" To Emphasize the "E" for Entertainment|date=May 6, 2002|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050321171233/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 21, 2005|title=WWE Entertainment To Make RAW and SmackDown Distinct Television Brands|publisher=[[WWE]]|date=March 27, 2002|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref> The title, now renamed the WWE Championship, was then designated to the SmackDown brand while WWE established an alternate world title known as the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] for the Raw brand. A third alternate world title, the [[ECW World Heavyweight Championship]], was reactivated for the [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]] brand in 2006. It was vacated and decommissioned when the ECW brand disbanded in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/info/wwfworld.shtml|title=WWE Championship History|work=WrestleView|access-date=October 17, 2008|archive-date=October 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022142819/http://www.wrestleview.com/info/wwfworld.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>
+The [[WWE Championship]], also referred to as the Undisputed WWE Championship since April 2024, is a [[professional wrestling]] [[Professional wrestling championship#World championships|world heavyweight championship]] in [[WWE]], defended on the [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] [[WWE brand extension|brand]]. It was the first world title established in WWE, at the time known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), having been introduced in 1963 as the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. The WWWF, a [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA) territory, did not recognize [[Lou Thesz]]'s victory over reigning NWA champion [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|Buddy Rogers]] and sought to create its own world title upon exiting the body.{{efn|By convention, the title would only change hands after a two-out-of-three pinfall victory. However, Thesz defeated Rogers after only one fall, prompting some dissent from a few associated territories of the NWA, who chose not to recognize the title change.}} The WWWF rejoined the NWA in 1971; however, one of the caveats of rejoining is that the championship would no longer be recognized as a "world championship", and only as a regional heavyweight championship.<ref name="Hornbaker">{{cite book |last1=Hornbaker |first1=Tim |title=National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling |date=2007 |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=978-1-4596-5345-0 |pages=192 |quote=Mindful of the pros and cons of being a member, McMahon rejoined the NWA at the 1971 convention in Mexico City. One requirement by the Alliance was that Morales' WWWF championship be recognized as a regional heavyweight title, and not a "world" title.}}</ref> The promotion was renamed World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979 and ended its affiliation with the (NWA) in 1983, with the title also renamed to reflect the changes; it regained its world championship status upon leaving the NWA. In 2001, it was [[Championship unification|unified]] with the [[WCW World Heavyweight Championship|World Championship]] and became the [[World championships in WWE#WWE Undisputed Championship (2001–2002)|Undisputed WWF Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050408044957/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2005|title=WWE Entertainment, Inc. Acquires WCW from Turner Broadcasting|date=March 21, 2001|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Undisputed">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_12_09.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060117113439/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_12_09.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 17, 2006|title=Chris Jericho Becomes First Undisputed Champion of Professional Wrestling|date=December 9, 2001|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref> In 2002, the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and [[WWE brand extension|split its roster into two brands]], [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] and [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]].<ref name="WWF3">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050321172148/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 21, 2005|title=World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Drops The "F" To Emphasize the "E" for Entertainment|date=May 6, 2002|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050321171233/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 21, 2005|title=WWE Entertainment To Make RAW and SmackDown Distinct Television Brands|publisher=[[WWE]]|date=March 27, 2002|access-date=October 17, 2008}}</ref> The title, now renamed the WWE Championship, was then designated to the SmackDown brand while WWE established an alternate world title known as the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] for the Raw brand. A third alternate world title, the [[ECW World Heavyweight Championship]], was reactivated for the [[ECW (WWE brand)|ECW]] brand in 2006. It was vacated and decommissioned when the ECW brand disbanded in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/info/wwfworld.shtml|title=WWE Championship History|work=WrestleView|access-date=October 17, 2008|archive-date=October 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022142819/http://www.wrestleview.com/info/wwfworld.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>
-When WWE Champion [[Randy Orton]] defeated World Heavyweight Champion [[John Cena]] at the [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2013)|TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs]] [[List of WWE pay-per-view events|pay-per-view event]] on December 15, 2013, in a [[Tables, ladders, and chairs match]], the World Heavyweight Championship was unified with the WWE Championship, resulting in the retiring of the former,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/retired-championships|title=Retired Championships|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=November 22, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109092104/http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/retired-championships|archive-date=January 9, 2016}}</ref> as well as the renaming of the latter to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. On June 27, 2016, the name was shortened back to the WWE Championship,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Johnson|first1=Mike|title=Future of top WWE championship already hinted at|url=http://www.pwinsider.com/article/103003/future-of-top-wwe-championship-already-hinted-at-new-battleground-ppv-bout-and-more-wwe-news.html?p=1|work=Pro Wrestling Insider|access-date=June 29, 2016|archive-date=October 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013163459/http://www.pwinsider.com/article/103003/future-of-top-wwe-championship-already-hinted-at-new-battleground-ppv-bout-and-more-wwe-news.html?p=1|url-status=live}}</ref> before assuming the WWE World Championship name on July 26, when the brand split returned. It became designated to the SmackDown brand and WWE again established an alternate world title known as the [[WWE Universal Championship]] for the Raw brand. In December 2016, WWE again shortened the title's name back to WWE Championship.<ref name="WWEChampionshipDec2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwe-championship|title=WWE Championship|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=December 13, 2016|archive-date=December 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214011819/http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwe-championship}}</ref> From April 2022 to April 2024, the title represented one-half of the [[Undisputed WWE Universal Championship]], with the other half represented by the Universal Championship, but both titles retained their individual lineages. Under the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship moniker, the title was moved to SmackDown in the [[2023 WWE Draft|2023 draft]] and Raw established a new [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Championship]] as an alternative title.
+When WWE Champion [[Randy Orton]] defeated World Heavyweight Champion [[John Cena]] at the [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2013)|TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs]] [[List of WWE pay-per-view events|pay-per-view event]] on December 15, 2013, in a [[Tables, ladders, and chairs match]], the World Heavyweight Championship was unified with the WWE Championship, resulting in the retiring of the former,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/retired-championships|title=Retired Championships|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=November 22, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109092104/http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/retired-championships|archive-date=January 9, 2016}}</ref> as well as the renaming of the latter to the [[World championships in WWE#WWE World Heavyweight Championship (2013–2016)|WWE World Heavyweight Championship]]. On June 27, 2016, the name was shortened back to the WWE Championship,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Johnson|first1=Mike|title=Future of top WWE championship already hinted at|url=http://www.pwinsider.com/article/103003/future-of-top-wwe-championship-already-hinted-at-new-battleground-ppv-bout-and-more-wwe-news.html?p=1|work=Pro Wrestling Insider|access-date=June 29, 2016|archive-date=October 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013163459/http://www.pwinsider.com/article/103003/future-of-top-wwe-championship-already-hinted-at-new-battleground-ppv-bout-and-more-wwe-news.html?p=1|url-status=live}}</ref> before assuming the WWE World Championship name on July 26, when the brand split returned. It became designated to the SmackDown brand and WWE again established an alternate world title known as the [[WWE Universal Championship]] for the Raw brand. In December 2016, WWE again shortened the title's name back to WWE Championship.<ref name="WWEChampionshipDec2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwe-championship|title=WWE Championship|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=December 13, 2016|archive-date=December 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214011819/http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwe-championship}}</ref> From April 2022 to April 2024, the title represented one-half of the [[World championships in WWE#Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (2022–2024)|Undisputed WWE Universal Championship]], with the other half represented by the Universal Championship, but both titles retained their individual lineages. Under the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship moniker, the title was moved to SmackDown in the [[2023 WWE Draft|2023 draft]] and Raw established a new [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Championship]] as an alternative title.
-The championship is generally contested in [[Professional wrestling match types|professional wrestling matches]], in which participants execute [[Screenplay|scripted]] finishes rather than contend in [[Competition#Sports|direct competition]]. Some reigns were held by champions using a [[ring name]] while others use their [[Personal name|real name]]. [[John Cena]] is the current champion in his record-setting 14th reign. He won the [[Undisputed WWE Championship]] by defeating [[Cody Rhodes]] in a [[singles match (professional wrestling)|singles match]] at [[WrestleMania 41]] Night 2 on April 20, 2025, in [[Paradise, Nevada]].
+The championship is generally contested in [[Professional wrestling match types|professional wrestling matches]], in which participants execute [[Screenplay|scripted]] finishes rather than contend in [[Competition#Sports|direct competition]]. Some reigns were held by champions using a [[ring name]] while others use their [[Personal name|real name]]. [[Cody Rhodes]] is the current champion in his second reign. He won the [[WWE Championship|Undisputed WWE Championship]] by defeating [[John Cena]] in a [[Street Fight match|Street Fight]] at [[SummerSlam (2025)|SummerSlam]] Night 2 on August 3, 2025, in [[East Rutherford, New Jersey]].
-As of {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTDAY}}<!--Don't remove this, it's a counter that updates automatically. If it's not showing the right number just wait a day!-->, {{CURRENTYEAR}}, there have been 148 recognized reigns between 55 recognized champions and 11 recognized vacancies (there are 4 reigns, 2 people, and 2 vacancies that are not recognized by the WWE). The first champion was [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|Buddy Rogers]], who was awarded the championship in 1963. The champion with the single longest reign is [[Bruno Sammartino]] with a reign of 2,803 days while the record for longest combined reign is also held by Sammartino at 4,040. [[John Cena]] has the most reigns with 14.<!-- Do not change to 17. 14 is the correct number of times Cena has held THIS title; his other 3 title reigns were with the now-retired World Heavyweight Championship. --> Ten men in history have held the championship for a continuous reign of one year (365 days) or more: Bruno Sammartino (who achieved the feat on two occasions), [[Pedro Morales]], [[Bob Backlund]], [[Hulk Hogan]], [[Randy Savage]], [[John Cena]], [[CM Punk]], [[AJ Styles]], [[Roman Reigns]], and [[Cody Rhodes]]. Of those ten, four held the championship for a continuous reign of 1,000 days or more: [[Bruno Sammartino]] (who achieved the feat on two occasions), [[Pedro Morales]], [[Bob Backlund]], and [[Hulk Hogan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/|title=WWE Championship Title History|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008|archive-date=March 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307161021/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wweChampionship|url-status=live}}</ref>
+As of {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTDAY}}<!--Don't remove this, it's a counter that updates automatically. If it's not showing the right number just wait a day!-->, {{CURRENTYEAR}}, there have been 149 recognized reigns between 55 recognized champions and 11 recognized vacancies (there are 4 reigns, 2 people, and 2 vacancies that are not recognized by the WWE). The first champion was [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|Buddy Rogers]], who was awarded the championship in 1963. The champion with the single longest reign is [[Bruno Sammartino]] with a reign of 2,803 days while the record for longest combined reign is also held by Sammartino at 4,040. [[John Cena]] has the most reigns with 14.<!-- Do not change to 17. 14 is the correct number of times Cena has held THIS title; his other 3 title reigns were with the now-retired World Heavyweight Championship. --> Ten men in history have held the championship for a continuous reign of one year (365 days) or more: Bruno Sammartino (who achieved the feat on two occasions), [[Pedro Morales]], [[Bob Backlund]], [[Hulk Hogan]], [[Randy Savage]], [[John Cena]], [[CM Punk]], [[AJ Styles]], [[Roman Reigns]], and [[Cody Rhodes]]. Of those ten, four held the championship for a continuous reign of 1,000 days or more: [[Bruno Sammartino]] (who achieved the feat on two occasions), [[Pedro Morales]], [[Bob Backlund]], and [[Hulk Hogan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/|title=WWE Championship Title History|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=October 17, 2008|archive-date=March 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307161021/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wweChampionship|url-status=live}}</ref>
 == Title history ==
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 |May 27, 1989{{cn|date=August 2024}} – December 9, 2001
 |-
-|World championships in WWE#WWE Undisputed Championship (2001–2002)|Undisputed WWF Championship
+|[[World championships in WWE#WWE Undisputed Championship (2001–2002)|Undisputed WWF Championship]]
 |December 9, 2001<ref name="Undisputed"/> – May 6, 2002<ref name="WWF3"/>
 |-
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 |September 2, 2002<ref name="TitleDisputed"/> – December 15, 2013
 |-
-|World championships in WWE#WWE World Heavyweight Championship (2013–2016)|WWE World Heavyweight Championship
+|Undisputed WWE Championship
+|August 14, 2011<ref>{{Cite web |title=CM Punk def. John Cena; Alberto Del Rio cashed in Raw Money in the Bank briefcase (New Undisputed WWE Champion) {{!}} WWE |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/2011/cena-punk-wwe-title |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=www.wwe.com |language=en |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327210153/https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/2011/cena-punk-wwe-title |url-status=live }}</ref> – August 15, 2011
+|-
+|[[World championships in WWE#WWE World Heavyweight Championship (2013–2016)|WWE World Heavyweight Championship]]
 |December 15, 2013 – June 27, 2016
 |-
@@ Line 57: / Line 60: @@
 |December 10, 2016<ref name="WWEChampionshipDec2016" /> – present
 |-
-|World championships in WWE#Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (2022–2024)|Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
+|[[World championships in WWE#Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (2022–2024)|Undisputed WWE Universal Championship]]
 |April 3, 2022 – April 7, 2024
 |-
-|[[Undisputed WWE Championship]]
+|Undisputed WWE Championship
 |April 7, 2024 – present
+|-
 |}
@@ Line 75: / Line 79: @@
 |champion = {{sortname|Buddy|Rogers|dab=wrestler}}
 |reign    = 1
-|date     = {{dts|April 11, 1963}}
+|date     = {{dts|April 1, 1963}}
 |days     = {{age in days nts|April 11, 1963|May 17, 1963}}
 |days2    = {{age in days nts|April 25, 1963|May 16, 1963}}
 |location = [[Washington, D.C.]]
 |event    = ''[[Heavyweight Wrestling]]''
-|notes    = Rogers had been [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship|NWA World Heavyweight Champion]] since 1961. After Rogers lost the title to [[Lou Thesz]] on January 24, 1963, [[Capitol Wrestling Corporation|Northeast promoters]] did not recognize this title change and withdrew from the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA) to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). The WWWF continued to recognize Rogers as world champion and awarded him with the WWWF [[Championship belt#Professional wrestling|title belt]] on April 11, 1963. WWE recognizes the reign as starting on April 25, 1963.
+|notes    = Rogers had been [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship|NWA World Heavyweight Champion]] since 1961. After Rogers lost the title to [[Lou Thesz]] on January 24, 1963, [[Capitol Wrestling Corporation|Northeast promoters]] did not recognize this title change and withdrew from the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA) to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). The WWWF continued to recognize Rogers as world champion and awarded him with the WWWF [[Championship belt#Professional wrestling|title belt]] on April 1, 1963. WWE recognizes the reign as starting on April 25, 1963.
 |ref      = <ref name="Rogers1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/30445411 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050828211610/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/30445411 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 28, 2005 |title=Buddy Rogers's first reign |publisher=WWE |access-date=March 17, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="Phantom1">{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/classics/phantom-title-changes|title=The secret history of phantom title changes|last=Melok|first=Bobby Melok|publisher=[[WWE]]|date=December 12, 2012|access-date=December 3, 2018|archive-date=November 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107004222/https://www.wwe.com/classics/phantom-title-changes|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/buddyrogers|title=Buddy Rogers|publisher=WWE|quote=So in 1961, when he dethroned Pat O'Connor for the NWA World Championship in Chicago's Comiskey Park [...]|access-date=November 15, 2016|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035359/http://www.wwe.com/superstars/buddyrogers/|url-status=live}}</ref><br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/63.htm|title=1963|work=TheHistoryofWWE.com|quote=- 1/25/63: The World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) was formed when promoters in the Northeast refused to acknowledge Rogers' one-fall loss of the NWA championship. The real reason was that Vince McMahon Sr. wanted to keep Rogers on as his territory's champion since so much money was being made from his title run. Rogers continued to wrestle as the "world champion" in the Northeast region and was recognized as the "WWWF World Champion" starting in April.|access-date=November 15, 2016|archive-date=October 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031182149/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/63.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/63.htm|title=1963|work=TheHistoryofWWE.com|quote=World Champion Buddy Rogers defeated Bobo Brazil|access-date=November 15, 2016|archive-date=October 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031182149/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/63.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/63.htm|title=1963|work=TheHistoryofWWE.com|quote=WWWF World Champion Buddy Rogers fought Bruno Sammartino to a no contest; it was prior to this bout that Rogers received the WWWF World Title though he had been billed as 'world champion' since January|access-date=November 15, 2016|archive-date=October 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031182149/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/63.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwe-world-championship|title=WWE World Championship|publisher=WWE|access-date=November 15, 2016|archive-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111173340/http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwe-world-championship|url-status=live}}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
@@ Line 172: / Line 176: @@
 |location = [[Tokushima (city)|Tokushima, Japan]]
 |event    = ''Toukon Series''
-|notes    = Due to the controversial nature of the championship match, the WWE has since acknowledged that the match took place however the title did not change hands due to the finish. [[Corey Graves]] in 2024 stated on an episode of ''SmackDown'' that Inoki had a "legitimate claim" to the WWE Championship in a match between [[Shinsuke Nakamura]] and [[LA Knight]] in reference to this match.
+|notes    = WWE acknowledges that this championship match took place; however, due to the controversial nature of the match, they do not recognize that the title changed hands due to the finish. During the September 30, 2022, episode of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]''  (October 1 in Japan due to the time difference), in referencing this match in memory of Inoki, who died that day, commentator [[Corey Graves]] stated that Inoki had a "legitimate claim" to the WWE Championship.
-|ref      = <ref name="Phantom1"/><ref name="Phantom2">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/world_title.htm|title=WWWF/WWF/WWE Heavyweight Title History|website=The History of WWE.com|access-date=December 3, 2018|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095640/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/world_title.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.puroresu.com/newjapan/results/nj197910tohkon.html|title=NJPW: 1979: Toukon Series|access-date=October 9, 2020|archive-date=October 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010001045/https://www.puroresu.com/newjapan/results/nj197910tohkon.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/results/wwe-smackdown-live-results-bayley-vs-shotzi|title=WWE SmackDown live results: Bayley vs. Shotzi|date=September 30, 2022|last=Bath|first=Dave|work=[[Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online]]|access-date=October 1, 2022}}</ref>
+|ref      = <ref name="Phantom1"/><ref name="Phantom2">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/world_title.htm|title=WWWF/WWF/WWE Heavyweight Title History|website=The History of WWE.com|access-date=December 3, 2018|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095640/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/world_title.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.puroresu.com/newjapan/results/nj197910tohkon.html|title=NJPW: 1979: Toukon Series|access-date=October 9, 2020|archive-date=October 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010001045/https://www.puroresu.com/newjapan/results/nj197910tohkon.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/results/wwe-smackdown-live-results-bayley-vs-shotzi|title=WWE SmackDown live results: Bayley vs. Shotzi|date=September 30, 2022|last=Bath|first=Dave|work=[[Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online]]|access-date=October 1, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930232410/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/results/wwe-smackdown-live-results-bayley-vs-shotzi|url-status=live}}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
 |sort number = 8.5
@@ Line 671: / Line 675: @@
 |location = [[Kansas City, MO]]
 |event    = [[Over the Edge (1999)|Over the Edge]]
-|notes    = Both [[Vince McMahon]] and [[Shane McMahon]] were the [[guest referee]]s.
+|notes    = Both [[Vince McMahon]] and [[Shane McMahon]] were the [[guest referee]]s. If Austin had been disqualified, he would have lost the championship.
 |ref      = <ref name="Undertaker3">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/30445414012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050730000421/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/30445414012 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 30, 2005 |title=The Undertaker's third reign |publisher=WWE |access-date=March 22, 2007 }}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
@@ Line 855: / Line 859: @@
 |location = [[San Diego, CA]]
 |event    = [[Vengeance (2001)|Vengeance]]
-|notes    = Jericho had defeated [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]] for the [[List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions|(WCW) World Championship]] earlier the same night. By defeating [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] for the WWF Championship, Jericho [[Championship unification|unified]] both titles to become Undisputed WWF champion.
+|notes    = Jericho had defeated [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]] for the [[List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions|(WCW) World Championship]] earlier the same night. By defeating [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] for the WWF Championship, Jericho [[Championship unification|unified]] both titles to become [[World championships in WWE#WWE Undisputed Championship (2001–2002)|Undisputed WWF Championship]].
 |ref      = <ref name="Jericho1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/3044541414 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051106120952/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/3044541414 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2005 |title=Chris Jericho's first reign |publisher=WWE |access-date=March 22, 2007 }}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
@@ Line 914: / Line 918: @@
 |location = [[Uniondale, NY]]
 |event    = [[SummerSlam (2002)|SummerSlam]]
-|notes    = The following night, Lesnar signed an deal, making the championship exclusive to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]. The [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] was then created for the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] brand and, on September 2, 2002, the WWE Undisputed Championship was renamed WWE Championship.
+|notes    = The following night, Lesnar signed a deal, making the championship exclusive to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]. The [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] was then created for the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] brand and, on September 2, 2002, the WWE Undisputed Championship was renamed WWE Championship.
 |ref      = <ref name="Lesnar1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/3044541401112 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050721032853/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/3044541401112 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2005 |title=Brock Lesnar's first reign |publisher=WWE |access-date=March 22, 2007 }}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
@@ Line 1,511: / Line 1,515: @@
 |location = [[Miami, FL]]
 |event    = [[Hell in a Cell (2013)|Hell in a Cell]]
-|notes    = Orton defeated [[Bryan Danielson|Daniel Bryan]] in a [[Hell in a Cell match]] to win the vacant title with [[Shawn Michaels]] as the [[guest referee]].<br />On December 15, 2013, at [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2013)|TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs]], Orton defeated [[John Cena]] in a [[Tables, Ladders and Chairs match]] to [[Championship unification|unify]] the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|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.
+|notes    = Orton defeated [[Bryan Danielson|Daniel Bryan]] in a [[Hell in a Cell match]] to win the vacant title with [[Shawn Michaels]] as the [[guest referee]].<br />On December 15, 2013, at [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2013)|TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs]], Orton defeated [[John Cena]] in a [[Tables, Ladders and Chairs match]] to [[Championship unification|unify]] the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Championship]] with the WWE Championship. The World Heavyweight Championship was then retired and the WWE Championship became known as the [[World championships in WWE#WWE World Heavyweight Championship (2013–2016)|WWE World Heavyweight Championship]].
 |ref      = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwechampionship/20131027-randy-orton |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203133228/http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwechampionship/20131027-randy-orton |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |title=Randy Orton's eighth reign |access-date=October 27, 2013 |publisher=WWE }}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
@@ Line 1,751: / Line 1,755: @@
 |location = [[Los Angeles, CA]]
 |event    = ''[[SmackDown's 20th Anniversary]]''
-|notes    = On the November 1, 2019, episode of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', Lesnar quit [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] and went to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]], taking the title with him.|ref = <ref name="Summerslam8112019">{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=10/04 WWE Smackdown results: Powell's review of The Rock's return, Kofi Kingston vs.Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship, Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon in a ladder match, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks ans Bayley, Roman Reigns vs Erick Rowan in a Lumberjack Match|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/10/04/10-04-wwe-friday-night-smackdown-results-powells-review-of-the-rocks-return-kofi-kingston-vs-brock-lesnar-for-the-wwe-championship-kevin-owens-vs-shane-mcmahon-in-a-career-vs-career-ladder-m/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=August 11, 2019|access-date=October 4, 2019|archive-date=October 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006060619/https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/10/04/10-04-wwe-friday-night-smackdown-results-powells-review-of-the-rocks-return-kofi-kingston-vs-brock-lesnar-for-the-wwe-championship-kevin-owens-vs-shane-mcmahon-in-a-career-vs-career-ladder-m/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+|notes    = On the November 1, 2019, episode of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', Lesnar quit [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] and went to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]], taking the title with him.Lesnar won the title in 9 second|ref = <ref name="Summerslam8112019">{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=10/04 WWE Smackdown results: Powell's review of The Rock's return, Kofi Kingston vs.Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship, Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon in a ladder match, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks ans Bayley, Roman Reigns vs Erick Rowan in a Lumberjack Match|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/10/04/10-04-wwe-friday-night-smackdown-results-powells-review-of-the-rocks-return-kofi-kingston-vs-brock-lesnar-for-the-wwe-championship-kevin-owens-vs-shane-mcmahon-in-a-career-vs-career-ladder-m/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=August 11, 2019|access-date=October 4, 2019|archive-date=October 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006060619/https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/10/04/10-04-wwe-friday-night-smackdown-results-powells-review-of-the-rocks-return-kofi-kingston-vs-brock-lesnar-for-the-wwe-championship-kevin-owens-vs-shane-mcmahon-in-a-career-vs-career-ladder-m/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
 |sort number = 0.5
@@ Line 1,765: / Line 1,769: @@
 |location = [[Orlando, FL]]
 |event    = [[WrestleMania 36]]<br />{{small|Part 2}}
-|notes    = The match was taped on March 25, according to McIntyre's memoir, ''A Chosen Destiny: My Story''.<ref>{{cite web |author1=WWE.com Staff |title=Read the Prologue of Drew McIntyre's "A Chosen Destiny: My Story" |url=https://www.wwe.com/article/read-the-prologue-of-drew-mcintyres-a-chosen-destiny-my-story |website=[[WWE]] |access-date=July 7, 2021 |date=May 3, 2021 |quote=ELEVEN DAYS EARLIER. MARCH 25, 2020. Returning to the Performance Center, where I'd spent so many days during my time in WWE's third brand, NXT—and realizing this was where WrestleMania was going to take place—was weird, just weird. For a start, the taping of the main event (usually the last match on an evening show) was scheduled for midday.}}</ref><br />WWE recognizes this reign as beginning on April 5, 2020, when the match aired on [[Broadcast delay|tape delay]].
+|notes    = The match was taped on March 25, according to McIntyre's memoir, ''A Chosen Destiny: My Story''.<ref>{{cite web |author1=WWE.com Staff |title=Read the Prologue of Drew McIntyre's "A Chosen Destiny: My Story" |url=https://www.wwe.com/article/read-the-prologue-of-drew-mcintyres-a-chosen-destiny-my-story |website=[[WWE]] |access-date=July 7, 2021 |date=May 3, 2021 |quote=ELEVEN DAYS EARLIER. MARCH 25, 2020. Returning to the Performance Center, where I'd spent so many days during my time in WWE's third brand, NXT—and realizing this was where WrestleMania was going to take place—was weird, just weird. For a start, the taping of the main event (usually the last match on an evening show) was scheduled for midday. |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184820/https://www.wwe.com/article/read-the-prologue-of-drew-mcintyres-a-chosen-destiny-my-story |url-status=live }}</ref><br />WWE recognizes this reign as beginning on April 5, 2020, when the match aired on [[Broadcast delay|tape delay]].
 |ref      = <ref name="WM36Part2">{{cite web|last1=Powell|first1=Jason|title=WrestleMania 36 results: Powell's live review of Night Two featuring Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, John Cena vs. "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in a Firefly Funhouse match, Edge vs. Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match, Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair for the NXT Women's Championship|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/04/05/wrestlemania-36-results-powells-live-review-of-night-two-featuring-brock-lesnar-vs-drew-mcintyre-for-the-wwe-championship-john-cena-vs-the-fiend-bray-wyatt-in-a-firefly-funhouse-match/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=April 5, 2020|access-date=April 5, 2020|archive-date=April 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406115513/https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/04/05/wrestlemania-36-results-powells-live-review-of-night-two-featuring-brock-lesnar-vs-drew-mcintyre-for-the-wwe-championship-john-cena-vs-the-fiend-bray-wyatt-in-a-firefly-funhouse-match/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 }}{{PWtitlereign
@@ Line 1,886: / Line 1,890: @@
 |reign    = 14
 |date     = {{dts|April 20, 2025}}
-|days     = {{age in days nts|April 20, 2025}}+
+|days     = {{age in days nts|April 20, 2025|August 3, 2025}}
-|days2    = yes
+|days2    = {{age in days nts|April 20, 2025|August 3, 2025}}
 |location = [[Paradise, NV]]
 |event    = [[WrestleMania 41]]<br>{{small|Night 2}}
 |notes    =
-|ref      = <ref name="WM41N2">{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WrestleMania 41 results: Powell's live review of night two with Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship, Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley for the Women's World Championship|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/04/20/wrestlemania-41-results-powells-live-review-of-night-two-with-cody-rhodes-vs-john-cena-for-the-wwe-championship-iyo-sky-vs-bianca-belair-vs-rhea-ripley-for-the-womens-world-championship/|date=April 20, 2025|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=April 20, 2025}}</ref>
+|ref      = <ref name="WM41N2">{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WrestleMania 41 results: Powell's live review of night two with Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship, Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley for the Women's World Championship|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/04/20/wrestlemania-41-results-powells-live-review-of-night-two-with-cody-rhodes-vs-john-cena-for-the-wwe-championship-iyo-sky-vs-bianca-belair-vs-rhea-ripley-for-the-womens-world-championship/|date=April 20, 2025|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=April 21, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250429080055/https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/04/20/wrestlemania-41-results-powells-live-review-of-night-two-with-cody-rhodes-vs-john-cena-for-the-wwe-championship-iyo-sky-vs-bianca-belair-vs-rhea-ripley-for-the-womens-world-championship/|archive-date=April 29, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
+}}{{PWtitlereign
+|number   = 149
+|champion = {{sortname|Cody|Rhodes}}
+|reign    = 2
+|date     = {{dts|August 3, 2025}}
+|days     = {{age in days nts|August 3, 2025}}+
+|days2    = yes
+|location = [[East Rutherford, NJ]]
+|event    = [[SummerSlam (2025)|SummerSlam]]<br>{{small|Night 2}}
+|notes    = This was a [[Street Fight match|Street Fight]].
+|ref      = <ref name="SSlam2025N2">{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WWE SummerSlam results: Powell's live review of night two with John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes in a Street Fight for the WWE Championship, Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky for the Women's World Championship|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/08/03/wwe-summerslam-results-powells-live-review-of-night-two-with-john-cena-vs-cody-rhodes-in-a-street-fight-for-the-wwe-championship-naomi-vs-rhea-ripley-vs-iyo-sky-for-the-womens-world-cham/|date=August 3, 2025|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=August 4, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250805081215/https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/08/03/wwe-summerslam-results-powells-live-review-of-night-two-with-john-cena-vs-cody-rhodes-in-a-street-fight-for-the-wwe-championship-naomi-vs-rhea-ripley-vs-iyo-sky-for-the-womens-world-cham/|archive-date=August 5, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
 }}{{BundleEnd}}
@@ Line 1,901: / Line 1,916: @@
 |image1    = WRESTLING NEWS -1 1976 All Star Edition Living Legend BRUNO SAMMARTINO Photo.jpg
 |caption1  = Two-time champion [[Bruno Sammartino]], whose first reign is the longest reign at 2,803 days. He also has the longest combined reign at 4,040 days.
-|image2    = Cena With Spinner Belt.jpg
+|image2    = John Cena _042025_(cropped).jpg
 |caption2  = Record <!-- Do not change to 17. 14 is the correct number of times Cena has held THIS title; his other 3 title reigns were with the now-retired World Heavyweight Championship. -->14-time champion [[John Cena]]
 }}
@@ Line 1,937: / Line 1,952: @@
 |-
 !4
-| style="background-color: #ffe6bd" |{{sortname|John|Cena}} † || <!-- Do not change to 17. 14 is the correct number of times Cena has held THIS title; his other 3 title reigns were with the now-retired World Heavyweight Championship. -->14 ||  colspan="2" | {{age in days|November 13, 2021}}+
+|{{sortname|John|Cena}} || <!-- Do not change to 17. 14 is the correct number of times Cena has held THIS title; his other 3 title reigns were with the now-retired World Heavyweight Championship. -->14 ||  colspan="2" | 1,360
 |-
 !5
@@ Line 1,943: / Line 1,958: @@
 |-
 !6
-|{{sortname|Roman|Reigns}} || 4 || 853 || 850
+|{{sortname|Roman|Reigns}} || 4 || 853 || 855
 |-
 !7
@@ Line 1,949: / Line 1,964: @@
 |-
 !8
-|{{sortname|Randy|Orton}} || 10 || 680 || 675
+|{{sortname|Randy|Orton}} || 10 || 680 || 685
 |-
 !9
@@ Line 1,955: / Line 1,970: @@
 |-
 !10
-|{{sortname|Triple|H}} || 9 || 610 || 609
+|{{sortname|Triple|H}} || 9 || 609 || 605
 |-
 !11
@@ Line 1,961: / Line 1,976: @@
 |-
 !12
-|{{sortname|Randy|Savage}} || 2 || colspan=2|520
+| style="background-color: #ffe6bd" |{{sortname|Cody|Rhodes}} † || 2 || colspan="2" | {{age in days|July 21, 2024}}+
 |-
 !13
-|{{sortname|AJ|Styles}} || 2 || colspan=2|511
+|{{sortname|Randy|Savage}} || 2 || colspan=2|520
 |-
 !14
-|{{sortname|CM|Punk}} || 2 || colspan=2|462
+|{{sortname|AJ|Styles}} || 2 || colspan=2|511
 |-
 !15
-|{{sortname|Shawn|Michaels}} || 3 || colspan=2|396
+|{{sortname|CM|Punk}} || 2 || colspan=2|462
 |-
 !16
-|{{sortname|Cody|Rhodes}} || 1 || colspan="2" | 378
+|{{sortname|Shawn|Michaels}} || 3 || colspan=2|396
 |-
 !17
-|{{sortname|The|Rock|Dwayne Johnson}} || 8 || 367 || 373
+|{{sortname|The|Rock|Dwayne Johnson}} || 8 || 367 || 377
 |-
 !18
@@ Line 1,982: / Line 1,997: @@
 |-
 !19
-|{{sortname|Drew|McIntyre}} || 2 || 311 || 298
+|{{sortname|Drew|McIntyre}} || 2 || 311 || 300
 |-
 !20
@@ Line 2,008: / Line 2,023: @@
 |-
 !28
-|{{sortname|Daniel|Bryan|Bryan Danielson}} || 4 || 210 || 207
+|{{sortname|Daniel|Bryan|Bryan Danielson}} || 4 || 210 || 209
 |-
 !29
-|{{sortname||Sheamus|Sheamus}} || 3 || 183 || 181
+|{{sortname||Sheamus|Sheamus}} || 3 || 183 || 182
 |-
 !30

List of WWE Champions: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 00:45, 1 January 2026

Contents

Title history

Names

Reigns

Combined reigns

See also

Notes

References

External links

Navigation menu

List of WWE Champions: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 00:45, 1 January 2026

Title history

Names

Reigns

Combined reigns

See also

Notes

References

External links

Navigation menu

Search