List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions - Title History

Title History

† indicates reigns and title changes not recognized by WWE.
# Wrestler: Times: Date: Days Held: Location: Event: Notes:
1 Ric Flair 1 January 11, 1991 171 East Rutherford, NJ Live event Defeated Sting for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. WWE recognized it as an NWA reign extended to WCW, but it is not considered as one of Flair's 16 world titles, which are made of 2 WWE titles, 6 WCW titles and 8 NWA titles.
X Vacated July 1, 1991 0 N/A N/A Flair left for the World Wrestling Federation and was stripped of the title.
2 Lex Luger 1 July 14, 1991 230 Baltimore, MD The Great American Bash Defeated Barry Windham in a steel cage match.
3 Sting 1 February 29, 1992 134 Milwaukee, WI SuperBrawl II
4 Big Van Vader 1 July 12, 1992 21 Albany, GA The Great American Bash
5 Ron Simmons 1 August 2, 1992 150 Baltimore, MD Live event Became first African American World Heavyweight Champion.
6 Big Van Vader 2 December 30, 1992 71 Baltimore, MD Live event
7 Sting 2 March 11, 1993 6 London, England Live event
8 Big Van Vader/Vader 3 March 17, 1993 285 Dublin, Ireland Live event
9 Ric Flair 2 December 27, 1993 111 Charlotte, NC Starrcade '93: 10th Anniversary
x Vacated April 17, 1994 0 Rosemont, IL Spring Stampede Title held up after Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat results in a double pin. This occurrence is unrecognized by WWE, who considers Flair a six-time WCW Champion, his first reign being an NWA reign extended to WCW.
10 Ric Flair 2(3)† April 21, 1994 87 Atlanta, GA Saturday Night Defeated Steamboat in a rematch. Aired on May 14, 1994.
11 Hulk Hogan 1 July 17, 1994 469 Orlando, FL Bash at the Beach This was Hogan's first match in WCW.
12 The Giant 1 October 29, 1995 8 Detroit, MI Halloween Havoc Won in a match where the title could be changed by disqualification. The Giant defeated Hogan by disqualification when Jimmy Hart interfered.
x Vacated November 6, 1995 0 Jacksonville, FL Nitro The Giant was stripped due to controversial finish of Halloween Havoc match.
13 Randy Savage 1 November 26, 1995 31 Norfolk, VA World War 3 Won in a World War 3 match.
14 Ric Flair 3(4)† December 27, 1995 26 Nashville, TN Starrcade: World Cup of Wrestling
15 Randy Savage 2 January 22, 1996 20 Las Vegas, NV Nitro
16 Ric Flair 4(5)† February 11, 1996 71 St. Petersburg, FL SuperBrawl VI Won in a Steel cage match.
17 The Giant 2 April 22, 1996 110 Albany, GA Nitro
18 Hollywood Hogan 2 August 10, 1996 359 Sturgis, SD Hog Wild
19 Lex Luger 2 August 4, 1997 5 Auburn Hills, MI Nitro
20 Hollywood Hogan 3 August 9, 1997 141 Sturgis, SD Road Wild
21 Sting 3 December 28, 1997 11
 Washington, D.C. Starrcade Hogan first pinned Sting but guest referee Bret Hart accused the first referee Nick Patrick of making a fast count and restarted the match. Sting won by submission.
— Hollywood Hogan (4)† December 29, 1997 10 Baltimore, MD Nitro During this rematch from last night's Starrcade referee Randy Anderson was knocked unconscious and Nick Patric came down, counted Sting's shoulders down and awarded the title to Hogan. After the match a brawl ensued during which Anderson came to thinking the match was still going on and attempted to award the bout to Sting. But no bell could be heard as the match had already officially ended when Patrick called for the bell. Sting however left with the belt while Hogan still claimed to be champion. The ending of this match was not shown on TV until the following Thursday.
x Vacated January 8, 1998 0 Daytona Beach, FL Thunder Aired January 8, 1998. Held up due to controversy over finish of December 28 and December 29 matches.
22 Sting 4 February 22, 1998 56 Daly City, CA SuperBrawl VIII Defeated Hogan in a rematch.
23 Randy Savage 3 April 19, 1998 1 Denver, CO Spring Stampede
24 Hollywood Hogan 4(5)† April 20, 1998 77 Colorado, Springs, CO Nitro Won a no-disqualification match.
25 Goldberg 1 July 6, 1998 174 Atlanta, GA Nitro also held WCW United States Championship and was undefeated in WCW
26 Kevin Nash 1 December 27, 1998 8 Washington, D.C. Starrcade
27 Hollywood Hogan 5(6)† January 4, 1999 69 Atlanta, GA Nitro Nash laid down for Hogan.
28 Ric Flair 5(6)† March 14, 1999 28 Louisville, KY Uncensored Won a First Blood Steel Cage match.
29 Diamond Dallas Page 1 April 11, 1999 15 Tacoma, WA Spring Stampede Defeated Flair, Sting, and Hollywood Hogan in a four-way match.
30 Sting 5 April 26, 1999 0 Fargo, ND Nitro
31 Diamond Dallas Page 2 April 26, 1999 13 Fargo, ND Nitro Defeated Sting, Kevin Nash, and Goldberg in a No Disqualification Fatal Four-Way match.
32 Kevin Nash 2 May 9, 1999 63 St. Louis, MO Slamboree
33 Randy Savage 4 July 11, 1999 1 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Bash at the Beach Savage pinned Nash in a tag team match also featuring Sid Vicious and Sting; if Nash was pinned or if he had to submit he would lose the championship.
34 Hollywood Hogan 6(7)† July 12, 1999 62 Jacksonville, FL Nitro Hogan originally won the title under his nWo style "Hollywood" gimmick, but midway through his reign reverted back to his classic, red & yellow "Hulkamania" gimmick
35 Sting 6 September 12, 1999 43 Winston-Salem, NC Fall Brawl
x Vacated October 25, 1999 0 Phoenix, AZ Nitro Sting is stripped of the title after losing a non sanctioned match against Goldberg and attacking referee Charles Robinson at Halloween Havoc.
36 Bret Hart 1 November 21, 1999 29 Toronto, Ontario Mayhem Defeated Chris Benoit in a tournament final.
x Vacated December 20, 1999 0 Baltimore, MD Nitro Hart vacates title because of controversial match with Bill Goldberg at Starrcade 1999.
37 Bret Hart 2 December 20, 1999 27 Baltimore, MD Nitro Defeated Goldberg in a rematch.
x Vacated January 16, 2000 0 Cincinnati, OH Souled Out Hart vacates the title due to injury.
38 Chris Benoit 1 January 16, 2000 1 Cincinnati, OH Souled Out Defeated Sid Vicious.
x Vacated January 17, 2000 7 Columbus, OH Nitro Benoit forfeits the title and leaves for the WWF after dispute with management.
39 Sid Vicious 1 January 24, 2000 1 Los Angeles, CA Nitro Defeated Kevin Nash after defeating the Harris Brothers for the right to wrestle Nash for the belt.
x Vacated January 25, 2000 0 Las Vegas, NV Thunder Stripped by Commissioner Kevin Nash due to Sid pinning the wrong Harris Brother.
40 Kevin Nash 3 January 25, 2000 0 Las Vegas, NV Thunder Awards himself the title. Not listed by mistake in the title lineage at WWE.com.
41 Sid Vicious 2 January 25, 2000 76 Las Vegas, NV Thunder Defeated Nash and Ron Harris in a handicap match by making Nash submit. Aired January 26, 2000.
x Vacated April 10, 2000 0 Denver, CO Nitro All WCW titles were declared vacant by Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff after WCW was rebooted.
42 Jeff Jarrett 1 April 16, 2000 8 Chicago, IL Spring Stampede Defeated Dallas Page in tournament final.
43 Diamond Dallas Page 3 April 24, 2000 1 Rochester, NY Nitro Defeated Jeff Jarrett in a Cage Match
44 David Arquette 1 April 25, 2000 12 Syracuse, NY Thunder Arquette pinned Eric Bischoff in a tag team title match also featuring Diamond Dallas Page and Jeff Jarrett; the wrestler who scored the decisive fall would be declared champion. Aired April 26, 2000.
45 Jeff Jarrett 2 May 7, 2000 8 Kansas City, MO Slamboree Won in a Triple Cage match that also included Page.
46 Ric Flair 6(7)† May 15, 2000 7 Biloxi, MS Nitro
x Vacated May 22, 2000 0 Grand Rapids, MI Nitro Vince Russo stripped Flair of the title.
47 Jeff Jarrett 3 May 22, 2000 1 Grand Rapids, MI Nitro Awarded by Vince Russo.
48 Kevin Nash 4 May 23, 2000 6 Saginaw, MI Thunder Defeats Jarrett and Scott Steiner in a Triple Threat match. Aired on May 24, 2000.
49 Ric Flair 7(8)† May 29, 2000 0 Salt Lake City, UT Nitro Nash gave title back to Flair.
50 Jeff Jarrett 4 May 29, 2000 41 Salt Lake City, UT Nitro
— Hollywood Hogan (8)† July 9, 2000 0 Daytona Beach, FL Bash at the Beach (2000) On orders from Vince Russo, Jarrett laid down in the ring and allowed Hogan to pin him for the championship. After which an argument ensues between Hogan and Russo.
51 Booker T 1 July 9, 2000 50 Daytona Beach, FL Bash at the Beach (2000) After the controversial Hogan/Jarrett match, head writer Vince Russo announced that there would be a new champion and Jarrett would defend the title in an impromptu match against Booker T.
52 Kevin Nash 5 August 28, 2000 20 Las Cruces, NM Nitro
53 Booker T 2 September 17, 2000 8 Buffalo, NY Fall Brawl Won a Caged Heat match.
54 Vince Russo 1 September 25, 2000 7 Uniondale, NY Nitro Won in a steel cage match.
x Vacated October 2, 2000 0 Daly City, CA Nitro Russo decides he is not a wrestler and he does not want the title.
55 Booker T 3 October 2, 2000 55 Daly City, CA Nitro Defeated Jeff Jarrett in a "San Francisco 49ers match".
56 Scott Steiner 1 November 26, 2000 120 Milwaukee, WI Mayhem Won in a "Straight Jacket steel cage match".
57 Booker T 4 March 26, 2001 120 Panama City Beach, FL Nitro Won on the final edition of WCW Monday Nitro. WCW was purchased by the WWF on March 23, 2001; title was simply referred to as "WCW Championship" afterward.
58 Kurt Angle 1 July 24, 2001 6 Pittsburgh, PA SmackDown! Became the first person to win the WCW Championship on WWF programing. Aired July 26, 2001.
59 Booker T 5 July 30, 2001 20 Philadelphia, PA Raw is War
60 The Rock 1 August 19, 2001 63 San Jose, CA SummerSlam
61 Chris Jericho 1 October 21, 2001 15 St. Louis, MO No Mercy
62 The Rock 2 November 5, 2001 34 Uniondale, NY Raw The title is referred to as simply the "World Championship" on November 19 after the demise of The Alliance.
63 Chris Jericho 2 December 9, 2001 0 San Diego, CA Vengeance The title was unified with the WWF Championship and the combined titles become known as the "Undisputed World Championship".

Read more about this topic:  List Of WCW World Heavyweight Champions

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