Key
| Reign | The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed |
| # | Indicates what number the reign is |
| Event | The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the titles were won |
| N/A | The information is not available or is unknown |
| Wrestler name (#) | The number represents the individual reigns of a wrestler when this is distinct from the tag team's reign. |
| — | Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign |
| + | Indicates the current reign is changing daily |
Title history
Recognition by the UWA/NJPW
| # | Wrestlers | Reign # | Date | Days held |
Location | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
|
Perro Aguayo
|
1
|
March 26, 1981 | 183 | Shimizu, Japan | Live event | Aguayo defeated Gran Hamada in a tournament final for the title. |
| 2
|
Fishman | 1
|
September 25, 1981 | 15 | Los Angeles, CA | Live event | |
| 3
|
Perro Aguayo
|
2
|
October 10, 1981 | 8 | Los Angeles, CA | Live event | |
| 4
|
Chris Adams | 1
|
October 18, 1981 | 56 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 5
|
Perro Aguayo
|
3
|
December 13, 1981 | 129 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 6
|
Gran Hamada
|
1
|
April 21, 1982 | 130 | Tokyo, Japan | Live event | |
| 7
|
Perro Aguayo
|
4
|
August 29, 1982 | 203 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 8
|
Villano III
|
1
|
March 20, 1983 | 140 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 9
|
Perro Aguayo
|
5
|
August 7, 1983 | 254 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 10 | Gran Hamada
|
2
|
April 17, 1984 | 33 | Tokyo, Japan | Live event | |
| 11 | Villano III
|
2
|
May 20, 1984 | 826 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 12 | Fishman | 2
|
August 24, 1986 | 122 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 13 | Perro Aguayo
|
6
|
December 24, 1986 | 130 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| —
|
Vacated | 0
|
May 3, 1987 | 0 | N/A | N/A | The UWA forced Aguayo to relinquish the championship after a title defense against Villano III ended in controversy. |
| 14 | Villano III
|
3
|
June 17, 1987 | 109 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | Villano III defeated Perro Aguayo in a rematch for the title. |
| 15 | Rambo | 1
|
October 4, 1987 | 281 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 16 | Villano III
|
4
|
July 11, 1988 | 399 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 17 | Sangre Chicana
|
1
|
August 14, 1989 | 62 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 18 | Perro Aguayo
|
7
|
October 15, 1989 | 49 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 19 | Sangre Chicana
|
2
|
December 3, 1989 | 175 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | |
| 20 | Villano III
|
5
|
May 27, 1990 | 280 | Naucalpan, Mexico | Live event | |
| 21 | Pegasus Kid | 1
|
March 3, 1991 | 560 | Naucalpan, Mexico | Live event | |
| 22 | Villano III
|
6
|
September 13, 1992 | 110 | Naucalpan, Mexico | Live event | |
| 23 | El Signo | 1
|
January 1, 1993 | 563 | Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico | Live event | |
| 24 | Villano III
|
7
|
July 18, 1994 | 167 | Puebla, Mexico | Live event | |
| —
|
Vacated | 0
|
January 1995 | 0 | N/A | N/A | After Villano III signed a contract with the PROMELL promotion, he was forced to vacate the championship by the UWA. |
| 25 | Aero Flash | 1
|
June 16, 1995 | 282 | Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico | Live event | Aero Flash won the title in a tournament final. |
| 26 | The Great Sasuke | 1
|
March 24, 1996 | 90 | Shirakawa, Japan | Live event | |
| 27 | El Samurai | 1
|
June 22, 1996 | 43 | Naruko, Japan | Live event | |
| 28 | The Great Sasuke | 2
|
August 4, 1996 | 68 | Tokyo, Japan | Live event | |
| 29 | Último Dragón | 1
|
October 11, 1996 | 85 | Osaka, Japan | Live event | |
| 30 | Jushin Liger | 1
|
January 4, 1997 | 183 | Tokyo, Japan | Wrestling World | |
| 31 | El Samurai | 2
|
July 6, 1997 | 35 | Sapporo, Japan | Live event | |
| 32 | Shinjiro Otani
|
1
|
August 10, 1997 | 87 | Nagoya, Japan | Live event | Otani was the final wrestler in the UWA to hold the title before it was returned to the WWF. |
Recognition by the WWF
| # | Wrestler | Reigns | Date | Days held |
Location | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Taka Michinoku
|
1
|
December 7, 1997 | 315 | Springfield, MA | In Your House: D-Generation X | Michinoku defeated Brian Christopher in a tournament final to win the title. |
| 34 | Christian
|
1
|
October 18, 1998 | 30 | Chicago, IL | Judgment Day: In Your House | This was Christian's first match in the company. |
| 35 | Gillberg
|
1
|
November 17, 1998 | 453 | Columbus, OH | Raw is War | Longest reigning champion under the WWF banner. |
| 36 | Essa Rios
|
1
|
February 13, 2000 | 29 | Austin, TX | Sunday Night Heat | |
| 37 | Dean Malenko
|
1
|
March 13, 2000 | 35 | East Rutherford, NJ | Raw is War | |
| 38 | Scotty 2 Hotty
|
1
|
April 17, 2000 | 10 | State College, PA | Raw is War | |
| 39 | Dean Malenko
|
2
|
April 27, 2000 | 322 | Charlotte, NC | SmackDown! | This title change aired on tape delay. |
| 40 | Crash Holly
|
1
|
March 13, 2001 | 47 | Anaheim, CA | Sunday Night Heat | |
| 41 | Jerry Lynn
|
1
|
April 29, 2001 | 37 | Chicago, IL | Sunday Night Heat | |
| 42 | Jeff Hardy
|
1
|
June 5, 2001 | 20 | Grand Forks, ND | SmackDown! | This title change aired on tape delay. |
| 43 | X-Pac
|
1
|
June 25, 2001 | 42 | New York City, NY | Raw is War | |
| 44 | Tajiri
|
1
|
August 6, 2001 | 13 | Anaheim, CA | Raw is War | |
| 45 | X-Pac
|
2
|
August 19, 2001 | 91 | San Jose, CA | SummerSlam 2001 | X-Pac was the final wrestler to hold the title before it was replaced by the WWF Cruiserweight Championship. A title unification match at Survivor Series 2001 between WCW Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri and WWF Light Heavyweight Champion X-Pac was canceled because X-Pac was injured; shortly after the Light Heavyweight Championship became inactive. |