The former NWA World Heavyweight Title was officially referred to as the WCW World Heavyweight Title from January 1991 forward.

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair is recognized as the first WCW World Champion.

1. Ric Flair defeated Sting on 01/11/91 in East Rutherford, NJ to win the NWA/WCW World Heavyweight Title.
   • Flair is stripped of the title on 07/01/91 when he is fired from WCW.
2. Lex Luger defeats Barry Windham on 07/14/91 at The Great American Bash to win the vacant title, and is presented with a new title belt.
   • Luger & Windham were determined to be the two top contenders for the vacant title.
3. Sting defeated Lex Luger on 02/29/92 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at SuperBrawl II to win the title.
4. Big Van Vader defeated Sting on 07/12/92 in Albany, Georgia at The Great American Bash to win the title.
5. Ron Simmons defeated Big Van Vader on 08/02/92 in Baltimore, Maryland to win the title.
6. Big Van Vader defeated Ron Simmons on 12/30/92 in Baltimore, Maryland to win the title for the 2nd time.
7. Sting defeated Big Van Vader on 03/11/93 in London, ENGLAND to win the title for the 2nd time.
8. Big Van Vader defeated Sting on 03/17/93 in Dublin, IRELAND to win the title for the 3rd time.
9. Ric Flair defeated Big Van Vader on 12/27/93 in Charlotte, North Carolina at Starrcade to win the title for the 2nd time.                                                                                        
   • During this reign, Flair unifies the WCW World & WCW International World Titles, defeating Sting on 06/23/94 in Charleston, South Carolina.
10. Hulk Hogan defeated Ric Flair on 07/17/94 in Orlando, Florida at Bash at the Beach to win the title.
11. The Giant defeated Hulk Hogan on 10/29/95 in Detroit, Michigan at Halloween Havoc to win the title.                                                                                                                     
    • Hogan loses to The Giant by disqualification when Hogan's manager, Jimmy Hart, deliberately interferes on Hogan's behalf, after secretly planting a stipulation in the match's contract stating that the title can change hands by disqualification.  Hart betrays Hogan and alligns with The Giant, but WCW vacates the title due to the dubious nature of the win, putting the title on the line at World War III in a 60-man, 3-ring battle royal.
12. Randy Savage wins a 60-man, 3-ring battle royal on 11/26/95 at World War III in Norfolk, Virginia to win the vacant title.
13. Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage on 12/27/95 in Nashville, Tennessee at Starrcade to win the title for the 3rd time.
14. Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair on 01/22/96 in Las Vegas, Nevada to win the title for the 2nd time.
15. Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage on 02/11/96 in St. Petersburg, Florida at Superbrawl VI to win the title for the 4th time.
16. The Giant defeated Ric Flair on 04/22/96 in Albany, Georgia to win the title.
17. Hulk Hogan defeated The Giant on 08/10/96 in Sturgis, South Dakota at Hog Wild to win the title for the 2nd time.
18. Lex Luger defeated Hulk Hogan on 08/04/97 in Auburn Hills, Michigan to win the title for the 2nd time.
19. Hulk Hogan defeated Lex Luger on 08/09/97 in Sturgis, South Dakota at Road Wild to win the title for the 3rd time.
20. Sting defeated Hulk Hogan on 12/28/97 in Washington, D.C. at Starrcade to win the title for the 3rd time.                                                                                                                  
    • On 01/08/98, WCW Executive Committee Chairman J.J. Dillon declares the title vacant due to the controversial endings to the Sting Vs. Hulk Hogan matches on 12/28/97 (Washington, DC) and 12/29/97 (Baltimore, Maryland).  A title match is scheduled for the 02/22/98 Superbrawl VII main event.
21. Sting defeated Hulk Hogan on 02/22/98 in San Francisco, California at Superbrawl VII to win the vacant title for the 4th time.
22. Randy Savage defeated Sting on 04/19/20 in Denver, Colorado at Spring Stampede to win the title for the 3rd time.
23. Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage on 04/20/98 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to win the title for the 4th time.
24. Bill Goldberg defeated Hulk Hogan on 07/06/98 in Atlanta, Georgia to win the title.
25. Kevin Nash defeated Bill Goldberg on 12/27/98 in Washington, D.C. at Starrcade to win the title.
26. Hulk Hogan defeated Kevin Nash on 01/04/99 in Atlanta, Georgia to win the title for the 5th time.                                                                                                  
    • Nash fell to the ground after Hogan poked his chest with one finger and allowed Hogan to pin him, as the New World Order stable reformed.
27. Ric Flair defeated Hulk Hogan on 03/14/99 in Louisville, Kentucky at Uncensored to win the title for the 5th time.                                                                          
    • This was a "First Blood Rules" steel cage match, with pinfalls allowed.
28. Dallas Page defeated Ric Flair, Sting, & Hulk Hogan on 04/11/99 in Tacoma, Washington at Spring Stampede to win the title.                                                                          
    • This was a four-way match with Randy Savage as the special referee.
29. Sting defeated Dallas Page on 04/26/99 in Fargo, North Dakota to win the title for the 5th time.
30. Dallas Page defeated Sting, Kevin Nash, & Bill Goldberg on 04/26/99 in Fargo, North Dakota to win the title for the 2nd time.                                                                      
    • This was a four-way match.           
31. Kevin Nash defeated Dallas Page on 05/09/99 in St. Louis, Missouri at Slamboree to win the title for the 2nd time.
32. Randy Savage defeated Kevin Nash in a tag team match on 07/11/99 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at Bash at the Beach to win the title for the 4th time.                    
    • Savage (teaming with Sid Vicious) pins Nash (teaming with Sting) in a match where whoever won the fall would win the title.
33. Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage on 07/12/99 in Jacksonville, Florida to win the title for the 6th time.
34. Sting defeated Hulk Hogan on 09/12/99 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at Fall Brawl to win the title for the 6th time.                                                      
    • Sting is stripped of the title on 10/25/99 for attacking WCW referee Charles Robinson the night before at Halloween Havoc.  A 32-person tournament is schedule to declare a champion, with the finals held at the WCW Mayhem pay-per-view. 
35. Bret Hart defeated Chris Benoit on 11/21/99 in a Tournament Final in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at Mayhem to win the title.                                                                    
    • Hart vacates the title himself on 12/20/99 after his successful title defense against Bill Goldberg on 12/19/99 ended in controvery.  A rematch between the two is signed for later in the evening.
36. Bret Hart defeated Bill Goldberg on 12/20/99 in Baltimore, Maryland to win the title for the 2nd time.                                                                                                            
    • Hart is stripped of the title on 01/16/00 due to a career-ending injury.
37. Chris Benoit defeated Sid Vicious on 01/16/00 in Cincinnati, Ohio at Souled Out to win the vacant title.                                                                                                    
    • Benoit & Vicious were determined to be the two top contenders for the vacant title.  Benoit is stripped of the title on 01/17/00 due to a "controversial ending to the title match with Vicious."  In reality, Benoit had quit World Championship Wrestling.  A match between Sid Vicious and WCW Comissioner Kevin Nash is set for the 01/24/00 Monday Nitro broadcast to declare a new champion.
38. Sid Vicious defeated Kevin Nash on 01/24/00 in Los Angeles, California to win the vacant title.                                                                                                                      
    • WCW Comissioner Kevin Nash strips Vicious of the title on the 01/25/00 Thunder broadcast, due to Vicious pinning the incorrect Harris Brother in order to get to the title match with Nash.
39. Kevin Nash awards himself the title on 01/25/00 in Las Vegas, Nevada to become champion for the 3rd time.                                                                      
    • Nash was abusing his power as WCW Comissioner.
40. Sid Vicious defeated Kevin Nash and Ron Harris on 01/25/00 in Las Vegas, Nevada to win the title for the 2nd time.                                                              
    • This was a three-way steel cage match in which the powerbomb was banned and Vicious had to defeat Nash to win the title.  
    • The WCW World Title is declared vacant on 04/10/00 by WCW executives Eric Bischoff & Vince Russo, who "relaunch" the company.
41. Jeff Jarrett defeated Dallas Page on 04/16/00 in Chicago, Illinois at Spring Stampede to win the title.                                                                                                          
    • Jarrett (the WCW U.S. Champion at the time of the relaunch) and Page (who wins a one-night mini-tournament on 04/10/00) are declared the number one contenders for the vacant title.
42. Dallas Page defeated Jeff Jarrett on 04/24/00 in Rochester, New York to win the title for the 3rd time.
43. David Arquette defeated Eric Bischoff in a tag team match on 04/25/00 in Syracuse, New York to win the title.
    • Arquette (teaming with Dallas Page) pins Bischoff (teaming with Jeff Jarrett) in a tag team match where whoever scored the fall would win the title.
44. Jeff Jarrett defeated David Arquette and Dallas Page on 05/07/00 in Kansas City, Missouri at Slamboree to win the title for the 2nd time.                                       
    • This was a three-way, three-tiered steel cage match with the title belt suspended in mid-air.
45. Ric Flair defeated Jeff Jarrett on 05/15/00 in Biloxi, Mississippi to win the title for the 6th time.                                                                                          
    • Flair is stripped of the title by Vince Russo on 05/22/00 after collasping in the ring.
46. Jeff Jarrett is awarded the title by WCW Executive Vince Russo on 05/22/00 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to win the vacant title for the 3rd time.
    • Jarrett would defeat Kevin Nash later in the program in his first official defense.
47. Kevin Nash defeated Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner on 05/23/00 in Saginaw, Michigan to win the title for the 4th time.                                                                
    • This was a three-way match.
48. Ric Flair is given the title by Kevin Nash on 05/29/00 in Salt Lake City, Uah to become champion for the 7th time.                                                                    
    • Nash awards Flair the title "he never lost".
49. Jeff Jarrett defeated Ric Flair on 05/29/00 in Salt Lake City, Utah to win the title for the 4th time.                                                                                        
    • On 07/09/00 in Daytona Beach, Florida, Jarrett intentionally lays down in the ring while Hulk Hogan covered him for the pin.  WCW writer Vince Russo explains that he had grown tired of dealing with Hogan's backstage politics, and gives him a title belt to be the "Hulk Hogan Memorial Title Belt".  Hogan leaves the arena with the title. Russo claims Jarrett is still the WCW Champion and gives him the real title belt.  An unscheduled title defense against Booker T is set for the show's main event.
50. Booker T. defeated Jeff Jarett on 07/09/00 in Baytona Beach, Florida at Bash at the Beach to win the title.
51. Kevin Nash defeated Booker T. on 08/28/00 in Las Cruces, New Mexico to win the title for the 5th time.
52. Booker T. defeated Kevin Nash on 09/17/00 in Buffalo, New York at Fall Brawl to win the title for the 2nd time.
53. Vince Russo defeated Booker T. on 09/25/00 in Uniondale, New York to win the title.                                                                                                                                      
    • Russo vacates the title on 10/02/00 since he "accidently" won it and is a non-wrestler.
54. Booker T defeated Jeff Jarrett on 10/02/00 in San Francisco, California to win the vacant title for the 3rd time.                                                                      
    • This is a "San Francisco 49ers Match", with the title belt in one of four wooden crates suspended in each ring corner.  Booker T and Jarrett are named the two top contenders for the vacant title.
55. Scott Steiner defeated Booker T on 11/26/00 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Mayhem to win the title.                                                                                    
    • World Championship Wrestling is purchased by the World Wrestling Federation during this title reign in March, 2001.
56. Booker T. defeated Scott Steiner on 03/26/01 in Panama City, Florida to win the title for the 4th time.
57. Kurt Angle defeated Booker T. on 07/24/01 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to win the title.
58. Booker T. defeated Kurt Angle on 07/30/01 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to win the title for the 5th time.
59. The Rock defeated Booker T. on 08/19/01 in San Jose, California at SummerSlam to win the title.
60. Chris Jericho defeated The Rock on 10/21/01 on St. Louis, Missouri at No Mercy to win the title.
61. The Rock defeated Chris Jericho on 11/05/01 in Uniondale, New York to win the title for the 2nd time.                                                                                      

    • The Rock is recognized as the last WCW World Champion, after World Championship Wrestling is finally put out of business at the 2001 WWF Pay-Per-View, Survivor Series.

    • The former WCW World Heavyweight Title is known as "The World Heavyweight Title" from 11/19/01 forward until being unified with the WWF World Heavyweight Title at the December "WWF Vengeance" pay-per-view event by Chris Jericho.