Triple Crown Championship

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This article is about the professional wrestling accomplishment. For the professional wrestling championship in Japan, see AJPW Triple Crown Championship. For other uses, see Triple Crown (disambiguation).

The Triple Crown Championship is an accomplishment in professional wrestling. It is a distinction made to a professional wrestler who has won three specific championships. National promotions that officially recognize Triple Crown winners include World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and Ring of Honor (ROH), as well as the defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). Notable independent promotions such as Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) also have established a version of the Triple Crown.

A Triple Crown requires two levels of singles championships (a world and secondary singles title) and a tag team championship.

WWE

Pedro Morales - the first WWE Triple Crown winner.

In WWE (formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment)[1][2] the term Triple Crown Champion has traditionally been used to describe a wrestler who has won the WWE Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, and the World Tag Team Championship.[3] For a span of nearly eighteen years, from 1979 up through 1997, these were the only three championships of the company, and a wrestler who won all three championships (not necessarily concurrently) was considered a "Triple Crown Champion."[3][4] Until the 1990s, the accomplishment was extremely rare, with Pedro Morales remaining the sole Triple Crown Champion for more than a decade.

CM Punk holds the record for completing the Triple Crown Championship in the shortest amount of time between the first and third title. It took him 203 days between June 2008 and January 2009. This broke Diesel's previous record of 227 days set in 1994, which is notable, as Diesel had only been with the company for a year and a half at the time.[5][6]

Following the brand extension in 2002, the (now defunct) World Heavyweight Championship and the WWE Tag Team Championship became alternate titles that can compose part of the Triple Crown.[7]

As of 2014, these WWE wrestlers are one title away from becoming a Triple Crown Champion:

List of WWE Triple Crown Champions

The following is a list of WWE Triple Crown Champions with dates indicating the wrestler's first reign with the respective championship.

Text
Championships in italics Indicates the title is an alternate title from the original definition of the Triple Crown.
Dates in italics The wrestler has won that title, but it does not contribute to their Triple Crown because they had already won the Triple Crown or they had already won a title at that same level.
Dates in bold The date the wrestler became a Triple Crown Champion.
Names in bold Indicates the wrestler is also a Grand Slam Champion.
N/A Indicates future reigns not possible or likely.
Colors

 Won title as a member of the Raw brand.

 Won title as a member of the ECW brand.

 Won title as a member of the SmackDown! brand.

 Won all Triple Crown eligible titles
Won title before the brand extension or after the establishment of the "Supershow" format
Champion Primary Championships Tag Team Championships Secondary Championship
WWE World
Heavyweight		 World
Heavyweight		 World
Tag Team		 WWE
Tag Team		 Intercontinental
Pedro Morales[3][8] February 8, 1971 N/A
(Retired)		 August 9, 1980
(with Bob Backlund)		 N/A
(Retired)		 December 8, 1980
Bret Hart October 12, 1992 N/A
(Retired)		 January 26, 1987
(with Jim Neidhart)		 N/A
(Retired)		 August 26, 1991
Diesel[5] November 26, 1994 N/A
(Retired)		 August 28, 1994
(with Shawn Michaels)		 N/A
(Retired)		 April 13, 1994
Shawn Michaels March 31, 1996 November 17, 2002 August 28, 1994
(with Diesel)		 December 13, 2009
(with Triple H)		 October 27, 1992
Stone Cold Steve Austin[9] March 29, 1998 N/A
(Retired)		 May 26, 1997
(with Shawn Michaels)		 N/A
(Retired)		 August 3, 1997
The Rock November 15, 1998 N/A
(Title Defunct)		 August 30, 1999
(with Mankind)		 February 13, 1997
Triple H August 23, 1999 September 2, 2002 April 29, 2001
(with Stone Cold Steve Austin)		 December 13, 2009
(with Shawn Michaels)		 October 21, 1996
Kane June 28, 1998 July 18, 2010 July 13, 1998
(with Mankind)		 April 19, 2011
(with The Big Show)		 May 20, 2001
Chris Jericho December 9, 2001 September 7, 2008 May 21, 2001
(with Chris Benoit)		 June 28, 2009
(with Edge)		 December 12, 1999
Kurt Angle October 22, 2000 January 10, 2006 N/A
(Title Defunct)		 October 20, 2002
(with Chris Benoit)		 February 27, 2000
Eddie Guerrero February 15, 2004 N/A
(Deceased)		 N/A
(Deceased)		 November 17, 2002
(with Chavo Guerrero)		 September 5, 2000
Chris Benoit N/A
(Deceased)		 March 14, 2004 May 21, 2001
(with Chris Jericho)		 October 20, 2002
(with Kurt Angle)		 April 2, 2000
Ric Flair January 19, 1992 N/A
(Retired)		 December 14, 2003
(with Batista)		 N/A
(Retired)		 September 18, 2005
Edge January 8, 2006 May 8, 2007 April 2, 2000
(with Christian)		 November 5, 2002
(with Rey Mysterio)		 July 24, 1999
Rob Van Dam June 11, 2006 N/A
(Title Defunct)		 March 31, 2003
(with Kane)		 December 7, 2004
(with Rey Mysterio)		 March 17, 2002
Booker T July 23, 2006 November 1, 2001
(with Test)		 July 7, 2003
Randy Orton October 7, 2007 August 15, 2004 November 13, 2006
(with Edge)		 December 14, 2003
Jeff Hardy December 14, 2008 June 7, 2009 June 29, 1999
(with Matt Hardy)		 N/A
(Not with WWE)		 April 10, 2001
CM Punk[5][6] July 17, 2011 June 30, 2008 October 27, 2008
(with Kofi Kingston)		 January 19, 2009
John "Bradshaw" Layfield June 27, 2004 N/A
(Retired)		 May 25, 1999
(with Faarooq)		 N/A
(Retired)		 March 9, 2009
Rey Mysterio July 25, 2011 April 2, 2006 N/A
(Title Defunct)		 November 5, 2002
(with Edge)		 April 5, 2009
Dolph Ziggler February 15, 2011[10] April 3, 2006
(with the Spirit Squad)		 July 28, 2010
Christian May 1, 2011 April 2, 2000
(with Edge)		 September 23, 2001
Big Show November 14, 1999 December 18, 2011 August 22, 1999
(with The Undertaker)		 July 26, 2009
(with Chris Jericho)		 April 1, 2012
The Miz November 22, 2010 N/A
(Title Defunct)		 December 13, 2008
(with John Morrison)		 November 16, 2007
(with John Morrison)		 July 23, 2012

World Championship Wrestling

Ric Flair - the first WCW Triple Crown winner (also a WWE Triple Crown winner)

The World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Triple Crown consisted of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (now WWE United States Championship) and the WCW World Tag Team Championship.[11][12][13] When Bret Hart and Goldberg won the WCW World Tag Team Championship, they both became Triple Crown Champions at the same time.

Champion Primary Championship Tag Team Championship Secondary Championship

List of WCW Triple Crown Champions

 WCW World Heavyweight WCW World Tag Team WCW United States Heavyweight
Ric Flair January 11, 1991 December 26, 1976
(with Greg Valentine)		 July 29, 1977
Lex Luger July 14, 1991 March 27, 1988
(with Barry Windham)		 July 11, 1987
Sting February 29, 1992 January 22, 1996
(with Lex Luger)		 August 25, 1991
Diamond Dallas Page April 11, 1999 May 31, 1999
(with Bam Bam Bigelow and Kanyon)		 December 28, 1997
Goldberg July 6, 1998 December 7, 1999
(with Bret Hart)		 April 20, 1998
Bret Hart November 21, 1999 December 7, 1999
(with Goldberg)		 July 20, 1998
Chris Benoit January 16, 2000 March 14, 1999
(with Dean Malenko)		 August 9, 1999
Scott Steiner November 26, 2000 November 1, 1989
(with Rick Steiner)		 April 11, 1999
Booker T July 9, 2000 May 3, 1995
(with Stevie Ray)		 March 18, 2001

Extreme Championship Wrestling

Rob Van Dam - the only wrestler to win both the WWE and ECW Triple Crown

The Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) Triple Crown consisted of the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, the ECW World Television Championship and the ECW World Tag Team Championship.[14][15]

List of ECW Triple Crown Champions

Champion Primary Championships Tag Team Championships Secondary Championships
ECW World Heavyweight ECW World Tag Team ECW World Television
Johnny Hotbody April 26, 1992 April 3, 1993
(with Chris Candido and Chris Michaels)		 August 12, 1992
Sabu[16] October 2, 1993 February 4, 1995
(with Taz)		 November 13, 1993
Mikey Whipwreck October 28, 1995 August 27, 1994
(with Cactus Jack)		 May 13, 1994
Taz January 10, 1999 December 4, 1993
(with Kevin Sullivan)		 March 6, 1994
Rob Van Dam June 13, 20061 June 27, 1998
(with Sabu)		 April 4, 1998

1 ^ Won title as part of WWE's ECW brand.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

A.J. Styles - the first TNA Triple Crown winner
Kurt Angle - the only wrestler to win both the WWE and TNA Triple Crown

In Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), the TNA Triple Crown was an accolade bestowed upon those who won (not necessarily concurrently) all three championships regularly contested in TNA between 2002 and 2007 - the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the TNA X Division Championship and (one-half of) the NWA World Tag Team Championship.[17]

In May 2007, TNA lost the rights to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Tag Team Championship and introduced the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On July 8, 2007, TNA stated that, should the then-TNA X Division Champion Samoa Joe win the TNA World Tag Team Championship, this would leave him "just one step shy of becoming only the second Triple Crown Champion". This indicates that the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and the TNA World Tag Team Championship are part of the existing Triple Crown accolade.[18]

Current TNA wrestlers who are one title away from a Triple Crown include:

List of TNA Triple Crown Champions

The following is a list of TNA Triple Crown Champions with dates indicating the wrestler's first reign with the respective championship. Under TNA's definition of the Triple Crown Championship, wrestlers are eligible to be a multiple Triple Crown champion each time they complete a new circuit. To date, only A.J. Styles has won the TNA Triple Crown on more than one occasion (five times), as well as being the only wrestler to hold all of the eligible championships.

Text
Championships in italics Indicates the title is an alternate title from the original definition of the Triple Crown.
Dates A date indicates the wrestlers first reign with that championship.
Dates in bold The date the wrestler became a Triple Crown Champion.
Names in bold Indicates the wrestler is also a Grand Slam Champion.
N/A Indicates future reigns not possible due to the title no longer being under TNA control
Champion Primary Championships Tag Team Championships Secondary Championships
NWA
World Heavyweight		 TNA
World Heavyweight		 NWA
World Tag Team		 TNA
World Tag Team		 TNA
X Division
A.J. Styles (5 times) June 11, 2003 September 20, 2009 July 3, 2002
(with Jerry Lynn)		 October 14, 2007
(with Tomko)		 June 19, 2002
Kurt Angle N/A May 13, 2007 N/A August 12, 2007
(No partner)		 August 12, 2007
Samoa Joe[19] N/A April 13, 2008 N/A July 15, 2007
(No partner)		 December 11, 2005
Abyss November 19, 2006 February 4, 2004

(with A.J. Styles)

 May 16, 2011
Austin Aries N/A July 8, 2012 N/A January 25, 2013
(with Bobby Roode)		 September 11, 2011
Chris Sabin N/A July 18, 2013 N/A July 11, 2010
(with Alex Shelley)		 May 14, 2003

Ring of Honor

Eddie Edwards - the first ROH Triple Crown winner

The Ring of Honor (ROH) Triple Crown originally was defined as the ROH World Championship, the ROH World Tag Team Championship, and the ROH World Television Championship.[20] It was later amended so that the World Title and any combination of the TV, Tag Team or defunct ROH Pure Championship would qualify.[21]

Current ROH wrestlers who are one title away from the Triple Crown include:

  • Jay Briscoe and Kevin Steen require the TV Championship (as the Pure Championship is no longer active).
  • Jay Lethal and A.J. Styles require the World Championship.
  • Adam Cole requires the Tag Team Championship

List of ROH Triple Crown Champions

Champion Primary Championships Tag Team Championships Secondary Championships
ROH World ROH World Tag Team ROH World Television ROH Pure
Eddie Edwards[22][23] March 19, 2011 April 10, 2009
(with Davey Richards)		 March 5, 2010 N/A
(Title Defunct)
Roderick Strong[24] September 11, 2010 December 12, 2005
(with Austin Aries)		 March 31, 2012 N/A
(Title Defunct)

Ohio Valley Wrestling

Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an independent regional promotion that at various points served as a developmental territory for WWE and TNA. Their version consists of the OVW Heavyweight Championship, the OVW Television Championship and the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship.[25]

Current OVW wrestlers who are one title away from the Triple Crown include:

  • Mohamad Ali Vaez, Paradyse, Ted McNaler, Adam Revolver and Shiloh Jonze require the Heavyweight Championship
  • Johnny Spade and Marcus Anthony require the Television Championship.

List of OVW Triple Crown Champions

Champion Primary Championships Tag Team Championships Secondary Championships
OVW Heavyweight Championship OVW Southern Tag Team Championship OVW Television Championship
Brent Albright April 25, 2005 March 31, 2004
(with Chris Masters)		 January 5, 2005
CM Punk May 3, 2006 July 28, 2006
(with Seth Skyfire)		 November 9, 2005
Idol Stevens March 14, 2007 October 10, 2003
(with Nova)		 January 4, 2006
Cody Runnels February 17, 2007 October 18, 2006
(with Shawn Spears)		 July 6, 2007
James "Moose" Thomas January 6, 2010 September 27, 2009
(with Tilo)		 September 9, 2009
Mike Mondo May 29, 2010 November 11, 2009
(with Turcan Celik)		 February 4, 2009
Rudy Switchblade November 2, 2011 February 22, 2012
(with Jessie Godderz & Rob Terry)		 August 27, 2008
Rob Terry May 12, 2012 February 22, 2012
(with Jessie Godderz & Rudy Switchblade)		 April 21, 2012
Cliff Compton January 8, 2011 March 19, 2006
(with Deuce)		 October 17, 2012
Jason Wayne July 1, 2011 January 16, 2013
(with Crimson)		 September 21, 2011
Jamin Olivencia April 10, 2013 August 1, 2007
(with T.J. Dalton)		 February 20, 2008
Flash Flanagan November 26, 1999 August 1, 1997
(with Nick Dinsmore)		 August 3, 2013

Full Impact Pro

Full Impact Pro (FIP) is an independent regional promotion. Their version consists of the FIP World Heavyweight Championship, the FIP Florida Heritage Championship and the FIP Tag Team Championship.[26]

Champion Primary Championships Tag Team Championships Secondary Championships
FIP World Heavyweight Championship FIP Tag Team Championship FIP Florida Heritage Championship
Erick Stevens December 30, 2007 March 10, 2007
(with Roderick Strong)		 December 20, 2008

All American Wrestling

All American Wrestling (AAW) is an independent regional promotion. Their version consists of the AAW Heavyweight Championship, the AAW Heritage Championship and the AAW Tag Team Championship.[27]

  • Krotch, Arik Cannon require an AAW Heavyweight Championship reign.
  • Silas Young requires an AAW Tag Team Championship reign.
  • Dan Lawrence requires an AAW Heritage reign.
Champion Primary Championships Tag Team Championships Secondary Championships
AAW Heavyweight Championship AAW Tag Team Championship AAW Heritage Championship
Jimmy Jacobs September 5, 2009 February 19, 2010
(with Tyler Black)		 September 23, 2006
Shane Hollister June 28, 2013 June 21, 2008
(with Bryce Benjamin)		 September 24, 2010
Michael Elgin September 21, 2012 December 28, 2013
(with Ethan Page)		 October 28, 2011

See also

References

  1. ↑ WWE rebranding announcement
  2. ↑ WWE rebranding article
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Brian Shields (2006). Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s (4th ed.). Pocket Books. p. 199. ISBN 978-1-4165-3257-6. 
  4. ↑ "Pedro Morales". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-03. "Pedro Morales [defeated] Ivan Koloff for the [WWF] Championship...Morales would also go on to become the first Triple Crown winner [upon winning] the Intercontinental Championship and World Tag Team Championship." 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Punk rocks! C.M. is WWE's triple threat". Daily News. 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Baines, Tim (2009-01-24). "Rey's ready to Rumble again". Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 
  7. ↑ Triple Crown Club Terms of Membership, from WWE.com
  8. ↑ "Pedro Morales". WWE. Retrieved May 4, 2012. 
  9. ↑ "WWE Legends: Skysports.com looks back at Stone Cold Steve Austin's distinguished career in the first of a series of superstar reviews". Sky Sports. August 1, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 
  10. ↑ "History of the World Heavyweight Championship: Dolph Ziggler". WWE. Retrieved 2011-02-20. 
  11. ↑ Bret Hart Appreciation Night. WWE. Retrieved January 30, 2014. 6:15 minutes in. "Bret Hart was the first to win both the WWF and WCW Triple Crown Championships."
  12. ↑ Khan, Steve. "Bret Hart Airs Out Hogan, HBK, & More In Controversial Interview". Wrestlezone. April 3, 2006. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  13. ↑ The 50 Greatest Stars in WCW History: Booker T. WWE. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  14. ↑ Denbaum, Evan (2006-02-27). "Cardona ready to work his way to WWE stardom". WWE. 
  15. ↑ http://www.wwe.com/inside/superstars-who-werent-supposed-to-make-it-26055797/page-5
  16. ↑ http://www.wwe.com/classics/10-most-hardcore-wrestlers/page-10
  17. ↑ Banks, B. (2007-03-30). "Ask TNAwrestling.com: New Titles, Great Muta, DVDs & More". TNAWrestling.com. Retrieved 2007-05-14. "Who do you think will be the 2nd man to win the TNA Triple Crown?...Obviously, A.J. Styles was the first to accomplish the feat, capturing the X, Tag Team and World Titles..." 
  18. ↑ Jevec, R. (2007-07-08). "The TNA Championship Scenarios At Sunday's Victory Road". TNAWrestling.com. Retrieved 2007-07-19. "[Samoa Joe] has been a multi-time X Division Champion...A victory over Team 3D will put yet another championship title around his waist, leaving him just one step shy of becoming only the second Triple Crown Champion in TNA Wrestling history" 
  19. ↑ http://www.impactwrestling.com/news/item/5007-September-Superstar-Spotlight-Samoa-Joe
  20. ↑ http://www.rohwrestling.com/wrestlers/roster/eddie-edwards
  21. ↑ "http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/champion-vs-champion-philly". ROHWrestling. Retrieved 2012-07-05. 
  22. ↑ "http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/news/186071". 411mania. Retrieved 2011-10-19. 
  23. ↑ "MORE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST 2011 UPDATES!". Ring of Honor. Retrieved 2011-10-19. 
  24. ↑ Caldwell, James (2012-03-31). "Title change at ROH iPPV Saturday". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2012-03-31. 
  25. ↑ http://www.ovwrestling.com/roster/cliffcompton
  26. ↑ "First FIP Triple Crown Winner". PWInsider. Retrieved 2010-12-18. 
  27. ↑ Caldwell, James (December 30, 2013). "Show results - 12/28 AAW in Berwyn, Ill.: Richards's AAW farewell vs. Jimmy Jacobs, Steen defends AAW Title, Elgin wins Tag Titles, more from 2013 finale". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved January 2, 2014. 
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