List of WWF Light Heavyweight Champions
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This is a chronological list of wrestlers who have been WWF Light Heavyweight Champion by ring name. The WWF Light Heavyweight Championship is a former professional wrestling title competed for under the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) banner by wrestlers billed as weighing less than 215 lb (98 kg).
The title was first introduced in Japan for the Universal Wrestling Association, although the it wasn't considered as an official WWF title until after 1997, when a tournament was held in the United States to crown a champion. To this date, WWE does not recognize any reigns prior to 1997. The title was abandoned in 2001, when the WWF decided to adopt the WCW Cruiserweight Championship as its replacement.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Title history
Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
---|---|---|---|---|
Perro Aguayo | 1 | March 26, 1981 | Shimizu, JA | Perro Aguayo defeated Gran Hamada in a tournament final for the title. |
Fishman | 1 | September 25, 1981 | Los Angeles, CA | |
Perro Aguayo | 2 | October 10, 1981 | Los Angeles, CA | |
Chris Adams | 1 | October 18, 1981 | Mexico City, ME | First non-Latin wrestler to win the championship |
Perro Aguayo | 3 | December 13, 1981 | Mexico City, ME | |
Gran Hamada | 1 | April 21, 1982 | Tokyo, JA | |
Perro Aguayo | 4 | August 29, 1982 | Mexico City, ME | |
Villano III | 1 | March 20, 1983 | Mexico City, ME | |
Perro Aguayo | 5 | August 7, 1983 | Mexico City, ME | |
Gran Hamada | 2 | April 17, 1984 | Tokyo, JA | |
Villano III | 2 | May 20, 1984 | Mexico City, ME | |
Fishman | 2 | August 24, 1986 | Mexico City, ME | |
Perro Aguayo | 6 | December 24, 1986 | Mexico City, ME | |
Vacated | May 3, 1987 | The title was held-up after a match against Villano III. | ||
Villano III | 3 | June 17, 1987 | Mexico City, ME | Villano III defeated Perro Aguayo in a rematch. |
Rambo | 1 | October 4, 1987 | Mexico City, ME | |
Villano III | 4 | July 11, 1988 | Mexico City, ME | |
Sangre Chicana | 1 | August 14, 1989 | ||
Perro Aguayo | 7 | October 15, 1989 | Mexico City, ME | |
Sangre Chicana | 2 | December 3, 1989 | Mexico City, ME | |
Villano III | 5 | May 27, 1990 | Naucalpan, ME | |
Pegasus Kid | 1 | March 3, 1991 | Naucalpan, ME | |
Villano III | 6 | September 13, 1992 | Naucalpan, ME | |
El Signo | 1 | January 1, 1993 | Nezahualcóyotl, ME | |
Villano III | 7 | July 18, 1994 | Puebla, ME | |
Vacated | January 1995 | Villano III was stripped of the title after jumping to the PROMELL promotion. | ||
Aero Flash | 1 | June 16, 1995 | Nezahualcóyotl, ME | Aero Flash defeated Fighter for the title. |
The Great Sasuke | 1 | March 24, 1996 | Shirakawa, JA | |
El Samurai | 1 | June 22, 1996 | Naruko, JA | |
The Great Sasuke | 2 | August 4, 1996 | Tokyo, JA | The Great Sasuke defeated El Samurai in the second round of the J-Crown tournament, then he defeated Ultimo Dragon in the finals of the J-Crown tournament on August 5, 1996 in Tokyo, Japan to become the first octuple crown champion in the junior heavyweight division. |
Ultimo Dragon | 1 | October 11, 1996 | Osaka, JA | |
Jushin "Thunder" Liger | 1 | January 4, 1997 | Tokyo, JA | |
El Samurai | 2 | July 6, 1997 | Sapporo, JA | |
Shinjiro Ohtani | 1 | August 10, 1997 | Nagoya, JA | |
Vacated | November 5, 1997 | The WWF forced Ohtani to vacate the Light Heavyweight Championship and then held a tournament on United States soil to crown a new champion. | ||
All title reigns after this point are recognized by the World Wrestling Federation[1] | ||||
TAKA Michinoku | 1 | December 7, 1997 | Springfield, MA | Taka Michinoku defeated Brian Christopher in the tournament final at In Your House: D-Generation X for the title.[2] |
Christian | 1 | October 18, 1998 | Chicago, IL | Won title at Judgement Day 1998.[3] |
Gillberg | 1 | November 17, 1998 | Columbus, OH | Duane Gill defended the title on numerous independent shows while not being active on the main WWF roster.[4] |
Essa Rios | 1 | February 13, 2000 | Austin, TX | [5] |
Dean Malenko | 1 | March 13, 2000 | East Rutherford, NJ | Won title on RAW is WAR.[6] |
Scotty 2 Hotty | 1 | April 17, 2000 | State College, PA | Won title on RAW is WAR.[7] |
Dean Malenko | 2 | April 25, 2000 | Charlotte, NC | Won title on SmackDown!.[8] |
Crash Holly | 1 | March 13, 2001 | Anaheim, CA | [6] |
Jerry Lynn | 1 | April 29, 2001 | Chicago, IL | Won title on HEAT.[9] |
Jeff Hardy | 1 | June 5, 2001 | Grand Forks, ND | Won title on SmackDown!.[10] |
X-Pac | 1 | June 25, 2001 | New York City, NY | Won title on RAW is WAR.[11] On July 30, 2001, X-Pac won the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. This did not unify the titles, however, and both belts had to be defended separately.[12] |
Tajiri | 1 | August 6, 2001 | Anaheim, CA | Won title on RAW is WAR.[13] |
X-Pac | 2 | August 19, 2001 | San Jose, CA | Won title at SummerSlam 2001. X-Pac was then the WCW Cruiserweight Champion, but the two belts still remained separate.[14] |
Abandoned | 2001 | The title was abandoned when the WWF adopted the WCW Cruiserweight Championship and renamed it the WWF Cruiserweight Championship.[1] |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c WWF Light Heavyweight Championship official history. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ TAKA Michinoku's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Christian's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Gillberg's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Essa Rios's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ a b Dean Malenko's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Scotty 2 Hotty's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Dean Malenko's second reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Jerry Lynn's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Jeff Hardy's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ X-Pac's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ X-Pac's second Cruiserweight Championship reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ Tajiri's first reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
- ^ X-Pac's second reign. WWE.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.