WWE Championship

The WWE Championship is widely recognized as the most historic championship in WWE.

Dating back to 1963, the WWE Championship was first awarded to Buddy Rogers after he defeated Antonino Rocca in the finals of a tournament in April. Since that time, the biggest names in the business have held the title, including Bruno Sammartino, Andre the Giant, Bret Hart, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

Championship Holders over time

2020 - Present
Championship Holders
11
Longest Reign

714 days

Shortest Reign

8 days

ChampionDate of Reign | Time Held

Roman Reigns

Apr 3, 2022 - Present

Brock Lesnar

Feb 19, 2022 - Apr 3, 2022

43 days

Bobby Lashley

Jan 29, 2022 - Feb 19, 2022

20 days

Brock Lesnar

Jan 1, 2022 - Jan 29, 2022

27 days

Big E

Sep 13, 2021 - Jan 1, 2022

110 days

Bobby Lashley

Mar 1, 2021 - Sep 13, 2021

195 days

The Miz

Feb 21, 2021 - Mar 1, 2021

8 days

Drew McIntyre

Nov 16, 2020 - Feb 21, 2021

96 days

Randy Orton

Oct 25, 2020 - Nov 16, 2020

22 days

Drew McIntyre

Apr 5, 2020 - Oct 25, 2020

202 days

Brock Lesnar

Oct 4, 2019 - Apr 5, 2020

184 days

(reign began in previous decade)

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2010 - 2019
Championship Holders
41
Longest Reign

434 days

Shortest Reign

<1 day

ChampionDate of Reign | Time Held

Brock Lesnar

Oct 4, 2019 - Apr 5, 2020

184 days

(reign ends in next decade)

Kofi Kingston

Apr 7, 2019 - Oct 4, 2019

180 days

Daniel Bryan

Nov 13, 2018 - Apr 7, 2019

144 days

AJ Styles

Nov 7, 2017 - Nov 13, 2018

371 days

Jinder Mahal

May 21, 2017 - Nov 7, 2017

169 days

Randy Orton

Apr 2, 2017 - May 21, 2017

49 days

Bray Wyatt

Feb 12, 2017 - Apr 2, 2017

48 days

John Cena

Jan 29, 2017 - Feb 12, 2017

14 days

AJ Styles

Sep 11, 2016 - Jan 29, 2017

140 days

Dean Ambrose

Jun 19, 2016 - Sep 11, 2016

83 days

Seth "Freakin" Rollins

Jun 19, 2016

<1 day

Roman Reigns

Apr 3, 2016 - Jun 19, 2016

76 days

Triple H

Jan 24, 2016 - Apr 3, 2016

69 days

Roman Reigns

Dec 14, 2015 - Jan 24, 2016

40 days

Sheamus

Nov 22, 2015 - Dec 14, 2015

22 days

Roman Reigns

Nov 22, 2015

<1 day

Seth Rollins

Mar 29, 2015 - Nov 5, 2015

220 days

Brock Lesnar

Aug 17, 2014 - Mar 29, 2015

223 days

John Cena

Jun 29, 2014 - Aug 17, 2014

49 days

Daniel Bryan

Apr 6, 2014 - Jun 9, 2014

63 days

Randy Orton

Oct 27, 2013 - Apr 6, 2014

160 days

Daniel Bryan

Sep 15, 2013 - Sep 16, 2013

<1 day

Randy Orton

Aug 18, 2013 - Sep 15, 2013

28 days

Daniel Bryan

Aug 18, 2013

<1 day

John Cena

Apr 7, 2013 - Aug 18, 2013

132 days

The Rock

Jan 27, 2013 - Apr 7, 2013

69 days

CM Punk

Nov 20, 2011 - Jan 27, 2013

434 days

Alberto Del Rio

Oct 2, 2011 - Nov 20, 2011

48 days

John Cena

Sep 18, 2011 - Oct 2, 2011

13 days

Alberto Del Rio

Aug 14, 2011 - Sep 18, 2011

34 days

John Cena

Jul 25, 2011 - Aug 14, 2011

19 days

Rey Mysterio

Jul 25, 2011

<1 day

CM Punk

Jul 17, 2011 - Aug 14, 2011

28 days

John Cena

May 1, 2011 - Jul 17, 2011

76 days

The Miz

Nov 22, 2010 - May 1, 2011

159 days

Randy Orton

Sep 19, 2010 - Nov 22, 2010

63 days

Sheamus

Jun 20, 2010 - Sep 19, 2010

90 days

John Cena

Mar 28, 2010 - Jun 20, 2010

83 days

Batista

Feb 21, 2010 - Mar 28, 2010

35 days

John Cena

Feb 21, 2010

<1 day

Sheamus

Dec 13, 2009 - Feb 21, 2010

69 days

(reign began in previous decade)

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2000 - 2009
Championship Holders
44
Longest Reign

380 days

Shortest Reign

<1 day

ChampionDate of Reign | Time Held

Sheamus

Dec 13, 2009 - Feb 21, 2010

69 days

(reign ends in next decade)

John Cena

Oct 25, 2009 - Dec 13, 2009

48 days

Randy Orton

Oct 4, 2009 - Oct 25, 2009

20 days

John Cena

Sep 13, 2009 - Oct 4, 2009

20 days

Randy Orton

Jun 15, 2009 - Sep 13, 2009

89 days

Batista

Jun 7, 2009 - Jun 9, 2009

1 day

Randy Orton

Apr 26, 2009 - Jun 7, 2009

41 days

Triple H

Feb 15, 2009 - Apr 26, 2009

69 days

Edge

Jan 25, 2009 - Feb 15, 2009

20 days

Jeff Hardy

Dec 14, 2008 - Jan 25, 2009

41 days

Edge

Nov 23, 2008 - Dec 14, 2008

20 days

Triple H

Apr 27, 2008 - Nov 23, 2008

209 days

Randy Orton

Oct 7, 2007 - Apr 27, 2008

202 days

Triple H

Oct 7, 2007

<1 day

Randy Orton

Oct 7, 2007

<1 day

John Cena

Sep 17, 2006 - Oct 2, 2007

380 days

Edge

Jul 3, 2006 - Sep 17, 2006

75 days

Rob Van Dam

Jun 11, 2006 - Jul 3, 2006

21 days

John Cena

Jan 29, 2006 - Jun 11, 2006

132 days

Edge

Jan 8, 2006 - Jan 29, 2006

20 days

John Cena

Apr 3, 2005 - Jan 8, 2006

279 days

JBL

Jun 27, 2004 - Apr 3, 2005

279 days

Eddie Guerrero

Feb 15, 2004 - Jun 27, 2004

132 days

Brock Lesnar

Sep 18, 2003 - Feb 15, 2004

150 days

Kurt Angle

Jul 27, 2003 - Sep 18, 2003

52 days

Brock Lesnar

Mar 30, 2003 - Jul 27, 2003

118 days

Kurt Angle

Dec 15, 2002 - Mar 30, 2003

104 days

Big Show

Nov 17, 2002 - Dec 15, 2002

27 days

Brock Lesnar

Aug 25, 2002 - Nov 17, 2002

83 days

The Rock

Jul 21, 2002 - Aug 25, 2002

34 days

Undertaker

May 19, 2002 - Jul 21, 2002

62 days

Hollywood Hogan

Apr 21, 2002 - May 19, 2002

28 days

Triple H

Mar 17, 2002 - Apr 21, 2002

34 days

Chris Jericho

Dec 9, 2001 - Mar 17, 2002

97 days

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Oct 8, 2001 - Dec 9, 2001

61 days

Kurt Angle

Sep 23, 2001 - Oct 8, 2001

14 days

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Apr 1, 2001 - Sep 23, 2001

175 days

The Rock

Feb 25, 2001 - Apr 1, 2001

34 days

Kurt Angle

Oct 22, 2000 - Feb 25, 2001

125 days

The Rock

Jun 25, 2000 - Oct 22, 2000

118 days

Triple H

May 21, 2000 - Jun 25, 2000

34 days

The Rock

Apr 30, 2000 - May 21, 2000

20 days

Triple H

Jan 3, 2000 - Apr 30, 2000

117 days

Big Show

Nov 14, 1999 - Jan 3, 2000

50 days

(reign began in previous decade)

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1990 - 1999
Championship Holders
41
Longest Reign

364 days

(reign began in previous decade)

Shortest Reign

<1 day

ChampionDate of Reign | Time Held

Big Show

Nov 14, 1999 - Jan 3, 2000

50 days

(reign ends in next decade)

Triple H

Sep 26, 1999 - Nov 14, 1999

49 days

Mr. McMahon

Sep 16, 1999 - Sep 20, 1999

4 days

Triple H

Aug 23, 1999 - Sep 16, 1999

24 days

Mankind

Aug 22, 1999 - Aug 23, 1999

1 day

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Jun 28, 1999 - Aug 22, 1999

55 days

Undertaker

May 23, 1999 - Jun 28, 1999

36 days

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Mar 28, 1999 - May 23, 1999

56 days

The Rock

Feb 15, 1999 - Mar 28, 1999

41 days

Mankind

Jan 31, 1999 - Feb 15, 1999

15 days

The Rock

Jan 24, 1999 - Jan 31, 1999

7 days

Mankind

Jan 4, 1999 - Jan 24, 1999

20 days

The Rock

Nov 15, 1998 - Jan 4, 1999

50 days

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Jun 29, 1998 - Sep 27, 1998

90 days

Kane

Jun 28, 1998 - Jun 29, 1998

<1 day

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Mar 29, 1998 - Jun 28, 1998

91 days

Shawn Michaels

Nov 9, 1997 - Mar 29, 1998

140 days

Bret Hart

Aug 3, 1997 - Nov 9, 1997

98 days

Undertaker

Mar 23, 1997 - Aug 3, 1997

133 days

Sid

Feb 17, 1997 - Mar 23, 1997

34 days

Bret Hart

Feb 16, 1997 - Feb 17, 1997

1 day

Shawn Michaels

Jan 19, 1997 - Feb 13, 1997

25 days

Sid

Nov 17, 1996 - Jan 19, 1997

63 days

Shawn Michaels

Mar 31, 1996 - Nov 17, 1996

231 days

Bret Hart

Nov 19, 1995 - Mar 31, 1996

133 days

Diesel

Nov 26, 1994 - Nov 19, 1995

358 days

Bob Backlund

Nov 23, 1994 - Nov 26, 1994

3 days

Bret Hart

Mar 20, 1994 - Nov 23, 1994

248 days

Yokozuna

Jun 13, 1993 - Mar 20, 1994

280 days

Yokozuna

Apr 4, 1993

<1 day

Hulk Hogan

Apr 4, 1993 - Jun 13, 1993

70 days

Bret Hart

Oct 12, 1992 - Apr 4, 1993

174 days

Ric Flair

Sep 1, 1992 - Oct 12, 1992

41 days

Randy Savage

Apr 5, 1992 - Sep 1, 1992

149 days

Ric Flair

Jan 19, 1992 - Apr 5, 1992

77 days

Hulk Hogan

Dec 3, 1991 - Dec 4, 1991

1 day

Undertaker

Nov 27, 1991 - Dec 3, 1991

6 days

Hulk Hogan

Mar 24, 1991 - Nov 27, 1991

248 days

Sgt. Slaughter

Jan 19, 1991 - Mar 24, 1991

64 days

Ultimate Warrior

Apr 1, 1990 - Jan 19, 1991

293 days

Hulk Hogan

Apr 2, 1989 - Apr 1, 1990

364 days

(reign began in previous decade)

See more
1980 - 1989
Championship Holders
6
Longest Reign

2.1k days

(reign began in previous decade)

Shortest Reign

<1 day

ChampionDate of Reign | Time Held

Hulk Hogan

Apr 2, 1989 - Apr 1, 1990

364 days

(reign ends in next decade)

Randy Savage

Mar 27, 1988 - Apr 2, 1989

371 days

Andre the Giant

Feb 5, 1988

<1 day

Hulk Hogan

Jan 23, 1984 - Feb 5, 1988

1.5k days

The Iron Sheik

Dec 26, 1983 - Jan 23, 1984

28 days

Bob Backlund

Feb 20, 1978 - Dec 26, 1983

2.1k days

(reign began in previous decade)

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1970 - 1979
Championship Holders
7
Longest Reign

2.8k days

(reign began in previous decade)

Shortest Reign

9 days

ChampionDate of Reign | Time Held

Bob Backlund

Feb 20, 1978 - Dec 26, 1983

2.1k days

(reign ends in next decade)

Superstar Billy Graham

Apr 30, 1977 - Feb 20, 1978

296 days

Bruno Sammartino

Dec 10, 1973 - Apr 30, 1977

1.2k days

Stan Stasiak

Dec 1, 1973 - Dec 10, 1973

9 days

Pedro Morales

Feb 8, 1971 - Dec 1, 1973

1k days

Ivan Koloff

Jan 18, 1971 - Feb 8, 1971

21 days

Bruno Sammartino

May 17, 1963 - Jan 18, 1971

2.8k days

(reign began in previous decade)

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1960 - 1969
Championship Holders
2
Longest Reign

2.8k days

(reign ends in next decade)

Shortest Reign

21 days

ChampionDate of Reign | Time Held

Bruno Sammartino

May 17, 1963 - Jan 18, 1971

2.8k days

(reign ends in next decade)

Buddy Rogers

Apr 25, 1963 - May 17, 1963

21 days

See more