World Champions On The Roster?

[Mozenrath]

I thought a fun idea for a thread would be looking at who, in AEW, has been a world champion somewhere before. Simple enough, but it'll be interesting to see who has or hasn't accomplished this. Also, while I am of the belief the top tag titles being discussed around the level as world singles titles can be appropriate, I am focusing on singles titles here.

Interestingly, I do not think Dustin or Billy Gunn have achieved world title wins, to my knowledge. Feel free to correct me if they have.

Jericho and Moxley have already become world champions before winning the AEW title, so there's those two.

Cody and Daniels are former ROH champions.

Similarly, Cody and Colt Cabana are also former NWA World Champions.

Matt Hardy and Pentagon Jr. have won Impact's world title.

Omega has won the NJPW title, and both he and Fenix have been AAA Mega Champion.

Who have won world titles past that?

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

May 3, 2020 22:36:21 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I thought a fun idea for a thread would be looking at who, in AEW, has been a world champion somewhere before. Simple enough, but it'll be interesting to see who has or hasn't accomplished this. Also, while I am of the belief the top tag titles being discussed around the level as world singles titles can be appropriate, I am focusing on singles titles here.

Interestingly, I do not think Dustin or Billy Gunn have achieved world title wins, to my knowledge. Feel free to correct me if they have.

Jericho and Moxley have already become world champions before winning the AEW title, so there's those two.

Cody and Daniels are former ROH champions.

Similarly, Cody and Colt Cabana are also former NWA World Champions.

Matt Hardy and Pentagon Jr. have won Impact's world title.

Omega has won the NJPW title, and both he and Fenix have been AAA Mega Champion.

Who have won world titles past that?

Jake Hagar World Champion

[Mozenrath]

May 3, 2020 22:44:31 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

May 3, 2020 22:36:21 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I thought a fun idea for a thread would be looking at who, in AEW, has been a world champion somewhere before. Simple enough, but it'll be interesting to see who has or hasn't accomplished this. Also, while I am of the belief the top tag titles being discussed around the level as world singles titles can be appropriate, I am focusing on singles titles here.

Interestingly, I do not think Dustin or Billy Gunn have achieved world title wins, to my knowledge. Feel free to correct me if they have.

Jericho and Moxley have already become world champions before winning the AEW title, so there's those two.

Cody and Daniels are former ROH champions.

Similarly, Cody and Colt Cabana are also former NWA World Champions.

Matt Hardy and Pentagon Jr. have won Impact's world title.

Omega has won the NJPW title, and both he and Fenix have been AAA Mega Champion.

Who have won world titles past that?

Jake Hagar World Champion

Oh yeah, I missed an obvious one there, both for the World title, and for the ECW title both he and Matt won.

(I know the ECW title is going to be a greyer area. I count it, even if I get if someone doesn't. Same goes for the NXT title, though I imagine that one would get less pushback.)

[Joe Neglia]

They're not part of the active performer roster, but would be remiss not to mention Taz (ECW) and Jerry Lynn (ECW/ROH).

[Cyno]

May 3, 2020 22:50:33 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

May 3, 2020 22:44:31 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

Jake Hagar World Champion

Oh yeah, I missed an obvious one there, both for the World title, and for the ECW title both he and Matt won.

(I know the ECW title is going to be a greyer area. I count it, even if I get if someone doesn't. Same goes for the NXT title, though I imagine that one would get less pushback.)

The ECW Championship was the top title in the third largest promotion in the US and I'd personally consider both it and its WWECW incarnation as World Titles. Moreso than the NXT Championship IMO, though yeah I wouldn't think of it as having the same prestige as the WWE Championship or the old World Heavyweight Championship.

I do think you named all of them + Jake Hager for the men, though. And if we're going into women's titles, then Awesome Kong at the very least qualifies having been a two-time Knockouts Champion in TNA/Impact. The joshi like Riho and Shida have also won singles gold in their home promotions. Bea Priestley also won Stardom's top belt.

[Mozenrath]

May 3, 2020 23:12:06 GMT -5 Cyno said:

May 3, 2020 22:50:33 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Oh yeah, I missed an obvious one there, both for the World title, and for the ECW title both he and Matt won.

(I know the ECW title is going to be a greyer area. I count it, even if I get if someone doesn't. Same goes for the NXT title, though I imagine that one would get less pushback.)

The ECW Championship was the top title in the third largest promotion in the US and I'd personally consider both it and its WWECW incarnation as World Titles. Moreso than the NXT Championship IMO, though yeah I wouldn't think of it as having the same prestige as the WWE Championship or the old World Heavyweight Championship.

I do think you named all of them + Jake Hager for the men, though. And if we're going into women's titles, then Awesome Kong at the very least qualifies having been a two-time Knockouts Champion in TNA/Impact. The joshi like Riho and Shida have also won singles gold in their home promotions. Bea Priestley also won Stardom's top belt.

I think a lot of people would consider the ECW title one in its original incarnation. I would for its WWE tenure, too, considering stuff like the battle of the champions where they were holding it as on the level of the WWE and World title, even if that was obviously suspect.

Yeah, the women's accomplishments are nothing to sneeze at, I was just keeping it to the men because what is and isn't considered top tier with women's wrestling tends to be a can of worms akin to the tag title issue.

[Deleted]

Frankie Kazarian, Chuck Taylor and Jeff Cobb have all been PWG World Champion (though it remains to be seen if Cobb will come back to AEW).

[Mozenrath]

May 4, 2020 8:19:08 GMT -5 @tacticalsneakman said:

Frankie Kazarian, Chuck Taylor and Jeff Cobb have all been PWG World Champion (though it remains to be seen if Cobb will come back to AEW).

Good call, plus Jeff Cobb is also a former LU champion.

And he probably will, yeah.

[ihateeverythingnu]

How specific and technical do you want to be with it?

PAC is a former WWE Cruiserweight champion which, to my understanding, was a World Title even if weight categorised (I may be wrong on that) and he is a former NXT champ - is that considered a World Title at this point now?

I could see the argument either way for PAC.

[badkarma]

Moxley, and MJF, are both former CZW World Champions.

[Mozenrath]

May 4, 2020 9:18:21 GMT -5 ihateeverythingnu said:

How specific and technical do you want to be with it?

PAC is a former WWE Cruiserweight champion which, to my understanding, was a World Title even if weight categorised (I may be wrong on that) and he is a former NXT champ - is that considered a World Title at this point now?

I could see the argument either way for PAC.

I think I'd consider the NXT title one, sure, plus he had the top title for Dragon Gate, so I'd count him, sure.

[Fake Jesus]

I don't think something is a world title just because the promotion says it is and vice-versa. Purely IMO today's world titles are the IWGP, WWE, AEW and NXT titles, probably the AAA and CMLL straps as well but idk how much prestige they have. The WWE-ECW title had the prestige and weight of something like the classic IC title, the Universal Title is completely heatless and is only a top belt in Vince's mind. The NXT title is prestigious, it's been treated like a world title, fought over like one, had reigns deserving of one. Adam Cole has been presented as easily on par with the RAW/SD main event.

With those four belts I mentioned above, they're all treated well and they all have had great reigns. The AEW belt is newer but it's been rapidly established, the WWE belt went through a dark period but its clearly on the up. NWA/ROH/Impact simply don't have the combination calibre of competitor, popularity and prestige to be considered top-level belts in today's wrestling.

[Lt. Palumbo]

May 3, 2020 23:09:56 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

They're not part of the active performer roster, but would be remiss not to mention Taz (ECW) and Jerry Lynn (ECW/ROH).

Put DDP in that category too

[Viking Hall]

Jimmy Havoc - PROGRESS World Champion
Sammy Guevara - AAA World Cruiserweight Champion
Awesome Kong - AJW World Champion, NWA Women's World Champion, TNA Knockouts Champion
Bea Priestley - World of Stardom Champion
The Bunny - Impact Knockouts Champion
Emi Sakura -AJW World Champion
Nyla Rose - AEW Women's World Champion
Riho - AEW Women's World Champion

Loads of World Tag Team Champions too.

[Crappler El 0 M]

May 4, 2020 9:18:21 GMT -5 ihateeverythingnu said:

How specific and technical do you want to be with it?

PAC is a former WWE Cruiserweight champion which, to my understanding, was a World Title even if weight categorised (I may be wrong on that) and he is a former NXT champ - is that considered a World Title at this point now?

I could see the argument either way for PAC.

PAC was the Open the Dream Gate Champion. Dragon Gate was arguably the number two promotion in Japan during that time, and PAC was a big part of that. I guess that would also add CIMA.

[Deleted]

May 4, 2020 10:03:46 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

I don't think something is a world title just because the promotion says it is and vice-versa. Purely IMO today's world titles are the IWGP, WWE, AEW and NXT titles, probably the AAA and CMLL straps as well but idk how much prestige they have. The WWE-ECW title had the prestige and weight of something like the classic IC title, the Universal Title is completely heatless and is only a top belt in Vince's mind. The NXT title is prestigious, it's been treated like a world title, fought over like one, had reigns deserving of one. Adam Cole has been presented as easily on par with the RAW/SD main event.

With those four belts I mentioned above, they're all treated well and they all have had great reigns. The AEW belt is newer but it's been rapidly established, the WWE belt went through a dark period but its clearly on the up. NWA/ROH/Impact simply don't have the combination calibre of competitor, popularity and prestige to be considered top-level belts in today's wrestling.

Regardless of the company's status now (or lack thereof), the ROH World Title has been defended on multiple different continents and has been held by some of the best wrestlers in the world. Is the work of guys like Samoa Joe, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson undone by the more recent reigns of guys like Matt Taven? If so, why not apply that same rationale to the WWE World Title? That belt has had some awful, awful reigns and went through several years-long periods of being the "B" championship to both the World Heavyweight and Universal Titles, only ever being treated like the "A" belt when it was on Raw.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

May 4, 2020 12:55:18 GMT -5 @tacticalsneakman said:

May 4, 2020 10:03:46 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

I don't think something is a world title just because the promotion says it is and vice-versa. Purely IMO today's world titles are the IWGP, WWE, AEW and NXT titles, probably the AAA and CMLL straps as well but idk how much prestige they have. The WWE-ECW title had the prestige and weight of something like the classic IC title, the Universal Title is completely heatless and is only a top belt in Vince's mind. The NXT title is prestigious, it's been treated like a world title, fought over like one, had reigns deserving of one. Adam Cole has been presented as easily on par with the RAW/SD main event.

With those four belts I mentioned above, they're all treated well and they all have had great reigns. The AEW belt is newer but it's been rapidly established, the WWE belt went through a dark period but its clearly on the up. NWA/ROH/Impact simply don't have the combination calibre of competitor, popularity and prestige to be considered top-level belts in today's wrestling.

Regardless of the company's status now (or lack thereof), the ROH World Title has been defended on multiple different continents and has been held by some of the best wrestlers in the world. Is the work of guys like Samoa Joe, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson undone by the more recent reigns of guys like Matt Taven? If so, why not apply that same rationale to the WWE World Title? That belt has had some awful, awful reigns and went through several years-long periods of being the "B" championship to both the World Heavyweight and Universal Titles, only ever being treated like the "A" belt when it was on Raw.

This, a lot of the titles mentioned even the CZW or PWG World Titles, have been held by very prominant figures in wrestling or guys who WOULD become very prominant figures in wrestling. 

These companies may be smaller in the grand scheme but they are very well known companies. PWG's almost like a VIP club of wrestling whose tickets can sell out almost immediately, CZW's been around a long ass time and seen a lot of talent go through it. I think it's fair to count them. 

[Crappler El 0 M]

It all depends on the criteria. I'm sure everyone agrees Jericho, Moxley, and Hager all came into AEW having already become "world champions" from their WWE runs. Most would also add Omega for IWGP (but not everyone would for AAA Mega).

Some would say Matt Hardy via the TNA and ECW Championships (WWE version).

Some would say Cody for the NWA and ROH Championships. Speaking of ROH, that would include Daniels. NWA adds Colt.

Pac and Cima with Open the Dream Gate.

Pentagon Jr. with Impact and Lucha Underground Championships.

Fenix with AAA Mega and Lucha Underground.

For women, some might say Bea Priestley as World of Stardom Champion. Yuka Sakazaki and Shoko Nakajima have both been the top champion of Tokyo Joshi Pro. Emi Sakura was All Japan Women's Champion.

Again, I'm just going with really loose standards that many wouldn't agree with.

[67 more]

In terms of cruiserweight titles, I consider them on their own tier of world lighter weight titles, separate from world titles.

So that would include:

WWF Junior title
WWF LHW
WWE/WCW Cruiserweight
WWE/NXT Cruiserweight
WCW LHW
TNA X Division
IWGP Junior Heavyweight

And any other championships you'd consider there. Obviously, gets more convoluted with the CMLL titles

[bob]

Kenny Omega current AAA Mega Champion

former

IWGP Heavyweight Champion
PWG World Champion