WWE United States Championship

The WWE United States Championship was formerly the WCW United States Championship but is now a WWE title exclusive to the SmackDown! brand.

History

Although the NWA had crowned a United States heavyweight champion in 1950, "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers being given the first honor, over the years the many promotions that conformed the NWA began recognizing their own champions. The US title based at the Mid-Atlantic division, which later became Jim Crockett Promotions and then World Championship Wrestling, actually started in 1975, with former World champion Harley Race being given the first belt. In 1991 the title changed name from the NWA, to WCW United States title.

The title was a WCW championship until, after the WWF's purchase of WCW in 2001, United States Champion Edge defeated the Intercontinental Champion, Test, to merge both titles. Edge then held the Intercontinental Championship, and the United States Championship became inactive.

The title was reactivated by Stephanie McMahon who was then the General Manager of SmackDown! and made the championship exclusive to SmackDown!

At the 2004 Armageddon pay-per-view then-United States champion, John Cena, revealed a new redesigned, custom-made, United States championship, resembling a disc on a turn-table. However, after Orlando Jordan beat Cena for the title in March 2005, Cena's belt was unceremoniously dumped into a garbage can by JBL and The Cabinet, and Jordan was presented with the original WWE United States Champion belt.

Facts and trivia

• The current record for most United States championship reigns is 6 held by Ric Flair and Lex Luger.

Current champion

Notice: Please do not post title changes if the championship match has not yet aired on TV.

The current champion is Orlando Jordan in his first reign. Jordan defeated John Cena by pinfall on the March 3, 2005 edition of SmackDown! after JBL hit Cena with the WWE Championship belt.

See also

List of WWE United States Champions