FTW Championship

former unofficial championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling

The FTW ("Fuck the World") Championship is a professional wrestling championship. It is currently being fought for in in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It was first fought for in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).

FTW Championship
Longest reigning champion Ricky Starks with the AEW version of the championship
Details
PromotionExtreme Championship Wrestling
(1998–1999)
All Elite Wrestling
(2020–present)
Date establishedMay 14, 1998
Current champion(s)Chris Jericho
Date wonApril 21, 2024
Other name(s)
  • FTW Heavyweight Championship
    (1998–1999)
  • FTW Championship (2020–present)

It is viewed as an unsanctioned championship. [1]

History change

The title was introduced by Taz at It Ain't Seinfeld on May 14, 1998. Taz was feuding with ECW World Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas but Douglas got injured and Taz couldn't challenge for the title. During the event, Taz went to the ring and cut a promo. He said that he was the uncrowned ECW World Heavyweight Champion, unveiled the ECW FTW Heavyweight Championship, and challenged Douglas to a title vs title match.[2]

Sabu won the championship by defeating Taz on December 19, 1998. Taz threw the match on purpose. Taz felt like he didn't need the championship anymore because Douglas was back. He had the ref count after dragging a knocked out Sabu on top of him. After Taz won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, he faced Sabu again at Living Dangerously. He won the FTW Championship back in a title vs title match and retired the championship.[3]

While he was in All Elite Wrestling, Taz reintroduced the FTW Championship during Night 2 of Fyter Fest. He gave the championship to Brian Cage, who he managing at the time. He gave him the championship because his opponent Jon Moxley had to quarantine due to his wife Renee Paquette having COVID-19.[4]

Chris Jericho is the current champion in his first reign. He won the title by defeating Hook in an FTW Rules match at Dynasty in St. Louis, Missouri on April 21, 2024.

Title history change

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
+ Current reign is changing daily
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW)
1 Taz May 14, 1998 It Ain't Seinfeld Queens, New York 1 219 Taz introduced the championship during a storyline [5]
2 Sabu December 19, 1998 Hardcore TV Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1 92 This was a triple threat match. Justin Credible was also in the match. [6]
3 Taz March 21, 1999 Living Dangerously Asbury Park, New Jersey 2 <1 This was an Extreme Death match and it was also for Taz's ECW World Heavyweight Championship. [3]
Unified March 21, 1999 Living Dangerously Asbury Park, New Jersey Taz combined the championship with the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. [3]
All Elite Wrestling (AEW)
4 Brian Cage July 2, 2020 Fyter Fest
(Night 2
Jacksonville, Florida 1 377 Championship was reintroduced and given to Cage by Taz. [7]
5 Ricky Starks July 14, 2021 Fyter Fest
(Night 1)
Cedar Park, Texas 1 378 [8]
6 Hook July 27, 2022 Dynamite:
Fight for the Fallen
Worcester, Massachusetts 1 357 [9]
7 Jack Perry July 19, 2023 Dynamite:
Blood & Guts
Boston, Massachusetts 1 39 [10]
8 Hook August 27, 2023 All In:
Zero Hour
London, England 2 238 This was an FTW Rules match. [11]
9 Chris Jericho April 21, 2024 Dynasty St. Louis, MO 1 2+ This was an FTW Rules match. [12]

References change

  1. Loverro, Thom (2007). The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling. Simon and Schuster. p. 223. ISBN 978-1416513124.
  2. "Pro's from the Palace (#78) - DVD Review Today: ECW Blood Sport". WrestleView. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The SmarK Retro Repost – Living Dangerously 1999". 411Mania. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  4. "How Taz Was Able to Resurrect the FTW Championship in All Elite Wrestling". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  5. "ECW TV: Fans mock Bigelow for tapping to Taz - 5 Yrs Ago". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  6. "This Day in History: Sabu Defeats Taz for the FTW Title". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  7. "7/8 AEW Dynamite results: Barnett's live review of Fyter Fest night two with Kenny Omega and Hangman Page vs. Private Party for the AEW Tag Titles, Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy, FTR and The Young Bucks vs. Pentagon Jr., Rey Fenix, The Butcher, and The Blade, Lance Archer vs. Joey Janela". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  8. "7/14 AEW Dynamite results: Barnett's live review of Fyter Fest Night One with Ethan Page vs. Darby Allin in a Coffin Match, Jon Moxley vs. Karl Anderson for the IWGP U.S. Title, Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks for the FTW Title, Matt Hardy vs. Christian". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  9. "7/27 AEW Dynamite results: Barnett's live review of Jon Moxley vs. Rush for the Interim AEW World Championship, Thunder Rosa vs. Miyu Yamashita for the AEW Women's Championship, Ricky Starks vs. Danhausen for the FTW Title, Bryan Danielson vs. Daniel Garcia, Sammy Guevara vs. Dante Martin". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  10. "AEW Dynamite results (7/19): Powell's live review of Golden Elite vs. Blackpool Combat Club in a Blood & Guts match, MJF and Adam Cole vs. Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara in the Blind Eliminator tourney finals". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  11. "AEW All In pre-show results: Powell's live review of MJF and Adam Cole challenging Aussie Open for the AEW Tag Titles, Jack Perry vs. Hook for the FTW Title". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  12. Powell, Jason (April 21, 2024). "AEW Dynasty results: Powell's live review of Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship, Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson, FTR vs. Young Bucks in a ladder match for the AEW Tag Titles". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved April 21, 2024.

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