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The WWE's version of the World Heavyweight Championship is officially 11 years old.
The title was created to make the Raw and SmackDown brands look like rival companies. They had both been using the WWE Championship for the first few months. But after Brock Lesnar won the title, SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon paid Lesnar to only ever defend the title against SmackDown challengers. Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff responded by introducing the Raw World Heavyweight Championship, a major title exclusive to the Raw brand. The WWE Board of Directors then made both titles exclusive to whichever brand they were on.
The title is heavily based upon the World Heavyweight Championship previously used in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The WWE insists that the title is a continuation of the previous titles, despite obvious breaks in the lineage. But most fans do not see it as having existed before September 2002.
Just like the WWE Championship, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship has changed brands, depending on which show the title holder was contracted to.
The title has been monopolised at different times by Triple H, Batista and Edge. It is no surprise that these three men have had the most time as champion, as well as the most title victories. Both men have had long streaks of being involved with World Title matches at consecutive pay-per-views, regardless of who the champion was.
The WWE website has created a list of their Top 15 Champions. But I have included some other trivia too.
World Title Trivia
Edge has held the title 7 times.
Rey Mysterio is the only masked champion.
When King Booker won the title, he became the first African-American to hold a major world title in the WWE. (The Rock's ethnicity is disputed because he is half African-Canadian, and half-Samoan).
Batista has had the longest single title reign, lasting 282 days. Triple H comes in close second with 280 days. Triple H has held the title for a combined 616 days.
Big Show, Jeff Hardy and Dolph Ziggler have both had reigns that lasted less than 1 hour.
The Undertaker and Edge have both forfeited the title after using finishers that SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero had outlawed.
Big Show, Goldberg and Chris Benoit are the only champions to have held the WCW version of the title.
Christian is the only champion to have won the NWA version of the title.
Batista is the oldest title holder, and Randy Orton is the youngest.
Triple H has held the World title and the Intercontinental Championship at the same time. The titles were briefly unified after this.
WWE.com Top 15 Champions
15. Goldberg (1, 84 days)
14. Daniel Bryan (1, 105 days)
13. Randy Orton (3, 138 days)
12. Kane (1, 154 days)
11. CM Punk (3, 160 days)
10. Chris Jericho (3, 106 days)
9. John Cena (2, 105 days)
8. Mark Henry (1, 91 days)
7. Rey Mysterio (2, 140 days)
6. Sheamus (1, 210 days)
5. King Booker (1, 126 days)
4. The Undertaker (3, 207 days)
3. Edge (7, 409 days)
2. Batista (4, 507 days)
1. Triple H (5, 616 days)
<div class='spoiler_toggle'>Every other WWE World Heavyweight Champion</div><div class="spoiler" style="display:none;">
Alberto Del Rio
Chris Benoit
Kurt Angle
Jack Swagger
Big Show
Dolph Ziggler
The Great Khali
Christian
Shawn Michaels
Jeff Hardy
</div>
The title was created to make the Raw and SmackDown brands look like rival companies. They had both been using the WWE Championship for the first few months. But after Brock Lesnar won the title, SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon paid Lesnar to only ever defend the title against SmackDown challengers. Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff responded by introducing the Raw World Heavyweight Championship, a major title exclusive to the Raw brand. The WWE Board of Directors then made both titles exclusive to whichever brand they were on.
The title is heavily based upon the World Heavyweight Championship previously used in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The WWE insists that the title is a continuation of the previous titles, despite obvious breaks in the lineage. But most fans do not see it as having existed before September 2002.
Just like the WWE Championship, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship has changed brands, depending on which show the title holder was contracted to.
The title has been monopolised at different times by Triple H, Batista and Edge. It is no surprise that these three men have had the most time as champion, as well as the most title victories. Both men have had long streaks of being involved with World Title matches at consecutive pay-per-views, regardless of who the champion was.
The WWE website has created a list of their Top 15 Champions. But I have included some other trivia too.
World Title Trivia
Edge has held the title 7 times.
Rey Mysterio is the only masked champion.
When King Booker won the title, he became the first African-American to hold a major world title in the WWE. (The Rock's ethnicity is disputed because he is half African-Canadian, and half-Samoan).
Batista has had the longest single title reign, lasting 282 days. Triple H comes in close second with 280 days. Triple H has held the title for a combined 616 days.
Big Show, Jeff Hardy and Dolph Ziggler have both had reigns that lasted less than 1 hour.
The Undertaker and Edge have both forfeited the title after using finishers that SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero had outlawed.
Big Show, Goldberg and Chris Benoit are the only champions to have held the WCW version of the title.
Christian is the only champion to have won the NWA version of the title.
Batista is the oldest title holder, and Randy Orton is the youngest.
Triple H has held the World title and the Intercontinental Championship at the same time. The titles were briefly unified after this.
WWE.com Top 15 Champions
15. Goldberg (1, 84 days)
14. Daniel Bryan (1, 105 days)
13. Randy Orton (3, 138 days)
12. Kane (1, 154 days)
11. CM Punk (3, 160 days)
10. Chris Jericho (3, 106 days)
9. John Cena (2, 105 days)
8. Mark Henry (1, 91 days)
7. Rey Mysterio (2, 140 days)
6. Sheamus (1, 210 days)
5. King Booker (1, 126 days)
4. The Undertaker (3, 207 days)
3. Edge (7, 409 days)
2. Batista (4, 507 days)
1. Triple H (5, 616 days)
<div class='spoiler_toggle'>Every other WWE World Heavyweight Champion</div><div class="spoiler" style="display:none;">
Alberto Del Rio
Chris Benoit
Kurt Angle
Jack Swagger
Big Show
Dolph Ziggler
The Great Khali
Christian
Shawn Michaels
Jeff Hardy
</div>
