# List of WWE Champions

The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE, currently 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. 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. 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. In 2002, the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and split its roster into two brands, Raw and SmackDown. 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.
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, 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, 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. Since April 2022, the title has represented one-half of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, with the other half represented by the Universal Championship, but both titles have 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 first reign. He won the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (WWE and Universal Championships) by defeating Roman Reigns in a Bloodline Rules match at WrestleMania XL Night 2 on April 7, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following his win, the undisputed title's name was truncated to Undisputed WWE Championship.
As of March 16, 2025, there have been 147 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 13. Nine 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, and Roman Reigns. Of those nine, 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.

## Title history
### Names

| Name | Years |
| WWWF World Heavyweight Championship | April 25, 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, 1989 – December 9, 2001 |
| Undisputed WWF Championship | December 9, 2001 – May 6, 2002 |
| Undisputed WWE Championship | May 6, 2002 – May 19, 2002 |
| WWE Undisputed Championship | May 19, 2002 – September 2, 2002 |
| WWE Championship | September 2, 2002 – December 15, 2013 |
| WWE World Heavyweight Championship | December 15, 2013 – June 27, 2016 |
| WWE Championship | June 27, 2016 – July 24, 2016 |
| WWE World Championship | July 25, 2016 – December 9, 2016 |
| WWE Championship | December 10, 2016 – present |
| Undisputed WWE Universal Championship | April 3, 2022 – April 7, 2024 |
| Undisputed WWE Championship | April 7, 2024 – present |

### Reigns

As of March 16, 2025.
Key :
| No. | Overall reign number |
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| Days recog. | Number of days held recognized by the promotion |
| † | Championship change is unrecognized by the promotion |
| <1 | Reign lasted less than a day |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Championship change | Championship change | Reign statistics | Reign statistics | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. |
| No. | Champion | Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Days recog. | Notes | Ref. |
| | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) |
| 1 | Buddy Rogers | April 11, 1963 | Heavyweight Wrestling | Washington, D.C. | 1 | 36 | 21 | Rogers had been NWA World Heavyweight Champion since 1961. After Rogers lost the title to Lou Thesz on January 24, 1963, 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 title belt on April 11, 1963. WWE recognizes the reign as starting on April 25, 1963. | [15][16][17] [18][19][20] [21] |
| 2 | Bruno Sammartino | May 17, 1963 | House show | New York, NY | 1 | 2,803 | 2,803 | | |
| 3 | Ivan Koloff | January 18, 1971 | House show | New York, NY | 1 | 21 | 21 | | |
| 4 | Pedro Morales | February 8, 1971 | House show | New York, NY | 1 | 1,027 | 1,027 | The title was renamed the WWWF Heavyweight Championship when the WWWF rejoined the NWA in 1971. | |
| | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) |
| 5 | Stan Stasiak | December 1, 1973 | House show | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 9 | 9 | | |
| 6 | Bruno Sammartino | December 10, 1973 | House show | New York, NY | 2 | 1,237 | 1,237 | | |
| 7 | "Superstar" Billy Graham | April 30, 1977 | House show | Baltimore, MD | 1 | 296 | 296 | | |
| 8 | Bob Backlund | February 20, 1978 | WWF on MSG Network | New York, NY | 1 | 648 | 2,135 | The WWWF was renamed World Wrestling Federation in March 1979 and the title renamed accordingly. | |
| | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF) |
| † | Antonio Inoki | November 30, 1979 | Toukon Series | Tokushima, Japan | — | 6 | — | 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. Cory 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. | |
| — | Vacated | December 6, 1979 | — | Tokyo, Japan | — | — | — | Inoki immediately vacated the title after a title defense rematch with Bob Backlund ended in a no contest due to the interference of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Tiger Jeet Singh. | |
| † | Bob Backlund | December 17, 1979 | WWF on MSG Network | New York, NY | 1 | 1,470 | — | Defeated Bobby Duncum in a Texas deathmatch to fill the vacancy. On October 19, 1981, following a controversial match with Greg Valentine in Madison Square Garden, the title was vacated (recognized only in New York City) by the NY State Athletic Commission. Backlund defeated Valentine in a rematch in MSG on November 23, 1981, to end the vacancy. WWE recognizes this whole period as one uninterrupted reign. | |
| 9 | The Iron Sheik | December 26, 1983 | WWF on MSG Network | New York, NY | 1 | 28 | 28 | The Iron Sheik won by submission when Bob Backlund's manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel to prevent any major injury. The title was renamed the WWF World Heavyweight Championship when the WWF ended its affiliation with the NWA. | |
| | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) | World Wrestling Federation (WWF) |
| 10 | Hulk Hogan | January 23, 1984 | WWF on MSG Network | New York, NY | 1 | 1,474 | 1,474 | | |
| 11 | André the Giant | February 5, 1988 | The Main Event I | Indianapolis, IN | 1 | <1 | <1 | Defeated Hulk Hogan when referee Earl Hebner, who was bribed by Ted DiBiase, scored the three-count despite Hogan raising his shoulder at the one-count. | |
| † | Ted DiBiase | February 5, 1988 | The Main Event I | Indianapolis, IN | 1 | 8 | — | Immediately after winning the title from Hulk Hogan, André the Giant handed the championship belt to Ted DiBiase, but WWF President Jack Tunney refused to recognize DiBiase's reign and declared the title vacant. However, in the subsequent days DiBiase defended the title once against Bam Bam Bigelow in a February 8, 1988 house show. | |
| — | Vacated | February 13, 1988 | Superstars of Wrestling | Hershey, PA | — | — | — | WWF President Jack Tunney refused to recognize Ted DiBiase as champion and vacated the title. WWE recognizes the vacancy as starting on February 5, 1988, the date of the controversy, rather than decision being aired on tape delay on February 13, 1988. | |
| 12 | Randy Savage | March 27, 1988 | WrestleMania IV | Atlantic City, NJ | 1 | 371 | 371 | Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final to win the vacant title. | |
| 13 | Hulk Hogan | April 2, 1989 | WrestleMania V | Atlantic City, NJ | 2 | 364 | 364 | The title was renamed the WWF Championship in May 1989. | |
| 14 | The Ultimate Warrior | April 1, 1990 | WrestleMania VI | Toronto, ON, Canada | 1 | 293 | 293 | This was a title vs. title match in which Warrior also defended the Intercontinental Championship. | |
| 15 | Sgt. Slaughter | January 19, 1991 | Royal Rumble | Miami, FL | 1 | 64 | 64 | | |
| 16 | Hulk Hogan | March 24, 1991 | WrestleMania VII | Los Angeles, CA | 3 | 248 | 248 | | |
| 17 | The Undertaker | November 27, 1991 | Survivor Series | Detroit, MI | 1 | 6 | 6 | | |
| 18 | Hulk Hogan | December 3, 1991 | This Tuesday in Texas | San Antonio, TX | 4 | 1 | 1 | | |
| — | Vacated | December 4, 1991 | Superstars of Wrestling | Austin, TX | — | — | — | Hogan was stripped of the title by WWF President Jack Tunney due to the controversy surrounding both of the previous title changes. Aired on tape delay on December 7, 1991. | |
| 19 | Ric Flair | January 19, 1992 | Royal Rumble | Albany, NY | 1 | 77 | 77 | This was the Royal Rumble match. Flair last eliminated Sid Justice to win the vacant title. | |
| 20 | Randy Savage | April 5, 1992 | WrestleMania VIII | Indianapolis, IN | 2 | 149 | 149 | | |
| 21 | Ric Flair | September 1, 1992 | Prime Time Wrestling | Hershey, PA | 2 | 41 | 41 | Aired on tape delay on September 14, 1992. | |
| 22 | Bret Hart | October 12, 1992 | House show | Saskatoon, SK, Canada | 1 | 174 | 174 | | |
| 23 | Yokozuna | April 4, 1993 | WrestleMania IX | Paradise, NV | 1 | <1 | <1 | | |
| 24 | Hulk Hogan | April 4, 1993 | WrestleMania IX | Paradise, NV | 5 | 70 | 70 | After Yokozuna pinned Bret Hart to win the title, Yokozuna's manager, Mr. Fuji, immediately challenged Hogan. Hogan accepted and won the title. | |
| 25 | Yokozuna | June 13, 1993 | King of the Ring | Dayton, OH | 2 | 280 | 280 | | |
| 26 | Bret Hart | March 20, 1994 | WrestleMania X | New York, NY | 2 | 248 | 248 | Roddy Piper was the guest referee. | |
| 27 | Bob Backlund | November 23, 1994 | Survivor Series | San Antonio, TX | 2 | 3 | 3 | This was a Throw in the Towel match. | |
| 28 | Diesel | November 26, 1994 | House show | New York, NY | 1 | 358 | 358 | | |
| 29 | Bret Hart | November 19, 1995 | Survivor Series | Landover, MD | 3 | 133 | 133 | This was a no disqualification match. | |
| 30 | Shawn Michaels | March 31, 1996 | WrestleMania XII | Anaheim, CA | 1 | 231 | 231 | This was a 60-minute Iron Man match in which Michaels won 1–0 in overtime. | |
| 31 | Sycho Sid | November 17, 1996 | Survivor Series | New York, NY | 1 | 63 | 63 | | |
| 32 | Shawn Michaels | January 19, 1997 | Royal Rumble | San Antonio, TX | 2 | 25 | 25 | | |
| — | Vacated | February 13, 1997 | Raw | Lowell, MA | — | — | — | Shawn Michaels forfeited the title due to a knee injury. | |
| 33 | Bret Hart | February 16, 1997 | In Your House 13: Final Four | Chattanooga, TN | 4 | 1 | 1 | This was a four corners elimination match for the vacant title also involving Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Vader. | |
| 34 | Sycho Sid | February 17, 1997 | Raw | Nashville, TN | 2 | 34 | 34 | | |
| 35 | The Undertaker | March 23, 1997 | WrestleMania 13 | Rosemont, IL | 2 | 133 | 133 | This was a no disqualification match. | |
| 36 | Bret Hart | August 3, 1997 | SummerSlam | East Rutherford, NJ | 5 | 98 | 98 | Shawn Michaels was the guest referee. | |
| 37 | Shawn Michaels | November 9, 1997 | Survivor Series | Montreal, QC, Canada | 3 | 140 | 140 | This was the Montreal Screwjob. | |
| 38 | Stone Cold Steve Austin | March 29, 1998 | WrestleMania XIV | Boston, MA | 1 | 91 | 91 | Mike Tyson was the special outside enforcer. | |
| 39 | Kane | June 28, 1998 | King of the Ring | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | 1 | 1 | This was a First Blood match; had Kane lost, he would have set himself on fire. | |
| 40 | Stone Cold Steve Austin | June 29, 1998 | Raw | Cleveland, OH | 2 | 90 | 90 | | |
| — | Vacated | September 27, 1998 | Breakdown: In Your House | Hamilton, ON, Canada | — | — | — | The title was vacated after Kane and The Undertaker simultaneously pinned Steve Austin in a triple threat match. | |
| 41 | The Rock | November 15, 1998 | Survivor Series | St. Louis, MO | 1 | 44 | 50 | Defeated Mankind in the finals of the Deadly Game tournament in a recreation of the Montreal Screwjob to win the vacant title. WWE recognizes The Rock's reign as ending on January 4, 1999, when the following episode aired on tape delay. | |
| 42 | Mankind | December 29, 1998 | Raw | Worcester, MA | 1 | 26 | 20 | This was a no disqualification match. WWE recognizes Mankind's reign as beginning on January 4, 1999, when the episode aired on tape delay. | |
| 43 | The Rock | January 24, 1999 | Royal Rumble | Anaheim, CA | 2 | 2 | 7 | This was an "I quit" match which The Rock won by knocking Mankind unconscious while an audio recording of Mankind saying "I quit" was played when The Rock placed the microphone against his face. WWE recognizes The Rock's reign as ending on January 31, 1999, when the following match aired on tape delay. | |
| 44 | Mankind | January 26, 1999 | Halftime Heat | Tucson, AZ | 2 | 20 | 15 | This was an Empty Arena match that aired on tape delay as a special during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999, the date WWE recognizes as the beginning of Mankind's reign. | |
| 45 | The Rock | February 15, 1999 | Raw | Birmingham, AL | 3 | 41 | 41 | This was a ladder match. | |
| 46 | Stone Cold Steve Austin | March 28, 1999 | WrestleMania XV | Philadelphia, PA | 3 | 56 | 56 | This was a no disqualification match with Mankind as the guest referee. | |
| 47 | The Undertaker | May 23, 1999 | Over the Edge | Kansas City, MO | 3 | 36 | 36 | Both Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon were the guest referees. | |
| 48 | Stone Cold Steve Austin | June 28, 1999 | Raw | Charlotte, NC | 4 | 55 | 55 | If The Undertaker had been disqualified, he would have lost the championship. | |
| 49 | Mankind | August 22, 1999 | SummerSlam | Minneapolis, MN | 3 | 1 | 1 | This was a triple threat match also involving Triple H. Jesse Ventura was the guest referee. | |
| 50 | Triple H | August 23, 1999 | Raw | Ames, IA | 1 | 22 | 24 | Shane McMahon was the guest referee. WWE recognizes Triple H's reign as ending on September 16, 1999, when the following episode aired on tape delay. | |
| 51 | Vince McMahon | September 14, 1999 | SmackDown! | Paradise, NV | 1 | 6 | 4 | Shane McMahon was the guest referee. WWE recognizes Vince McMahon's reign as beginning on September 16, 1999, when the episode aired on tape delay. | |
| — | Vacated | September 20, 1999 | Raw | Houston, TX | — | — | — | Vince McMahon vacated the title. | |
| 52 | Triple H | September 26, 1999 | Unforgiven | Charlotte, NC | 2 | 49 | 49 | This was a six-men elimination match for the vacant title, also involving Big Show, The British Bulldog, Kane, Mankind, and The Rock. Steve Austin was the outside enforcer. | |
| 53 | Big Show | November 14, 1999 | Survivor Series | Detroit, MI | 1 | 50 | 50 | This was a triple threat match also involving The Rock. Big Show replaced Steve Austin who had been (in storyline) run over by a car earlier in the night. | |
| 54 | Triple H | January 3, 2000 | Raw | Miami, FL | 3 | 118 | 117 | | |
| 55 | The Rock | April 30, 2000 | Backlash | Washington, D.C. | 4 | 21 | 20 | Shane McMahon was the guest referee. | |
| 56 | Triple H | May 21, 2000 | Judgment Day | Louisville, KY | 4 | 35 | 34 | This was a 60-minute Iron Man match which Triple H won 6–5. Shawn Michaels was the guest referee. | |
| 57 | The Rock | June 25, 2000 | King of the Ring | Boston, MA | 5 | 119 | 118 | This was a six-man tag team match with Kane, The Rock, and The Undertaker vs. Triple H, Shane McMahon, and Vince McMahon. Pre-match stipulation stated if The Rock, Kane or Undertaker scored the fall, he would win the title. The Rock pinned Vince to win Triple H's title. | |
| 58 | Kurt Angle | October 22, 2000 | No Mercy | Albany, NY | 1 | 126 | 125 | This was a no disqualification match. | |
| 59 | The Rock | February 25, 2001 | No Way Out | Paradise, NV | 6 | 35 | 34 | | |
| 60 | Stone Cold Steve Austin | April 1, 2001 | WrestleMania X-Seven | Houston, TX | 5 | 175 | 175 | This was a no disqualification match. | |
| 61 | Kurt Angle | September 23, 2001 | Unforgiven | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | 15 | 14 | | |
| 62 | Stone Cold Steve Austin | October 8, 2001 | Raw | Indianapolis, IN | 6 | 62 | 61 | | |
| 63 | Chris Jericho | December 9, 2001 | Vengeance | San Diego, CA | 1 | 98 | 97 | Jericho had defeated The Rock for the (WCW) World Championship earlier the same night. By defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship, Jericho unified both titles to become Undisputed WWF champion. | |
| 64 | Triple H | March 17, 2002 | WrestleMania X8 | Toronto, ON, Canada | 5 | 35 | 34 | In late March 2002, WWE's roster was split into two brands, with most championships assigned to be exclusive to a specific brand. The Undisputed WWF Championship remained non-exclusive at this time. | |
| 65 | Hollywood Hulk Hogan | April 21, 2002 | Backlash | Kansas City, MO | 6 | 28 | 28 | After the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) due to a lawsuit by the World Wide Fund for Nature on May 6, 2002, the title was also renamed Undisputed WWE Championship and then WWE Undisputed Championship. | |
| | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) |
| 66 | The Undertaker | May 19, 2002 | Judgment Day | Nashville, TN | 4 | 63 | 62 | | |
| 67 | The Rock | July 21, 2002 | Vengeance | Detroit, MI | 7 | 35 | 34 | This was a triple threat match also involving Kurt Angle who Rock pinned. | |
| 68 | Brock Lesnar | August 25, 2002 | SummerSlam | Uniondale, NY | 1 | 84 | 83 | The following night, Lesnar signed an deal, making the championship exclusive to SmackDown. The World Heavyweight Championship was then created for the Raw brand and, on September 2, 2002, the WWE Undisputed Championship was renamed WWE Championship. | |
| | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown |
| 69 | Big Show | November 17, 2002 | Survivor Series | New York, NY | 2 | 28 | 27 | | |
| 70 | Kurt Angle | December 15, 2002 | Armageddon | Sunrise, FL | 3 | 105 | 104 | | |
| 71 | Brock Lesnar | March 30, 2003 | WrestleMania XIX | Seattle, WA | 2 | 119 | 118 | Had Angle been counted out or disqualified, he would have lost the title to Lesnar. | |
| 72 | Kurt Angle | July 27, 2003 | Vengeance | Denver, CO | 4 | 51 | 52 | This was a triple threat match also involving Big Show. WWE recognizes Angle's reign as ending on September 18, 2003, when the following episode aired on tape delay. | |
| 73 | Brock Lesnar | September 16, 2003 | SmackDown! | Raleigh, NC | 3 | 152 | 150 | This was a 60-minute Iron Man match, which Lesnar won 5–4. WWE recognizes Lesnar's reign as beginning on September 18, 2003, when the episode aired on tape delay. | |
| 74 | Eddie Guerrero | February 15, 2004 | No Way Out | Daly City, CA | 1 | 133 | 132 | | |
| 75 | John "Bradshaw" Layfield | June 27, 2004 | The Great American Bash | Norfolk, VA | 1 | 280 | 279 | This was a Texas bullrope match. | |
| 76 | John Cena | April 3, 2005 | WrestleMania 21 | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | 280 | 279 | The title became exclusive to the Raw brand following the 2005 draft. | |
| | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw |
| 77 | Edge | January 8, 2006 | New Year's Revolution | Albany, NY | 1 | 21 | 20 | This was Edge's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | |
| 78 | John Cena | January 29, 2006 | Royal Rumble | Miami, FL | 2 | 133 | 132 | | |
| 79 | Rob Van Dam | June 11, 2006 | ECW One Night Stand | New York, NY | 1 | 22 | 21 | This was Van Dam's Money in the Bank cash-in match. This was an Extreme Rules match. Due to Van Dam's status as an ECW wrestler, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship was subsequently reactivated for the brand and awarded to Van Dam. | |
| | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW | WWE: ECW |
| 80 | Edge | July 3, 2006 | Raw | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 76 | 75 | This was a triple threat match also involving John Cena. The title became exclusive to the Raw brand due to Edge's status as a Raw wrestler. | |
| | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw |
| 81 | John Cena | September 17, 2006 | Unforgiven | Toronto, ON, Canada | 3 | 380 | 380 | This was a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. Had John Cena lost, he would have had to leave the Raw brand. | |
| — | Vacated | October 2, 2007 | ECW | Dayton, OH | — | — | — | The title was vacated when John Cena suffered an injury. | |
| 82 | Randy Orton | October 7, 2007 | No Mercy | Rosemont, IL | 1 | <1 | <1 | Orton was originally scheduled challenge John Cena for the title, but due to Cena vacating the title, Orton was awarded the title and had to immediately defend it against Triple H. | |
| 83 | Triple H | October 7, 2007 | No Mercy | Rosemont, IL | 6 | <1 | <1 | After winning the championship, Triple H had to defend the title the same night, first in a previously scheduled match against Umaga and then against Randy Orton, who invoked his rematch clause. | |
| 84 | Randy Orton | October 7, 2007 | No Mercy | Rosemont, IL | 2 | 203 | 202 | This was a Last Man Standing match. | |
| 85 | Triple H | April 27, 2008 | Backlash | Baltimore, MD | 7 | 210 | 209 | This was a four-way elimination match also involving John Cena and John "Bradshaw" Layfield. The title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2008 draft. | |
| | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown |
| 86 | Edge | November 23, 2008 | Survivor Series | Boston, MA | 3 | 21 | 20 | This was a triple threat match also involving Vladimir Kozlov. Jeff Hardy had originally been scheduled to take part in the match, but he did not participate after being (in storyline) attacked prior to the event. Triple H and Kozlov started the match before Edge was revealed as Hardy's surprise replacement. | |
| 87 | Jeff Hardy | December 14, 2008 | Armageddon | Buffalo, NY | 1 | 42 | 41 | This was a triple threat match also involving Triple H. | |
| 88 | Edge | January 25, 2009 | Royal Rumble | Detroit, MI | 4 | 21 | 20 | This was a no disqualification match. | |
| 89 | Triple H | February 15, 2009 | No Way Out | Seattle, WA | 8 | 70 | 69 | This was an Elimination Chamber match also involving Big Show, Jeff Hardy, The Undertaker, and Vladimir Kozlov. The title became exclusive to the Raw brand following the 2009 draft. | |
| | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw |
| 90 | Randy Orton | April 26, 2009 | Backlash | Providence, RI | 3 | 42 | 41 | This was a six-man tag team match with The Legacy (Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Ted DiBiase) against Batista, Triple H, and Shane McMahon. Orton pinned Triple H to win the title. | |
| 91 | Batista | June 7, 2009 | Extreme Rules | New Orleans, LA | 1 | 2 | 1 | This was a steel cage match. | |
| — | Vacated | June 9, 2009 | — | — | — | — | — | The title was vacated when Batista suffered a torn left biceps. | |
| 92 | Randy Orton | June 15, 2009 | Raw | Charlotte, NC | 4 | 90 | 89 | This was a fatal four-way match for the vacant title also involving Big Show, John Cena, and Triple H. | |
| 93 | John Cena | September 13, 2009 | Breaking Point | Montreal, QC, Canada | 4 | 21 | 20 | This was an "I quit" match. Had anyone interfered on Randy Orton's behalf, he would have forfeited the title. | |
| 94 | Randy Orton | October 4, 2009 | Hell in a Cell | Newark, NJ | 5 | 21 | 20 | This was a Hell in a Cell match. | |
| 95 | John Cena | October 25, 2009 | Bragging Rights | Pittsburgh, PA | 5 | 49 | 48 | This was a 60-minute Anything Goes Iron Man match in which Cena won 6–5. Had Cena lost, he would have had to leave the Raw brand. | |
| 96 | Sheamus | December 13, 2009 | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | San Antonio, TX | 1 | 70 | 69 | This was a tables match. | |
| 97 | John Cena | February 21, 2010 | Elimination Chamber | St. Louis, MO | 6 | <1 | <1 | This was an Elimination Chamber match also involving Kofi Kingston, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase Jr., and Triple H. | |
| 98 | Batista | February 21, 2010 | Elimination Chamber | St. Louis, MO | 2 | 35 | 35 | | |
| 99 | John Cena | March 28, 2010 | WrestleMania XXVI | Glendale, AZ | 7 | 84 | 83 | | |
| 100 | Sheamus | June 20, 2010 | Fatal 4-Way | Uniondale, NY | 2 | 91 | 90 | This was a fatal four-way match also involving Edge and Randy Orton. | |
| 101 | Randy Orton | September 19, 2010 | Night of Champions | Rosemont, IL | 6 | 64 | 63 | This was a six-pack elimination challenge also involving Chris Jericho, Edge, John Cena, and Wade Barrett, who decided to cash-in his title shot due to winning the first season of NXT. | |
| 102 | The Miz | November 22, 2010 | Raw | Orlando, FL | 1 | 160 | 159 | This was Miz's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | |
| 103 | John Cena | May 1, 2011 | Extreme Rules | Tampa, FL | 8 | 77 | 76 | This was a triple threat steel cage match also involving John Morrison. | |
| 104 | CM Punk | July 17, 2011 | Money in the Bank | Rosemont, IL | 1 | 28 | 28 | Punk (kayfabe) left WWE the day after with the championship, but returned on the July 25, 2011, episode of Raw and his reign was deemed to continue through this period. | |
| — | Vacated | July 18, 2011 | Raw | Green Bay, WI | — | — | — | The title was vacated due to CM Punk "leaving" WWE. This vacancy is no longer recognized due to Punk's return on the July 25, 2011, episode of Raw. | |
| 105 | Rey Mysterio | July 25, 2011 | Raw | Hampton, VA | 1 | <1 | <1 | Defeated The Miz in a tournament final to crown a new champion. CM Punk was also recognized as WWE Champion. | |
| 106 | John Cena | July 25, 2011 | Raw | Hampton, VA | 9 | 20 | 19 | As the former champion prior to CM Punk, Cena was granted a title match against Rey Mysterio by Triple H. Punk was also recognized as WWE Champion. | |
| † | CM Punk | August 14, 2011 | SummerSlam | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | — | — | Punk defeated John Cena in a match to determine the undisputed champion. Triple H was the guest referee. This is considered a continuation of Punk's first reign. | |
| 107 | Alberto Del Rio | August 14, 2011 | SummerSlam | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | 35 | 34 | This was Del Rio's Money in the Bank cash-in match. On August 29, 2011, the first brand split ended, allowing the WWE Champion to appear on both Raw and SmackDown. | |
| | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) | WWE (unbranded) |
| 108 | John Cena | September 18, 2011 | Night of Champions | Buffalo, NY | 10 | 14 | 13 | | |
| 109 | Alberto Del Rio | October 2, 2011 | Hell in a Cell | New Orleans, LA | 2 | 49 | 48 | This was a triple threat Hell in a Cell match also involving CM Punk who Del Rio pinned. | |
| 110 | CM Punk | November 20, 2011 | Survivor Series | New York, NY | 2 | 434 | 434 | | |
| 111 | The Rock | January 27, 2013 | Royal Rumble | Phoenix, AZ | 8 | 70 | 69 | CM Punk had initially won, but the match was restarted by Vince McMahon due to interference by The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins). | |
| 112 | John Cena | April 7, 2013 | WrestleMania 29 | East Rutherford, NJ | 11 | 133 | 132 | | |
| 113 | Daniel Bryan | August 18, 2013 | SummerSlam | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | <1 | <1 | Triple H was the guest referee. | |
| 114 | Randy Orton | August 18, 2013 | SummerSlam | Los Angeles, CA | 7 | 28 | 28 | This was Orton's Money in the Bank cash-in match. Triple H was the guest referee. | |
| 115 | Daniel Bryan | September 15, 2013 | Night of Champions | Detroit, MI | 2 | 1 | <1 | | |
| — | Vacated | September 16, 2013 | Raw | Cleveland, OH | — | — | — | The title was vacated after a controversial finish when Daniel Bryan defeated Randy Orton to win the title. | |
| 116 | Randy Orton | October 27, 2013 | Hell in a Cell | Miami, FL | 8 | 161 | 160 | Orton defeated Daniel Bryan in a Hell in a Cell match to win the vacant title with Shawn Michaels as the guest referee. On December 15, 2013, at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Orton defeated John Cena in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match to unify the 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. | |
| 117 | Daniel Bryan | April 6, 2014 | WrestleMania XXX | New Orleans, LA | 3 | 64 | 63 | This was a triple threat match also involving Batista, whom Bryan forced to submit to win the match. | |
| — | Vacated | June 9, 2014 | Raw | Minneapolis, MN | — | — | — | Daniel Bryan was stripped of the title due to a neck injury. | |
| 118 | John Cena | June 29, 2014 | Money in the Bank | Boston, MA | 12 | 49 | 49 | This was an eight-man ladder match for the vacant title also involving Alberto Del Rio, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Kane, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, and Sheamus. | |
| 119 | Brock Lesnar | August 17, 2014 | SummerSlam | Los Angeles, CA | 4 | 224 | 223 | | |
| 120 | Seth Rollins | March 29, 2015 | WrestleMania 31 | Santa Clara, CA | 1 | 221 | 220 | This was Rollins's Money in the Bank cash-in match which was originally a singles match between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, but converted into a triple threat match after Rollins cashed-in his contract mid-match. Rollins pinned Reigns to win the match. | |
| — | Vacated | November 5, 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | The title was vacated after Seth Rollins suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and a damaged meniscus at a live event in Dublin, Ireland. | |
| 121 | Roman Reigns | November 22, 2015 | Survivor Series | Atlanta, GA | 1 | <1 | <1 | Defeated Dean Ambrose in a tournament final to win the vacant title. | |
| 122 | Sheamus | November 22, 2015 | Survivor Series | Atlanta, GA | 3 | 22 | 22 | This was Sheamus's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | |
| 123 | Roman Reigns | December 14, 2015 | Raw | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 41 | 40 | This was a title vs. career match. | |
| 124 | Triple H | January 24, 2016 | Royal Rumble | Orlando, FL | 9 | 70 | 69 | Roman Reigns defended the title in the Royal Rumble match, entering at number one. Triple H eliminated Reigns before lastly eliminating Dean Ambrose to win the title. | |
| 125 | Roman Reigns | April 3, 2016 | WrestleMania 32 | Arlington, TX | 3 | 77 | 76 | | |
| 126 | Seth Rollins | June 19, 2016 | Money in the Bank | Paradise, NV | 2 | <1 | <1 | | |
| 127 | Dean Ambrose | June 19, 2016 | Money in the Bank | Paradise, NV | 1 | 84 | 83 | This was Ambrose's Money in the Bank cash-in match. The title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2016 draft and the WWE Universal Championship was created for the Raw brand. | |
| | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown |
| 128 | AJ Styles | September 11, 2016 | Backlash | Richmond, VA | 1 | 140 | 140 | In December 2016, the title's name reverted to WWE Championship. | |
| 129 | John Cena | January 29, 2017 | Royal Rumble | San Antonio, TX | 13 | 14 | 14 | | |
| 130 | Bray Wyatt | February 12, 2017 | Elimination Chamber | Phoenix, AZ | 1 | 49 | 48 | This was an Elimination Chamber match also involving AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose, and The Miz. | |
| 131 | Randy Orton | April 2, 2017 | WrestleMania 33 | Orlando, FL | 9 | 49 | 49 | | |
| 132 | Jinder Mahal | May 21, 2017 | Backlash | Rosemont, IL | 1 | 170 | 169 | | |
| 133 | AJ Styles | November 7, 2017 | SmackDown | Manchester, England | 2 | 371 | 371 | | |
| 134 | Daniel Bryan | November 13, 2018 | SmackDown | St. Louis, MO | 4 | 145 | 144 | | |
| 135 | Kofi Kingston | April 7, 2019 | WrestleMania 35 | East Rutherford, NJ | 1 | 180 | 180 | | |
| 136 | Brock Lesnar | October 4, 2019 | SmackDown's 20th Anniversary | Los Angeles, CA | 5 | 173 | 184 | On the November 1, 2019, episode of SmackDown, Lesnar quit SmackDown and went to Raw, taking the title with him. | |
| | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw | WWE: Raw |
| 137 | Drew McIntyre | March 25, 2020 | WrestleMania 36 Part 2 | Orlando, FL | 1 | 214 | 202 | The match was taped on March 25, according to McIntyre's memoir, A Chosen Destiny: My Story. WWE recognizes this reign as beginning on April 5, 2020, when the match aired on tape delay. | |
| 138 | Randy Orton | October 25, 2020 | Hell in a Cell | Orlando, FL | 10 | 22 | 22 | This was a Hell in a Cell match. | |
| 139 | Drew McIntyre | November 16, 2020 | Raw | Orlando, FL | 2 | 97 | 96 | This was a no disqualification/no countout match. | |
| 140 | The Miz | February 21, 2021 | Elimination Chamber | St. Petersburg, FL | 2 | 8 | 8 | This was Miz's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | |
| 141 | Bobby Lashley | March 1, 2021 | Raw | St. Petersburg, FL | 1 | 196 | 195 | This was a lumberjack match. | |
| 142 | Big E | September 13, 2021 | Raw | Boston, MA | 1 | 110 | 110 | This was Big E's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | |
| 143 | Brock Lesnar | January 1, 2022 | Day 1 | Atlanta, GA | 6 | 28 | 27 | This was a fatal five-way match also involving Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins. | |
| 144 | Bobby Lashley | January 29, 2022 | Royal Rumble | St. Louis, MO | 2 | 21 | 20 | | |
| 145 | Brock Lesnar | February 19, 2022 | Elimination Chamber | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 7 | 43 | 43 | This was an Elimination Chamber match also involving AJ Styles, Austin Theory, Riddle, and Seth Rollins. | |
| | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown | WWE: SmackDown |
| 146 | Roman Reigns | April 3, 2022 | WrestleMania 38 Night 2 | Arlington, TX | 4 | 735 | 734 | This was a Winner Takes All match in which Reigns also defended the Universal Championship. Reigns subsequently became recognized as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. The title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2023 draft and a new World Heavyweight Championship was established for the Raw brand. | |
| 147 | Cody Rhodes | April 7, 2024 | WrestleMania XL Night 2 | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 343+ | 343+ | This was a Bloodline Rules match in which Reigns also defended the Universal Championship. The undisputed title's name was truncated to Undisputed WWE Championship. | |

## Combined reigns

As of March 16, 2025.
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 | Combined days |
| Rank | Champion | No. of reigns | Actual | Recognized by WWE |
| 1 | Bruno Sammartino | 2 | 4,040 | 4,040 |
| 2 | Hulk Hogan | 6 | 2,185 | 2,185 |
| 3 | Bob Backlund | 2 | 2,121 | 2,138 |
| 4 | John Cena | 13 | 1,254 | 1,245 |
| 5 | Pedro Morales | 1 | 1,027 | 1,027 |
| 6 | Roman Reigns | 4 | 853 | 850 |
| 7 | Brock Lesnar | 7 | 823 | 828 |
| 8 | Randy Orton | 10 | 680 | 674 |
| 9 | Bret Hart | 5 | 654 | 654 |
| 10 | Triple H | 9 | 609 | 605 |
| 11 | Stone Cold Steve Austin | 6 | 529 | 528 |
| 12 | Randy Savage | 2 | 520 | 520 |
| 13 | AJ Styles | 2 | 511 | 511 |
| 14 | CM Punk | 2 | 462 | 462 |
| 15 | Shawn Michaels | 3 | 396 | 396 |
| 16 | The Rock | 8 | 367 | 373 |
| 17 | Diesel | 1 | 358 | 358 |
| 18 | Cody Rhodes † | 1 | 343+ | 343+ |
| 19 | Drew McIntyre | 2 | 311 | 298 |
| 20 | Kurt Angle | 4 | 297 | 295 |
| 21 | "Superstar" Billy Graham | 1 | 296 | 296 |
| 22 | The Ultimate Warrior | 1 | 293 | 293 |
| 23 | Yokozuna | 2 | 280 | 280 |
| 23 | John "Bradshaw" Layfield | 1 | 280 | 279 |
| 25 | The Undertaker | 4 | 238 | 237 |
| 26 | Seth Rollins | 2 | 221 | 220 |
| 27 | Bobby Lashley | 2 | 217 | 215 |
| 28 | Daniel Bryan | 4 | 210 | 207 |
| 29 | Sheamus | 3 | 183 | 181 |
| 30 | Kofi Kingston | 1 | 180 | 180 |
| 31 | Jinder Mahal | 1 | 170 | 169 |
| 32 | The Miz | 2 | 168 | 167 |
| 33 | Edge | 4 | 139 | 135 |
| 34 | Eddie Guerrero | 1 | 133 | 132 |
| 35 | Ric Flair | 2 | 118 | 118 |
| 36 | Big E | 1 | 110 | 110 |
| 37 | Chris Jericho | 1 | 98 | 97 |
| 38 | Sycho Sid | 2 | 97 | 97 |
| 39 | Alberto Del Rio | 2 | 84 | 82 |
| 39 | Dean Ambrose | 1 | 84 | 83 |
| 41 | Big Show | 2 | 78 | 77 |
| 42 | Sgt. Slaughter | 1 | 64 | 64 |
| 43 | Bray Wyatt | 1 | 49 | 48 |
| 44 | Mankind | 3 | 47 | 36 |
| 45 | Jeff Hardy | 1 | 42 | 41 |
| 46 | Batista | 2 | 37 | 36 |
| 47 | Buddy Rogers | 1 | 36 | 21 |
| 48 | The Iron Sheik | 1 | 28 | 28 |
| 49 | Rob Van Dam | 1 | 22 | 21 |
| 50 | Ivan Koloff | 1 | 21 | 21 |
| 51 | Stan Stasiak | 1 | 9 | 9 |
| — | Ted DiBiase | — | 8 | — |
| — | Antonio Inoki | — | 6 | — |
| 52 | Vince McMahon | 1 | 6 | 4 |
| 53 | Kane | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 54 | Rey Mysterio | 1 | <1 | <1 |
| 54 | André the Giant | 1 | <1 | <1 |