Eddie Guerrero won the first WWE United States Championship after the title was reactivated in 2003. He defeated Chris Benoit in the tournament final at Vengeance on July 27, 2003.
The championship had originally been created in WCW in 1975 as the United States Heavyweight Championship. WWE acquired WCW in 2001 and later brought the belt into its own championship lineup during the 2003 brand split period.
Guerrero and Benoit reached the Vengeance final after a tournament involving wrestlers from SmackDown. Guerrero won the match with his signature Frog Splash, becoming the first WWE-recognized holder of the reintroduced title.
John Cena later became one of the championship’s most famous holders, but he was not the inaugural champion. The title has also been held by Booker T, Ric Flair, and The Miz, linking WWE’s version to several major eras of American wrestling.