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One of the primary measuring sticks for the success of a WWE Superstar in the company is the number of Championships they have won. In a business defined by moments, that is the highest accomplishment one can earn. Winning any title is an indication of WWE putting their trust in the Superstar in question.
However, despite the sheer amount of belts in WWE, there are a few stars who have not tasted any success as a singles Champion. They may have been a Tag Team Champion in the past, but never did they solely hold a title either on NXT or the main roster.
The WWE and Universal Championships are obviously at the top of the mountain, while many current Superstars have earned the United States or Intercontinental gold. Other titles include those in NXT and NXT UK, as well as the infamous 24/7 Championship.
Some names are considered way above that title, while not being able to win any other belt on their own. Here are five current WWE Superstars who are yet to win a singles Championship as part of the company.
#5 Xavier Woods
He is leading a very successful career inside and outside the ring, but Xavier Woods has never held any singles gold in WWE. And to be fair, he does not ever need to do so. Woods' legacy in the company is already staggering, with him being a member of the New Day, the longest-tenured faction in WWE history.
Both of his partners have had singles success in the past. Big E won the Intercontinental Championship in 2013, while Kofi Kingston has had a multitude of singles titles to his name, including the WWE Championship last year.
That being said, it is unlikely that Woods will ever win a singles title in WWE as part of the New Day. They will forever remain around the Tag Team Titles, which Kingston and Big E are actually currently holding.
The creator of 'UpUpDownDown' is more than talented enough to become either the US or IC Champion, and WWE could tell a fascinating story with him chasing after either belt as part of the New Day. Whether or not he wins a singles belt in WWE, Xavier Woods is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer.
#4 Chad Gable
Finding success in WWE's tag team division, Chad Gable has not quite gotten the opportunity to show his incredible in-ring talent in a full-blown singles capacity. He enjoyed an impressive run to the King of the Ring Final last year, but shortly after that, the former Olympian got saddled with the awful Shorty G gimmick.
Needless to say, Gable has been unable to pick up any substantial momentum as Shorty G. Hopefully, WWE shifts him back to his previous role as a half-wrestling machine, half-goofball. Gable can do both equally well, similar to a certain Kurt Angle.
Tag teams with Bobby Roode and especially Jason Jordan yielded title reigns, but Chad Gable is yet to enjoy success on his own. He did come close in July 2017, answering an open challenge from United States Champion, Kevin Owens. A few weeks later, his tag team partner went to RAW to be revealed as Angle's son.
Gable would make for a brilliant Intercontinental Champion on SmackDown, provided WWE allows him to be his charismatic self. The former member of American Alpha could surprise a few people on the Blue brand.
#3 Mustafa Ali
After an extremely bright start to life on SmackDown, Mustafa Ali has fallen off the face of the Blue brand. He has not had a televised match in WWE for over half a year, and it seems like the hacker gimmick primed for him has been dropped, at least for the time being.
Ali seemed destined for great things in WWE at the start of 2019, mixing it up with top stars like Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton, among others. He was in the WWE Championship picture before WrestleMania, unable to defeat Bryan for the belt.
Even before his arrival on WWE's main roster, Ali nearly became a Champion on multiple occasions. He had some exciting Cruiserweight Title matches on pay-per-view against Cedric Alexander and Buddy Murphy. However, the past year has not been great for the talented star.
Like Chad Gable, Ali has all the tools to be an excellent Intercontinental Champion on SmackDown. Hopefully, WWE brings him back and does his talent justice. Mustafa Ali could be so much more than he is at the moment.
#2 Nikki Cross
While she has had a relatively successful run in WWE so far, Nikki Cross has never been a singles Champion in the company. From her time in NXT, the Scot has been around the top of the women's division, but her time came when Asuka was at her dominant best.
Cross and Asuka had a sensational Last Woman Standing Match for the NXT Women's Championship in 2017, with that remaining the closest she has come to winning singles gold. The former member of SAnitY came close last year, as she and Alexa Bliss challenged Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship at Extreme Rules.
And one year later, at the same pay-per-view, Cross has the opportunity to finally win a singles title in WWE as she faces Bayley for the Blue brand's title. This comes after her successful partnership with Bliss yielded two Women's Tag Team Title reigns.
It doesn't look like she will pick up the victory on Sunday, with Bayley being part of a much bigger story with Sasha Banks. That being said, Nikki Cross has been pretty impressive on WWE's main roster so far, and she could become RAW or SmackDown Women's Champion at some point in the future.
#1 Matt Riddle
Out of every WWE Superstar who hasn't won a singles title in the company yet, Matt Riddle might just be the biggest name. He had a pretty interesting run in NXT, being a part of fun storylines. Riddle even challenged for multiple belts, coming up short on every occasion.
The Original Bro did win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and the NXT Tag Team Championship alongside Pete Dunne, forming one of the most entertaining odd-couple tag teams in recent WWE history. However, their reign was cut short due to the pandemic, and Riddle now finds himself on SmackDown.
And like Nikki Cross, the former UFC fighter could make his way out of this list in a few days if he can defeat AJ Styles for the Intercontinental Championship on SmackDown. It is unlikely at this point, but do not be surprised if Riddle eventually dethrones the Phenomenal One at a future event, possibly SummerSlam.
It feels like a case of when, and not if, Matt Riddle will finally win a singles title in WWE. He could feasibly become a World Champion as well. It seems rather surprising that he was neither the NXT Champion nor was he the North American Champion. But it seems like the best is yet to come for Matt Riddle.
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