World Championship

*Debuting at the end of Season 5 The World Championship was introduced with the brand split just around the corner there was a need for a second Heavyweight Title. It would change names throughout its history also being known as the Worldwide Championship. The Following is a collection of Stats and Rivalries which made the Championship what it is today.*

## Title Statistics

Most Reigns: Randy Orton - 4

Longest Reign (Consecutive): Alberto Del Rio - 6 Months

Longest Reign (Combined): Randy Orton - 8 Months, 15 Days

## Destiny

SEASON 6- Sizzle was the inaugural Champion winning the belt at WrestleMania 5 he would soon lose the Title to Randy Orton on the debut PPV of SmackDown and would defend the Title against Edge and Shaun Michaels at Capital Punishment only to be Cashed in on the next night by Mr. Money in the Bank Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio would go onto to have a the most succesful run in the Title's history beating Orton in subsequent rematches as well as Sizzle, HBK, Goldberg, Seth Rollins in an Elimination Chamber match.

His biggest challenge would come at Night of Champions against a hungry Roman Reigns hunting for his first World Title, Del Rio purposely gets DQ'ed after he felt his Title slipping, so it is announced a rematch this time for Hell in a Cell in which Del Rio would scrape away with the Title only to finally lose it at Survivor Series in a 4 Way with Seth Rollins becoming Champion, Finally putting an End to Del Rio's "Destiny".

## Some-How Some-Way

SEASON 6- Seth Rollins would go into Elimination Chamber as the World Champion against Roman Reigns, Jeff Hardy, Sizzle, Kevin Owens and the Eventual surprise winner and current Intercontinental Champion JBL who would take advantage of a downed Rollins after he had just eliminated Sizzle. Earlier in the night The Undertaker would gain his chance to compete at WrestleMania by defeating 5 others in an Elimination Chamber match for Finn Balor's Royal Rumble Title Opportunity.

It would seem to be JBL vs The Undertaker for The World Title at WrestleMania Until Shaun Michaels would cost JBL his Intercontinental Title to Tyson Kidd in the lead up to Mania, thus JBL set his sights on Michaels only to lose to him in a match where if Michaels won he would be added to the WrestleMania match. JBL would go into WrestleMania the underdog but would some-how some-way steal the victory and walk out Champion holding the belt for another 3 months.

## Unforgotten Grief

SEASON 7- JBL would lose the Championship to a returning Christian who had won Money in the bank a year prior only to be out with injury for the last 10 months, thus being forced to announce his cash in at the deadline of a year later at Money in the Bank where he would finally claim a World Title. He would then Succesfully defend the Championship against both JBL and Kevin Nash at SummerSlam.

At Night of Champions it was made official that Kevin Nash would challenge Christian one on one for the first time ever this would be Christians down fall as current General Manager at the time Emma had not forgotten the grief Christian had caused her and her former boyfriend Curtis Axel 2 Seasons prior, thus Emma would pull out the referee as Christian was about to win costing him the match and aligning herself with Kevin Nash the new World Champion. Christian would go on a war path to get to Nash and Emma causing them to give him a rematch this time at Bad Blood inside Hell in a Cell. Nash would put an end to Chritian's hopes of regaining the Title.

## Three Men One Title

SEASON 8- With a complete overhaul of the product and Smackdown's change to Reload a new World Champion was crowned in Dolph Ziggler earning his first World Championship after winning a 16 man tournament with no challengers in his sights for the 1st PPV of the "new era", Mr. Money in the Bank Roman Reigns decided to announce in advance his cash in. Roman Reigns would go onto win the match claiming his first World Title and ending Zigglers Title reign short until in Reigns first deference of the Title he would also lose this time to Shaun Michaels.

Michaels would defend against King of the Ring winner 'King' Rikishi only to lose the Title back to Roman Reigns in an Elimination Chamber match just edging out Dolph Ziggler who was also involved in the chamber, setting up a Triple Threat match pitting Roman Reigns, Dolph Ziggler and Shaun Michaels for the Ribera Christmas in July Special in which Michaels would regain the Title pinning Ziggler.

The penultimate match was set up pitting Champion Michaels and former Champion Reigns to settle who is the better man in an Iron Man match at SummerSlam, only for the match to end 4-4 as was about to cover Michaels off a Spear only to run out of time. Ziggler the night after would target both men, sneaking his way back into the mix whilst Reigns would claim he should be the Champion leading to General Manager Vince McMahon to announce a final Triple Threat match between the three men this time in a Ladder match at Night of Champions with no rematches for the losers within the future, Roman Reigns would end up onto finally putting away Shaun Michaels and Dolph Ziggler once and for all.

## The Kevin Classic

SEASON 9- The Rock would become World Champion defeating Samoa Joe for the Title at Backlash and would defend the Title against Steve Austin the next month at Money in the Bank. Kevin Nash acting General Manger of Reload at the time would announce The Rock would make history taking part in the 1st ever Kevin Classic Knockout Tournament at the 2nd ever Ribera Christmas in July Special, pitting the the Champion and 4 of the top contenders and Kevin Nash in multiple matches in one night.

'King' Cena would be the 1st eliminated front he tournament after being eliminated 1st in the battle royal whilst Shaun Michaels would gain a bye form the next match, The Rock would then win the fatal 4 way eliminating Kevin Nash in the process gaining a bye. Shaun Michaels would then win the Triple Threat match eliminating Sizzle and moving on to the Finals of the tournament, whilst The Rock would beat Patrix Perkins in a 30 minute Iron Man match (1-0) to defend his Championship in the final against Shaun Michaels in a Hell in a Cell match to become the New World Champion.

This unusual concept and the choice to appoint himself in the match would prove to be Kevin Nash's downfall as Ribera officials would remove him form power, whilst Shaun Michaels would go onto to lose the Championship to Seth Rollins the month after.

## Greatest Of All Time

SEASON 9- Dolph Ziggler would once again become World Champion defeating Randy Orton and defending his Championship against him again at Survivor Series it was at this time the Ribera Company would announce the G.O.A.T Tournament pitting 10 of the best plus both the Next Ex Tee and World Champion in a Unification Tournament to determine the Undisputed Champion.

The World Title side of the Tournament would comprise of Dolph Ziggler(c) vs Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar vs Bray Wyatt and Kevin Nash vs Batista. Dolph Ziggler would retain his Title against Rollins whilst both Brock Lesnar and Kevin Nash would advance to the Semi Finals, Ziggler would defend against Lesnar and Nash at Fastlane where Brock Lesnar would win the World Championship advancing to WrestleMania to defend the World Title against NXT Champion Shaun Michaels. Sizzle would intervene saying that Michaels never pinned him within there Triple Threat match and in fact Michaels pinned Austin off Sizzles own finishing move, Michaels hesitant to let Sizzle steal his thunder agrees to give him a title match after Mania but Sizzle wants in on the Main Event, Brock Lesnar would come out pushing both men around stating it doesn't matter if its both of them or one of them he will destroy them all at WrestleMania. HBK agrees to let Sizzle into the match providing that Sizzle beats him one on one which he does allowing Sizzle to gain entry and making the Main Event of WrestleMania 8 a 3 way for both Next Ex Tee and World Championship. Sizzle would overcome the odds winning both Titles in the process and becoming the Greatest of All Time.

## All Or Nothing

SEASON 10- Finn Balor would carry on the lineage of the World Title being crowned Champion in Season 10 this would bring a spark in the young Finn Balor who would throw his Title win back onto the fans stating he won the Royal Rumble on his debut match and wasn't even in a World Title match at WrestleMania and that it took him another 3 Seasons after the fact too finally win the big one and it was all because of him and him alone.

Balor would backup his claims putting away challenge after challenge in the likes of Samoa Joe, Sizzle and Randy Orton, Whilst bullying and defeating hopefuls that were once him like Zack Ryder and Mr. Money in the Bank Sami Zayne who failed to cash in after Balor would attack him before the bell whilst Dolph Ziggler would become King of the Ring earning himself a World Championship match at SummerSlam against Finn Balor.

Finn Balor would show off Ziggler's win/loss record and antagonizing Ziggler stating his a one trick pony that cant perform when the pressure is on, he might of won the King of the Ring Tournament but Finn Balor hasn't loss since hes been Champion. Ziggler believed the only way to shut up Balor and prove to everyone that he is the best and if he can't beat Balor he will retire. Balor would prove to be a formidable opponent only for Ziggler to overcome the Champion and win the World Championship.

## World Wide Jericho

SEASON 11- KCW would change to WHW with this change, the World Championship would get a name change to the Worldwide Championship, Chris Jericho would be crowned Champion at this time earning his 1st World Title in his long career, Jericho would go onto to destory the WHW roster putting everyone from Roman Reigns to a young hungry Bobby Roode on notice.

Chris Jericho would offer a challenge to the roster for someone to give him a real challenge at SummerSlam in which Jericho would face the Legendary Sizzle in what would be Jericho's crowning moment, only for Sizzle to walk out as Champion bringing Jericho's dreams to an end. Sizzle and Jericho would keep feuding after this but would never meet 1 on 1 again for the Title only multi man matches where there 1st encounter the Scramble match both Jericho and Sizzle came to a draw defeating Rob Van Dam and Sheamus leading to the Iron Cell match pitting 6 men against each other inside Hell in a Cell. This would prove to be the end of Sizzle and Chris Jericho's feuding as The Animal Batista would return to win the Championship.

## The Immovable Vs The Unstoppable

SEASON 11- Batista would make his return destroying the Champion Sizzle and 4 others in the Iron Cell, he then go onto Survivor Series in which he would take on Jinder Mahal in a Champion vs Champion match only for the match to not official take place as Mahal would start a brawl with Batista proving to be a stupid move as Batista would Destroy Mahal and the Singh Brothers showcasing his dominance, with the whole roster put on notice a new No.1 Contender was needed thus the beat the clock challenge was established.

John Cena would win the beat the clock challenge earning himself his 1st 1 on 1 opportunity at a World Championship at Fastlane, Cena would become the closest so far to beating Batista. Cena would goat Batista into a rematch at the Royal Rumble this time a Last Man Standing match in which Cena would take the Animal to his limit only for Batista to retain, setting his sights on WrestleMania.

Samoa Joe would win the Royal Rumble match earning himself the Main Event of WrestleMania 9 last eliminating Kurt Angle in the process, Joe would then defeat Angle in a Cage match to retain his oppotunity at Saturday Nights Main Event. Joe would announce that he would jump from Next Ex Tee to WHW to take on The Animal Batista in a match of the savages, for Samoa Joe this was about etching his name in history whilst for Batista a chance to prove hes unstoppable. Samoa Joe would come out the Winner proving himself as a Main Event player.

## Not Once But Twice

SEASON 12- This Season would kick off in a big way as Cody Rhodes would return defeating Samoa Joe for the Championship only for Titus O'Neil the former General Manager and current Mr. Money in the Bank to cash in his Briefcase and shockingly win the World Title. Titus would put his Championship against Rhodes at The End! PPV in which Cody Rhodes would regain the Title bringing Titus' Title Reign to an end.

Cody Rhodes would go onto defeat 5 other men in the Elimination Chamber and would go onto to defeat Daniel Bryan at Money in the Bank Only for Backlash to bring in Sizzle to vs Cody Rhodes, Sizzle would become Champion only for the next night Cody Rhodes to regain the Title only to yet again be Cashed in on this time by Mr. Money in the Bank Finn Balor. this would prove the end of Cody Rhodes back and forth reign with the Title as he would focus hes attention on the Korp and Sizzle only to go onto fued with the newest member being Dolph Ziggler who screwed Rhodes out of his match with Sizzle. Whilst Balor would go onto to lose to Daniel Bryan making his Title reign short but pinnacle in the story of Cody Rhodes.

## The Champion, The Rookie And The Retired

SEASON 12- Randy Orton would yet again become Champion defeating both the former Champion AJ Styles and Samoa Joe but soon after he had regained the Title a new comer in Tyler Bate would prove to be a fresh and formidable foe for Orton. Bate would earn the opportunity after he was the sole survivor in the Traditional Survivor Series match, Tyler Bate would vs Randy Orton in a TLC match in Bate's 1st ever Title opportunity. Luck or Not Bate would become Champion in this match only to lose to Randy Orton in the cage rematch the next night, an Iron Man match was set up for the Royal Rumble which would end in Orton favor (4-3).

The Elimination Chamber match would be announced by General Manager Cesaro pitting Champion Randy Orton, Adam Cole, AJ Styles, Finn Balor, Tyler Bate and Cesaro himself coming out of retirement. Cesaro would give himself the last spot in the Chamber and would come out last proving to be enough to outlast everyone taking advantage of Tyler Bate's elimination of Randy Orton to finally win his 1st World Title but turning on the fans in the process.

This would set up a 3 way at WrestleMania pitting the former Champion Randy Orton, the Rookie Tyler Bate and the Champion and the formerly retired Cesaro. Much to the demise of Cesaro owner at this time Barron Blade would book this match giving Cesaro seemingly no way out with the Title, only for Cesaro to belt both men with a chair stealing the victory and ending a good match in a disgraceful way.