List of ECW World Heavyweight Champions
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The ECW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was the original world title of the Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion, later used in WWE as the world title of the ECW brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship. It was introduced as the ECW Heavyweight Championship on April 25, 1992. It was originally part of the Eastern Championship Wrestling promotion, which joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) on September 18, 1993. It was established as a world heavyweight championship in August 1994 following the promotion's secession from the NWA. The promotion became Extreme Championship Wrestling and the title became the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. It remained active until April 11, 2001, when ECW was closed and WWE subsequently purchased its assets. WWE relaunched ECW as a WWE brand in June 2006 with the title being recommissioned and designated as the ECW brand's world title. The brand dissolved February 16, 2010, rendering the title inactive.
The championship was contested in professional wrestling matches, in which participants execute scripted finishes rather than contend in direct competition. All title changes occurred at ECW or WWE shows. The inaugural champion was Jimmy Snuka, who defeated Salvatore Bellomo in a tournament final on April 25, 1992, to become the first ECW Heavyweight Champion. WWE, however, does not recognize the ECW Heavyweight Championship reigns from April 1992 through August 1994. Instead, they recognize Shane Douglas' second reign, which originally began on March 26, 1994, but is recognized as starting on August 27, 1994 – the same day the championship was renamed the ECW World Heavyweight Championship – as the inception of the title's history. The Sandman holds the record for most reigns, with five. At 406 days, Douglas' fourth reign is the longest in the title's history. Ezekiel Jackson's only reign was the shortest in the history of the title as it was retired as soon as he won it. He defeated the previous champion, Christian, on February 16, 2010, at an ECW television taping event. Overall, there have been 49 reigns among 32 wrestlers, with 1 vacancy, and 2 deactivations.
Reigns
Names
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
| ECW Heavyweight Championship | April 25, 1992 – September 18, 1993 |
| NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship | September 18, 1993 – August 27, 1994 |
| ECW World Heavyweight Championship | August 27, 1994 – April 11, 2001; June 13, 2006 – July 25, 2006 |
| ECW World Championship | July 25, 2006 – August 7, 2007 |
| ECW Championship | August 7, 2007 – February 16, 2010; as listed on WWE's official website |
Reigns
| No. | Overall reign number |
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| Days recog. | Number of days held recognized by the promotion |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Days recog. | ||||
| National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) | |||||||||
| 1 | Jimmy Snuka | April 25, 1992 | Live event | Mount Tabor, PA | 1 | 1 | 1 | Snuka defeated Salvatore Bellomo in a tournament final to become the inaugural champion; both men had won separate battle royals to advance to the final. | |
| 2 | Johnny Hotbody | April 26, 1992 | Live event | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 79 | 79 | ||
| 3 | Jimmy Snuka | July 14, 1992 | Live event | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 78 | 78 | ||
| 4 | Don Muraco | September 30, 1992 | Live event | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 47 | 47 | ||
| 5 | The Sandman | November 16, 1992 | Live event | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 138 | 138 | While WWE.com does not include this reign in the title history, it is implicitly included in their description of Sandman as a 5-time former champion. | |
| 6 | Don Muraco | April 3, 1993 | Hardcore TV | Radnor, PA | 2 | 127 | 127 | The episode aired on June 1, 1993 via tape delay. | |
| 7 | Tito Santana | August 8, 1993 | Hardcore TV | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 32 | 32 | The episode aired on August 24, 1993 via tape delay. | |
| 8 | Shane Douglas | September 9, 1993 | Hardcore TV | Roanoke, VA | 1 | 23 | 23 | Santana forfeited the belt to Douglas and left ECW. The episode aired on September 14, 1993 via tape delay. | |
| 9 | Sabu | October 2, 1993 | NWA Bloodfest | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 85 | 85 | The title change aired on November 2, 1993 episode of Hardcore TV via tape delay. | |
| 10 | Terry Funk | December 26, 1993 | Holiday Hell | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 90 | 90 | The title change aired on December 28, 1993 episode of Hardcore TV via tape delay. | |
| 11 | Shane Douglas | March 26, 1994 | Ultimate Jeopardy | Devon, PA | 2 | 385 | 230 | This was an Ultimate Jeopardy match pitting Douglas, Curtis Hughes, Rocco Rock, and Johnny Grunge against Funk, Road Warrior Hawk, Kevin Sullivan, and The Tazmaniac. The title change aired on the March 29, 1994 episode of Hardcore TV via tape delay. On August 27, 1994, the title was renamed the ECW World Heavyweight Championship when Douglas relinquished the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. ECW left the NWA and was renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling. WWE recognizes August 27, 1994, as the starting point of the title. | |
| Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) | |||||||||
| 12 | The Sandman | April 15, 1995 | Hostile City Showdown | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 196 | 195 | The title change aired on the April 18, 1995 episode of ECW Hardcore TV via tape delay. | |
| 13 | Mikey Whipwreck | October 28, 1995 | Hardcore TV | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 42 | 41 | This was a ladder match. The episode aired on October 31, 1995 via tape delay. | |
| 14 | The Sandman | December 9, 1995 | December to Dismember | Philadelphia, PA | 3 | 49 | 48 | This was a three-way dance also involving Steve Austin. The title change aired on the December 12, 1995 episode of Hardcore TV via tape delay. | |
| 15 | Raven | January 27, 1996 | Hardcore TV | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 252 | 251 | The episode aired on January 30, 1996 via tape delay. | |
| 16 | The Sandman | October 5, 1996 | Ultimate Jeopardy | Philadelphia, PA | 4 | 63 | 62 | The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer defeated Stevie Richards and Brian Lee in a tag team match. The Sandman gained the pinfall to win the championship after Raven failed to show up for the event. The title change aired on the October 8, 1996 episode of Hardcore TV via tape delay. | |
| 17 | Raven | December 7, 1996 | Holiday Hell | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 127 | 126 | This was a barbed wire match. The title change aired on the December 10, 1996 episode of ECW Hardcore TV via tape delay. | |
| 18 | Terry Funk | April 13, 1997 | Barely Legal | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 118 | 118 | ||
| 19 | Sabu | August 9, 1997 | Born to be Wired | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 8 | 8 | This was a Barbed Wire Match. The title change aired on the August 11, 1997 episode of Hardcore TV via tape delay. | |
| 20 | Shane Douglas | August 17, 1997 | Hardcore Heaven | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3 | 60 | 59 | This was a three-way dance also involving Terry Funk. | |
| 21 | Bam Bam Bigelow | October 16, 1997 | Hardcore TV | New York, NY | 1 | 45 | 45 | The episode aired on October 20, 1997 via tape delay. | |
| 22 | Shane Douglas | November 30, 1997 | November to Remember | Monaca, PA | 4 | 406 | 406 | ||
| 23 | Taz | January 10, 1999 | Guilty as Charged | Kissimmee, FL | 1 | 252 | 251 | ||
| 24 | Mike Awesome | September 19, 1999 | Anarchy Rulz | Villa Park, IL | 1 | 89 | 89 | This was a three-way dance also involving Masato Tanaka | |
| 25 | Masato Tanaka | December 17, 1999 | ECW on TNN | Nashville, TN | 1 | 6 | 5 | The episode aired on December 24, 1999 via tape delay. | |
| 26 | Mike Awesome | December 23, 1999 | ECW on TNN | White Plains, NY | 2 | 112 | 111 | The episode aired on December 31, 1999 via tape delay. | |
| 27 | Taz | April 13, 2000 | ECW on TNN | Indianapolis, IN | 2 | 9 | 9 | Taz had signed with the WWF following his title loss to Mike Awesome on September 19, 1999. However, Awesome unexpectedly signed with WCW in 2000 while still being champion and threatened to bring the title onto WCW TV. As a result, Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon arranged for Taz to return to ECW and defeat Awesome for the title. The episode aired on April 14, 2000 via tape delay. | |
| 28 | Tommy Dreamer | April 22, 2000 | CyberSlam | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | <1 | <1 | ||
| 29 | Justin Credible | April 22, 2000 | CyberSlam | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 162 | 161 | Credible challenged Dreamer after the match and won the title. | |
| 30 | Jerry Lynn | October 1, 2000 | Anarchy Rulz | Saint Paul, MN | 1 | 35 | 34 | ||
| 31 | Steve Corino | November 5, 2000 | November to Remember | Villa Park, IL | 1 | 63 | 62 | This was a Double Jeopardy Match also involving Justin Credible and The Sandman. | |
| 32 | The Sandman | January 7, 2001 | Guilty as Charged | New York, NY | 5 | <1 | <1 | This was a Tables, Ladders, Chairs, and Canes Match also involving Justin Credible. | |
| 33 | Rhino | January 7, 2001 | Guilty as Charged | New York, NY | 1 | 94 | 92 | Rhyno challenged Sandman after the match and won the title. | |
| — | Deactivated | April 11, 2001 | — | — | — | — | — | ECW closed on April 4, 2001, and the WWE purchased its assets in 2003. | |
| World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE): ECW | |||||||||
| 34 | Rob Van Dam | June 13, 2006 | ECW | Trenton, NJ | 1 | 21 | 20 | The title was revived by WWE for the ECW brand. Van Dam was awarded the title by Paul Heyman for winning the WWE Championship. | |
| 35 | Big Show | July 4, 2006 | ECW | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | 152 | 151 | This was an Extreme Rules match. The title would be referred to as the ECW World Championship during his reign. | |
| 36 | Bobby Lashley | December 3, 2006 | December to Dismember | Augusta, GA | 1 | 147 | 146 | This was an Extreme Elimination Chamber Match also involving CM Punk, Bob Holly, Rob Van Dam, and Test. | |
| 37 | Mr. McMahon | April 29, 2007 | Backlash | Atlanta, GA | 1 | 35 | 34 | McMahon pinned Lashley in a Handicap Match, which also involved McMahon's teammates Shane McMahon and Umaga, to win the championship. | |
| 38 | Bobby Lashley | June 3, 2007 | One Night Stand | Jacksonville, FL | 2 | 8 | 7 | This was a Street Fight. | |
| — | Vacated | June 11, 2007 | Raw | Wilkes-Barre, PA | — | — | — | The championship was vacated due to Bobby Lashley being drafted to the Raw brand. | |
| 39 | Johnny Nitro/John Morrison | June 24, 2007 | Vengeance: Night of Champions | Houston, TX | 1 | 69 | 67 | Nitro, who substituted for Chris Benoit due to his death (unknown at the time), defeated CM Punk to win the vacant championship. His ring name was changed to John Morrison during his reign on the July 17, 2007 episode of ECW. Beginning in August 2007, the title would be referred to simply as the ECW Championship. | |
| 40 | CM Punk | September 1, 2007 | ECW | Cincinnati, OH | 1 | 143 | 142 | This was a Last Chance match which aired on tape delay on September 4, 2007. | |
| WWE: SmackDown and ECW | |||||||||
| 41 | Chavo Guerrero | January 22, 2008 | ECW | Charlottesville, VA | 1 | 68 | 67 | This was a No Disqualification Match. With Chavo being a member of the SmackDown roster, the title becomes shared between SmackDown and ECW. | |
| WWE: SmackDown | |||||||||
| 42 | Kane | March 30, 2008 | WrestleMania XXIV | Orlando, FL | 1 | 91 | 91 | Kane was a member of the SmackDown brand at the time he won the title, thus making the title exclusive to SmackDown. The title was returned to ECW when Kane defected to the ECW brand two days later. Then the title was exclusive to the Raw brand when Kane was drafted to Raw on June 23, 2008. This gives Kane the distinction of being the only wrestler to carry one championship across all three brands. | |
| WWE: ECW and Raw | |||||||||
| 43 | Mark Henry | June 29, 2008 | Night of Champions | Dallas, TX | 1 | 70 | 69 | This was a triple threat match also involving the SmackDown brand's Big Show. The title is once again exclusive to ECW due to Mark Henry being a member of the ECW roster. | |
| WWE: ECW | |||||||||
| 44 | Matt Hardy | September 7, 2008 | Unforgiven | Cleveland, OH | 1 | 127 | 127 | This was a Scramble match that also involved Chavo Guerrero, Dave Finlay, and The Miz. | |
| 45 | Jack Swagger | January 12, 2009 | ECW | Sioux City, IA | 1 | 104 | 102 | This episode of ECW aired on tape delay on January 13, 2009. | |
| 46 | Christian | April 26, 2009 | Backlash | Providence, RI | 1 | 42 | 41 | ||
| 47 | Tommy Dreamer | June 7, 2009 | Extreme Rules | New Orleans, LA | 2 | 49 | 48 | This was a triple threat Hardcore Match also involving Jack Swagger. Dreamer became the only wrestler to win the title both in the original ECW and in the WWE-sponsored revival. | |
| 48 | Christian | July 26, 2009 | Night of Champions | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | 205 | 204 | ||
| 49 | Ezekiel Jackson | February 16, 2010 | ECW | Kansas City, MO | 1 | <1 | <1 | This was an Extreme Rules match. | |
| — | Deactivated | February 16, 2010 | ECW | Kansas City, MO | — | — | — | The title was retired immediately after Ezekiel Jackson won it due to the ECW brand being discontinued. |
Combined reigns
| Rec. | Recognized by the promotion |
| <1 | Reign was less than a day |
| Rank | Champion | No. of reigns | Combined days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actual | Recognized by WWE | |||
| 1 | Shane Douglas | 4 | 874 | 695 |
| 2 | The Sandman | 5 | 446 | 305 |
| 3 | Raven | 2 | 379 | 377 |
| 4 | Taz | 2 | 261 | 260 |
| 5 | Christian | 2 | 247 | 245 |
| 6 | Terry Funk | 2 | 208 | 118 |
| 7 | Mike Awesome | 2 | 201 | 200 |
| — | Don Muraco | — | 174 | — |
| 8 | Justin Credible | 1 | 162 | 161 |
| 9 | Bobby Lashley | 2 | 155 | 153 |
| 10 | Big Show | 1 | 152 | 151 |
| 11 | CM Punk | 1 | 143 | 142 |
| 12 | Matt Hardy | 1 | 127 | |
| 13 | Jack Swagger | 1 | 104 | 102 |
| 14 | Rhino | 1 | 94 | 92 |
| 15 | Sabu | 2 | 93 | 8 |
| 16 | Kane | 1 | 91 | |
| — | Jimmy Snuka | — | 79 | — |
| — | Johnny Hotbody | — | 79 | — |
| 17 | Mark Henry | 1 | 70 | 69 |
| 18 | Johnny Nitro/John Morrison | 1 | 69 | 67 |
| 19 | Chavo Guerrero | 1 | 68 | 67 |
| 20 | Steve Corino | 1 | 63 | 63 |
| 21 | Tommy Dreamer | 2 | 49 | 48 |
| 22 | Bam Bam Bigelow | 1 | 45 | |
| 23 | Mikey Whipwreck | 1 | 42 | 41 |
| 25 | Jerry Lynn | 1 | 35 | 34 |
| Mr. McMahon | 1 | 35 | 34 | |
| — | Tito Santana | — | 32 | — |
| 26 | Rob Van Dam | 1 | 21 | 20 |
| 27 | Masato Tanaka | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| 28 | Ezekiel Jackson | 1 | <1 |
See also
General
- . World Wrestling Entertainment. from the original on 2012-02-22.
- Benaka, Matt; Westcott, Brian; Roelfsema, Eric; Dean, Joe; Fitzgerald, Jason. . Wrestling Title Histories by Gary Will and Royal Duncan. Solie.org. from the original on 2009-08-12.
- Gary Will and Royal Duncan (2006). "(United States: 19th Century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IW, ECW, NWA) NWA/WCW TV Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- Thom Loverro (2007). The Rise & Fall of ECW. Simon & Schuster Adult. ISBN 978-1-4165-1312-4.
Specific
External links
- 2021-08-04 at the Wayback Machine on WWE.com