ðɪ ɪnˈɔːɡjʊɹɹəl tʃˈæmpiən wʌz dʒˈɪmi snˈuːkə, hˌuː dᵻfˈiːɾᵻd sˈælvæɾɚ bɛlˈoʊmoʊ ɪn ɐ tˈʊɹnəmənt fˈaɪnəl ˌɔn ˈeɪpɹəl twˈɛnti fˈaɪv, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː, tə bɪkˌʌm ðə fˈɜːst ˌiːsˌiːdˈʌbəljˌuː hˈɛviwˌeɪt tʃˈæmpiən.
The inaugural champion was Jimmy Snuka, who defeated Salvatore Bellomo in a tournament final on April 25, 1992, to become the first ECW Heavyweight Champion.