List of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE) - Title History - Reigns

Reigns

As of November 28, 2012.

# Wrestlers Reign Date Days
held		 Location Event Notes Ref
1 Triple H 1 02002-09-02September 2, 2002 700176000000000000076 Milwaukee, WI Raw Triple H was awarded the championship by the on-screen General Manager Eric Bischoff, making him the inaugural champion in the process. Triple H defeated WWE Intercontinental Champion Kane on October 20, 2002 at No Mercy to unify the Intercontinental Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship.
2 Shawn Michaels 1 02002-11-17November 17, 2002 700128000000000000028 New York, NY Survivor Series This was the first ever Elimination Chamber match, also involving Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, and Kane
3 Triple H 2 02002-12-15December 15, 2002 7002280000000000000280 Sunrise, FL Armageddon This was a Three Stages of Hell match.
4 Goldberg 1 02003-09-21September 21, 2003 700184000000000000084 Hershey, PA Unforgiven This was a career vs. title match.
5 Triple H 3 02003-12-14December 14, 2003 700191000000000000091 Orlando, FL Armageddon This was a triple–threat match, also involving Kane.
6 Chris Benoit 1 02004-03-14March 14, 2004 7002154000000000000154 New York, NY WrestleMania XX This was a triple–threat match, also involving Shawn Michaels.
7 [[hamsa adan 2004|08|15}} 700128000000000000028 Toronto, ON SummerSlam At the age of 24, Randy Orton became the youngest world heavyweight champion in WWE history.
8 Triple H 4 02004-09-12September 12, 2004 700185000000000000085 Portland, OR Unforgiven
— Vacated — 02004-11-29November 29, 2004 — Baltimore, MD Raw The championship was vacated after a double fall occurred in a triple–threat match, also involving Chris Benoit and Edge.
9 Triple H 5 02005-01-09January 9, 2005 700184000000000000084 San Juan, PR New Year's Revolution Defeated Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, Batista, and Edge in a Elimination Chamber match. Shawn Michaels was the guest referee.
10 Batista 1 02005-04-03April 3, 2005 7002282000000000000282 Los Angeles, CA WrestleMania 21 Batista was drafted to the SmackDown! brand on June 30, making the title SmackDown! exclusive. Became the longest reign in the history of the championship.
— Vacated — 02006-01-10January 10, 2006 — Philadelphia, PA SmackDown! Batista vacated the title after he was sidelined with a legitimate triceps injury. This episode aired on tape delay on January 13, 2006.
11 Kurt Angle 1 02006-01-10January 10, 2006 700182000000000000082 Philadelphia, PA SmackDown! Angle won the vacant championship in a twenty–man battle royal. This episode aired on tape delay on January 13, 2006
12 Rey Mysterio 1 02006-04-02April 2, 2006 7002112000000000000112 Rosemont, IL WrestleMania 22 This was a triple–threat match, also involving Randy Orton.
13 King Booker 1 02006-07-23July 23, 2006 7002126000000000000126 Indianapolis, IN The Great American Bash Booker T was the first African American WWE World Champion
14 Batista 2 02006-11-26November 26, 2006 7002126000000000000126 Philadelphia, PA Survivor Series This was a last chance match.
15 Undertaker 1 02007-04-01April 1, 2007 700137000000000000037 Detroit, MI WrestleMania 23
16 Edge 1 02007-05-08May 8, 2007 700170000000000000070 Pittsburgh, PA SmackDown! Edge cashed in Mr. Kennedy's Money in the Bank contract to earn the right to challenge for the title. Following the win, Edge was transferred from the Raw to the SmackDown roster. This episode aired on tape delay on May 11, 2007.
— Vacated — 02007-07-17July 17, 2007 — Laredo, TX SmackDown! Edge vacated the title after he was sidelined with a legitimate pectoral injury. This episode aired on tape delay on July 20, 2007.
17 The Great Khali 1 02007-07-17July 17, 2007 700161000000000000061 Laredo, TX SmackDown! The Great Khali won the vacant championship in a 20 man battle royal. This episode aired on tape delay on July 20, 2007.
18 Batista 3 02007-09-16September 16, 2007 700191000000000000091 Memphis, TN Unforgiven This was a triple–threat match, also involving Rey Mysterio.
19 Edge 2 02007-12-16December 16, 2007 7002105000000000000105 Pittsburgh, PA Armageddon This was a triple–threat match, also involving The Undertaker.
20 Undertaker 2 02008-03-30March 30, 2008 700130000000000000030 Orlando, FL WrestleMania XXIV
— Vacated — 02008-04-29April 29, 2008 — Atlantic City, NJ SmackDown SmackDown's General Manager Vickie Guerrero ordered The Undertaker to relinquish the title because of the danger that his Hell's Gate choke hold caused. This episode aired on tape delay on May 2, 2008.
21 Edge 3 02008-06-01June 1, 2008 700129000000000000029 San Diego, CA One Night Stand Edge defeated The Undertaker in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match to win the vacant title.
22 CM Punk 01 !1 02008-06-30June 30, 2008 700169000000000000069 Oklahoma City, OK Raw Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract in order to challenge for the title. CM Punk was a part of the Raw brand, thus making the title Raw-exclusive again.
23 Chris Jericho 1 02008-09-07September 7, 2008 700149000000000000049 Cleveland, OH Unforgiven Originally, CM Punk was to defend his title in a Championship Scramble match also involving John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Batista, Rey Mysterio, and Kane, but he was replaced by Jericho, who won the match and championship as a result of Punk sustaining a scripted injury from Legacy.
24 Batista 4 02008-10-26October 26, 2008 70008000000000000008 Phoenix, AZ Cyber Sunday Steve Austin was the Guest Referee
25 Chris Jericho 2 02008-11-03November 3, 2008 700120000000000000020 Tampa, FL Raw This was a steel cage match.
26 John Cena 1 02008-11-23November 23, 2008 700184000000000000084 Boston, MA Survivor Series
27 Edge 4 02009-02-15February 15, 2009 700149000000000000049 Seattle, WA No Way Out This was an Elimination Chamber match also involving Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Mike Knox, and Kane. Edge attacked Kofi Kingston and replaced him in the match. After he won the match, the title became exclusive to SmackDown as a result of him being a part of the SmackDown roster.
28 John Cena 2 02009-04-05April 5, 2009 700121000000000000021 Houston, TX WrestleMania XXV This was a triple–threat match, also involving Big Show. The title became exclusive to the Raw brand once again due to John Cena being a Raw brand wrestler.
29 Edge 5 02009-04-26April 26, 2009 700142000000000000042 Providence, RI Backlash This was a Last Man Standing match. The championship became exclusive once again to the SmackDown brand due to Edge being a SmackDown wrestler.
30 Jeff Hardy 1 02009-06-07June 7, 2009 50000000000000000000 New Orleans, LA Extreme Rules This was a Ladder match.
31 CM Punk 2 02009-06-07June 7, 2009 700149000000000000049 New Orleans, LA Extreme Rules Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract immediately after Hardy's victory to win the championship.
32 Jeff Hardy 2 02009-07-26July 26, 2009 700128000000000000028 Philadelphia, PA Night of Champions
33 CM Punk 3 02009-08-23August 23, 2009 700142000000000000042 Los Angeles, CA SummerSlam This was a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.
34 Undertaker 3 02009-10-04October 4, 2009 7002140000000000000140 Newark, NJ Hell in a Cell This was a Hell in a Cell match.
35 Chris Jericho 3 02010-02-21February 21, 2010 700137000000000000037 St. Louis, MO Elimination Chamber This was an Elimination Chamber match, also involving John Morrison, R-Truth, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio
36 Jack Swagger 1 02010-03-30March 30, 2010 700182000000000000082 Las Vegas, NV SmackDown Swagger cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to earn the right to challenge for the title. Signed to Raw at the time, Swagger transferred to SmackDown upon winning the title. This episode aired on tape delay on April 2, 2010.
37 Rey Mysterio 2 02010-06-20June 20, 2010 700128000000000000028 Uniondale, NY Fatal 4-Way This was a Fatal 4-Way match, also involving Big Show and CM Punk.
38 Kane 1 02010-07-18July 18, 2010 7002154000000000000154 Kansas City, MO Money in the Bank Kane cashed in his Money in the Bank contract in order to challenge for the title.
39 Edge 6 02010-12-19December 19, 2010 700158000000000000058 Houston, TX TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs This was a Fatal–four way match Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, also involving Alberto Del Rio and Rey Mysterio.
40 Dolph Ziggler 1 02011-02-15February 15, 2011 50000000000000000000 San Diego, CA SmackDown Edge was stripped as a result of using the spear (which had been banned) in a previous match by Vickie Guerrero, who then awarded the belt to Ziggler. This episode aired on tape delay on February 18, 2011.
41 Edge 7 02011-02-15February 15, 2011 700156000000000000056 San Diego, CA SmackDown This episode aired on tape delay on February 18, 2011.
— Vacated — 02011-04-12April 12, 2011 — Albany, NY SmackDown Title declared vacant due to Edge's retirement. This episode aired on tape delay on April 15, 2011.
42 Christian 1 02011-05-01May 1, 2011 70002000000000000002 Tampa, FL Extreme Rules Christian defeated Alberto Del Rio in a Ladder match to win the vacant title.
43 Randy Orton 2 02011-05-03May 3, 2011 700175000000000000075 Orlando, FL SmackDown This episode aired on tape delay on May 6, 2011.
44 Christian 2 02011-07-17July 17, 2011 700128000000000000028 Rosemont, IL Money in the Bank Christian defeated Randy Orton by disqualification after Orton gave him a low-blow in view of the official. The stipulations of the match allowed the title to change hands via disqualification.
45 Randy Orton 3 02011-08-14August 14, 2011 700135000000000000035 Los Angeles, CA SummerSlam This was a No Holds Barred Match.
46 Mark Henry 1 02011-09-18September 18, 2011 700191000000000000091 Buffalo, NY Night of Champions
47 Big Show 1 02011-12-18December 18, 2011 50000000000000000000 Baltimore, MD TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs This was a Chairs match. Shortest World Heavyweight Championship reign in WWE history.
48 Daniel Bryan 1 02011-12-18December 18, 2011 7002105000000000000105 Baltimore, MD TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs Daniel Bryan cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.
49 Sheamus 1 02012-04-01April 1, 2012 7002210000000000000210 Miami Gardens, FL WrestleMania XXVIII
50 Big Show 2 02012-10-28October 28, 2012 700131000000000000031+ Atlanta, GA Hell in a Cell

Read more about this topic:  List Of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE), Title History

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