List of ECW World Heavyweight Champions
Encyclopedia
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
was a professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
world heavyweight championship
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(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
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
and one of three in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
and World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
. It was introduced as the NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship on April 25, 1992. Originally a part of the Eastern Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
promotion, while it was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(NWA) governing body. It was established as a world heavyweight championship in 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
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
in June 2006 with the title being recommissioned and designated as the ECW brand's world title. The brand would continue to operate until February 16, 2010, rendering the title inactive.
The championship was generally contested in professional wrestling matches
Professional wrestling match types
Many types of matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, can be found in the form of performing art that is professional wrestling....
, in which participants execute scripted
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
finishes rather than contend in direct competition. All title changes have occurred at ECW or WWE—promoted events thus far. The inaugural champion was Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
, who defeated Salvatore Bellomo
Salvatore Bellomo
Salvatore Bellomo is a retired Belgian-Italian professional wrestler with a career spanning more than three decades.-Career:...
in a tournament final on April 25, 1992 to become the first NWA-ECW Heavyweight Champion. WWE, however, does not recognize NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship reigns. Instead they recognize Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
' 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 shared between 32 wrestlers, with one vacancy, and 2 deactivations.
Title history
Key| # | Order in reign history |
| Reign | The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed |
| Event | The event in which the title was won |
| — | Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign |
| N/A | The information is not available or is unknown |
| + | Indicates the current reign is changing daily |
Names
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
| NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship | 1992 — 1994 |
| ECW World Heavyweight Championship | 1994 — 2006 |
| ECW World Championship | 2006 — 2007 |
| ECW Championship | 2007 — 2010 |
Reigns
| # | Wrestlers | Reign | Date | Days held |
Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snuka defeated Salvatore Bellomo Salvatore Bellomo Salvatore Bellomo is a retired Belgian-Italian professional wrestler with a career spanning more than three decades.-Career:... in a tournament final to become the first NWA-ECW Heavyweight Champion. NWA-ECW Heavyweight Championship reigns are not recognized by World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales... (WWE). |
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| Douglas won the championship due to forfeit. | ||||||||
| This was a no disqualification match. | ||||||||
| Douglas pinned Funk in an Ultimate Jeopardy match WarGames match The WarGames match was a gimmick match used originally in the National Wrestling Alliance and later held annually in World Championship Wrestling , usually at their Fall Brawl pay-per-view event in September.-History:... also involving, Mr. Hughes Curtis Hughes Curtis Hughes is an American professional wrestler, better known under the ring name Mr. Hughes. He is best known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation. In addition to the WWF, Hughes has also worked for World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, the American... , Rocco Rock Rocco Rock Theodore James Petty was an American professional wrestler better known as "Flyboy" Rocco Rock, one half of The Public Enemy.-Career:... , Johnny Grunge Johnny Grunge Michael "Mike" Durham was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge... , Road Warrior Hawk Road Warrior Hawk Michael James Hegstrand was an American professional wrestler. He is best remembered as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors or The Legion of Doom , with Road Warrior Animal.-Early life:While living in Chicago, Hegstrand met Joe Lauranaitis, who would be later... , Kevin Sullivan Kevin Sullivan (wrestler) Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:... , and The Tazmaniac Tazz Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz... . On August 27, 1994, the title was renamed the ECW World Heavyweight Championship when Douglas relinquished the NWA World Heavyweight Championship NWA World Heavyweight Championship The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and... . ECW leaves the NWA and is renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling. WWE recognizes the championship history beginning on August 27, 1994. |
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| This was a ladder match Ladder match A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item... . |
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| This was a three way dance also involving Steve Austin Stone Cold Steve Austin Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler... . |
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| The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer defeated Stevie Richards Stevie Richards Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr... and Brian Lee Brian Lee Brian Lee Harris is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Prime Time" Brian Lee... in a tag team match. The Sandman gained the pinfall to win the championship after Raven failed to show for the event. |
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| This was a barbed wire match Barbed wire match A barbed wire match is one of any number of professional wrestling matches that uses strands of barbed wire in some capacity. Simply using barbed wire in an otherwise regular hardcore match does not make the match a barbed wire match; the barbed wire must be part of the match's design.- No Rope... . |
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| This was a barbed wire match Barbed wire match A barbed wire match is one of any number of professional wrestling matches that uses strands of barbed wire in some capacity. Simply using barbed wire in an otherwise regular hardcore match does not make the match a barbed wire match; the barbed wire must be part of the match's design.- No Rope... . |
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| This was a three way dance also involving Terry Funk Terry Funk Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley... |
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| This was a three way dance also involving Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once... |
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| Taz had signed with the World Wrestling Federation following his title loss to Mike Awesome on September 19, 1999. However, Awesome unexpectedly signed with World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and... in 2000 while still being champion. As a result, Paul Heyman Paul Heyman Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film.... and Vince McMahon Vince McMahon Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE... arranged for Taz to return to ECW and defeat Awesome for the title. |
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| This was a Double Jeopardy match also involving Justin Credible Peter Polaco Peter Joseph Polaco is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Justin Credible. He is also known for his earlier stint with the WWF under the ringname Aldo Montoya... and The Sandman. |
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| This was a Tables, Ladders, Chairs, and Canes match also involving Justin Credible Peter Polaco Peter Joseph Polaco is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Justin Credible. He is also known for his earlier stint with the WWF under the ringname Aldo Montoya... . |
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| ECW went bankrupt on April 4, 2001 and Rhino was the final champion in ECW as a company. World Wrestling Entertainment purchased its assets in 2003. | ||||||||
| The title was revived by WWE for the ECW brand. Van Dam was awarded the title by Paul Heyman Paul Heyman Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film.... for winning the WWE Championship WWE Championship The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963... . |
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| This was an Extreme Rules match Hardcore wrestling Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted... . |
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| This was an Extreme Elimination Chamber match also involving Rob Van Dam Rob Van Dam Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... , Hardcore Holly Bob Holly Robert "Bob" Howard better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment .... , Test and CM Punk CM Punk Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion.... . |
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| Mr. McMahon pinned Lashley in a handicap match, which also involved Mr. McMahon's teammates Shane McMahon Shane McMahon Shane Brandon McMahon is an American executive, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of YOU On Demand. A former executive and professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , he is the son of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and former US Senate candidate Linda... and Umaga, to win the championship. |
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| This was a Street Fight Hardcore wrestling Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted... . |
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| The championship is vacated due to Lashley being drafted 2007 WWE Draft The 2007 World Wrestling Entertainment Draft Lottery took place at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on June 11, 2007. The first half of the draft was televised live for three hours on WWE's flagship program, Raw on USA Network... to the Raw brand WWE RAW WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States... . |
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| Nitro defeated CM Punk CM Punk Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion.... to win the vacant championship. His ring name was changed to "John Morrison" during his reign on the July 17, 2007 episode of ECW. |
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| This was a Last Chance match which aired on tape delay Broadcast delay In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical... on September 4, 2007. |
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| This was a No Disqualification match. | ||||||||
| The ECW Championship became a Raw brand exclusive title on June 23, 2008 when Kane was drafted to the Raw brand. | ||||||||
| This was a triple threat match also involving the SmackDown brand's The Big Show, in which the newly ECW draftee Henry was victorious to make the title ECW exclusive once again. | ||||||||
| Hardy won a Scramble match that also involved Finlay Dave Finlay David John "Fit" Finlay Jr. is a Northern Irish professional wrestler and road agent. He is perhaps best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and WWE as an active wrestler and later as a road agent... , The Miz, and Chavo Guerrero to become the new champion. |
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| This episode of ECW aired on tape delay Broadcast delay In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical... on January 13, 2009. |
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| This was a triple threat hardcore match Hardcore wrestling Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted... also involving Jack Swagger. |
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| Longest reigning champion under the WWE–era. | ||||||||
| This was an Extreme Rules match Hardcore wrestling Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted... . |
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| The title was retired once again after Jackson won it due to the ECW brand being discontinued. |
List of combined reigns
| <1 | Indicates that the reign lasted less than one day. |
| RankEach reign is ranked highest to lowest; reigns with the same number mean that they are tied for that certain rank. | Wrestler | # of reigns | Combined days |
|---|---|---|---|