WWF / WWE European Title History
– February 1997: During the WWF’s European tour, an 8-man tournament was held to crown the first ever European Champion. Prior to the finals, Owen Hart defeated Flash Funk and Bret Hart while Davey Boy Smith defeated Mankind and Vader.
Deutschlandhalle
Februrary 26, 1997
Monday Night Raw – 3/3/97:
– WWF European Title Tournament Finals: WWF Tag Team Champion Davey Boy Smith pinned WWF Tag Team Champion Owen Hart with a roll over out of a victory roll at 22:43
Birmingham, England
NEC Arena
September 20, 1997
– Shawn Michaels defeated WWF European Champion Davey Boy Smith to win the title at 22:53 when the referee stopped the match as the challenger had a figure-4 applied, with an illegal assist from Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Rick Rude, and Chyna; several minutes prior to the finish, the Bulldog injured his ankle while attempting the powerslam outside the ring and suffered the superkick and Pedigree on the floor; after the match, Bret and Owen Hart made the save for the Bulldog and Diana Smith against Michaels, Helmsley, Rude, and Chyna; the Bulldog’s wife, mother, and sister – who was being treated for cancer at the time – all sat ringside for the bout
Lowell, MA
Memorial Auditorium
December 11, 1997
Raw is War – 12/22/97:
– Triple H pinned WWF World & European Champion Shawn Michaels to win the European title at 1:17 when Michaels laid down as the challenger ran the ropes and hit a faux splash for the pin; after the bout, Michaels pretended to cry over the loss; the match was to have occured at the start of the second hour of the broadcast but Owen Hart attacked Triple H in the aisle, with Sgt. Slaughter coming out to send Hart backstage; the match was made by Commissioner Slaughter in order to destroy DX from the inside; after the bout, Slaughter came to the ring and ordered that Triple H would face Owen the following week
Recreation Hall
January 20, 1998
Raw is War – 1/26/98:
– Owen Hart defeated TAFKA Goludust (w/ Luna) (sub. for WWF European Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley) via submission with the Sharpshooter at around the 7-minute mark after avoiding the Pedigree; Goldust came to the ring dressed as the champion while Luna was dressed as Chyna; after the bout, WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels, Triple H, & Chyna appeared on the Titantron, proud of getting out of the title defense, until Sgt. Slaughter came out and ruled that Hart’s victory over Triple H’s stand-in would constitute the title changing hands; upon the announcement, Triple H began throwing chairs backstage and said he would get payback on Hart
Phoenix, AZ
America West Arena
March 16, 1998
Raw is War:
– Triple H defeated WWF European Champion Owen Hart to win the title in an impromptu match at the 52-second mark when referee Tim White stopped the match as Hart was in a leglock after Chyna came ringside and hit Hart in his injured ankle with a baseball bat; before the match, Triple H came out and confronted Hart at the commentary table, saying Hart was hiding behind Jim Ross and an injured ankle; Hart then said he would see Triple H at WrestleMania but Triple H shoved Hart to the floor, with Hart then brawling with Triple H on the floor before the bout began; Hart wore an air casket on his injured ankle for the match
Binghamton, NY
July 14, 1998
Raw is War – 7/20/98:
– D-Lo Brown (w/ WWF IC Champion the Rock) pinned WWF European Champion Triple H (w/ Chyna) to win the title at 6:05 when, after Mark Henry appeared at the entrance ramp distracting both the referee and Chyna, the Rock slid in the ring and dropped Triple H with the Rock Bottom; after the bout, Rock, D-Lo, and Henry celebrated with Owen Hart and the Godfather
Sacramento, CA
Arco Arena
September 15, 1998
Raw is War – 9/21/98:
– X-Pac pinned WWF European Champion D-Lo Brown to win the title at 5:16 after hitting the facebuster as the champion came off the top
East Lansing, MI
Breslin Arena
September 29, 1998
Raw is War – 10/5/98:
– D-Lo Brown (w/ Mark Henry) pinned WWF European Champion X-Pac (w/ Chyna) with the frog splash to win the title at 5:17 after Henry caught the champion on the floor and rammed him into the ringpost; during the bout, an unknown man came ringside, handed Chyna a piece of paper, and jumped into the crowd; Henry laughed after Chyna read it
Chicago, IL
Rosemont Horizon
October 18, 1998
– X-Pac (w/ Chyna) pinned WWF European Champion D-Lo Brown to win the title at 14:36 by hitting the X-Factor as D-Lo came off the top, despite interference late in the match from Mark Henry
Birmingham, AL
Jefferson County Civic Center
February 15, 1999
Raw is War:
– Kane & Shane McMahon (w/ Chyna) defeated Triple H & WWF European Champion X-Pac at 4:22 when Shane pinned X-Pac after hitting him with the title belt, given to him by Chyna behind the referee’s back; Shane came to the ring wearing a DX jersey with “X-Punk” written across it;” stipulations stated that if X-Pac was pinned, the winner of the fall would win the title belt
– March 30, 1999: During an in-ring segment on Sunday Night Heat, Shane McMahon officially retired the European championship.
– June 1999: After sporadic title defenses over the course of several months, Shane McMahon handed the title over to Mideon.
Fully Loaded 99
Buffalo, NY
Marine Midland Arena
July 25, 1999
– D-Lo Brown pinned WWF European Champion Mideon to win the title with the Lo Down at 7:11
Minneapolis, MN
Target Center
August 22, 1999
– Jeff Jarrett pinned WWF IC & European Champion D-Lo Brown (w/ Debra) to win both championships at 7:30 when Mark Henry came out, as Jarrett argued with Debra, stole the challenger’s guitar, and broke it over D-Lo’s back; prior to the bout, Jarrett ordered Debra backstage but moments later she returned as D-Lo’s corner woman; after the contest, it was revealed there was no tension between Jarrett and Debra
– August 23, 1999: As thanks for helping him win both championships the night before, Jeff Jarrett handed the European title to Mark Henry
Unforgiven 99
Charlotte, NC
Coliseum
September 26, 1999
– D-Lo Brown pinned WWF European Champion Mark Henry with a powerbomb out of the corner and the Lo-Down to win the title at 9:11; prior to the bout, the champion was escorted by two women but asked them to leave and start the car because he would be there shortly; moments later, prior to D-Lo?s entrance, Henry said he was refusing the match but said he might be up for it the next night on Raw which then prompted D-Lo to come out; Tom Prichard was the substitute referee for the bout
Springfield, MA
October 26, 1999
Smackdown!:
– Davey Boy Smith (w/ the Mean Street Posse) pinned WWF European Champion D-Lo Brown to win the title with the running powerslam after Pete Gas prevented the champion from hitting the frog splash
Armageddon 99
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
National Car Rental Center
December 12, 1999
– Val Venis defeated WWF European Champion Davey Boy Smith and D-Lo Brown to win the title at 8:19 by pinning Smith after hitting the Money Shot on both men as D-Lo covered Smith following the Lo Down; the Mean Street Posse escorted the champion to the ring but were sent backstage before the match by referee Teddy Long
Austin, TX
February 8, 2000
Smackdown!:
Kurt Angle pinned WWF European Champion Val Venis to win the title with the Angle Slam at 3:13 after crotching Venis on the top as he attempted the Money Shot
Anaheim, CA
Arrowhead Pond
April 2, 2000
– Chris Jericho defeated WWF IC Champion Chris Benoit and WWF European Champion Kurt Angle to win the European title at 5:52 by pinning Benoit with the Lionsault after Angle rolled out of the way of Benoit’s diving headbutt
Staples Center
April 3, 2000
Raw is War:
– Eddie Guerrero pinned WWF European Champion Chris Jericho (w/ Chyna) to win the title at 5:38 when, after referee Tim White was knocked to the floor, Chyna counted Jericho’s pin attempt on Guerrero only to then hit a low blow on the champion and drop him with a DDT before placing Guerrero on top; prior to the bout, Guerrero cut a promo on his way to the ring, saying he could tell Chyna wanted some “latino heat” but he had to put her aside to focus on winning the title and making his ancestors from Spain proud
Fully Loaded 00
Dallas, TX
Reunion Arena
July 23, 2000
– Perry Saturn (w/ Terri) pinned WWF European Champion Eddie Guerrero (w/ Chyna) at 8:10 with a flying elbowsmash to win the title after Terri hit a low blow on the champion outside the ring; Chyna ran Terri backstage early in the bout but she returned in the final moments of the match
Fayetteville, NC
August 29, 2000
Smackdown!:
– Al Snow defeated WWF European Champion Perry Saturn (w/ Terri) to win the title at 5:24 via submission with a dragon sleeper after avoiding the Rings of Saturn
Detroit, MI
Joe Louis Arena
October 16, 2000
Raw is War:
– William Regal defeated WWF European Champion Al Snow at 3:39 via submission with the Regal Stretch to win the title after blocking a moonsault from the champion
Sheffield, England
Sheffield Arena
December 2, 2000
– Crash Holly (w/ Molly Holly) pinned WWF European Champion William Regal to win the title at 4:59 after Molly interfered and hit a missile dropkick on the champion as the referee was speaking with the ring announcer; Regal originally won the match at 4:43 after a face-first throw but Molly showed the referee that Crash’s foot was on the bottom rope during the cover so the bout was ordered to continue; prior to the bout, Regal cut a heel interview backstage as well as an in-ring promo in which he said he was proud to represent England as a national hero since they really didn’t have anyone else; after the bout, Regal assaulted both Crash and Molly from behind and stole the title belt
East Rutherford, NJ
Continental Airlines Arena
December 4, 2000
Raw is War:
– William Regal defeated WWF European Champion Crash Holly (w/ Molly Holly) at 2:24 to win the title via submission with the Regal Stretch; prior to the match, Regal cut an in-ring promo about his loss of the title two days earlier in England; after the bout, Regal kept the hold applied until Molly came off the top with a crossbody; moments later, Regal dropped Molly with a back suplex and locked her in the Regal Stretch until Hardcore Holly made the save and threw Regal to the floor
Lafayette, LA
CajunDome
January 22, 2001
Raw is War:
– Test pinned WWF European Champion William Regal to win the title with a bodyslam and elbow drop off the top at 1:29; prior to the bout, Regal cut an in-ring promo on Test and apologized to the fans for what he was about to do to the challenger
Houston, TX
AstroDome
April 1, 2001
– Eddie Guerrero (w/ Perry Saturn) pinned WWF European Champion Test to win the title at 8:07 by hitting him with the title belt, thrown to him by Saturn, after Test attacked an interfering Dean Malenko on the apron
Denver, CO
April 24, 2001
Smackdown!:
– Matt Hardy (w/ Lita & Jeff Hardy) pinned WWF European Champion Eddie Guerrero (w/ Perry Saturn & Terri) to win the title with the Twist of Fate after a top rope hurricanrana from Lita
Grand Rapids, MI
Van Andel Arena
August 27, 2001
Raw is War:
– Hurricane Helms pinned WWF European Champion Matt Hardy (w/ Lita) at 2:21 with the Nightmare on Helms Street to win the title after Ivory came ringside, hit Lita in the back of the knee with a crowbar, and hit the champion with the same weapon; after the bout, Helms and Ivory celebrated in the aisle (Gregory Helms’ debut as the Hurricane)
Kansas City, MO
October 22, 2001
Raw is War:
– Bradshaw pinned WWF European Champion the Hurricane with the Clothesline from Hell to win the title at 3:08
Cincinnati, OH
Firstar Center
October 30, 2001
Smackdown!:
– Christian pinned WWF European Champion Bradshaw to win the title after hitting him with the title belt (the bout was never televised, rather stills of the match were shown on TV to explain the title change)
Norfolk, VA
Scope
January 29, 2002
Smackdown!:
– Diamond Dallas Page pinned WWF European Champion Christian to win the title at 4:03 by reversing the Unprettier into the Diamond Cutter; after the bout, DDP went into the crowd to celebrate
Ottawa, Ontario
Corel Centre
March 19, 2002
Smackdown!:
– William Regal defeated WWF European Champion Diamond Dallas Page to win the title at 3:54 via KO by applying the Regal Stretch after hitting the champion with a pair of brass knuckles as DDP was distracted by Christian at ringside
Phoenix, AZ
America West Arena
April 8, 2002
Raw:
– Spike Dudley pinned WWF European Champion William Regal to win the title after about 3 seconds by hitting him with brass knuckles that Regal had hidden in the turnbuckle pad
Hartford, CT
Civic Center
May 6, 2002
Raw:
– William Regal defeated WWE European Champion Spike Dudley via submission with a half crab at the 37-second mark to win the title; Spike competed with a severely sprained ankle, sustained two days earlier at Insurrextion, and could barely walk to the ring; after the match, Regal attacked Spike in the aisle as he was being helped backstage by the referee, threw him back into the ring, and reapplied the submission hold until D-Lo Brown made the save
Philadelphia, PA
First Union Center
July 8, 2002
Raw:
– Jeff Hardy pinned WWE European Champion William Regal to win the title following the Swanton at 4:23 after dropkicking the champion into the corner
July 22, 2002: The title was phased out after Hardy lost a unification ladder match against WWE IC Champion Rob Van Dam in Grand Rapids, MI.