World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)/Champion history

This is a chronological list of wrestlers that have been World Heavyweight Champion, sorted by ring name. The World Heavyweight Championship is a world championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It was originally the highest ranked title on the Raw brand but was moved to SmackDown after the 2005 WWE Draft. After June 30, 2008, it resumed being the highest ranked championship on Raw. There have been a total of 13 recognized champions who have had a combined 22 official reigns.

WWE officially states the World Heavyweight Championship is not the same title as the WCW Championship or NWA World Heavyweight Championship before it, but rather a new title that does not inherit their championship history. The World Heavyweight Championship is the successor to both titles, traced from them just as the WCW Championship was traced from and succeeded the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. For a list of wrestlers who have held those belts, see List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions and List of NWA World Heavyweight Champions respectively.