Celebrating 50 Years of the WWE Championship

[lenguy]

I'm somewhat shocked that this milestone hasn't been so much as mentioned around these forms. WWE.com is putting on a week long celebration of the WWE Championship. Arguable the biggest and most iconic wrestling championship on the face of the earth. The championship that was introduced in 1963,first held by Buddy Rogers and has been held by only 43 unique individuals. A combined total of 112 title reigns between the 43 of them and a combination of 18116 days between them all.

John Cena has the current record of most reigns(11)

Buddy Rogers as mention above was the first Champion

Bruno Sammartino has the record for longest title reign(2803 days)

Andre the Giant holds the record for the shortest reign(30 seconds)

Mr. McMahon is the oldest person to have ever held the title(54 years)

Brock Lesnar is the youngest person to ever hold the title(24 years)

Yokozuna was the heaviest at 575 lbs

Rey Mysterio JR,the lightest at 175 lbs

Just a few statistics for you,with WWE.com providing more within the week.

Whether there are championship holders you may not particularly like. Questionable title runs and title switches. We can all agree here that the WWE Championship is the most iconic and prestigious title not only in the WWE but within wrestling itself. It's the title that every superstar who steps into a squared circle aspires to capture at some point. It's what keeps us fans watching. In hopes to see amazing title matches that will transcend generations. As well to see superstars who will forever forge a legacy upon reaching that pivotal mountain top and cementing themselves in wrestling memory.

While a lot of wrestling fans have become so jaded these days,we all find common ground when it comes to the legacy of the WWE championship and the significance it holds to us,as fans. It brings out our inner dreams and childhood. How many of you have held a replica belt high above your heads and called out your name has WWE Champion? How many of you have jumped out of your seats at the spectacle and excitement after a well fought WWE title match,despite competitors or parameters surrounding the match? Haven't we all screamed with a resounding and deafening cheer after we see somebody with a strong fortitude finally,after so many years of dedication and hard work finally reach that stride and capture the pinnacle of greatness? Or just smile when you see your favorite wrestler once again hold WWE Championship gold around their waist.

Whatever your opinion is on WWE and its current product. We can all recognize the symbolization of the WWE Championship and its meaning held not just to the WWE but to us,the fans as well.

Use this threat to celebrate 50 years of wrestling's greatest championship. Share memories and moments,share what you feel. But first I offer some questions for your inquiry.

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

Most significant WWE Champion?

Most influential WWE Champion?

Favorite WWE Championship design?

Sound off below and please,feel free to contribute in anyway you can. Let the celebration begin!.....now all we need are the hookers and booze...

 

[Nadeem Ahmad]

I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority, but I never really liked the idea of having that belt, and never really liked any of the designs so much. Feuds seemed to matter more when they were about other issues, and felt more realistic, like when Jericho and Benoit fought over who was the better wrestler, or during the older days, guys like the Million Dollar Man did things like wanting to prove that he was beyond the industry, wanting to attempt "buying out" wrestlers to do as he commanded, and making a mockery of the championship, by introducing the Million Dollar Belt. It was kind of funny hearing Andre ramble about how he didn't really care for the championship after he beat Hogan, because Ted Dibiase wanted to purchase it off of him.

Now, there were moments I won't forget soon, relating to the championship, like how Bret Hart would clench on to it for dear life, even while he was the champion, coming in during introductions before matches, and sometimes kissing it as if he would never see it again. The era of attitude really put an end to things a lot though, since Steve Austin and Rock both tossed it around a lot, opting for a different design. I remember when Rock was not the champion, but walked around with the Smoking Skull pictured on a belt, as if he was the champion but really making it seem like it was trashy, by the way he implied he only held it to keep it from Austin.

I never quite got the vibe that wrestlers wanted to have it for being the best wrestler in the world, but rather to show others that he was better than competitors around them. They may have said they were the best, as if they believed it, but obviously were striving for the money and attention that came with it more.

Now, going to the questions, I think the greatest champion would be Hulk Hogan, because he brought it into mainstream attention like nobody else could do, and not because of wrestling abilities. Since I preferred technical wrestling though, the favorite champion would have to be Bret Hart for me.

The greatest reign, I felt was when Shawn Michaels got it the first time, using desire and persistence to win it after a match lasting longer than an hour, and holding off people through most of the remaining solar year. It wasn't my favorite reign, which probably would be the second reign of Bret Hart, who also held against several competitors in tough matches throughout the middle of the year, against Diesel, Davey Smith and other tough guys.

The greatest match for the championship, in terms of hype and financial success would be at Wrestlemania Three, as it seemed like a critical moment in how important that belt seemed to be for very famous people like Hulk Hogan and Andre, who I didn't even care for. For the favorite match involving the championship, I would choose the Iron Man Match at Wrestlemania Twelve.

The greatest moment involving the championship was maybe when Lex Luger almost won it at Summerslam in 1993, as they celebrated a lot, for coming so close. Personally, the favorite moment I remembered with the championship was how Jericho almost won it against Triple H during WWF Raw is War in early April of 2000, as it felt realistic, and the crowd was really crazy even seen on television, in a good way, wanting so much for Hunter to lose the belt.

The most significant champion for the company will likely be considered John Cena, for a lot of things he does to promote the company while being the champion.

The most influential champion, almost undoubtedly was Hulk Hogan, as he outshined everyone else in popularity, but didn't hold the belt as long as John Cena had it.

A favorite design for the belt was that championship the Warrior used, with the white strap.

Edit again: Oh so that white belt the Warrior held was the Intercontinental Championship. Well, it seemed more valuable the the WWF championship at the time, for people who would rather see wrestling instead of brawling. Anyway, I guess whatever belt was around at that time was the least worst championship for the top guy, in terms of a design.

Edit: I think that a reason why nobody else brought up this thread earlier, was maybe because the championship lost a lot of meaning throughout the years, with stupid people like Rey Mysterio and The Rock being champions with crappy reigns, and I guess you could put Batista on that list as well.

 

[CleverName51]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?

The Rock, John Cena.

I'm an oddball for the IWC, I love top faces with superman qualities. I watch wrestling to escape. I like guys with larger than life, never say die, overcome the odds with determination and strength type personalities, as I aspire to do that as well.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

John Cena; any of his reigns. The man's character would take on any challenger. Most recent proof: one night after 'Mania and winning the title off the Rock, he accepted an immediate title match with Mark Henry, it took Booker T to overrule his desires.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

Unforgiven 2000: The Rock def Chris Benoit (via pin), Undertaker and Kane in a fatal 4 way match. The sole reason: it was the first PPV I ever attended in person. Maybe that's a bad reason, but whatever, it's my favorite.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

HBK 1996, the boyhood dream comes true, just so emotional to see his reaction to winning.

Most significant WWE Champion?

Hulk Hogan, his reigns with Hulkamania took the then WWF mainstream.

Most influential WWE Champion?

Hogan, for the same reasons as above. Hulkamania making the WWF the top company in the world.

Favorite WWE Championship design?

the belt used from 1998-2002, as pictured here:

I just enjoy the design: it looks like a title that means something, isn't overly bulky or gaudy and exudes the distinction of a champion

 

[Apartmentcomplexchampion]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion? Definitely Stone Cold Steve Austin. He might not have had any title reigns of historic length, but he made the championship feel important. The whole storyline with Vince, the evil boss, trying to screw his least favorite employee out of the championship. It compelled the hell out of me as a kid. Maybe I'm biased because of that.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign? I loved CM Punk's long title reign, especially towards the end. I'm sure more people would have looked back on it more fondly if there wasn't a 7 month stretch where the title wasn't even being featured in the main-event of the PPV's, but I choose to focus more on the entertainment value.


Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match? I'll always pick Austin vs. Rock at Wrestlemania 17. They pulled out all the stops and somehow managed to top every match on that already amazing PPV.


Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment? The moment was a bit dampened after the referee reversed the decision, but seeing Y2J pin Triple H for the WWF title on RAW was really awesome when It happened. The crowd went absolutely nuts. I still think that should have been Jericho's first official world title win.

Most significant WWE Champion? It's hard not to say Hulk Hogan. He was the man back when he held the title. Anybody who beat him for it was standing at the tip top of the mountain.

Most influential WWE Champion? I'll go with Bob Backlund. You hear it from the current wrestlers themselves. A lot of them were inspired by Backlund. He wasn't a really big guy, or a master on the microphone, but his pure wrestling skills seemed to make up for all of it. This was long before his psychotic character too.


Favorite WWE Championship design? The winged eagle belt from 1988 - 1998 always sticks out to me. I love the design, and that it said "Wold Heavyweight Wrestling Champion". That made it feel more important to me.

 

[salopstick]

Slightly off topic before the brand extension it always annoyed me that wwe never referred to it as the wwf world champion always wwf champion.

My favourite wwf championship moment is flair being handed his belt and the promo straight after at the royal rumble.

This is the only championship which means you are number 1

 

[Jack-Hammer]

What I'm more surprised by is the fact that WWE itself hasn't made a big deal out of it. However, I do think WWE will have a little segment celebrating the history of the title this Monday. Monday is officially the 50th anniversary of the title's creation, so I find it difficult to believe that WWE is going to let an opportunity like this go by without acknowledging it in some way.

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?

As for who the bottom line greatest champion is, I'd be hard pressed not to say Hulk Hogan. Even as a kid, I was never a big fan of Hogan. I thought he was okay and all, but that's not to say that even though I never warmed up to him as so many others did that he wasn't a mega star among mega stars. Hogan was in the right place, the right time, had the right character and it just clicked. Hogan's first 4 years as champ is when WWE took off and became more than another big wrestling promotion. As to who my favorite champ was, I'd probably have to go with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin was simply on fire in the late 90s and early 2000s. While big companies did play hot potato too much with titles in those days, Austin was a consistently entertaining & interesting force in the title picture.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

As for the greatest reign, it'd probably be a toss up between Sammartino's 1st & Hogan's 1st. While Hogan as champ helped take the company to heights undreamed of, Sammartino is the one who really established the title as a major championship. Even though the company operated only in the Northeast in those days, Sammartino still packed them in wherever he went and was the biggest star of his day. I'd probably put them on equal footing all in all. Neither was a technical marvel but both ultimately took the title, and thereby the company, to huge levels. As for my favorite reign, I'd have to go with CM Punk's 434 day run. As most will, some nitpick at this or that when it comes to Punk's reign but I just flat out enjoyed it from beginning to end. My only real complaint about it was that it ended the way it ended. As a fan, I would have preferred Punk to go to WM 28 as WWE Champion rather than drop it to The Rock so he could defend it at WM in a match everyone knew he would lose the instant he got the title. Even though Punk sometimes didn't get as much focus as he should have, he still rose above it and kept people deeply interested in his matches & feuds as champion.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

If I had to pick the greatest WWE Championship match, I think it'd probably be a toss up between Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania XII or John Cena vs. CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2011. Both matches had a big match feel and since it took place at WM in a very rare instance in which it went 60 minutes, I'd probably give the edge to Michaels vs. Hart. My favorite would be Cena vs. Punk. Everything about the match and about the entire show that night simply clicked in a way that you simply don't see very often at all, in any company. In this day and age where there are few secrets left in wrestling, many people simply didn't know who would walk out of MITB as champ. The match itself was fantastic, an instant classic, and it's a match that people will be talking about 20 years from now. Two guys from the modern era, one who sometimes gets the "you can't wrestle" treatment for some reason and an "average" looking guy from the indy scene did it so well that even the hardest of hardcore smarks had to shut up and appreciate it.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

The greatest moment...hmmm...it'd probably be a toss up between HBK winning it for the first time at WM XII and Punk's win over Cena at MITB 2011. With HBK, WWE played up the "boyhood dream" aspect that really clicked with fans and HBK's emotions after getting the win were beyond memorable. As for Punk, again, him winning and "walking out" as champion was something that people just didn't see coming. They figured they'd see a great match but Punk would lose and he'd be gone, but they got the exact opposite of what was expected. They'd also be tied for my favorite title moments I think.

Most significant WWE Champion?

I think this one is a little too close to call and you'd have to divide it up between Sammartino, Hogan, Austin, Rock, Triple H & John Cena. There are pros & cons for each of them that do carry weight. If I had to pick just one, I'd probably have to go with Hogan because of the fact of how huge he was back when I was a little kid. Someone older might say Sammartino while someone 15 years from now might say John Cena.

Most influential WWE Champion?

Again, I'd probably have to go with Hulk Hogan. In terms of in-ring ability, Hogan was never the best wrestler. Truth be told, personally, I thought the guy was fairly mediocre in the ring. But Hogan was THE star and I think just about everyone hopes of being THE star. Other wrestlers may have been influenced more by more talented technical wrestlers or agile high flyers, perfectly understandable. But when it comes to setting the standard for a major star, Hulk Hogan is the one who set the ultimate standard.

Favorite WWE Championship design?

As far as my favorite design goes, I'd probably have to go with the one they used from about 1998 until 2002. I just liked the look of it. The center plate seemed to be grander & more distinctive, to me at least, than the prior design. I thought the prior design was okay but, personally, I kinda thought it looked like a piece of junk compared to the Big Gold Belt. I like the current design a lot more than I thought I would. After seeing that title without the custom side plates, I think it looks much better as there's more color to offset the black presence. Personally, I think the title would look a helluva lot better if they added some sort of different color to the center plate. But yeah, the Attitude Era design is my favorite overall.

 

[zhaff2004]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?

Greatest WWE Champion should go to Samartino, simply because he held the title longer than anyone and made it the most important thing in pro wrestling. Favourite champion for me will always be The Rock. No one could electrify more than the great one.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

I'm gonna have to go with HBK's 1st and the boyhood dream coming true.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

Rock/Austin, wrestlemania X7. Tremendous match, unbelievable emotion and a hell of a twist.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

Guerrero winning the belt from Lesnar at No Way Out or, if it counts, him and Benoit hugging after Mania XX.

Most significant WWE Champion?

I'm gonna say something a little different here as most of the other significant moments have been covered. I'm gonna go with Lesnar's first reign. Not only was he the youngest man to win the strap (a record which remains to this day) but he also made the strap brand exclusive, which led to the World heavyweight title being introduced and ushered in the era of two world titles in one company.

Most influential WWE Champion?

Hulk Hogan, no question about it. Took wrestling to heights no one thought possible.

Favorite WWE Championship design?

Undisputed title. Looked so classy and really looked like a wrestling world title should.

 

[Lucky Dearly]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?
Without a doubt Greatest WWE Champion has to go to Bruno Sammartino, seven years as Champion definately cements him as the greatest, favorite wwe Champion? I'm tied with several guys including C.M. Punk for his 434 days as WWE Champion, The Undertaker when he won it from Hulk Hogan in 1991 in a match nobody expected him to win (given an assist to Ric Flair), Ric Flair cause he's already the greatest of all time ("Wooooo!"), Stone Cold Steve Austin since his first reign truely kicked off the Attitude Era, The Rock since he knew how to get the fans to either love him as the people's champion or hate him as the Corporate Champion, and finally Macho Man Randy Savage, especially in his second reign as the champion when he beat Ric Flair at Wrestlemania 8 for the title, especially with the angle involved with the match.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

Hard to say but if I had to say I'd say Stone Cold Steve Austin since his first reign was the kickoff point to the attitude era, that and who didn't love the Smoking Skull Belt? Best damn custom belt in wrestling!

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels, from Survivor Series 97 since this match was infamous for the screwjob that sent Bret to WCW and also sowed the seeds for the Attitude Era and began the evil owner gimmick of Mr.Mcmahon. also up there Rock vs Austin at Mania 17, nobody expected Austin to turn heel and join McMahon.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

Quite a few come to mind, one was when Superstar Billy Ghram attacked Bob Backlund and then ripped the WWWF title belt apart with his bare hands stunning Vince McMahon who tried to interview him and Pat Patterson whom was doing commentary when he did it, Backlund's reaction was pure emotion when he held the remains of the belt in his hands and screamed like a maniac. It's up there with an infamous moment in 1989 when Mr.Perfect Curt Hennig interfered in a match between then champion Hulk Hogan and The Genius which Hogan was counted out when Perfect nailed Hogan from behind with the belt, later that night Perfect and Genius cut a promo which Perfect with a hammer smashed the winged eagle belt while proclaiming this wasn't the perfect belt till he had it around his waist. Hogan's reaction later on was pure emotional when he saw the remains of the winged eagle in his hands.

Most significant WWE Champion?

three choices for this, first and obviously was Hulk Hogan, he did in four years what nobody else could do, bring prestige to the WWE title during the days when WWE competed with the likes of the NWA and AWA, second was Bret Hart in his first reign and establishing he was one of the hardest working WWE Champion at the time as he defended against anybody who wanted a shot, shame he lost it to yokozuna when he was supposed to beat him. third is obviously Stone Cold Steve Austin who's first reign began the attitude era (he was after all the first with the attitude era title belt before he brought in the smoking skull design belt)

Most influential WWE Champion?

Definately Hulk Hogan, what more can I say that hasn't been said about him? besides the fact John Cena is ripping Hogan's gimmick off to a T.

Favorite WWE Championship design?

where to begin? first off love the winged eagle title belt design which was awesome, next would be the attitude era belt which was also awesome, also loved the Smoking Skull Belt as i said before it's one of the best custom belts in wrestling

 

[Kidpolean]

Ok first off I would like to say that this is a great topic to discuss...Im going to try to stay true while also mentioning some things that haven't been mentioned yet

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?
-This may be an unpopular choice but I really liked Jericho as the undisputed champion. Just seeing his entrance with both belts made him look larger than life. He was good in the ring and on the mic. He made the title feel special.


Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?
-This one is kinda tough...I really liked HHH's 3rd title reign (im not sure if it was his 3rd). He had a Street Fight and HIAC with Cactus Jack, Vs Rock at Backlash, and the Jericho fast count title win happened.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?
-Easily WM17 Rock vs Austin...This is about as good as it gets. The feud and match was awesome and had a shocking ending...Runner up Rock vs Mankind I Quit

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?
-I am torn between two here...Either Guerrero title win vs Lesnar or the Jericho overturned fast count

Most significant WWE Champion?
-IDK...maybe Shawn Michaels. I think he brought back the realism of wrestling with the whole boyhood dream and everything. He was clearly the best at the time and deserved the title.

Most influential WWE Champion?
-Stone Cold and its not even close... The guy was amazing and everybody wanted to Stunner their boss

Favorite WWE Championship design?
-My favorite is the attitude era belt, Im not sure what the proper name is but all wrestling fans should know which belt im talking about

 

[Pedigree1]

Hmmm WWE really hasnt acknowledged this and im surprised by it! Maybe a five disc DVD having the best matches is the way to go i think. Hey a guy can dream right?

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?

Wow the greatest Champion or favorite champion of all timez huh? I probably have got to go with Hogan as much as i wanna say Sammartino Hogan was wrestling he was gold! He took the company to heights it could have never reached ever! It became mainstream because of him.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

Greatest Reign is most definitely Bruno's 1st reign. Damn there a 8 year reign as champion that is crazy in any era! Bruno made the championship a legitimate one. Beating the likes of Pedro Morales,Buddy Rogers,Killer Kowalski,Freddie Blassie,Gorilla Monsoon etc... He had a brutal schedule for his time period! No luxury jets no private buses he roughed it the hard way.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

For the Longest time WM12 was my favorite match for the WWE title ever. I absolutely still to this day love that match just a great technical battle back and forth showing what both HBK and Bret Hart in their primes could do. A truly magical match. Then Came MITB 2011! Within 5 minutes of that match i could instantly tell this had the potential to pass WM12 as the single greatest WWE title match ever! Back and fourth action just incredible what Cena and Punk were able to pull off that night. Counter Hold after Counter Hold. For someone who supposedly cant wrestle and Sucks Cena sure can wrestle his ass off and that match was a five star worthy match! It shut the haters up!
Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

The greatest WWE championship Moment was WM12! A boyhood dream come true for shawn Michaels! No one thought except for him that he was gonna beat the Hitman! When that match finally ended you could just tell his dream everything he worked for his whole life paid off! Just pure emotion flowing through the veins of HBK! That was the night IMO HBK was born
Most significant WWE Champion?

Wow this question is the hardest to answer IMO! Really it could be Sammartino,Hogan,Austin,HHH,Rock,SCSA anyone of those great stars could be easily the most significant champion. Too hard to answer IMO

Most influential WWE Champion?

Hogan without a doubt IMO! Granted Hogan never was a technical wizard he never to my knowledge had a five star match or even four star! He was meh in the ring but what an impact he had as champion. He led the way for the stars nowadays to go to hollywood to have other avenues besides wrestling. Hogan did that and damn there cost him his career by doing Rocky 3! Say your prayers the Training eat your vitamins damn can you think of anyone besides Hogan who has been more influential! And this is coming from a huge Cena Fan
Favorite WWE Championship design?

Well im a little older Than Jack Hammer i personally loved the Winged Eagle version! Nothing too fancy about it but damn that belt to this day IMO has stood out as the absolute best design ever

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion? - My favoruite time as a fan as I was still a kid and Bret was my favourite. Possibly because WWF was still big in UK at the time, and it had taken a dip in the USA, and the WWF shows we saw on our cable providers were really rare and unique and something kids in UK had not really seen before. His battles with Yokozuna, Razor Ramon, Owen Hart, Diesel, HBK, Undertaker and Stone Cold were epic.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?
Stone Colds first reign - right after he beat HBK @ WM14. Height of the business meant it had gone mainstream and he was such a unique and fresh character that everyone loved.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match? Bret Hart beating Ric Flair. I just loved seeing Bret, my favourite wrestler ever, beat Ric in a match for the belt. Cemented me as a true wwe fan.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?
I hope this counts - but my favourite moment, from an entertainment perspective was The Rock V Mankind in the final of the Deadly Game tournament at Survivor Series 1998. Before the match the villainous Rock had began to embrace the fans who had begun to love him. A confused and naive Mankind was running around losing the plot and thinking he was Vince's adopted son. Then the heel turn at the end, where Rock turned heel and joined Vince to destroy Mankind and steal the WWE title - what an odd concept that all involved in did such an epic job in a double turn. I really got absorbed in that story; and it remains one of my fondest memories as a WWF title match. This led to Mankind winning the championship on Raw a few weeks later and it was an excellent feel good moment and showed that Mick Foley was a Superstar.


Most significant WWE Champion?
Hogan. Definitely Hogan, as he was the face of WWF for 12 years as the big time player. Stone Cold was more over, and did not need the belt to be significant. Stone Cold was just so over. But Hogan made the business what it was and gave it significance.

Most influential WWE Champion? John Cena - hes been at the top, belt or not, since 2005. He always goes on to win it again. That is because he is over. Like him or not - he is a merchandise and ticket selling machine. He also works harder than any WWF/WWE champ ever -and promotes the business very well. He is obviously not the best wrestler; but what an individual. Anyone who is any doubt should look out for the Cena Heel turn when it comes- it will rocket the business to new heights.

Favorite WWE Championship design? The eagle belt 1985 to 1998 - that was the one I grew up with as a child. I dislike the current belt more than the spinner belt....

 

[lenguy]

Some great posts so far. A lot of the answers are a bit predictable,but reasonably so. I guess I'll make my contribution. Pardon my ignorance though. I only started watching in 03 so I haven't been watching long enough to witness some of the title reigns and eras. But there is a ton of video evidence so,I have an idea.

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?

The greatest WWE champion is always up for debate. There are lots of eligible contenders,and rightful so. They have all earned the statues to be called greatest WWE Champion. Since I can only pick one,my choice goes to none other than the newest member to the Hall of Fame,Bruno Sammartino. I mean the guy held the title for what? 7 straight years? During his entire career,the guy sold out arenas all over the place. People paid to see him. During a time wrestling was still trying to get a solid footing in the general public. I mean the dudes name alone just echos greatness.

My favorite. Well,I might get a bit of heat for this but my favorite was always Brock Lesnar. The guy was just championship material,you could plainly see it. He was built like a champion,looked like a champion,moved like a champion and carried himself like a champion. I've always enjoyed watching the guy work. Incredible athlete that could do things most men his size couldn't. Its a shame he left when he did,had he stuck around,there is not doubt in my mind that Lesnar would be the biggest thing WWE would have to offer. Perhaps even he would be the 11 time champion right now instead of John Cena. What ifs though...

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

So many reigns,so little time..again though,I have to say,pardon my ignorance. I wasn't watching to witness a lot of these reigns. But the one that always sticks out in my mind every time I think of a WWE title reign is Brunos 7 year title run. A feat I doubt will ever be replicated or matched. He will go down in history has the only person to lay claim to such a feat. When you talk about stats a numbers...none are more impressive than 2803 days as champion.

My favorite however,well I have a lot of favorites. I really did enjoy CM Punks 434 day title run. Lets face it,nobody ever thought he would hold the title that long. I remember the news coming in just before the TLC ppv of 2011. That they were contemplating taking the strap off Punk because of low ratings,just one month after he won the belt. Who would have thought he would go on to hold it another 400 days. I also always enjoyed Ortons first run as WWE champion. I remember that Wrestlemania,WM 24. Everybody was certain Orton wouldn't be walking out of Mania has champion. They all thought(myself included) that Cena would win. Then Orton actually claimed the victory,which not only stunned myself but a lot of people as well. Good moments...

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

Where to begin? I mean,I bet the most like answer would be the Iron man Match from WM 12. I find that match grossly overrated though. So I will pick something else. I'm not sure If I can pick out a singular favorite though,as I've enjoyed a lot. Cena vs Punk from mitb,Cena vs Michaels from WM 23,Lesnar vs Angle from WM 19,Lesnar vs Rock from Summerslam,the Iron man match between Lesnar and Angle on SD and of course Rock vs Austin from WM 17 all come to mind. I'm not sure if I can pick one.

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

I'll agree with people and say that Michaels winning the title at WM 12 was a dream moment. As the words the boyhood dream has come true,still echo within the business. That would probably be the greatest.

My favorite however is the Austin Heel turn at WM 17. I mean,the heel run didn't really pan out like WWE might have hoped,people just refused to hate Austin lol. However,it is still one of those moments that gets played over and over again. After the high that people had watching an event like WM 17,things were going too damn good and something was bound to get their teeth grinding before the end of the night. Austin turning and aligning himself with the boss was just that tipping point.

Most significant WWE Champion?

IMO there are only 3 logical answers to this question. its either Bruno Sammartino,Hulk Hogan or Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Bruno for obvious reasons. He held the title for 7 straight years and basically carried the company that entire run. He brought in the crowds and help place in the stepping stones that would help lead the WWE to the global powerhouse it is today.

Hulk Hogan. He was the name and face of the WWE for the second half of the 80's and early 90's. He was a household name and it was Hogan that truly brought wrestling into mainstream attention and helped modernize it. I mean, WM 3,in front of 90,000 people,Hogan Vs Andre the Giant for the WWE title. The immovable object vs the Irresistible force. I just doesn't get any larger than life than that.

Stone Cold Steve Austin. The guy who arguable saved the WWE from certain doom. His rivalry with Vince helped boost ratings and save the sinking ship that was the WWF at the time. He salvaged the WWE and helped take over the ratings and bring the WWE to highs it has never seen before and likely never will again. Austin is the definition of attitude and his face is most associated when people discuss the attitude era.

Most influential WWE Champion?

I'm going to have to say John Cena. I mean inside the ring hes already an 11 time champion,a milestone in itself. What sets John apart from everybody else though is his work outside the ring. I mean the guy is not only Make a Wish's most requested individuals but hes done so much media appearances and been apart of so much that he is quite literally the voice of the WWE. I mean he lives by a code that's always on his shirts and he's just looked up to and is an inspiration to so many,young and old. There really hasn't been somebody like Cena. Whether you like him or you hate. The guy is dedicated to his work.

Favorite WWE Championship design?

I've always like the Undisputed Design. It just looks classy and what a proper world title should look like. I bugs me it was only around for 3 years as I've always enjoyed the look of it more than any other design.

 

[TBT]

Greatest WWE Champion?
Bruno Sammartino

Favorite WWE Champion?
Shawn Michaels

Greatest WWE Championship reign?
Bruno Sammartino (First reign)

Favorite WWE Championship reign?
Shawn Michaels (First reign)

Greatest WWE Championship match?
WrestleMania XII
Iron Man Match
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels

Favorite WWE Championship match?
WrestleMania XII
Iron Man Match
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels

Greatest WWE Championship moment?
Shawn Michaels boyhood dream come true.
WrestleMania XII

Favorite WWE Championship moment?
When Shawn Michaels held the WWE Championship over the fallen WWE Champion John Cena after a victory in a non-title match on Raw in the U.K.

Most significant WWE Champion?
Tie: Hulk Hogan/The Rock

Most influential WWE Champion?
Steve Austin

Favorite WWE Championship design?
1998-2002

 

[The Perfect Max]

Greatest / Favorite Champion
This is a tough one. I have enjoyed many superstars reigns over the years, from The Rock to Stone Cold Steve Austin to Triple H to CM Punk to Edge to Randy Orton. There are so many. When I think of the WWE Championship, the first person that comes into my head is Shawn Michaels. He has been entertaining throughout his career, and I feel he managed to re-brand himself as WWE Champion, even when he didn't need to. From the Heartbreak Kid to the D-Generation X member, he was always fantastic and his first WWE Championship came at WrestleMania XII after one of the best matches in WWE history. Priceless.

Greatest / Favorite Championship Reign
I have to say CM Punk's 434 day reign as WWE Champion was great. He started off facing Alberto Del Rio and The Miz, defended the title against Dolph Ziggler, defeated five superstars in the Elimination Chamber, fended off Chris Jericho twice, defeated Daniel Bryan and Kane on multiple occasions, faced off against Mark Henry, defeated The Big Show, retained against John Cena and battled Ryback. His reign was never expected to be this long and he really added something back to the WWE Championship with this reign.

Greatest / Favorite Championship Match
This is another hard one. Over the years there have been so many great WWE Championship Matches. Randy Savage (c) vs Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V, The Rock (c) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania X-Seven and John Cena (c) vs CM Punk at Money in the Bank were all fantastic. The latter certainly had the best crowd of them all, even surpassing WrestleMania X-Seven in my opinion. It is hard to choose, but I will go with John Cena (c) vs CM Punk. The build was brilliant and the match exceeded all expectations. 33:44 of greatness.

Greatest / Favorite Championship Moment
I think one that will piss people off is when Stone Cold Steve Austin used Mr McMahon to win the WWE Championship. I hated it so much, but looking back it was just great. It is actually quite funny. The whole idea is hilarious and should never of happened, but it did and Jim Ross and Paul Heyman on commentary made it worthwhile.

Most Significant WWE Champion
I hate to say it, but Hulk Hogan has to be considered the most significant. You could easily say Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin or John Cena, but face it. As much as I hate it, Hulk Hogan was the guy that carried the WWE from 1985 to 1993. He held the WWE Championship for the majority of this period, headlined the majority of the WrestleMania events, against the likes of King Kong Bundy, Andre the Giant, Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior, and helped put the WWE on the map whilst being the top guy.

Most Influential Champion
A good tough one. I'm going to go for Shawn Michaels. His rise to fame is a great ride, from The Rockers to Sherri to Bret, he took a very long journey that culminated in retiring the greatest in-ring superstar in the history of the WWE. He carried the WWE during a down point for the WWE and helped make it good again, and put over Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV, even with a damaged back. Even after four years of exile, he returned and won the World Heavyweight Championship. May not be the WWE Championship, but nevertheless, he came back when no one thought he would and won the gold again.

Favorite Championship Design
For me, it has to be the spinner. Just kidding. The Undisputed WWE Championship had always been my favorite. I think it just shone greatness and has always looked more prestigious sat next to the others, which is funny as it was only around from March 2002 to April 2005, which is quite short for the WWE Championship, but still. It was simple, but effective, and was quite big as well which was appealing to me. The size and design spoke volume about what it was to be WWE Champion, and this is why it is my favorite. The Winged Eagle belt comes in close second.

 

[Olly]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion? Mankind

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign? CM Punk's 434 days

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match? Cena vs Punk, MITB 2011

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment? Tony Schiavone destroying WCW by making everyone turn over to Raw for Mankind's title win

Most significant WWE Champion? Austin

Most influential WWE Champion? Austin

Favorite WWE Championship design? not bothered. Never got the fuss over this.

 

[Judah's Lion]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?

Most significant WWE Champion?

Most influential WWE Champion?

Favorite WWE Championship design?

1. Greatest/Favorite WWE Champion: i think Hogan would have to be considered as the greatest champ. yeah, he's got his flaws, both inside and outside the ropes, but nobody can deny or even dispute his contributions to the sport of professional wrestling. my personaly favorite champ would probably be HBK. he's such a great performer and storyteller.

2. Greatest/Favorite Championship Reign: gonna go with Hogan's reign as the greatest. i'm speaking of his reign that lasted thru the first several Wrestlemania main events. my favorite was Austin's first. his run was just so much fun to watch as he feuded not only with the entire roster, but specifically Vince McMahon. too many great moments to list here.

3. Greatest/Favorite Championship Match: i think the greatest match might be Mania 12, Iron Man Match, Bret Hart vs. HBK. yeah, Mania 3 is more iconic in just the opening staredown. but HBK and Hart are such incredible wrestlers and this match was amazing from start to finish. plus, the "boyhood dream" angle and emotion was very satisfying to see as a fan. my favorite match also includes HBK, but this time vs. Manikind at Mind Games. i wish there was more of a story/feud for this match taking place, but that was still an amazing match.

4. Greatest/Favorite Championship Moment: this one i'll reserve for Mania 3 between Hogan and Andre. the irresistable force meeting the immovable object. that staredown and that crowd and that stage... everything was epic. iconic. immortal. and any other cliche word you could use. my favorite moment would be Foley winning his first title on Raw. it was so special. i can't think of any other words than that. special.

5. Most Significant/Influential WWE Champion: i'm gonna lump these two categories together and give a tie for the answer to both. Hogan/Austin/Cena. i'm too young to know about wrestling from a personal level prior to the mid-late 80's. so maybe there are other answers, like Sammartino, that could apply. i just don't know that. but for their respective eras, these are the biggest names of the biggest company in the history of the business. and they all were able to bring wrestling to a wider audience. so there's my three-way tie for these two topics.

6. Favorite Championship Design: i'm a super poor judge in this category cuz i mostly don't care. if forced to pick, i might choose the design Ultimate Warrior had with the purple strap. just made the title seem more regal/royal.

happy anniversary WWE Championship. thanks for the memories.

 

[King Patrick Star]

Greatest/favorite WWE Champion?
Chris Jericho

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship reign?
Chris Jericho December 9, 2001 to March 17, 2002

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship match?
WWE Champion, Stone Cold Steve vs. WCW Champion, Chris Jericho for the Undisputed WWF / WCW Championship at Vengeance 2001

Greatest/favorite WWE Championship moment?
Chris Jericho and Vince McMahon at the end of Vengeance 2001

Most significant WWE Champion?
Chris Jericho as the Champion of the Big 2

Most influential WWE Champion?
Chris Jericho influenced me to never give up on anything

Favorite WWE Championship design?
The Undisputed / Heritage design