Title Changes by year

[Deleted]

From PWInsider:

LOOKING AT WWE'S CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE SWITCH HISTORY
By Leon Peters on 2009-10-06 08:00:00
After 2 more World Title changes Sunday at Hell In A Cell, I decided to put together a listing of how many times there has been a World Title change within a calendar year in WWE history. Honestly, I feel like many people do, that there are just way too many WWE World Title changes today and the belts are becoming more devalued with each passing month. So here's the list below from the first WWWF year in 1963 up through 2009 and how many times a new World champion was crowned in each year.

1963

WWWF Title - 2x

1964-1970

WWWF Title - 0

1971

WWWF Title - 2x

1972

WWWF Title - 0

1973

WWWF Title - 2x

1974-1976

WWWF Title - 0

1977

WWWF Title - 1x

1978

WWWF Title - 1x

1979

WWF Title - 2x ... (This is if you consider the Antonio Inoki win and Bob Backlund winning it back.)

1980-1982

WWF Title - 0

1983

WWF Title - 1x

1984

WWF Title - 1x

1985-1987

WWF Title - 0

1988

WWF Title - 2x

1989

WWF Title - 1x

1990

WWF Title - 1x

1991

WWF Title - 4x

1992

WWF Title - 4x

1993

WWF Title - 3x

1994

WWF Title - 3x

1995

WWF Title - 1x

1996

WWF Title - 2x

1997

WWF Title - 6x

1998

WWF Title - 5x ... (This includes Mankind winning the Title on 12/29/98 even though the match aired on 1/4/99)

1999

WWF Title - 11x

2000

WWF Title - 5x

2001

WWF Title - 5x

2002

WWE Title - 7x

World Title - 3x

Total - 10

2003

WWE Title - 3x

World Title - 2x

Total - 5

2004

WWE Title - 2x

World Title - 3x

Total - 5

2005

WWE Title - 1x

World Title - 2x

Total - 3

2006

WWE Title - 5x

World Title - 4x

Total - 9

2007

WWE Title - 3x

World Title - 5x

Total - 8

2008

WWE Title - 3x

World Title - 7x

Total - 10

2009

WWE Title - 7x

World Title - 8x

Total - 15 ... (as of 10/6/09)

As you can see, 2009 has the most World Title changes in company history. 1999 has the most changes for 1 single World Title, and Vince Russo was the booker that year. Surprise, surprise. While I was at it, just for exposition, I did the same for the WCW World Title from the time it was first referred to as the "WCW" Title in 1991 until it was unified with the WWF Title in 2001. This doesn't include any version of the NWA World Title or the WCW International World Title.

1991 - 2x

1992 - 4x

1993 - 3x

1994 - 2x

1995 - 3x

1996 - 4x

1997 - 3x

1998 - 5x

1999 - 11x

2000 - 19x ... (Seriously!)

2001 - 7x

Again, late 1999 and most of 2000 was booked by Vince Russo here. I just thought this would be interesting to put in to perspective for people to see what is going on with the WWE World Titles lately.

[Hiroshi Hase]

They'll probably break the WCW 00 record before the year is out.

[The Captain]

I assume 2001 includes the WCW Title's usage in the Invasion storyline in the WWE? Because 7 title changes in four months sounds a bit crazy.

But man, 19 times in 2000 (and 11 times for the WWF AND WCW titles in 1999). Jesus.

Hopefully WWE follows 2000 WWF's example and we see a reduced amount of title changes.

[Deleted]

Oct 6, 2009 19:29:41 GMT -5 Hiroshi Hase said:

They'll probably break the WCW 00 record before the year is out.

Counting the ECW Belt (yeah, I know but, it is kayfabe one of their top titles since it has it's own brand) I think it would at least tie.

[comahan]

I know its TNA, but just for comparisons sake, since the TNA title was introduced in June of 07 under Russo, theres been 8 champions

[derrtaysouth95]

Oct 6, 2009 19:38:21 GMT -5 comahan said:

I know its TNA, but just for comparisons sake, since the TNA title was introduced in June of 07 under Russo, theres been 8 champions

I was actually just thinking about that.

TNA doesn't do as many world title changes as they do X-division. Tag belts don't switch around a whole lot.

I wish TNA would switch it up more though....to me their product is stale and not going anywhere.

[johnnyk9]

you got how many time the tag titles changed hands

[Nickybojelais]

And to think how many of the '99 title changes actually had to happen-

I would keep the Rock/Mankind trade offs at the Rumble, Half time Heat & Raw as that was really entertaining and different. Rock holds until Mania then.....

Austin wins the title at Mania but the title should NOT be lost barely a month later to Undertaker have Austin lose the belt to Triple H at Summerslam.

This eliminates the pointless Mankind reign, the Vince McMahon championship reign and vacating the belt would be eradicated and therefore Triple H regaining it, I suppose you could keep the loss to Big Show later in '99 despite how awful Shows reign was.

That path cuts down the title changes by half for '99, title changes may be great but not when there are so many for the sake of it (Looks directly in 2009's direction!)

[Ryushinku]

It's a little disingenuous just in that there are two world titles these days. I'd be a bit like clocking up the number of World & IC title switches each year pre-brand split for example. Recent switches may also be more due to an alternative to Cena's year-long run, you can't just keep doing that for.

I get the general point though. Month-long reigns don't do much for me, although it's been worse in the past.

Jeff Jarrett is a 4-time WCW Heavyweight Champion...all of which came over a space of about 6 weeks. That's just crazy, plain and simple.

[Bubble Lead]

Oct 7, 2009 6:22:29 GMT -5 Ryushinku said:

It's a little disingenuous just in that there are two world titles these days. I'd be a bit like clocking up the number of World & IC title switches each year pre-brand split for example. Recent switches may also be more due to an alternative to Cena's year-long run, you can't just keep doing that for.

I get the general point though. Month-long reigns don't do much for me, although it's been worse in the past.

Jeff Jarrett is a 4-time WCW Heavyweight Champion...all of which came over a space of about 6 weeks. That's just crazy, plain and simple.

We are like three years removed from Cenas year long run. So if they wanted to provide an alternative with all these changes, well...its a bit too late for that.

Its almost worse to me when there are TWO world titles and both of them changed hands so much. When you only have one belt and a stacked roster I can kind of understand more title changes, but two belts with two entirely different sets of talent where they hot potato it between the same couple guys most of the year is just ridiculous to me.

Personally I dont see a need for a title to change hands more than around 5 times over the course of the year. Maybe one more or one less, but when you are getting near or into the double digits it makes the title seem like it means nothing.

[The Beast Disincarnate]

this is what happens when you have 15 PPV a year.

Plus they don't have enough faith in younger talents (or balls) to put the belt on them more than a few weeks (see Jeff Hardy and CM Punk)

Add the fact that some people refuse to loose clean most of the time (HHH/Taker) so they need a sneaky heel to rob the belt and "pass the torch" to another Superman Face.

[SEND FOR THE MAN!!!]

People complain about Triple H and Cena all the time, but IMHO it was the McMahon-Helmsley era and the "Super-Cena" year long run were the last time when the championship had real value.

[nerdinitupagain]

You also have to take into account how the business has changed over the years.

from the 60's to the 80's the WWWF/WWF was mainly a touring company where regional markets where focused on. By focusing on regional markets, a champion being champion and only appearing every couple months in a city kept things fresh.

In the 90's is when the WWF really pushed forward with weekly TV shows, along with 4 major PPVs. How do you sell the PPVs? You have to give people the feeling something big will happen on them.

As the PPV load increased you saw an increase in title changes.

Now with 4 weekly shows, 15 or something yearly PPV's. It only makes sense that to keep things interesting and fresh that you change the titles.

Also, with the demise of strong secondary belts that were apt to a regular title change like the Intercontinental Title... it puts more pressure to build the show around the World Title changing. If the IC or US Title meant anything still that people cared enough to buy a PPV for... you'd be able to moderate World Title changes.