Sami ZaynCurrent champion (reign #154, Sep 11, 2026)
John CenaMost reigns (14)
Bruno SammartinoLongest reign (2,803 days)
Buddy RogersFirst champion, Apr 1, 1963
The WWE Championship is the oldest title in WWE, first awarded in 1963. It has had 154 recognized reigns by 56 different champions. Today it is defended on SmackDown as the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Most reigns
| Champion | Reigns |
|---|---|
| John Cena | 14 |
| Randy Orton | 10 |
| Triple H | 9 |
| The Rock | 8 |
| Brock Lesnar | 7 |
| Hulk Hogan | 6 |
| Steve Austin | 6 |
| Bret Hart | 5 |
| The Undertaker | 4 |
| Kurt Angle | 4 |
Every reign
| # | Champion | Date won | Event / location | Reign # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 154 | Sami Zayn | Sep 11, 2026 | SmackDown, Mexico City | 2 |
| 153 | CM Punk | Jul 6, 2026 | Raw | 3 |
| 152 | Sami Zayn | Jun 27, 2026 | Night of Champions, Riyadh | |
| 151 | Cody Rhodes | Mar 6, 2026 | SmackDown | 3 |
| 150 | Drew McIntyre | Jan 9, 2026 | SmackDown, Berlin | 3 |
| 149 | Cody Rhodes | Aug 3, 2025 | SummerSlam | 2 |
| 148 | John Cena | Apr 20, 2025 | WrestleMania 41 | 14 |
| 147 | Cody Rhodes | Apr 7, 2024 | WrestleMania XL | |
| 146 | Roman Reigns | Apr 3, 2022 | WrestleMania 38 | 4 |
| 145 | Brock Lesnar | Feb 19, 2022 | Elimination Chamber | 7 |
| 144 | Bobby Lashley | Jan 29, 2022 | Royal Rumble | 2 |
| 143 | Brock Lesnar | Jan 1, 2022 | Day 1 | 6 |
| 142 | Big E | Sep 13, 2021 | Raw | |
| 141 | Bobby Lashley | Mar 1, 2021 | Raw | |
| 140 | The Miz | Feb 21, 2021 | Elimination Chamber | 2 |
| 139 | Drew McIntyre | Nov 16, 2020 | Raw | 2 |
| 138 | Randy Orton | Oct 25, 2020 | Hell in a Cell | 10 |
| 137 | Drew McIntyre | Mar 25, 2020 | WrestleMania 36 | |
| 136 | Brock Lesnar | Oct 4, 2019 | SmackDown 20th Anniversary | 5 |
| 135 | Kofi Kingston | Apr 7, 2019 | WrestleMania 35 | |
| 134 | Daniel Bryan | Nov 13, 2018 | SmackDown | 4 |
| 133 | AJ Styles | Nov 7, 2017 | SmackDown | 2 |
| 132 | Jinder Mahal | May 21, 2017 | Backlash | |
| 131 | Randy Orton | Apr 2, 2017 | WrestleMania 33 | 9 |
| 130 | Bray Wyatt | Feb 12, 2017 | Elimination Chamber | |
| 129 | John Cena | Jan 29, 2017 | Royal Rumble | 13 |
| 128 | AJ Styles | Sep 11, 2016 | Backlash | |
| 127 | Dean Ambrose | Jun 19, 2016 | Money in the Bank | |
| 126 | Seth Rollins | Jun 19, 2016 | Money in the Bank | 2 |
| 125 | Roman Reigns | Apr 3, 2016 | WrestleMania 32 | 3 |
| 124 | Triple H | Jan 24, 2016 | Royal Rumble | 9 |
| 123 | Roman Reigns | Dec 14, 2015 | Raw | 2 |
| 122 | Sheamus | Nov 22, 2015 | Survivor Series | 3 |
| 121 | Roman Reigns | Nov 22, 2015 | Survivor Series | |
| — | — Vacated — | Nov 5, 2015 | — | |
| 120 | Seth Rollins | Mar 29, 2015 | WrestleMania 31 | |
| 119 | Brock Lesnar | Aug 17, 2014 | SummerSlam | 4 |
| 118 | John Cena | Jun 29, 2014 | Money in the Bank | 12 |
| — | — Vacated — | Jun 9, 2014 | — | |
| 117 | Daniel Bryan | Apr 6, 2014 | WrestleMania XXX | 3 |
| 116 | Randy Orton | Oct 27, 2013 | Hell in a Cell | 8 |
| — | — Vacated — | Sep 16, 2013 | — | |
| 115 | Daniel Bryan | Sep 15, 2013 | Night of Champions | 2 |
| 114 | Randy Orton | Aug 18, 2013 | SummerSlam | 7 |
| 113 | Daniel Bryan | Aug 18, 2013 | SummerSlam | |
| 112 | John Cena | Apr 7, 2013 | WrestleMania 29 | 11 |
| 111 | The Rock | Jan 27, 2013 | Royal Rumble | 8 |
| 110 | CM Punk | Nov 20, 2011 | Survivor Series | 2 |
| 109 | Alberto Del Rio | Oct 2, 2011 | Hell in a Cell | 2 |
| 108 | John Cena | Sep 18, 2011 | Night of Champions | 10 |
| 107 | Alberto Del Rio | Aug 14, 2011 | SummerSlam | |
| 106 | John Cena | Jul 25, 2011 | Raw | 9 |
| 105 | Rey Mysterio | Jul 25, 2011 | Raw | |
| 104 | CM Punk | Jul 17, 2011 | Money in the Bank | |
| 103 | John Cena | May 1, 2011 | Extreme Rules | 8 |
| 102 | The Miz | Nov 22, 2010 | Raw | |
| 101 | Randy Orton | Sep 19, 2010 | Night of Champions | 6 |
| 100 | Sheamus | Jun 20, 2010 | Fatal 4-Way | 2 |
| 99 | John Cena | Mar 28, 2010 | WrestleMania XXVI | 7 |
| 98 | Batista | Feb 21, 2010 | Elimination Chamber | 2 |
| 97 | John Cena | Feb 21, 2010 | Elimination Chamber | 6 |
| 96 | Sheamus | Dec 13, 2009 | TLC | |
| 95 | John Cena | Oct 25, 2009 | Bragging Rights | 5 |
| 94 | Randy Orton | Oct 4, 2009 | Hell in a Cell | 5 |
| 93 | John Cena | Sep 13, 2009 | Breaking Point | 4 |
| 92 | Randy Orton | Jun 15, 2009 | Raw | 4 |
| — | — Vacated — | Jun 9, 2009 | — | |
| 91 | Batista | Jun 7, 2009 | Extreme Rules | |
| 90 | Randy Orton | Apr 26, 2009 | Backlash | 3 |
| 89 | Triple H | Feb 15, 2009 | No Way Out | 8 |
| 88 | Edge | Jan 25, 2009 | Royal Rumble | 4 |
| 87 | Jeff Hardy | Dec 14, 2008 | Armageddon | |
| 86 | Edge | Nov 23, 2008 | Survivor Series | 3 |
| 85 | Triple H | Apr 27, 2008 | Backlash | 7 |
| 84 | Randy Orton | Oct 7, 2007 | No Mercy | 2 |
| 83 | Triple H | Oct 7, 2007 | No Mercy | 6 |
| 82 | Randy Orton | Oct 7, 2007 | No Mercy | |
| — | — Vacated — | Oct 2, 2007 | — | |
| 81 | John Cena | Sep 17, 2006 | Unforgiven | 3 |
| 80 | Edge | Jul 3, 2006 | Raw | 2 |
| 79 | Rob Van Dam | Jun 11, 2006 | ECW One Night Stand | |
| 78 | John Cena | Jan 29, 2006 | Royal Rumble | 2 |
| 77 | Edge | Jan 8, 2006 | New Year's Revolution | |
| 76 | John Cena | Apr 3, 2005 | WrestleMania 21 | |
| 75 | John Bradshaw Layfield | Jun 27, 2004 | The Great American Bash | |
| 74 | Eddie Guerrero | Feb 15, 2004 | No Way Out | |
| 73 | Brock Lesnar | Sep 16, 2003 | SmackDown | 3 |
| 72 | Kurt Angle | Jul 27, 2003 | Vengeance | 4 |
| 71 | Brock Lesnar | Mar 30, 2003 | WrestleMania XIX | 2 |
| 70 | Kurt Angle | Dec 15, 2002 | Armageddon | 3 |
| 69 | Big Show | Nov 17, 2002 | Survivor Series | 2 |
| 68 | Brock Lesnar | Aug 25, 2002 | SummerSlam | |
| 67 | The Rock | Jul 21, 2002 | Vengeance | 7 |
| 66 | The Undertaker | May 19, 2002 | Judgment Day | 4 |
| 65 | Hulk Hogan | Apr 21, 2002 | Backlash | 6 |
| 64 | Triple H | Mar 17, 2002 | WrestleMania X8 | 5 |
| 63 | Chris Jericho | Dec 9, 2001 | Vengeance | |
| 62 | Steve Austin | Oct 8, 2001 | Raw | 6 |
| 61 | Kurt Angle | Sep 23, 2001 | Unforgiven | 2 |
| 60 | Steve Austin | Apr 1, 2001 | WrestleMania X-Seven | 5 |
| 59 | The Rock | Feb 25, 2001 | No Way Out | 6 |
| 58 | Kurt Angle | Oct 22, 2000 | No Mercy | |
| 57 | The Rock | Jun 25, 2000 | King of the Ring | 5 |
| 56 | Triple H | May 21, 2000 | Judgment Day | 4 |
| 55 | The Rock | Apr 30, 2000 | Backlash | 4 |
| 54 | Triple H | Jan 3, 2000 | Raw | 3 |
| 53 | Big Show | Nov 14, 1999 | Survivor Series | |
| 52 | Triple H | Sep 26, 1999 | Unforgiven | 2 |
| — | — Vacated — | Sep 20, 1999 | — | |
| 51 | Vince McMahon | Sep 14, 1999 | SmackDown | |
| 50 | Triple H | Aug 23, 1999 | Raw | |
| 49 | Mankind | Aug 22, 1999 | SummerSlam | 3 |
| 48 | Steve Austin | Jun 28, 1999 | Raw | 4 |
| 47 | The Undertaker | May 23, 1999 | Over the Edge | 3 |
| 46 | Steve Austin | Mar 28, 1999 | WrestleMania XV | 3 |
| 45 | The Rock | Feb 15, 1999 | Raw | 3 |
| 44 | Mankind | Jan 26, 1999 | Halftime Heat | 2 |
| 43 | The Rock | Jan 24, 1999 | Royal Rumble | 2 |
| 42 | Mankind | Dec 29, 1998 | Raw | |
| 41 | The Rock | Nov 15, 1998 | Survivor Series | |
| — | — Vacated — | Sep 27, 1998 | — | |
| 40 | Steve Austin | Jun 29, 1998 | Raw | 2 |
| 39 | Kane | Jun 28, 1998 | King of the Ring | |
| 38 | Steve Austin | Mar 29, 1998 | WrestleMania XIV | |
| 37 | Shawn Michaels | Nov 9, 1997 | Survivor Series | 3 |
| 36 | Bret Hart | Aug 3, 1997 | SummerSlam | 5 |
| 35 | The Undertaker | Mar 23, 1997 | WrestleMania 13 | 2 |
| 34 | Sycho Sid | Feb 17, 1997 | Raw | 2 |
| 33 | Bret Hart | Feb 16, 1997 | In Your House: Final Four | 4 |
| — | — Vacated — | Feb 13, 1997 | — | |
| 32 | Shawn Michaels | Jan 19, 1997 | Royal Rumble | 2 |
| 31 | Sycho Sid | Nov 17, 1996 | Survivor Series | |
| 30 | Shawn Michaels | Mar 31, 1996 | WrestleMania XII | |
| 29 | Bret Hart | Nov 19, 1995 | Survivor Series | 3 |
| 28 | Diesel | Nov 26, 1994 | New York, NY | |
| 27 | Bob Backlund | Nov 23, 1994 | Survivor Series | 2 |
| 26 | Bret Hart | Mar 20, 1994 | WrestleMania X | 2 |
| 25 | Yokozuna | Jun 13, 1993 | King of the Ring | 2 |
| 24 | Hulk Hogan | Apr 4, 1993 | WrestleMania IX | 5 |
| 23 | Yokozuna | Apr 4, 1993 | WrestleMania IX | |
| 22 | Bret Hart | Oct 12, 1992 | Saskatoon, SK | |
| 21 | Ric Flair | Sep 1, 1992 | Prime Time Wrestling | 2 |
| 20 | Randy Savage | Apr 5, 1992 | WrestleMania VIII | 2 |
| 19 | Ric Flair | Jan 19, 1992 | Royal Rumble | |
| — | — Vacated — | Dec 4, 1991 | — | |
| 18 | Hulk Hogan | Dec 3, 1991 | This Tuesday in Texas | 4 |
| 17 | The Undertaker | Nov 27, 1991 | Survivor Series | |
| 16 | Hulk Hogan | Mar 24, 1991 | WrestleMania VII | 3 |
| 15 | Sgt. Slaughter | Jan 19, 1991 | Royal Rumble | |
| 14 | Ultimate Warrior | Apr 1, 1990 | WrestleMania VI | |
| 13 | Hulk Hogan | Apr 2, 1989 | WrestleMania V | 2 |
| 12 | Randy Savage | Mar 27, 1988 | WrestleMania IV | |
| — | — Vacated — | Feb 13, 1988 | — | |
| 11 | André the Giant | Feb 5, 1988 | The Main Event I | |
| 10 | Hulk Hogan | Jan 23, 1984 | New York, NY | |
| 9 | The Iron Sheik | Dec 26, 1983 | New York, NY | |
| 8 | Bob Backlund | Feb 20, 1978 | New York, NY | |
| 7 | Superstar Billy Graham | Apr 30, 1977 | Baltimore, MD | |
| 6 | Bruno Sammartino | Dec 10, 1973 | New York, NY | 2 |
| 5 | Stan Stasiak | Dec 1, 1973 | Philadelphia, PA | |
| 4 | Pedro Morales | Feb 8, 1971 | New York, NY | |
| 3 | Ivan Koloff | Jan 18, 1971 | New York, NY | |
| 2 | Bruno Sammartino | May 17, 1963 | New York, NY | |
| 1 | Buddy Rogers | Apr 1, 1963 | Washington, D.C. |
Newest reigns first. Vacancies are listed without a reign number.
Sources: Wikipedia: List of WWE Champions. Facts verified Oct 18, 2026.
FAQ
Who is the current WWE Champion?
Sami Zayn, who won the title for the second time on September 11, 2026 on SmackDown in Mexico City.
Who has the most WWE Championship reigns?
John Cena, with 14 reigns.
Who held the WWE Championship the longest?
Bruno Sammartino, whose first reign lasted 2,803 days (1963–1971).