DEFY World Championship

Last updated
DEFY World Championship
DEFY World Championship.png
Current title design (2017–present)
Details
Promotion DEFY Wrestling
Date establishedJune 30, 2017
Current champion(s) Kenta
Date wonJune 3, 2023 [1]
Statistics
First champion(s) Davey Richards
Most reigns Swerve Strickland
(3 reigns)
Longest reignRandy Myers
(1,009 days)
Shortest reign Davey Richards
(8 days)
Oldest champion Kenta
(42 years, 83 days)
Youngest champion Nick Wayne
(17 years, 272 days)
Heaviest championSchaff
(273 lb (124 kg))
Lightest championArtemis Spencer (176 lb (80 kg))

The DEFY World Championship is a men's professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by the American promotion DEFY Wrestling, being sanctioned as the promotion's top championship. There have been a total of ten reigns shared between eight different champions. The current champion is Kenta who is in his first reign. [1]

Contents

Title history

There have been a total of 10 reigns shared between 8 different champions. Davey Richards was the inaugural champion who also holds the record for the shortest reign with eight days. Randy Myers had the longest reign at 1,009 days, however without scoring any defenses due to the COVID pandemic impact. Swerve Strickland holds the record for most reigns with three and also for the most cumulated successful defenses with nine. The current champion is New Japan Pro Wrestling's Kenta who defeated Nick Wayne at DEFY Your Nightmare on June 3, 2023, in Seattle, Washington. [1]

Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
DefensesNumber of successful defenses
<1Reign lasted less than a day
+Current reign is changing daily
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDaysDefenses
1 Davey Richards June 30, 2017DEFY5 Gigantic Seattle, WA 180Defeated Shane Strickland in the tournament final to become the inaugural champion. [2]
2 Shane Strickland July 8, 2017 CZW Evilution Voorhees, NJ 12795This was a four-way winner takes all match also disputed for Strickland's CZW World Heavyweight Championship which also involved Joe Gacy and Lio Rush. [3]
3 Austin Aries April 13, 2018DEFY Vibes Seattle, WA 1981This was a winner takes all match also disputed for Aries' Impact World Championship. [4]
4 Shane Strickland July 20, 2018DEFY Swerve Vs. Aries Portland, OR 21473 [5]
5Artemis SpencerDecember 14, 2018DEFY On Edge Seattle, WA 12528 [6]
6SchaffAugust 23, 2019DEFY Defyance Forever Tacoma, WA 11824 [7]
7Randy MyersFebruary 21, 2020DEFY Kings Of Crash Seattle, WA 11,0090 [8]
Christopher Daniels (Interim)December 18, 2021Dark Horse Seattle, Washington 2946Daniels defeated Brody King to become the interim champion.
Swerve Strickland (Interim)October 8, 2022City Of Thorns Portland, Oregon 49
8 Swerve Strickland November 26, 2022DEFY Fightwave Seattle, WA 31331This was a title unification match in which Strickland wrestled as the interim champion. The bout was a six-way ladder match which also involved Artemis Spencer, Christopher Daniels, Cody Chhun and Schaff. Strickland was previously known as Shane Stricklad. [9]
9 Nick Wayne April 8, 2023DEFY The Realest Seattle, WA 1562 [10]
9 Kenta June 3, 2023DEFY Your Nightmare Seattle, WA 1553+7 [11]

Combined reigns

As of December7, 2024.

Indicates the current champion
RankWrestlerNo. of
reigns
Combined
defenses
Combined
days
1Randy Myers101,009
2 Swerve Strickland [a] 39559
3 Kenta17553+
4Artemis Spencer18252
5Schaff14182
6 Austin Aries 1198
7 Nick Wayne 1256
8 Davey Richards 108

Notes

  1. Strickland was known as "Shane Strickland" during his first two title reigns.

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References

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