WWE European Championship
Encyclopedia
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling
championship
competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment
. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels
, Triple H
, Kurt Angle
, Chris Jericho
, Owen Hart
, Eddie Guerrero
, and was competed for in the main event of the WWF One Night Only
pay-per-view in 1997. Multiple superstars held the European and WWE Intercontinental Championship
s within short spans of each other, and several held both titles simultaneously—dubbed as "Eurocontinental champions".
Established in 1997 as the "WWF European Championship", the title incurred a brief hiatus in 1999 due to then-champion Shane McMahon
's desire to retire an "undefeated champion", before finally being unified with the WWE Intercontinental Championship in 2002. Despite its name, only two holders were actually from Europe: the British Bulldog
and William Regal
. The championship was generally contested in professional wrestling matches
, in which participants execute scripted
finishes rather than contend in direct competition.
became the first Champion after winning a tournament that was held over several shows in Germany
, culminating in a finals victory over Owen Hart
. With Shawn Michaels
winning the belt, it made him the first Grand Slam Champion in WWE. Michaels is the only wrestler to have held both the WWF Championship
and the European title at the same time.
After winning the European title, both D'Lo Brown
and Al Snow
were billed from different parts of Europe each week while champion. During Snow's reign, he and "Head" dressed up as various ethnic stereotypes corresponding to the European location they were billed from, though not always in a politically or geographically correct manner. The belt was retired briefly in April 1999 by then-champion Shane McMahon
, who wanted to retire as an "undefeated champion". McMahon reintroduced the championship two months later and gave it to Mideon
, who saw the title belt in Shane's travel bag and asked if he could have it. The British Bulldog was the inaugural champion and has had the longest title reign with 206 days. William Regal and D'Lo Brown
both have had the most title reigns, each holding it four times. Rob Van Dam is essentially the shortest reigning European Champion as he only held it for one night when he defeated Jeff Hardy to unify it with the Intercontinental title.
The shortest reign(s) as European Champion that wasn't a unification goes to Jeff Jarrett and Chris Jericho who held the championship for one day each. Jeff Jarrett defeated D'lo Brown for the European Championship (along with the Intercontintal Championship) at Summerslam 1999 and gave it to Mark Henry the following night on RAW. Chris Jericho defeated Kurt Angle in a triple threat match at Wrestlemania 2000
(by pinning Chris Benoit) and lost the title to Eddie Guerrero on RAW the night after. Jeff Hardy was the youngest champion having it won at the age of 24.
of European and Intercontinental, used to describe wrestlers who held both titles simultaneously. Three wrestlers were booked to accomplish this feat. The first was D'Lo Brown
, who defeated Mideon
for the European title at Fully Loaded in 1999 and two nights later at a Monday Night Raw
taping, defeated Jeff Jarrett
to win the Intercontinental Championship
. A month later at SummerSlam
Jarrett defeated Brown to win both titles, thus becoming the second Eurocontinental Champion.
On the February 10, 2000 edition of SmackDown! Kurt Angle
defeated Val Venis
to win the European Championship. At No Way Out
seventeen days later Angle defeated Chris Jericho
for the Intercontinental Championship and became the third man to hold both the European and Intercontinental Championships simultaneously. He then was given kayfabe
credit for coining the term "Eurocontinental Champion", as he was the first to actually use the term to describe his multiple championships. Angle held the titles until WrestleMania 2000
, when he faced Jericho and Chris Benoit
in a two-fall triple threat match for his belts. In a rarity, Angle lost both of his championships without being pinned or forced to submit; Benoit defeated Jericho in the first fall for the Intercontinental Championship and Jericho returned the favor in the second fall to take the European Championship.
There is some question as to whether Rob Van Dam
could be considered the fourth and final Eurocontinental Champion, as he was the Intercontinental Champion and won the European Championship in a unification match; the latter of which became retired. So far, World Wrestling Entertainment has not credited this as a Eurocontinental title reign.
on July 22, 2002 when Rob Van Dam
(RVD) put his WWE Intercontinental Championship
on the line, along with Jeff Hardy
's European Championship. By winning that match, RVD merged the two titles together, and continued to hold the Intercontinental Title. RVD's title reign is not listed in the official European title history on WWE's official website, but is acknowledged in WWE's official encyclopedia and past superstar profiles. The championship was once again deemed inactive. The title will appear in WWE '12
in one of the Road to Wrestlemania stories.
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...
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...
competed for in 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...
. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
, 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...
, Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
, Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, and was competed for in the main event of the WWF One Night Only
WWF One Night Only
WWF One Night Only was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation that took place on September 20, 1997 at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England.-Background:...
pay-per-view in 1997. Multiple superstars held the European and WWE Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
s within short spans of each other, and several held both titles simultaneously—dubbed as "Eurocontinental champions".
Established in 1997 as the "WWF European Championship", the title incurred a brief hiatus in 1999 due to then-champion 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...
's desire to retire an "undefeated champion", before finally being unified with the WWE Intercontinental Championship in 2002. Despite its name, only two holders were actually from Europe: the British Bulldog
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
and William Regal
Darren Matthews
Darren Kenneth Matthews , is an English professional wrestler, author and color commentator currently signed to WWE and competing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name William Regal. He is also known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Steven Regal...
. 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.
History
The WWE European Championship was originally known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) European Championship. The WWF European Championship, as it was then known, emerged in 1997 when The British BulldogDavey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
became the first Champion after winning a tournament that was held over several shows in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, culminating in a finals victory over Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
. With Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
winning the belt, it made him the first Grand Slam Champion in WWE. Michaels is the only wrestler to have held both the WWF 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 the European title at the same time.
After winning the European title, both D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
and Al Snow
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven...
were billed from different parts of Europe each week while champion. During Snow's reign, he and "Head" dressed up as various ethnic stereotypes corresponding to the European location they were billed from, though not always in a politically or geographically correct manner. The belt was retired briefly in April 1999 by then-champion 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...
, who wanted to retire as an "undefeated champion". McMahon reintroduced the championship two months later and gave it to Mideon
Dennis Knight
Dennis Knight is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment as Phineas I. Godwinn and Mideon.-Career:...
, who saw the title belt in Shane's travel bag and asked if he could have it. The British Bulldog was the inaugural champion and has had the longest title reign with 206 days. William Regal and D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
both have had the most title reigns, each holding it four times. Rob Van Dam is essentially the shortest reigning European Champion as he only held it for one night when he defeated Jeff Hardy to unify it with the Intercontinental title.
The shortest reign(s) as European Champion that wasn't a unification goes to Jeff Jarrett and Chris Jericho who held the championship for one day each. Jeff Jarrett defeated D'lo Brown for the European Championship (along with the Intercontintal Championship) at Summerslam 1999 and gave it to Mark Henry the following night on RAW. Chris Jericho defeated Kurt Angle in a triple threat match at Wrestlemania 2000
WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania 2000 was the sixteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 2, 2000 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California...
(by pinning Chris Benoit) and lost the title to Eddie Guerrero on RAW the night after. Jeff Hardy was the youngest champion having it won at the age of 24.
Eurocontinental Champions
The term "Eurocontinental Champion" is a portmanteauPortmanteau word
A portmanteau or portmanteau word is a blend of two words or morphemes into one new word. A portmanteau word typically combines both sounds and meanings, as in smog, coined by blending smoke and fog. More generally, it may refer to any term or phrase that combines two or more meanings...
of European and Intercontinental, used to describe wrestlers who held both titles simultaneously. Three wrestlers were booked to accomplish this feat. The first was D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
, who defeated Mideon
Dennis Knight
Dennis Knight is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment as Phineas I. Godwinn and Mideon.-Career:...
for the European title at Fully Loaded in 1999 and two nights later at a Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
taping, defeated 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...
to win the Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
. A month later at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1999)
SummerSlam was the twelfth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 22, 1999 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Results:Tag Team Turmoil...
Jarrett defeated Brown to win both titles, thus becoming the second Eurocontinental Champion.
On the February 10, 2000 edition of SmackDown! 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...
defeated Val Venis
Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
to win the European Championship. At No Way Out
No Way Out (2000)
No Way Out was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on February 27, 2000 at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut...
seventeen days later Angle defeated Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
for the Intercontinental Championship and became the third man to hold both the European and Intercontinental Championships simultaneously. He then was given kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
credit for coining the term "Eurocontinental Champion", as he was the first to actually use the term to describe his multiple championships. Angle held the titles until WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania 2000 was the sixteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 2, 2000 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California...
, when he faced Jericho and Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
in a two-fall triple threat match for his belts. In a rarity, Angle lost both of his championships without being pinned or forced to submit; Benoit defeated Jericho in the first fall for the Intercontinental Championship and Jericho returned the favor in the second fall to take the European Championship.
There is some question as to whether 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 ....
could be considered the fourth and final Eurocontinental Champion, as he was the Intercontinental Champion and won the European Championship in a unification match; the latter of which became retired. So far, World Wrestling Entertainment has not credited this as a Eurocontinental title reign.
Deactivation
The WWE European Championship, as it was next known, was retired in a ladder matchLadder 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...
on July 22, 2002 when 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 ....
(RVD) put his WWE Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
on the line, along with Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
's European Championship. By winning that match, RVD merged the two titles together, and continued to hold the Intercontinental Title. RVD's title reign is not listed in the official European title history on WWE's official website, but is acknowledged in WWE's official encyclopedia and past superstar profiles. The championship was once again deemed inactive. The title will appear in WWE '12
WWE '12
WWE '12 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the first game in the WWE series and the fourteenth overall in the combined series. It is the sequel to WWE SmackDown vs...
in one of the Road to Wrestlemania stories.