5 Greatest Stars In WWE History To Never Win The Championship

Despite everything going on with the RAW Women's and WWE Universal Championship, the hottest story in the WWE right now may be #KofiMania, and after stealing the show 2 weeks in a row on Smackdown and Elimination Chamber, it's clear that he should win the WWE Championship in the near future.

The WWE have booked that match for Fastlane, but they'd be silly to not put the Championship on him at WrestleMania. This has also gotten us thinking about other stars to not win the big one.

Over the years, the WWE have had all of the best performers in the world, and because of that, not all of them have been able to win the WWE Championship, but some definitely stand out above the rest.

From charismatic legends to athletic, technical performers, these are the 5 greatest performers in WWE history to never win the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship.

#5 Jake 'The Snake' Roberts

When talking about promos, most people look to the likes of Hulk Hogan, The Rock and Dusty Rhodes (with very good reason), but one man that is often forgotten about is Jake Roberts. He wasn't over the top with his facials or didn't have marketable catch-phrases, but Jake had a cadence like no other, and he managed to always get his message across in a concise, calm manner, and it was incredibly unique.

His matches weren't always the best, but he told great stories, and with his python Damien by his side, the WWE Universe couldn't look away when he was in the ring.

His life took a major spiral towards the end of his wrestling career, and that may be why he was never on top, but he's thankfully got that sorted now, and his legacy will be one of a great performer in all phases of wrestling, something you don't see as often in the modern day.

#4 Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat

Out of everyone on this list, Ricky Steamboat stands head and shoulders above the rest as an in-ring performer, and given his colourful nature and breathtaking entrances, it's surprising that he was never WWE Champion.

In his career, he had countless classics with the likes of Ric Flair, Randy Savage and others, but it was the WrestleMania 3 bout with the Macho Man that solidified him as a wrestling legend.

Like everyone on this list, the lack of World Championships hasn't affected him at all, because he has still served as a major inspiration to generations following him, and that's more important than any belt you can hold.

We would have loved for The Dragon to be on top at one time or another, but given the catalog of matches he put together, he still has the respect of every wrestling fan who's ever seen one of his matches.

#3 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper

Rowdy Roddy Piper is one of the most entertaining heels that the WWE have ever seen, and he was a great mid-card Champion for the WWE, so it will come as a shock to some that he never managed to win the Big One.

His 'Pipers Pit' talkshow is one of the best in WWE history, and is responsible for some of the greatest and most memorable moments of the entire era, but for some reason, the WWE never put him on top.

Piper could turn it on in an instant, going from comedy to rage in a heartbeat, and it was this promo and character work that made him one of the best performers the WWE has ever seen.

Hot Rod passed away in 2015, and he leaves behind him a tremendous legacy, and like many others, not winning the big one doesn't affect that.

#2 Razor Ramon

Razor Ramon is one of the most influential performers in wrestling history, especially alongside Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan as the NWO, but he never made it to the top of the mountain in WWE.

He debuted with the company as ultra smooth heel Razor Ramon, and was involved in several big matches, with the most memorable being in WWE's first ever Ladder Match against Shawn Michaels.

After that, he defected to WCW, turning the wrestling world on its head, but even after returning to the WWE several years later, he never became the main event star he should have been.

The Bad Guy was never the wrestler that some others on this list were, but he was fantastic on promos and the type of 'over the top' character that gets over in the WWE, and it's a great injustice that he never became the WWE Champion over the course of his career.

#1 Dusty Rhodes

Dusty Rhodes was never a WWE guy, and only had a few years in the promotion, but he was one of the most talented performers in wrestling history, and should have got a run at the top.

His work prior to the WWE should be shown in wrestling promo classes until the end of time, because his charisma and incredible promo work gave him an aura that no one in modern pro wrestling can match.

The American Dream came from humble beginnings, and his funky delivery with promos made him a huge fan favourite in every promotion in the world, and it's a shame that he never made it to the top of the WWE.

In fact, despite his work outside of the company, the WWE for some reason put him in polkadots and didn't get behind him, but fortunately, he leaves behind him a legacy that isn't affected by never making it to the top of the mountain.