Buddy Rogers 00/04/63
- Awarded title
Bruno Sammartino 17/05/63 New York City, NY
- Lost title to Ray Stevens via CO on 15/07/67 in San Francisco, CA, but change is never officially recognised
Ivan Koloff 18/01/71 New York City, NY
Pedro Morales 08/02/71 New York City, NY
Stan Stasiak 01/12/73 Philadelphia, PA
Bruno Sammartino (2) 10/12/73 New York City, NY
Superstar Billy Graham 30/04/77 Baltimore, MD
Bob Backlund 20/02/78 New York City, NY
Antonio Inoki 30/11/79 Tokushima, JAPAN
- Title vacated after match against Bob Backlund on 06/12/79 in Tokyo, JAPAN
Bob Backlund (2) 12/12/79 New York City, NY
- Defeated Bobby Duncum
- Title held up on 19/10/81 after match against Greg Valentine
Bob Backlund (3) 23/11/81 New York City, NY
- Defeated Greg Valentine
The Iron Sheik 26/12/83 New York City, NY
Hulk Hogan 23/01/84 New York City, NY
Andre the Giant 05/02/88 Indianapolis, IN
- Stripped of title on same day
Randy Savage 27/03/88 Atlantic City, NJ
- Defeated Ted DiBiase in tournament final
Hulk Hogan (2) 02/04/89 Atlantic City, NJ
The Ultimate Warrior 01/04/90 Toronto, ON
Sergeant Slaughter 19/01/91 Miami, FL
Hulk Hogan (3) 24/03/91 Los Angeles, CA
The Undertaker 27/11/91 Detroit, MI
Hulk Hogan (4) 03/12/91 San Antonio, TX
- Title held up on 04/12/91
Ric Flair 19/01/92 Albany, NY
- Won title in Royal Rumble
Randy Savage (2) 05/04/92 Indianapolis, IN
Ric Flair (2) 01/09/92 Hershey, PA
Bret Hart 12/10/92 Saskatoon, SA
Yokozuna 04/04/93 Las Vegas, NV
Hulk Hogan (5) 04/04/93 Las Vegas, NV
Yokozuna (2) 13/06/93 Dayton, OH
Bret Hart (2) 20/03/94 New York City, NY
Bob Backlund (4) 23/11/94 San Antonio, TX
Diesel 26/11/94 New York City, NY
Bret Hart (3) 19/11/95 Landover, MD
Shawn Michaels 31/03/96 Anaheim, CA
Sycho Sid 17/11/96 New York City, NY
Shawn Michaels (2) 19/01/97 San Antonio, TX
- Title vacated on 13/02/97
Bret Hart (4) 16/02/97 Chattanooga, TN
- Defeated Steve Austin, Vader and The Undertaker in Four Way match
Sycho Sid (2) 17/02/97 Nashville, TN
The Undertaker (2) 23/03/97 Rosemont, IL
Bret Hart (5) 03/08/97 East Rutherford, NJ
Shawn Michaels (3) 09/11/97 Montreal, PQ
Steve Austin 29/03/98 Boston, MA
Kane 28/06/98 Pittsburg, PA
Steve Austin (2) 29/06/98 Cleveland, OH
- Title held up on 27/09/98 in Hamilton, ON when Austin was pinned by Kane and The Undertaker in Three Way match
- The Undertaker and Kane fought to a no contest for the title on 18/10/98 in Rosemont, IL
The Rock 15/11/98 St Louis, MS
- Defeated Mankind in tournament final
- Lost via knockout to Mankind on 13/12/98 in Vancouver, BC, but title did not change hands
Mankind 29/12/98 Worcester, MA
The Rock (2) 24/01/99 Anaheim, CA
Mankind (2) 26/01/99 Tuscon, AZ
The Rock (3) 15/02/99 Birmingham, AL
Steve Austin (3) 28/03/99 Phildelphia, PA
The Undertaker (3) 23/05/99 Kansas City, MO
Steve Austin (4) 28/06/99 Charlotte, NC
Mankind (3) 22/08/99 Minneapolis, MN
- Defeated Steve Austin and Hunter Hearst Helmsley in Three Way match
Triple H 23/08/99 Ames, IA
Vince McMahon 14/09/99 Las Vegas, NV
- Title vacated on 20/09/99 in Houston, TX
Triple H (2) 26/09/99 Charlotte, NC
- Defeated The Big Show, The British Bulldog, Kane, Mankind and The Rock in Six Way match
The Big Show 14/11/99 Detroit, MI
- Defeated Triple H and The Rock in Three Way match
Triple H (3) 03/01/00 Miami, FL
- Lost title to Chris Jericho on 17/04/00 in State College, PA. Decision overturned later that night
The Rock (4) 30/04/00 Washington, DC
Triple H (4) 21/05/00 Louisville, KY
The Rock (5) 25/06/00 Boston, MA
- Won title in match between The Rock, The Undertaker & Kane and Triple H, Vince McMahon & Shane McMahon
Kurt Angle 22/10/00 Albany, NY
The Rock (6) 25/02/01 Las Vegas, NV
Steve Austin (5) 01/04/01 Houston, TX