WWE Championship

The WWE Championship is the major world championship on the Smackdown brand in the Firelight Universe Mode

## History

The WWE championship was awarded to AJ Styles at the start of the Universe Mode and he quickly had a challenger in Chris Jericho in which AJ Styles retained the championship in a classic main event at Backlash when Styles won with the Phenomenal Forearm. The next wrestler to contend for the WWE Championship against AJ Styles was Kevin Owens who made an impact by attacking AJ Styles and then sending an even bigger message by sending the champion through a table, but AJ Styles was able to defeat Owens at Judgement Day to retain the WWE Championship. AJ Styles wasn't as lucky in their next battle as Owens was given another shot for the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank inside a steel cage which Kevin Owens won with the Pop-up Powerbomb to win his first WWE Championship.

After Money in the Bank, Kevin Owens defeated AJ Styles on Smackdown to retain the WWE Championship with another Pop-up Powerbomb. Afterwards a new contender had to be named and Baron Corbin won an 8 man battle royal to become No1 contender by lastly eliminating Dean Ambrose (The Battle Royal also involved Samoa Joe, Chris Jericho, Shinsuke Nakamura, Dolph Ziggler, Hideo Itami & Ethan Grant). At Battleground Kevin Owens was able to successfully retain the WWE Championship against Baron Corbin by hitting the Pop-Up Powerbomb. Heading into Summerslam 2016 Owens started to feud with Finn Balor over the WWE Championship after Balor pinned Owens on Smackdown and then defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in a No1 contenders match the following week. At Summerslam 2016 Kevin Owens was able to one again retain his WWE Championship, but at Hell in a Cell, Kevin Owens wasn't as lucky as he was confined inside the Hell in a Cell structure against Finn Balor in which Balor was able to overcome Owens and win his first WWE Championship - But it was short lived as Johnny Gargano immediately cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to defeat Finn Balor and win his first WWE Championship (And give Balor the record of having the shortest reign with the WWE Championship).

Johnny Gargano started his surprising reign as WWE Champion getting a surprise victory against Finn Balor at Halloween Havoc (After Balor defeated Kevin Owens in a No1 contenders match on Smackdown). As Survivor Series 2016 was Smackdown vs Raw, Johnny Gargano faced off against the Universal Champion Bobby Roode but Gargano lost after Roode hit him with the Glorious DDT. The biggest obstacle for Gargano came at Clash of Champions 2016 where he had to face Finn Balor, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe in a fatal 4 way match (All three earned their spots after being the sole survivors back at Survivor Series Mens match). Kevin Owens won his second WWE Championship after pinning Finn Balor following the Package Piledriver.

Johnny Gargano got his rematch for the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble but he fell short as Owens retained the championship after hitting the Pop-Up Powerbomb. At Elimination Chamber 2017, Kevin Owens put the championship on the line against John Cena after Cena defeated Finn Balor in a No1 contenders match on Smackdown, Kevin Owens was able to defeat John Cena to retain the championship (Due to interference from Finn Balor). Also at Elimination Chamber, Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Dean Ambrose, AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler and Samoa Joe in an Elimination Chamber match to face Kevin Owens at Wrestlemania I.

Shinsuke Nakamura was able to become the WWE Champion for the first time at Wrestlemania when Nakamura reversed powerbomb attempt and hit Owens with the Kinshasa to leave Wrestlemania as champion. At Backlash 2017 Kevin Owens was granted his rematch for the WWE Championship but Owens failed to recapture the WWE Championship as Nakamura once again pinned Owens after hitting the Kinshasa. After Backlash, the Smackdown GM Shane McMahon announced that The Miz will be the new No1 contender and will face Shinsuke Nakamura at Judgement Day.

At Judgement Day, The Miz was able to win his first WWE Championship (And becoming the first wrestler to have held both the WWE Championship and Universal Championship during his career) by making Shinsuke Nakamura submit to the Figure Four Leglock. But the celebration for The Miz did not last long as Daniel Bryan made his return shortly thereafter and won the WWE Championship the following month at Money in the Bank (And the rematch at Battleground).

At Summerslam, Daniel Bryan was successfully able to retain the WWE Championship in a dream match against AJ Styles and Bryan once again retained the championship against AJ Styles a month later at Hell in a Cell. Bryans reign at the top came to an end at No Mercy when he lost the WWE Championship to Seth Rollins (Who became the third wrestler to have held both the WWE and Universal Championship). Seth was able to retain the championship against Bryan at Survivor Series. But an attack by a returning Edge paved the way for Kevin Owens to cash in his Money in the Bank contract and win his third WWE Championship.

Edge won his first WWE Championship at Clash of Champions by defeating Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins & Chris Jericho in a Fatal 4 Way match when Edge pinned Seth Rollins following the Spear.