Grand Slam Championship - WWE

WWE

In WWE (formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment) the term "Grand Slam Champion" was originally used by Shawn Michaels to describe himself upon winning the European Championship on September 20, 1997. Michaels previously held the WWF Championship and Intercontinental Championship and the Tag Team Championship with Diesel.

In May 2001, the then WWF.com indicated that the Hardcore Championship was an acceptable substitute for the European Championship in the Grand Slam. Kane, who had defeated Triple H for the Intercontinental Championship at Judgment Day on May 20, 2001, was acknowledged as a Grand Slam Champion as he had "become the only superstar in World Wrestling Federation history that has held the Intercontinental title as well as the Hardcore, Tag Team and WWF titles".

In April 2006, Kurt Angle was noted as being a former Grand Slam Champion on WWE.com, having won the WWE, WWE Tag Team, Intercontinental, and European Championship, indicating that WWE considers the WWE Tag Team Championship to be an acceptable substitute for the World Tag Team Championship. In August 2007, WWE.com published an article listing Shawn Michaels' championship reigns that completed the Grand Slam Championship. They included the WWE, World Heavyweight, World Tag Team, Intercontinental, and European Championship. The inclusion of the World Heavyweight Championship indicated that WWE considers the title to be an acceptable substitute for the WWE Championship in completing the Grand Slam.

At ECW One Night Stand in 2006, Rob Van Dam became the first superstar acquired by WWE after the purchase of World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling in 2001 to complete the Grand Slam when he defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship. Booker T became the second star acquired by the purchase to complete the Grand Slam when he defeated Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship at The Great American Bash (2006). Booker has held the World Tag Team, Intercontinental, and Hardcore titles

WWE has yet to officially recognize any other singles titles as Grand Slam components currently or previously active. This includes the United States Championship (though John "Bradshaw" Layfield in 2006 claimed Grand Slam status on the basis of his U.S. Championship reign) and the ECW Championship.

As of December 3, 2012, twelve wrestlers have held a combination of the four championships to complete the Grand Slam. As the European Championship and Hardcore Championships were unified with the Intercontinental Championship on July 22 and August 26, 2002 respectively and subsequently retired, the number of future potential Grand Slam Champions is limited to former European or Hardcore Champions.

Chris Jericho is the only wrestler to have held every Grand Slam eligible championship over the course of his career.

As of 2012, four WWE wrestlers need one or two titles to become a Grand Slam Champion:

• The Undertaker needs the Intercontinental Championship.
• William Regal needs a primary (WWE or World) championship.
• Mark Henry has won a primary (World) and tertiary (European) championship, he needs a tag team and Intercontinental Championship.
• R-Truth has won a tertiary (Hardcore) and tag team championship. He needs a primary (WWE or World) and Intercontinental Championship.