10 Facts You Did Not Know About The WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is the most prestigious title in the history of professional wrestling. Since its inception in 1963, the likes of Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Randy Orton, and Triple H have all had their names etched on the WWE Championship. Many fans know that Cena has the most reigns with an astonishing 13.
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However, did you know that the WWE Championship has gone through 11 different name changes? There are a handful of things about the WWE Championship that will most likely blow your mind.
10 Bob Backlund Has The Longest Drought Between Reigns (3,985 Days)
Bob Backlund was one of the most popular babyface world champions in the late '70s heading into the early '80s. Mr. Backlund ended Superstar Billy Graham's reign in 1978 to win his first WWF Championship. Backlund would hold the title for almost six years when he lost the title to The Iron Sheik in December 1983.
Mr. Backlund left the WWF but returned in 1992 and made shockwaves when he upset Bret Hart to win his second WWF Championship at the 1994 Survivor Series. With this victory, he had the longest drought between WWF Championship reigns at 3,985 days which is an unbelievable achievement, considering he had passed his prime.
9 WrestleMania I Is The Only WrestleMania Where The Title Was Not Defended
The first edition of WrestleMania was make or break for Vince McMahon and it proved to be a massive success in 1985. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T squared off to face "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff.
It was a huge occasion and the stars were out as boxing legend Muhammad Ali and Pat Patterson were the special guest referees. This match was significant as it was the only time the WWF Champion was featured and the championship was not at stake at WrestleMania. Hogan was the reigning WWF Champion and he went to defend the title at WrestleMania II and III.
8 Randy Orton Is The First Man To Win The WWE Championship Inside Hell In A Cell (2009)
Randy Orton and John Cena's rivalry reached the breaking point in the inaugural Hell in a Cell event in 2009. The Viper challenged Cena for the WWE Championship inside the demonic Hell in a Cell. The match itself was brutal and physical with Orton using his previous Cell match experience to his advantage.
The Apex Predator made history as he regained the WWE Championship from Cena thus becoming the first man to win the title inside Hell in a Cell. There had been just three prior Hell in a Cell WWE Championship matches with the champion retaining on each occasion. Orton has gone on to the WWE Title two more times inside Hell in a Cell in 2013 and 2020 respectively. He is a perfect 4-0 in WWE Championship Hell in a Cell matches.
7 WrestleMania IX Is The Only WrestleMania Where The WWE Championship Changed Hands Twice In One Night (1993)
The ending of WrestleMania IX was one of the most controversial in WrestleMania history. Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart to win his first WWF Championship with some assistance from his manager Mr. Fuji.
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Moments later, Hulk Hogan came down the aisle and challenged Yokozuna in an impromptu match for the WWF Championship. In record quick time, the Hulkster won his fifth WWF Championship and third at WrestleMania to send the fans home happy. It was the only time that WrestleMania has seen two WWF Championship title changes in one night.
6 Survivor Series Has The Most WWE Championship Title Changes On PPV After WrestleMania With 12
WrestleMania has played host to 24 WWE Championship title changes which is the most. However, in second place on pay-per-view is its fellow Big Four event, the Survivor Series. It has seen 12 WWE title changes over a 24 year period from 1991-2015.
None other than The Undertaker was the first man to win the WWE Championship at Survivor Series in 1991 from Hulk Hogan. Legends like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Edge, and CM Punk have also achieved this feat. Big Show is the only man to do it twice at the 1999 and 2002 editions of Survivor Series.
5 11 WWE Championship Title Changes Is The Most In A Calendar Year (1999)
Sometimes the WWE Championship can be passed around like a hot potato and in 1999 that was clearly evident. The Rock became the first man to win the WWF Championship twice that year. Mankind also won it twice with victories over The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Triple H and Big Show won their maiden WWF Championships in 1999, with the former winning it twice, and even Vince McMahon had a short stint as champion. Austin won the title twice including a win over The Rock at WrestleMania XV. The Undertaker clinched his third WWF Championship from Austin at Over the Edge. 1999 showed how stacked the main event scene was and the talent they had at their disposal, in one of the most competitive years in WWE history.
4 No Mercy 2007 Is The Only Time The WWE Championship Changed Hands Three Times In One Night (2007)
John Cena's pectoral injury forced him to relinquish the WWE Championship in the fall of 2007. That set up a domino effect for things to come at No Mercy. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon awarded Randy Orton the WWE Championship at the start of the night.
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Unfortunately, The Viper lost the title to Triple H in an impromptu match at the start of the show. However, Orton had the last laugh as he regained the WWE Championship from his former Evolution mentor in a grueling Last Man Standing match in the main event.
3 A Record Eight Different Wrestlers Held The WWE Championship In 2002
2002 was a transitional year for the WWE Championship. A record eight different wrestlers held the title under its different incarnations. Chris Jericho began the year as the Undisputed WWF Champion and dropped the title to Triple H in a lackluster main event at WrestleMania X8.
The likes of Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker added another WWE Championship reign under their belts. The Rock became the first seven-time WWE Champion in July and Brock Lesnar defeated The Rock at SummerSlam to become the youngest WWE Champion at 25. Whilst exclusive to Smackdown, Big Show and Kurt Angle closed out the year as WWE Champions.
2 20 Men Have Won The WWE Championship As Their First Championship In The WWE
There is no better introduction to a successful WWE career than to win the WWE Championship as your first championship. A staggering 20 men have had the privilege of winning the WWE Championship as their first title in the WWE. Buddy Rogers, the first WWE Champion was the first to achieve this feat in 1963.
In May 2017, Jinder Mahal became the 20th and most recent man to join this elusive club. The likes of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sheamus, and AJ Styles all bypassed the Intercontinental Championship by hugely kickstarting their WWE careers with WWE Championship reigns to their name.
1 Only Four Men Have Won The WWE Championship In Three Different Decades
Winning the WWE Championship in three different decades is an incredible feat to have on your resume. Only Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Triple H, and Randy Orton have done so.
Hogan is the only man to win the WWE Championship in the '80s, '90s, and 2000s. Both The Rock and Triple H won their WWE Championships in the '90s, 2000s, and 2010s. Both Rock and Triple H's most recent WWE Championship wins came at the Royal Rumble, in 2013 and 2016 respectively. Whereas 10-time WWE Champion Randy Orton is the first man to win the WWE Championship in the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s.
