What is World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)?
{{about|WWE's old world title made in 2002|WWE's current World Heavyweight Championship created in 2023|World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2023–present)}} {{Infobox pro wrestling championship |image = CM Punk WHC SummerSlam 2008.jpg |caption = Three-time Champion [[CM Punk]] |championshipname = World Heavyweight Championship |promotion = [[WWE]] |created = September 2, 2002 |retired = December 15, 2013 <br> (unified with the [[WWE Championship]]) |mostreigns = [[Edge (wrestler)|Edge]] ([[List of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE)|7 reigns]]) |firstchamp = [[Triple H]] |finalchamp = [[Randy Orton]] |longestreign = [[Dave Bautista|Batista]] ([[List of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE)|282 days]])<ref group=a>281 days as listed by WWE</ref> |shortestreign = Randy Orton (1 minutes)<ref group=a>WWE lists Randy Orton's final reign, and the championship's unification with the WWE Championship, as lasting for one minute.</ref> |oldest = [[The Undertaker]] ({{age in years and days|1965|03|24|2010|02|21}}) |youngest = Randy Orton ({{age in years and days|1980|04|01|2004|08|15}}) |heaviest = [[Big Show]] ({{convert|441|lb|abbr=on}}) |lightest = [[Rey Mysterio]] ({{convert|175|lb|kg|abbr=on}}) }} The '''World Heavyweight Championship''' was one of the top [[professional wrestling]] championships in [[WWE]], along with the [[WWE Championship]]. It was created on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' to match ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown's]]'' WWE Championship in [[August]] [[2002]]. Some of the past champions include [[Edge (wrestler)|Edge]], [[Triple H]], [[The Undertaker]], [[Booker Huffman|Booker T]], [[Dave Batista|Batista]], and [[Kurt Angle]]. The World Heavyweight Championship was brought to Raw by then-General Manager [[Eric Bischoff]] after WWE Champion [[Brock Lesnar]] became exclusive to SmackDown. Bischoff awarded the championship to Triple H, but he had to defend it against his then-best friend, [[Ric Flair]]. Triple H was successful and has held the championship on five different occasions. Other holders of this prestigious cha