TNA World Heavyweight Title History

"World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock (1st reign)
June 19, 2002 - August 7, 2002



Defeated Malice in the finals of a Gauntlet for the Gold.

Ron "the Truth" Killings (1st reign)
August 7, 2002 - November 20, 2002



First African American NWA World Champion.

"The King of the Mountain" Jeff Jarrett (1st reign)
November 20, 2002 - June 11, 2003



Unified with the WWA World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Sting on May 25, 2003 in Auckland, New Zealand.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles (1st reign)
June 11, 2003 - October 22, 2003



This was a three-way match, also involving Raven.

"The King of the Mountain" Jeff Jarrett (2nd reign)
Reigned from October 22, 2003 - April 21, 2004



"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles (2nd reign)
April 21, 2004 - May 19, 2004



This was a Steel Cage match.

Ron "the Truth" Killings (2nd reign)
May 19, 2004 - June 2, 2004



This was a four-way match, also involving Raven and Chris Harris.

"The King of the Mountain" Jeff Jarrett (3rd reign)
June 2, 2004 - May 15, 2005



This was a King of the Mountain match, also involving A.J. Styles, Raven, and Chris Harris. Ron Killings defeated Jarrett on the June 23 TNA Weekly PPV for the title, however due to issues surrounding the title change, the title was held up, before Vince Russo gave Jarrett the title back.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles (3rd reign)
May 15, 2005 - June 19, 2005



Defeated Jeff Jarrett for title.

Raven (1st reign)
June 19, 2005 - September 15, 2005



This was a King of the Mountain match, also involving Abyss, Monty Brown, and Sean Waltman.

"The King of the Mountain" Jeff Jarrett (4th reign)
September 15, 2005 - October 23, 2005

Rhino (1st reign)
October 23, 2005 - October 25, 2005



Rhino won the right to face Jarrett in a Gauntlet for the Gold match after designated challenger Kevin Nash fell ill and withdrew.

"The King of the Mountain" Jeff Jarrett (5th reign)
October 25, 2005 - February 12, 2006

Christian Cage (1st reign)
February 12, 2006 - June 18, 2006



"The King of the Mountain" Jeff Jarrett (6th reign)
June 18, 2006 - October 22, 2006



This was a King of the Mountain match. Jarrett won due to interference by referee Earl Hebner. Jim Cornette stripped Jarrett of the belt later that week, then returned it to him the following week on the condition that he face the winner of a #1 contender match being held at Victory Road on July 16, 2006.

"The Icon" Sting (1st reign)
October 22, 2006 - November 19, 2006



In one of the most discussed TNA rivalries in history, Sting wins the NWA World Title in the main event at "Bound for Glory" after Jarrett tries to get into Kurt Angle's head, him being the special guest enforcer in the match. Sting makes Jarrett submit using the Scorpion Death Lock.

"The Monster" Abyss (1st reign)
November 19, 2006 - January 14, 2007



First masked wrestler to win the title. Abyss defeated Sting by disqualification after Sting pushed the official.

Christian Cage (2nd reign)
January 14, 2007 - May 13, 2007



This was a Three-Way Elimination match, also involving Sting.

"The Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle (1st reign)
May 13, 2007



This was a Three Way match, which also involved Sting and Christian Cage for what was referred to as the "World Heavyweight Championship". On the May 17, 2007 episode of Impact!, Angle was announced as the new "TNA World Heavyweight Champion".

*TITLE VACATED - May 14, 2007*

"The Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle (2nd reign)
June 17, 2007 - October 14, 2007



Angle defeated Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, Christian Cage, and Chris Harris in a King of the Mountain match to win the vacant championship.

"The Icon" Sting (2nd reign)
October 14, 2007 - October 16, 2007



"The Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle (3rd reign)
October 16, 2007 - April 13, 2008



Just short two weeks after "Bound for Glory" Angle defeats Sting to get back the TNA Heavyweight Title belt with Kevin Nash once again stepping in as an unwanted distraction. Angle fingers Nash right after winning the match, breaking the alliance due to Nash's incompetence at "Bound for Glory"...

"The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe (1st reign)
April 13, 2008 - October 12, 2008



Defeating Kurt Angle in a final showdown in the feud, with a clean victory in the main event at "Lethal Lockdown". Joe uses the Muscle Buster to get the three count in what is arguably the greatest world title match in TNA history!

"The Icon" Sting (3rd reign)
October 12, 2008 - April 19, 2009



Promoted as the heel in the confrontation, Sting wins in his third "Bound for Glory" main event title win in a row. Kevin Nash gains Sting the victory by coming down to ringside and turning heel nailing Joe in the back with a baseball bat on the outside. Sting takes advantage and uses the Scorpion Death Drop to pick up the three count to an oblivious referee and becoming the new Champ. Kurt Angle, Nash, Booker T., Scott Steiner and Sting then go on to start a "respect" campaign in the company as part of the Main Event Mafia, as a wink out to the internet world and the recent issue concerning "cyber trash talking" lately.

Mick Foley (1st reign)
April 19, 2009 - June 21, 2009



"The Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle (4th reign)
June 21, 2009 - September 20, 2009



This was a King of the Mountain match, also involving Samoa Joe, Jeff Jarrett, and A.J. Styles.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles (4th reign)
September 20, 2009 - April 19, 2010

Rob Van Dam (1st reign)
April 19, 2010 - August 10, 2010



*TITLE VACATED - August 10, 2010*

"The Charismatic Enigma" Jeff Hardy (1st reign)
October 10, 2010 - January 9, 2011



Hardy defeated Kurt Angle and Mr. Anderson in a Three Way Tournament Final to win the vacant title.

Ken Anderson (1st reign)
January 9, 2011 - February 13, 2011



"The Charismatic Enigma" Jeff Hardy (2nd reign)
February 13, 2011 - February 24, 2011



This was a ladder match

"The Icon" Sting (4th reign)
February 24, 2011 - June 12, 2011



Ken Anderson (2nd reign)
June 12, 2011 - July 11, 2011



"The Icon" Sting (5th reign)
July 11, 2011 - August 7, 2011



"The Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle (5th reign)
August 7, 2011 - October 18, 2011



The match was promoted as a face vs. face confrontation as the "Hardcore Justice" main event, with Angle campaigning he wants a clean victory over Sting with no outside interference. Angle then spontaneously turns heel and nails Sting with the steel chair after knocking out the ref. The chair comes from Hulk Hogan who attempts to interfere first. Angle then joins Hogan's faction "Immortal" the following week.

"The Cowboy" James Storm (1st reign)
October 18, 2011 - October 26, 2011



Storm challenges Angle to a match on "Impact!" a couple nights directly after "Bound for Glory" and blindsides Angle with a surprise Last Call Superkick, defeating Angle for the gold in near record time!

[RUMOR MILL:] It's speculated that Storm's victory was to settle backlash from the internet regarding Roode's unexpected loss to Angle at "Bound for Glory". Reportedly the loss was suggested by Angle when he voiced concern to management that "Roode was too green" in his opinion - and furthermore, some speculate that Hogan's position regarding Roode was due to the fact that Roode was 'getting over' on the crowd on his own. Hogan and Bischoff want to be responsible for making Roode a star. "Enough of this Canadian independence brother!" This goes back to Hogan's argument over Bret Hart becoming champion in 1992, which never sat well with Hogan because Bret got there on his own. Thus explaining the double victory the night of "Wrestlemania IX"?...

"The IT Factor" Bobby Roode (1st reign)
October 26, 2011 - July 8, 2012



Roode officially ends Beer Money making spontaneous heel turn during "Impact!" taping. Taking advantage of the ref being injured on the outside of the ring, Roode cracks a beer bottle over James Storm's head, knocking him out cold. The ref sees nothing and Roode covers Storm for the pin. Roode eventually goes on to set the NEW company record for the "longest reigning" Heavyweight Champion of all time...

"The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" Austin Aries (1st reign)
July 8, 2012 - October 14, 2012



Aries defeats Roode hitting the Brainbuster on him to garner a clean victory at "Destination X". Aries sets precedent by sacrificing his own X-Division Title to capture the gold his very first try in the Heavyweight Division!

"The Charismatic Enigma" Jeff Hardy (3rd reign)
October 14, 2012 - March 10, 2013



Hardy defeats Aries at "Bound for Glory" with a clean victory after using two Twist of Fates and a Swanton Bomb. Throughout the whole match the majority of Phoenix, Arizona crowd boos the expected face in Hardy and cheers Aries.

Bully Ray (1st reign)
March 10, 2013 - July 18, 2013



Bully shocks the Phoenix, Arizona audience at "Lockdown" by turning heel to nail Jeff Hardy in the back with a hammer to pick up the three-count when the two are cornered by the faction Aces & Eights. This was a steel cage match. Afterward Bully grabs the microphone and reveals himself to be the hidden leader of Aces & Eights and trash talks Hogan and his daughter Brooke, causing the audience to boo and throw drinks and food in the ring.

Chris Sabin (1st reign)
July 18, 2013 - August 15, 2013



Keeping with the tradition of current X-Division champs forfeiting their title belt each year at "Destination X" the inspiration case returning original Chris Sabin manages to reclaim the D-Division Title from Austin Aries just in time to face Bully in the main event of the tv PPV. Bully targets Sabin's recently repaired ACL to maintain dominance all throughout the match even when the Main Event Mafia comes down to equalize the outside influence of Aces & Eights. Right at the end of the match the ref is momentarily downed and Ken Anderson sneaks a hammer into the ring, with the intention that Bully will use it on him only for Sabin to see it coming and end up stealing it, and using it on Bully when he goes up for a powerbomb to finish. The ref never sees the weapon and Sabin gets the three count!!!

Bully Ray (2nd reign)
August 15, 2013 - October 20, 2013



"The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles (5th reign)
October 20, 2013 - October 29, 2013



*TITLE VACATED - October 29, 2013*

Magnus (1st reign)
December 3, 2013 - present...

"Showtime" Eric Young (1st reign)
April 10, 2014 - June 19, 2014

"The Destroyer" Bobby Lashley (1st reign)
June 19, 2014 - September 18, 2014



"The IT Factor" Bobby Roode (2nd reign)
September 18, 2014 - January 7, 2015



"The Destroyer" Bobby Lashley (2nd reign)
January 7, 2015 - January 31, 2015



"The Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle (6th reign)
January 31, 2015 - June 25, 2015

Ethan Carter III (1st reign)
June 25, 2015 - October 4, 2015

Matt Hardy (1st reign)
October 4, 2015 - October 6, 2015



*TITLE VACATED - October 6, 2015*

Ethan Carter III (2nd reign)
January 5, 2016 - January 8, 2016



Matt Hardy (2nd reign)
January 8, 2016 - March 15, 2016

Drew Galloway (1st reign)
March 15, 2016 - present...