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WWE Championship

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This article is about the championship that is currently defended on the RAW brand of WWE. For SmackDown!'s top championship, see World Heavyweight Championship (WWE).
WWE Championship
File:Fixed wwe championship 2.jpg
The WWE Championship belt
(April 11, 2005 – August 20, 2006; September 18, 2006 – present)
Tournament information

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Championship is a professional wrestling world championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It is the original world title of WWE. Currently, it is the highest ranked championship on the RAW brand.

History

Upon its creation, the title was christened the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Heavyweight Championship. When the WWWF rejoined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the umbrella organization of professional wrestling promotions of North America, the title lost its "World" status to the NWA's main World Heavyweight Championship — while remaining the highest-ranking title of the company, it became inferior to the NWA's World title. When the WWWF changed its name to World Wrestling Federation in 1979, the title was referred to as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Heavyweight Championship. When the WWF left the NWA in 1983, the title regained its "World" status and was officially christened the WWF World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship, although it was usually announced and referred to as the WWF Championship, which became its official name in 1998.

With its purchase of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in March, 2001 the WWF gained the rights to its former greatest rival's heavyweight championship. After the conclusion of the "Invasion" storyline, involving the fictitious bid of the WCW and the erstwhile Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) to destroy the WWF, the WWF Championship and the WCW Championships were formally unified at the 2001 Vengeance pay-per-view event, and christened the Undisputed WWF Championship — claimed as the highest-ranking world heavyweight championship in professional wrestling, unrivaled by other promotions. The title received its new name, the WWE Undisputed Championship, in May 2002 when the company changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

When WWE split its television shows, RAW and SmackDown! into distinct brands in late 2002, the reigning Undisputed Champion Brock Lesnar became one of the wrestlers assigned to work exclusively for SmackDown!. In the storyline for television, Lesnar signed a contract to exclusive work for SmackDown!, leaving its rival show RAW without any lead championship. WWE inaugurated a new world heavyweight championship exclusive for RAW when the on-television RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff introduced the the World Heavyweight Championship as its own highest-ranking and exclusive title. The WWE title's previously claimed status of being the "Undisputed" title was thus dropped. On June 6 2005 the reigning WWE Champion John Cena was assigned to work for the RAW roster, as part of the on-television WWE Draft Lottery, which also led to the World Heavyweight Championship being shifted to SmackDown! when the reigning champion Batista was drafted to the show on June 30.

Custom belt designs

Special custom belts have been created for at least five different champions: "Superstar" Billy Graham (red leather strap), the Ultimate Warrior (white, blue and purple leather straps), "Stone Cold" Steve Austin ("Smokin' Skull" belt), John Cena ("Spinner" belt) and Edge ("Rated R Spinner" belt). A belt with an exceptionally long strap was created for André the Giant before WrestleMania III, however he never wore it as champion. Similarly, Edge had originally designed an entirely different custom belt than the "Rated R Spinner" design he used for his second reign, however the plans were scrapped due to time constraints.[1] The "Spinner" belt's design has since become the WWE Championship's primary design, having also been used by Edge, Rob Van Dam, Randy Orton, and Triple H. However, the belt currently being used that was presented to Orton at No Mercy 2007, no longer appears to "spin".

Current champion

File:Orton WWE Champion No Mercy.jpg
Current champion, Randy Orton.

The current champion is Randy Orton, who is in his second reign. He won the title by defeating Triple H at No Mercy in a Last Man Standing match on October 7, 2007 in Rosemont, Illinois. This was after Orton was awarded the title by Vince McMahon and then lost it to Triple H earlier in the evening.

See also

References

  1. ^ Jon Robinson. "Edge Interview". p. 2. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
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