List of former championships in WWE

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
File:Charlotte as Divas Champion..jpg
The WWE Divas Championship, last held by Charlotte, is the most recent championship to be deactivated in WWE.

In professional wrestling, championships are competed for in scripted storylines by a promotion company's roster of contracted wrestlers.[1] WWE is a Stamford, Connecticut-based sports entertainment company primarily focused on professional wrestling. The promotion was founded in 1952 as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC).[2] In the company's 50-year history, over twenty different unique championships have been operated and contended for. These titles consisted of divisional, special stipulations, and weight-class championships. Of these titles, nineteen have been retired and succeeded through replacement titles or title unifications. The first retired championship was in 1967 with the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship (created in 1953), while the most recent was the WWE Divas Championship (created in 2008) in April 2016. The following is a compilation of the company's former championships that were once active and contended for by its roster.

History

1950–1969

In 1953, CWC joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) as a member. During this time, CWC wrestlers could compete for championships operated by the NWA.[3] In 1958, the CWC created the United States Tag Team Championship (the first title ever owned by WWE), which inaugural champions Mark Lewin and Don Curtis won in April of that year.[4] In 1963, CWC was renamed as the WWWF and ended its partnership with the NWA.[5] To reflect the changes, the WWWF introduced its world heavyweight championship (WWE's second overall championship and current WWE World Heavyweight Championship),[6] while the WWWF acronym was added to the United States Tag Team Titles. The titles were disbanded in 1967 without a formal announcement by the WWWF, and thus, the first tag team championship (and first championship overall) to be retired by the promotion.[4] Ten years later, the company retired its first individually contested title, the WWWF United States Championship, also without a formal announcement.[7]

1970–1999

The WWF formed a partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), and Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) between the 1970s and 1980s, and as a result, created and lent titles to these promotions.[8][9][10] In the 1980s, the promotion renamed itself to the WWF and ended its partnership with NJPW and UWF.[2][11] This resulted in the retirement of one UWF and three NJPW lent titles: the WWF International Heavyweight Championship (UWF),[8] and the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship,[12] WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship,[a][13] and WWF International Tag Team Championship (NJPW).[10] The company also ceased operations of three short-lived titles: the WWF North American Heavyweight Championship (1979–1981),[14] WWF Canadian Championship (1985–1986),[15] and WWF Women's Tag Team Championship (1983–1989).[16] Despite their names, the geographic-name-based titles were not restricted to wrestlers from that location.[14][15] During the 1990s, the WWF ended its relationship with the UWA; as a result, the WWF Intercontinental Tag Team Championship[17] was abandoned, while the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship (which UWA possessed) was reactivated in the United States for use by the WWF.[9] In 1996, the Million Dollar Championship, a title created by Ted DiBiase, was retired, although it was never sanctioned by the WWF, but was reintroduced briefly in 2010 by Ted DiBiase Jr.[18]

2000–present

In March 2001, the WWF acquired all assets of World Championship Wrestling (WCW), including its championships.[19] Of these titles, the WWF operated the WCW World Heavyweight,[20] World Tag Team,[21] and Cruiserweight championships.[22] In late 2001, WWF discontinued the WCW World Heavyweight and Tag Team Championships[20][21] while the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship was retired in favor of the Cruiserweight, which would also be retired in 2008. In 2002 WWF was renamed to WWE[23] and during this year, WWE discontinued the WWE Hardcore and European Championships after they were unified with the WWE Intercontinental Championship.[24][25]

WWE also acquired all assets of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 2003, and implemented the ECW brand in 2006, along with the reactivated the ECW World Heavyweight Championship;[26] however, when the brand closed in 2010, the title was retired after Ezekiel Jackson became the last champion on the final episode of the ECW on Syfy series.[27] The World Tag Team Championship, established in 1971, and WWE Tag Team Championship, introduced in 2002, were unified on April 9, 2009, maintaining separate title histories as the "Unified WWE Tag Team Championship". However, on August 16, 2010, the older title was retired in favor of keeping the newer title as the sole tag team championship contended for in WWE. The champions, The Hart Dynasty (David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd) were awarded a new set of belts that represented the 2002 championship, and were thus recognized as the final holders of the original World Tag Team Championship.[28][29]

The WWE Women's Championship (1956–2010), established in 1956 as WWE's original women's title, and the WWE Divas Championship, introduced in 2008, were unified on September 19, 2010, maintaining the title history of the Divas Championship. The older title was retired in favor of keeping the newer title as the sole championship contended for in WWE by the Divas. The self-professed co-Women's Champion Michelle McCool defeated Divas Champion Melina at Night of Champions (2010) to become the unified champion, thus making Layla the final holder of the Women's Championship.[30][31]

The World Heavyweight Championship (WHC) was established in 2002 as a second world championship in WWE during the time of the brand extension. During this period the WHC would be the primary championship for either the Raw or Smackdown brand, with the WWE Championship on the other. The brand extension was ended in 2011. On December 15, 2013 the World Heavyweight Champion John Cena faced the WWE Champion Randy Orton in a match TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, where the WHC was unified with the WWE Championship as Orton defeated Cena. At the event, it was announced that the unified titles would be called the "WWE World Heavyweight Championship". WWE officially recognized Orton as the final champion, and retired the title.

Defunct championships

The World Heavyweight Championship (shown being worn by record seven-time champion Edge) served as a second world championship in WWE from 2002-2013.
The ECW Championship (shown being held by two-time champion Christian) served as a third world championship in WWE from 2006-2010, primarily in the ECW brand.
The World Tag Team Championship (shown being worn by two-time champion John Cena) was active from 1971 to 2010.
The WWE Cruiserweight Championship (shown being held by former champion Matt Hardy) was officially recognized as established in 1991 by WCW, brought to WWE in 2001 following its purchase of WCW, and remained active until 2007.
The Million Dollar Championship (shown being worn by Ted DiBiase Jr.) was active from 1989 to 1991, 1995 and 2010.
The WWE Divas Championship (shown being held by Maryse, the first Diva to have held it twice) was active from 2008 to 2016.
No. Championship Date of entry First champion(s)
(Tag team name)
Date retired Final champion(s)
(Tag team name)
Years active Notes
1 WWWF United States Tag Team Championship 1958 Don Curtis and Mark Lewin July 29, 1967 Spiros Arion and Bruno Sammartino 9 The title was retired without a formal announcement.[4]
2 WWWF United States Championship 1963 Pedro Morales February 1976 Bobo Brazil 13 The title was retired without a formal announcement.[7]
3 WWF North American Heavyweight Championship March 1979 Ted DiBiase March 20, 1981 Seiji Sakaguchi 2 The title was retired without a formal announcement.[14]
4 WWF International Heavyweight Championship 1959 Antonino Rocca July 23, 1984 Akira Maeda 25 The title was retired without a formal announcement.[8]
5 WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship 1967 Johnny De Fazio October 31, 1985 The Cobra 18 The title was retired after NJPW and the WWF ended their partnership.[12]
6 WWF International Tag Team Championship June 1969 Toru Tanaka and Mitsu Arakwa
(Rising Suns)
October 31, 1985 Tatsumi Fujinami and Kengo Kimura 16 The title was retired after NJPW and the WWF ended their partnership.[10]
7 WWF Canadian Championship August 18, 1985 Dino Bravo January 22, 1986 Dino Bravo <1 Bravo was the only champion as a result of the WWF abandoning the title without a formal announcement.[15]
8 WWF Women's Tag Team Championship 1983 Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria 1989 Leilani Kai and Judy Martin
(The Glamour Girls)
5 The title was abandoned by the WWF without a formal announcement.[16]
9 WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship December 18, 1978 Antonio Inoki 1989 The Great Muta 10 The title was retired after NJPW and the WWF ended their partnership.[a][13]
10 WWF Intercontinental Tag Team Championship July 1991 Perro Aguayo and Gran Hamada 1991 Perro Aguayo and Gran Hamada <1 Aguayo and Hamada were the only champions as a result of the WWF retiring the title without a formal announcement.[17]
11 WCW Tag Team Championship March 23, 2001[b] Sean O' Haire and Chuck Palumbo[c] November 18, 2001 Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley
(Dudley Boyz)
<1 The title was retired after it was unified with the WWF Tag Team Championship.[21]
12 WWF Light Heavyweight Championship December 7, 1997[d] Taka Michinoku November 30, 2001 X-Pac 4 The title was replaced with the WCW Cruiserweight Championship without a formal announcement.[a][9]
13 WCW Championship March 23, 2001[b] Booker T[c] December 9, 2001 Chris Jericho <1 The title was retired after it was unified with the WWF Championship.[20]
14 WWE European Championship February 26, 1997 The British Bulldog July 22, 2002 Rob Van Dam 5 The title was retired after it was unified with the WWE Intercontinental Championship.[24][32]
15 WWE Hardcore Championship November 2, 1998 Mankind August 26, 2002 Rob Van Dam 4 The title was retired after it was unified with the WWE Intercontinental Championship.[33]
16 WWE Cruiserweight Championship March 23, 2001[b] Shane Helms[c] March 4, 2008 Hornswoggle 7 The title was retired without a formal announcement by WWE.[22]
17 ECW Championship June 13, 2006[e] Rob Van Dam[c] February 16, 2010 Ezekiel Jackson 4 The title was retired on the final episode of ECW with the closure of WWE's ECW brand.[27]
18 World Tag Team Championship June 3, 1971 Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler August 16, 2010[f] David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd
(The Hart Dynasty)
39 The title was retired in favor of the WWE Tag Team Championship in April 2010, following a year of the two titles being defended together under the umbrella title of "Unified WWE Tag Team Championship".[28][29]
19 WWE Women's Championship September 18, 1956 The Fabulous Moolah September 19, 2010 Layla 54 The title was retired in favor of the WWE Divas Championship after the unification of both titles on September 19, 2010.[34][35]
20 Million Dollar Championship February 15, 1989 Ted DiBiase (Sr.) November 15, 2010 Ted DiBiase (Jr.) 8 Ted DiBiase (Sr.) created the title, although it was never officially sanctioned by WWF/WWE. Ted DiBiase, Jr. abandoned the title after it was stolen by Goldust on October 4 and Aksana on November 8. The title was returned to the Million Dollar Man and retired without a formal announcement.[36]
21 World Heavyweight Championship September 2, 2002 Triple H December 16, 2013 Randy Orton 11 Title unified with the WWE Championship at the TLC pay-per-view[37]
22 WWE Divas Championship July 20, 2008 Michelle McCool April 3, 2016 Charlotte 8 On the Wrestlemania 32 pre-show, former WWE Diva and WWE Hall of Famer Lita announced that the triple threat match with Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks was going to be for the new WWE Women's Championship and the Divas Championship would be retired.[38]

See also

Footnotes

  • A:a b – The title was officially abandoned by the WWF in 1989, though it was revived by NJPW for use in its promotion only; it was discontinued by NJPW in 1992.[13]
  • B:a b c – This is the date the WWF acquired WCW, in which WCW's assets were also acquired by WWF, including its titles.[19]
  • C:a b c – The final champion(s) recognized by WCW before the WWF bought WCW,also recognized as the first champion(s) in which the title was operated in the WWF as a part of The Invasion storyline.[20][21]
  • D:a – This is the date the WWF began operating the title in the United States after ending its partnerships with the UWA and NJPW.[9]
  • E:a – This is the date the WWE launched the ECW brand, in which Rob Van Dam was awarded the title as a result of winning the WWE Championship on June 11, 2006.
  • F:a - This is the date upon which WWE consolidated the unification of both its tag team championships, and continued to recognize only one championship to be contended in its tag team division.

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. 24.0 24.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. 27.0 27.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. 28.0 28.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. 29.0 29.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Further reading

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links