WWE Divas Championship

{{short description|Former women's professional wrestling world championship}} {{pp-pc1}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox pro wrestling championship |name = WWE Divas Championship |image = Divas Championship.png |caption = The WWE Divas Championship belt (2014–2016) |created = June 6, 2008 |retired = April 3, 2016 (replaced with the WWE Women's Championship) |promotion = WWE |firstchamp = Michelle McCool |finalchamp = Charlotte |mostreigns = 3 reigns: *Eve Torres *AJ Lee |longestreign = Nikki Bella (2nd reign, 301 days){{efn|300 days as recognized by WWE.}} |shortestreign = Jillian Hall (5 minutes) |oldest = Layla ({{age in years and days|1978|01|28|2012|04|29}}) |youngest = Paige ({{age in years and days|1992|08|17|2014|04|07}}) |heaviest = Beth Phoenix ({{convert|150|lbs|kg|abbr=on}}) |lightest = Kelly Kelly ({{convert|108|lbs|kg|abbr=on}}) |pastnames = *WWE Divas Championship (2008–2016) *Unified WWE Divas Championship (2010) }} The '''WWE Divas Championship''' was a women's professional wrestling world championship in WWE. The championship was created by WWE in 2008, and was introduced as part of the WWE brand extension via a storyline by then SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero as an alternative to Raw's WWE Women's Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Verma |first=Manish |title=History of the WWE Divas Championship |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/history-of-the-wwe-divas-championship |url-status=live |archive-date=December 30, 2022 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Www.sportskeeda.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230134239/https://www.sportskeeda.com/amp/wwe/history-of-the-wwe-divas-championship }}</ref> It is the first women’s singles championship to be created by WWE itself, as although WWE claims the Women’s Championship to be created in 1956, the company has only owned the title since 1984.

Michelle McCool became the inaugural champion on July 20, 2008, when she defeated Natalya at The Great American Bash.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michelle McCool wins the inaugural Divas Championship |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=whuJK7UrytI |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=YouTube.com}}</ref> After then-WWE Divas Champion Maryse was drafted to Raw as part of the 2009 WWE draft, she took the title with her.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/04132009/mainarticle/|title=Results: Rough draft|publisher=WWE|author=Sitterson, Aubrey|date=April 13, 2009|access-date=January 3, 2010|archive-date=November 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103080904/http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/04132009/mainarticle|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=STAEHLE |first=ADRIAN |title=WWE Draft 2009: Who Went Where? |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/155645-wwe-draft-2009-who-went-were |url-status=live |archive-date=December 30, 2022 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Www.syndication.bleacherreport.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230135453/https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/155645-wwe-draft-2009-who-went-were.amp.html }}</ref> McCool won a match against Melina to unify the WWE Divas and Women's titles at the Night of Champions pay-per-view on September 19, 2010, creating the Unified WWE Divas Championship;<ref>{{Cite web |title=NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/currentepisode/15391298 |url-status=live |archive-date=December 29, 2022 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Wwe.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229171623/https://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/currentepisode/15391298 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Michelle McCool vs Melina: Divas Championship Unification Match, Night of Champions 2010 |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BRQi7U9HqP4 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=WWE / YouTube.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=LOTT |first=CHRISTI |title=Goodbye Women's and Divas Championship, Hello Unified DivasTitle |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/467506-goodbyewomens-and-divas-championship-hello-unified-womens-title |url-status=live |archive-date=December 30, 2022 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Www.bleacherreport.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230140905/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/467506-goodbyewomens-and-divas-championship-hello-unified-womens-title }}</ref> it eventually dropped the "Unified" moniker.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/divas/|title=History of the Unified Divas Championship|date=September 21, 2010|access-date=September 21, 2010|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|archive-date=March 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312191811/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/divas/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Unknown |first=Melanie |title=WWE Drops ‘Unified’ in Divas Championship Name |url=https://www.diva-dirt.com/wwe-drops-unified-in-divas-championship-name/ |url-status=live |archive-date=December 30, 2022 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Www.diva-dirt.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230140905/https://www.diva-dirt.com/wwe-drops-unified-in-divas-championship-name/ }}</ref> The youngest woman to win the Divas Championship is Paige, at age 21.

The title was retired in 2016 at WrestleMania 32, after WWE Hall of Famer Lita revealed a brand-new Women's Championship to replace the Divas Championship. The match for the new title took place at the event between the reigning Divas Champion Charlotte and her opponents Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks in a triple threat match. Charlotte was the last Divas Champion.

== History == [[File:Michelle-McCool-GAB.jpg|left|thumb|upright|The inaugural champion Michelle McCool]] With the first WWE brand extension in 2002, a storyline division in which WWE assigned its employees to different television programs and touring companies, the WWE Women's Championship was originally to be defended on both brands. At some point that year, however, it became exclusive to the Raw brand. Thereafter, only Divas on the Raw brand were able to compete for the title, while the Divas on the SmackDown brand were unable to compete for a women's-exclusive championship.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Verma |first=Manish |title=History of the WWE Divas Championship |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/history-of-the-wwe-divas-championship |url-status=live |archive-date=December 30, 2022 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Www.sportskeeda.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230134239/https://www.sportskeeda.com/amp/wwe/history-of-the-wwe-divas-championship }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|title=WWE Entertainment To Make RAW and SMACKDOWN Distinct Television Brands|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|date=March 27, 2002|access-date=August 3, 2008|archive-date=October 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017025205/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, on a few occasions, the regulation was bypassed with Melina, Ashley Massaro, Torrie Wilson, and Nidia challenging for the title while on the SmackDown brand, but none were successful.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/matches/39161842111/results/|title=Playboy Covered|last=Hoffman|first=Brett|date=April 1, 2007|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|access-date=August 3, 2008|archive-date=January 18, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118080519/http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/matches/39161842111/results/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/2005/matches/13464582/results/|title=Women's Champion Trish Stratus def. Melina|date=November 28, 2005|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|access-date=August 3, 2008|archive-date=September 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921045737/http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/2005/matches/13464582/results|url-status=live}}</ref>

As a result, WWE created the WWE Divas Championship and introduced it on the June 6, 2008, episode of ''SmackDown'' when then SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero announced the creation of the title.<ref name="creation + GD match1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/archive/06062008/|title=Golden Dreams|date=June 6, 2008|last=Passero|first=Mitch|access-date=July 15, 2008|publisher=WWE|archive-date=September 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921003753/https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/archive/06062008|url-status=live}}</ref> On the June 6 and July 4, editions of ''SmackDown'', Natalya and Michelle McCool won their respective Golden Dreams match (also involving Maryse, Victoria, Kelly Kelly, Cherry, and Layla) to qualify for the Divas Championship match.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/archive/06062008/mainarticle|title=California dreamin'|date=June 6, 2008|last=Passero|first=Mitch|access-date=March 4, 2009|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|archive-date=May 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531225350/http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/archive/06062008/mainarticle|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2008/07/20/6215361.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018040623/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2008/07/20/6215361.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 18, 2015|title=The Great American Soap Opera|date=July 24, 2008|last=Hillhouse|first=Dave|access-date=September 2, 2008|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling}}</ref> At The Great American Bash, McCool defeated Natalya to become the inaugural champion.<ref name="Michelle1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/divas/7683094|title=History Of The Divas Championship – Michelle McCool (1)|date=July 20, 2008|access-date=July 21, 2008|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|archive-date=January 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127095913/http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/divas/7683094|url-status=dead}}</ref> When Maryse won the title from McCool in December 2008, she dislocated her kneecap at a live event later that month. Similar to how Trish Stratus kept the Women's Championship when she was sidelined with a herniated disc in 2005,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wwealumni/trishstratus/bio/|title=Trish Stratus Bio|access-date=September 16, 2009|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111185854/https://www.wwe.com/superstars/wwealumni/trishstratus/bio/|url-status=live}}</ref> Maryse was able to keep the Divas title upon her return in late January 2009. As part of the 2009 WWE draft, then Divas Champion Maryse was one of the people drafted to the Raw brand, in the process making the championship exclusive to Raw.<ref name="2009 draft">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/04/14/9103546.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018125944/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/04/14/9103546.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 18, 2015|title=RAW: Drafting a fresh start for the WWE|date=April 14, 2009|last=Plummer|first=Dale|access-date=April 14, 2009|work=SLAM! Sports: Wrestling|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}}</ref>

On January 4, 2010, WWE vacated the title after the current Divas Champion Melina sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament. A tournament was started two weeks later on ''Raw'', where former Divas Champion Maryse qualified over Brie Bella, Alicia Fox qualified over Kelly Kelly, Eve Torres qualified over Katie Lea Burchill, and Gail Kim qualified over former Divas Champion Jillian Hall. In the semifinals, Maryse defeated Eve Torres, and Gail Kim defeated Alicia Fox. On February 22 episode of ''Raw'', Maryse defeated Gail Kim to win the vacant championship, making her the first person to hold the title on more than one occasion. It was announced on the August 30 episode of ''Raw'' that the Divas Championship would be unified with the Women's Championship at a match at Night of Champions. With that, the title (known briefly as the WWE Unified Divas Championship) became accessible to both WWE brands and the champion could appear on both shows, a situation made permanent by the ending of the brand extension in 2011. On September 16, 2012, Eve Torres became the first ever three-time WWE Divas Champion after defeating Layla at Night of Champions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eve def. Divas Champion Layla|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/2012/layla-eve|work=WWE|date=August 31, 2012|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918081404/https://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/2012/layla-eve-26048887|archive-date=September 18, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2014, the Divas Championship belt, along with all other pre-existing championship belts in WWE at the time, received a minor update, replacing the long-standing scratch logo with WWE's current logo originally used for the WWE Network that launched earlier that year in February.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/biz/news/wwe-rebrands-with-new-logo-tied-to-digital-network-1201282987/|title=WWE Rebrands With New Logo Tied to Digital Network|date=August 15, 2014|last=Graser|first=Marc|work=Variety|access-date=April 16, 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Eve_como_Campeona_de_divas.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The first ever three-time Divas Champion Eve Torres]]

On April 6, 2014, AJ Lee became the first and only woman to defend the Divas Championship at WrestleMania for WrestleMania XXX.

On the WrestleMania 32 pre-show, former WWE Diva and Hall of Famer Lita announced that the scheduled triple threat match for the Divas Championship between Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks was instead going to be for the new WWE Women's Championship (does not share the same lineage as the original WWE Women's Championship). It was also announced that the Divas Championship would be retired, and all female performers would become WWE Superstars in the process, subsequently retiring the term "Diva".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2630015-wwe-announces-womens-championship-will-replace-divas-title|title=WWE Announces Women's Championship Will Replace Divas Title|last=Zucker|first=Joseph|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=November 15, 2017|language=en-US|archive-date=October 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005100801/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2630015-wwe-announces-womens-championship-will-replace-divas-title|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== WWE Divas Championship Tournament (2010) === On January 4, 2010, WWE vacated the title after Divas Champion Melina sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament. A tournament started two weeks later on ''Raw''. The tournament final was originally scheduled at Elimination Chamber, but when official consultant to the SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero interrupted, she announced that she was changing the match to an interbrand Divas tag team match, with Maryse and Gail Kim facing LayCool (Michelle McCool and Layla) from SmackDown. The final was held the following night on ''Raw''. On February 22 episode of ''Raw'', Maryse defeated Gail Kim to win the vacant title, making her the first person to hold the title on more than one occasion.

{{8TeamBracket-NoSeeds | float = center | score-width = 70 | RD1 = Quarterfinals ''Raw'' {{small|January 4–11, 2010}} ''Superstars'' {{small|January 5, 2010 (Aired: January 7)}} | RD2 = Semifinals ''Raw'' {{small|January 25, 2010}} | RD3 = Final ''Raw'' {{small|February 22, 2010}}

| RD1-team1 = '''Maryse''' | RD1-score1 = {{small|Pinfall}} | RD1-team2 = Brie Bella | RD1-score2 = 2:18 | RD1-team3 = '''Eve Torres''' | RD1-score3 = {{small|Pinfall}} | RD1-team4 = Katie Lea Burchill | RD1-score4 = 1:53 | RD1-team5 = Kelly Kelly | RD1-score5 = 2:01 | RD1-team6 = '''Alicia Fox''' | RD1-score6 = {{small|Pinfall}} | RD1-team7 = '''Gail Kim''' | RD1-score7 = {{small|Pinfall}} | RD1-team8 = Jillian Hall | RD1-score8 = 3:10 | RD1-shade1-1 = #ffb | RD1-shade3-1 = #ffb | RD1-shade6-1 = #ffb | RD1-shade7-1 = #ffb

| RD2-team1 = '''Maryse''' | RD2-score1 = {{small|Pinfall}} | RD2-team2 = Eve Torres | RD2-score2 = 2:05 | RD2-team3 = Alicia Fox | RD2-score3 = 1:55 | RD2-team4 = '''Gail Kim''' | RD2-score4 = {{small|Pinfall}} | RD2-shade1-1 = #ffb | RD2-shade4-1 = #ffb

| RD3-team1 = '''Maryse''' | RD3-score1 = {{small|Pinfall}} | RD3-team2 = Gail Kim | RD3-score2 = 2:50 | RD3-shade1-1 = #ffb }} [[File:Paige_Wins_WWE_Divas_Championship.jpg|thumb|upright|Paige was the youngest Divas Champion. She won the title on her main roster debut at the age of 21. She was also the NXT Women's Champion when she won the WWE Divas Championship, but was forced to vacate the NXT title after winning the Divas.]]

== Brand designation history == The following is a list of dates indicating the transitions of the Divas Championship between the Raw and SmackDown brands.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:75%; font-size:85%; text-align:center;" |- ! Date of transition || Brand || Notes |- |June 6, 2008 |style="background:#bbf;"|SmackDown |Championship established for SmackDown as the counterpart to Raw's WWE Women's Championship. Michelle McCool became the inaugural Divas Champion at The Great American Bash. |- |April 13, 2009 |style="background:#fbb;"|Raw |Divas Champion Maryse was drafted to Raw during the 2009 WWE Draft. |- |{{nowrap|September 19, 2010}} |N/A |At Night of Champions, Michelle McCool unified the Divas Championship with the Women's Championship. The Women's Championship was retired and the Divas Championship became briefly known as the Unified WWE Divas Championship and defended on both ''Raw'' and ''SmackDown''. |- |August 29, 2011 |N/A |End of first brand extension. In April 2016, the Divas Championship was retired and replaced by a new WWE Women's Championship. |}

== Reigns == {{Main|List of WWE Divas Champions}} [[File:WrestleMania 32 Axxess 2016-03-31 20-20-18 ILCE-6000 DSC04218 (26933143076).jpg|170px|thumb|The final champion Charlotte]] There were 26 total reigns and 1 vacancy. The inaugural champion was Michelle McCool, who defeated Natalya to win the title at The Great American Bash on July 20, 2008.

Eve Torres and AJ Lee held the record for most reigns as Divas Champion with three each. AJ Lee held the record for most combined days as champion with 406 days, while Nikki Bella held the record for longest individual reign at 301 days. Jillian Hall had the shortest reign at five minutes. Layla was the oldest Divas Champion, having won at the age of 34, while Paige was the youngest Divas Champion in history at 21 years of age, and was also the only woman to win the title in her debut.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/the-nxt-women-s-champions-ranked/9|title=Ranking the top 10 NXT Women's Championship reigns|work=Sportskeeda|access-date=March 6, 2021|date=July 30, 2021}}</ref>

The final champion was Charlotte, who was in her first and only reign. She defeated Nikki Bella on September 20, 2015, at Night of Champions in Houston, Texas to win the title. Charlotte was originally scheduled to defend the title at WrestleMania 32 against Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, but during the event it was announced that the scheduled triple threat match would instead be for the new WWE Women's Championship (also known as the Raw Women's Championship from 2016 to 2023), with the Divas Championship subsequently being retired. Charlotte won the match and the Women's Championship; this ended her reign as Divas Champion and began a new reign as Women's Champion.

== Notes == {{Notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.wwe.com/titlehistory/divas-championship Official WWE Divas Championship history] * {{Commons category-inline|Wrestlers as the WWE Divas champion}}

{{S-start}} {{S-sports}} {{S-bef|before=WWE Women's Championship (original version)}} {{S-ttl|title=WWE's top women's championship| years = 2008–2016}} {{S-aft|after=WWE Women's Championship and Women's World Championship}} {{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wwe Divas Championship}} Category:WWE Diva Category:WWE women's championships