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The WWE Championship is the pinnacle of sports entertainment. Every wrestler that has ever entered the world of professional wrestling hopes to one day be the WWE Champion. The lineage of the championship is immense and is one of the oldest belts in professional wrestling. Past holders include the likes of Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Undertaker, The Rock, John Cena, Triple H, etc.
Considering the names that have held this belt, the WWE Championship is arguably one of the most prestigious belts in professional wrestling history. Even though common wrestling parlance would indicate that someone's career would be a failure if they never win this strap, there are plenty of tremendous wrestlers who cannot boast being WWE Champion. This list will look at 10 greatest wrestlers to never be WWE Champion.
#10 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase was one of the greatest heels in the history of the WWE. He was a braggadocios millionaire in a time where WWE was followed mostly by blue collar workers that idolized the working class heroes in the ring. DiBiase spat in the face of all that and was the kind of heel that comes once in a generation. He was arguably the top heel for the WWE from the late 80's to the early 90's.
Looking at that, it is a shame that DiBiase never got his run with the WWE Championship. Even though he 'technically' won it, he has never been recognized as champion. That is a shame, as the work that DiBiase put in that era created the archetype of money based heels like JBL later, who won the WWE Championship in 2004.
#9 Goldust
Goldust may be a surprising entry into this list for fans that have watched wrestling in the post-Attitude Era, but it is easy to forget what a pioneer the Goldust character was. Goldust can be considered as one of the best characters to emerge right before the Attitude Era and his bizarre shenanigans make him a very fondly remembered character.
A great Intercontinental Champion, Goldust never got the opportunity to run as WWE Champion, which is a shame as the real-life Dustin Runnels could have probably had a tremendous run with the belt. A character that always pushed the envelope, it is a shame Goldust didn't get the recognition he deserves.
#8 William Regal
One of the best in-ring technicians from Europe to come to the WWE, William Regal is one of the most underrated wrestlers to have stepped foot inside a ring. A tremendous worker, Regal was known to be a hard wrestler that would squeeze out drops of greatness from every wrestler he was pit against. That is why it is such a shame that the former Steven Regal never had a run with WWE's top prize.
The 2008 King of the Ring never really had the support from the top brass of the WWE to be a main eventer. It is a shame because he would make that title more prestigious by the virtue of who he is and was as a performer. His own personal demons also must have played a part in WWE not giving him the belt, but it is a shame nonetheless.
#7 Razor Ramon
It is surprising to think that Scott Hall never got a run as WWE Champion, considering he is easily one of the most influential figures in all of wrestling history. Depite that being the case with Hall, he never once became WWE Champion in his run with the WWE. He was a tremendous in-ring worker, but had an all too familiar story of being stuck as an Intercontinental Champion in the WWE, a theme we will see again on this list.
Hall was easily a cornerstone of WWE programming in the awkward era for WWE before the Attitude era, but after Hulk Hogan. He could have been champion if he chose to stick with the WWE, but he chose to leave for WCW. Even though his most iconic rival, Shawn Michaels became WWE Champion around this time, Ramon never got the same success and retired having never won the strap.
#6 Rick Rude
Easily one of the best Intercontinental Champions of all time, Rick Rude was another heel that should have been WWE Champion. He was the heel that knew he was too good in the ring and had a killer look to go with it. His antics made WWE programming memorable and left most people often scratching their heads and wondering, 'why didn't Rick Rude ever become champion?'
Rude never made the jump from the IC belt to the WWE Championship like most of his counterparts did. He was stuck in the almost WWE Champion territory, even getting a shot at SummerSlam 1990. That is why it's an even bigger shame that he never did win the belt. he soon retired in 1994 due to a back injury and never got another shot.
#5 Mr. Perfect
Someone Rude grew up with, Mr. Perfect is one of the most shocking omissions from the lineage of the WWE Championship. The real-life Curt Hennig was an absolutely killer in-ring technician, and much like the two before him, one of the best heels that the business had ever seen. Another iconic Intercontinental Champion, his lack of a WWE Championship run is a cause of dissatisfaction to many a wrestling purists.
Reportedly a victim of backstage politics, Hulk Hogan refused to lose the belt to Mr. Perfect because of the size difference between the two. Nonetheless, Mr. Perfect is the kind of wrestler that has been immortalized in every wrestling fan's mind because of his tremendous work-rate and classic matches.
#4 Dusty Rhodes
The American Dream isn't necessarily a wrestler everyone would associate with the WWE, as he mainly featured for the NWA or WCW, however the son of a plumber did have a run in the WWE. Considering the iconic figure that Rhodes is, it is a shame he never became WWE Champion in his career. His pristine legacy will always be affected because of the lack of a WWE Championship, one he was very worthy of.
Rhodes is one of the most iconic figures in wrestling history and deserves the highest billing that one could possibly give him. Despite that, WWE never put a belt on him. That is a massive shame, as Rhodes got caught in petty politics and never got a run in the WWE. It makes both Rhodes's resume as well as the history of the WWE Championship sparkle a little less.
#3 Jake 'The Snake' Roberts
Arguably one of the best heels ever, there will never be a true reason or justification to why Jake Roberts never won the WWE Championship. The archetype of the modern 'I play dark and twisted mind games' character, Roberts was a pioneer and tremendous worker that should have had a run with the WWE Championship. Considered to be one of the best on the WWE roster around the early 90's, Roberts didn't win any gold in the WWE.
Saying that WWE had existed in a time with someone as good as Jake Roberts in their roster, but chose to never give him a run with any gold is mind boggling and honestly so disheartening. Despite all of the issues in Roberts's personal life, he was always a tremendous performer, and it is a damn shame that he never got to add WWE Champion to his list of accolades.
#2 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper
Rowdy Roddy Piper has inspired a whole host of wrestlers to become who they are. He was one of the biggest influences for the likes of CM Punk and Ronda Rousey, but he never became a WWE Champion in his tenure with the company. The host of 'Pipers Pit' has created some of the most memorable moments in wrestling, as his demeanor and charisma kept everyone entertained, but seemingly not enough to make him a WWE Champion.
Piper has won several titles under the multiple NWA territories and also held the WWE Intercontinental Championship, but he was never given the WWE Championship. Of course an argument is made that Piper never needed the belt because of who he was as a character, but if the WWE Championship is supposed to honour the best in WWE, how is it that Piper never got the strap? That is an unsettling thought and leaves a dark spot over his impeccable legacy.
#1 Owen Hart
Even though his brother Bret Hart liked to say he was the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be, Owen Hart can make the same argument about himself. One of the smoothest in-ring workers, Owen had pools of charisma around him with a great look. It is a shock that he never won the WWE Championship, despite all the signs pointing towards his eventual coronation.
Hart is one of the many wrestlers to have been Intercontinental Champion, but to have never made the switch on to the WWE Championship.
He had tremendous match after tremendous match, but never got the call by the top brass to win the belt. He had placed himself in such an important position in the hearts of every fan that there is no possible reason for Hart to have never captured the gold.
Even though Owen will still be remembered for being one of the best wrestlers we saw, he is also the greatest wrestler to have never won the WWE Championship.
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