WCW World Television Championship Title History

NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship
(March 16, 1985 - January 2001)

WCW World Television Championship
(January 2001 - April 10, 2000)

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Most Times Held Longest Reign Shortest Reign Most Cumulative Time

1. Booker T (6)
2. Arn Anderson (4)
3. Steven Regal (4)
4. Dusty Rhodes (3)
4. Johnny B. Badd (3)
4. Chris Benoit (3)
4. Rick Steiner (3) 1. Arn Anderson (336)
2. Mike Rotunda (335)
3. Steve Austin (329)
4. Tully Blanchard (263)
5. Arn Anderson (248)
1. Lex Luger (1)
1. Chris Benoit (1)
1. Booker T (1)
1. Chris Benoit (1)
1. Booker T (1)
1. Arn Anderson (814)
2. Steven Regal (558)
3. Steve Austin (431)
4. Mike Rotunda (335)
5. Tully Blanchard (332)

The World Television title had a specific set of rules attached to it at its inception, although the rules were freely ignored and enforced depending on storyline situations. The rules originally stated that the belt must only be defended on television programming (no house shows), and that every defense would be limited to 10-15 minutes (basically one segment between commercials). If the match ended in a time limit draw, the champion retained. Again, these rules were often ignored, especially in the later stages of its existance.

Won By # Won From Date/Location Days Notes

Dusty Rhodes - - March 16, 1985
Greensboro, NC 43 Defeated Tully Blanchard in a match to crown the new champion. The NWA recognizes Rhodes as the World Television Champion.

Tully Blanchard - Dusty Rhodes April 28, 1985
Charlotte, NC 69

Dusty Rhodes [2] Tully Blanchard July 6, 1985
Charlotte, NC
Great American Bash 105

VACANT - Dusty Rhodes October 19, 1985 77 Dusty Rhodes had his leg broken by The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Ole Anderson, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard) on September 29, 1985 in Atlanta, GA. The title was stripped due to the 30-Day Title Defense rule, which Rhodes would obviously not meet.

Arn Anderson - Tournament Final January 4, 1986
Greensboro, NC 248 Defeated Wahoo McDaniel in the finals of the tournament.

Dusty Rhodes [3] Arn Anderson September 9, 1986
Columbia, SC 79

Tully Blanchard [2] Dusty Rhodes November 27, 1986
Greensboro, NC 263

Nikita Koloff - Tully Blanchard August 17, 1987
Fayetteville, NC 162 Defeated Terry Taylor on November 26, 1987 in Chicago, IL to unify the NWA World Television Championship with the UWF Television Championship.

Mike Rotunda - Nikita Koloff January 26, 1988
Raleigh, NC 335

Rick Steiner - Mike Rotunda December 26, 1988
Norfolk, VA
Starrcade 56

Mike Rotunda [2] Rick Steiner February 20, 1989
Chicago, IL
NWA Chi-Town Rumble 39

Sting - Mike Rotunda March 31, 1989
Atlanta, GA 114

VACANT - Sting July 23, 1989
Baltimore, MD 42 Title held-up after a controversial match with The Great Muta.

The Great Muta - Sting September 3, 1989
Atlanta, GA 120 Rematch to settle the controversy.

Arn Anderson [2] The Great Muta January 2, 1990
Gainesville, GA 336

Z-Man Tom Zenk - Arn Anderson December 4, 1990
Gainesville, GA 41

Arn Anderson [3] Z-Man Jan 14, 1991
Marietta, GA 69 Around this time the belt begins to be exclusively referred to as the WCW World Television Championship as Ted Turner officially renames the company World Championship Wrestling. According to WCW history, Arn Anderson is the first recognized champion.

Bobby Eaton - Arn Anderson May 19, 1991
St. Petersburg, FL 15

Steve Austin - Bobby Eaton June 3, 1991
Birmingham, AL 329

Barry Windham - Steve Austin April 27, 1992
Atlanta, GA 26

Steve Austin [2] Barry Windham May 23, 1992
Chattanooga, TN 102

Ricky Steamboat - Steve Austin September 2, 1992
Atlanta, GA
Clash of the Champions 20 27

Scott Steiner - Ricky Steamboat September 29, 1992
Columbus, GA 2
mos.

VACANT - Scott Steiner November 1992 4
mos. Title vacated when Scott Steiner, along with his brother Rick, jump to WWF.

Paul Orndorff - Tournament Final March 2, 1993
Macon, GA 169 Defeated Erik Watts in the finals.

Ricky Steamboat [2] Paul Orndorff August 18, 1993
Daytona, FL
Clash of the Champions 24 32

Steven Regal - Ricky Steamboat September 19, 1993
Houston, TX
Fall Brawl 225 In September of 1993, WCW officially withdrew from the NWA.

Larry Zbyszko - Steven Regal May 2, 1994
Atlanta, GA 52

Steven Regal [2] Larry Zbyszko June 23, 1994
Charleston, SC
Clash of the Champions 27 87

Johnny B. Badd - Steven Regal September 18, 1994
Roanoke, VA
Fall Brawl 112

Arn Anderson [4] Johnny B. Badd January 8, 1995
Atlanta, GA 161

Renegade - Arn Anderson June 18, 1995
Dayton, OH
Great American Bash 91

Dallas Page - Renegade September 17, 1995
Ashville, NC
Fall Brawl 42

Johnny B. Badd [2] DDP October 29, 1995
Detroit, MI
Halloween Havoc 111

Lex Luger - Johnny B. Badd February 17, 1996
Baltimore, MD 1

Johnny B. Badd [3] Lex Luger February 18, 1996
Norfolk, VA 17

Lex Luger [2] Johnny B. Badd March 6, 1996
Macon, GA 167

Steven Regal [3] Lex Luger August 20, 1996
Dalton, GA 181

Prince Iaukea - Steven Regal February 17, 1997
Tampa, FL
Nitro 49

Ultimo Dragon - Prince Iaukea April 7, 1997
Huntsville, AL
Nitro 41

Steven Regal [4] Ultimo Dragon May 18, 1997
Charlotte, NC
Slamboree 65

Ultimo Dragon [2] Steven Regal July 22, 1997
Jacksonville, FL 30

Alex Wright - Ultimo Dragon August 21, 1997
Nashville, TN
Clash of the Champions 35 32

Disco Inferno - Alex Wright September 22, 1997
Salt Lake City, UT
Nitro 42

Perry Saturn - Disco Inferno November 3, 1997
Philadelphia, PA
Nitro 35

Disco Inferno [2] Perry Saturn December 8, 1997
Buffalo, NY
Nitro 21

Booker T - Disco Inferno December 29, 1997
Baltimore, MD
Nitro 49

Rick Martel - Booker T February 16, 1998
Tampa, FL
Nitro 6

Booker T [2] Rick Martel February 22, 1998
San Francisco, CA
SuperBrawl VIII 46

Chris Benoit - Booker T April 30, 1998
Augusta, GA
Thunder 1

Booker T [3] Chris Benoit May 1, 1998
Greenville, SC 1

Chris Benoit [2] Booker T May 2, 1998
Charleston, SC 1

Booker T [4] Chris Benoit May 3, 1998
Savannah, GA 1

Fit Finlay - Booker T May 4, 1998
Indianapolis, IN
Nitro 41

Booker T [5] Fit Finlay June 14, 1998
Baltimore, MD
Great American Bash 57

Chris Jericho - Stevie Ray August 10, 1998
Rapid City, SD
Nitro 112 Stevie Ray claimed that his injured brother, Booker T, gave him the belt to defend. Jericho defeated him on Nitro and on the following week claimed he won the vacated title fairly since Booker T was unable to defend the title within 30 days. The decision stood.

Konnan - Chris Jericho November 30, 1998
Chattanooga, TN
Nitro 28

Scott Steiner [2] Konnan December 28, 1998
Baltimore, MD
Nitro 76

Booker T [6] Scott Steiner March 14, 1999
Louisville, KY
Uncensored 56

Rick Steiner [2] Booker T May 9, 1999
St. Louis, MO
Slamboree 127

Chris Benoit [3] Rick Steiner September 13, 1999
Chapel Hill, NC
Nitro 41

Rick Steiner [3] Chris Benoit October 24, 1999
Las Vegas, NV
Halloween Havoc 28

VACANT - Rick Steiner November 21, 1999
Toronto, Ontario
Mayhem - Steiner is stripped of the title due to injury.

Scott Hall - Awarded November 21, 1999
Toronto, Ontario
Mayhem 8 The belt was given to Scott Hall who was also the WCW United States Heavyweight Champion and he successfully defended both titles against Booker T that night in a match.

VACANT - Scott Hall November 29, 1999
Nitro 87 Scott Hall, still the WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, decides the World Television Championship is worthless and throws the belt in a trash can somewhere in the halls of the arena. The title is assumed to be defunct.

Jim Duggan - Found February 16, 2000
Bethlehem, PA
Thunder 53 Jim Duggan, working as a janitor in the arena, finds the WCW World Television Championship belt in one of the garbage cans he is emptying. Duggan proclaims himself the new champion and begins defending the belt on occasion.

DEFUNCT - Jim Duggan April 10, 2000
Denver, CO
Nitro - On April 10, 2000, WCW Executives Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo opened the show by issuing a "new beginning" for WCW. To institute a fresh start for the company, they demanded that all title belts be returned to them and that new champions would be crowned at Spring Stampede in various tournaments. Duggan turned in the TV title belt, but it was never seen again.

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Most Times Held	Longest Reign	Shortest Reign	Most Cumulative Time
1. Booker T (6) 2. Arn Anderson (4) 3. Steven Regal (4) 4. Dusty Rhodes (3) 4. Johnny B. Badd (3) 4. Chris Benoit (3) 4. Rick Steiner (3)	1. Arn Anderson (336) 2. Mike Rotunda (335) 3. Steve Austin (329) 4. Tully Blanchard (263) 5. Arn Anderson (248)	1. Lex Luger (1) 1. Chris Benoit (1) 1. Booker T (1) 1. Chris Benoit (1) 1. Booker T (1)	1. Arn Anderson (814) 2. Steven Regal (558) 3. Steve Austin (431) 4. Mike Rotunda (335) 5. Tully Blanchard (332)

Won By	#	Won From	Date/Location	Days	Notes
Dusty Rhodes	-	-	March 16, 1985 Greensboro, NC	43	Defeated Tully Blanchard in a match to crown the new champion. The NWA recognizes Rhodes as the World Television Champion.
Tully Blanchard	-	Dusty Rhodes	April 28, 1985 Charlotte, NC	69
Dusty Rhodes	[2]	Tully Blanchard	July 6, 1985 Charlotte, NC Great American Bash	105
VACANT	-	Dusty Rhodes	October 19, 1985	77	Dusty Rhodes had his leg broken by The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Ole Anderson, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard) on September 29, 1985 in Atlanta, GA. The title was stripped due to the 30-Day Title Defense rule, which Rhodes would obviously not meet.
Arn Anderson	-	Tournament Final	January 4, 1986 Greensboro, NC	248	Defeated Wahoo McDaniel in the finals of the tournament.
Dusty Rhodes	[3]	Arn Anderson	September 9, 1986 Columbia, SC	79
Tully Blanchard	[2]	Dusty Rhodes	November 27, 1986 Greensboro, NC	263
Nikita Koloff	-	Tully Blanchard	August 17, 1987 Fayetteville, NC	162	Defeated Terry Taylor on November 26, 1987 in Chicago, IL to unify the NWA World Television Championship with the UWF Television Championship.
Mike Rotunda	-	Nikita Koloff	January 26, 1988 Raleigh, NC	335
Rick Steiner	-	Mike Rotunda	December 26, 1988 Norfolk, VA Starrcade	56
Mike Rotunda	[2]	Rick Steiner	February 20, 1989 Chicago, IL NWA Chi-Town Rumble	39
Sting	-	Mike Rotunda	March 31, 1989 Atlanta, GA	114
VACANT	-	Sting	July 23, 1989 Baltimore, MD	42	Title held-up after a controversial match with The Great Muta.
The Great Muta	-	Sting	September 3, 1989 Atlanta, GA	120	Rematch to settle the controversy.
Arn Anderson	[2]	The Great Muta	January 2, 1990 Gainesville, GA	336
Z-Man Tom Zenk	-	Arn Anderson	December 4, 1990 Gainesville, GA	41
Arn Anderson	[3]	Z-Man	Jan 14, 1991 Marietta, GA	69	Around this time the belt begins to be exclusively referred to as the WCW World Television Championship as Ted Turner officially renames the company World Championship Wrestling. According to WCW history, Arn Anderson is the first recognized champion.
Bobby Eaton	-	Arn Anderson	May 19, 1991 St. Petersburg, FL	15
Steve Austin	-	Bobby Eaton	June 3, 1991 Birmingham, AL	329
Barry Windham	-	Steve Austin	April 27, 1992 Atlanta, GA	26
Steve Austin	[2]	Barry Windham	May 23, 1992 Chattanooga, TN	102
Ricky Steamboat	-	Steve Austin	September 2, 1992 Atlanta, GA Clash of the Champions 20	27
Scott Steiner	-	Ricky Steamboat	September 29, 1992 Columbus, GA	2 mos.
VACANT	-	Scott Steiner	November 1992	4 mos.	Title vacated when Scott Steiner, along with his brother Rick, jump to WWF.
Paul Orndorff	-	Tournament Final	March 2, 1993 Macon, GA	169	Defeated Erik Watts in the finals.
Ricky Steamboat	[2]	Paul Orndorff	August 18, 1993 Daytona, FL Clash of the Champions 24	32
Steven Regal	-	Ricky Steamboat	September 19, 1993 Houston, TX Fall Brawl	225	In September of 1993, WCW officially withdrew from the NWA.
Larry Zbyszko	-	Steven Regal	May 2, 1994 Atlanta, GA	52
Steven Regal	[2]	Larry Zbyszko	June 23, 1994 Charleston, SC Clash of the Champions 27	87
Johnny B. Badd	-	Steven Regal	September 18, 1994 Roanoke, VA Fall Brawl	112
Arn Anderson	[4]	Johnny B. Badd	January 8, 1995 Atlanta, GA	161
Renegade	-	Arn Anderson	June 18, 1995 Dayton, OH Great American Bash	91
Dallas Page	-	Renegade	September 17, 1995 Ashville, NC Fall Brawl	42
Johnny B. Badd	[2]	DDP	October 29, 1995 Detroit, MI Halloween Havoc	111
Lex Luger	-	Johnny B. Badd	February 17, 1996 Baltimore, MD	1
Johnny B. Badd	[3]	Lex Luger	February 18, 1996 Norfolk, VA	17
Lex Luger	[2]	Johnny B. Badd	March 6, 1996 Macon, GA	167
Steven Regal	[3]	Lex Luger	August 20, 1996 Dalton, GA	181
Prince Iaukea	-	Steven Regal	February 17, 1997 Tampa, FL Nitro	49
Ultimo Dragon	-	Prince Iaukea	April 7, 1997 Huntsville, AL Nitro	41
Steven Regal	[4]	Ultimo Dragon	May 18, 1997 Charlotte, NC Slamboree	65
Ultimo Dragon	[2]	Steven Regal	July 22, 1997 Jacksonville, FL	30
Alex Wright	-	Ultimo Dragon	August 21, 1997 Nashville, TN Clash of the Champions 35	32
Disco Inferno	-	Alex Wright	September 22, 1997 Salt Lake City, UT Nitro	42
Perry Saturn	-	Disco Inferno	November 3, 1997 Philadelphia, PA Nitro	35
Disco Inferno	[2]	Perry Saturn	December 8, 1997 Buffalo, NY Nitro	21
Booker T	-	Disco Inferno	December 29, 1997 Baltimore, MD Nitro	49
Rick Martel	-	Booker T	February 16, 1998 Tampa, FL Nitro	6
Booker T	[2]	Rick Martel	February 22, 1998 San Francisco, CA SuperBrawl VIII	46
Chris Benoit	-	Booker T	April 30, 1998 Augusta, GA Thunder	1
Booker T	[3]	Chris Benoit	May 1, 1998 Greenville, SC	1
Chris Benoit	[2]	Booker T	May 2, 1998 Charleston, SC	1
Booker T	[4]	Chris Benoit	May 3, 1998 Savannah, GA	1
Fit Finlay	-	Booker T	May 4, 1998 Indianapolis, IN Nitro	41
Booker T	[5]	Fit Finlay	June 14, 1998 Baltimore, MD Great American Bash	57
Chris Jericho	-	Stevie Ray	August 10, 1998 Rapid City, SD Nitro	112	Stevie Ray claimed that his injured brother, Booker T, gave him the belt to defend. Jericho defeated him on Nitro and on the following week claimed he won the vacated title fairly since Booker T was unable to defend the title within 30 days. The decision stood.
Konnan	-	Chris Jericho	November 30, 1998 Chattanooga, TN Nitro	28
Scott Steiner	[2]	Konnan	December 28, 1998 Baltimore, MD Nitro	76
Booker T	[6]	Scott Steiner	March 14, 1999 Louisville, KY Uncensored	56
Rick Steiner	[2]	Booker T	May 9, 1999 St. Louis, MO Slamboree	127
Chris Benoit	[3]	Rick Steiner	September 13, 1999 Chapel Hill, NC Nitro	41
Rick Steiner	[3]	Chris Benoit	October 24, 1999 Las Vegas, NV Halloween Havoc	28
VACANT	-	Rick Steiner	November 21, 1999 Toronto, Ontario Mayhem	-	Steiner is stripped of the title due to injury.
Scott Hall	-	Awarded	November 21, 1999 Toronto, Ontario Mayhem	8	The belt was given to Scott Hall who was also the WCW United States Heavyweight Champion and he successfully defended both titles against Booker T that night in a match.
VACANT	-	Scott Hall	November 29, 1999 Nitro	87	Scott Hall, still the WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, decides the World Television Championship is worthless and throws the belt in a trash can somewhere in the halls of the arena. The title is assumed to be defunct.
Jim Duggan	-	Found	February 16, 2000 Bethlehem, PA Thunder	53	Jim Duggan, working as a janitor in the arena, finds the WCW World Television Championship belt in one of the garbage cans he is emptying. Duggan proclaims himself the new champion and begins defending the belt on occasion.
DEFUNCT	-	Jim Duggan	April 10, 2000 Denver, CO Nitro	-	On April 10, 2000, WCW Executives Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo opened the show by issuing a "new beginning" for WCW. To institute a fresh start for the company, they demanded that all title belts be returned to them and that new champions would be crowned at Spring Stampede in various tournaments. Duggan turned in the TV title belt, but it was never seen again.