10 best championship reigns in WWE from the 2010s

We’ve been through the worst of the worst when it comes to championship reigns from the last eight years, and now, it’s time to look at the best.

Some fans will argue that there have been more than just 10 great title runs in WWE as of late, and while we do agree with them, these guys took it to a whole new level. As opposed to being champions who just allowed the belt to define them as performers, they were instead able to make a name for themselves and raise the prestige of the title based on their work alone.

In some instances, the length of their time as champion didn’t even matter all too much – because it was the substance that mattered above everything else. In many ways, these 10 superstars/tag teams have proven that being a champion is more important than some members of the WWE Universe will care to admit.

With that being said, here are our 10 best championship reigns in WWE from the 2010s.

#10 Nikki Bella – Divas Championship

You may hate her, but you have to respect her

Nikki Bella is often criticised by ‘hardcore’ fans, despite the fact that she was arguably the best Divas Champion of all time. While that may not be much of an achievement when you consider some of the other champions that held onto the belt, fans need to appreciate the fact that Nikki was more than capable of putting on a solid match.

As the cocky heel, she managed to hold onto the title for over 300 days, and it legitimately felt like a big deal when she lost it. Bella represented everything that people hated about the belt, but because she was the face of Total Divas, it made all the sense in the world for her to claw onto the belt for as long as she did.

Point blank: she deserves to be respected.

#9 Brock Lesnar – Universal Championship

The Beast continues to reign over Monday Night Raw

This may be an unpopular opinion given that he’s only defended the title three times, but when you include his recent classic against AJ Styles, the case for Brock Lesnar being on this list gets a lot stronger. Think about it – he’s a prizefighter champion, he looks like a monster, and every time we see him with the belt it feels like a special moment.

Brock has elevated the title whether fans want to admit it or not, and if he holds onto it until WrestleMania 34, he would’ve been the champion for an entire calendar year. That’s an impressive feat in today’s wrestling landscape, and as long as he can keep putting on Match of the Night bouts, we’re happy for him to carry it past New Orleans and beyond.

#8 The Usos – SD Live Tag Team Championships

While The Usos have held the titles on multiple occasions since turning heel again, it’s their current reign that we’d like to focus on above all of the others. Why? Because people are finally starting to appreciate just how good they are, and because of that, the brothers are rightly being recognised as the best tag team in the business.

The Usos have seen off the challenge of every team that’s stepped in their way, and that dominance looks set to continue as we approach the showcase of the immortals in NOLA. While they may not exactly be perfect outside of the ring, their in-ring work is more than enough to land them a place on this list.

#7 Charlotte Flair – Raw Women’s Championship

Charlotte is creating a magnificent legacy for herself

Charlotte Flair has been dubbed the Queen of WWE for a reason, with her progress over the last few years proving that she is indeed the best female wrestler in the world today. Within those few years she’s had many runs as a champion, with arguably the most notable being her first ever reign as Raw Women’s champ.

Flair won the title at WrestleMania 32 in what can only be described as a monumental moment for women’s wrestling, before proceeding to dismantle everyone that stepped in front of her over the coming months. While it wasn’t exactly the longest of title runs she managed to make herself feel like a star, which is something that has stuck with her to this day.

#6 Cody Rhodes – Intercontinental Championship

Due to his stellar work on the independent scene, many fans seem to have forgotten about Cody Rhodes’ resume from his WWE days. In addition to playing a role in several big storylines during his tenure with the company, Rhodes also played a huge role in revitalising the prestige of the historic Intercontinental Championship.

Not only did Cody hold the belt for over 230 days, but he also brought back the white strap design from the 90s. That act alone is enough to place him in the sixth position here because fans are going to be thinking of Rhodes when they look at that belt for years to come.

If they don’t, then they need to wake up and appreciate what this man has done for that title.

#5 Neville – Cruiserweight Championship

Despite walking away from WWE towards the back end of 2017, we still have many fond memories of Neville’s work as Cruiserweight Champion. Not only did he run the division as the King of the Cruiserweights for the better part of nine months, but he also improved his character work to the point where many fans considered him to be the best heel in the company.

It seemed like it would only be a matter of time until Neville made his full-time transition back onto the main roster, but alas, it seems as if that was never meant to be. With his current status unknown, we can only hope that the Englishman decides to be the bigger man and walks back through the doors of WWE.

#4 The New Day – Raw Tag Team Championships

The New Day held onto the Tag Team Championships for so long that they became the Raw Tag Team Championships. That, in itself, highlights just how strong the trio was as champions as they managed to cling to the titles for nearly 500 days.

They transitioned from being heels to faces and back again a number of times, and throughout it all, they managed to still maintain the credibility that they needed. Some saw them as nothing more than a joke but if you watch their work closely, you’ll see that they have several different personas that they can bring out whenever they see fit.

They may have lost the SD Live belts to the Usos a few months back, but in terms of this list, they’ve been the best tag champs by far.

#3 The Miz – Intercontinental Championship

It feels odd to associate The Miz with the Intercontinental Championship when you consider that his first run as champion didn’t come until 2012. Still, you can’t ignore his accomplishments, and since then The Awesome One has transformed into one of the greatest IC champions of all time.

The reign that put him back on the map, though, began on the night after WrestleMania 32 when he dethroned Zack Ryder in Dallas. Alongside his wonderful wife Maryse, Miz became one of the best heels in the company again through his hard work and dedication.

Now, we’d argue that he’s established himself as the most improved wrestler in WWE history.

#2 John Cena – United States Championship

A few years back the idea of John Cena holding onto a secondary title would’ve been ridiculous, given that he’s spent the majority of his career chasing world championships. Thankfully he broke that streak when he defeated Rusev at WrestleMania 31, which began one of the most memorable title reigns in recent memory.

Cena was a fighting champion and during his 147-day run as champ, he began the US Open Challenge which saw him taken on numerous mid-carders in title matches on live TV. Cena was able to elevate several stars of tomorrow, which firmly cemented his position as a veteran who is still one of the best in-ring performers in the industry.

#1 CM Punk – WWE Championship

CM Punk may no longer be the best in the world within professional wrestling, but his 434-day WWE Championship reign will forever go down in history for being one of the most enjoyable runs in the modern era. Punk, who won the title as a babyface in November 2011, went on to become the most hated heel in the company by the time he dropped the strap to The Rock at the 2013 Royal Rumble.

The title felt prestigious again for the first time in a long time, and a big part of that was the work ethic of the champion CM Punk.

He may not have always been recognised for the great work he was doing, but to the WWE Universe, Punk was the hero that we all felt like we deserved.

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