ECW World Championship

The Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) World Championship is a professional wrestling championship. The title was originally the highest ranked championship for the Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion. Currently, it is the highest ranked championship on the ECW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment.

History

The ECW World Championship was originally a National Wrestling Alliance title known as the Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) Heavyweight Championship. However, in 1994, the ECW Heavyweight Champion, Shane Douglas, was entered into a tournament for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. On August 27, he defeated 2 Cold Scorpio in the tournament final to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but immediately relinquished it and instead proclaimed himself the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion. Days later, Eastern Championship Wrestling left the National Wrestling Alliance as the name of the promotion was changed to Extreme Championship Wrestling, thus the title became known as the Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) World Heavyweight Championship. The title officially gained its "World" status on August 27, 1999 after years of being defended internationally against challengers from around the world and remained active until April 11, 2001 when World Wrestling Entertainment subsequently purchased the promotion after its closure.

The title was reactivated following WWE's decision to revive Extreme Championship Wrestling as a third brand. Prior to One Night Stand 2006, Paul Heyman stated that if Rob Van Dam was to win the WWE Championship at One Night Stand, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship would replace the WWE Championship. Rob Van Dam went on to defeat John Cena for the WWE Championship at the event. On the premier episode of "ECW on Sci Fi" Rob Van Dam was presented with a replica of the old ECW World Heavyweight Championship belt by Paul Heyman. However, Rob Van Dam stated that he would continue to use both titles and remain WWE Champion while being the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion (because he was entertained by the fact the WWE logo on John Cena's WWE Championship belt spun, saying, "hey look, it spins!").

Weeks later, the replica ECW World Heavyweight title belt was replaced with a new similar belt that features the new ECW logo and new plates. The title was then renamed the ECW World Championship around the start of The Big Show's reign to avoid confusion with the SmackDown! brand's World Heavyweight Championship.

Statistics

Trivia

• As of early 2007, only two ECW World Champions have ever won the WWE Championship: Rob Van Dam and The Big Show. Van Dam defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship at One Night Stand 2006 on June 11, 2006, and was awarded the ECW World Heavyweight Championship by Paul Heyman on June 13, 2006, while still the WWE Champion (making him the first wrestler to hold both titles, and the only one to hold them simultaneously). On July 4, 2006, The Big Show defeated him for the title, making Show the first person to ever win the WCW, ECW, and WWE Championships.
• 6 former ECW World Champions, Sabu, Steve Corino, Raven, Rhino, Shane Douglas and Terry Funk, have also held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

Current champion

The current ECW World Champion is Bobby Lashley, who is in his first reign. He defeated The Big Show, CM Punk, Hardcore Holly, Rob Van Dam and Test in an Extreme Elimination Chamber match at December to Dismember on December 3, 2006 in Augusta, Georgia.

See also

• List of ECW World Champions
• List of ECW World Championship reigns by length
• Number of World Heavyweight title reigns in professional wrestling
• Extreme Championship Wrestling

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