WWE CHAMPIONSHIP TIMELINE

APRIL 29, 1963, RIO DE JANEIRO

Buddy Rogers defeats Antonino Rocca

Note: Buddy Rogers beat Antonino Rocca in the finals of a tournament to be crowned the first-ever WWE Champion.

MAY 17, 1963, NEW YORK, NY

Bruno Sammartino defeats Buddy Rogers

JANUARY 18, 1971, NEW YORK, NY

Ivan Koloff defeats Bruno Sammartino

FEBRUARY 8, 1971, NEW YORK, NY

Pedro Morales defeats Ivan Koloff

DECEMBER 1, 1973, PHILADELPHIA, PA

Stan Stasiak defeats Pedro Morales

DECEMBER 10, 1973, NEW YORK, NY

Bruno Sammartino defeats Stan Stasiak

APRIL 30, 1977, BALTIMORE, MD

“Superstar” Billy Graham defeats Bruno Sammartino

FEBRUARY 20, 1978, NEW YORK, NY

Bob Backlund defeats “Superstar” Billy Graham

DECEMBER 26, 1983, NEW YORK, NY

The Iron Sheik defeats Bob Backlund

JANUARY 23, 1984, NEW YORK, NY

Hulk Hogan defeats the Iron Sheik

FEBRUARY 5, 1988, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

Andre the Giant defeats Hulk Hogan

Note: WWE President Jack Tunney vacated the title after learning that Ted DiBiase had paid a corrupt referee to have plastic surgery in order to look like the official referee assigned to the match.

MARCH 27, 1988, ATLANTIC CITY, NJ

Randy Savage defeats Ted DiBiase

Note: Randy Savage beat Ted DiBiase in the finals of a fourteen-man, one-night tournament to crown a new WWE Champion.

APRIL 2, 1989, ATLANTIC CITY, NJ

Hulk Hogan defeats Randy Savage

APRIL 1, 1990, TORONTO, ONTARIO

Ultimate Warrior defeats Hulk Hogan

JANUARY 19, 1991, MIAMI, FL

Sgt. Slaughter defeats Ultimate Warrior

MARCH 24, 1991, LOS ANGELES, CA

Hulk Hogan defeats Sgt. Slaughter

NOVEMBER 27, 1991, DETROIT, MI

Undertaker defeats Hulk Hogan

DECEMBER 3, 1991, SAN ANTONIO, TX

Hulk Hogan defeats Undertaker

Note: WWE President Jack Tunney vacated the title due to controversy surrounding Hulk Hogan’s win over Undertaker.

JANUARY 19, 1992, ALBANY, NY

Ric Flair wins WWE Championship

Note: Ric Flair won the WWE Championship after last eliminating Sid Justice from the Royal Rumble.

APRIL 5, 1992, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

Randy Savage defeats Ric Flair

SEPTEMBER 1, 1992, HERSHEY, PA

Ric Flair defeats Randy Savage

OCTOBER 12, 1992, SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN

Bret Hart defeats Ric Flair

APRIL 4, 1993, LAS VEGAS, NV

Yokozuna defeats Bret Hart

APRIL 4, 1993, LAS VEGAS, NV

Hulk Hogan defeats Yokozuna

JUNE 13, 1993 DAYTON, OH

Yokozuna defeats Hulk Hogan

MARCH 20, 1994, NEW YORK, NY

Bret Hart defeats Yokozuna

NOVEMBER 23, 1994, SAN ANTONIO, TX

Bob Backlund defeats Bret Hart

NOVEMBER 26, 1994, NEW YORK, NY

Diesel defeats Bob Backlund

NOVEMBER 19, 1995, LANDOVER, MD

Bret Hart defeats Diesel

MARCH 31, 1996, ANAHEIM, CA

Shawn Michaels defeats Bret Hart

NOVEMBER 17, 1996, NEW YORK, NY

Sid defeats Shawn Michaels

JANUARY 19, 1997, SAN ANTONIO, TX

Shawn Michaels defeats Sid

FEBRUARY 16, 1997, CHATTANOOGA, TN

Bret Hart defeats Undertaker

Note: After injuries forced Shawn Michaels to vacate the title, Bret Hart last eliminated Undertaker in a Fatal Four Way Match that also included Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vader.

FEBRUARY 17, 1997, NASHVILLE, TN

Sid defeats Bret Hart

MARCH 23, 1997, CHICAGO, IL

Undertaker defeats Sid

AUGUST 3, 1997, EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ

Bret Hart defeats Undertaker

NOVEMBER 9, 1997, MONTREAL, QUEBEC

Shawn Michaels defeats Bret Hart

MARCH 29, 1998, BOSTON, MA

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats Shawn Michaels

JUNE 28, 1998, PITTSBURGH, PA

Kane defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin

JUNE 29, 1998, CLEVELAND, OH

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats Kane

Note: Mr. McMahon vacated the title in September 1998 following a controversial ending to a Triple Threat Match featuring Undertaker vs. Kane vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin.

NOVEMBER 15, 1998, ST. LOUIS, MO

The Rock defeats Mankind

Note: The Rock last defeated Mankind in a fourteen-man, one-night tournament to crown a new WWE Champion.

JANUARY 4, 1999, WORCESTER, MA

Mankind defeats The Rock

JANUARY 24, 1999, ANAHEIM, CA

The Rock defeats Mankind

JANUARY 31, 1999, TUCSON, AZ

Mankind defeats The Rock

FEBRUARY 15, 1999, BIRMINGHAM, AL

The Rock defeats Mankind

MARCH 28, 1999, PHILADELPHIA, PA

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats The Rock

MAY 23, 1999, KANSAS CITY, MO

Undertaker defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin

JUNE 28, 1999, CHARLOTTE, NC

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats Undertaker

AUGUST 22, 1999, MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Mankind defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin

Note: Mankind pinned Stone Cold Steve Austin to win the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match that also included Triple H.

AUGUST 23, 1999, AMES, IA

Triple H defeats Mankind

SEPTEMBER 16, 1999, LAS VEGAS, NV

Mr. McMahon defeats Triple H

Note: Mr. McMahon vacated the title on September 20, 1999.

SEPTEMBER 26, 1999, CHARLOTTE, NC

Triple H defeats The Rock

Note: Triple H pinned The Rock to win the WWE Championship in a Six-Pack Challenge Match that also included Big Show, Mankind, the British Bulldog, and Kane.

NOVEMBER 14, 1999, DETROIT, MI

Big Show defeats Triple H

Note: Big Show pinned Triple H to win the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match that also included The Rock.

JANUARY 3, 2000, MIAMI, FL

Triple H defeats Big Show

APRIL 30, 2000, WASHINGTON, DC

The Rock defeats Triple H

MAY 21, 2000, LOUISVILLE, KY

Triple H defeats The Rock

JUNE 25, 2000, BOSTON, MA

The Rock defeats Mr. McMahon

Note: The Rock, Undertaker, and Kane battled Triple H, Shane, and Mr. McMahon in a six-man Tag Team Match. Prematch stipulations stated that if anybody on The Game’s team lost, Triple H would lose the WWE Championship. The Rock pinned Mr. McMahon to win the gold.

OCTOBER 22, 2000, ALBANY, NY

Kurt Angle defeats The Rock

FEBRUARY 25, 2001, LAS VEGAS, NV

The Rock defeats Kurt Angle

APRIL 1, 2001, HOUSTON, TX

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats The Rock

SEPTEMBER 23, 2001, PITTSBURGH, PA

Kurt Angle defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin

OCTOBER 8, 2001, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats Kurt Angle

DECEMBER 9, 2001, SAN DIEGO, CA

Chris Jericho defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin

MARCH 17, 2002, TORONTO, ONTARIO

Triple H defeats Chris Jericho

APRIL 21, 2002, KANSAS CITY, MO

Hulk Hogan defeats Triple H

MAY 19, 2002, NASHVILLE, TN

Undertaker defeats Hulk Hogan

JULY 21, 2002, DETROIT, MI

The Rock defeats Kurt Angle

Note: The Rock pinned Kurt Angle to win the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match that also included then-champ Undertaker.

AUGUST 25, 2002, UNIONDALE, NY

Brock Lesnar defeats The Rock

NOVEMBER 17, 2002, NEW YORK, NY

Big Show defeats Brock Lesnar

DECEMBER 15, 2002, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

Kurt Angle defeats Big Show

MARCH 30, 2003, SEATTLE, WA

Brock Lesnar defeats Kurt Angle

JULY 27, 2003, DENVER, CO

Kurt Angle defeats Brock Lesnar

Note: Kurt Angle pinned Brock Lesnar to win the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match that also included Big Show.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2003, RALEIGH, NC

Brock Lesnar defeats Kurt Angle

FEBRUARY 15, 2004, SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Eddie Guerrero defeats Brock Lesnar

JUNE 27, 2004, NORFOLK, VA

JBL defeats Eddie Guerrero

APRIL 3, 2005, LOS ANGELES, CA

John Cena defeats JBL

JANUARY 8, 2006, ALBANY, NY

Edge defeats John Cena

JANUARY 29, 2006, MIAMI, FL

John Cena defeats Edge

JUNE 11, 2006, NEW YORK, NY

Rob Van Dam defeats John Cena

JULY 3, 2006, PHILADELPHIA, PA

Edge defeats Rob Van Dam

Note: Edge pinned Rob Van Dam to win the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match that also included John Cena.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2006, TORONTO, ONTARIO

John Cena defeats Edge

OCTOBER 7, 2007, CHICAGO, IL

Randy Orton is awarded the WWE Championship

Note: Mr. McMahon awarded the WWE Championship to Randy Orton after an injury forced John Cena to surrender the title.

OCTOBER 7, 2007, CHICAGO, IL

Triple H defeats Randy Orton

OCTOBER 7, 2007, CHICAGO, IL

Randy Orton defeats Triple H

APRIL 27, 2008, BALTIMORE, MD

Triple H defeats Randy Orton

Note: Triple H pinned Randy Orton to win the WWE Championship in a Fatal Four Way Match that also included JBL and John Cena.

NOVEMBER 23, 2008, BOSTON, MA

Edge defeats Triple H

Note: Edge pinned Triple H to win the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match that also included Vladimir Kozlov.

DECEMBER 14, 2008, BUFFALO, NY

Jeff Hardy defeats Edge

Note: Jeff Hardy pinned Edge to win the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match that also included Triple H.

JANUARY 25, 2009, DETROIT, MI

Edge defeats Jeff Hardy

FEBRUARY 15, 2009, SEATTLE, WA

Triple H wins WWE Championship

Note: Triple H won the title after outlasting Edge, Vladimir Kozlov, Jeff Hardy, Undertaker, and Big Show in an Elimination Chamber Match.

APRIL 26, 2009, PROVIDENCE, RI

Randy Orton defeats Triple H

Note: Randy Orton teamed with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase to defeat Triple H, Batista, and Shane McMahon. Prematch stipulations stated that if any member of The Game’s team lost, Orton would win the title. In the end, Orton pinned Triple H to gain the gold.

JUNE 7, 2009, NEW ORLEANS, LA

Batista defeats Randy Orton

Note: An injury caused Batista to vacate the title on June 9, 2009.

JUNE 15, 2009, CHARLOTTE, NC

Randy Orton wins WWE Championship

Note: Randy Orton won the title after defeating Triple H, John Cena, and Big Show in a Fatal Four Way Match.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2009, MONTREAL, QUEBEC

John Cena defeats Randy Orton

OCTOBER 4, 2009, NEWARK, NJ

Randy Orton defeats John Cena

OCTOBER 25, 2009, PITTSBURGH, PA

John Cena defeats Randy Orton

DECEMBER 13, 2009, SAN ANTONIO, TX

Sheamus defeats John Cena

FEBRUARY, 21, 2010, ST. LOUIS, MO

John Cena wins WWE Championship

Note: John Cena won the title after outlasting Sheamus, Randy Orton, Triple H, Ted DiBiase Jr., and Kofi Kingston in an Elimination Chamber Match.

FEBRUARY, 21, 2010, ST. LOUIS, MO

Batista defeats John Cena

MARCH 28, 2010, PHOENIX, AZ

John Cena defeats Batista

JUNE 20, 2010, UNIONDALE, NY

Sheamus wins WWE Championship

Note: Sheamus won the title after defeating John Cena, Randy Orton, and Edge in a Fatal Four Way Match.