List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions

Three-time champion Diamond Dallas Page holding the Big Gold Belt, which represented the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from 1994-2001

This is a chronological list of wrestlers that have been WCW World Heavyweight Champion by ring name. The WCW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship. Its lineage began when Ted Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions, which used the National Wrestling Alliance alliance name. Turner's organization was renamed World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and split from the NWA in 1991.

The WCW World Heavyweight Championship is the original world title of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In March 2001, WCW was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now known as WWE) and the championship was defended as the "WCW Championship" as part of the Invasion storyline, with the "WCW" initials being dropped from the title's name in November 2001. In December 2001, the renamed "World Championship" was unified with the WWF Championship to create the "Undisputed WWF Championship".

The championship was generally contested in professional wrestling matches, in which participants execute scripted finishes rather than contend in direct competition. There have been a total of 22 recognized champions who have had a combined 62 official reigns, with Ric Flair holding the most at seven (although the actual total is eight as WWE does not recognize the title being vacated after the Spring Stampede 1994 match, although WCW did recognize this). Flair was also, at 51, the oldest WCW Champion when he won it in May 2000, while The Giant was the youngest when he won it in October 1995 at the age of 23. The longest reigning champion was Hulk Hogan, who held the title for 469 days. The shortest reigning champion was Chris Jericho, who held the title for approximately 13 and a half minutes, since he unified with the WWF Championship at Vengeance.

Names

Name	Years
WCW World Heavyweight Championship	January 11, 1991 – March 26, 2001
WCW Championship	June 24, 2001 – November 18, 2001
World Championship	November 19, 2001 – December 9, 2001

Reigns

#	Wrestler	Reign number	Date	Days held	Location	Event	Notes
1	Ric Flair	1	January 11, 1991		East Rutherford, NJ	House show	Defeated Sting for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. WCW began recognizing Flair as WCW World Champion. It is counted as an NWA title win (and not a WCW title win) among Flair's 16 world titles.
—	Vacated	—	July 1, 1991	—	—	—	Flair left for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was stripped of the title.
2	Lex Luger	1	July 14, 1991		Baltimore, MD	The Great American Bash	Defeated Barry Windham in a steel cage match.
3	Sting	1	February 29, 1992		Milwaukee, WI	SuperBrawl II
4	Big Van Vader	1	July 12, 1992		Albany, GA	The Great American Bash
5	Ron Simmons	1	August 2, 1992		Baltimore, MD	House show	The match would be shown on WCW Main Event via tape delay.
6	Big Van Vader	2	December 30, 1992		Baltimore, MD	House show
7	Sting	2	March 11, 1993		London, England	House show
8	Big Van Vader	3	March 17, 1993		Dublin, Ireland	House show
9	Ric Flair	2	December 27, 1993		Charlotte, NC	Starrcade: 10th Anniversary
—	Vacated	—	April 17, 1994	—	Rosemont, IL	Spring Stampede	Title held up after Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat resulted in a double pin. This vacancy and Flair's subsequent regaining of the title is not recognized by WWE.
9	Ric Flair	3	April 21, 1994		Atlanta, GA	Saturday Night	Defeated Steamboat in a rematch. Aired on May 14, 1994.
10	Hulk Hogan	1	July 17, 1994		Orlando, FL	Bash at the Beach
12	The Giant	1	October 29, 1995		Detroit, MI	Halloween Havoc	Won in a match where the title could be change hands via disqualification. The Giant defeated Hogan by disqualification when Hogan's manager Jimmy Hart interfered.
—	Vacated	—	November 6, 1995	—	Jacksonville, FL	Nitro	The Giant was stripped of the title due to controversial finish of Halloween Havoc match.
13	Randy Savage	1	November 26, 1995		Norfolk, VA	World War 3	Won in a World War 3 match, last eliminating One Man Gang.
14	Ric Flair	4	December 27, 1995		Nashville, TN	Starrcade: World Cup of Wrestling
15	Randy Savage	2	January 22, 1996		Las Vegas, NV	Nitro
16	Ric Flair	5	February 11, 1996		St. Petersburg, FL	SuperBrawl VI	Won in a Steel cage match.
17	The Giant	2	April 22, 1996		Albany, GA	Nitro	Aired April 29, 1996.
18	Hollywood Hogan	2	August 10, 1996		Sturgis, SD	Hog Wild
19	Lex Luger	2	August 4, 1997		Auburn Hills, MI	Nitro
20	Hollywood Hogan	3	August 9, 1997		Sturgis, SD	Road Wild
21	Sting	3	December 28, 1997		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.
—	Vacated	—	January 8, 1998	—	Daytona Beach, FL	Thunder	Aired January 8, 1998. Title held up due to controversy over finish of December 28 and December 29 matches.
22	Sting	4	February 22, 1998		Daly City, CA	SuperBrawl VIII	Defeated Hogan in a rematch.
23	Randy Savage	3	April 19, 1998		Denver, CO	Spring Stampede
24	Hollywood Hogan	4	April 20, 1998		Colorado Springs, CO	Nitro	Won a no-disqualification match.
25	Goldberg	1	July 6, 1998		Atlanta, GA	Nitro
26	Kevin Nash	1	December 27, 1998		Washington, D.C.	Starrcade
27	Hollywood Hogan	5	January 4, 1999		Atlanta, GA	Nitro	Nash lay down for Hogan.
28	Ric Flair	6	March 14, 1999		Louisville, KY	Uncensored	Flair pinned Hogan in a First Blood Steel Cage match.
29	Diamond Dallas Page	1	April 11, 1999		Tacoma, WA	Spring Stampede	Defeated Flair, Sting, and Hollywood Hogan in a four-way match. Randy Savage was the special guest referee
30	Sting	5	April 26, 1999	<1	Fargo, ND	Nitro
31	Diamond Dallas Page	2					Defeated Sting, Kevin Nash, and Goldberg in a No Disqualification Fatal Four-Way match.
32	Kevin Nash	2	May 9, 1999		St. Louis, MO	Slamboree
33	Randy Savage	4	July 11, 1999		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	July 12, 1999		Jacksonville, FL	Nitro
35	Sting	6	September 12, 1999		Winston-Salem, NC	Fall Brawl
—	Vacated	—	October 25, 1999	—	Phoenix, AZ	Nitro	Sting was 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		Toronto, Ontario	Mayhem	Defeated Chris Benoit in a tournament final.
—	Vacated	—	December 20, 1999	—	Baltimore, MD	Nitro	Hart vacated the title because of the controversial match with Goldberg at Starrcade 1999.
37	Bret Hart	2	December 20, 1999		Baltimore, MD	Nitro	Defeated Goldberg in a rematch.
—	Vacated	—	January 16, 2000	—	Cincinnati, OH	Souled Out	Hart vacated the title due to injury.
38	Chris Benoit	1	January 16, 2000		Cincinnati, OH	Souled Out	Defeated Sid Vicious.
—	Vacated	—	January 17, 2000	—	Columbus, OH	Nitro	Title held up because when Benoit won the match Sid's foot was under the rope during the decisively submission. In reality, Benoit forfeited the title and left for the WWF after dispute with management.
39	Sid Vicious	1	January 24, 2000		Los Angeles, CA	Nitro	Defeated Kevin Nash after defeating The Harris Brothers for the right to wrestle Nash for the belt.
—	Vacated	—	January 25, 2000	—	Las Vegas, NV	Thunder	Stripped by Commissioner Kevin Nash due to Sid pinning the wrong Harris Brother.
40	Kevin Nash	3	January 25, 2000	<1	Las Vegas, NV	Thunder	Awarded himself the title. Not listed in the title lineage at WWE.com.
41	Sid Vicious	2					Defeated Nash and Ron Harris in a handicap match by making Nash submit. Aired January 26, 2000.
—	Vacated	—	April 10, 2000	—	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		Chicago, IL	Spring Stampede	Defeated Dallas Page in tournament final.
43	Diamond Dallas Page	3	April 24, 2000		Rochester, NY	Nitro	Defeated Jeff Jarrett in a steel cage match.
44	David Arquette	1	April 25, 2000		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		Kansas City, MO	Slamboree	Won in a Triple Cage match that also included Page.
46	Ric Flair	7	May 15, 2000		Biloxi, MS	Nitro
—	Vacated	—	May 22, 2000	—	Grand Rapids, MI	Nitro	Vince Russo stripped Flair of the title.
47	Jeff Jarrett	3	May 22, 2000		Grand Rapids, MI	Nitro	Defeated Kevin Nash in a Falls Count Anywhere match for the vacant title.
48	Kevin Nash	4	May 23, 2000		Saginaw, MI	Thunder	Defeats Jarrett and Scott Steiner in a Triple Threat match. Aired on May 24, 2000.
49	Ric Flair	8	May 29, 2000	<1	Salt Lake City, UT	Nitro	Nash gave title back to Flair.
50	Jeff Jarrett	4
51	Booker T	1	July 9, 2000		Daytona Beach, FL	Bash at the Beach	After the controversial Hogan vs. Jarrett match, head writer Vince Russo announced that Jarrett would defend the title in an impromptu match against Booker T.
52	Kevin Nash	5	August 28, 2000		Las Cruces, NM	Nitro
53	Booker T	2	September 17, 2000		Buffalo, NY	Fall Brawl	Won a Caged Heat match.
54	Vince Russo	1	September 25, 2000		Uniondale, NY	Nitro	Won in a steel cage match.
—	Vacated	—	October 2, 2000	—	Daly City, CA	Nitro	Russo decided he was not a wrestler and he did not want the title.
55	Booker T	3	October 2, 2000		Daly City, CA	Nitro	Defeated Jeff Jarrett in a "San Francisco 49ers match".
56	Scott Steiner	1	November 26, 2000		Milwaukee, WI	Mayhem	Won in a "Straight Jacket steel cage match".
57	Booker T	4	March 26, 2001		Panama City Beach, FL	Nitro	Won on the final episode of 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		Pittsburgh, PA	SmackDown!	Aired July 26, 2001.
59	Booker T	5	July 30, 2001		Philadelphia, PA	Raw Is War
60	The Rock	1	August 19, 2001		San Jose, CA	SummerSlam
61	Chris Jericho	1	October 21, 2001		St. Louis, MO	No Mercy
62	The Rock	2	November 5, 2001		Uniondale, NY	Raw	The title was referred to as simply the "World Championship" on November 19 after the demise of The Alliance.
63	Chris Jericho	2	December 9, 2001	<1	San Diego, CA	Vengeance
—	Unified	—	December 9, 2001	—	San Diego, CA	Vengeance	Unified with the WWF Championship when Jericho defeated Steve Austin to create the "Undisputed WWF Championship".

List of combined reigns

Rank	Wrestler	No. of reigns	Combined days
1	Hulk/Hollywood Hogan	6	1,177
2	Ric Flair	8	501
3	Big Van Vader	3	377
4	Booker T	5	253
5	Sting	6	250
6	Lex Luger	2	235
7	Goldberg	1	174
8	Ron Simmons	1	150
9	Scott Steiner	1	120
10	The Giant	2	118
11	Kevin Nash	5	97
	The Rock	2	97
13	Sid Vicious	2	77
14	Jeff Jarrett	4	58
15	Bret Hart	2	56
16	Randy Savage	4	53
17	Diamond Dallas Page	3	29
18	Chris Jericho	2	15
19	David Arquette	1	12
20	Vince Russo	1	7
21	Kurt Angle	1	6
22	Chris Benoit	1	1

See also

• List of NWA World Heavyweight Champions
• List of WWE World Heavyweight Champions
• List of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE)

External links

• Official WCW World Heavyweight Championship History
• Wrestling-Titles.com: WCW World Heavyweight Title History