| Champion | Title Reign | Comments |
| Buddy Rogers | 24 January 1963 - 17 May 1963 | Promoters breaking away from the NWA awarded Buddy Rogers the Title because they didn't recognise Rogers' pinfall loss to Lou Thesz. The promoters announced that Rogers won the title in a tournament in Rio de Janeiro. This tournament had never taken place. |
| Bruno Sammartino | 17 May 1963 - 18 January 1971 | Sammartino lost a match to Ray Stevens by countout on 15 July 1967. Stevens was declared as the new champion at the arena, but was never recognised as champion. |
| Ivan Koloff | 18 January 1971 - 8 February 1971 | |
| Pedro Morales | 8 February 1971 - 1 December 1973 | The belt becomes a regional title when WWWF joins with the NWA. |
| Stan Stasiak | 1 December 1973 - 10 December 1973 | |
| Bruno Sammartino (2) | 10 December 1973 - 30 April 1974 | |
| Billy Graham | 30 April 1974 - 20 February 1978 | |
| Bob Backlund | 20 February 1978 - 30 November 1979 | |
| Antonio Inoki | 30 November 1979 - 7 December 1979 | This win was not acknowledged in North America. |
| Bob Backlund (2) | 7 December 1979 - 26 December 1983 | Backlund pinned Inoki in a rematch in Tokyo, but WWF President Hisashi Shinma declares the match a no contest after interference. Shinma gives the belt to Inoki, but he does not accept it. |
| Iron Sheik | 26 December 1983 - 23 January 1984 | |
| Hulk Hogan | 23 January 1984 - 5 February 1988 | |
| Andre the Giant | 5 February 1988 - 5 February 1988 | As soon as Andre won the belt he gave it to Ted DiBiase. WWF President Jack Tunney announces the title cannot be given away, so the title is vacated. |
| Randy Savage | 27 March 1988 - 2 April 1989 | Defeated Ted DiBiase in the final of the WWF Championship tournament. |
| Hulk Hogan (2) | 2 April 1989 - 1 April 1990 | |
| Ultimate Warrior | 1 April 1990 - 19 January 1991 | |
| Sgt. Slaughter | 19 January 1991 - 24 March 1991 | |
| Hulk Hogan (3) | 24 March 1991 - 27 November 1991 | |
| Undertaker | 27 November 1991 - 3 December 1991 | |
| Hulk Hogan (4) | 3 December 1991 - 19 January 1992 | |
| Ric Flair | 19 January 1992 - 5 April 1992 | Title belt was vacated due to controversial decisions between the Undertaker and Hulk Hogan. The winner of the 92 Royal Rumble would be declared new world heavyweight champion. Ric Flair won the Rumble. |
| Randy Savage (2) | 5 April 1992 - 1 September 1992 | |
| Ric Flair (2) | 1 September 1992 - 12 October 1992 | |
| Bret Hart | 12 October 1992 - 4 April 1993 | |
| Yokozuna | 4 April 1993 - 4 April 1993 | Mr. Fuji challenged Hogan immediately after Yokozuna won the title from Bret Hart. Hogan defeated Yokozuna for the title. |
| Hulk Hogan (5) | 4 April 1993 - 13 June 1993 | |
| Yokozuna (2) | 13 June 1993 - 20 March 1994 | |
| Bret Hart (2) | 20 March 1994 - 23 November 1994 | |
| Bob Backlund (3) | 23 November 1994 - 26 November 1994 | |
| Diesel | 26 November 1994 - 29 November 1995 | |
| Bret Hart (3) | 29 November 1995 - 31 March 1996 | |
| Shawn Michaels | 31 March 1996 - 17 November 1996 | |
| Phsyco Sid | 17 November 1996 - 19 January 1997 | |
| Shawn Michaels (2) | 19 January 1997 - 16 February 1997 | |
| Bret Hart (4) | 16 February 1997 - 17 February 1997 | Bret Hart wins a tournament after Shawn Michaels forfeited the title. |
| Phsyco Sid (2) | 17 February 1997 - 23 March 1997 | |
| Undertaker (2) | 23 March 1997 - 3 August 1997 | |
| Bret Hart (5) | 3 August 1997 - 9 November 1997 | |
| Shawn Michaels (3) | 9 November 1997 - 29 March 1998 | |
| Steve Austin | 29 March 1998 - 28 June 1998 | |
| Kane | 28 June 1998 - 29 June 1998 | |
| Steve Austin (2) | 29 June 1998 - ? | |
| The Rock | 15 November 1998 - 29 December 1998 | Austin lost his belt in a controversial 3 way match between he, Undertaker and Kane at Judgment Day. The belt was vacated by Vince McMahon for 2 months and a new champion would be crowned in a tournament at Survivor Series. The Rock beat Mankind in the finals to win the title. |
| Mankind | 29 December 1998 - 24 January 1999 | |
| The Rock (2) | 24 January 1999 - 26 January 1999 | |
| Mankind (2) | 26 January 1999 - 15 February 1999 | |
| The Rock (3) | 15 February 1999 - 28 March 1999 | |
| Steve Austin (3) | 28 March 1999 - 23 May 1999 | |
| Undertaker (3) | 23 May 1999 - 23 May 1999 | |
| Steve Austin (4) | 23 May 1999 - 22 August 1999 | |
| Mankind (3) | 22 August 1999 - 23 August 1999 | |
| Triple H | 23 August 1999 - 16 September 1999 | |
| Vince McMahon | 16 September 1999 - 20 September 1999 | Vince McMahon forfeited the title on 20 September. The winner of a 6 Pack Challenge would get the title. Triple H defeated The Rock, Kane, Mankind, British Bulldog, and Big Show. |
| Triple H (2) | 26 September 1999 - 14 November 1999 | |
| Big Show | 14 November 1999 - 3 January 2000 | |
| Triple H (3) | 3 January 2000 - 30 April 2000 | |
| The Rock (4) | 30 April 2000 - 21 May 2000 | |
| Triple H (4) | 21 May 2000 - 25 June 2000 | |
| The Rock (5) | 25 June 2000 - 22 October 2000 | |
| Kurt Angle | 22 October 2000 - 25 February 2001 | |
| The Rock (6) | 25 February 2001 - 1 April 2001 | |
| Steve Austin (5) | 1 April 2001 - 23 September 2001 | |
| Kurt Angle (2) | 23 September 2001 - 8 October 2001 | |
| Steve Austin (6) | 8 October 2001 - Current Date |
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