WWF Light Heavyweight Championship

WWF Light Heavyweight Championship

The WWF Light Heavyweight Championship belt (with updated WWE logos)

Details

Date established

March 26, 1981

Date retired

November 30, 2001

Promotion

World Wrestling Federation

Statistics
First champion(s)	Perro Aguayo
Final champion(s)	X-Pac
Most reigns	Perro Aguayo and Villano III (7 reigns)
Longest reign	Villano III (826 days)
Shortest reign	Perro Aguayo (8 days)
Oldest winner	Perro Aguayo (43 years, 9 months)
Youngest winner	Essa Rios (21 years, 63 days)
Heaviest champion	Shinjiro Otani (236 lb (107 kg))
Lightest champion	The Great Sasuke (180 lb (82 kg; 13 st))

The World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship. The title was challenged by light heavyweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs (before deactivation the weight limit was changed to 220Ibs).

History

The WWF Light Heavyweight Championship was first introduced in Japan in a tournament which ended with Perro Aguayo defeating Gran Hamada to become the first recognized champion. It then migrated to the US West Coast before transitioning to Mexico and then later being defended once again in Japan by way of the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. The title would later become popularized and widely defended within the confines of the World Wrestling Federation in 1997, when a tournament was held in the United States to crown a champion. Before the tournament, the title was at point previously considered a part of the much venerated J-Crown.

1997 tournament

Quarterfinals
(RAW is WAR)

Semifinals
(RAW is WAR)

Finals
(In Your House: D-Generation X)

Nov. 3

Águila

Pin

5:12

Nov. 25²

Águila

Pin

Taka Michinoku

6:19

Nov. 10

Taka Michinoku

Pin

5:00

Dec. 7

Taka Michinoku

Pin

Brian Christopher

12:00

Nov. 11¹

Eric Shelley

Pin

Scott Taylor

5:27

Nov. 25²

Scott Taylor

Forf³

Roanoke

Brian Christopher

Nov. 24

Brian Christopher

Pin

3:30

Notes:
¹ This match aired on November 17.
² These matches aired on December 1.
³ Christopher won by forfeit after Kane chokeslammed Taylor before Christopher made his way to the ring, leaving Taylor unable to compete.

Title deactivation

In March 2001, the WWF purchased World Championship Wrestling. Following the conclusion of the Invasion angle at the 2001 Survivor Series pay-per-view, the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship was abandoned in favor of the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. Simultaneously, the WCW Cruiserweight Championship was rebranded as the WWF Cruiserweight Championship. It would become the WWE Cruiserweight Championship in accordance with the company's name change in May 2002, and it would be defended until September 2007.^[1]^[2]

See also

Notes

↑ "Light Heavyweight Championship History". WWE.com. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
↑ "History of the Cruiserweight Championship". WWE.com. Retrieved 2008-02-19.

External links

WWF Light Heavyweight Champions

UWA/NJPW	Perro Aguayo Fishman Chris Adams Gran Hamada Villano III Sangre Chicana Pegasus Kid The Great Sasuke El Samurai Último Dragón Jushin Thunder Liger Shinjiro Otani

WWF	Taka Michinoku Christian Gillberg Essa Rios Dean Malenko Scotty 2 Hotty Crash Holly Jerry Lynn Jeff Hardy X-Pac Tajiri

Former championships in WWE

World	World Martial Arts Heavyweight (reigns) (1978–1985) WCW/World (reigns) (2001) ECW (reigns) (2006–2010) World Heavyweight (reigns) (2002–2013)

Secondary	United States (reigns) (1970–1975) North American Heavyweight (reigns) (1979–1981) International Heavyweight (reigns) (1959–1963, 1982–1985) Canadian (reigns) (1985–1986) European (reigns) (1997–2002)

Tag Team	United States Tag Team (reigns) (1963–1967) International Tag Team (reigns) (1969–1985) Women's Tag Team (reigns) (1983–1989) Intercontinental Tag Team (reigns) (1991) WCW Tag Team (reigns) (2001) World Tag Team (reigns) (1971–2010)

Divisional	Junior Heavyweight (reigns) (1967–1985) Light Heavyweight (reigns) (1981–2001) Cruiserweight (reigns) (2001–2008) Women's (reigns) (1956–2010)

Other	Million Dollar (reigns) (1989–1992, 1995–1996, 2010) Hardcore (reigns) (1998–2002)

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