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10 of the youngest WWE world champions in wrestling history
Lenah Ann
March 9, 2024 at 3:38 PM
World Wrestling Entertainment is one of the most famous sporting events in the world. Unlike most sports where athletes make history in their prime years, in WWE, they usually hit their peak in their mid-to-late 30s. While most renowned athletes have held the highly coveted title, only a handful became champions at a young age. So, who are the youngest WWE world champions in history? Let us find out.
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Table of Сontents:
Over the years, World Wrestling Entertainment has a garnered massive fan base from around the globe, producing some of the most iconic athletes in its history. Although most sports competitors wait their whole lives to take home the championship title, others find themselves bagging it early in their careers.
Top 10 youngest WWE world champions
Although most wrestlers venture into the sport hoping to make a career out of it, they are primarily in it to win titles. From the behemoth Brock Lesnar to the renowned Randy Orton, these youthful champions have left an unforgettable impression on the arena.
After an in-depth analysis from various sources such as GiveMeSport and Khel Now, Sports Brief has compiled a list ranking some of the top 10 youngest WWE champions ever based on a combination of objective and quantifiable criteria.
No | Name | Age at the time of winning |
1 | Randy Orton | 24 years |
2 | Brock Lesnar | 25 years |
3 | Yokozuna | 26 years 6 months |
4 | The Rock | 26 years 6 months |
5 | The Undertaker | 26 years 8 months |
6 | Bruno Sammartino | 27 years 7 months |
7 | Big Show | 27 years 9 months |
8 | John Cena | 27 years 11 months |
9 | Pedro Morales | 28 years 3 months |
10 | Ivan Koloff | 28 years 4 months |
10. Ivan Koloff
- Full name: Oreal Donald Perras
- Age: Died at age 74
- Nationality: Canadian
- Age when he won it: 28 years, 4 months
Among the world's youngest WWE champions ever is Ivan Kollof, who reigned in the sport during the 80s. He was famously known as the Russian Bear and was regarded by most sports pundits as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
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9. Pedro Morales
- Full name: Pedro Antonio Morales
- Age: Died at age 76
- Nationality: Puerto Rican
- Age when he won it: 28 years and 3 months old
During his time, Pedro Morales went down in history as one of the youngest WWE world champions ever. He won the lucrative title three times, and although many fans are unfamiliar with his achievements, he was a force to be reckoned with in the world of professional wrestling.
Morales debuted in 1959 and went on to win the World Heavyweight title and the World Tag Team Championship. Among his legendary achievements is defeating Ivan Kollof to win the WWF World Championship title.
8. John Cena
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- Full name: John Felix Anthony Cena
- Age: 46 (as of March 2024)
- Nationality: American
- Age when he won it: 27 years and 11 months old
John Cena has made history as one of the best wrestlers of all time and one of the youngest WWE world heavyweight champions. He rose to fame and became a 16-time world champion thanks to his mindset, prowess in the ring, and ability to make promos.
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Before making his wrestling debut, like most wrestlers in the business, Cena was a bodybuilder. He beat Big Show to win the United States Championship and his first-ever World Wrestling Entertainment title at WrestleMania. He also defeated the then-current champion, JBL.
7. Big Show
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- Full name: Paul Donald Wight II
- Age: 52 (as of March 2024)
- Nationality: American
- Age when he won it: 27 years and 9 months old
The Big Show, a seven-time world champion, is among the most accomplished professional wrestlers globally. With the WCW, he won both the WCW World Heavyweight and the WWF World titles twice. In 1999, he signed a 10-year contract with the World Wrestling Entertainment.
The Big Show later joined the Survivor Series, where he challenged Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight title and won thanks to Paul Heyman. With the win, he stopped Brock Lesnar's unbeaten run and became one of the youngest WWE champions ever.
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6. Bruno Sammartino
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- Full name: Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino
- Age: Died at 82
- Nationality: Italian-American
- Age when he won it: 27 years, 7 months
Aside from being the current record holder for the longest title reign for approximately 11 years, he is regarded as not only one of the youngest WWE champions of all time but also one of the all-time greats in the sport.
The famous legend made his debut in 1959 in Pittsburgh in a match against Dimitri Grabowski, where he won after just 19 seconds. He later made history by defeating Buddy Rogers in less than 48 minutes to become one of the youngest WWE champions.
5. The Undertaker
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- Full name: Mark William Calaway
- Age: 58 (as of March 2024)
- Nationality: American
- Age when he won it: 26 years, 8 months
Mark William Calaway, famously known as the Undertaker, is arguably one of the wrestling world's most significant and iconic figures. At just 26 years old, he went down in history as one of WWE's youngest world heavyweight champions.
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The Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan to become the new World Heavyweight champion, making history as WWE's youngest world champion to win the title. Before retiring in 2020, he was the World Wrestling Entertainment’s longest-tenured wrestler, having been with the franchise for thirty years.
4. The Rock
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- Full name: Dwayne Douglas Johnson
- Age: 51 (as of March 2024)
- Nationality: American
- Age when he won it: 26 years, 6 months
Dwayne Douglas Johnson, famously known as the Rock, went down in the annals of wrestling as one of the youngest world champions in WWE history. He made his debut in 1996, and although he lacked the experience needed at the beginning of his career, his dedication helped him to become one of the world's most famous wrestlers.
The renowned wrestler and actor competed in the Deadly Game tournament in 1998, and in the end, he triumphed and bagged his first-ever WWF World Championship title.
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3. Yokozuna
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- Full name: Agatupu Rodney Anoaʻi
- Age: Died at 34
- Nationality: American
- Age when he won it: 26 years, 6 months
Yokozuna, one of the biggest wrestlers in WWE history, made a name for himself as one of the youngest WWE world heavyweight champions. The massive 580-pound wrestler rose to prominence in the World Wrestling Entertainment and was regarded as one of the sport's most beloved characters.
2. Brock Lesnar
- Full name: Brock Edward Lesnar
- Age: 46 (as of March 2024)
- Nationality: American
- Age when he won it: 25 years
Nicknamed the Beast, Brock Lesnar is among the greatest WWE athletes who do not need an introduction in recent years. He has dominated the sport, and at the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid professional wrestler on the planet.
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Since his debut, the renowned star has won numerous awards and titles, including being the WWE's undisputed champion after defeating the Rock in arguably one of the most entertaining matches of the night.
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1. Randy Orton
- Full name: Randal Keith Orton
- Age: 43 (as of March 2024)
- Nationality: American
- Age when he won it: 24 years old
Randy Orton has established himself as one of the greatest athletes in the sport's history. When he was 24 years old, he became the youngest WWE champion in the WWE era after winning the WWE World title.
After making his professional debut and joining Evolution, he rose to fame due to his performance in the ring. He won a 20-man Battle Royal and was thus ranked among the top WWE championship challengers.
The renowned icon's win against Chris Benoit in the 2004 SummerSlam made him the youngest WWE champion in the promotion's history.
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Frequently asked questions
For an athlete to be declared a World Wrestling Entertainment champion, they must win the respect and admiration of fans worldwide through bloodshed, sweat, bruises, and tears. Here are some of the most interesting insights about the youngest WWE champions ever.
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Who is the youngest WWE champion in history?
Randy Orton is the youngest WWE champion in the sport's history after winning a match against Chris Benoit in the 2004 SummerSlam competitions.
Who is the oldest WWE champion in history?
Vince McMahon is history's oldest WWE champion. He won the title for the first and only time on Smackdown on 16 September 1999, when he was 54 years and 21 days old.
Who was the first black WWE champion?
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is the first-ever black WWE champion. He competed in the Deadly Game tournament in 1998, and in the end, he triumphed and bagged his first-ever WWF World title.
Who is the youngest woman to win the WWE title?
With just 20 years and 307 days, Paige is the youngest woman to win the WWE title. During her time, she was a legend in the women's division and the only superstar to hold two titles simultaneously.
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Final word
The youngest WWE champions in history have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on professional wrestling. Each of these legends has significantly contributed to the lengthy history of the WWE Championship, whether through their extraordinary performance in the ring or their legendary personas.
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