List of WWF Light Heavyweight Champions
The WWF Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling cruiserweight championship operated by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Only wrestlers that weighed less than 220 pounds (100 kg), called cruiserweights in professional wrestling, were allowed to challenge for the title. From 1981 to 1995, the WWF had a business partnership with the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA), a Mexican lucha libre-based promotion, which resulted in the creation of the Light Heavyweight Championship for the UWA. When the UWA ceased operations in 1995, the WWF lent the title to the Japanese New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) promotion; however, the WWF ended their partnership with NJPW in 1997. As a result of the WWF owning the trademarks to the championship, NJPW returned the title to the WWF. One month later, the WWF began operating the title in the United States.[1] World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and its assets were acquired by the WWF in March 2001, which included the copyrights to their championships.[2] The WCW Cruiserweight Championship, a counterpart to the Light Heavyweight Championship, was one of these titles. After acquiring WCW, the WWF used the Cruiserweight Title, among other WCW championships, during The Invasion storyline, which featured former WCW wrestlers feuding with original WWF wrestlers before WCW's purchase. After The Invasion narrative ended in December 2001, the WWF replaced the Light Heavyweight Title with the Cruiserweight Championship, which had the WWF acronym added to its name.[3] World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the successor of the WWF, operated the Cruiserweight Championship until 2007, when the title was deactivated.[4]
Title reigns were determined by professional wrestling matches that involved wrestlers in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines or were awarded the title due to scripted circumstances. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains or heroes as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a match or series of matches for the championship.[5] The title was won in Japan, Mexico, and 11 American states. The first champion to be recognized by the UWA was Perro Aguayo, who won the title in a tournament final in March 1981. Shinjiro Otani was the final champion recognized by the UWA before the title was returned to the WWF; he had won the title in August 1997. Although his reign is unrecognized by the WWF, Ultimo Dragon is the only wrestler to hold a WWF championship and a WCW championship at the same time before WWF's purchase of WCW. The first champion recognized by the WWF was Taka Michinoku, who won the title in a tournament final on December 7, 1997. After winning the championship in August 2001, X-Pac was the final wrestler to have held the title before it was replaced by the Cruiserweight Championship. Aguayo and Villano III held the title the most times, with eight. At 826 days, Villano III's reign from 1984 to 1986 was the longest in the title's history. Aguayo's reign in 1981 is the shortest reign, at eight days. Overall, there were 45 title reigns.
Contents
Title history
- Key
Reign | The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed |
# | Indicates what number the reign is |
Event | The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the titles were won |
— | Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign |
Recognition by the UWA/NJPW
# | Wrestlers | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Perro Aguayo | 1 | March 26, 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Shimizu, Japan | House show | Aguayo defeated Gran Hamada in a tournament final for the title. |
2 | Fishman | 1 | September 25, 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Los Angeles, CA | House show | |
3 | Perro Aguayo | 2 | October 10, 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Los Angeles, CA | House show | |
4 | Chris Adams | 1 | October 18, 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
5 | Perro Aguayo | 3 | December 13, 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
6 | Gran Hamada | 1 | April 21, 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Tokyo, Japan | House show | |
7 | Perro Aguayo | 4 | August 29, 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
8 | Villano III | 1 | March 20, 1983 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
9 | Perro Aguayo | 5 | August 7, 1983 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
10 | Gran Hamada | 2 | April 17, 1984 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Tokyo, Japan | House show | |
11 | Villano III | 2 | May 20, 1984 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
12 | Fishman | 2 | August 24, 1986 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
13 | Perro Aguayo | 6 | December 24, 1986 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
— | Vacated | — | May 3, 1987 | — | — | — | The UWA forced Aguayo to relinquish the championship after a title defense against Villano III ended in controversy.[6] |
14 | Villano III | 3 | June 17, 1987 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | Villano III defeated Perro Aguayo in a rematch for the title. |
15 | Rambo | 1 | October 4, 1987 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
16 | Villano III | 4 | July 11, 1988 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
17 | Sangre Chicana | 1 | August 14, 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
18 | Perro Aguayo | 7 | October 15, 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
19 | Sangre Chicana | 2 | December 3, 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Mexico City, Mexico | House show | |
20 | Villano III | 5 | May 27, 1990 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Naucalpan, Mexico | House show | [7] |
21 | Pegasus Kid | 1 | March 3, 1991 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Naucalpan, Mexico | House show | |
22 | Villano III | 6 | September 13, 1992 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Naucalpan, Mexico | House show | |
23 | El Signo | 1 | January 1, 1993 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico | House show | |
24 | Villano III | 7 | July 18, 1994 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Puebla, Mexico | House show | |
— | Vacated | — | January 1995 | — | — | — | After Villano III signed a contract with the PROMELL promotion, he was forced to vacate the championship by the UWA. |
25 | Aero Flash | 1 | June 16, 1995 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico | House show | Aero Flash won the title in a tournament final. |
26 | The Great Sasuke | 1 | March 24, 1996 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Shirakawa, Japan | House show | |
27 | El Samurai | 1 | June 22, 1996 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Naruko, Japan | House show | |
28 | The Great Sasuke | 2 | August 4, 1996 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Tokyo, Japan | House show | Championship becomes part of the J-Crown |
29 | Último Dragón | 1 | October 11, 1996 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Osaka, Japan | House show | |
30 | Jushin Thunder Liger | 1 | January 4, 1997 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Tokyo, Japan | Wrestling World | |
31 | El Samurai | 2 | July 6, 1997 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Sapporo, Japan | House show | |
32 | Shinjiro Otani | 1 | August 10, 1997 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Nagoya, Japan | House show | On November 5, 1997, the J-Crown was vacated. Otani returned five of the belts except the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Otani was the final wrestler in the UWA to hold the title before it was returned to the WWF. |
Recognition by the WWF
# | Wrestlers | Reign | Date | Days held | Location | Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
33 | Taka Michinoku | 1 | December 7, 1997 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Springfield, MA | In Your House: D-Generation X | Michinoku defeated Brian Christopher in a tournament final to win the title. |
34 | Christian | 1 | October 18, 1998 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Chicago, IL | Judgment Day: In Your House | |
35 | Duane Gill / Gillberg | 1 | November 17, 1998 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Columbus, OH | Raw is War | |
36 | Essa Rios | 1 | February 13, 2000 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Austin, TX | Sunday Night Heat | |
37 | Dean Malenko | 1 | March 13, 2000 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | East Rutherford, NJ | Raw is War | |
38 | Scotty 2 Hotty | 1 | April 17, 2000 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | State College, PA | Raw is War | |
39 | Dean Malenko | 2 | April 25, 2000 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Charlotte, NC | SmackDown! | This title change aired on tape delay. |
40 | Crash Holly | 1 | March 13, 2001 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Anaheim, CA | Sunday Night Heat | |
41 | Jerry Lynn | 1 | April 29, 2001 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Chicago, IL | Sunday Night Heat | |
42 | Jeff Hardy | 1 | June 5, 2001 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Grand Forks, ND | SmackDown! | This title change aired on tape delay. |
43 | X-Pac | 1 | June 25, 2001 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | New York City, NY | Raw is War | |
44 | Tajiri | 1 | August 6, 2001 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Anaheim, CA | Raw is War | |
45 | X-Pac | 2 | August 19, 2001 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | San Jose, CA | SummerSlam | X-Pac was the final wrestler to hold the title before it was replaced by the WWF Cruiserweight Championship. A title unification match at Survivor Series between WCW Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri and WWF Light Heavyweight Champion X-Pac was canceled because X-Pac was injured; shortly after the Light Heavyweight Championship became inactive. |
List of top combined reigns
Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns | Combined days |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Villano III | 7 | 2,031 |
2 | Perro Aguayo | 7 | 956 |
3 | El Signo | 1 | 563 |
4 | The Pegasus Kid | 1 | 560 |
5 | Gillberg | 1 | 453 |
6 | Dean Malenko | 2 | 357 |
7 | Taka Michinoku | 1 | 315 |
8 | Aero Flash | 1 | 282 |
9 | Rambo | 1 | 281 |
10 | Sangre Chicana | 2 | 237 |
11 | Jushin Thunder Liger | 1 | 183 |
12 | Gran Hamada | 2 | 163 |
13 | The Great Sasuke | 2 | 158 |
14 | Fishman | 2 | 137 |
15 | X-Pac | 2 | 133 |
16 | Shinjiro Otani | 1 | 87 |
17 | Último Dragón | 1 | 85 |
18 | El Samurai | 2 | 78 |
19 | Chris Adams | 1 | 56 |
20 | Crash Holly | 1 | 47 |
21 | Jerry Lynn | 1 | 37 |
22 | Christian | 1 | 30 |
23 | Essa Rios | 1 | 29 |
24 | Jeff Hardy | 1 | 20 |
25 | Tajiri | 1 | 13 |
26 | Scotty 2 Hotty | 1 | 8 |
See also
References
- General
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- Specific
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External links
- Official WWF Light Heavyweight Championship title history
- WWF Light Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling-Titles.com
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