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AEW Continental Championship

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AEW Continental Championship
The AEW Continental Championship belt.
Details
PromotionAll Elite Wrestling
Date establishedNovember 18, 2023
Current championJon Moxley
Date wonDecember 27, 2025
Statistics
First championEddie Kingston
Longest reignKazuchika Okada
(647 days)
Shortest reignEddie Kingston
(81 days)
Oldest championEddie Kingston
(42 years, 18 days)
Youngest championKazuchika Okada
(36 years, 133 days)
Heaviest championEddie Kingston
(240 lb (110 kg))
Lightest championJon Moxley
(231 lb (105 kg))

The AEW Continental Championship is a men's professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Established on November 18, 2023, the title has a special attribute in that it is defended under Continental Rules in which no one is allowed at ringside, outside interference is strictly prohibited, and matches have a 20-minute time limit. The reigning champion is Jon Moxley, who is in his first reign. He won the title by defeating Kazuchika Okada in the 2025 Continental Classic final at Worlds End on December 27, 2025; this also ended the title's unification with the AEW International Championship, rendering the AEW Unified Championship inactive.

The title is also the prize of the promotion's Continental Classic (C2), an annual round-robin tournament that begins at the end of November and culminates at the Worlds End pay-per-view event in late December. The incumbent champion at the time of the tournament is automatically entered and defends the title in the C2. Eddie Kingston became the first-ever Continental Champion after winning the inaugural tournament in December 2023.

When the title is jointly held with the ROH World Championship of sister American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH) and the Strong Openweight Championship of the American branch of partner promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the three titles together make up the American Triple Crown Championship, also referred to as the Continental Crown. When the title is jointly held with the AEW International Championship, both titles together make up the AEW Unified Championship. As of December 2025, this has only happened once for both instances.

History

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Inaugural champion Eddie Kingston as the Continental Crown Champion (AEW Continental Championship, ROH World Championship, and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship)

On November 11, 2023, the American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced a tournament called the Continental Classic (C2). AEW president Tony Khan and AEW wrestler Bryan Danielson announced that the 2023 tournament would begin on the November 22 episode of Dynamite, lasting six weeks and held across episodes of Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision, and then concluding at the Worlds End pay-per-view (PPV) event on December 30.[1][2] It was also announced that the winner of the tournament would become the inaugural holder of the AEW Continental Championship.[3]

Eddie Kingston became the inaugural Continental Champion by defeating Jon Moxley in the final of the C2 at Worlds End.[4] Kingston was also declared the American Triple Crown Champion (also referred to as the Continental Crown) upon winning the Continental Championship, as he simultaneously held the ROH World Championship of sister American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH) and the Strong Openweight Championship of the American branch of partner promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). By being part of the Triple Crown Championship, the Continental Championship was recognized by AEW, ROH, and NJPW, allowing it to be defended in all three promotions.[3][5]

On the March 20, 2024, episode of Dynamite, the championship was defended for the first time by itself, where Kazuchika Okada defeated Kingston to win the title. This in turn separated the Continental Championship from the Triple Crown. Tony Khan then clarified the rules of the championship. Title matches are held under Continental Rules, which are the same rules of the C2 in which no one is allowed at ringside, outside interference is strictly prohibited, and matches have a 20-minute time limit. He also re-clarified that whoever is champion coming out of November's Full Gear PPV, they would automatically be entered into the C2 and would defend the title in the tournament.[6]

At Dynamite: Fyter Fest on June 4, 2025, reigning champion Okada confronted AEW International Champion Kenny Omega to set up a Winner Takes All match for All In on July 12.[7] A week later during the contract signing at Dynamite: Summer Blockbuster, Tony Schiavone announced that the winner would also unify the International and Continental titles as the AEW Unified Championship.[8] During the All In: Texas media call just a few days prior to the event on July 8, Tony Khan clarified that neither the Continental or International Championships would be retired and that their lineages would still be intact along with a new lineage for the Unified Championship, and the champion has the option to carry around all three belts.[9] At All In, Okada defeated Omega to become the Unified Champion.[10] Okada defended the three belts as one between All In and the 2025 Continental Classic. The tournament itself was only for the Continental Championship, meaning if Okada lost, he would also have to vacate the Unified Championship.[11] In the final of the Continental Classic at Worlds End on December 27, 2025, Okada lost to Jon Moxley, thus ending the unification and forcing Okada to relinquish the Unified Championship.[12]

Reigns

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Current champion Jon Moxley

As of December 28, 2025, there have been three reigns. Eddie Kingston was the inaugural champion, which was the shortest reign at 81 days. Kazuchika Okada has the longest reign at 647 days, which is also the longest reign of any AEW championship, surpassing the record held by Jade Cargill at the time with her 508-day reign with the AEW TBS Championship.[13] Kingston is also the oldest champion at 42 years old, while Okada is the youngest at 37.

The current champion is Jon Moxley, who is in his first reign. He won the title by defeating Kazuchika Okada in the final of the 2025 Continental Classic at Worlds End on December 27, 2025. This also ended the title's unification with the AEW International Championship, rendering the AEW Unified Championship inactive.[14]

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
1 Eddie Kingston December 30, 2023 Worlds End Uniondale, NY 1 81 Defeated Jon Moxley in the final of the 2023 Continental Classic to become the inaugural champion; Kingston's ROH World Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship were also on the line, and he was dubbed the inaugural American Triple Crown Champion (also referred to as the Continental Crown) for holding all three titles.[15] [16]
2 Kazuchika Okada March 20, 2024 Dynamite Toronto, ON, Canada 1 647 This match was only for the Continental Championship, thus separating it from the Continental Crown.
During this reign at All In on July 12, 2025, Okada defeated Kenny Omega in a Winner Takes All match to win the AEW International Championship and become the inaugural AEW Unified Champion. 		[17][10]
3 Jon Moxley December 27, 2025 Worlds End Hoffman Estates, IL 1 1+ This was the final of the 2025 Continental Classic, which was only for the Continental Championship. This subsequently ended the title's unification with the AEW International Championship, thus rendering the AEW Unified Championship inactive. [14]

References

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  1. ^ Defelice, Robert (November 11, 2023). "Tony Khan Announces AEW Continental Classic Tournament Starts On 11/22, Concludes At AEW Worlds End". Fightful. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  2. ^ Rose, Bryan (November 11, 2023). "AEW announces Continental Classic tournament, Bryan Danielson first entrant". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Renner, Ethan (November 18, 2023). "AEW announces new title & Continental Classic competitors". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  4. ^ Nason, Josh (December 30, 2023). "Eddie Kingston wins first-ever Continental Crown at AEW Worlds End". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  5. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (November 19, 2023). "Tony Khan Gives More Details on AEW Continental Classic, Will Conclude At Worlds End". 411Mania. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  6. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (March 22, 2024). "Tony Khan Clarifies Rules Around AEW Continental Title". 411Mania. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Heydorn, Zack (June 5, 2025). "Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada Winner Take All Match Official For AEW All In 2025". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  8. ^ Heydorn, Zack (June 11, 2025). "AEW Summer Blockbuster Results, Highlights & Live Blog (6/11/25)". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  9. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (July 8, 2025). "Tony Khan Says AEW Unified Championship Will Carry Lineage Of International And Continental Titles". Fightful. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  10. ^ a b Alba, Jon (July 12, 2025). "Kazuchika Okada Defeats Kenny Omega To Win AEW Unified Championship At AEW All In: Texas". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
  11. ^ Kleinchester, John (November 26, 2025). "AEW Dynamite Live Results: Continental Classic begins". POST Wrestling. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  12. ^ Thompson, Andrew (December 27, 2025). "Jon Moxley Wins 2025 Continental Classic Tournament, Captures AEW Continental Championship At Worlds End PPV". Fightful. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  13. ^ Brennan, Corey (August 11, 2025). "Kazuchika Okada Becomes Longest Reigning AEW Champion". Fightful. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  14. ^ a b Powell, Jason (December 27, 2025). "AEW Worlds End results: Powell's live review of Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland vs. MJF vs. Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship, Continental Classic semifinals and finals". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  15. ^ "AEW Continental Classic Final Set for Worlds End". All Elite Wrestling. December 28, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  16. ^ Powell, Jason (December 30, 2023). "AEW Worlds End results: Powell's live review of MJF vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, Eddie Kingston vs. Jon Moxley to become the first AEW Triple Crown Champion". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  17. ^ Powell, Jason (March 20, 2024). "AEW Dynamite results (3/20): Powell's live review of Christian Cage vs. Adam Copeland in an I Quit match for the TNT Title, Eddie Kingston vs. Kazuchika Okada for the Continental Title, Hook vs. Chris Jericho". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
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