10 Legendary pro wrestlers who were never WWE World champion

When it comes to pro wrestling legends, there have been quite a few that passed through the World Wrestling Federation, and its later incarnation the WWE. Men like Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund, and the Iron Sheik all held the WWE's big belt, the proclaimed 'richest prize in all of pro wrestling.'

But, believe it or not, there are numerous legendary pro wrestlers, even Hall of Famers, deceased, or still among us, who have never held the WWE's 'big belt' or any of their incarnations. This is surprising to many fans, especially in an era where title changes come fast and loose. In fact, in 2018 there were no less than 44 title changes in WWE across all of their divisions, brands, and extensions.

Contrast this to older eras in sports entertainment, where men might hold a title belt for several years without being upset or dethroned. Once you put this into perspective, it gets a bit easier to fathom how so many big name wrestlers never managed to capture the prestigious big belt.

Here are ten legendary wrestlers, who have held many titles, but never, ever got to be WWE's big belt champion.

#1 Junkyard Dog

Real Name: Sylvester Ritter

Debut: 1977

Career Accolades: Junkyard Dog won the Mid South Wrestling North American championship, the NWA six-man tag team titles, and won the Wrestling Classic, a tournament style event that is usually recognized as the first wrestling pay per view. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004, posthumously.

Junkyard Dog blazed a lot of trails for wrestlers of color in the 1970s. He was one of the first major babyfaces of that era who happened to be African American. This was quite an accomplishment, given that the south had been home to rioting and apartheid type conditions just ten years prior.

He was signed by WWE in the early 1980s, and won the Wrestling Classic tournament, said to be wrestling's first pay-per-view. He was a featured attraction during the Rock N Wrestling era, but oddly garnered no major championships.

JYD also worked for NWA, where he captured the six-man tag team titles. He made a run for Flair's NWA World heavyweight title, and while he never lost to Flair he also never actually won the title--his victories were always by DQ or count out.

Why he never won the Big Belt: JYD was active during the era of Hulk Hogan's historic five-year run with the title. While JYD may have been a fine choice for world champion, it just wasn't in the cards.

#2 Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff

Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff was known for his chiselled physique and tough guy status.

Real Name: Paul Orndorff, Jr.

Debut: 1976

Career Accolades: Orndorff held the NWA North American heavyweight title several times, and won numerous regional titles in both singles and tag team divisions. He held the NWA/WCW World Television title, and was a two-time WCW World tag team champion (with Paul Roma). He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff was sort of a precursor to Hulk Hogan. He was fit, chiselled, and brawny, able to throw his opponents around with ease. Despite his strength, Orndorff would often utilize a scientific style, albeit with tons of cheating when he was working heel.

Why he never wore the WWE's big belt: Like many others, Orndorff was active in the WWE at the same time as Hulk Hogan, who held the title for five years. Orndorff would challenge the Hulkster for the title, but never actually defeated him for it.

#3 The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase

Real Name: Theodore DiBiase, Sr.

Debut: 1974

Career Accolades: In addition to over thirty other titles in various promotions, DiBiase was a four-time NWA North American champion, a WWE world tag team champion, and created his own title, the Million Dollar championship. Despite what some may believe, DiBiase was never actually WWE world champion: Andre the Giant 'surrendered' the belt to Ted DiBiase, and the federation stripped him of the title and refused to recognize his reign, leading to the Wrestlemania IV tournament for the title.

Ted DiBiase actually spent a great deal of his career as a good guy, before he naturally gravitated to being a heel. It was in the WWE that he developed his best character, the Million Dollar Man, the ultimate personification of 1980s American greed.

Why he never wore the WWE's big belt: Dibiase was actually picked by Vince McMahon to dethrone Hogan for the title, but eventually, the CEO changed his mind, believing that a bad guy champion would be bad for ticket sales and buy rates of PPVs. Randy Savage was chosen instead, and many think Dibiase's Million Dollar Championship may have been compensation.

#4 Kerry Von Erich

Kerry Von Erich, alternately known as the Modern Day Warrior and Texas Tornado

Real Name: Kerry Gene Adkisson

Debut: 1979

Career Accolades: Von Erich was a four-time WCWA world champion, and a one time NWA World Heavyweight champion, pinning the legendary Ric Flair for the title at a packed stadium. In addition to over forty other titles, he also captured the WWE Intercontinental title one time.

Kerry von Erich was a member of the legendary, and tragic, Von Erich Clan led by patriarch Fritz Von Erich. They practically ruled the southwestern wrestling promotions in the fading days of the regional era. Kerry himself was the biggest, and most marketable, of the clan.

Unfortunately, his story is as fraught with tragedy as triumph, which may have led to his never having held the WWE championship.

Why he never held the WWE's big belt: Kerry Von Erich, due to numerous accumulated injuries including a partially amputated foot, developed an addiction to painkillers. He was fired from the WWE for his substance abuse issues and later took his own life.

#5 El Matador Tito Santana

Real Name: Merced Solis

Debut: 1977

Career Accolades: Tito won nearly fifty championships across various regional promotions, but is probably best known for his two WWE Intercontinental title reigns, and his WWE tag team title reign with Rick Martel as part of Strike Force.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004. Despite his many years in the sport, he only ever made one appearance for WCW, where he pinned WCW World Champion Jeff Jarrett. So, Tito Santana is the only wrestler alive who can claim to be undefeated in WCW!

Tito Santana was one of the early Mexican American wrestling superstars, and blazed the trail that others like Eddie Guerrero would later follow. Unlike many of his fellow wrestlers, Tito Santana never, ever, EVER worked as a bad guy or heel. He remained a babyface throughout his entire career.

Why he never wore the WWE's big belt: Tito was active in WWE at the same time as Hogan's five-year run, and as a babyface, he simply never had any shots at the main event. Despite his tremendous popularity -- not to mention win/loss ratio; Tito rarely tasted a clean defeat -- Tito would never hold the big belt in any of the major wrestling organizations.

#6 Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

Ricky The Dragon Steamboat with a scaly friend.

Real name: Richard Blood (Wait, hold up, that's a GREAT wrestling name!)

Debut: 1976

Career Accolades: Ricky Steamboat held the NWA World Television Title four times, the NWA United States title five times, and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship one time. He also held the WWE Intercontinental championship one time, winning it from Randy Savage at Wrestlemania III.

Ricky Steamboat was a native Hawaiian and amateur wrestler who turned pro quickly upon graduating school. Early on he went by his real name of Rick Blood, but then promoters decided his name was not good for a babyface wrestler. He was re-christened Ricky the Dragon Steamboat, capitalizing on his resemblance to Bruce Lee. He would use the name for the rest of his wrestling career.

Why he never held the WWE's big belt: Several factors worked against Steamboat in his quest for the big belt. For one, he made certain to keep his family a priority over wrestling, which may have hindered his chances of being world champion.

For another, Steamboat was active during Hogan's lengthy WWE title reign, and last but not least he left the company for the NWA, where he captured the world title from Ric Flair. His return to the WWE afterwards was mostly a swansong because nagging back injuries kept him from a full-time schedule.

#7 Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Real Name: Jim Duggan

Debut: 1979

Career Accolades: Jim Duggan held the IWF World title one time, the WCW World television title one time, and the United States championship one time. He also won the inaugural Royal Rumble event, and was the WWE's "King" of wrestling, having won the crown from Harley Race. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.

While a multitude of fans know Hacksaw as the loveable lug who hefts a 2x4 and an American flag, when he made his debut in 1979 he was a despicable villain! It's hard to swallow, but true.

Over time, Hacksaw would transition into a babyface role, where his blue-collar credentials made him quite popular. While he was never the most scientific of wrestlers, he was a storied performer who wrestled against a who's who of the best athletes of the 1980s.

Why he never wore the WWE's big belt: Hacksaw Jim Duggan, like so many others, was active at the same time as Hogan's five-year title run. Additionally, Hacksaw was never the best technical wrestler, and it was believed that he didn't need title belts to sell merchandise or tickets.

#8 Greg The Hammer Valentine

Real Name: Jonathon Wisnisky

Debut: 1970

Career Accolades: IWA World champion, NWA World Tag Team champion with Ric Flair, NWA World television champion, Mid South North American champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE World Tag team champion. In addition, he won over fifty titles in different regional promotions during his long career.

Greg Valentine was a second generation worker, following in the footsteps of his father Johnny Valentine. While his father tried to discourage him from pursuing a career in wrestling, he nonetheless arranged for Stu Hart to train the junior Valentine in the infamous Hart family dungeon.

Greg Valentine engaged in one of the bloodiest feuds in history when he had a series of dog collar matches against Roddy Piper, and was a fixture during the Rock N Wrestling era.

Why he never wore the WWE's big belt: Despite his obvious qualifications, Valentine was a heel wrestler during a period when babyfaces reigned as world champion, most especially Hulk Hogan. He was also in the waning years of his career by the time he made it to the WWE, and was a bit slower than he had been in his prime.

#9 Brutus the Barber Beefcake

Real Name: Ed Leslie

Debut: 1977

Career Accolades: Most of Beefcake's title victories came with Greg Valentine as his partner. They held the AWF and BCW tag team titles, before joining the WWE as the Dream Team and capturing those tag team titles as well.

Ed Leslie began his career with one of the most lucky positions possible, working closely with Hulk Hogan, as his 'brother.' Originally they were the Bollea Brothers, then the Hogans, with Leslie portraying younger, somewhat incompetent brother Dizzy Hogan.

The Barber gimmick came about when he split with Greg Valentine to become a babyface. Oddly, in spite of being cheered for by the fans, he actually acted very much like a heel, giving his opponents terrible haircuts after rendering them unconscious with his sleeper finisher.

Why he never held the WWE's big belt: Beefcake had a great look, and was always in tremendous condition, but a combination of timing and bad luck during a parasailing incident helped conspire to keep him out of the main event picture. It was also rumored that Vince McMahon never considered Beefcake more than a mid-card draw.

#10 Rowdy Roddy Piper

Real Name: Richard Toombs

Debut: 1975

Career Accolades: Piper was trained to be a black belt in Judo by Gene Lebell and was a golden gloves boxer before transitioning to pro wrestling. He spent much of his early career in the NWA, where he would capture the United States championship, the world tag team championship, and the Light Heavyweight championship, in addition to dozens of other regional titles.

In the WWE, he is recognized as an Intercontinental champion and a World Tag Team champion with Ric Flair, a reign which occurred after both men were largely retired from active wrestling.

Rowdy Roddy Piper was a pro wrestler, boxer, stuntman, and actor whose charisma and popularity crossed over into mainstream acceptance. He was crucial to the rise of the WWE during the Rock N Wrestling connection era, and possibly made Hulk Hogan a major star by virtue of being so terribly villainous.

Despite his many accolades over his long career, he never wore the WWE's big belt.

Why he never wore the WWE's big belt: Roddy Piper was a heel during a babyface dominated era, and of course, Hogan held the belt for over five years. In addition, Piper's numerous injuries and double hip replacements kept him from a full-time schedule, so he usually wrestled as a special attraction.

Edited by Nishant Jayaram