The WWE Championship is arguably essentially the most prestigious title within the wrestling world, because it has been held by a few of the biggest stars of all time. The legendary lineage contains Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock, Roman Reigns, Bret Hart, and lots of extra. In more moderen years, names like John Cena, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar have reigned because the WWE Champion.
Let’s check out the best WWE Champions of all time. This checklist considers each the WWE Championship and Common title, in addition to single reigns and total influence because the champion.
Hulk Hogan – Six-Time Champion
In some ways, Hulk Hogan stays synonymous with the WWE Championship, as he held the title six occasions. His first title reign particularly stands aside, because it spanned a exceptional 1,474 days and stretched throughout the mid-Eighties. “Hulkamania” was operating wild, as Hogan was unquestionably the face of WWE and wrestling itself at a time when wrestling was simply beginning to enter the mainstream in a giant means. There’s little doubt WWE and the WWE Championship wouldn’t be the place they’re as we speak if not for Hogan.
Hogan’s title reigns had been crammed with some controversy as properly, whether or not it was beating Yokozuna in an impromptu match after the powerhouse dethroned Bret Hart at WrestleMania IX or no-selling The Undertaker’s Tombstone after they clashed at Survivor Sequence 1991. Regardless, Hogan’s championship wins stay a few of the most memorable moments in WWE historical past, and one can’t speak in regards to the WWE Championship with out mentioning “The Hulkster.”
John Cena – 13-Time Champion
Like Hogan, John Cena was the face of WWE for years, and he carried the corporate from the Ruthless Aggression period into the PG Period and past. Cena will undoubtedly go down in historical past along with his 16 title reigns, the longest of which stretched 380 days. The 13-time WWE Champion holds the document, as Ric Aptitude and different champions boosted their depend with World Heavyweight Championship wins. Randy Orton is in second place with 10 WWE Championship reigns, so it’s possible that Cena’s place will go unmatched for fairly a while.
Cena’s victories additionally delivered some particular moments; his first title win at WrestleMania 21 marked a altering of the guard, because it was clear that WWE was crowning him as their prime star. Different highlights embrace Cena’s rematch with The Rock at WrestleMania 29 and each his bitter feuds with Orton and Edge. For a lot of followers, Cena was the WWE Champion of a technology, and his influence on the historical past of the WWE Championship won’t ever be forgotten.
Bruno Sammartino – Longest Reign: 2,803 Days
Bruno Sammartino would possibly simply be the best WWE Champion of all time, as he held the WWWF World Championship for an astounding 2,803 days in his second reign. Sammartino was the second WWWF World Champion of all time, and he held the title for the higher a part of a complete decade. That spectacular reign will possible by no means be topped, and his second title run, which additionally lasted over 1,000 days, was fairly spectacular as properly.
Sammartino’s first title reign and the way in which it ended are the stuff of legend; the Madison Sq. Backyard crowd was shocked into silence when he misplaced the gold to Ivan Koloff in 1971. “The Dwelling Legend” helped put WWE on the map, and his historic title run will likely be virtually unattainable to prime.
Randy Savage – Two-Time Champion
“Macho Man” Randy Savage grew to become considered one of WWE’s prime stars at a time when Hulk Hogan was nonetheless “the man,” and his street to profitable the WWE Championship is a part of one of many biggest storylines in WWE historical past. The implosion of the Mega Powers will get all of the glory, however Savage’s victory over Ted DiBiase, which kicked off his first world title reign, was a particular second in its personal proper. “Macho Man” then held the title for over a 12 months, and it featured a slow-burn feud with Hogan that led to the basic match between the 2 at WrestleMania V. Savage additionally confirmed what champions are fabricated from with that match, as he competed with an contaminated elbow.
Just a few years later, Savage regained the title by defeating Ric Aptitude at WrestleMania VIII, and this victory culminated in one other heated storyline that concerned “The Nature Boy” claiming that he and Miss Elizabeth had beforehand been in a relationship. It’s truthful to say Savage’s title feuds had been compelling programming, and so they delivered a few of the greatest storytelling in WWE historical past.
CM Punk – Longest Reign: 434 days
“The Summer time of Punk” and CM Punk‘s win over John Cena at WWE Cash within the Financial institution 2011 stay an iconic run, however it didn’t result in the longest title reign of CM Punk’s profession. As a substitute, his particular 434-day reign started at WWE Survivor Sequence 2011. He then held the WWE Championship for properly over a 12 months. His run started with victories over Del Rio, The Miz, and Dolph Ziggler, however it picked up steam along with his heated feud with Chris Jericho, which led to a bout between the 2 at WrestleMania 28.
Punk’s reign additionally included a dream rivalry with Daniel Bryan, because it pit two of the highest stars from Ring of Honor’s early years towards one another on WWE programming and delivered some nice matches. After all, it additionally featured Punk’s heel activate The Rock, the debut of The Defend, and two pay-per-view matches between Punk and Rock. Although Punk’s WWE run ended when he infamously walked out on the corporate, his prolonged title reign stays a definite spotlight that provided loads of unforgettable moments.
Bob Backlund – Longest Reign: 2,135 Days
Like Sammartino, Bob Backlund definitely deserves a spot on this checklist, as his 2,135-day title reign bridged the hole from the tip of the Nineteen Seventies into the early Eighties. He confronted plenty of noteworthy names throughout his first title run, together with the legendary Celebrity Billy Graham, Cowboy” Bob Orton, and Jimmy Snuka. Backlund’s reign additionally included a particular WWWF vs. NWA match the place he clashed with Harley Race, one thing that feels virtually unthinkable in as we speak’s WWE. Likewise, Backlund additionally confronted the AWA’s Nickbockwinkel, the NWA’s Ric Aptitude, and he confronted Antonio Inoki twice as properly.
Backlund’s second title reign wasn’t almost as lengthy, however it holds a spot in WWE historical past, as he misplaced the gold to Diesel in eight seconds at a home present in Madison Sq. Backyard in 1994.
Pedro Morales – Longest Reign: 1,027 days
Pedro Morales is a member of an elite group, as he is likely one of the few stars who’ve had a WWE Championship ring that spanned over 1,000 days. Morales gained the gold by defeating Ivan Koloff in 1971, and he held the championship till Stan Stasiak dethroned him in 1973. All through his reign, Morales confronted stars like Freddie Blassie, Ernie Ladd, and George Steele. He additionally had a basic match with Bruno Sammartino; their conflict on the Showdown at Shea was extensively seen as probably the greatest matches of the century.
Brock Lesnar- Seven-Time Champion
Brock Lesnar, a seven-time champion, has had a exceptional profession, as he captured his first world title when he was 25. Simply 126 days after his debut, he beat The Rock at WWE SummerSlam 2002 to win the WWE Undisputed Championship. In doing so, Lesnar cemented his standing as considered one of WWE’s prime stars, and he was one of many faces of the corporate because it transitioned out of the Angle Period.
Over time, Lesnar captured the title a number of extra occasions; since 2019 alone, he has added three reigns to his resume. His second WWE run is much more spectacular when one elements within the Common Championship, as he held the title for 504 days.
Roman Reigns – Over 1,000 Days because the Undisputed Common Champion
After all, Roman Reigns is presently on the mountaintop, as he reigns supreme because the Undisputed WWE Common Champion. He captured the Common Championship at WWE Payback 2020 and later beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 to win the WWE Championship. Reigns has held each titles since then, and he has been so dominant that WWE created one other world title simply to present different top-level abilities the possibility to carry the gold.
Say what you’ll about Reigns’ part-time standing, however his character work all through this run has been unmatched, and he has helped get The Bloodline over as one of many prime stables in current historical past. Plus, he has defeated an eye-opening lineup of stars, together with John Cena, Edge, Daniel Bryan, Kevin Owens, Cody Rhodes, and lots of extra.
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