List of TNA World Heavyweight Champions
Encyclopedia
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship
is a professional wrestling
world heavyweight championship
owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA) promotion
. From June 2002 to May 2007, TNA used the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
as their primary championship due to an agreement with the National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA). On May 13, 2007, the NWA abruptly ended the arrangement and retrieved control of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. On the same night, TNA were set to host their annual Sacrifice pay-per-view
(PPV) event, in which the NWA World Heavyweight Championship was to be defended by then-champion Christian Cage against Kurt Angle
and Sting
in a Three Way match. Angle won the match and on the following episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact! on May 17, was declared the new "TNA World Heavyweight Champion". He was stripped of the championship later in the program, with Management Director Jim Cornette
citing a problematic finish to the PPV match. The ownership of the championship was decided on June 17, 2007 at TNA's Slammiversary
PPV event in a King of the Mountain match
involving Angle, Cage, A.J. Styles
, Samoa Joe
, and Chris Harris
, which Angle won.
Being a professional wrestling championship, the title is won via a scripted ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline
. All title changes have occurred at TNA-promoted events; reigns that occurred on Impact! usually air on tape delay
and as such are listed with the day the tapings occurred, rather than the air date. Angle holds the record for most reigns, with five. At days, A.J. Styles' only reign is the longest in the title's history. Angle's first reign holds the record for shortest reign in the title's history at one day. Bobby Roode is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated James Storm
on October 26, 2011 at the tapings of the November 3 edition of Impact Wrestling to win the title. Overall, there have been nineteen reigns shared among ten wrestlers, with two vacancies.
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
is 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...
owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
. From June 2002 to May 2007, TNA used 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...
as their primary championship due to an agreement with 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). On May 13, 2007, the NWA abruptly ended the arrangement and retrieved control of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. On the same night, TNA were set to host their annual Sacrifice pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) event, in which the NWA World Heavyweight Championship was to be defended by then-champion Christian Cage against Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Sting
Sting (wrestler)
Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in a Three Way match. Angle won the match and on the following episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact! on May 17, was declared the new "TNA World Heavyweight Champion". He was stripped of the championship later in the program, with Management Director Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
citing a problematic finish to the PPV match. The ownership of the championship was decided on June 17, 2007 at TNA's Slammiversary
Slammiversary (2007)
Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on June 17, 2007 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the third event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the fifth anniversary of...
PPV event in a King of the Mountain match
King of the Mountain match
The King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009...
involving Angle, Cage, A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
, and Chris Harris
Chris Harris (wrestler)
Christopher Eric "Chris" Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner & Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm.-World Championship...
, which Angle won.
Being a professional wrestling championship, the title is won via a scripted ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
. All title changes have occurred at TNA-promoted events; reigns that occurred on Impact! usually air 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...
and as such are listed with the day the tapings occurred, rather than the air date. Angle holds the record for most reigns, with five. At days, A.J. Styles' only reign is the longest in the title's history. Angle's first reign holds the record for shortest reign in the title's history at one day. Bobby Roode is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated James Storm
James Storm
James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J...
on October 26, 2011 at the tapings of the November 3 edition of Impact Wrestling to win the title. Overall, there have been nineteen reigns shared among ten wrestlers, with two vacancies.
Title history
| # | Order in reign history |
| Reign | The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed |
| 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 |
| + | Indicates the current reign is changing daily |
| # | Wrestler | Reign | Date | Days held |
Location | Event | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This was a Three Way match, which also involved Sting Sting (wrestler) Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... and NWA World Heavyweight Champion 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... Christian Cage for what was referred to as the "World Heavyweight Championship". On the May 17, 2007 episode of Impact!, Angle was announced as the new "TNA World Heavyweight Champion TNA World Heavyweight Championship The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division... ". |
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| Angle was stripped of the championship due to a double-fall result of the three way encounter at Sacrifice. This episode 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 May 17, 2007. |
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| Angle defeated Samoa Joe Samoa Joe Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.... , A.J. Styles A.J. Styles Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... , Christian Cage, and Chris Harris Chris Harris (wrestler) Christopher Eric "Chris" Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner & Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm.-World Championship... in a King of the Mountain match King of the Mountain match The King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009... to win the vacant championship. After the event, Angle's reign and the vacancy was no longer recognized by TNA, and thus is viewed to be the start of the title's history. |
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| This episode 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 October 25, 2007. |
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| This was a King of the Mountain match King of the Mountain match The King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009... , also involving Samoa Joe Samoa Joe Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.... , Jeff Jarrett Jeff Jarrett Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control... , and A.J. Styles A.J. Styles Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... . |
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| The title was vacated due to 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 .... suffering a storyline injury. This episode 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 August 19, 2010. |
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| Hardy defeated Kurt Angle Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion... and Mr. Anderson in a Three Way Tournament Final to win the vacant title. |
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| This episode 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 March 3, 2011. |
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| This episode 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 July 14, 2011. |
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| This episode 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 October 20, 2011. |
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| + | This episode 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 November 3, 2011. |
Combined reigns
| Indicates the current champion(s) |
| Rank | Wrestler | # of reigns | Combined days |
|---|---|---|---|
Footnotes
- A. Each wrestler's total number of days as champion are ranked highest to lowest; wrestlers with the same number are tied for that certain rank.